So almost a month has gone by without a post. I was planning to wait until I'd moved my website over to Ben's new server, but I kept putting that off, and now look how long it's been. I've also been neglecting other online duties: my email inbox message count finally broke 3000 today -- after deleting spam, I was able to beat it back to 2987. Still, I've got a lot of catching/following up to do ... the last time it got this bad I took a whole day and brought it down to <500 emails. Maybe I'll make that a New Year's resolution.
So ... let's see ... Arizona was nice, but I don't think I could live in the desert. For all the marvelous cacti and funny-shaped rocks, I felt like something was missing from the scenery the whole time. When I got back to NY (Westchester, actually) the trees seemed much more, err, conspicuous, all pointy, tall and forest-like along the roads. I guess I shouldn't apply to schools in Texas.
Speaking of grad school applications, that's all I've been doing lately and the main reason for why I haven't updated the blog. I began wrangling with my essay during Thanksgiving in Elmira, did the Dec 1 deadline apps just in the nick of time, and am working on the Dec 15 apps now. It's the worst. It also costs anywhere from $50 to $95 each -- applying to 12 schools was a bad idea.
What else? Hmmm, I on the plane back from Phoenix I read the Economist's latest survey on America: "A nation apart" and I really recommend it to all (but you have to read the whole thing through to the end for the good stuff). I noticed the same thread -- how political sentiment in America has become much more deeply divided in recent times -- picked up in lots of other articles. Time's "Love Him, Hate Him" cover story reads point-for-point and stat-for-stat as a dumbed-down American version of the Economist article. But the New Yorker follows up with a great article, The Great Election Grab; When does gerrymandering become a threat to democracy? that goes in-depth on how powerful redistricting has become thanks to crazy partisanship and district-redrawing software.
Oh. I also finally got a subscription to the Economist (academic discount) and the New Yorker. Whee.
What else? Mike came over for Thanksgiving from SF and we saw lots of Maplewood people, which was excellent. He also came to Inwood and chilled at the flat. He had a pretty Powerbook and watching it work for a few minutes made me want to get an Apple G5 again. I think I really will now ... any opinions on the Dual 1.8 Ghz vs. the Dual 2 Ghz?
Posted by cce at December 9, 2003 01:58 AM | TrackBack