Saturday, September 13, 2008
Greetings from the Invisible Suburb
With summer sputtering to its humid, muggy conclusion and the onset of the new academic year, it's time for those of us who have been procrastinating all summer to get back into the game. I'll leave the issue of whether the game in question should be literal or figurative to the philosophers and instead devote the majority of this post to that most classic of all September assignments: How did I spend my summer vacation?
Much of my summer was spent working on various academic projects--including my prospectus, a wide-ranging update to my professor's history of biology lectures, and a conference presentation for next month--albeit with somewhat less rigor than that required by my general exams. All of these were useful exercises and one (the biology lectures) actually provided some much-appreciated supplemental income.
Why much appreciated? Because in addition to travel fees to the aforementioned conference (more on that in a future post), it had become clear by the middle of last semester that I would need to move. Renting a room at the Invisible Commune had possessed definite advantages, including proximity to Old Ivy's campus, free Internet and laundry access, and a parking spot for the Ben-mobile. But there were also drawbacks...the kitchen was abysmal (when it was not being confiscated due to the whims of my landlords, or perhaps more accurately, their neighbors...again, a subject for further elaboration), climate control became a rather significant issue throughout the year, and don't get me started about the shower. (Both Mathman and Caseator can attest to that following their visit in July.) Yes, the time had come for a change.
Normally, I'm not one who handles change well, but I think I'm starting to settle into life here in my new home in the Invisible Suburbs. Despite the vast expansion of my personal carbon footprint due to the hour-plus commute between here and Old Ivy, lack of proximity to campus has not yet proven overwhelming, though we'll see how I feel after another month or so. No rush hour frustration, however, can subvert the fact that instead of having to share the third floor of a century old house with three other strangers, I now share a medium-sized two-bedroom apartment with my girlfriend. An apartment with such modern features as:
1. Air conditioning
2. A kitchen complete with oven and dishwasher
3. A bathroom with a working shower
4. A patio, perfect for grilling
5. Did I mention the air conditioning already? It likely won't be important in another month, but after only a few weeks I wonder how I survived without it.
This is not to claim there were not some difficulties with furnishing the place. The kitchen, though nice, is small, and due to limited seating space, entertaining visitors may prove a challenge. Thanks to Craig's List, we have a nice couch, but we have yet to figure out how one goes about cleaning it since it's microfiber. And then there's the issue of closet space.
Still, these are relatively minor issues. Right now, I'm just glad that my computer is finally set up and I can access the Internet again thanks to the magic of wireless networking. And yes, that means that blogging will resume, and just in time. It looks like I'll finally be returning the classroom at the end of this week.
Will Old Ivy's finest compare to my former students at Underwood High?
You'll just have to tune in to find out.
With summer sputtering to its humid, muggy conclusion and the onset of the new academic year, it's time for those of us who have been procrastinating all summer to get back into the game. I'll leave the issue of whether the game in question should be literal or figurative to the philosophers and instead devote the majority of this post to that most classic of all September assignments: How did I spend my summer vacation?
Much of my summer was spent working on various academic projects--including my prospectus, a wide-ranging update to my professor's history of biology lectures, and a conference presentation for next month--albeit with somewhat less rigor than that required by my general exams. All of these were useful exercises and one (the biology lectures) actually provided some much-appreciated supplemental income.
Why much appreciated? Because in addition to travel fees to the aforementioned conference (more on that in a future post), it had become clear by the middle of last semester that I would need to move. Renting a room at the Invisible Commune had possessed definite advantages, including proximity to Old Ivy's campus, free Internet and laundry access, and a parking spot for the Ben-mobile. But there were also drawbacks...the kitchen was abysmal (when it was not being confiscated due to the whims of my landlords, or perhaps more accurately, their neighbors...again, a subject for further elaboration), climate control became a rather significant issue throughout the year, and don't get me started about the shower. (Both Mathman and Caseator can attest to that following their visit in July.) Yes, the time had come for a change.
Normally, I'm not one who handles change well, but I think I'm starting to settle into life here in my new home in the Invisible Suburbs. Despite the vast expansion of my personal carbon footprint due to the hour-plus commute between here and Old Ivy, lack of proximity to campus has not yet proven overwhelming, though we'll see how I feel after another month or so. No rush hour frustration, however, can subvert the fact that instead of having to share the third floor of a century old house with three other strangers, I now share a medium-sized two-bedroom apartment with my girlfriend. An apartment with such modern features as:
1. Air conditioning
2. A kitchen complete with oven and dishwasher
3. A bathroom with a working shower
4. A patio, perfect for grilling
5. Did I mention the air conditioning already? It likely won't be important in another month, but after only a few weeks I wonder how I survived without it.
This is not to claim there were not some difficulties with furnishing the place. The kitchen, though nice, is small, and due to limited seating space, entertaining visitors may prove a challenge. Thanks to Craig's List, we have a nice couch, but we have yet to figure out how one goes about cleaning it since it's microfiber. And then there's the issue of closet space.
Still, these are relatively minor issues. Right now, I'm just glad that my computer is finally set up and I can access the Internet again thanks to the magic of wireless networking. And yes, that means that blogging will resume, and just in time. It looks like I'll finally be returning the classroom at the end of this week.
Will Old Ivy's finest compare to my former students at Underwood High?
You'll just have to tune in to find out.
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