It's just me

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:32:12 GMT

Dear Anika,

You are working on a SSHRC grant statement. While this requires reading, it is not necessary to do all the reading you will do for your dissertation *right now.*

Love,
Anika

Dear Anika,

I think you are wrong.

Love,
(A much more foolish) Anika

Fri, 29 May 2009 04:32:14 GMT

I thought that Dorothy E Smith had retired for good, but no-- she's going to teach at UBC in the WS department next January. Dorothy E Smith who wrote the famous Institutional Ethnography is going to be teaching the course, Institutional Ethnography.

And I get to take it.

I've been reading about qualitative inquiry and research methodologies all week and had just figured out that I'm going to be doing an institutional ethnography. After searching libraries and bookstores, I'd finally found a copy of her book at Powell's in Portland and was getting ready to order it. Now I'll hear about it *from* her.

I know, I know. Some people have rock stars...

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:53:10 GMT

The kitten came and snuggled up to me. He is purring in a little ball while I pet him. My god.

(In case some of you don't know, this has taken 5 months of him running away and hiding. He was a scared little rescue cat with an ugly history).

Tue, 05 May 2009 03:19:04 GMT

Today, in the mail, I got a teeny weeny honourarium and a complimentary copy of Who's Your Daddy? And Other Writing on Queer Parenting. My Article, "Beyond Normalization: An An Analysis of Heteronormativity in Children's Picture Books," is one chapter in it. Pretty nifty, eh?

Plus, you need to appreciate the awesomeness that is the front cover:
http://www.sumachpress.com/whosdaddy.htm

In awe

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:27:27 GMT

My friend just had a baby. I just went to meet him. What an amazing tiny little perfect.

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:19:05 GMT

Yay, I'm going to SF in November. It's been years. Much fun.

I'm going to present a chapter of my thesis at a conference (I get to pay them to go... ah academia).

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:26:17 GMT

If I come to Toronto over Spring Break (March 15-22) would any of my Toronto friends be up for a house guest for a few days?

The Band Wagon (aka I pulled my 25 things from facebook and posted them here)

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 03:02:11 GMT

1. At four I was obsessed with learning about dinosaurs. I asked my mom how they became extinct and was so excited when she told me that no one had figured it out yet. I think I replied with, “that’s what I can do then!” I remember feeling as if the grown ups already knew everything about everything and was really happy to know that there was still a place for me to add something.

2. I want to be a gardener on the sunshine coast.

3. I also want to write a dissertation and they don’t have the resources there.

4. I often feel conflicted between my desire to live a sustainable, laid back life and… the rest of my personality.

4. I will never own enough books.

5. In the summer I only want to do yoga, cook and garden.

6. It’s hard to define my spirituality in the space allotted on facebook—I am very drawn to Judaism. My background with Unitarianism and earth centred traditions greatly influences the ways in which I relate to any spirituality.

7. At three years old I wanted to be an author.

8. Here’s an example of my white privilege: I’m a first generation Canadian. My parents immigrated here with no money a few years before I was born. I didn’t realise that I belonged to this category until I was in my 20s. When I tell people they laugh.

9. I am so relieved that I am queer and part of queer communities. Being an oddball in a number of ways, it was good to have a community outside the mainstream that was clearly available to me at a young age.

10. When I was in theatre school at 19 and 20 people used to call me a feminist as an insult. When I was in theatre history I was told, “God Anika, just go major in Women’s Studies already.” It was intended as a criticism. Damn, they were right!

11. I often battle with not feeling “accomplished” enough for my age.

12. In my 20s I did terrible performance art.

13. Though embarrassed by this, I miss some of my less inhibited creative life. (However, I’m glad I can now edit and send documents to publishers.)

14. I watch way too much of all Joss Whedon’s shows. I have the last episode of season 4 of Buffy as I type this.

15. I love working with children. I’m afraid I’ll miss it terribly when I go back to academia.

16. I am very interested in different communication modalities. As an intensely verbal person, I love finding ways to facilitate education with children with autism who are often non-verbal

17. Sammie died almost a year ago to this day. I am amazed by how much I haven’t stopped missing her. At all.

18. I have a larger student loan than anyone I’ve ever met.

19. I’m awaiting a reply from another PhD program at a far away school and am not sure how I’ll make the decision if I have a decision to make.

20. I mentioned that I am very much a libra, right?

21. I’m very sad that I do not yet have children and often worry that this won’t happen in my life.

22. I make a kick-ass Thai peanut sauce.

23. I am a big believer in chosen family.

24. I miss communities of friends that I have in other cities.

25. I have a hard time not living by the ocean.

PhD Acceptance

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:31:19 GMT

I just got informal notice that I got in to the Centre for Cross-Faculty Inquiry in Education PhD program with a recommendation for an Graduate Entrance Scholarship.

Holy freakin' crap, I did it!

I, of course, haven't heard from OISE yet. If I get in there I'll have to make a decision, but this does mean that I will definitely be doing my PhD and I will definitely have some money with which to do it. Whew!

I'm excited. I'm excited about being back in school and excited about my research. I think this project is important and am feeling so grateful that I'll actual be able to do it.

This sucks

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:37:36 GMT

I just found out that the chapter of my thesis that I sent out got rejected. It's not going to be part of a really cool sounding anthology. Grrr.

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:05:12 GMT

I'm even more full of the sick today. Grrr.

I want to go visit Portland. I haven't visited since I stopped living there and there are places I'd like to see again-- Powell's books, good food, good yoga (and visit clashfan perhaps?).

I want to visit Toronto. I'm missing all my Toronto friends. I want to get dressed up in fishnets and boas and go to something fabulous with them. I'm wondering if I can get a cheap ticket for spring break (and a new jacket to take with me).

But Vancouver. In Vancouver I have lovely friends who brought me food and cold meds this morning.

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:17:41 GMT

I'm sick. Not anything interesting, just a stuffed up, sore throat, fever, chills, aches and pains kind of a thing.

Blat.

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:25:39 GMT

I haven't read reviews of my book on line since I got a particularly bad one.

I just became all self-involved and googled myself and found a review from a woman saying how my book has helped her to create lasting, meaningful traditions with her family.

This is a lovely feeling.

(Need to send out manuscripts again. Soon!)

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 05:59:08 GMT

I just did a 45 minute yoga routine instead of going straight to bed. This was smart. Very smart.

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:52:52 GMT

This actually seems like a reflection of my life at its best in some ways. :)

On the twelfth day of Christmas, thatanikagirl sent to me...

Twelve estrelladas drumming

Eleven copperqueens piping

Ten starstealingirls a-leaping

Nine breklors dancing

Eight uus a-cooking

Seven geeks a-gardening

Six muppets a-cycling

Five arti-i-i-ists

Four writers

Three costume parties

Two food politics

...and a vegetarianism in a queer theory.

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:32:49 GMT

Galiano Island! I'm going to Galiano Island!

(as soon as I find a place with availability next week.)

Finished!

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:13:27 GMT

I did it. They are done. Three PhD applications sent off. Letters from referees and transcripts are in the mail. Statements of intent are all finished and my writing samples have been nicely taylored for the various word count requirements.

I'm now drinking some Baily's hot chocolate. Verbs. Slipping. Away. Words. Gone.

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:46:33 GMT

I should mention, my previous post about Obama wasn't my writing. It was a cut-and-paste from a mass email I recieved. I'm not sure who was the witty author.

New Obama Practice Strikes Controversy

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:57:24 GMT

Obama's Use of Complete Sentences Stirs Controversy - Stunning Break with
Last Eight Years

In the first two weeks since the election, President-elect Barack Obama has
broken with a tradition established over the past eight years through his
controversial use of complete sentences, political observers say.

Millions of Americans who watched Mr. Obama's appearance on CBS' "Sixty
Minutes" on Sunday witnessed the president-elect's unorthodox verbal tick,
which had Mr. Obama employing grammatically correct sentences virtually
every time he opened his mouth.

But Mr. Obama's decision to use complete sentences in his public
pronouncements carries with it certain risks, since after the last eight
years many Americans may find his odd speaking style jarring.

Obama?s Use of Complete Sentences Stirs Controversy - Stunning Break with
Last Eight Years

In the first two weeks since the election, President-elect Barack Obama has
broken with a tradition established over the past eight years through his
controversial use of complete sentences, political observers say.

Millions of Americans who watched Mr. Obama's appearance on CBS' "Sixty
Minutes" on Sunday witnessed the president-elect's unorthodox verbal tick,
which had Mr. Obama employing grammatically correct sentences virtually
every time he opened his mouth.

But Mr. Obama's decision to use complete sentences in his public
pronouncements carries with it certain risks, since after the last eight
years many Americans may find his odd speaking style jarring.

According to presidential historian Davis Logsdon of the University of
Minnesota, some Americans might find it "alienating." "Every time Obama opens his mouth, his subjects and verbs are in agreement," says Mr. Logsdon. "If he keeps it up, he is running the risk of sounding like an elitist."

The historian said that if Mr. Obama insists on using complete sentences in
his speeches, the public may find itself saying, "Okay, subject, predicate,
subject predicate - we get it, stop showing off."

The President-elect's stubborn insistence on using complete sentences has
already attracted a rebuke from one of his harshest critics, Gov. Sarah
Palin of Alaska.

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 01:59:35 GMT

One day I will post about something other than PhD applications.

But not today.

The task is this:

To write one, count it, one paragraph summarizing a constellation of theorists who write about anti-oppression and problemizing inclusion/diversity discourse from different standpoints, in order to demonstrate that I'm aware of 'cutting edge' research in these areas.

Then, I need to write one paragraph describing how my work expands these frameworks and is able to provide a useful and original contribution to further the contellation (so to speak).

Wish me luck.
It's fun ('cause of the being a nerd part) and I'm working against that old feeling of intimidation.

PhD Applications

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:51:44 GMT

Yep, I'm doing it.

I'm applying to PhD programs.

What an intense process, holy crap! It's exhausting. Completely exhausting.

I know I cursed York and cursed York and cursed York, but damn did I ever gain skills there.
I've been meeting with department heads at UBC and with potential supervisors and have been managing to be clear-headed and articulate when talking to them.
I've been sending work out to publishers.
Everyone is taking my research seriously and I've been getting really positive feedback as to its importance.

I've been pretty tired and preoccupied lately.
But much good is happening.

Mine

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:43:25 GMT

I keep walking around my apartment thinking, "these windows. These are my windows. These counters. These are my counters." It's such a weird feeling. It's kind of like when I borrow a book from a library a dozen times and then finally buy it but am still treating it like someone else's. I inevitably realise it's mine and that I can highlight it and make notes in the margins. It's kind of like that, but with my whole life. With everything I do. No one else owns this suite as much as we do. It's such a crazy feeling.

Oh, and by the way, I hadn't realised how much I'd missed bathtubs and mountain views. No more feet passing by my windows. Every window faces mountains. Sigh.

I want to go to this...

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 06:13:54 GMT

MELISSA FERRICK "GOODBYE YOUTH"
MONDAY NOVEMBER 24

Doors: 7pm Show: 8pm

Tix: $15 advance @ Little Sisters 1238 Davie St. & Kokopelli's 2052 Commercial Dr.

*on sale ... October 10th

Price: See description
Venue: The Media Club
Address: 695 Cambie St.

Anyone want to come with me?

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:32:22 GMT

I'm missing academia the one some people miss kissing.

Would it be silly for me to apply to PhD programs?

Pondering, pondering, pondering.

The move

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:58:33 GMT

I have the most lovely friends ever.

Yesterday we had moving help from 8 in the morning till after 10 at night by an amazing crew of 6 firends. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I'm in love with the new co-op suite. Unfortunately, we own way too much stuff and it took us all that time (with two hired movers too) just to move all of our belongings in. Holy crap. The house is nothing but boxes. Floor to ceiling boxes. Boxes and boxes and boxes and furniture crammed into corners.

I'm taking today away from work and seeking out some back treatments. By the end of the day I was worried that my back was going to snap. I've learned not to go to work worried that my back will snap.