Postcards from Rome

Greetings from Rome! The phdmamas are ready to call it a day after the second day of our whirlwind Roman Holiday but are gearing up for tomorrow evening, when we celebrate Thanksgiving “Italian-style” (read: with lots of American expats).  
Jen is doing some Romantic research beginning tomorrow when she heads to the Protestant Cemetery and [...]

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Roman Holiday

The phdmamas are in Rome this Thanksgiving week for a mix of research and recreation. We shall return next Sunday, November 30th. Stay tuned, as we will do our best to post some pics of our travels during the week.

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Fashion Friday: 11/21/08

Destination: ROMA
Lost luggage is no fun.  Neither is shlepping one’s luggage on and off planes and trains, and through narrow cobblestone streets.  I try to always abide by this mantra: “NEVER check any bags.” As such, I am bringing a small wheeled suitcase to Rome on Monday and a carry on bag (which will fit [...]

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Zen and the Art of Waiting?

Not long ago I posted on the virtues of Dr. Seuss as dissertation coach, focusing particularly on his Oh the Places You’ll Go! representation of the passive attitude toward life — how many often find themselves in a kind of “waiting room” where they are inactive, dependent on external forces for any kind of action. [...]

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Wednesday: Annotated Biblio-blography

Writing Contest: Cliopatria announces its 2008 blog writing contest. There are multiple nominating categories. Can you imagine this award on your CV?
Presidential Sentence Structure: In response to Obama’s appearance on last Sunday’s “Sixty Minutes” show, the Borowitz Report’s (yes, a little over the top) article, “Obama’s use of Complete Sentences Stirs Controversy: Stunning Break with the Last Eight [...]

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Are you a member?

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Shrinking Endowments ≠ Job or Affirmative Action

The MLA job search may be shrinking before our eyes as colleges and universities are beginning to retract their postings due to withdrawal of funding. I’ve already had two of my applications tossed due to search shut downs (and these are just the ones I know of so far). One notice I received by mail [...]

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If you needed more convincing that the MLA job search is a downer…

File this under TMI?  Or is it better to have lots of information?

Well, I almost wish that I didn’t know about this “Have you heard” wiki where one can check out the status of posted MLA jobs.  I am trying to limit my checking to only once a day…
-Amy

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Fashion Friday: 11/14/08

What to pack for the Roman Holiday? The Challenge: Use one carry-on suitcase.
Jen’s core wardrobe for Rome (sans a few layering T’s, etc.). The strategy: choose a color palette for your trip. It’s November, albeit reasonably mild in Italy; so, in this case I’m favoring grey, navy, and black with gold accents and green scarf [...]

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Wednesday: Annotated Biblio-blography

Eggheads Unite: Over the weekend, New York Times Op-Ed Columnist, Nicholas Kristof, revisited American anti-intellectualism and Obama’s unapologetic smarts in his article, “Obama and the War on Brains.” Indeed:
“At least since Adlai Stevenson’s campaigns for the presidency in the 1950s, it’s been a disadvantage in American politics to seem too learned. Thoughtfulness is portrayed as [...]

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