New year, same place.
I have, as you may have noticed, not posted much. It's partly been in a moderately successful effort to gear myself to writing more of a dissertation, and more recently because I just wanted to step away from the musicology world and enjoy my break. Which I did. I enjoyed the company of family and friends, discovered I can make an omelet that doesn't fall apart (while making jokes about Anubis), can sleep just as little on break as during the school year, and I can recite from memory the entirety of the theme song for The Nanny.
You can all expect more movie reviews, top tens, and other year end bits, but I want to start just broadly. Academically, his has been the first year of really, truly writing a dissertation, a year without structure. It was the last academic class I will likely take- a film historiography class I loved. It was also my one shot class of teaching my own course. These are all big moments, ones I've learned from: I like teaching. I excel at using my own enthusiasm to structure something. I don't quite know where I want to fall in the easy/hard grading spectrum. I still struggle with getting momentum early on in classroom discussions, especially early in the semester. And I also struggle with consistent writing production and self-editing. That's been the biggest issue I've faced in 2009, and will continue to face in 2010. And here's where the standard resolution making comes into conflict for me: I don't really know what I want to resolve, or how.
Dissertationally, I'm still figuring out how to be more effective. Not necessarily either quality or quantity, but just feel more satisfied.
I also need to be doing more other projects, publishing, papers, and yes, blogging. Balance.
I also need to read more pleasure books, practice some piano maybe. I've also considered trying to do some fun, social sightsinging, without performing or perfecting. And of course, I'd like to revisit movies and do more pleasure reading.
But the one resolution I've made is to keep up more with current music. I think NPR's All Songs Considered is a good starting place. Other suggestions?
You can all expect more movie reviews, top tens, and other year end bits, but I want to start just broadly. Academically, his has been the first year of really, truly writing a dissertation, a year without structure. It was the last academic class I will likely take- a film historiography class I loved. It was also my one shot class of teaching my own course. These are all big moments, ones I've learned from: I like teaching. I excel at using my own enthusiasm to structure something. I don't quite know where I want to fall in the easy/hard grading spectrum. I still struggle with getting momentum early on in classroom discussions, especially early in the semester. And I also struggle with consistent writing production and self-editing. That's been the biggest issue I've faced in 2009, and will continue to face in 2010. And here's where the standard resolution making comes into conflict for me: I don't really know what I want to resolve, or how.
Dissertationally, I'm still figuring out how to be more effective. Not necessarily either quality or quantity, but just feel more satisfied.
I also need to be doing more other projects, publishing, papers, and yes, blogging. Balance.
I also need to read more pleasure books, practice some piano maybe. I've also considered trying to do some fun, social sightsinging, without performing or perfecting. And of course, I'd like to revisit movies and do more pleasure reading.
But the one resolution I've made is to keep up more with current music. I think NPR's All Songs Considered is a good starting place. Other suggestions?
posted by Dan B. at
9:53 PM
2 Comments:
As someone who is teaching a History of Rock course next semester, I've also vowed to keep up on current music. I have found several great artists from NPR's coverage. However, I've also found that the bands that become popular there are all typically of a certain genre, and that one has to deal with almost unbearable elitism on the message boards. In order to really stay atop of things, I've had to learn to keep more than one ear to the ground in more than one place. However, without NPR, I would never have heard Fanfarlo's "Reservoir" album, which I highly recommend!
By
John, At
January 10, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Happy New Year, Dan!
I get most of my new music from KEXP.org. It is my favorite radio station of all time. Mostly "indie," whatever that means, but also a wide variety--especially their evening programing.
A professor-friend once suggested that I get a "Rolling Stone" subscription...haven't had one since college, but I think I should probably get back into one. They're pretty cheep.
By
rrb, At
January 10, 2010 at 7:18 PM
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home