Then entry comes in two parts today.
Part One:
New Level Of Laziness: Do I have the strength to update? (This makes 5 days in a row!!!
)
I'm actually spending the day at home today. It's for a lame reason: I have to wash the dishes. Seriously! Late last night, we cooked up some chutney (....mmm....chutney....) for supper tonight (...mmm...curry chicken...). So, there was a mess but no one wanted to clean it. I stayed home today to pick up the slack, so that we'd have pots and pans and what not for tonight. Plus, I was pretty beat. I didn't sleep so well, and I have a call or two to make. It all works out.
So far, this morning, I finished Cicero's On the Commonwealth and On the Laws. They're OK. The best parts are when he discusses why politics is just as valuable as philosophy. Most of the rest of the book annoys me for three reasons:
1. He just rehashes a lot of Plato, Aristotle, and Polybius. When they do it, it's interesting. Not so much with Cicero.
2. He just seems to assert a whole lot: People are rational! Thus, we should have religion since nature is a rational system and it would only do good to worship gods! Oh, and here are rational laws that I will not unpack in anyway to show why they are rational! Sure thing Cicero old buddy....
(To be fair - we only have fragments of his works. So maybe the good stuff is just missing.)
3. He uses dialogues. I hate dialogues. First, I hate the sycophant characters who clap for the primary interlocutr. Second, I feel like the whole method is a *trick.* The "critical" interlocutors also put up the lamest challenges and back down too easily (except for good old Thrasymuchus!). I feel like, on a psychological/pedagogical level, it sets the reader up to swallow these arguments more easily. I feel like they're trying to *trick* me. I know dialogues have value: they do make things easier to read. I still don't care for them all that much.
Anyway. That's done. The afternoon is here. I have to read for the exam.
Part Two:
The big talk in the apartment right now is that we might move. We'd like to move up to the North Side. We really love Hyde Park - it's gorgeous, convenient, a good *neighborhood*, and filled with bookstores. Our apartment, while not great is still just fine, and is *very* affordable. But "the HP" ain't perfect: things can be a bit rough at times, there are not a lot of entertainment options, and publilc transport really bites. North is attractive: lots to do and easy to get around. Our "north side" friends are encouraging us. Of course, the north has its limits - rent will be more and we'll have to actually *commute* to work (rather than just walk).
One place we're looking at is right here. It's River City Rentals, in the South Loop. It's a bit isolated, I think, but closer to places where we want to be than we are now and still fairly affordable. It's also kinda trippy: the walls are all curved! On the slightly odd note - it also has its own private *grammar* school. I hope we wouldn't be joining a cult...
I don't think we're *really* going to move. I'd put the odds at 30%. What we have now is just too convenient and cost effective. In addition, if we moved - we'd want to get new furniture for our swanky new pad. We could do Target pretty cheap actually. For about $1800, we could get al new living room furniture (sofa, chair, tables, and entertainment center) AND a dining room set. That's not bad, especially if sell our current stufff to defray some of those costs.
But, we're trying to *avoid* spending a lot of money. My wife is studying her ass off to get into pharmacy school, and if she does - that's going to put a crimp in our current income. So, spending $2K on furniture and bumping our rent by almost $200 a month just isn't going to cut it. I mean, the fact that we're "saving" is why I'm packing a lunch most days, leftovers have become a more integral part of our diet, and I've cut down on expenses (like graphic novels). It would seem silly to shoot ourselves in the foot this way. On top of that - I *hate* moving. I have too much crap. AND, I'm spending the summer studying for my theory exam. While moving only takes a couple of weeks, that would be a big chunk of time lost, especially when I'll be doing research work and writing on top of it. So, moving just isn't really feasible right now.
Of course, all this talk of moving just taps into other, bigger concerns. We might *have* to move eventually. Best case scenario: the wife gets into UIC for pharmacy school. To make life fair, and easy, we'd probably find someplace in the South Loop that was roughly equal commuting distance between U of C and UIC. At that point, we'd eat up our savings, and do what we had to do in terms of loans and credit card debt to make it. [It wouldn't be bad. She'll do well when she's done - very well. And after she's in school for a couple of years, I *should* be done and earning a decent salary.]
However, there is a "less than best case" scenario as well, and that is - my wife gets into a non-Chicago pharmach school. This is actually a new problem. At one point, she was ONLY applying to the two pharmacy schools in Illinois, which also both happen to luckily be in the metro area. But that's just too much of a gamble, and she wants to do this (and to get out of her current job situation) too badly to take that chance. [We don't discuss/think about worst case - she doesn't get into ANY schools, b/c while pharmacy school is competitive, she has a solid resume and anyway, negative thinking get you *nowhere.*]
Ideally, this would be a school in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin or Ohio. I'd be done with classes, so there would be no reason for me to be *here* anymore necessarily. But staying in the Midwest would keep us regional, meaning any travel I had to do between there (wherever "there" ends up being) and campus would be manageable (easily done in a day or whatever, perhaps even via train instead of driving).
The reality that we might leave Chicago also keeps us from moving up north this summer - b/c who wants to move TWICE in as many years. But, an even bigger issue, is that I (and we, really, I think) don't WANT to move. We like the city. A lot. We may not fully take advantage of it all the time, but we still enjoy what we can do here and we just appreciate the urban environment (I suppose my research interests are part of why I love. I heart you Jane Jacobs!)
And it IS better for me to be here in Chiago. If I'm here, I'm close to faculty, colleagues, workshops, and speakers. Being here gives me easy access to a stellar library and assistantship opportunities. Being here keeps me focused. But so it goes. We'll move if we have to. She follwed me here, though it wasn't best for her career at the time. I'll follow when it's her turn. That's the go of it.
Anyway. Sorry for the length. Nothing that serious really going on. Just sort of sharing what is up, and putting off doing those dishes...
Part One:
New Level Of Laziness: Do I have the strength to update? (This makes 5 days in a row!!!
)
I'm actually spending the day at home today. It's for a lame reason: I have to wash the dishes. Seriously! Late last night, we cooked up some chutney (....mmm....chutney....) for supper tonight (...mmm...curry chicken...). So, there was a mess but no one wanted to clean it. I stayed home today to pick up the slack, so that we'd have pots and pans and what not for tonight. Plus, I was pretty beat. I didn't sleep so well, and I have a call or two to make. It all works out.
So far, this morning, I finished Cicero's On the Commonwealth and On the Laws. They're OK. The best parts are when he discusses why politics is just as valuable as philosophy. Most of the rest of the book annoys me for three reasons:
1. He just rehashes a lot of Plato, Aristotle, and Polybius. When they do it, it's interesting. Not so much with Cicero.
2. He just seems to assert a whole lot: People are rational! Thus, we should have religion since nature is a rational system and it would only do good to worship gods! Oh, and here are rational laws that I will not unpack in anyway to show why they are rational! Sure thing Cicero old buddy....
(To be fair - we only have fragments of his works. So maybe the good stuff is just missing.)
3. He uses dialogues. I hate dialogues. First, I hate the sycophant characters who clap for the primary interlocutr. Second, I feel like the whole method is a *trick.* The "critical" interlocutors also put up the lamest challenges and back down too easily (except for good old Thrasymuchus!). I feel like, on a psychological/pedagogical level, it sets the reader up to swallow these arguments more easily. I feel like they're trying to *trick* me. I know dialogues have value: they do make things easier to read. I still don't care for them all that much.
Anyway. That's done. The afternoon is here. I have to read for the exam.
Part Two:
The big talk in the apartment right now is that we might move. We'd like to move up to the North Side. We really love Hyde Park - it's gorgeous, convenient, a good *neighborhood*, and filled with bookstores. Our apartment, while not great is still just fine, and is *very* affordable. But "the HP" ain't perfect: things can be a bit rough at times, there are not a lot of entertainment options, and publilc transport really bites. North is attractive: lots to do and easy to get around. Our "north side" friends are encouraging us. Of course, the north has its limits - rent will be more and we'll have to actually *commute* to work (rather than just walk).
One place we're looking at is right here. It's River City Rentals, in the South Loop. It's a bit isolated, I think, but closer to places where we want to be than we are now and still fairly affordable. It's also kinda trippy: the walls are all curved! On the slightly odd note - it also has its own private *grammar* school. I hope we wouldn't be joining a cult...
I don't think we're *really* going to move. I'd put the odds at 30%. What we have now is just too convenient and cost effective. In addition, if we moved - we'd want to get new furniture for our swanky new pad. We could do Target pretty cheap actually. For about $1800, we could get al new living room furniture (sofa, chair, tables, and entertainment center) AND a dining room set. That's not bad, especially if sell our current stufff to defray some of those costs.
But, we're trying to *avoid* spending a lot of money. My wife is studying her ass off to get into pharmacy school, and if she does - that's going to put a crimp in our current income. So, spending $2K on furniture and bumping our rent by almost $200 a month just isn't going to cut it. I mean, the fact that we're "saving" is why I'm packing a lunch most days, leftovers have become a more integral part of our diet, and I've cut down on expenses (like graphic novels). It would seem silly to shoot ourselves in the foot this way. On top of that - I *hate* moving. I have too much crap. AND, I'm spending the summer studying for my theory exam. While moving only takes a couple of weeks, that would be a big chunk of time lost, especially when I'll be doing research work and writing on top of it. So, moving just isn't really feasible right now.
Of course, all this talk of moving just taps into other, bigger concerns. We might *have* to move eventually. Best case scenario: the wife gets into UIC for pharmacy school. To make life fair, and easy, we'd probably find someplace in the South Loop that was roughly equal commuting distance between U of C and UIC. At that point, we'd eat up our savings, and do what we had to do in terms of loans and credit card debt to make it. [It wouldn't be bad. She'll do well when she's done - very well. And after she's in school for a couple of years, I *should* be done and earning a decent salary.]
However, there is a "less than best case" scenario as well, and that is - my wife gets into a non-Chicago pharmach school. This is actually a new problem. At one point, she was ONLY applying to the two pharmacy schools in Illinois, which also both happen to luckily be in the metro area. But that's just too much of a gamble, and she wants to do this (and to get out of her current job situation) too badly to take that chance. [We don't discuss/think about worst case - she doesn't get into ANY schools, b/c while pharmacy school is competitive, she has a solid resume and anyway, negative thinking get you *nowhere.*]
Ideally, this would be a school in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin or Ohio. I'd be done with classes, so there would be no reason for me to be *here* anymore necessarily. But staying in the Midwest would keep us regional, meaning any travel I had to do between there (wherever "there" ends up being) and campus would be manageable (easily done in a day or whatever, perhaps even via train instead of driving).
The reality that we might leave Chicago also keeps us from moving up north this summer - b/c who wants to move TWICE in as many years. But, an even bigger issue, is that I (and we, really, I think) don't WANT to move. We like the city. A lot. We may not fully take advantage of it all the time, but we still enjoy what we can do here and we just appreciate the urban environment (I suppose my research interests are part of why I love. I heart you Jane Jacobs!)
And it IS better for me to be here in Chiago. If I'm here, I'm close to faculty, colleagues, workshops, and speakers. Being here gives me easy access to a stellar library and assistantship opportunities. Being here keeps me focused. But so it goes. We'll move if we have to. She follwed me here, though it wasn't best for her career at the time. I'll follow when it's her turn. That's the go of it.
Anyway. Sorry for the length. Nothing that serious really going on. Just sort of sharing what is up, and putting off doing those dishes...
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
Re: moving. I hear you. M and I are moving at the end of the month, after putting up for about six months with a similar sort of will-we-or-won't-we situation over my job uncertainty. Here's to hoping your wife gets into UIC.
But have you read On Duties? This I find to be much better. I guess it was preserved better; I don't remember any excessive lacunae. And, he takes aim at Plato in this one: Book I, 28.
I'm with you on the dialogue stuff, too. It's not so much that I feel tricked, but that there is this whole dialogue about the dialogue. What is he saying? What is he not saying? I can't stand it.
Good luck figuring out the living situation.