tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70842231960967310702024-03-18T04:06:38.042-04:00Fordham GSAS: Grad. LifeFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-48948579836543777272013-09-25T13:46:00.001-04:002013-09-25T13:54:40.838-04:00Bronx Science Consortium Poster Symposium<h1 class="title">
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Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-55421858763338249932013-08-13T18:35:00.000-04:002013-08-13T18:35:27.389-04:00GSAS Town Hall Meeting AnnouncedHi All!<br />
I hope August is going well for all! I got to enjoy a little summer get-away to Lake Placid last week -- it was beautiful! Here is a little collage I made of some LP sights! <br />
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Share your summer travel pictures with the blog on our Facebook page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GradLifeGsasBlogPage?ref=hl">here</a>! We'd love to see where you went and what you've been up to!!<br />
Speaking of summer travel, I hope you've had a change to check out the graduate work being done abroad this summer by our Santander Fellowship winners. Click <a href="http://santandersummer.wordpress.com/">here</a> to link to their exciting blog chronicling their amazing experiences!<br />
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So, despite not wanting summer to be over, I wanted to make sure to let you readers know of an important event coming up in the GSAS. To kick off the new semester, the GSAS will be holding a Town Hall meeting, on August 27th. It will be a great forum to discuss issues and bring up concerns and opinions about the coming year!<br />
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The First half of GSAS Town Hall meeting will be an open
forum for students to bring up any concerns that they may have regarding
the upcoming academic year. <br />
Then, the Fordham Health Insurance Provider and Fordham Respresentatives
will be addressing GSAS students during the second half of the Dean's
Annual Town Hall Meeting. This will be a chance for students to voice
any concerns and/or questions they may have about Health Insurance and
the provider or to answer questions about the waiver plan for graduate
students.<br />
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Check out the information below!<br />
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<b>GSAS Town Hall Meeting</b></div>
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Tuesday, August 27th</div>
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4 to 5 pm</div>
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O'Hare Special Collections Room</div>
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Walsh Library, 4th floor</div>
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Rose Hill Campus</div>
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Link the to the invitation<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/event/7471002971/?ref=enivtefor001&invite=Mzg3ODAzNy96aXRlbGxpQGZvcmRoYW0uZWR1LzA%3D&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=inviteformal001&utm_term=eventpage"> HERE. </a><br />
<br />Hope to see your summer travel pictures soon! Until next time, LizaFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-8723194036735839222013-07-31T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-31T07:23:15.250-04:00The App Heard Round the World: Audible Mobile App! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0JFhzLANutA/UfaTYupCYUI/AAAAAAAABfg/gXmHTWZHZsE/s1600/audible-app.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0JFhzLANutA/UfaTYupCYUI/AAAAAAAABfg/gXmHTWZHZsE/s1600/audible-app.jpg" /></a></div>
It's the last day of July, and the last day of my 'Appy July series for Grad.Life!! Don't fret, though -- there will be more digital treasures featured on the blog throughout the summer, here and there! Feast now, but no famine later!<br />
Today I am featuring the Audible.com mobile app. A while back, you may remember my post on how much I HEART <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-book-product-playaway-audio-books.html">listening to audio books</a>:<br />
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<li>on my commute....</li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_tRWH50E1rc/UfazvQ7Ha5I/AAAAAAAABfw/0I0DXLe2Aw0/s1600/dC55jrH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_tRWH50E1rc/UfazvQ7Ha5I/AAAAAAAABfw/0I0DXLe2Aw0/s320/dC55jrH.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's how I look in the morning...</td></tr>
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<li>while working out...</li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3gdOI94IYGI/Ufa1WbtFzlI/AAAAAAAABf8/PjOBnqWyJ58/s1600/Redskins_Bears_Football_08bd3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3gdOI94IYGI/Ufa1WbtFzlI/AAAAAAAABf8/PjOBnqWyJ58/s320/Redskins_Bears_Football_08bd3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly me again</td></tr>
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<li>while relaxing...</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahh!</td></tr>
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<li> or walking around the city...</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIpKw-PGcbg/Ufa2o7RP04I/AAAAAAAABgI/paEBjLkpouc/s1600/Justin-Bieber-Dr.-Dre-Headphones-500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIpKw-PGcbg/Ufa2o7RP04I/AAAAAAAABgI/paEBjLkpouc/s320/Justin-Bieber-Dr.-Dre-Headphones-500x750.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There I am again with headphones!!!</td></tr>
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Now, since I've gotten a sassy smart phone, I've downloaded the Audible app, and have been enjoying my audio books in a whole new way!<br />
The Audible app is available for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows phones; check out the Web page <a href="http://www.audible.com/wireless">here</a> for more info. I have the iPhone version, and it's pretty simple to use. I choose a book from the Audible library, download it through Itunes either on my computer or mobile device, and it gets synced into my Audible library through Cloud technology.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H83ia4zYaO0/Ufa7TQZEODI/AAAAAAAABgg/ypzanzaplIM/s1600/audibleiphone2-100026149-large.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H83ia4zYaO0/Ufa7TQZEODI/AAAAAAAABgg/ypzanzaplIM/s320/audibleiphone2-100026149-large.png" width="320" /></a></div>
You can also bookmark "pages," earn badges, keep track of your listening data, and, of course, shop for more books!<br />
The best part about Audible, at least for me, is the huge library of audio books that they offer. For tips, you may want to check out <a href="http://www.theaudies.com/">The Audies</a>, the annual audio book awards given by Audio Files, a publication dedicated to audio book productions. Last month, I listened to Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter -- what an amazing work!! Highly recommend!<br />
Of course, the down-side is, for a graduate student, is that the productions are pretty expensive! But, there are <a href="http://www.audible.com/t1/30trial_at?source_code=GO1GB9091SH062813&mkwid=sX070lDGQ_dc&pcrid=30156244689&pmt=b&pkw=audio%20book&gclid=CJvH0fWy1bgCFYWe4AodJCcAaA">free trials available</a>, and if you don't like a book, you can exchange it, no questions asked. And, when you consider the hours and hours of entertainment you get from one book, the value becomes more apparent, and you begin to better appreciate the talented performers, directors, and writers that came together to record the book. It always makes me wonder what goes into making an audio book! I'd love to read about a behind-the-scenes, making-of for one of these books! <br />
If you have Audible, let me know what your experience has been! Until next time, 'appy audio book listening! -- Liza <br />
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<br />Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-15521761423271145672013-07-30T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-30T07:00:13.772-04:00Good Reads for Grads: Get into the App!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello All!<br />
As July winds down, I wanted to get in some final App features in, to round out my 'Appy July series. Check out the <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2013_07_01_archive.html">July Archive</a> for more if you missed any posts of the series!<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nKWPTNpzAEk/UfaO-lolxkI/AAAAAAAABeA/JpyxfGc_HpQ/s1600/goodreads_icon_200x200_feb.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nKWPTNpzAEk/UfaO-lolxkI/AAAAAAAABeA/JpyxfGc_HpQ/s200/goodreads_icon_200x200_feb.png" width="200" /></a> Today, I'm featuring one of my favorite mobile apps, Good Reads. Good Reads is a social media network for people who love to read, and who want to share book reviews and read "socially" via the internet. I love it, because it can facilitate the intimacy of sharing a book you loved with a friend or two, but also give you access to a huge network of other book-lovers and readers. It also keeps you posted about new releases from your favorite authors, lets you keep records of the books you've read or want to read, and offers a space in which you can write about books informally -- almost like your own book-blog!<br />
You can sign up for Good Reads on the website, and log in there as well, but I find that the mobile app has really enhanced my use of the social media network. With the mobile app on my phone, I have my booklist handy when I go to a bookstore, or when a friend asks me what "good books" I've read lately, or when I just have a few minutes of free time and want to log in my latest entry, or browse my Good Read friends' virtual bookshelves.<br />
Here's what the home screen of the app looks like:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n0vSGpHfpyY/UfaPblhAzZI/AAAAAAAABeI/AH7Z43kmZFI/s1600/photo(1)+copy+5.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n0vSGpHfpyY/UfaPblhAzZI/AAAAAAAABeI/AH7Z43kmZFI/s320/photo(1)+copy+5.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
The Updates page is like the Good Reads news feed: you can scroll through and see what your friends have been posting, reading, and reviewing; you can post what page your on in the book you're currently reading, or give a status update about the great beach read you have just finished. Here's a screen shot of a recent Updates page!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mT1XBk1XIOE/UfaRyXs-JjI/AAAAAAAABfQ/UumZw3VBwhA/s1600/photo(1)+copy+12.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mT1XBk1XIOE/UfaRyXs-JjI/AAAAAAAABfQ/UumZw3VBwhA/s320/photo(1)+copy+12.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Next, you can go to My Books, which is your virtual library and book queue. You can organize your books into "shelves," which include books you've read, are currently reading, want to read, and any other category you want. Some people organize their shelves into genres -- like Fiction, Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Classics, etc -- and some find other ways to organize, like chronologically or historically (19th Century Fiction, 20th Century Fiction, 21st Century Fiction, etc). Here's a screen shot of my bookshelves.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wczxF4UxZuc/UfaPpLXW_gI/AAAAAAAABe8/Sp7MNkIYo6Q/s1600/photo%25281%2529+copy+11.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wczxF4UxZuc/UfaPpLXW_gI/AAAAAAAABe8/Sp7MNkIYo6Q/s320/photo%25281%2529+copy+11.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Then, when you click on a shelf, you can scroll through it, from a screen that looks like this:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sdMzlF4qjvo/UfaPjITbHuI/AAAAAAAABeU/8zGhFR_wZlk/s1600/photo%25281%2529+copy+6.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sdMzlF4qjvo/UfaPjITbHuI/AAAAAAAABeU/8zGhFR_wZlk/s200/photo%25281%2529+copy+6.PNG" width="133" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C7gyeKkDc3w/UfaPn_LljjI/AAAAAAAABes/s7seldeCdhM/s1600/photo%25281%2529+copy+10.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C7gyeKkDc3w/UfaPn_LljjI/AAAAAAAABes/s7seldeCdhM/s200/photo%25281%2529+copy+10.PNG" width="133" /></a></div>
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You can see the image of the cover of the book, plus your rating, and the date you read the book or added the book to your list. <br />
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The app features a "Scan" button that makes it easy to load your books into your shelf; simply scan the barcode on the book you are reading, and it will automatically be added to your library!<br />
Some other features: the Progress button allows you to share your status on both Good Reads and other social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter. If you tap "Explore," you can browse through lists of best-sellers, most and best rated, and genres of books, to find your next book! You can also create a personal profile, link up with friends and people who like the same kinds of books that you like, and explore book-related events in your area. <br />
Another cool feature of the Good Reads app is the eBooks feature -- you can actually download eBooks right from Good Reads, and read them using the Good Reads eReader! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OM3mK9ktbkg/UfaPoLi6s9I/AAAAAAAABe0/FXpwD_uyQTo/s1600/photo%25282%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OM3mK9ktbkg/UfaPoLi6s9I/AAAAAAAABe0/FXpwD_uyQTo/s200/photo%25282%2529.PNG" width="133" /></a></div>
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Here's one I just downloaded -- I've never gotten to read this classic, and now it is at my fingertips!! Bonus points if you know the novel from the first line. :) :)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XUfrjA1P9GA/UfaPlr6L5_I/AAAAAAAABec/8gyz8TArovs/s1600/photo%25281%2529+copy+7.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fXR-9eVGbyU/UfaPn463ltI/AAAAAAAABeo/kFhH0QsobXw/s1600/photo%25281%2529+copy+8.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fXR-9eVGbyU/UfaPn463ltI/AAAAAAAABeo/kFhH0QsobXw/s200/photo%25281%2529+copy+8.PNG" width="133" /></a></div>
All in all, I have found that with little spare time and money to read for pleasure or to join a book club while in graduate school, Good Reads is a tool to help me feel invested in my love for reading, and to share it with people outside my immediate graduate school peer group. Grad.Life readers, have you joined Good Reads yet? If so, let me know your experiences with this great social network! <br />
Until next time! LizaFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-53913773251755262582013-07-29T10:53:00.003-04:002013-07-29T10:53:28.498-04:00Fordham Mobile Apps, part 2Hi All!<br />
I hope your Monday morning has started off well!<br />
Here is part two of my feature on Fordham mobile apps. Check out <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2013/07/fordham-mobile-apps-making-students-appy.html">part one, here</a>.<br />
In this part, we'll look into the second Fordham mobile app that you can find in the Apple App store -- it is called Fordham University, powered by YouVisit. <a href="http://youvisit.com/">YouVisit.com</a> is actually a handy website that provides full virtual tours of campuses around the world. It's a great resource if you will be going to or participating in a conference on another campus, and need to find your building, or a place to eat, or a restroom before your big presentation! YouVisit can be found on the <a href="http://www.youvisit.com/fordham">web</a>, but the company also has now created mobile apps for each school, which can be downloaded to your mobile device. <br />
<i> Note:</i> this particular app is especially made for the Rose Hill Campus. Here's the home screen that you'll see when you download the app:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbdKCz79qy4/UfZ9SZNcHsI/AAAAAAAABc8/WyzDi_dpO-8/s1600/photo(1).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbdKCz79qy4/UfZ9SZNcHsI/AAAAAAAABc8/WyzDi_dpO-8/s320/photo(1).PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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When you click on Campus Tour, you'll be taken to a screen with an interactive campus map:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PopaDSW-z2E/UfZ__lyIE7I/AAAAAAAABdM/7Cwb5AT7eXw/s1600/photo(1)+copy+3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PopaDSW-z2E/UfZ__lyIE7I/AAAAAAAABdM/7Cwb5AT7eXw/s320/photo(1)+copy+3.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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From here, click on any of the red bubbles to see the names of the buildings, and make your way around campus. Particularly handy if you are hosting a friend on campus, and want to send them on a tour of Rose Hill while you get some work done at the Library!<br />
Also featured on this app are Photos and Panoramas of the campus...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K4iJbJeClho/UfaAFn-WmvI/AAAAAAAABdY/EVMVCSeOTwc/s1600/photo(1)+copy+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K4iJbJeClho/UfaAFn-WmvI/AAAAAAAABdY/EVMVCSeOTwc/s320/photo(1)+copy+2.PNG" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMykHWjGS9M/UfaAFodjJCI/AAAAAAAABdU/7x6gqC4049Q/s1600/photo(1)+copy.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMykHWjGS9M/UfaAFodjJCI/AAAAAAAABdU/7x6gqC4049Q/s320/photo(1)+copy.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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...and a Video Touring page...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uevc7S5Qxlg/UfaBO-3mlMI/AAAAAAAABdo/5B442eVN0YY/s1600/photo(1)+copy+4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uevc7S5Qxlg/UfaBO-3mlMI/AAAAAAAABdo/5B442eVN0YY/s320/photo(1)+copy+4.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
...and links to the Fordham website, on which app users can apply for admission, contact the school, or check out the latest academic information and university news. <br />
And that's basically a wrap on Fordham apps currently available. Now, if only they'd make a "Finish your dissertation app" for Fordham, I'd be all set!!!<br />
Stay tuned for more app related content coming your way before this 'Appy July comes to an end!<br />
-- Liza <br />
<br />Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-34754567488516774412013-07-26T08:42:00.000-04:002013-07-26T08:42:12.203-04:00Fordham Mobile Apps -- Making Students 'AppyHello All! '<br />
Appy Friday! In this next segment of my Appy July app-review series, I'm featuring the mobile apps of Fordham University, home to the GSAS!<br />
Fordham has two mobile apps in the Apple App Store. One is called mFordham, by Fordham University Education, and one is Fordham University, by YouVisit LLC. Both are free.<br />
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This is the home screen for mFordham:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNjo4wvrXrQ/Ue5n63ppCpI/AAAAAAAABas/8n1iCGbYUI8/s1600/IMG_0630.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNjo4wvrXrQ/Ue5n63ppCpI/AAAAAAAABas/8n1iCGbYUI8/s320/IMG_0630.PNG" width="212" /></a></div>
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As you can see, it is a very handy app if you are a current student or if you are a visitor!<br />
Click on "News" for a list of current events:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QN8U3WH_da8/UfJrPfeqL_I/AAAAAAAABb4/i_VVm11jNSw/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QN8U3WH_da8/UfJrPfeqL_I/AAAAAAAABb4/i_VVm11jNSw/s320/photo.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
There is also a great "Maps" page, that allows you to zoom and and explore the neighborhood and campus!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lmuZ3lyyy8k/UfJrv-GzwmI/AAAAAAAABcA/zoE4dGK2aPw/s1600/photo3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lmuZ3lyyy8k/UfJrv-GzwmI/AAAAAAAABcA/zoE4dGK2aPw/s320/photo3.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Next, attention grad.students: check out the "Library" Feature, which allows you to search the library catalogues, and also provides Library hours and information right at your fingertips.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--q4HVBiYnTc/UfJsfEs5AMI/AAAAAAAABcM/6NdJ_BkA2Jo/s1600/photo4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--q4HVBiYnTc/UfJsfEs5AMI/AAAAAAAABcM/6NdJ_BkA2Jo/s200/photo4.PNG" width="133" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IAapxZL4pvY/UfJshkcobeI/AAAAAAAABcU/otjlXwDIRAE/s1600/photo5.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IAapxZL4pvY/UfJshkcobeI/AAAAAAAABcU/otjlXwDIRAE/s200/photo5.PNG" width="133" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gpLGvrKDN08/UfJsz3GQZPI/AAAAAAAABcc/iUJoYz37Jlo/s1600/photo6.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gpLGvrKDN08/UfJsz3GQZPI/AAAAAAAABcc/iUJoYz37Jlo/s200/photo6.PNG" width="133" /></a></div>
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Also, there's a great Video page, on which the app creators have compiled some Youtube videos related to Fordham University life and academics. You can check out the Fordham Choir's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGzbVEnoP7g">performances</a>, or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ_GUy-yKYY">Richard Engel's commencement address</a>, and other cool vids related to Fordham and the GSAS, on this page.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x2U0QqUV3DE/UfJuNLOX_wI/AAAAAAAABcs/5Meew_1cuGY/s1600/photo7.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x2U0QqUV3DE/UfJuNLOX_wI/AAAAAAAABcs/5Meew_1cuGY/s320/photo7.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
Stay tuned for part 2 a bit later, when I feature the YouVisit app for Fordham! In the meantime, enjoy your Friday!<br />
-- Liza <br />
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<br />Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-35633065002913642232013-07-20T09:22:00.001-04:002013-07-20T09:24:14.442-04:00What's Happening TodayHello Grad Students!<br />
I hope July has been treating you well, and that you've been staying cool during the nation's heat wave. Today's my birthday! So, thinking about this day in history, I thought I would feature a few other anniversaries today, for reflection.<br />
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<b>Today, July 20th, 2013, is:</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2SI1zQEmhg/UeqHGljrhrI/AAAAAAAABZ4/LA7V3sA61PE/s1600/20130720__aurorastrong7~p1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2SI1zQEmhg/UeqHGljrhrI/AAAAAAAABZ4/LA7V3sA61PE/s320/20130720__aurorastrong7~p1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23698571/aurora-theater-shooting-anniversary-marked-tears-strength-love">photo credit: Denver Post</a></td></tr>
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<b>--</b>The one year anniversary of the Aurora movie theater massacre; click <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2012/07/from-tragedy-to-knowledge-from-darkness.html">here</a> for last year's Grad.Life post after the terrifying event, and click on the following links for some thoughts about the tragedy, one year later.<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/20/colorado-aurora-shootings_n_3627813.html?ref=topbar">Day of Remembrance</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/19/aurora-shooting-survivors_n_3624117.html">Survivors' Stories </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/16/dark-knight-rises-theater-shooting_n_3606170.html">Has Anything Changed</a>?</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_GYCcW6YzEI/UeqFMqCQFDI/AAAAAAAABZg/KLLfFx9lJoA/s1600/moon-exploration_1098_600x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_GYCcW6YzEI/UeqFMqCQFDI/AAAAAAAABZg/KLLfFx9lJoA/s320/moon-exploration_1098_600x450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
--The 44th anniversary of Apollo 11's landing on the Moon. On this day 44 years ago, six hundred million viewers tuned in on their TVs to watch as now famous astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins successfully completed their mission to land a spacecraft on Earth's only moon.<br />
Click the links below for some interesting thoughts on Moon Day and the historic moon landing!<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/07/20/time_lapse_video_a_quarter_million_miles_and_apollo_11_s_michael_collins.html">Quarter Million Miles</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/jul/19/michael-collins-astronaut-apollo11">Michael Collins, the forgotten astronaut?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/20/apollo-11-anniversary-national-park-moon">What's next for space travel?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=moon-landing-faked-why-people-believe-conspiracy-theories">Moon Landing: Conspiracy Theories</a>: click here for a <a href="http://listverse.com/2012/12/28/10-reasons-the-moon-landings-could-be-a-hoax/">list!</a> </li>
</ul>
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and Tomorrow is....</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lOjrR4rzIfU/UeqLhtRALKI/AAAAAAAABaI/e-w9fsia8PU/s1600/ice+cream.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lOjrR4rzIfU/UeqLhtRALKI/AAAAAAAABaI/e-w9fsia8PU/s320/ice+cream.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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--National Ice Cream Day!! To celebrate, here are some ideas:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Enjoy an icy, creamy treat from the local mom-and-pop ice cream shop or ice-cream truck</li>
<li>Donate a gift-certificate for an ice-cream treat to a local non-profit organization that helps kids, like the Boys and Girls Club of America, or maybe a local school for special needs students</li>
<li>Make your own ice cream! Here are some cool <a href="http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/homemade-ice-cream-recipes-00417000068176/">recipes</a></li>
</ul>
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I'll be back next week with some more 'Appy July features, to wrap up this month! </div>
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Until next time, Liza</div>
Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-88165488065923526312013-07-12T07:30:00.000-04:002013-07-12T08:16:05.065-04:00Go Streaking Today! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dgrHmJu1Dl4/Udw5Mgt6K7I/AAAAAAAABYs/mKuZvV3Y-Hk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.28+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="85" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dgrHmJu1Dl4/Udw5Mgt6K7I/AAAAAAAABYs/mKuZvV3Y-Hk/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.28+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Hi All!<br />
Here's my next featured APP for my Appy July series! This one is called <a href="http://fanzter.com/products/streaks">"Streaks"</a> -- a simple but cool calendar app that allows you to track your "streaks" of activities. You can build different calendars to track different grad.life goals. For example, you can have one for running or working out, for writing your dissertation, for healthy eating, for talking to your grandmother in Seattle, for riding your bike, for writing in your journal or posting on your blog -- anything you want to do regularly or make a habit of, you can track!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jv6cANKwPfI/Udw5M6tlPrI/AAAAAAAABY8/utJla_Rx2O0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.17+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jv6cANKwPfI/Udw5M6tlPrI/AAAAAAAABY8/utJla_Rx2O0/s200/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.17+PM.png" width="176" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejoO0zH6fXw/Udw5M4A7VbI/AAAAAAAABZQ/ZC_HxYiV_fY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> The app is so easy to use. You just tap on the calendar day and an "x" appears on that day. On the bottom of the screen, the app will tell you your current streak, and your longest streak so far. <br />
You can have multiple calendars; I currently have three -- Dissertation, Healthy Eating, and Exercising. One cool feature is that you can set your streaks with all different options -- to allow for tasks that occur less often, or to enable "cheat" days, I guess... ha! For example, you can set the frequency of the task, under the option "How often is your task?" If your task only requires you to do it every other day, or every 5 days, or even every 30 days, you can track those streaks, too. Maybe you only want to call your grandmother every week, or go to Wednesday night yoga each week for 6 months straight -- set these calendars to "Every Week." Or, maybe you want to work on your dissertation proposal every other day. Set this calendar to "Every Other Day," and then track your days. The app will tell you how long you keep up this goal!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejoO0zH6fXw/Udw5M4A7VbI/AAAAAAAABZQ/ZC_HxYiV_fY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejoO0zH6fXw/Udw5M4A7VbI/AAAAAAAABZQ/ZC_HxYiV_fY/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.44+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
The cheat days are good too -- say you want to eat healthy foods all week long, but you want to allow yourself Friday and Saturday to eat whatever you want. You can set your "streak" to continue through these cheat days. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SR-D-PI5uhQ/Udw5NP27lsI/AAAAAAAABZM/jPC_yiQ1hG8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.55+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SR-D-PI5uhQ/Udw5NP27lsI/AAAAAAAABZM/jPC_yiQ1hG8/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.55+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
You can even use it for things you want to QUIT or things that you do excessively. For example, you can keep track of your goal to quit smoking, to stop eating junk food, or to not watch Law and Order SVU every single day.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F_PYSqu2M50/Udw5M_oEleI/AAAAAAAABZA/c7OsA6SB_wE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.49+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F_PYSqu2M50/Udw5M_oEleI/AAAAAAAABZA/c7OsA6SB_wE/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-07-09+at+12.23.49+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
A great thing about the app is that it doesn't just tell you your streaks; it shows you the whole calendar so that, even if you miss a day here and there and your streak starts over, you can still see the Xs and know what you've done, just by good old fashion counting. That way, you can compare the number to other months, and set goals based on that frequency per month, as well. <br />
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<i>Happy Streaking!</i></div>
Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-46806417241108725582013-07-09T07:56:00.003-04:002013-07-09T07:56:53.644-04:00Appy July!! (<-- not a typo)Happy July everyone!<br />
I hope everyone had a nice Independence Day week/weekend!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wD8kCYOqJgE/UdvsHyG5MQI/AAAAAAAABWw/OmkcFJ7JW3A/s1600/fourth-of-july.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wD8kCYOqJgE/UdvsHyG5MQI/AAAAAAAABWw/OmkcFJ7JW3A/s320/fourth-of-july.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't pictures like this just make you HAPPY?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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July is always my favorite month -- lots of daylight, fireflies, ice cream, pool parties, BBQs, beach trips, my birthday, summer blockbusters, baseball.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7lXTbkL3bOM/UdvtUyd-1fI/AAAAAAAABW8/uInqQXRKgmI/s1600/catching+fireflies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7lXTbkL3bOM/UdvtUyd-1fI/AAAAAAAABW8/uInqQXRKgmI/s320/catching+fireflies.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how my childhood summer days exist in my mind. </td></tr>
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This year, the month of July includes several dissertation defenses for my friends and colleagues, and lots of revising and writing for me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rj3BU2g4OXo/Udvtu-arOqI/AAAAAAAABXE/T6PcERSteYw/s1600/swamped.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://rachelcreative.wordpress.com/category/digitalart/">Love July!!!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In honor of all these fun memories in the making, I wanted to take this month to introduce you to a couple of cool APPS (get it, "Appy July"????) that have been helping me manage my dissertation, health, and writing goals amidst all all my summer fun.<br />
The first featured app is my favorite -- it's called <a href="http://www.atimelogger.com/">aTimeLogger 2</a>. I searched far and wide in the App Store for a time tracker app that would meet my needs. Out of all of them, this one is the best and the most fun. Here's what the icon looks like:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1tgyLTuPBJ0/UdvvBwSQv9I/AAAAAAAABXU/_TWwb8ECjI0/s1600/photo+(5).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1tgyLTuPBJ0/UdvvBwSQv9I/AAAAAAAABXU/_TWwb8ECjI0/s320/photo+(5).PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
When you get it, it is preloaded with a bunch of basic life activities; it looks like this:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x6q4kbcAeL0/UdvwH6csnmI/AAAAAAAABXk/gNoIr_bIRiU/s1600/photo+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x6q4kbcAeL0/UdvwH6csnmI/AAAAAAAABXk/gNoIr_bIRiU/s400/photo+2.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
When you tap on the icon -- say, Transport, for example -- you can track the time you spend doing that activity. Then, at the end of the day, week, or month, you can see a pie chart of all of your tracked time, to get an idea of what you spend the most (or least) time on.<br />
BUT -- the best part is that you can <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">c</span><span style="color: lime; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">u</span><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">s</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">t</span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">o</span><span style="color: lime; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">m</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: cyan;">i</span><span style="color: magenta;">z</span></span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">e</span></b></span> your activities!! That's right, I said <i>customize</i>. Add any activity that you'd like to track. For me, it is super useful because I can track time on things that I know I need to commit to, but that aren't the easiest tasks to get motivated to do. Here's my customized list:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3MbxQ7qwbMo/Udv0oRuGrwI/AAAAAAAABX0/_uac12Mr1d8/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3MbxQ7qwbMo/Udv0oRuGrwI/AAAAAAAABX0/_uac12Mr1d8/s320/photo.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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As you can see, I track my dissertation, blogging, teaching time, work-out time, and chores/ household stuff. When I meet my goals, I can reward myself! I also track certain other stuff that I have as personal goals and hobbies -- a non-fiction manuscript I am working on (not my dissertation), poetry, fiction writing, and music. Recently, I decided I'd like to track my time spent walking around the city -- just for fun, to get an idea of how I feel during weeks when I walk a lot versus weeks when I don't.<br />
You can track whatever you want! Time with friends, family -- if you're a parent, for example, you can track your time spent doing homework with your kids, or time they spend watching TV, or time they spend exercising. It's great for grad.students, but it really is great for anyone. I really like to track my workouts; I find that it is really motivating and reinforcing to see time tracked -- it makes you recognize the time you put in rather than panicking about it and feeling inadequate.<br />
The app has cool features, too, to help you visualize your time. You can view summaries in pie charts:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bsI6ln14Ukc/Udv2jHlvIwI/AAAAAAAABYE/QUZU8jkg76A/s1600/photo+(2).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bsI6ln14Ukc/Udv2jHlvIwI/AAAAAAAABYE/QUZU8jkg76A/s320/photo+(2).PNG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who doesn't love a pie chart?? This is the break down of one week in April for me.</td></tr>
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Or line graphs:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3E4DDxnNhLc/Udv2omScFFI/AAAAAAAABYM/PYL2StGqlfE/s1600/photo+(4).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3E4DDxnNhLc/Udv2omScFFI/AAAAAAAABYM/PYL2StGqlfE/s320/photo+(4).PNG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's my April Dissertation line graph...</td></tr>
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Or Bar Graphs:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p3f0_FO3nLk/Udv24fTnYrI/AAAAAAAABYU/3c0ViVpooRk/s1600/photo+(3).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p3f0_FO3nLk/Udv24fTnYrI/AAAAAAAABYU/3c0ViVpooRk/s320/photo+(3).PNG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are you a bar graph person, or a line graph person? With this app, you can be yourself.</td></tr>
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Or just see a list of what you did:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8NMWgHUe3s/Udv3GWOxy6I/AAAAAAAABYc/5-JFbUXvyLw/s1600/photo+(1).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8NMWgHUe3s/Udv3GWOxy6I/AAAAAAAABYc/5-JFbUXvyLw/s320/photo+(1).PNG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've been walking a lot more lately!!</td></tr>
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It also helps me balance my life a little bit! If you feel you need to put more time into something, you can set goals for the day, week, or month, and it will let you know when you've met your goal. So then you can relax once you've hit it, and do something fun -- like go to a BBQ! Or, if you feel you are spending too much time doing something -- say, watching TV, for example -- you can track it for a week to get a baseline, and then try to reduce it the next week! I think it is super cool to see how you are using on of your most valuable possessions -- your time.<br />
This month, I will be featuring some other cool apps for grad.life. What are some of your favorites? Write in to let me know! Or, if you try aTimelogger 2, I want to hear what you think!!!<br />
Until next time-- GET 'APPY!!! -- Liza<br />
<br />Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-53484004009857535602013-06-30T10:33:00.001-04:002013-06-30T10:35:53.074-04:00iRevolution's Advice to Phds -- Check it out!Hi guys!<br />
I hope everyone had a productive month of June, whether or not you were taking summer courses, teaching, writing, researching, or a combo of more than one of these!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-61Tu1URAb9s/UdBA-pUpNGI/AAAAAAAABWY/xfIXAG1jRmU/s1200/globe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-61Tu1URAb9s/UdBA-pUpNGI/AAAAAAAABWY/xfIXAG1jRmU/s200/globe2.jpg" width="200" /></a>I wanted to pass along this great post I found while reading through some other graduate school blogs. This one is from <a href="http://irevolution.net/">iRevolution</a>, whose writer is a Phd who believes strongly in the power of advances in media and technology to change and improve the world and the status of the individual in the world. They say, "iRevolution features short thought pieces on how innovation and technology are revolutionizing the power of the individual through radical self-sufficiency, self-determination, independence, survival and resilience." This particular piece that I'm sharing is all about getting a graduate degree in our modern, increasingly globalized society, but the blog is generally always great read if you ever have time to check it out!<br />
This post gives seven pieces of advice for Phds and graduate students in today's world. It says things like "the blog is the new CV," and to "consider your Twitter account the new business card," and talks about packaging your skills, communication, social media presence, projects, research, expertise, career, and publications into your own personal "brand." Check out the article <a href="http://irevolution.net/2012/05/09/advice-to-future-phds/">here</a>.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-szj-QUvEBxQ/UdBBedECdrI/AAAAAAAABWg/C0ayXj2fq74/s226/globe3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-szj-QUvEBxQ/UdBBedECdrI/AAAAAAAABWg/C0ayXj2fq74/s226/globe3.jpeg" /></a> After reading it, I began to think a lot about creating a "brand" for yourself as an academic. What do you think about that? What would it entail? One <a href="http://blog.wherebrands.com/whats-the-difference-between-branding-and-advertising/">advertising industry speaker explained</a> the idea of branding this way: "The brand is the impression, the reputation, the ideas people have about you in their minds. Branding is the art of trying to change or enhance that." For academics and scholars, how would that work? Would it involve a logo, a product, a series of publications, user services, and public speaking events? How would you establish your brand for your academic self? Interestingly, the WhereBrands blog compares branding to teaching, saying, "The best activities of branding can be subtle and time consuming like earning people’s trust and repeating simple, substantive truths, almost like teaching."<br />
But, is it wrong to consumerize our academic world and activities? In other words, is thinking about our academic careers in terms of marketing and advertising strategies helpful, or hurtful? I want to hear from you, and know what you think!<br />
Until next time! -- LizaFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-26690580033608599782013-06-23T17:17:00.001-04:002013-06-23T21:22:27.346-04:00Ivory Tower and Gender Roles: What is the Reality?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ghtM8l9U34/UcdkYVqAiCI/AAAAAAAABWA/URPh0oi4Atk/s1600/working-mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ghtM8l9U34/UcdkYVqAiCI/AAAAAAAABWA/URPh0oi4Atk/s320/working-mom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.onlinebusinessdegree.org/2012/08/24/working-moms-youre-doing-just-fine/">photo credit: onlinebusinessdegree.org</a></td></tr>
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Hello Grad.Lifers!<br />
Buzz in the graduate school world this week encircled this <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/06/female_academics_pay_a_heavy_baby_penalty.html?fb_ref=sm_fb_share_toolbar">article</a> that appeared on Slate.com. Entitled <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/06/female_academics_pay_a_heavy_baby_penalty.html?fb_ref=sm_fb_share_toolbar">"In the Ivory Tower, Men Only," </a> the article discusses anecdotal information and statistics that describe gender differences in academic career outcomes. It paints the picture that men who choose to have a family children are not penalized for it in their academic careers, while women who do pay a "baby penalty":<br />
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"Babies matter. Women pay a 'baby penalty' over the course of a career in academia—from the tentative graduate school years through the pressure cooker of tenure, the long midcareer march, and finally retirement."</blockquote>
Although there are plenty of women graduate students in classrooms, the article reports the following stats:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Female graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have babies while students or fellows are more than twice as likely as new fathers or than childless women to turn away from an academic research career</li>
<li>70 percent of women and more than one-half of the men consider faculty careers at research universities not friendly to family life (*according to recent Berkeley survey)</li>
<li>Women are less likely to be awarded tenure than men</li>
<li>Women professors have higher divorce rates, lower marriage rates, and fewer children than male professors</li>
<li>Among tenured faculty, 70 percent of men are married with children compared with 44 percent of women</li>
<li>Women take longer, sometimes much longer, to be promoted to full professor, the top of the academic ranks</li>
<li>Compared with men in academia, women in academia have less income to rely upon in retirement; their salaries at retirement are, on average, 29 percent lower than men's. (And, the range correlates with number of children the women have had)</li>
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There was loads of talk about the article on social media among graduate students in the GSAS. Some were outraged; others optimistically, and somewhat defiantly, expressed their desire and ambition to have it all despite the stats; some pointed out that the article itself just reinscribes gender norms and social roles in general, assuming that the natural and normal things for a woman to want include children and a husband. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JLLHx1HUUK8/UcdkFJx_8uI/AAAAAAAABV4/BihmQKh_THM/s1600/working-mom+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JLLHx1HUUK8/UcdkFJx_8uI/AAAAAAAABV4/BihmQKh_THM/s320/working-mom+(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit:<a href="http://www.babble.com/baby/quitting-a-job-after-baby-for-the-unknown/"> http://www.babble.com</a></td></tr>
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As this buzz was circulating, a few interesting pieces on the Today show caught my attention, because the issues converged with those brought up by the Slate article. </div>
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One story featured was "<a href="http://www.today.com/moms/can-men-have-it-all-fathers-also-struggle-find-work-6C10377575">Why Men Still Can't Have It All,</a>" which looks at the problem of work/life balance from the perspective of a man. Originally appearing in <a href="http://www.esquire.com/features/why-men-still-cant-have-it-all-0613">Esquire magazine</a>, the story asks some interesting questions; for example, if a man with children had the choice between attending more of his child's Little League games or getting a promotion at work, what would he choose? The writer suggests that the answer to that question today may be very different from the answer decades ago. See the Today show spot <a href="http://www.today.com/moms/can-men-have-it-all-fathers-also-struggle-find-work-6C10377575">here</a>, or the Esquire article <a href="http://www.esquire.com/features/why-men-still-cant-have-it-all-0613">here</a>.</div>
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Another story featured a Huffington Post blogger, Lisa Endlich Heffernan, who maintains a blog entitled "Grown and Flown." Her recent post, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/grown-and-flown/why-i-regret-being-a-stay-at-home-mom_b_3402691.html">"Why I Regret Being a Stay-at-Home Mom,</a>" reflects on her decision to quit her banking job after her third son was born. She feels remorse at not keeping a toe in the water, or a pilot light lit under her career, instead of quitting out-right. She writes,</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I wish I had tried to keep a finger, a toe or a hand in the working world to ease an eventual return. I did not have a job well suited to part-time work, and work at home was technologically impossible at the time. But, the solution required imagination, not capitulation, and with hindsight, I would have recognized that over time, my parenting and career would both ebb and flow, but neither would -- nor should -- ever end."</blockquote>
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Thinking about these two stories on the Today show, my question is: Considering how hard it is for all genders, in all fields, to achieve work/ life balance, maybe we should be looking at all these stats about gender and academia more holistically, thinking about the sacrifices that both men and women make in their lives along the way? Maybe men achieve more promotions in academia and other career paths, but do they have as many fun memories with their children across a lifetime? Maybe women feel more pressure to balance family and work, but will striving for a balance bring you more <i>satisfaction</i> in the long run than regrets? In other words, does it have to so all or nothing, for both women and men? </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1kGZ_2djKW0/UcdlAZsU0vI/AAAAAAAABWI/V56cLin0Hvo/s1600/work-life-balance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1kGZ_2djKW0/UcdlAZsU0vI/AAAAAAAABWI/V56cLin0Hvo/s1600/work-life-balance.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marksanborn.com/blog/what-is-work-life-balance-guest-blog-by-jeff-davidson/">photo credit: http://www.marksanborn.com/blog</a></td></tr>
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Maybe what needs fixing is not academia itself but gender roles in society at large. I don't see how academia is any different than other fields. Part of the problem brought up by my fellow GSAS students is, though, that it should be. Several students made comments that criticized academia for its hypocrisy -- touting itself as liberal and humane but falling into the same trap as all other corporate institutions across the globe. </div>
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At any rate, I'm curious to hear your thoughts! Let me know your ideas, thoughts, and opinions! And, happy summer!!! Until next time, Liza :) </div>
Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-12013433624684508702013-06-17T07:32:00.002-04:002013-06-17T07:32:23.065-04:00Lower East Side Film Festival Going On Now!!Hi GSAS Grad Students and grad.lifers all around the land! Good morning on this beautiful Monday morning!<br />
Here's a riddle! What is something in New York City that:<br />
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--features innovative work and fresh thinkers<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l5xb_-MMUg4/Ub7wS4t4HMI/AAAAAAAABU4/VUDh1gcGimU/s1600/Fresh+Thinking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l5xb_-MMUg4/Ub7wS4t4HMI/AAAAAAAABU4/VUDh1gcGimU/s320/Fresh+Thinking.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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--is populated by smart and fun people<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PWxdz11RJI4/Ub7wYAehkVI/AAAAAAAABVA/E_yosLScWGY/s1600/Nerd-party2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PWxdz11RJI4/Ub7wYAehkVI/AAAAAAAABVA/E_yosLScWGY/s320/Nerd-party2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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--is associated with the words "ultra-low-budget"<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-urt0NWQjrkQ/Ub7wbiCErcI/AAAAAAAABVI/3MhPrs-oGzU/s1600/lowbudget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-urt0NWQjrkQ/Ub7wbiCErcI/AAAAAAAABVI/3MhPrs-oGzU/s1600/lowbudget.jpg" /></a></div>
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--requires hard work for disproportionately small monetary reward?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AeWRCzuGmFw/Ub7wfGtv3-I/AAAAAAAABVQ/O4Dp2xjt_Ao/s1600/no-money.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AeWRCzuGmFw/Ub7wfGtv3-I/AAAAAAAABVQ/O4Dp2xjt_Ao/s320/no-money.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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NOOOOO, it's not graduate school, people -- I'm talking about the Lower East Side Film Festival!<br />
The film festival, in its third year, is happening now until June 23, in the young, fun, artistic "indie" New York neighborhood known as the Lower East Side.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xpecyQlwcfw/Ub7zFGu2zBI/AAAAAAAABVo/mFa34sUaGWk/s1600/LES-Film-Fest-Founders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xpecyQlwcfw/Ub7zFGu2zBI/AAAAAAAABVo/mFa34sUaGWk/s320/LES-Film-Fest-Founders.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2013/06/the-l-e-s-film-festival-revs-up-for-year-three.html">Photo from www.thelowdownny.com</a></td></tr>
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The film festival was created in 2010 by four young artists, Damon Cardasis, Roxy Hunt, Shannon Walker, and Tony Castle (pictured above). What started out with small BYOB screening events in LES storefronts has grown in the last three years, but the festival still retains its unpretentious, non-intimidating, young, neighborly, authentic vibes that welcomes low-budget films with heart -- and audiences who appreciate them. <br />
Coming up -- tonight's Animation Night, Tuesday's Shorts Night, and Wednesday's documentary night!! See the full schedule<a href="http://www.lesfilmfestival.com/at-a-glance/"> here</a>, and check out the <a href="http://www.lesfilmfestival.com/">website here</a> for more info about the back story, judges, and featured films! For graduate students in the NYC area watching their coins but wanting to experience something fun and inspiring this summer in the city, this is an event you won't want to miss! <br />
If you end up attending, share your stories here at Grad.Life! :)Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-48506004322047226712013-06-14T07:41:00.004-04:002013-06-14T07:41:42.192-04:00Dying With Debt: Thoughts about Student Loans <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BG_XRSSRx0/Ubr_-9LNxMI/AAAAAAAABUY/Vv27ydJ2lVI/s1600/graduate+school+debt.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BG_XRSSRx0/Ubr_-9LNxMI/AAAAAAAABUY/Vv27ydJ2lVI/s1600/graduate+school+debt.jpeg" /></a> </div>
Here's a cheery blog post! In April, an article in <i>The Chronicle</i> explored the debt issues now faced by Baby Boomer graduate students, who enrolled in graduate school between 1987 and 2007. I've had it in my queue to write about for a few months now, but I think part of my hesitation was figuring out what I had to say about it. The article made me more than a bit sad. That sad emotion is evoked first by the haunting photo of Joan Roberts, a 63 year old double master's degree holder who now owes close to $200, 000 in debt.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_x0ucuvu8I/Ubr4d3m2IBI/AAAAAAAABUI/YQIzh5Ypm5g/s1600/photo_35391_wide_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_x0ucuvu8I/Ubr4d3m2IBI/AAAAAAAABUI/YQIzh5Ypm5g/s320/photo_35391_wide_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">photo credit: <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/I-Fully-Expect-to-Die-With/138507/?cid=gs&utm_source=gs&utm_medium=en">Bryan Thomas for The Chronicle</a></span></td></tr>
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The problem doesn't just face Baby Boomers, though. All generations of graduate students are facing problems with debt. I know I will have a debt when I leave graduate school; after 8 years, it's almost impossible not to have at least a little bit. In most cities, you can't live solely on the stipend or fellowship, if you are lucky enough to have one, and even if you do, sometimes there's a time limit on when you can receive fellowship funds. So, students take out federal and private loans. At first, in the beginning, before you have to pay it back, it feels like you are getting "paid" to study -- the government will give me this money right now, investing in my brain? Okay! Only it's not an investment -- there's no risk here for the government. You must pay it back, no matter how your career turns out, no matter how much money you end up making. (And -- this is getting pretty dark -- student loans also <a href="http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/chapter-7-13-bankruptcy-limits-benefits-30025.html">survive bankruptcy.</a>) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvtkB8rGJ9s/UbsAd0mqXZI/AAAAAAAABUg/mN8gv8_pDvM/s1600/graduate+school+debt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvtkB8rGJ9s/UbsAd0mqXZI/AAAAAAAABUg/mN8gv8_pDvM/s320/graduate+school+debt.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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To help prevent these kinds of problems for coming generations, I think it is important for graduate students to think about loans for graduate school differently. I suggest that you must think about school loans in the same way one might think about a loan if starting a business. You have to be strategic, careful, committed, devoted, and ambitious. Like a young entrepreneur, you have to eat, sleep, and breathe your "business," and figure out ways to make a profit with the start-up money you were given. The government is not a cash machine. </div>
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On the other hand, student loans have reasonable interest rates compared to other kinds of loans, so it may be a good calculated risk. But you must think of it as a risk, and you must plan plan plan, like a business, on how you will make good on that loan. This is especially true for grad students in the humanities, where there is no set professional track (contrasted with professional schools like law and med schools), and less and less opportunities to succeed in the traditional tenure track academic career path. Maybe in these days, when education doesn't seem to be helping graduate students to get jobs or make more money, the government should make you formulate some kind of "business plan" before you are approved for a student loan -- any thoughts on this?</div>
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Check out the article <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/I-Fully-Expect-to-Die-With/138507/?cid=gs&utm_source=gs&utm_medium=en">here</a>, and let me know what you think about these issues!</div>
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HAPPY FRIDAY! (Sorry for the doom and gloom.)</div>
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Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-91331273937811609622013-06-11T09:38:00.000-04:002013-06-11T09:38:02.840-04:00Professional Feedback Model in the Gradaute School World??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A director of my school from a few years ago had a staff training session about something called the Professional Feedback Model. For those of you who are not familiar with what the Professional Feedback Model is, I will enlighten you, for the ultimate benefit of all man-kind! It's a 7 step exchange between two professionals or two colleagues in which one is giving feedback and one is receiving it. The purpose is to give colleagues a systematic and effective way to address problems in another colleague's performance, behavior, or actions in the work setting without creating bad feelings, longer-term conflicts, and decreased morale. Here are the seven steps in the model:<br />
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<i><u><b>Speaker:</b></u></i><br />
<b>1. Point of agreement/empathy statement</b><br />
Helps to set a positive tone by demonstrating your awareness of the individual’s accomplishments and/or understanding of their situation.<br />
<b>2. Undesirable behavior</b><br />
Increases the individual’s awareness of the behaviors that offend or create conflict.<br />
<b>3. Rationale (detriments)</b><br />
Explains how the individual’s behavior negatively impacts communication, the team members, the congregation or their relationship with God.<br />
<b>4. Desired behavior</b><br />
Provides the individual with explicit information about your expectations and a description of an alternative, more effective or appropriate behavior.<br />
<b>5. Rationale (benefits)</b><br />
Explains how the alternative behavior will benefit communication, the team members, or the congregation or their relationship with God.<br />
<b>6. Request for acknowledgement</b><br />
Gauges the individual’s understanding of your concerns and promotes discussion.<br />
<u><i><b>Listener:</b></i></u><br />
<b>7. Appreciation / Acknowledgement statement</b><br />
Demonstrates a receptive attitude, your own professionalism, and your interest in wanting to improve and/or resolve the situation.<br />
— by Julie McDonald, Ozark, Missouri; from <a href="http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200503/200503_professionalfeedback.cfm">"The Profit And Loss Of Confrontation: A Practical Model For Professional Feedback"</a></blockquote>
So in general, it goes like this: You see something sucky happening at work. You find the person who is behaving in the sucky manner. You acknowledge something positive or empathetic towards that person. Then, you point out the sucky behavior and give reasons for why that behavior sucks, point out the alternative, better, desired behavior, and the reasons that new desired behavior sucks less, and then ask for acknowledgement that the person understands. Then, the one getting feedback should acknowledge his or her understanding, in response. It is supposed to avoid things like accusations and ineffective or non-constructive criticism, and it is supposed to facilitate improvement in the work setting so that people don't constantly feel like they suck -- so they grow and get better at their jobs or tasks without feeling low or ganged-up on.<br />
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Ever since this staff training, I have taken this model to heart in life in general, finding it a handy, intuitive, and effective way to give feedback to co-workers, co-teachers, and colleagues at graduate school. I find that many graduate students instinctively use this model when grading papers and working with underclassmen. But, I have to say, I don't find many other people using this model at the graduate level. At first, I thought maybe it was just too kind for the graduate school world -- in other words, no need for a professor or a graduate student peer to use any form of sugar-coating when giving feedback to a graduate student on his work. But, then, I thought about it -- if it is good for the rest of the working world, I'm wondering, do more of us in the graduate school world need to be exposed to this and use it on an every day basis? How would it contribute to a change in graduate school culture?<br />
What do you think? Let me know when and where a graduate student, and our professors, advisors, and administrators, could have used this model to improve a situation, or how you envision it in changing the overall culture of graduate student life! Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-76817220769377695032013-06-06T08:27:00.003-04:002013-06-06T08:27:22.139-04:00Picture Perfect Campus Vistas! And, June Edition of Dissertation Blues! Beautiful few days on Rose Hill! When you are stuck studying, researching, or writing in a library, it's nice to at least have these lush trees and lawns right outside!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walsh Library Lawn, June 4, 2013</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking to the library, June 4, 2013</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous Day on Campus, June 5, 2013</td></tr>
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Send me your campus shots! And, enjoy this beautiful month of early sunrises and late sunsets. Finally, here's the JUNE EDITION of the Dissertation Blues!<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">The Dissertation Blues</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;">June Edition</span></div>
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by Joy Zitelli</div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;">It is the time to honors "Fathers"....</span></div>
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this project is becoming a bother</div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;">I'll scurry to buy a tie</span>;</div>
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Extra time I can't deny</div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;">for my double paternity "suit" --</span></div>
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with <span style="color: blue;">Daddy Dissertation Blue</span>.</div>
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Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-23839407080075335072013-06-03T13:31:00.003-04:002013-06-03T14:02:29.448-04:00Gifts for Graduate Students!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gbTZfPMc8o0/Uavy8LDvF5I/AAAAAAAABRo/dYyE3KdHVXE/s1600/gifts-presents-christmas-370x229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gbTZfPMc8o0/Uavy8LDvF5I/AAAAAAAABRo/dYyE3KdHVXE/s320/gifts-presents-christmas-370x229.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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Ever wonder what to get a graduate student for a gift? In case you are that kind soul just Googling "What do I get a graduate student for her birthday?" or scouring graduate student blogs to find out what gift will be the perfect present for the graduate student in your life, this post is for you!!!<br>
I actually Googled it myself, and most of the information online was about graduation gifts, but I'm not necessarily talking about that. I'm talking about the average, run of the mill, it's-my-sister's-birthday-and she's-in-graduate-school-and-what-are-some-fun-and-thoughtful-gifts-I-could-give-her, or my-brother's-turning-25-and-is-across-the-country-getting-his-Phd-in-computer-science-at-Stanford, or my-mom-is-a graduate-student-in-history-and-I-need-to-get-her-a-Christmas-present, kind of gifts.<br>
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There were a few articles, though. On <a href="http://gradschool.about.com/">About.com, Graduate School edition</a>, the Ph.D.'d writer Tara Kuther explains in <a href="http://gradschool.about.com/od/survivinggraduateschool/tp/giftsforgradstudents.htm">hers</a> that "Graduate students are an odd lot," saying that most are "short on cash" and will basically take anything. Some of her ideas are school or scholarship related: flash drive key ring, external hard drive, staple-free stapler, power outlet manager, calendars, and a moleskin notebook. Not bad ideas -- like Kuther says, we graduate students can't really afford anything, and so anything practical that will help us manage our lives is a pretty decent gift. The other mentions on her list were what I might call necessities: food, gas cards, and coffee and/or a coffee pot. All decent ideas, too.<br>
<a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2013/04/chew-on-this-food-for-thought-and-then.html"> Foodstuff</a> is actually something I was thinking about at the top of my grad.life gifts, because so often in my early graduate school days I remember having a $10 per day budget for food for most days of the week. (Grocery budget = $300 per month). That is not easy! It basically consists of stocking up on cereal, ramen noodles, frozen dinners, pasta, cans of tuna fish, boxes of rice, and peanut butter and jelly, and eating pizza slices or cheap burgers when you go out to eat, and maybe scoring some free coffee in your department or at lectures and workshops. So, nice baskets of gourmet food, or restaurant gift certificates, or even some nice local farmer's market veggies, cheeses, olives, pickles, and fruits would most likely be a welcome gift for the 20 something graduate student who has to take out loans just to eat normally.<br>
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I really like the coffee and coffee pot idea, too. I remember in graduate school I had a hand-me-down coffee pot for my first couple of years, and then it broke, and I couldn't afford to replace it, but then my mom got me a small and cute one or two cup French Press from Target, and it worked just fine for many years!! That was a great grad.gift, Mom! Gift cards to cafes (Starbucks, D & D, Tim Hortons, Panera, local cafes, anywhere with seats & wifi) are great too, because grad students often need to find a place to work, and you most often have to purchase something in order to work there. I got yelled at once in a Starbucks for working there for three hours on my laptop and only buying a bottle of water. Sigh... <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2013/01/coffee-v-tea.html">first world grad.life problems</a>!<br>
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Another couple of great articles I found on the topic were on Yahoo voices; check them out <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/top-ten-gift-ideas-graduate-students-117061.html?cat=46">here</a> and <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/top-ten-gift-ideas-stressed-out-graduate-students-115476.html?cat=72">here</a>. My personal favorites from these lists are:<br>
1.) A hand held voice recorder. You can use this for so many things -- lectures, seminars, job talk or interview preps, etc. I recorded myself a lot when I was preparing for my oral comprehensive exam, to practice making arguments out loud. Actually, I use it to help me write sometimes, too!<br>
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2.) <a href="http://www.sharperimage.com/si/view/product/Bed-Lounger-with-Heat-Therapy-and-Massage/201411?utm_source=Google%20Base&utm_medium=CSE&cm_mmc=Partners-_-CSE-_-Googlebase-_-NONE&pc=CSFS50&CAWELAID=1922798328&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=NonBranded&Keyword=&cm_mmc=CPC-_-Google-_-NonBranded-_-&network=g&matchtype=&device=c&gclid=CITl3-bbxrcCFc-f4Aod-HsAPQ">Bed Lounger</a>: I love this idea! So many times in my bedroom in my little apartment that I shared with another grad student, I used my bed to do work and reading. This would have been an amazing piece of furniture to aid in my studies-in-bed!<br>
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Here's some other potential gifts I was thinking about that graduate students simply can't put in their budgets without living above their means:<br>
1.) Nice<a href="http://shawnawilson.hubpages.com/hub/All-Shampoos-Are-Not-Created-Equal-A-Comparison-of-28-Brands"> shampoo</a>, conditioner, and toiletries. Yes, folks, when faced with the choice in the supermarket between a nice dinner or nice shampoo, we most likely choose the nice dinner and grab the Vo5, Suave, White Rain, or Pert Plus shampoos, foregoing the Pantenes and Garniers, and not even glancing at the Bumble and Bumble, Aveda, or Paul Mitchell bottles. The under $2 per bottle shampoos and conditioners are just too tempting when faced with cravings for some nice homemade meal instead of a Lean Cuisine for dinner. Something to think about when shopping for your favorite graduate student!<br>
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2.) A bottle of champagne, wine, or liquor - of course! This is difficult to budget in, but there are always times to celebrate! See my post on <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2013/02/prosecco-v-champagne.html">Champagne Vs. Prosecco </a>for some ideas!!<br>
3.) Apple TV -- cable is expensive, but Internet and Laptops are almost a necessity for graduate students to have in their homes. So, a great solution may be Apple TV. All you need is a TV, internet, and a computer -- no cable bill required!!! It's a digital media receiver that hooks up to your computer and watch video from Itunes, Netflicks, Youtube, HULU, and other sites on your HDTV. So, if the grad student in your life has a TV for DVD's only and can't afford cable, this might be a perfect gift, allowing them to save money by using internet sources for their entertainment. Something to look into!<br>
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4.) Audio Book Gift Cards -- You know how <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-book-product-playaway-audio-books.html">I love audio books!</a>!! But they are expensive!! :( An Audible or Amazon gift card would work great for your favorite I-pod or I-phone toting grad student!<br>
5.) Record Player -- You also know how <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2013/04/vinyl-discoveries-celebrating-record.html">I love record players</a>! Why is a record player is fun for grad students? While players are expensive, records are cheap and fun to browse through; buying a record in a used record store is an event in and of itself!<br>
6.) Rare Books from Favorite Authors -- what's better than a first edition Pride and Prejudice for your favorite Austen scholar, or a rare edition of the Invisible Man for your modern Americanist? Not too much!!!<br>
7.) Workout gear/ clothes/ videos/ equipment -- it's hard to budget for working out as a grad student, even though it is so important! Gear them up with fun clothes, equipment, and gym memberships, and they'll feel better about themselves, body, mind, and brain!!!<br>
Grad.Life readers, let me know if you have any thoughts (or requests!!!) And get your favorite grad student the perfect gift today!!!<br>
-- LizaFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-54116955639273310952013-05-28T09:03:00.001-04:002013-05-28T09:03:52.947-04:00Memorial Day: History and Thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Grad.Life friends!<br />
I hope you've had a nice Memorial Day weekend. As the original day was May 30th, back in 1868, we may consider this whole week a time to celebrate and honor our fallen heroes. So, I'd like to take today's post to thank all the people who have served our nation in the military, and to remember those who sacrificed everything to do so. It's sometimes hard to put Memorial Day in its proper context amid the talks of barbecues, beaches, boardwalks, sales, Ladderball, and outdoor concerts. On the other hand, perhaps these Memorial Day festivities ultimately grew out of wanting and needing a time carved out to stop our daily lives and celebrate and commemorate with friends and family.<br />
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So... should we graduate students feel guilty about going to parties and cook-outs on Memorial Day? Or should we think about ways that enjoying time with our loved ones on a national holiday actually is a form of honoring our fallen heroes? Curious about the history of how the holiday evolved into what it is today, I did a bit of research. Here's what I found out.<br />
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Originally, the day was called "Decoration Day," and it was a day to decorate the graves of soldiers in the Arlington National Cemetery who died in the Civil War. It was first officially declared in 1868, by General Logan, and observed on May 30 of that year. Traditionally, the day's commemoration involves decorating and honoring the soldiers who have fallen in the service of our country, at the site of their graves. Often, municipalities held marked these cemetery visits with parades and public speeches, which would gather the townspeople together to make the decoration ceremonies and rituals more of a public event. It is thought that the end of May was chosen for this holiday because flowers were in bloom in most regions of the US. In addition to flowers, graves were also decorated with folded flags. By 1890, all Northern states officially recognized the holiday; after WWI, it was observed nationally.<br />
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In 1971, Congress passed a bill that ensured the day would be celebrated the last Monday in May, giving us the three day weekend that we all have come to know today. Yet, actually, the three day weekend for Memorial Day has become somewhat of a controversy among veterans and families of fallen soldiers. Some have voiced the opinion that May 30th, no matter what day of the week it falls on, should be the day of the national holiday, in order to truly honor the fallen soldiers. According to <a href="http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html">http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html</a>:<br />
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"Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: 'Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.'"</blockquote>
In 2000, a resolution was passed to promote a nationwide moment of silence, or a listening of Taps, at 3pm on Memorial Day, to help bring focus to the historical meaning of the holiday. And yet, I (perhaps shamefully) never knew about this resolution until yesterday when I began to read about the history, in the waning hours of the holiday.<br />
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Yet honestly, I feel that most national holidays are what they are today <i>because </i>it is a designated time when we as a nation take a day off from the hustle and bustle of typical American life. Ours is one of the most fast-paced and work-oriented cultures in the world, and deciding as a nation to take a day off from that in and of itself is a form of remembrance. Instead of going through the mundane routines of our everyday lives, a national holiday sets aside time that ties us all together, and focuses on togetherness and unity rather than our individual every-day life routines. So, IMHO, I don't think making Memorial Day into MDW is a bad thing at all. Rather, I think we should think about how giving ourselves a three-day weekend allows us to remember what is important in life -- family, friends, social interaction, play, music, human connection -- and what our soldiers are fighting for in the first place.<br />
Grad.Life readers, history majors, American studies scholars, sociologists, economists, and scholars of all disciplines -- what are your thoughts? Share here or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GradLifeGsasBlogPage?ref=hl">FB page!</a> (While you are there, "Like" our page!)<br />
Until next time, Liza<br />
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PS: I am happy to announce that I will be with you all summer, blogging for Grad.Life and getting us through a productive summer of scholarship and graduate life! If you'd like to see any stories or events covered here, let me know! :)<br />
<br />Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-10872136182346597232013-05-21T20:26:00.002-04:002013-05-21T20:31:02.495-04:00"Roulette, that's the game now..."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Graduate students!<br />
Congratulations to those who graduated this past weekend at Fordham GSAS! You should be so proud of your accomplishments! As parents and grand-parents across the land have said a-many times, "No one can ever take that degree away from you." Even though it is cliche to say so, that is pretty much a true statement, right? I can't think of any theoretical apparatus or perspective that would enable someone to argue with that. In the future, your dignity, pride, self-esteem, and internal moral compass may be destroyed or trampled upon, but you will still have your degree! So go celebrate that thing you earned that cannot be taken away!<br />
With graduation vibes in the air, perhaps, for graduating and non-graduating graduate students alike, your thoughts have now turned to what happens after graduation. Whether you are just finishing your first academic year at the GSAS, or only have a little more graduate life to go, you should always be thinking about the next step; your time spent thinking about the practical applications of graduate school in the real world can be just as valuable as all of the time spent doing academic and scholarly work. <br />
So, with this in mind, I wasn't surprised to see on Monday a feature article in the latest issue of <i>The Chronicle of Higher Education</i> discussing what it is like to be out on the job market looking for a tenure track position. Entitled "The Long Odds of the Faculty Job Search," the title does not sound too promising, and the graphic that accompanies the article features a photo of a job candidate, dressed in an immaculate suit yet looking vulnerable in the shadowy light, standing on roulette wheel. Yikes! Very <i>dark</i>.<br />
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The article uses applicant material from two recent candidate searches conducted by universities in order to explore real-life examples of what the competition is like inside a department's search for an assistant professor. One was from the University of Ohio's English department, and one was from the University of Florida's linguistic department. The Ohio opening, which was specifically for a fiction writing teacher, drew 117 applicants, and the Florida opening drew 71 applicants. The article details the stats of the applicants, and interviews some of the search committee members as well as applicants. Check out the article <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/The-Long-Odds-of-the/139361/">here</a>!<br />
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Honestly, I am not sure if I am just subconsciously trying not to focus on the negatives, but didn't anyone notice the very positive and uplifting fact that creative writing positions have increased by 46% in 6 years? That is great news! It means that humanities jobs -- or at least in some areas -- are not dying out completely. But again, perhaps I am just choosing to see the glass half full these days.<br />
Anyway, what was your take-away from the article? Let me know your thoughts, dreams, hopes and desires. Share here, or on the blog's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GradLifeGsasBlogPage?fref=ts">FB book page! </a> <br />
Hope you are enjoying your weeks between the Spring semester and summer session!! :) :) -- Liza<br />
<br />Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-42827229953823768632013-05-09T10:58:00.001-04:002013-05-09T16:11:26.342-04:00PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT for the Rooftop Social: Friday, May 10th!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi GSAS students! Happy End of the Semester!<br />
To celebrate, please join the GSA in celebrating at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/459409017461768">Spring Semester Rooftop Social</a>, on Friday, May 10th!<br />
It's on the rooftop patio of the Walsh Library, from 5pm to 8pm. Come enjoy snacks and beverages and a nice outdoor space! (If raining, it will be in the Special Collections Room, 4th floor -- with great views of the campus!)<br />
And, to make things even more fun this year, I've created the first annual <span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>ROOFTOP SOCIAL PHOTO-SCAVENGER HUNT! </b></span><br />
Below are fifteen items that you must find with your smart phone or digital camera. Get as many as you can, and interpret them however you want -- the more creative the better! Submit your photos to the blog via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GradLifeGsasBlogPage?ref=hl">Facebook</a>, with captions, and I'll collect and post the best ones!<br />
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<b><span style="color: magenta;">Rooftop Social Photo-Scavenger Hunt, 2012-2013</span></b></div>
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<i>The challenge: Capture the following on your smartphone or digital camera:</i></div>
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<li>A high-five</li>
<li>Someone you met in your very FIRST semester here at the GSAS</li>
<li>Someone you met THIS semester</li>
<li>Someone you've never met before tonight</li>
<li>An introduction</li>
<li>A View</li>
<li>Something "great"</li>
<li>A "first"</li>
<li>Your favorite _____(fill in the blank)______</li>
<li>Something "inter-departmental"</li>
<li>Something mixed</li>
<li>Something matched</li>
<li>Something finished</li>
<li>Something unfinished</li>
<li>A farewell</li>
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Have fun -- I can't wait to see the pictures! Congrats on completing another great semester! -- LizaFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-17811044804404606402013-05-07T10:44:00.003-04:002013-05-07T10:44:56.686-04:00Brain Initiative Will Impact Graduate Education and Research <br />
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Last month, President Obama <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/science/obama-to-unveil-initiative-to-map-the-human-brain.html">announced</a> an exciting challenge for the academic, research, medical, and scientific communities: the <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/infographics/brain-initiative">BRAIN Initiative</a>. BRAIN is an acronym that stands for <b>B</b>rain <b>R</b>esearch through <b>A</b>dvancing <b>I</b>nnovative <b>N</b>eurotechnologies, and the initiative challenges the scientific community to develop a map of the human brain. The overarching goals of the initiative is to develop, research, and invent new technologies that will enable us to better understand how we think, process and store information, perceive, communicate, remember, and make decisions, and to help understand, and develop treatments and preventions for, debilitating brain diseases and mental health issues. Over one hundred million dollars is earmarked for grants to fund research in this endeavor for over the next ten years. President Obama said, “As humans, we can identify galaxies light years away. We can study particles smaller than an atom. But we still haven’t unlocked the mystery of the three pounds of matter that sits between our ears.”<br />
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This past weekend, the National Science Foundation (NSF) gathered <a href="http://blogs.nature.com/news/2013/05/neuroscientists-brainstorm-goals-for-us-brain-mapping-initiative.html">neuroscientists together from around the nation and globe</a>, in Arlington, Virginia, to begin brainstorming and planning specific goals for this exciting project. Still at an early stage, the leaders of the group are just attempting to get organized and outline specific goals, including being technologically ready for the "data deluge" they expect to get from this mobilization of research.<br />
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The initiative has received both criticism and support from the research communities, politicians and political pundits, and journalists/ commentators from around the world. The New York Times came out in support of the project; click for the original <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/opinion/obama-makes-a-giant-leap-for-brain-research.html">New York Times editorial</a>., and <a href="http://www.policymic.com/articles/28416/brain-initiative-mapping-the-human-brain-would-be-a-triumph-for-obama">this article</a> on policymic.com suggested that the initiative would be a scientific triumph for President Obama's administration if it is executed properly and efficiently. Huffington Post writer <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-burrus/why-the-human-brain-initi_b_3103869.html">Daniel Burrus outlines the reasons</a> that this project is so important for all of us, in economic, medical, and social terms.<br />
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There are some critics, to be sure: some say there is not enough money involved to produce anything valuable, and that the project is too<a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/04/22/brain-initiative-needs-more-brains/"> timid</a>, vague, or hazy. But, thinking about the Human Genome Project generated a huge return on its investment ($140 return on every $1 invested), I can't see this as anything but a positive, exciting move. Daniel Burrus is one thousand percent correct in his illuminating advocacy for the project. <br />
And, from a graduate student perspective, this is amazing news. New projects in neuroscience, neurobiology, medicine, neurochemistry, computer science, technology development, nanoscience, speech, language, and communication will all be launched -- and funded -- as a result of this initiative. What an amazing time to be in or entering one of these fields, and what a rewarding and significant global project to devote your graduate studies to!<br />
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Let me know what your thoughts are about this exciting initiative. What would you study? How does mapping the human brain affect your area, and what do you imagine we might gain from BRAIN?<br />
Have a great day, GSASers and Grad.Life Readers!!<br />
--- LizaFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-15566672729194779092013-05-02T17:35:00.001-04:002013-05-03T06:20:39.012-04:00Happy May! <br />
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Hello GSAS blog readers! Happy May! Boy did April go fast; I hope you enjoyed the blogs over the past month and the past semester. Indeed, it is the the last couple of weeks of our semester here at the GSAS, and likewise in most graduate schools around the country. And tomorrow, May 3rd, is the <a href="http://www.fordham.edu/academics/colleges__graduate_s/graduate__profession/arts__sciences/student_resources/gsas_award_ceremony/">GSAS Awards Ceremony to be held at 4pm in the Duane Library. </a>Congratulations to all award recipients, fellows, and achievers of all kinds! You've really outdone yourselves this year! Don't forget to send your achievements in to the <a href="http://www.fordham.edu/academics/colleges__graduate_s/graduate__profession/arts__sciences/student_resources/student_achievements/">Students Achievements Submission Page</a> by Friday, May 10th!<br />
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Although it is spectacular outside today in the NYC area, I myself today am not feeling well... which prompted me to think about a "sick day" in the life of a graduate student. While most professionals have sick time built into their schedules -- albeit not always easily taken -- graduate students do not have this same structure. For graduate students, a sick day usually means a day when you are not well enough to do any work. And this often puts the said student behind the schedule of where she may have wanted to be in terms of coursework, seminar papers, research, teaching, grading, or dissertation writing. In the scope of a semester or an academic year, a "sick day" in grad.life might not mean too much or make too much of an impact. However, think about a sick day coming at the end of the semester when seminar papers are due!! Or when grading must be done and grades entered! The structure of our semesters have many of us relying heavily on the few 24 hour periods leading up to our end of semester due dates. A day of being sick -- I mean, literally too ill to do work -- at this time in the semester could be devastating and highly stress-producing.<br />
Another thing that graduates worry about in relation to being sick is money. While insurance may apply to some graduate student illnesses, often a run-of-the-mill sick visit or a trip to Duane Reade to get over-the-counter remedies means an extra wallop taken out on the meager paychecks that we receive. All this adds to the stress of getting sick.<br />
Yet, in the grand scheme of things, getting a cold or a 24-hour stomach bug or a migraine headache is not the end of the world, and actually may put things in perspective and make us realize how precious and fragile our health and clarity is in our lives. There are much worse things that could happen to us than a 24 hour stomach virus. Hopefully, I will be on my feet again soon, doing the usual grad.life stuff: running around the campus, grading, writing, researching digital archives, scanning, post-it-noting, copying, typing, and dropping off and picking up I.L.L. books (<--which eerily spells out the word "ill"!!!) ;)<br />
Whatever the case may be, I wish you health and happiness on this beautiful May spring day.<br />
And, of course, here is the May edition of the dissertation blues:<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">The Dissertation Blues</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: red;">M</span><span style="color: white;">a</span><span style="color: blue;">y</span> <span style="color: blue;">Edition</span></span></div>
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By Joy Zitelli</div>
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<span style="background-color: red;">May is a month of memorial</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">this project is gonna need a tutorial</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: red;">on Monday there is the town parade</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">as I keep up my ambitious charade</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: red;">on my porch I'll fly a flag</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">a sort-of patriotic jet lag</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: blue;"><span style="color: #999999;">colors of </span><span style="color: red;">red</span><span style="color: #999999;"> and </span><span style="color: white;">white</span><span style="color: #999999;"> i</span></span><span style="background-color: blue; color: #999999;">n leiu</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">of dissertation blue</span>!</div>
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Until Next time!!! -- LizaFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-47045417531737474282013-04-26T11:55:00.000-04:002013-04-26T11:55:18.115-04:00Graduate Students CAN Make a Difference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Friday GSASer's!<br />
It's a beautiful spring day here in NYC. I hope everyone's semester is winding down well! You are probably beginning to hole yourselves up in libraries writing final papers, studying for final exams, grading your students' papers or labs, conferencing with professors and/or students, editing chapters or trying to meet conference paper deadlines, while desperately trying to rationalize spending some time in the warm spring sunshine. I empathize completely. At least we have the kind of profession in which we may be able to haul some of our daily work materials out to a grassy knoll somewhere and read/grade/edit/think in the sun, if only for a few hours in the day. Then it's back to the lab/library/classroom/cubicle.<br />
In the midst of all this crazy end of semester running around, when you may begin to question why you have chosen this path in the first place, I have for you a positive and graduate-life-affirming story to share!! It's the story of a once "lowly graduate student" who, in doing a simple end of semester assignment, ended up making a huge impact on his field and possibly the entire world's view of political economics. How's that for uplifting?<br />
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Here's the scoop: A few weeks ago, the <i>New York Times Magazine</i> featured the <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/04/grad-student-who-shook-global-austerity-movement.html">story</a> of 28-year-old economics graduate student Thomas Herndon, studying at UMass Amhearst, who was spending time doing an assignment for one of his econometrics courses. His assignment was to replicate the data from an already published study. During his work, he discovered several flaws in the famous and influential economics study of austerity measures by Reinhart and Rogoff. The story reports:<br />
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Herndon was stunned. As a graduate student, he'd just found serious problems in a famous economic study — the academic equivalent of a D-league basketball player dunking on LeBron James. "They say seeing is believing, but I almost didn’t believe my eyes," he says. "I had to ask my girlfriend — who's a Ph.D. student in sociology — to double-check it. And she said, 'I don't think you're seeing things, Thomas.'"</blockquote>
After he gained some confidence in his findings, he brought it to his advisors, who also didn't believe it at first. But then, after re-confirming the research and analysis, Herndon and his mentors published a paper with their findings, which received immediate and world-wide attention. Now, Herndon is trying to finish up his semester while basking in the glow of his newfound academic fame.<br />
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See people -- you never know what your studies will lead to! My take-away from this story is: keep your nose to the grindstone, but don't be afraid to challenge established theories or data-sets or conclusions. This story encourages graduate students to have confidence in themselves and their work, even in the midst of all the critiques and push-backs from professors, committees, panels, journals, etc -- keep your eyes, heart, and mind open, and follow your instincts, and above all believe in yourself.<br />
Read the full story <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/04/grad-student-who-shook-global-austerity-movement.html">here</a>. And then go make a difference in the world!!<br />
-- Until next time! -- Liza<br />
<br />Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-88969365886001615992013-04-22T12:25:00.001-04:002013-04-22T12:25:23.603-04:00Grad.Life and Earth Day?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today, Monday, April 22, 2013, is EARTH DAY!<br />
When you think of Earth Day, you may reminisce about times in elementary, middle, and high school when teachers and students came together to honor, celebrate, and learn about ways to preserve the beauty and health of the planet. You know -- re-use, reduce, recycle mantras called for kids to create some cool project or invention out of plastic bottles and cardboard tubes, or classes would choose a public outdoor space to clean up and "adopt," or students would learn about water conservation, pollution, and energy sources. Indeed, educational institutions play a central role in Earth Day awareness and observance; but did you realize that colleges and universities played a crucial role in its <a href="http://earthday.envirolink.org/history.html">originating year, 1970</a>? According to the <a href="http://www.earthday.org/">Earthday.org</a>, "Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values."<br />
The event didn't become a major annual holiday right away, however. But the 1970 event did mobilize the modern environmentalist movement that we know today. It catalyzed the creation of the EPA and Clean Air, Clear Water, and Endangered Species Acts. And environmental issues became a mainstay in the academic conversation in graduate and undergraduate programs throughout North America.<br />
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Then, in 1990, another huge Earth Day was organized by environmental leaders, and it went global this time. After 1990, Earth Day began to resemble its contemporary form, with children, parents, advocates, environmentalists, and activists across the globe celebrating and participating in Earth Day as a day of action and education.<br />
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Today, it seems like the graduate students play somewhat less of a role in the Earth Day activism of the 1970s. But I may just not be aware of what is being done on college and university campuses. What is the buzz around Fordham, or around your campus? As a graduate student, how are you recognizing Earth Day today? And, what are your thoughts about it? What role should we as graduate students play in fostering enthusiasm for the day, and in taking action to protect our planet? Please write in to let me know!<br />
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Also, here are some cool Earth Day links!<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/04/22/earth_day_15_facts_about_our_planet.html">Slate.com: 15 Facts about Our Planet</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/22/world/earth-day/index.html">CNN.com: An Earth Day quiz</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.earthdayny.org/">EarthDayNY: Check out what our city is doing for Earth Day!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57580714/google-commemorates-earth-day-2013-with-animation-of-seasons/">CBSnews.com on the 2013 Earth Day Google Doodle</a></li>
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Have a good Earth Day, everyone!<br />
-- LizaFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-11320272756771281762013-04-20T08:31:00.002-04:002013-04-20T10:38:28.808-04:00Vinyl Discoveries: Celebrating Record Store Day!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.recordstoreday.com/Home" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="105" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RYN2aWp-lsQ/UXCRX1J8JPI/AAAAAAAABLs/3Jur8-eu3kI/s400/Record+Store+Day.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.recordstoreday.com/Home">recordstoreday.com/home</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Happy <a href="http://www.recordstoreday.com/Home">Record Store Day</a>! Yes folks -- today, April 20th, 2013, is Record Store Day!<br />
The best thing I ever did was buy a record player for my apartment. Since then, we have LOVED combing through record stores in different cities and towns, looking for cool finds and building our record collections, new and old. In general, it seems vinyl is coming back around as a medium for music. It's nice to feel something and own something as substantial and satisfying as a record album. There's something great about coming home on a Friday night and starting the weekend with a record, turning the volume up, watching it spin, hearing the tiny crackles, knowing that <i>sound</i> is mechanically happening right there in front of your eyes and ears, feeling the tiny etches inscribed on the object -- the vinyl -- knowing that those inscriptions will somehow generate the music when the needle is dropped.<br />
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To help celebrate this resurgence, record store owners across the nation participate in Record Store Day, and artists and labels release material, new and old, on vinyl. This year's ambassador is the great Jack White. His essay on the Record Store Day home page urges us to "wake up" and make sure we don't lose this special medium. He is afraid it will disappear, that the youth of today are so used to things beings at their fingertips, at the click of a mouse, that they don't understand the beauty and humanity of going out and actually experiencing something: "Years ago someone told me that 1,200 high school kids were given a survey. A question was posed to them: Have you ever been to a stand-alone record shop? The number of kids that answered "yes" was... zero." He writes,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">"We need to re-educate ourselves about human interaction and the difference between downloading a track on a computer and talking to other people in person and getting turned onto music that you can hold in your hands and share with others. The size, shape, smell, texture and sound of a vinyl record; how do you explain to that teenager who doesn't know that it's a more beautiful musical experience than a mouse click? You get up off your ass, you grab them by the arm and you take them there. You put the record in their hands. You make them drop the needle on the platter. Then they'll know. Let's wake each other up."</blockquote>Mr. White is exactly right. To me, record store are about two things: discovery, and tangibility. The experience of going to a record store and buying a record and then going home and playing that record leaves an indelible mark on a person -- it is a material experience that charges your senses in ways that doesn't happen from downloads and digital media.<br />
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</div><div>Here are some other great quotes about records and record stores that I found provocative and inspiring. </div><blockquote class="tr_bq">"Record stores keep the human social contact alive it brings people together. Without the independent record stores the community breaks down with everyone sitting in front of their computers"<br />
- Ziggy Marley </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">“My local independent record shop (Honest Jons) is a library, where you can go to listen to music, learn about it, exchange ideas about it and be inspired by it. I think independent record shops will outlive the music industry as we know it because long term their value to people is far greater, because even in our era of file-sharing and blogs, you cant replace the actual look on someone’s face when they are playing something they really rate and think you should listen to it too. It’s special.”<br />
- Damon Albarn (Blur, The Gorillaz, etc.) </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">“I love the smell of them. I love that people actually care for and know about the music they are selling.”<br />
- Neko Case</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">“It’s important to keep indie record stores alive because their unique environments introduce music lovers to things in a very personal way.”<br />
- Norah Jones </blockquote>These artists emphasize the bodily experience of being in a space that fosters interaction and knowledge. Thinking about the "record store" as a local cultural space that preserves human interaction, learning, discovery, teaching, expertise, and appreciation for materiality in the age of what White calls "disposable" digital media is important in an era in which technology globalizes our human network of ideas and digitizes many of our interactions. White ends his essay by reminding us that "there is beauty and romance in the act of visiting a record shop and getting turned on to something new that could change the way they look at the world, other people, art, and ultimately, themselves."<br />
Anyway, this is my tribute to Record Store Day! Check it out online to find a store, but don't stop there. Get out there and check it out in person!<br />
Enjoy -- Liza<br />
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Fordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084223196096731070.post-9238162168951571482013-04-19T06:35:00.001-04:002013-04-19T06:35:03.959-04:00Boston's Tragedy and Terrorism<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2rEEYYx5RT0/UXEbq40k2OI/AAAAAAAABL8/Zz-R7Z8ANj4/s1600/Boston+Memorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2rEEYYx5RT0/UXEbq40k2OI/AAAAAAAABL8/Zz-R7Z8ANj4/s400/Boston+Memorial.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #e0e0e0; color: grey; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/04/17/177573579/boston-marathon-explosions-wednesdays-developments">Flowers, flags and balloons at a memorial in <br />Boston near the site of Monday's explosions.</a> <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/04/17/177573579/boston-marathon-explosions-wednesdays-developments">npr.com</a></span></i></span></td></tr>
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Since I have held this post as GSAS Grad.Life blogger, our country has seen some sad and tragic events that have shaken us emotionally, physically, and psychologically: the <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2012_07_01_archive.html">Aurora movie theater massacre</a> in July, <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2012/11/letter-from-dean-busch-in-aftermath-of.html">Hurricane Sandy</a> in late October, and the <a href="http://fordhamgsaslife.blogspot.com/2012/12/newtown-tragedy-horrifies-and-enrages.html">Newtown shooting</a> in December. I've tried to use this space as a way to reflect on these events, and to provide readers with some kind of sense of the conversation about these events among graduate students.<br />
On Monday, we again faced another tragic event, the bombing at the Boston Marathon. My heart is with all the victims; please know that your sisters and brothers at Fordham are thinking of and praying for you.<br />
As events are unfolding today in the hunt for the suspects, I also hope and pray for no more additional violence and terror in the great city of Boston, or anywhere.<br />
I also hope we are able at some point to understand the reasons behind the terrifying attack. After 9/11, it was difficult to hear and swallow the reasons given for the attack. But it is much harder psychologically and emotionally, in my opinion at least, to have no understanding of the motivation behind such a gruesome act of violence and terror. <br />
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President Obama's speech yesterday moved me as I listened on the radio. Here is a transcript of the ending:<br />
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<i>Our faith in each other, our love for each other, our love for country, our common creed that cuts across whatever superficial differences there may be, that is our power. That's our strength. That's why a bomb can't beat us. That's why we don't hunker down. That's why we don't cower in fear. </i><i>We carry on. We race. We strive. We build and we work and we love and we raise our kids to do the same. And we come together to celebrate life and to walk our cities and to cheer for our teams when the Sox, then Celtics, then Patriots or Bruins are champions again, to the chagrin of New York and Chicago fans. The crowds will gather and watch a parade go down Boylston Street. And this time next year on the third Monday in April, the world will return to this great American city to run harder than ever and to cheer even louder for the 118th Boston Marathon.</i><i>Bet on it.</i><i>Tomorrow the sun will rise over Boston. Tomorrow the sun will rise over the - this country that we love, this special place, this state of grace. Scripture tells us to run with endurance the race that is set before us. As we do, may God hold close those who've been taken from us too soon, may he comfort their families and may he continue to watch over these United States of America. </i></blockquote>
President Obama's speech sang with spirit, and moved many to tears, including me.<br />
Today those of us who are in sister cities will watch with hope that no more harm comes to any human. And for those in Boston, our hearts are with you.<br />
--Liza and the Grad.Life BlogFordham GSAS Student Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810736763018836697noreply@blogger.com1