in terms of classes, besides the normal law ones (international ip, copyright, 14th amendment, professional responsibility) i am taking an arabic grammar class (oh so much fun) and a poli sci grad class (peace and conflict). what can i say i am a glutton for punishment. so that is what is up in my life. here are a few interesting tidbits for you all:
1. going to the chapel and i am going to get... no. no more weddings! since thanksgiving i have gone to a handful of weddings, mostly desi. and of course people continue to get engaged: desi and otherwise. i am tired of all the pressure, ostentation, guilt, gossip, and craziness that is a desi wedding. but there is nothing new about that and people continue to discuss marriage, relationships, and all that jazz. however recent discussion and some interesting articles sparked some new topics (and you all thought we had talked relationships to death!). all my friends are in three critical phases: 1- worrying about/hating marriage and yet talking about it nonstop (i.e. single) 2- in the lalaland that is the engagement/honeymoon phase and yes they can not stop talking about their angelic significant other (you are officially annoying) and 3- the "on my second child, have been married for years" girls who keep trying to convince the rest of us of their wedded bliss (we are not buying it!). anyway while i give my heartfelt congratulations to those in phases 2 and 3, i have to love all my girls (and guys) in #1. all i can say is for all this talking, phase 1 is fun. now when i say this people will respond that i am just trying to convince myself that i don't want to get married. it is not that, when (and if) it happens it will be (hopefully) wonderful. but right now life is fun and great. so for everyone fretting, stop. you don't have to wake up in the middle of the night for the crying baby. you get up and go whenever you want to. okay so you have deal with your mother's nagging, but from what i hear that nevers stops anyway. so let's enjoy the freedom! anyway if you are a smart woman, marriage is not a cakewalk! the men just want mommy article in the nytimes sparked much discussion among my friends and my inbox was flooded with comments about it. it was something we have always believed anyway that was just affirmed in the nyt. i watched 'love actually' again recently and the article made me see the movie very differently. the paradox faced by women reminded me of "women don't ask". this book is a must read for all professional women: how can one be assertive and not be labeled bitchy?
also on the topic a fairly comical look at non-desi (read white) weddings from a desi perspective. here's a great line: desi weddings have devolved into games of one-upmanship, with each family trying to outdo the last in terms of extravagance and ostentation. I'm expecting the next invitation sent to our home by carrier pigeon or perhaps inscribed in bricks of solid gold.
well i am (gulp) off to another one in philly next weekend!
2. galvanize. the new single off the chemical brother's new album: push the button. very catchy. something about it makes you listen. it samples some arabic music and it features q-tip from a tribe called quest. watch the video.
3. my poli sci class is full of first and second year phd students. for me it is a very interesting sociological study. the difference between grad students and law students is quite apparent. the jargon, the dress, and the outlook between graduate and professional students is interesting. as an outsider there is something romantic about the pure pursuit of knowledge that is academia, unsullied by the drive/race that is professional school. but on further thought (and listening to my sister suffer in grad school), i realize that i need a break from school.
anyway in the midst of yesterday's discussion of deterrence and nuclear war, the prof decided to bring up writing style. most grad students have heard the pleas about elegant writing. i totally agree, academic writing that is grating to the ear and abrasive to the mind is not good writing. dr. schweller reminds us that 9 out of 10 times, if you read something and it hurts your head this is not because you are too dumb to understand. rather it is due to the writers lack of ideas cloaked in verbal incoherence. using complicated sentences with a lot of big words does not result in good ideas. elegant and enlightening ideas are capable of being expressed in terse and simple language. beautiful prose has a cadence to it that makes it enjoyable to read. anyway he mentioned a great book for style: ten lessons on grace and clarity. i must admit that i like this book. it has good examples and focuses on modern american writing. i only wish my writing was graceful. on a totally random sidenote, in the same class someone mentioned america's plan for a 'gay bomb'. i thought he was loony but no it is true.
4. 12% of Americans believe that Noah's wife was Joan of Arc! so we are a country that believes God speaks in the bible but can't be bothered to read it. anyway the la times carries an interesting article showing while americans might be more religious than europeans, we are by far more ignorant about religion. comparative religion is a common topic in european schools, but alas the failures of the american public school system abound.
