May 13, 2008

been busy

Wang Zhenyao of the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs said 11,922 people have died in the quake centered in Sichuan province.
- www.cnn.com

The natural disasters in the Pacific basin and Asia are unbelievable. Myanmar and China are struggling under the weight of these two events. And, as I understand it rain is predicted for the Burmese peninsula. That's what they need. Rain. Pray for them.

I submitted yet another draft of the thesis yesterday. Graduation is Friday, people. So, this is much closer to the wire than I had anticipated. It appears, however, that I simply cannot follow directions. Astounding, I know. It's the citations and bibliography that have been slowing me down. Little periods, semi-colons, parenthetical citations in the midst of a foot note...and all of them have to be formatted in a specific way. Details. Tiny details. They are important. I get it. I'm not denying it. But I have very few healthy brain cells to begin with. To burn a few out on semi-colons is still somewhat maddening.

I should hear this morning if there are any other changes I have to make...crazy bibliography stuff. Sigh.

Posted by tripp at May 13, 2008 06:46 AM
Comments

Academia is the last bastion of civilized grammar and punctuation. Think of proper punctuation as an homage to the traditions of the past. After all, anything beyond the actual content must be symbolic, particularly if it appears to have no purpose. It is ritual for the church of the mind, creating a discipline that centers us and allows us to truly respect the authors we quote and the facts we cite.

Of course, the leftist church of e. e. cummings' mind would disagree.

(He teasingly pokes.)

Posted by: Rich at May 13, 2008 08:25 AM

My prose is more like e.e.'s poetry than it is like anything else. Ah well.

Posted by: Tripp at May 13, 2008 08:40 AM

Hang in there, Tripp.

Posted by: Megan at May 13, 2008 09:20 AM

“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.”

Albert Einstein

Posted by: carly at May 13, 2008 11:42 AM

Whatever. What did that guy know? E=mc Hammer? What does that mean anyway? And by details he meant The Theory of Relativity and not the semi-colon in my bibliographically enthused punchiness. ;-)

Posted by: Tripp at May 13, 2008 12:28 PM

Tripp,
I am in the midst of the same struggles! But "they" tell that it will be over soon, thinking that it's comforting to know this. Pray for me at 2am tonight when I will be swearing at my own semi-colons and such! Good luck my friend!

Posted by: Laura H. at May 13, 2008 12:52 PM

Oh, I remember having to get all that sorted with my Senior paper (that I volunteered to do) ya, footnotes and bibliography's important and yet were the bane of my academic existence. You have my sympathy and my prayers.
Hope there are no more revisions.

Posted by: Larry at May 13, 2008 01:13 PM

'Think of proper punctuation as an homage to the traditions of the past.'

Is anybody surprised that I am among other things at a newspaper a sub-editor?

Posted by: The young fogey at May 13, 2008 02:37 PM

HA! I am glad that you are having problems with
your bibliography!

I am having problems discerning the difference
between passe compose and imparfait in French.

Why should I be the only one that feels
totally stupide maintenant! (now)

There is something fun about not being perfect.

Posted by: teresa at May 13, 2008 04:24 PM

I am a great fan of imperfection, Teresa! Ha.

Thank you everyone for the kind words. More information will follow soon.

Posted by: Tripp at May 14, 2008 05:42 AM

Now would be the right time to link to Victor Borge's "Phonetic Punctuation" monologue. "Pffft"

Posted by: Rich at May 14, 2008 12:55 PM