A couple of people have noticed that I haven't updated since last Shatnerday, so I thought I might offer an explanation. I'm working on applying to grad school, two English lit departments and two Masters of Liberal Studies programs. It's been almost fifteen years since I got my bachelor's degree and I need to come up with some academic writing samples. Since A) I have no idea if I even have my old papers anymore and B) if I still got 'em I'd probably not be satisfied with the things, I'm starting from scratch. So for the last week or so instead of obsessing over games I've been researching a paper on the character of Arthur in Tennyson's Idylls of the King.
At this point I honestly can't tell you when I'm next going to be in the mood to write about games. Maybe later today, maybe not until after next weeks Mutant Future session.
A Return to the Stars
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After a veeeeerrrryyyy long, and mostly unplanned, hiatus, Stuart and I got
together to play more Stargrave in recent days. It was good! It was also a
bit ...
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Good for you, and good luck!
ReplyDeleteI'm very jealous.
ReplyDeleteGood choice with Idylls, too! Will you be comparing across versions/iterations of Arthurian mythos? Or is this strictly a Tennyson thing?
Sorry, no talking shop.
Hamlet: I've got a copy of Mallory along for the ride. I'm not sure I want to bring anyone else into the picture, so I'm mainly looking at Tennyson criticism in my research so far.
ReplyDeleteI demand Mutant Future stats for Arthur!
ReplyDeleteAnd Tennyson, for that matter.
I can sympathize with not blogging when you have to write profesionally. Also, it´s not as easy to snap back into full-nerdrage/fanboy mode. Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteYou're OD&D dungeon doesn't count as a writing sample? It looks good to me.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the grad school. In the last year and a half I've gone back myself part-time through employee benefits. I never thought I'd want to go back to school, and it's been a long time since I graduated, but while I don't "like" going back, I'm a much better student now as a 30-something than I was in college.
ReplyDeleteBy the time I had applied to graduate school, it had been more than 15 years and I was moving from a humanities degree (Comparitive English Literature) to a social-science based Education doctoral program. I wrote a new writing sample, and was glad I did.
ReplyDeleteGet the writing you need done. The blog will still be there when you come back.
Good luck! Going back to school can be a challenge (more so if you do it while still keeping your day job!), but I find academic work deeply rewarding.
Sounds like your priorities are in order - good luck with the writings.
ReplyDeleteAre you applying to Illinois's English Department? (says the Illinois English Professor)
ReplyDeleteHa! I just got an email from my buddy Stuart saying I should look you up! Apparently you two played some Exalted a few years back. Anyway, no I'm not applying at UIUC. I got my undergrad degree here in Shampoo-Banana and I feel like I need to look at other venues to broaden my horizons. Also, I worry that if I do all my work at one school future potential employers will wonder if there's some reason I couldn't get into another school. "What, was his uncle the dean of English or something?"
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I'm a 2nd year PhD student right now, so the whole application process isn't that far behind me yet. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your apps!
ReplyDeleteJeff, If the quality of your blogging is any indication I have confidence you will be successful in this endeavor. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteGive Arthur my regards, and have fun, Jeff!
ReplyDeleteYour post on the tripartite model is more interesting and better written than 99% of academic papers. It's a shame that it wouldn't be taken seriously. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGood luck, man.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain.
Like some others, I just went through all this a couple of years ago and like you, I'm old.
The whole process made me feel slightly icky.
I'm literally writing for a grant right now- I just finished the first of three essays minutes ago.
Regardless of discipline, the first thing you'll learn as a grad student is how to make copies and hook up video equipment.
p.s. Dumarest rocks, thanks for the tip.
Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGrad school was one of the best times of my life.
I think you're right to want to go somewhere else. Let me know if you have any questions about how to present your materials, though. I've been on grad. admissions here twice, so I have a good sense of what programs are looking for in an application.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, and I did play Exalted once with Stuart and Jay V. Ended up in a different D&D 3.0 group which mutated into a boardgames group and then a D&D 4.0 group (which I've been teaching to 2 different sets of under-10s). About to run 3:16 Carnage Amongst the Stars for my Philly gaming group reunion in Las Vegas next week. :)
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to you. As a first year masters o' library science student I know it is no small thing you are doing. I am also *ahem* years out of undergrad. I can attest it is very strange to be a student again. Courage!
ReplyDeletebtw...it took be 2 tries and some not for credit extension courses to get accepted. Just saying don't be crushed if you get put on 'standby' or it takes more than one round of apps to get the golden ticket.
~Will
I second Kelvingreen's demand for Mutant Arthur and Future Tennyson!
ReplyDelete~will
Best of luck on your applications Jeff.
ReplyDelete