Structuralist / Anastructuralist
What a ridiculously successful day. I don’t even really know where to start. I’m really tired, I should have gone to bed hours ago when I got tired, but I’ve been on such a roll, and there’s so much little stuff I could be getting done. Lately it’s been seeming like I don’t need as much sleep as I need to get stuff done. In other words, I’m getting physically exhausted before I get mentally worn out, which is a rarity. I think this is probably good.
So there’s not actually that much to report from the day. Feeling of success is mostly stemming from the meeting with my research advisor this afternoon. Before that I just had Quechua, and it went pretty well, though was sadly full of frustratingly unexplained new and strange grammatical junk. I guess that’s always what I get in Quechua. Anyway, after that I met up with my research advisor and sort of brain dumped everything I’d been working on, and through a series of things I don’t really want to rehash it seems that I’ve gotten him really excited about the direction of my project, and I’ve uncovered the threads from which I might unravel some of my fundamental misunderstandings of Optimality Theory. I really can’t go over how much this excites me. It’s like a choose your own adventure version of my mental life. I do a lot of work, I turn a lot of pages, and with every page I turn, another little hint is dropped… thus a whole mental universe contained in pages connected to pages connected to pages. My own mental labrinth.
I’ve gone astray. Met later in the afternoon (after a trip with Lewis to Sams… mmm) with my TA professor for a tiny meeting on this week’s homework grading. Another thing I can’t say enough of: how nice this professor is to work with. So far, at least, he’s been really considerate, pleasant, and amiable. He also ascented to look over anything I need while I’m working on this phonology paper (as he is, in fact, a phonologist). This is great. I’m TAing for his Optimality Theory class, so it’s the perfect stage for us to get our brains together on the Optimality Theory portion of the paper I’m working on. As an added bonus, my graduate program advisor had just recommeded him to me as a likely candidate to be on my PhD committee if I am in fact going to go forward with a phonology thesis. I can’t imagine doing otherwise, so good to get the relevant folks on my side earlier than later!
Saw a colloquium from John Ohala this evening, which was slightly less eventful than I might have hoped. At first, his presentation seemed to be speaking directly to the conversation I had been having with my research advisor, but then it veered off in a different direction and left me wanting. It was nice to see everyone I know all in one room at once though, since pretty much the entire lingusitics program – professors and graduate students alike – was in attendance. It’s always good to see famousy linguists talk though, if for no other reason than it’s healthy to separate the reputation from the man and to see how peers interact in these environments. I’d like to think I wouldn’t been so star struck as to avoid the risk of making a fool of myself in front of someone big-named in favor of being meek. It’s funny how much of my graduate school education lately seems to be learning to operate as an equal and valid individual in such a small field.
Tomorrow… doctors appointment, and only one class! Also, perhaps, picking out new frames for my glasses! Could be good times.