Despite the putrid and enticing smell of fried fare seeping into my study space from the busy street below, I have been very productive this week.
I am about halfway done with my annotated bibliography, an always expanding, and therefore, never ending list. It has been grueling work to reign in my thoughts and, as expected, a fruitful experience. Reflecting on each source has afforded me the opportunity to see each anew–I breezed past too many attractive and relevant chapters on my first go round, and I’m excited about this second pirouette.
Unfortunately for me, I haven’t been quite so diligent in drafting a formal paper. Mellon-Mays Fellows are expected to write something for their advisers to proudly clutch to their bosoms at the end of each summer–More importantly, Mellon Fellows are expected to have meaningful, engaging, dynamic research experiences… Yes, the paper is more than a teddy bear of facts and reason but, I am suffering through the beginning stages. To write a paper now is to summarize the views of over a dozen other writers in a drought-stricken and awkward way: I’m bored out of my gourd already and I haven’t even started. My annotated bibliography is a paper, but with a more efficient format for understanding the warm soupy stage that I’m in.
On the upside, I’ve had other useful experiences this week. I met with two of my advisers, one who has begun to prod me about my plans for after graduation and the other, who give me a list of contemporary surrealist painters to consider. Both put me at ease about the academic year ahead of me.
As for my plans post graduation, I’m now working on an application for a Rhodes Scholarship (most likely for a second B.A. in Art History, or for graduate studies in another discipline)… and doing a fair bit of clicking to find other opportunities that suit my aspirations, worldview and personality.
Next week, my topic will be masculinity, and I’ll continue work on my annotated bibliography. During week fourteen, I’ll at least crank (yes, crank because I am a meat grinder) out a summer recap post.
Here’s to week twelve, research, grease, rigged carnival games, noise, the defeat of Jesse James and to you… Always to you. Cheers.
