I’ve been reading the blogs of professors from potential schools. This one guy seems so pretentious and grumpy. How can he do serious work with social class when he is such a snob? Can he really “see” clearly? He is supposed to be very good at what he does. He is supposed to be “up and coming.” If he is the best new work in such areas, I think we’re in for some trouble.
I want to find a program that is peaceful and supportive, but such a place seems like a myth. As my friend Jesse said,
 “The politics [of higher ed] are fierce because the stakes are so low.”

I love coffee from a can. I love greasy diner coffee. I love greasy diners. Sometimes country music makes me happy. (And I’m talking contemporary country, not just the now-cool retro stuff.) I love the working class. I am blindly loyal to them. I love driving through tiny towns and reading their zealous church signs.
The more you climb up the rungs of the social ladder, the more I will hold you at arms length. This is my flaw, I’m certain.