Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Penn musings

Some things I learned at the University of Pennsylvania today:

It is far away. I knew that, but I never seem to remember how far far feels until I walk there. It is FAR.

Soc/demography talks at Penn are just as boring as talks at Wisconsin. And people at Penn ask just as ridiculous questions (even though the speaker kind of deserved it). I really am amazed at how utterly impossible it seems sometimes for academic speakers to be interesting. What is that about? How do these people teach? How does the next generation learn? I seriously needed a drink after it. And then I realized, I don't know anybody here. I thought about offering booze to an undergrad just to have someone to get a drink with but...I'm not quite there yet. Maybe next week.

Fashion is weird. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE fashion. I like to pretend I'm fashionable, but today I saw some disturbing sights:

MULTIPLE sweater dresses. Seriously. Sweater dresses. I had sweater outfits back in the day (skirt and shirt sweater sets). But that was during the 80s and I was 8-13 years old during the prime full sweater outfit wearing years. I am, therefore, automatically forgiven. I am all for 80s fashion revival, but, please, not the sweater dress!!! I'll go with all the mesh and headbands and preppy or whatever else wear you can dish out (yes, I have been watching "I love the 80's: 3D"!). But just say no to sweater dresses!

High heel clogs with furry pom-poms. Um. Wha? Yes. I guess one could call them mules (and, I'm sorry, I cannot handle mules. Put a back on them and make them real shoes!), but there was a clunky-ness to them that make them more clog like. And then they had a big ole tapered heel and then, hanging around the front, like I said: furry pom poms. I would have loved them were they a pair of earrings or some other kind of jewelry or a purse, but not on clogs!

This is why I stay in my house all day.

2 Comments:

Blogger Gwen said...

These boring academic speakers DON'T teach, or at least not well. And the next generation doesn't learn from them. They take their totally confusing classes and muddle through and get out without knowing anything.

I really think it's a crime to be that boring. I don't care WHAT your topic is...if you really care about it and find it fascinating, there is a way to make it at least minimally interesting to other people too. If you're not, you're not trying very hard. It's not enough to have data and a useful insight. Presentation is as important as content.

But then, I'm just a silly little professor at a teaching college, so who cares what I say?

2:12 PM  
Blogger Constance said...

Wow! What fashion trauma Carey! I had no idea it could be so debilitating!

2:14 PM  

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