Medievalmaniac

hazelbite - I HATE theory. I do literature. But lately it is really hard to publish without a recognizably theoretical framework for your argument. Ergo, I am doing enough theory to publish my thinking. I think a lot of us are in that particular boat...

If you check my blog here at gradcafe, I posted my SOP in its many forms and explained what was wrong with each of the earlier versions and what worked on the final one:

You and me, both!!

Thanks for subscribing to my blog!

Yeah... because no one could figure out how to do it! lol

OK, well then we will give it a try and see what blogging the first year here looks like. If it gets overwhelming or no one seems to really want to read about it, I'll just scale back to maintaining my regular blog; worth a try if it will help/encourage/entertain anyone.

Nobody here but us Lit Majors trying to figure out this theory thing! lol At least it's postcolonialism, which makes some sense. Poststructuralism, anyone?

PhD - I already have my MA.

Yes, FINALLY starting. I got a clean bill of health in May - remission, Baby! I can toss out some titles, although I think many/most are more from the late 20th century - still, it's a start, right? lol the Empire Writes Back Ahmad, In Theory Anderson, Imagined Communities Bhabha, The Location of Culture Chakrabarty, Provincializing Europe Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth Gilroy, The Black Atlantic Said, Orientalism Lunsford and Ouzgane, Crossing Borderlands Spivak, A Critique of Postcolonial Reason Sinha Animal's People Coetzee Disgrace Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost. Seth, A Suitable Boy Achebe, Things Fall Apart other authors I know deal with postcolonial themes: Duras, Rushdie, Loomba(criticism), Chatterjee I hope there's something here that is useful to you!!

Grades matter for funding, but you generally have to maintain a "B" average. A "B+" is a 3.3 at your institution, so as long as your other grades are "A"s I would not worry too much about that aspect of your situation. What I would do, especially since you seem to be a little upset by this grade, is to go in and speak with the professor. The conversation should not be a "why did I only get a B+" or a "comparison of this B+ to all my other A grades" sort of deal, but rather, "can you tell me a little about what you see as my weaknesses as a student, and maybe give me some pointers to improve in those areas? I really want to excel, and my goal is to be an "A" student at this level. I'd appreciate your feedback and insight on how I can make that happen." In other words, use the professor's office hours, and go in there with the intent to really hear what s/he says - because obviously whether you like it or not, s/he perceives some weaknesses in your performance. You don't have to agree or like it, but it would be very wise to take this chance to learn what s/he is looking for and strive to incorporate that into your overall performance - it can only enhance your abilities, and will also a.) help you understand better what happened and provide a little closure b.) let the professor know you are open to constructive criticism and create good will and a good impression for future encounters and c) give you the chance to develop areas of your performance that might be holding you back without your knowledge.

My current work email includes my name, most recent degree, position and school, which provides credential snapshots - I use it for conference activity, abstract submission, and other scholarly activity, and also college admissions stuff (I teach at a high school) along with the requisite 79-word disclaimer message. My personal email includes my favorite quote du jour and a link to my blog, since I'm also a writer. I love quotes, unlike the folks above me. My university email will include my immediate contact information, modeled on the signatures of the professors on all the listservs I belong to - name, position, office, office hours, phone.

OK, I lied. I actually start TA orientation on August 6. FINALLY! What a long, strange journey this has been. First, the application season-that-wasn't. Then, the application season that ended in a fully-funded offer from a perfect-fit school. Followed almost immediately by the cancer diagnosis. Followed by the year of chemo and radiation. Followed (most thankfully) by remission. And now, after a full decade of starts and stops, I'm finally doing this. I've given notice at the school I've been teaching at for the past decade. I'm registered for classes. I have my funding package. We're looking for a place to move into. Somebody pinch me - surely this isn't my wildest dream, actually coming true at long last? Now, the question is - shall I blog about my first year here? Do you want to read about that?

I'm reading the books on my Postcolonialisms syllabus, and the texts for the comp TAs, to get a head start on the semester. I'm also working on Latin, Welsh, and Old Norse Icelandic, reading several titles in Arthuriana, and working on two articles I'm submitting in July and August, respectively. And teaching full time, 6 classes a day. Never a dull moment!

I have a professor who did a double PhD in English and Writing, so it isn't entirely unheard of - although it is a LOT of work. I would check with the departments you are applying to to see what their particular regulations are.