in other news, i've had yet another unproductive night. got a bit done on my literature review, though. now i'm about to go read chapters 2 - 8 and chapter 15 of my intermediate microeconomics text book (test thursday). my life is sooo much fun.
-m
10 October 2010
i have a new neighbor
meet leopold rousseau
in other news, i've had yet another unproductive night. got a bit done on my literature review, though. now i'm about to go read chapters 2 - 8 and chapter 15 of my intermediate microeconomics text book (test thursday). my life is sooo much fun.
-m
in other news, i've had yet another unproductive night. got a bit done on my literature review, though. now i'm about to go read chapters 2 - 8 and chapter 15 of my intermediate microeconomics text book (test thursday). my life is sooo much fun.
-m
04 October 2010
i want to be a photographer
like her.
maybe, if i don't get into graduate school, i'll be able to go somewhere and take pictures of people. that would be fun, right?
maybe, if i don't get into graduate school, i'll be able to go somewhere and take pictures of people. that would be fun, right?
16 September 2010
same day, different train of thought
two posts in one day...wow. i guess i'm making up for lost time.
my friend tyler was reading my tarot cards the other day (don't ask) to give me some advice about graduate school. he warned me that taking something that i enjoy and trying to force it into a career is a bad idea. i know some other people who have had this same conflict.
a family member loved math in college. she chose a major that incorporated this, but it turned out that it wasn't what she was hoping for.
another is a friend, who loved music and refused to make a career out of it. i think he regrets that decision.
uh. oh.
i always visit a website or a professor or a friend and hope they'll make decisions for me. econometrics is hard, but it's challenging and it's making me buckle down and work. that class is pushing me to be better academically, and it's showing up in other classes. i made a 100 on a calculus test today (bragging, duh).
the point is, if i'm challenging myself, and succeeding, then i'm doing something right. i'm getting my prerogatives in order. i'm spending time with friends who are fun to hang out with. i'm studying subjects that are important to me. i'm doing what i think needs to be done to make a difference, even if my part - for now - is really small.
BUT, the right track now may be the wrong track tomorrow, and vice versa. while i kill myself over grad school applications, i might read something that makes me put more time into a critical language scholarship to go study urdu or turkish. i might meet someone at a football game who wants me to work for them. i might tweet at someone who randomly sees it and offers me a job.
right now my sights are set on continuing my education, but that might change. there may be a bump; there may be a mountain.
whether it's the right way or the wrong way, i might not know until it's too late, but at least i'll be moving forward.
my friend tyler was reading my tarot cards the other day (don't ask) to give me some advice about graduate school. he warned me that taking something that i enjoy and trying to force it into a career is a bad idea. i know some other people who have had this same conflict.
a family member loved math in college. she chose a major that incorporated this, but it turned out that it wasn't what she was hoping for.
another is a friend, who loved music and refused to make a career out of it. i think he regrets that decision.
uh. oh.
i always visit a website or a professor or a friend and hope they'll make decisions for me. econometrics is hard, but it's challenging and it's making me buckle down and work. that class is pushing me to be better academically, and it's showing up in other classes. i made a 100 on a calculus test today (bragging, duh).
the point is, if i'm challenging myself, and succeeding, then i'm doing something right. i'm getting my prerogatives in order. i'm spending time with friends who are fun to hang out with. i'm studying subjects that are important to me. i'm doing what i think needs to be done to make a difference, even if my part - for now - is really small.
BUT, the right track now may be the wrong track tomorrow, and vice versa. while i kill myself over grad school applications, i might read something that makes me put more time into a critical language scholarship to go study urdu or turkish. i might meet someone at a football game who wants me to work for them. i might tweet at someone who randomly sees it and offers me a job.
right now my sights are set on continuing my education, but that might change. there may be a bump; there may be a mountain.
whether it's the right way or the wrong way, i might not know until it's too late, but at least i'll be moving forward.
it's starting to get real
tuesday, september 14, 4:00 PM: the single hardest hour of class i've sat through in my tenure at ole miss.
the class started with this: "so, i assume you're all familiar with logarithms."
thirty minutes later, i looked up from my scribbled notes to the professor asking, "and does anyone know the sixth assumption of the simple linear regression model?"
um...what?
so last night, i read chapter two. everything from three-dimensional graphs of heteroskedasticity to the appendices on advanced algebra.
this is all happening at the same time 1) thesis is starting to get serious, 2) graduate school application deadlines are creeping up, 3) GRE prep is underway and 4) grove season has officially started.
ruh-roh.
the class started with this: "so, i assume you're all familiar with logarithms."
thirty minutes later, i looked up from my scribbled notes to the professor asking, "and does anyone know the sixth assumption of the simple linear regression model?"
um...what?
so last night, i read chapter two. everything from three-dimensional graphs of heteroskedasticity to the appendices on advanced algebra.
this is all happening at the same time 1) thesis is starting to get serious, 2) graduate school application deadlines are creeping up, 3) GRE prep is underway and 4) grove season has officially started.
ruh-roh.
02 September 2010
chapter one of a crazy semester
with almost two weeks of senior year under my belt, i can already tell this semester is going to be wild.
my econometrics course has been really enjoyable so far. i like it so much that i'm (possibly) switching from the 400-level undergraduate class to the 600-level graduate class, which includes an extra project on a topic of my choice (i.e. my thesis, duh). yesterday, my professor, dr. mayer, offered to help me explore panel data analysis, which is different cross-sections of data over different time periods.
speaking of thesis (sort of a bad segue, but w/e), i've finally settled on a topic, thanks in no small part to dr. guo's genius recommendations. roughly, i'll be analyzing environmental track records of the various provinces and major economic centers (beijing, shanghai, shenzhen, chongqing, etc.) in china and using economic data to determine what type of industry/development is better for the environment. using statistical analyses that are kind of complex for an undergraduate, especially one who's not an economics/math/business major, i'll make recommendations to provincial governments as to what they can and should do to improve both their constituents' social well-being (including environmental health) and their economic situations.
it's kind of exciting to have a topic that i can start researching. i have the statistical yearbooks from 1995 to 2009, which gives me a solid number (15) of years to analyze. should be fun...
i'll try to keep my blog updated as my thesis progresses. hopefully i'll have time to take a short break every once in a while and share my successes, challenges and failures with the one or two people who read this.
until then,
m
my econometrics course has been really enjoyable so far. i like it so much that i'm (possibly) switching from the 400-level undergraduate class to the 600-level graduate class, which includes an extra project on a topic of my choice (i.e. my thesis, duh). yesterday, my professor, dr. mayer, offered to help me explore panel data analysis, which is different cross-sections of data over different time periods.
speaking of thesis (sort of a bad segue, but w/e), i've finally settled on a topic, thanks in no small part to dr. guo's genius recommendations. roughly, i'll be analyzing environmental track records of the various provinces and major economic centers (beijing, shanghai, shenzhen, chongqing, etc.) in china and using economic data to determine what type of industry/development is better for the environment. using statistical analyses that are kind of complex for an undergraduate, especially one who's not an economics/math/business major, i'll make recommendations to provincial governments as to what they can and should do to improve both their constituents' social well-being (including environmental health) and their economic situations.
it's kind of exciting to have a topic that i can start researching. i have the statistical yearbooks from 1995 to 2009, which gives me a solid number (15) of years to analyze. should be fun...
i'll try to keep my blog updated as my thesis progresses. hopefully i'll have time to take a short break every once in a while and share my successes, challenges and failures with the one or two people who read this.
until then,
m
19 August 2010
on the planned mosque and cultural center
debate is raging over this proposed mosque and islamic cultural center, and for good reason.
building a mosque near ground zero, no matter how peaceful the developers' intentions may be, is a slap in the face to the victims of 9/11 and their families. i'm not some bible-thumping, ultra-conservative, but i agree with a lot of the conservative views on this subject. i respect the constitution and unwaveringly support the right to practice religion freely, but this move is obviously a publicity stunt designed to spark fierce debate. and that's disgusting.
the goals of this project are laudable: encourage american acceptance of the islamic faith and improve relations between america and the muslim world. but they're going about it all wrong.
let's turn this around. in iraq, one of the most memorable moments of the war was pulling down the statue of saddam hussein that stood in the center of baghdad. imagine if, a few years after its demolition, christian missionaries erected a huge crucifix or a statue of jesus.
even that doesn't parallel the current situation. to do that, a group of christian fundamentalists would have to blow up some important international building in a country like turkey, massacring thousands of innocent civilians. after non-stop media footage of seemingly average americans and other western citizens screaming "death to turkey" and burning turkish flags, a group of "nice christians" would have to go in and propose a new christian center right across the street from where the tragedy took place. wonder what the muslim response would be? do you think prime minister erdogan or president gul would call for equality and religious freedom? doubtful.
comparing turkey (and sadly but truthfully, much of the muslim world) to america is impossible, not to mention a cop-out. but as an exercise in comparisons, it was necessary.
now let's compare this to another current scandal that's getting a lot of media attention: dr. laura "n-word" schlessinger, and the hypocrisy that is surrounding this debate.
on august 10, schlessinger used the n-word a few times, i think the count is 10 or so, on her radio program talking about race relations. i think she's an idiot, and i disagree with what she did. so does new york times columnist charles m. blow, whose weekly column is witty and very fun to read, but often one sided. his opinion of schlessinger's outburst was spot on. in a recent column, justin bieber for president, was pretty critical of her actions, as he should have been. i'm sure mr. blow understands the constitution, which protects schlessinger's right to say whatever she wants on her show, but he knows it's wrong. she can do it, but she shouldn't, because doing so is an abuse of her rights.
now to the mosque. uh oh, mr. blow, looks like you've backtracked. a few days ago on twitter, blow started a discussion of the proposed mosque and community center, saying, "What i find ironic is that the most religious ppl in America (Repubs) are opposing religious freedom, while the group with the most non-religious ppl (Dems) are fighting for it."
wait a minute! so it's ok for schlessinger to be attacked for abusing her right to free speech, but it's not ok for the american public to criticize the cordoba initiative and the american society for muslim advancement (mosque and cultural center investors) for their blatant abuse of religious freedom?
i think schlessinger is wrong. no one should say the n-word. but no one - muslims, christians, buddhists, atheists, anyone - should take advantage of american religious tolerance.
i have the right to be a christian, a right i very much enjoy. i have the right to publish my opinions on this blog, another right i love to have. i've been in china where people don't have these rights, and as much as i appreciate chinese culture and the time i've spent over there, i couldn't imagine living in a place where i wasn't free to express my opinions - political, religious, social, et cetera. but, there are boundaries to what we can reasonably say and do, and when those lines are crossed, bad things happen. no matter how obscene or inappropriate schlessinger's comments were, we can't demonize her for abusing her rights while praising the developers of this mosque for intentionally pressing america's most tender bruise. few people would object to a mosque and cultural center being built somewhere else - i would support that 100%.
this, though, i can't and won't support.
building a mosque near ground zero, no matter how peaceful the developers' intentions may be, is a slap in the face to the victims of 9/11 and their families. i'm not some bible-thumping, ultra-conservative, but i agree with a lot of the conservative views on this subject. i respect the constitution and unwaveringly support the right to practice religion freely, but this move is obviously a publicity stunt designed to spark fierce debate. and that's disgusting.
the goals of this project are laudable: encourage american acceptance of the islamic faith and improve relations between america and the muslim world. but they're going about it all wrong.
let's turn this around. in iraq, one of the most memorable moments of the war was pulling down the statue of saddam hussein that stood in the center of baghdad. imagine if, a few years after its demolition, christian missionaries erected a huge crucifix or a statue of jesus.
even that doesn't parallel the current situation. to do that, a group of christian fundamentalists would have to blow up some important international building in a country like turkey, massacring thousands of innocent civilians. after non-stop media footage of seemingly average americans and other western citizens screaming "death to turkey" and burning turkish flags, a group of "nice christians" would have to go in and propose a new christian center right across the street from where the tragedy took place. wonder what the muslim response would be? do you think prime minister erdogan or president gul would call for equality and religious freedom? doubtful.
comparing turkey (and sadly but truthfully, much of the muslim world) to america is impossible, not to mention a cop-out. but as an exercise in comparisons, it was necessary.
now let's compare this to another current scandal that's getting a lot of media attention: dr. laura "n-word" schlessinger, and the hypocrisy that is surrounding this debate.
on august 10, schlessinger used the n-word a few times, i think the count is 10 or so, on her radio program talking about race relations. i think she's an idiot, and i disagree with what she did. so does new york times columnist charles m. blow, whose weekly column is witty and very fun to read, but often one sided. his opinion of schlessinger's outburst was spot on. in a recent column, justin bieber for president, was pretty critical of her actions, as he should have been. i'm sure mr. blow understands the constitution, which protects schlessinger's right to say whatever she wants on her show, but he knows it's wrong. she can do it, but she shouldn't, because doing so is an abuse of her rights.
now to the mosque. uh oh, mr. blow, looks like you've backtracked. a few days ago on twitter, blow started a discussion of the proposed mosque and community center, saying, "What i find ironic is that the most religious ppl in America (Repubs) are opposing religious freedom, while the group with the most non-religious ppl (Dems) are fighting for it."
wait a minute! so it's ok for schlessinger to be attacked for abusing her right to free speech, but it's not ok for the american public to criticize the cordoba initiative and the american society for muslim advancement (mosque and cultural center investors) for their blatant abuse of religious freedom?
i think schlessinger is wrong. no one should say the n-word. but no one - muslims, christians, buddhists, atheists, anyone - should take advantage of american religious tolerance.
i have the right to be a christian, a right i very much enjoy. i have the right to publish my opinions on this blog, another right i love to have. i've been in china where people don't have these rights, and as much as i appreciate chinese culture and the time i've spent over there, i couldn't imagine living in a place where i wasn't free to express my opinions - political, religious, social, et cetera. but, there are boundaries to what we can reasonably say and do, and when those lines are crossed, bad things happen. no matter how obscene or inappropriate schlessinger's comments were, we can't demonize her for abusing her rights while praising the developers of this mosque for intentionally pressing america's most tender bruise. few people would object to a mosque and cultural center being built somewhere else - i would support that 100%.
this, though, i can't and won't support.
18 August 2010
chapter four
as a new, final school year starts, there's a lot of reflecting to do, a lot of questions to ask.
what have i accomplished over the past three years?
people tell me i've done a lot more than most college students. i've been to china a few times and spent almost a year there in total. i'm near fluent in chinese, one of the most difficult languages for an english-speaker to learn. i've grown a lot as a person, made friends, lost friends and i've found things i'm passionate about. before i came to college, i didn't really know what i wanted or who i was; i was an uncarved block. much against zhuang-zi's sagely advice, i've carved myself into the person i want to be, and i'm still carving.
what do i want to accomplish?
my first priority is figuring out what i want to do starting after may 2011, when i graduate. for the first month or two, i'm taking a much needed break. i have money saved up from high school graduation (never had time to spend it with chinese class taking up EVERY summer), and i'm spending it all on 1) a new computer and 2) a month(s) long trip through either eastern europe, south asia or latin america. i have a year to decide that.
as important as this trip is to me, graduate school is just as important, and i want to make sure i'm making the right choice about it. this fall, i'm applying to four economics phd programs in the united states. in order of preference, they are princeton, chicago, mit and boston university. i'm also applying to three masters programs outside of the united states: the university of oslo, the london school of economics and cambridge, in no particular order.
as some have been very quick to point out (friends, family, teachers, most of my support base), these are all pretty difficult schools to gain admission. obviously, i realize that. but why shoot low?
it's not like i don't have other options. not getting in would probably be a blessing in disguise. it would give me a chance to work for a year or two and make sure that i'm going the right track with economics. working might show me that i would be better suited as a finance major or a policy major, maybe even a philosophy major (joke).
in any case, i'm starting my norwegian studies next week...
a lot of people have asked me why i want to go this route. after obtaining a phd, i'd like to work for the world bank and study environmental economics, doing policy research in developing regions who are prone to environmental degradation as a result of industrialization (we can't afford a repeat of china in africa now can we?). after a while there, i'd like to move to a university where i could teach and research until i'm 80 or 90, maybe 150 if medicine catches up.
what have i discovered over the last three years? what awesome advice can i give?
people aren't always who you think they are, so don't always trust the people you meet, only the people you know. you'll never get to know anyone unless there are bumps in the road. when you start college, you don't know what you want to do. when you graduate, you still might not know. that's not a problem. find a passion and stay on track to work on it.
this year is going to be great. i'm excited to work on my thesis, i'm excited to work on my fulbright application, and i'm so excited to watch my friends and myself move on to new things. my sister is starting college with me next week, and i think that's going to be a lot of fun too.
if only the black-eyed peas had an annoying song about a good year instead of a good night...
what have i accomplished over the past three years?
people tell me i've done a lot more than most college students. i've been to china a few times and spent almost a year there in total. i'm near fluent in chinese, one of the most difficult languages for an english-speaker to learn. i've grown a lot as a person, made friends, lost friends and i've found things i'm passionate about. before i came to college, i didn't really know what i wanted or who i was; i was an uncarved block. much against zhuang-zi's sagely advice, i've carved myself into the person i want to be, and i'm still carving.
what do i want to accomplish?
my first priority is figuring out what i want to do starting after may 2011, when i graduate. for the first month or two, i'm taking a much needed break. i have money saved up from high school graduation (never had time to spend it with chinese class taking up EVERY summer), and i'm spending it all on 1) a new computer and 2) a month(s) long trip through either eastern europe, south asia or latin america. i have a year to decide that.
as important as this trip is to me, graduate school is just as important, and i want to make sure i'm making the right choice about it. this fall, i'm applying to four economics phd programs in the united states. in order of preference, they are princeton, chicago, mit and boston university. i'm also applying to three masters programs outside of the united states: the university of oslo, the london school of economics and cambridge, in no particular order.
as some have been very quick to point out (friends, family, teachers, most of my support base), these are all pretty difficult schools to gain admission. obviously, i realize that. but why shoot low?
it's not like i don't have other options. not getting in would probably be a blessing in disguise. it would give me a chance to work for a year or two and make sure that i'm going the right track with economics. working might show me that i would be better suited as a finance major or a policy major, maybe even a philosophy major (joke).
in any case, i'm starting my norwegian studies next week...
a lot of people have asked me why i want to go this route. after obtaining a phd, i'd like to work for the world bank and study environmental economics, doing policy research in developing regions who are prone to environmental degradation as a result of industrialization (we can't afford a repeat of china in africa now can we?). after a while there, i'd like to move to a university where i could teach and research until i'm 80 or 90, maybe 150 if medicine catches up.
what have i discovered over the last three years? what awesome advice can i give?
people aren't always who you think they are, so don't always trust the people you meet, only the people you know. you'll never get to know anyone unless there are bumps in the road. when you start college, you don't know what you want to do. when you graduate, you still might not know. that's not a problem. find a passion and stay on track to work on it.
this year is going to be great. i'm excited to work on my thesis, i'm excited to work on my fulbright application, and i'm so excited to watch my friends and myself move on to new things. my sister is starting college with me next week, and i think that's going to be a lot of fun too.
if only the black-eyed peas had an annoying song about a good year instead of a good night...
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