Summer school is much more time-consuming that I remember (from my student days). I’ve only three students, but I have to prepare daily lectures. I only hope the students are somehow keeping up w/ the 30+ pages of reading per day; we’re trying to cram a semester’s worth of material into four weeks (the fifth week is devoted to them writing their research paper). It’s certainly an experience.
Otherwise, I’m busy on too many small “busy work” projects. And they all need to get done (and soon!). I guess it’s the nature of academic life, eh? But the stress of “publish or perish” is slowly creeping up. And somehow I need to fine time to work on my LASA conference paper. I’ve changed the title slightly; it’s now “Democratization, Crisis, and National Reinvention in Bolivia.” Catchy, eh?
Meanwhile, Copa América is winding down. Most of my limited “free time” was devoted to that; now it can be redirected to other things (like blogging). I really hope this is Argentina’s year; I’m just bored of Brazil winning everything (it would’ve been poetic justice to see Uruguay win on penalties).
We’re driving an hour to Lancaster this evening to see DC United take on the Harrisburg City Islanders—and I’m torn whether to root for my MLS team (DC United) or the scrappy division underdogs from the third-division (USL-2). The two are playing in the US Open Cup. I like that, unlike in other US professional sports, the major league teams have to play against other divisions in an open tournament (the LA Galaxy was already eliminated by the third-division Richmond Kickers). I was fortunate to grow up w/ one of the most successul lower-division teams in the US: the Mid-Michigan Bucks—the first fourth-division team to beat an MLS team (the New England Revolution; in an away game!). So tonight should be fun.
I’m also still keeping an eye on Bolivia, of course. When I write papers, I tend to not blog about Bolivia as much in order to avoid failing to see the forest for the trees. But the fear of inflation (that some had warned about months ago) seems to be more real than imagined. The government’s proposed stopgap solution of “don’t buy products” is clearly both unrealistic & unimaginative (people can’t just “not buy” eggs, milk, and other staples). I hope this isn’t the 1982-1985 UDP experience all over again.
