bradweikel.com

While I'm trying to focus on strictly academic and analytic topics on this site, it's inevitable - particularly during the summer, when I'm out of school - that some of my posts will end up being about my life. Such as this one.

After a brutally exhausting first year in graduate school, I've been looking for an excuse to slow down, at least in terms of my coursework. The financial pressure to put in more hours at work has played a role, as well. Well, turns out it would be a number of forces that would lead me to reduce my coursework... but that hardly means I won't be frantically busy.

Here's what my fall looks like now:

1. Teaching Assistant for an undergraduate american studies course on documentary filmmaking as academic research
2. Managing Editor for gnovis, my program's student-run peer-reviewed journal
3. Webmaster at the Middle East Institute, where I've been working since February
4. and finally... classes
   • International Migration and Development
   • and maybe a second course on sustainability in Central America

While the three "jobs" (scare quotes b/c of the huge range of pay) may look daunting, the more significant piece of this is the coursework. This semester will begin a notable departure from my recent coursework, which has predominantly concerned cultural theory, pop culture studies, and the American socio-political climate. Moving forward, I'll be returning to my interests in international affairs, particularly in terms of environmentalism, sustainability, and development. I'm very excited.

Looking ahead, I'll be pushing my thesis back to Spring of 2009. My remaining two or three classes will be distributed among the remaining three terms. I'll continue working at MEI as long as my academics allow (probably until I start my thesis), and hopefully pick up some fun teaching or research positions along the way. If time allows, I'll throw in some Arabic classes at MEI as well (mmm... employee discount).

Sound like a plan? OK, break!