A sort of eclectic round-up

[philena]

First, Daniel and I went on another trip since last I wrote! This time it was a bit more drawn out and all over, featuring the following:

• a visit to the Cornell linguistics department (excellent, although a bit remote (and by "a bit" I mean 4 hours from nowhere, and probably moreso in the winter when all the roads are snowed in.)) The general phonologist I spoke to was nice and helpful and her description of the research and the department's values (historical linguistics!!) meshed really well with what I want, but the resident Slavic linguist (one of two) seemed a bit out-of-it: ancient and rickety, and undoubtedly brilliant and knows all the Slavic languages, but so tottery, and the Slavic department is otherwise so scanty, that I doubt I would get much more than a basic grounding from one point of view. Ithaca is, however, gorges, as those bumper stickers say, and although Daniel and I really found only one cute little studenty coffee shop, I'm sure there must be more when school is in session. Right, parisienne? Right? Right.

• A visit to Harvard, where the department was a bit snooty, and the phonetics lab did not seem as snazzy as I could hope for, but the Slavic department crossover looks right up my alley. I mean, exactly what I might want, and the fellow I spoke to about it was wonderful and supportive and friendly and exactly the sort of guy I might want guiding my studies. As for the general linguistics side, the fellow I spoke to was not quite as approachable, but he did amuse me by revealing, when I mentioned that I was also looking at Cornell and liked the department there, that he had hired everyone when he was at Cornell! Hah.

• I had hoped to visit UMass Amherst, but a combination of people being out of town and missed emails meant that I couldn't see anyone there, and there's no point driving three hours one way to wander around a campus. Pity, but if they accept me and offer me sufficient money maybe I'll make a quick trip out to see what's what.

• Lots and lots of relative visiting, both on my side and on Daniel's. This involved swimming in the ocean in Rhode Island, eating lobster and hiking and swimming in lakes on Mt. Desert Island in Maine, hanging around Harvard Square in Cambridge, seeing the MOMA in New York (save your money!), and seeing a bear in New Jersey! Really! A bear! Look:

I had planned to go from here to a little diatribe of philosophical things that bug me, but since the bear is so cute I'll simply leave my subject line as a reminder and make another entry later.

Comments

[parisienne.livejournal.com]

I was super happy in Ithaca and I think you will be too. It has great restaurants (not like Chicago, but definitely some good ones), it is totally beautiful, I think you'd like the community. It is a little bit remote, but that never bothered me. I always felt like I had enough to do. Syracuse isn't that far away, and we did trips to NYC and Montreal. you aren't totally cut off, I promise. ooh, I'd be really happy if you ended up there!

[hythlae.livejournal.com]

that bear is both fascinating and frightening. and so close!!!
when were you on Mt Desert island? Mike and I were there on our honeymoon two weeks ago.

[philena.livejournal.com]

Everyone ends up having been on Mt. Desert Island! We were there about August 3-5 ish. It was the two days before that incredible rainstorm that knocked out New York for a day. As for the bear, actually, he wasn't that close. I doctored the pictures a bit to get rid of all the background, and since they were hi-res I could do that without losing anything when I blew up the bear.