Friday, October 20
Dear colors of this lovely secret society,

I am writing to ask for some procrastination material. I love reading this blog, and let me tell you I cannot go a week with no new posts! Of course dear colors, you are probably saying, why strawberries, why don't you post a secret!?

Here is my quandary. I had some lovely (read: annoying and frustrating) academic experiences this past week, that I would love to share with you all, but here is the problem. I already told my real-world friends. As this is a secret society, and well, I am always very careful not to post something that I have already told my friends about, in the off-chance that they come across this blog and figure me out, and well, that would not be pretty.

So this week, as my frustrations were exceptionally high, I spoke with many friends in other institutions/locations and revealed to them the sadness that is my current institution. And so, I cannot tell you.

So please, help a strawberry out. Tell me what's going on in your colorful worlds!

And since I cannot but leave you with a secret from right now, though it is not academic, here is something to keep you procrastinating by invoking laughter and thinking about how weird this member called strawberries really is:

I am currently wearing a flannel dress and a T-shirt over it. Yes, you read correctly, a flannel dress. My defense? It is oh so comfy and well, comfy clothes lead to productivity no? Or was that blog reading....? Anyways, I am wearing comfy clothes I cannot ever leave the house in, or ever be seen in, in the hopes of eventually accomplishing some work today.

Your secret correspondent anxiously awaiting your secrets so she can continue to put off work,
Strawberries

6 comments:

fraud, in denim said...

I agree that it's been entiely too long without a secret around here!

Anonymous said...

I'm grading comprehensive exams this morning. I didn't ask to grade them. I was assigned to grade a question.

I am a researcher who uses primarily qualitative methods. There are two statistical tests that I have used and understand decently enough. So basically, here's my secret: Despite acing my stats classes when I was a student, I really don't understand stats at all.

Today that leads to another secret: I am grading exam questions that require me to in part look at student knowledge of stats. I was afraid to ask to be assigned another question because I don't want my fellow faculty members to know that I can't do this. They are so heavily biased toward quantitative research that I wonder why they even hired me, and they unfairly assume that my in-depth knowledge of qualitative research must just be an add-on to knowledge of quantitative.

Thankfully they do all seem to be aware that they do not have a clue about qualitative research.

I'd fess up, only I've heard them mention how critical it is that everyone understand statistics (and I'm not just talking about basic stats) again and again and again.

That felt good to get out. Maybe I need a blog.

Halle Barrymoore said...

Anon 2:26: If you want to be part of the a.secret fold, e-mail me (address in sidebar) for the super-secret instructions.

All -- Sorry I haven't been participating much lately. I'm being yanked in many different directions.

39 and Hip said...

I have a bunch of secrets I'm dying to blather here, but I don't know how without revealing myself completely. Considering my brother recognized me without even knowing that I blog, I'm already on very thin ice. Any suggestions as to how I can continue to blog here within the confines of trying to remain anonymous? As I said in my first post, I find it nearly impossible to write without revealing certain details about myself and my particular situation(s).

Turquoise Stuff said...

Strawberries, I agree, way too long without secrets here! I guess we're all being yanked in a lot of directions. I know what you mean about having told people in your physical world about things that you then realize you can't really post here. Well, how about this? You post here as though you were telling a friend's story? After all, if you've talked to that many people about the issue already (by definition the source of the concern here) then why couldn't one of the friends post? That is, Strawberries is suddenly just a friend of Strawberries posting away. I hope that makes sense.:-)

Anonymous said...

I am applying to grad programs again. I dropped out of phd program ten years ago. now I am looking to get into a new program. I had been abd. I must be insane. My application is due on wednesday, and I have not gotten my writing sample done. I feel like I am sabotaging myself (again).

I also feel like I cannot write anymore--my sentences are coming out like a first grader. Will I ever get back to where I was? Does it matter? my academic ambitions are what drive me and what is killing me.

Is this a secret? no, but I have many academic secrets lodged inside me. sexual/texual entanglements--bullshit happens. we talk about racism, sexism, but then some things are too humiliating (unfortunately common place as well), and we are silent about them. I dropped out and could not figure out why, but it was so obvious. It did not take me ten years to figure out why but it took me ten years to feel like I could return. should I talk about this honestly in my letter of application? that's a joke. I know better.....in any case, I am now

afraid I ruined my chances.

anyway, enough of the drama and back to my alleged writing sample submission.