The old english “whelmen” was paired with the prefix “over” sometime 600 years ago, and “overwhelmed” overtook the base word “whelm” in our vocabulary, probably because humans are hyperbolic creatures by nature. I advocate for a return to tradition, or a mutation of tradition, when I write to you now and say we should reclaim the bare “whelm” to describe
As trite as I think it is to discuss time and the perception of time (especially in the context of quarantine), this semester has really wrought havoc on my sense of time. In this past week alone, I’ve shifted between operating on so many different timescales that I’ve found myself completely disorientated, staring down the barrel of another week. To
A while ago someone wrote “If we want the rewards of being loved we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known,” in some fancy newspaper. This concept – of submission to such an excruciating process in order to find comfort and solidarity with others – resonated with a lot of people. Like anything that can be interpreted
Quarantine and geographical location are between many of us and the inspiring uprisings across this country, here are some things we can do to help. As much as it may have frustrated Einstein, action at a distance can still play a critical role in this struggle. (UPDATE 5/31/2020: the MFF is now more than well-funded, organizers within and without the
The inclusive astronomy conference was originally held in 2015, at a time when tensions were boiling over in the field. it was attended by a variety of astronomy-lovers who sought change in a field that (to this day) hides the ugliness of colonialism, racism, misogyny, and LGBTQ-phobia behind a veneer of impartial, apolitical scientific inquiry. My personal hero, Frank Tavares,
these past two weeks my midterm studying and test taking and essay writing have been interspersed with fairly frantic applications, communications, and aggravation in an attempt to register, plan travel, and secure funding for numerous astronomy related travels (which is why September’s book corner will likely become Septober’s Spooky book corner). This Sunday I’ll depart Amherst for Baltimore and the
This month wasn’t nearly as literate as I had hoped. With no schedule I fell into a pretty sticky miasma of poor sleep and witlessly minecrafting my month break away. Nevertheless, I did read some good stuff, plenty enough to chew on while drifting around Portland. August’s reading list: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin Cuba
august in the pacific northwest is probably the best summer weather there is: sunny weeks of dry heat and soft breezes punctuated by cloudy days at ~15°C. For someone with a ironic preference for the cold and the sun like myself, it makes existing unexpectedly pleasant during a month where I have less and less to do. i wouldn’t call
On the shelf for this month was a slew of books, almost all of which I enjoyed immensely. I find it really hard to get started reading novels, and usually I’m not hooked into a story until about a 1/3 of the way through. These four books managed to break that inertia quicker than I expected. July’s reading list The
By Wednesday I’ll have to have all my belongings in a few boxes, packed snugly in my friend’s basement. By Sunday I’ll be on a plane headed back to Portland. If we’re being honest, I wish I had more time; this summer has seemed like both a lifetime and a brief blip, and I feel like I haven’t been able