Putting a spin on kb's advice on academic politics and pecking order, I began to largely ignore my research group's yammering and harassment, opting to give them token four hours of my time a week and concentrate efforts on the thesis instead. I spent today's conference call more focused on my CK2 lineage (procuring both Caroling and Attilla bloodlines ain't easy when you're a Slavic Pagan) than whatever overgrown Kohn variational theorem spinoff they put forward this time and feel better for it. Nobody can expect me to constantly bring results anyway, especially since it doesn't seem like anyone bothers to read them. But hey, after all, I'm just a student, and this argument certainly goes both ways. Much to my surprise and, oddly, joy, I got permission to pick general electives from lists usually reserved for undergrads and took two classes on rhetorics and essay writing. God knows I'll get more out of improving those skills than attending diplomatic protocol or other polsci-derived courses. Gonna stick with classical languages, too, though I don't think I want to continue them in a formal setting. Especially since there are at least two good, populous and friendly discord groups dedicated to studying them. I'm really proud of all the work I did on the house. From the roof to the basement, through the garden and unkempt trees. It's finally finished. My research interest keeps drifting. I feel like I got into the condensed matter physics because of all the exposure, not entirely because it's the most interesting, best-fitting topic. On the one hand, I'd love to give general relativity a real shot. On the other hand, escaping academia through graduation is a priority right now, and switching disciplines would impede that. Also, there's a really fun thread brewing, come on in!
I think you should show us some pictures of the house if you're comfortable with it. I also think you and am_Unition should hurry up and push fusion power generation past break-even. This ol' planet could use the help. Apropos your string theory budgetary scorn, I wanna see am_u's fusion budget graph with the LHC on it.
"Divina" made in Germany. I don't know its history beyond it being on grandfather's photos and getting a thorough service/restoration in, 2002 or maybe 2003. Not my study, dunno if anything in this place anyone ever consered mine all things considered, but I'll pass the suggestion to my brother. I gotta buy a better camera than this, though.
kleinbl00 - I know copy-fu. If you don't want it to stay, I'll delete it. kleinbl00[67172718]:I've probably mentioned Sayre's Law a dozen times on here: "Academic politics is the most bitter form of politics because the stakes are so low." What you're dealing with is a group of people who are overqualified for their jobs by definition, who feel themselves underappreciated by everyone around them, and whose only ego recourse is to stomp on someone beneath them in the org chart. What you have to recognize is that many people play this game avidly and spend much of their time egging others into playing with them. If you refuse to get your emotions involved you're no fun to play with. Recognize that everyone hassling you right now has Peter Principled themselves to their ultimate station in life, while you still have unbounded potential. Thus, their most satisfying life move is to impede your progress. Being mad at them, ultimately, is as effective as being mad at a pot hole in the road. The best thing you can do is drive around them and keep your eyes on the horizon. Cool! Cryptography always sounded cool, but I don't have a head for number theory beyond Project Euler. ;) I'm finishing second year on theoretical physics. Probably best advice I can give is to pace yourself and disregard any people-related advice or insight I'd ever offer.I'm in my first year as a Ph.D student (CS, cryptography)