I think I'll eat some worms

A few weeks ago I went with Teh N00b and his Favorite Person in the Whole World (and associated parents) to the Garfield Conservatory. There they have a kids' area. There one finds a toddler-level table where kids can dig in the "dirt" to look for "worms" and "insects" and plant "vegetables."

Everything has to go in quotes because all the things involved are actually plastic. I suppose this is cleaner, and means they don't have to install a sink for washing up. Plus it means that real potatoes and carrots will not be harmed. Fair enough. But I think this is also about the parents and their fear of the "ick factor."

For example:
Now, I don't have a problem with worms. I keep them in the basement, after all. But I guess many other people think that worms are disgusting.

Me, I save my disgust for truly nasty things. Like cockroaches.

Or maybe they just want to protect real worms from the inevitable. Teh N00b is, I fear, way ahead of the curve there. Last summer while gardening I left a small bowl of worms I'd found (and intended to return to their bin) near him.

"Where did they go? What did you do with them?"

That's the day Teh N00b learned to shrug. For my part, I intend to go on believing that he just dumped them in the dirt. Because that's the sort of thing parents do.

Anthropology vs. Life in General

Saw this on my way to teach an Anthropology class. "Study Anthropology as it happens." In Starbucks.

Now, I don't have a problem with ethnographies of coffee shops (in fact, I encourage them). But I've noticed a real confusion among non-academics about what anthropology is. It is not whatever people happen to do. That is merely the starting point of anthropological research.

Anthropology is about creating knowledge in a -- literally -- disciplined way. That means participating, observing, writing fieldnotes, doing interviews, transcribing tapes, extensively coding data, and finally writing documents that generally only other anthropologists read, mainly because they want to see whether you've read what they themselves wrote.

I assume this process is not what Starbucks is inviting us to see over a tall half-caf caramel latte. It would be boring to watch anyway. They are inviting us to people watch -- fun, but not the same thing as anthropology.

Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Weather Gods

We're all waiting for Spring, I know, but really, you shouldn't taunt the Weather Gods.


Don't say I didn't warn you, Frustrated Gardener.

Open Letter from a Graduate Student

I think most graduate student complaints can be summed up by this bit of library graffiti:


I hear you, friends. I hear you. Or rather, I don't because you are all too busy writing your dissertations. Escape the library! Tell Francis you love him already!!

Tylenol: Breakfast of Champions

What is up with this ad?! It's all over the subway, and everytime I see it I wonder what they are trying to say.

It is a warning? "Skip breakfast and you may get a headache." Is it a command? "Forget breakfast! You get a headache instead!" And what do brand-name over-the-counter meds have to do with it? Do they want us to pop painkillers instead of eating?!