An Idea

Isn't it amazing how ideas can just spring up when doing mundane things? I was rinsing dishes, loading up the dishwasher and general kitchen straightening when this sucker struck me:

If I'm going to have to wrestle with the question of the politics involved in taking something from pop culture and bring it "up" to an Academic level, why not kind of embrace it? By embracing it, I mean, why not explore this context of the Academic snootiness of Literature in bringing pop culture into the classroom (not an object to be studied)? And, by exploring literature snottiness, why not explore Composition's position in the field as well. Face it, Comp is not respected as much as literature--look at how it got started. It's background and roots is preventing it from framing itself as its on field--a separation from the idea of composition as a tool other departments use. There's gotta be a way to tie these two together. Might even have to get a bit rhetoric~y. I'm thinking of an article I found this summer for a class I took. I'm gonna have to dig that up.

Anywho, that's my note for now.

A STNG Funny

Books Books and more Books

I was cruising around Amazon.com, ordering a book I need for one of my classes, when I had the brilliant idea of searching for books to deal with my ideas for my dissertation. I ordered three extra books (which is barely a drop in the bucket of books I want to read for my diss, because they are just that cool). Well, two of them are here! YAY!

The two books I have are:

Murray, Janet H. Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace

Galloway, Alexander R. Gaming: Essays on Algorithmic Culture.

I am super excited, to say the least. The third book I ordered is from N. Katherine Hayles. N. KATHERINE HAYLES! I think I could only be happier about that purchase if it was Chaos Unbound I had managed to order and get on the cheap. XD

The Galloway book should be interesting. It is actually a part of a series (18 books) that has N. Katherine Hayles as one of the series editors. Again, N Katherine Hayles. /fangirl squeals

Thank you Dr. Mark Wildermuth for introducing me to N. Katherine Hayles work!

Ok, ok /fangirl shutoff I'll be posting more later about more ideas I'm having. We'll see if anyone follows along, or if I'm just shooting ideas and fangirling to myself. ^.~

You're never alone

Okay, I thought this was hilarious. Sometimes you can feel a bit weird studying something different. You kind of feel alone, then you find scholars out there that are in the same field you are and that feeling of loneliness lessens. Well, whenever I feel alone I'll just remember that there are weirder things out there to study: zombies.

Taken from News of the Weird:
If society were ever attacked by zombies, we would probably be
doomed, and quickly. That was the conclusion of two university
researchers in Ottawa, Ontario, who set up mathematical models
hypothesizing zombie attacks as infectious diseases with the well-
known characteristics of zombie biology from popular fiction. In
fact, according to a July BBC News report, zombies are more
threatening than virulent diseases, because they can regenerate
(unless decapitated or incinerated, of course). More troubling was
researchers' presumption that zombies move slowly, as in older
movies, but in recent fiction, they're super-quick, making them
nearly invincible. [BBC News, 7-18-09]

Transitions

Wow! I haven't touched my blog or my dancer in a while. >.> So, as I have finally decided to get my ass in gear and start to focus on my Ph.D. I've mulled it over and have decided to dedicate Noob in Academia to my goings on with my Ph.D.

What exactly does this mean? Well, it means my blog will be updated with my progress or just ideas of what I'm doing with my research and dissertation. Think of it as the blog is turning into a big giant whiteboard/posterboard full of notes and post its, etc etc.

Currently I'm still getting courses under my belt. One of the classes I'm taking will hopefully lead to a reading list. I've been exploring amazon and realize that there are many many sources out there that I need to explore as I begin to focus on what I want to research exactly.

Obviously I want to do something with gaming. In the beginning of my graduate studies I believed that I wanted to go with something along these lines: Videogames (especially role playing games) as literature. This topic is requiring some tweaking in that I'm actually entering the Composition/Rhetoric field, New Media Studies. While I do want to explore the concept, and ideas already out there of videogames as literature, my dissertation will not be dedicated to it. Though I'm thinking a chapter exploring the idea and developments that have occurred would fit in nicely. =)

Whatever the specific focus of my dissertation (which my advisor has also suggested of having a chapter using video games to teach first semester first year composition) I know I will or I want to explore address this question/idea: the politics behind popular culture entering the ranks of literature/academics.

My Little Dancer

So, I'm leveling my MNK and BRD in a static. I decided that it would probably be beneficial to level my DNC as a sub job. I've decided to try and do it "old school". I've been leveling my DNC slowly, no power leveling. I suppose I'll start seeking party soon; I'd like to hit level 16 first. That way I can update my armor. I have been using Fields of Valor though, I love the bonus xp on top of the xp from killing the mobs.

It was funny the other day during MNK static, the brd in party said that he was going to make his macros all haikus, lol. I think he only really made one, for mage's ballad. But it was funny! I thought of a paper topic: Sayings in Macros: poetry in videogames. People try to take some time to make up a saying that goes with the macro for whatever spell or ability they are using. Some take lines from movies, others make something up. I once partied with a player who had Bohemian Rhapsody all in macros. It was hilarious! There he'd be, smacking a mob and then, BOOM! Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics are filling the chat log XD

It kind of says something about the players personality of what they have in their macros. Sometimes it is simple, and others it can be very elaborate. And sometimes, it is just plain annoying. I mean, take a healer who has elaborate macros for cure spells. Now imagine partying with that healer >.> Not fun!

So, macro sayings, something worth looking at, and also have a set that doesn't spam the damn chat log.

Quick Abstract and Title

So, I'm gaming and doing a Dynamis-Qufim and realize: title and abstract due tomorrow. o.O Hmmm, gotta have something. Hate making titles, hate abstracts---hate freaking Nightmare Weapons hitting me with their AOE when I'm silenced and can't do anything about it! /em goes to move character further away--out of AOE range.

Okay. So ever since I was told I needed a title before presentation day (makes sense, doesn't it?) I've been ruminating and have come up with some cheesy stuff: Bildungsroman 2.0, Reading Rainbow to Reading Console, I'm sorry you're novel is in another castle: videogames as novels; From printing press to consoles: novels and greater evils (a favorite) and the like. So, I have chosen the "less" cheesier of the list:

Opening a book is as easy as selecting "start": a look into Final Fantasy X&XI

This work looks at what defines a novel--plot, character, realism--and applies those ideas to two videogames from Square Enix Final Fantasy series: Final Fantasy X & XI. While X is a stand alone game, XI is a massively multiplayer online role playing game. The work will examine the story and development of characters from X & XI as well as include information gathered from interviews of those who play XI.

So there you have it, short and sweet. And the whm in party has died like 5 times--rivaling the leading death count of the suicidal taru blm. Go go death race!