Week III

I have been completely engrossed in Elderidge Cleaver. He was a fascinating man. Albeit a man who had some issues, but the book Soul on Ice makes me feel strangely uncomfortable. It fits so well into what I do, how I'm not sure yet. I have spent this week reading, reading, reading. I feel like that is all I am doing is reading. I read my books to the D & B (I hope some of it they remember, and some of it they don't!) I am a little concerned because I have not had much contact with my mentor which is really unusual. I have made multiple attempts through different networks and have received no response. I hope that he is well.

This week I have continued to plug through Soul On Ice 15 hours. I am carefully reading it as it has a lot of very deep meanings and language I am unfamiliar with. It is much more, emotionally than I had bargained for and am having a hard time getting through it.

Week II

This week has been much more productive than the previous week. My books came into the bookstore! I am starting my summer reading with David Theo Goldberg's "Racist Culture," Eldridge Cleaver's "Soul on Ice," and Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man." Nothing like some "light" reading over your summer research going! I am meeting with Dr. Smith regularly and as usual we always have very productive use of our time.

This topic is very different from my topic last summer. I am so much more engaged in the topic of race and what it means and what it does. When we were discussing inclusion and diversity last Friday with Patrice, I found it interesting that every group brought up race when race was not mentioned initially at all. That is why I was very quiet. Not my typical modus operandi at all. LOL.

On a different research note: I am gearing up to finish my project with Dr. Gretchen Arnold. She informed me yesterday that we will be co-authors on the project given that we help write our portion. How exciting!! She will be submitting the final paper to the Department to Education for publication and I will be a co-author. That. Is. Insane. (I'm glad it is almost over.)

I spent this week reading the beginning of the Soul On Ice and rereading parts of Soul of Black Folks (my personal favorite). 15 hours.
I also had a meeting with Dr. Smith discussing Appiah's ideas of what race is and how it is incorporated into my research. He is my favorite thinker when it comes to my topic. 2 hours.

Week I

I met with Dr. Smith this week and it was a bit challenging. I had the kids with me. That was a first and last for that. We discussed what books I need to get first and it was quite a list. I ordered them from the bookstore and I am waiting for them to get in. A large part of my research will be reading this summer. And it will be a lot of it! I am looking forward to most of it, as it is my area of intense interest. It's nice to be back into the swing of things. I don't know about the rest of you, but I miss not being in classes during the summer. I do not miss the homework aspect of it, but I miss the stimulation and conversations. The greatest disservice we as scholars can do is waste this amazing opportunity that has been given to us. Take this opportunity and embrace it wholeheartedly, great things will come to us. This is my favorite time of the "school year".