Author Archives: Justin
A Bear, Poked
In Defense of the Arts Ok. So, a friend posted a link to a column from the Daily Texan, the student newspaper at the University of Texas at Austin. The author of the column views arts education in the university … Continue reading
Narrating a Meta-Narrative
Words ‘N Music Progress is being made on the dissertation. Slowly, surely. I’ve developed a much clearer sense of the overall form, as well as the structure of subsections within each larger portion of the work, and today I’ve begun … Continue reading
Church Tower in Bethune, France
I’ve been reading a ton of letters and diaries, and it is proving to be every bit as engaging, upsetting, and difficult as I had imagined. In Lionel Sotheby’s Great War, we catch a very interesting and different perspective. By … Continue reading
A Father’s View from Auschwitz
Auschwitz, February 16th, 1942 Dear Walter, You really surprised me, first of all, with your letter and second, with your announcement. I congratulate you on the results of your medical test for military service. If you want to join the … Continue reading
As If Nothing Ever Happened
26.1.43 Just think once of the past winter, of January. Recall your thoughts of that time and compare them with your thoughts of today. No, my dear, don’t do that. It would be terrible. I had death in front of … Continue reading
Time to Go Dark
Since the last post, I’ve officially passed all of my comprehensive examinations, gained admission to doctoral candidacy, and begun the horrifically intimidating process of exploring the academic “job market”. Tomorrow is my first full dissertation day, and in preparation I’m … Continue reading
Nov. 2, 1920 (An Election) – Charles Ives and the Time Machine
This is My Reward for Score ID Study (Well, this and Hopefully Passing) Hello again, this time from the library. In the middle of comprehensive exams with two down and one to go. I think that I’m doing alright so … Continue reading
In Studying, Wisdom. Who Knew?
Bonds on Mahler Next week I’m taking my doctoral common comprehensive exams, and in studying, I’m reviewing as many readings as I can fit in. From the chapter “Ambivalent Elysium” in his excellent book about the post-Beethoven handling of the … Continue reading
Learning to Lose Graciously and Live Gratefully
Neil Patrick Harris Never Went Through This It just occurred to me that, all those years ago when he was still a precocious child doctor on Doogie Howser, M.D., Neil Patrick Harris was saddled with a completely stupid character name. … Continue reading