How does I rite blog? · 5:53am May 19th, 2018
Seriously, had to go looking for the damned functionality.
I guess it's been too long.
Estee wrote a blog post a couple days back: "Dying Online:The Isolation of the Internet" [1]. The proximal topic for this is the perma-deletion of one of this site's users, ostensibly because of terminal illness and a desire to be forgotten. The blog is a good'un, an excellent piece of writing matched against a stack of personal hardship. I probably react to it differently than many people might—but then again, I'm currently in a cycle of "How strange these humans are! With their pathos and their suffering. Please, humans, help me to better understand these feelings." [4]
Upshot: it did prompt me to finally write something again, even if it's just this blog post right now. Because silence is frustrating, and I've been... well, not silent, but certainly not loud lately. I haven't been showing up in my usual places, talking with people. I haven't been posting new stuff, other than an occasional comment here and there. I've still been on the site regularly, and I've been fairly prompt in responding to messages sent my way on the site, in one form or another. [7]
I should really give y'all a bit of a life update, though, because I think a number of you may be interested. Let's do it as a numeric list, because there are a number of updatey things to say.
- You might remember that when our story left off, I was a graduate student in statistics at UC Irvine. If you don't remember, well, hey—I was. This is no longer true. I am now a doctor of... well, fuck. No no no, I am not a Doctor of Fuck[10]. I'm a doctor of philosophy or a doctor of statistics, I think? It's probably the former. But it suddenly occurs to me that I don't actually know how one is supposed to say this sort of thing. Basically, when I went way off the radar last summer, this was why (as a few of you already know). I needed to finish up my dissertation, which came in at over 200 pages, which is a pretty monster dissertation in statistics. I am, however, quite proud of it.
- Pursuant to this, I am now an Assistant Professor of
PhilosophyStatistics (more sure about that one). Yeah, that's kinda cool. Means a lot of teaching and research and all those I have a real job now issues. But those are kind of interesting in their own right. Rite? Write? No, right. Right? - I am sooooo checked out on MLP. I think the last episode I saw was Season 6's "The Times, They Are a-Changeling", but I don't remember anything all that clearly after "Spice Up Your Life"[12]. This isn't because I started disliking the series, nor really because I lost interest as such—just because I've been busy and haven't gotten back around to catching up with it. I did see the movie, in the theater, with another hippophile. It was... a movie that I saw in the theater.
- I currently have no plans to resume writing anything on this site. I'm being careful on my wording there. This does not mean I'm not going to write anything more on this site, blog-post or story-wise. (In fact, given that I'm writing this, I'd bet money on me writing more blog posts.) It does mean I'm not currently planning anything. I've got a whole stack of stories saved up from write-offs that have never been published on Fimfiction, and some partial stories I'm still fond of[13]. There's a low barrier of entry for a lot of stuff, and apparently I'm finally motivated enough / feel like I've got enough free time to write this blog. So take that information however you will.
I have a long history with abandoning online communities, especially after hitting patches of drama. Comes from growing up at the same time as the internet, probably. I've always tried to approach the pony fandom from something of a perspective of self-care, with the intention of avoiding that particular pattern of behavior. For people wanting to talk to me and/or hear from me, that can kind of suck because I'll drop off the radar for long stretches sometimes. I may still be on one of those stretches; decent chance.
But I'm trying to approach this fandom in a different way than I've approached previous online communities, one that keeps me around for the long haul even if not for any particular short haul. I've met a lot of really awesome people in this fandom, whom I love dearly. And for many others, Bilbo's Birthday Sentiment[15] firmly holds. I don't want to abandon you guys, and for me that means... well... kind of abandoning you sometimes—but trying to keep my toes well-dabbled—waiting for the point like this where I feel like re-engaging a bit to say hi.
Sorry I've been a sucky correspondent / followee. I don't promise to be better. I do want to be here for you guys, though, over the long haul. And I am still pretty responsive if you need me.
Deepest affection,
Bradel
[1] Capitalization mine, because frickin' titles should be in title case, goddamn it.[2][3]
[2] It is possible that I have become, if anything, even more crotchety in the last year. Which is sort of impressive, when you consider my baseline level of crotchetiness. As opposed to my baseline level of crochetness—which was always low, because I'm more of a sewing-machine-and-cross-stitch kind of guy.
[3] Also, yes, there will be footnotes. Because GhostOfHeraclitus is a goddamn national treasure, irrespective of nation. Do not challenge this. I will figt you.
[4] The reasons for this cycle are probably worth five blog posts in themselves—all of which would be substantially less entertaining to... roughly 80% of my followers and, okay, probably 15% of the people reading this blog post... than you're thinking they'd be. In very short summary, I am an increasingly happy and well-adjusted person, and I just tend to lack this sort of pathos in my life. When this combines with my natural inquisitiveness, this kind of leaves me wanting to spectate at pathos. That's probably not a very good thing, but it is a true thing. [5]
[5] Too few of the good things in this world are true things, and too few of the true things are good things. I do not consider this a pessimistic statement; more of an aspirational one. [6]
[6] Goddamn, but I talk like some sort of pretentious fuckity-fuck. Apparently my language, always so proper in person, has really degenerated in blog posts as well.
[7] If you, like me, occasionally snoop on people with the "last logged in" feature—because you, too, are a secret online stalker—then you might be well aware of the fact that I'm here regularly. If you don't snoop on people that way: (a) good for you, you're healthy and well-adjusted! and (b) being healthy and well-adjusted are overrated; you should start snooping, 'cause it's fun.
[8] Are there too many of these yet? I think maybe there are too many of these. [9]
[9] Also, tell me, how bothered were you by the fact that nothing in this document ever referred to Footnote 8? (I'm betting you were pretty bothered.
[10] I think the more common designation is "Love Doctor"? Maybe in a Marvin Gaye kind of sense? I think I'm probably still at the baccalaureate or masters level where Fuck is concerned. [11]
[11] Yes, I'm sure you wanted to know this. Come on, this is a standard digressive Bradel Blog. You knew what you were in for.
[12] As you're probably not aware, I'm a freaking curry maniac. Indian curry, Thai curry, Japanese curry, I don't care. I could literally eat curry every day, and basically did eat curry every day for close to three years while I lived in Japan. Curry is my ambrosia. So of course the episode about the curry restauranteurs is the last one I remember clearly.
[13] Yes, including that one. [14]
[14] Also my long-promised, never-delivered blog on the Hypatia transracialism controversy. Frankly, if I write anything anytime soon, it's likely to be that—because it aligns so well with my current mode of thinking, and a bit of what was suggested in Footnote 4.
[15] "I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half so well as you deserve."
First of all, congrats for being a Doctor of Philosphy and/or Statistics, and for your (assistant) professorhood! (Also, two hundred pages sounds like a monster of a dissertation, no matter what the subject!)
Secondly, glad to hear you're not dead & gone, or completely lost in an academic maze of twisty corridors and classrooms that all look the same. If you get the time, I really encourage you to catch up with the show. It's still good, and it's going into some new places.
Thirdly, I can absolutely understand not having plans to write anything, considering everything you've posted above. But if you at some point get an insistent inspiration and do write something, I'm sure you've got an appreciative audience ready.
Seconding what Lurks-no-More said. If your muse decides a comeback is in order, there will be a comeback. Take it from a guy who goes through hiatuses faster than he goes through socks. You may just need more time for the well of inspiration to fill up again.
Grats on the doctorate! You people just keep on adding more degrees. Clearly I'm undereducated. And especially congrats on that stat professor job.
You're a cool person and I love seeing you around, so while I understand stepping away from things, always feel free to return and say hello.
Congrats on the degree, the professorship, and the recent upswing in available free time. Here's hoping inspiration strikes at the right angle, but if it doesn't, thanks for touching base with us.
All I got from this is you have pointy toes, footnotes, and I also saw a movie in the theaters, yessirree. :B
Also, Doctor of FuckGlad to hear from you.
Ooh, a doctor now! I'm so proud!
...Sorry, turned into my grandmother for a second there.
Anyway, keep on keepin' on. I have no room to talk about the quietness, especially when coupled with the mild stalking that would reveal I'm not particularly gone by any stretch of the definition.
Doctor Bradel, eh? Very nice!
As a Doctor of Statistics, you can't get away with statements like that anymore. Supposing dissertation length has a Poisson distribution, what is the lambda for that distribution, and what is P(k > 200 | lambda)?
Clearly the best thing to do with a PhD and an assistant professorship is to use them as inspiration and grounding for stories about Twilight Sparkle dealing with Academia when she returns to Celestia's School to teach.
Congratulations, in any case, and good luck on the tenure track.
I think Doctor of Important Numbers is the best way to introduce yourself. Or maybe Doctor of Lies. Depends on whom you are introducing yourself.
I will fight you! Because GhostOfHeraclitus is a goddamn global treasure
You need to sign into social media more. I miss you. Also Ghost is being a butt.
Congrats again on the degree/position! Nice to hear you’re sticking around, even if you aren’t writing at this time.
I was so fucking triggered by this.
This is one of my pet peeves that bothers me to an inordinate degree. It is normally when something says to see a note by use of an asterisk* and then doesn't have a fucking note to go with the asterisk. I think this is the first time I've seen a footnote that is there but not called out instead of the other way around.
And it bothers me just as much.
So, no, you don't get any congratulations on your new degree or any sort of goodwill from me. Other than complements on your Evilness. Because this? This right here with this fucking footnote? This is fucking evil.
PS: I tend to like to use the -yay- emote (
) instead of actually saying "fuck" in my posts because of the meme but since "fuck" was used in the blog post itself I though it would be more out of place than it normally is.
*Such as like this. Unlike some people I try and not be part of the problem. Most of the time.
BRADEL! BRADEL! BRADEL! My God, man! I missed you so much!
On a scale of 1 to 10 I am still twitching.
Dude! Happy doctorization! I recently wrote mine (272 interminable pages) and am about to submit it to various committees and the like.
Also: You could have told me, ya dingus. It'd have cheered me up to no end!
Yes, I also think I should be placed in an airtight box and kept deep underground.
Belated congratulations on the doctorate! :D And great to see you around!
We should, like, do a drunkwriting thing to celebrate! For old times' sake.
Oh. Hello again. Gosh, it seems like there are so many people caught in the clutches of intense academics.
Grats on becoming a Doctor of Fuck.
Here's to maybe seeing you around some more. 🍻
Not half as bothered as I am by the lack of a closing parenthesis in this footnote, you monster. This shit's not even going to compile.
(Congratulations on the PhD.)