Mar 04 2008
Quote of the Day
“It is always fun talking to you. I like to see you struggle.”
I went to Migdal’s office and asked him about my paper design. I was confused and tentative but he really lent me a guiding hand. After I was done and started walking out amidst parting niceties, I heard him saying the above line. I slowed down, turned half way and, for a moment, thought I saw my reflection in a mirror.
The sad part is that that is probably all I can extract from Joel. The good part is he knows I am struggling and sees that struggle may be fruitful. It is certainly how I feel.
Anyway, after talking to about a dozen people, I started to have a more concrete idea about the design. While talking to Sara today, she helped me to form the why-question. I am sorry that I am not a “natural”, as much as I fancy myself to be. But I am not too distressed about this right now.
But I have given up on selling my idea to Susan. As much as I admire her and wanted her approval, I think she is such a purist political scientist (rational choice, may be. Comparative and quantitative, definitely) that she is not too interested in my culturalist/interpretive approach.
It is kind of painful not to be able to connect to someone you admire. I felt like I was babbling in front of her. Talking to JB the other day. We both agreed that she was intellectually brilliant and even intimidating.