Juniper’s Reviews > The World of Yesterday: Memoirs of a European > Status Update

Oh hey, you're reading this too. Funny when that happens. How's it going?

Aubrey! Yea, I noticed that too yesterday. Serendipity.

I'm doing okay. Lots of stress and not much time for (pleasure) reading because of thesis work, but otherwise, I'm good, thanks for asking. How have you been, and what are you up to these days?

Ha ha, I know that feel. What's your thesis on? I'm back to reading for pleasure after four months, but otherwise it's same old, same old. I'll be glad when I take the GRE and can get down to the simple business of making money.

Ugh, I feel that! Can't wait to get out of academia. Though, it's pretty much all I know how to do, and the thought of hitting the job market nearing 32 years of age with next to no work experience and a mere Philosophy Master's is... daunting, to say the least.

Best of luck with the GRE! Does this mean you have plans to apply for grad school in the near future (if you don't mind me asking)?

My thesis is about the relation between style and content within philosophy, using Wittgenstein as a case study. It will also include a chapter on literature (as pertaining to philosophy). I'm exited for the topic, and getting a lot of support, but starting to actually write, instead of researching and compiling notes and sources, has proven very difficult indeed... Anxiety, yay!

Ha, thank you for the well wishes. Grad school is indeed in my sights, so frankly my best bet would be to spend the rest of my life in academia as an English prof, but that's my breed of masochism for you. It's my way of fleeing from the current job market, so good luck to you :P

I'm glad to hear you're having fun researching, and wish you luck with the anxiety (god knows I've been in the same place). It's my dream to be able to do the same, to the point that I wouldn't mind teaching if need be. Is your literature going to include philosophical works that go masquerading as novels (aka Zarathustra, Rasselas)? That'd be interesting.

Haha, thanks! Best of luck to you too! I feel you'd make an incredible English prof (you know, based on what I've seen of you on GR ;))...

And thank you. I'm already doing so much better than I could have imagined just two years ago (had to break off my undergrad for five years, during which I couldn't leave the house for some spells). But some things are still difficult, like putting myself out there in writing. And some straight unmanageable, like presenting, or teaching. Sincerely hope you'll be able to realise that dream! I'm rooting for it.

I don't think I'll be able to include those type of works, though they are super interesting, I agree. If only this were a dissertation... Instead I'm arguing for the philosophical (predominantly moral, but also e.g. for the problem of other minds) significance of less overtly philosophical literature, by virtue of the respective literary styles of said works. But it's all still very much in the concept phase, so things might change...

Thanks for the compliment. I'll just have to reign my temper in.

I'm glad to hear you're doing better. I've been through some issues in the past few years myself, and am always rooting for those who, like me, have had to take alternative pathways through academia and careers in general. I'll keep you in mind while I'm teaching :)

That makes more sense. I'll be interested in seeing what you make out of that.