First of all, I’m writing this post on my shiny new Ubuntu/Linux desktop, purchased from the awesome ZaReason. So far so good, once I realized that the wireless card came with a physical antenna I had to screw in. The antenna really boosted the signal strength.

Also, Tuesday marked the beginning of school and, in particular*, my first real semester as a graduate student at Michigan. I’m taking social theory, econometrics (in the Econ department), and an introduction to science studies. It rates to be a fun term, and hopefully one without too much work. I’m hoping to make some significant progress on my own research projects (you’ll hear more about them later, I’m sure, although loyal readers will recognize a lot of it). Additionally, I’ve taken on a de facto social coordinator role for the new cohort, helping to organize (so far) a bar night, a karaoke night, and herding people to watch Obama’s speech at a local brewpub (put on by the Obama campaign). It’s been a lot of fun, and I’m hoping to keep it up.

For now though, back to making notes on Hollis’ “Problems of Structure and Agency” in his intro to philosophy of social science. The structure-agency thing is probably my least favorite dichotomy in Sociology. Ugh.

* In particular has been my phrase of abuse ever since the prelims. I think I must have written it at least twice per essay. Yick.