1. Name one thing you miss most about Kansas, and why?
I miss childhood. The first 18 years of my life were spent there. Spring thunderstorms. Tornados, not twisters. Humid summers. Frozen winters. The 1988 National Championship. Going to �the lake.� The way the wheat really does look like waves when blown in the wind. Football games on Friday nights. Debate tournaments. It�s really hard to disentangle the place from the memories. I guess it�s kind of a cop out. But, when I go back home now, it�s not about going back to Kansas. It�s about going back for family. The places are still there, but I don�t interact with them the same anymore. Not that Kansas is a bad place, but it doesn�t have a monopoly on any quality that would make one miss a place. Again, outside of my childhood. As my high school chemistry teacher used to say, �It�s a good place to be from.�
2. If you were to die today, what would have satisfied you most, looking back on your accomplishments, and why?
At this point in my life I don�t feel like I�ve accomplished anything. Professionally, I�m still years away from getting my first real academic job. I haven�t published anything, or presented at a conference. I mean, I�m proud that I�m in top 10 PhD program, but I haven�t finished. Also, this may sound conceited, but I never expected anything different. I mean, growing up there was never a discussion of if I would go to college, it was just a question of where. Moreover, I�ve wanted to be a professor for a long time. So, I guess it�s sort of like the grades we used to get in elementary school �meets expectations.� At this point, meeting my expectations doesn�t seem like an �accomplishment.� I mean, given all the advantages my family has provided me, doing anything less would be a waste. By less I mean not succeeding at whatever I chose. I mean, if I�d wanted to be a musician or a carpenter or whatever, it�d still be the same. My parents always told me I could be whatever I wanted, if just worked hard and tried. They never told me what I should or should not do with my life; they just wanted me to be happy. Besides, while I may define myself via my intellect/geekiness, I think there is more to life than simply work.
So, I think that the accomplishment I�d be most proud of would be the relationships I�ve developed with people along the way. And not one particular relationship in particular, but just that I have had (still are having) them. I�ve lived in a number of different places, and while I�m no social butterfly, I�ve always managed to find a nice core group of people that have entertained, supported, challenged, and enlightened me. In return, I�ve been (I like to think) an equally great friend. Maybe some day I�ll have changed the world for the better, and that will be my greatest accomplishment. Until then, I like to think maybe I�ve already changed it a little bit at a time.
3. Related to Question 2, if you were to die today, what would you have wished you had more time to do, and why?
Sex. Duh?
4. If you could just pick a new occupation to have without having to put effort into gaining any special skills and be successful at it, what would you pick and why?
Hmmmm, so many choices. Porn star? Celebrity chef on the Food Network? Supreme Court justice? Nah!
Rock star. Oh yeah, that�s it!
Less dangerous than professional sports (plus longer career and higher income), dating super models (esp. if you yourself are really ugly), etc. Plus, you get paid to make music. How cool is that? The rush on stage is awesome as well, addicting almost. I can understand why the Stones are still touring (well, that and they need the money for Keith�s drug habit, too).
5. What role does Catholicism play in your life, if any?
In terms of religion per se, Catholicism doesn�t play much of a role in my life. I mean, I don�t go to church except when with my family. As a �lapsed� Catholic, or as someone raised Catholic, I think of Catholicism as being a cultural background, something that has influenced who I am, but is not an active part of my life. I come from a large extended family. Growing up, we were constantly going to a relatives place for a first communion or confirmation or whatever. Thus, for me, Catholicism is steeped in family memory. So, going to mass, the few times I go, is relaxing in the ritual. That�s something that most protestant religions (say outside Anglicanism) can�t say. Or, something I wouldn�t get from trying a different form of religion. Not that one is better than the other, just more familiar. So, it�s influence is subtle. Except maybe for some latent Catholic guilt.
Catholicism was, however, important in my education. Going to a Jesuit university was a great experience. I didn�t have a ton of priests as professors, but it was cool having them around. Plus, campus was pretty diverse, with I think a bare majority of the school being catholic. Sure, a greater concentration than the general population, but for a catholic school, pretty good. I would like to send any kids I may have to Jesuit schools. Jesuits are all scholars as well as clergy, and are often very liberal. They tend to often piss of the rest of the orders, which means they�re not half bad in my book. Now if I could just get a tenure-track job at one of them . . .
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Current Music: Yellow Pills Compilation, Vol. 2