Can You Help a Brother Out?

Ever since Collin called my attention to the horrid time the MLA assigned the "Meet the Bloggers" panel, I've had a number of MLA-related posts hopping around my head.  I waited to release them 'til today because:

1. I've been busily replying to the scandalous number of emails Gmail squirreled away.
2. The Silas Weir Mitchell chapter is sloppy step from a T.K.O.
3. The program for MLA 2006 hadn't made it to California yet.

As I've nearly dispatched the first two items and the PMLA Fairy finally arrived, the reality of my impending talk is settling in and I need your help.

Boon companions will remember that my talk's titled "The New Interdisciplinary."  Thing is, I'd love to pepper it with important sounding numbers suggestive of my readership's disciplinary and professional diversity.  I would love it if you could leave a comment—anonymous is fine—telling me your discipline (if you're an academic) or profession (if you're a human being).*  I'd appreciate regular commenters piping up too, as that'll make the counting all the easier.

* This includes all the good people who surprised me with their knowledge of Official Kaufman Arcana last night.  (About which, more later.)

Comments

[A.K.]

I'm in History at Emory. Learned of you through Cliopatria.

[Jill Reznik]

Graduate student, English.

[Scott Eric Kaufman]

A.K. and Jill, thanks for the prompt responses. You both get gold stars. But just remember, actual names and email addresses aren't required. I want a raw number, not evidence to turn over to AT&T when net neutrality's strangled by some murdermonger.

[Rich Puchalsky]

I've never been able to figure out my profession exactly, but perhaps "freelance librarian" is shortest.

[A White Bear]

Hi there, Scott. I'm in English, 18th century, and I also do special collections work.

[Amanda R.]

Former academic, now in Admin. at UCI.

[N. Pepperell]

Hmm... How to stand up and be counted...

I'm currently doing an ethnographic PhD in a department of environment and planning, was originally trained as an historian and then as a sociologist, and could muddy the waters even more if we talked about my professional history...

If we want to be all subjective about it, when pushed, I call myself a social theorist... Or you can just put me in "other"... ;-P

[dave]

English, but mostly New Media, at University at Albany

[A Non A Mouse]

As requested, I am posting a non a mousely and because I really dislike government snoops.

Profession: Landscape Architecture, Urban & Regional Planning, Urban Design, and Public Administration (Both the public and private sectors)

[Stephen]

Btw, Scott. If it's any consolation about the horrid time-slot, mine's also at 8:30am. I've heard that if you want a better slot, you have to sleep with a member of the executive council. Or Spivak.

[Vance Maverick]

Computer scientist (PhD, even for a while a postdoc), now working in Silicon Valley.

[Joseph Kugelmass]

Fourth year at UC Irvine, going for a PhD in English. Best of luck!

[anonymous]

I'm an undergraduate UCI English and Literary Journalism major which probably doesn't count as academic or professional or human being, but I wanted to chime in just the same.

[Christopher Ervin]

Most recently, undergraduate at the University of Oregon, working towards a BA in English -- although I currently am looking for a new university to transfer to between my shifts at Bed Bath & Beyond.

[A Non A Mouser]

Not an academic, just a reader of books and blogs.

Oh, and I work in a grocery store.

Managing inventory.

With tears.

[Lucy]

Man with a woman's name--not necessarily that one--Comp. Lit., UFL.

[Adam Roberts]

I'm an internationally renowned expert in the mathematics of infinity. [scratches chin] Or am I? Hmm.

[Chad Orzel]

I'm a physics professor at Union. I'm in the middle of the tenure review process right now, so the exact title may change from "assistant" to "associate" or "assistant" to "dead man walking" before your panel actually takes place...

[James Joyce]

English Ph.D. student.

[slolernr]

History.