De File

Time to plug a book I'm not in, but wish I were. Michael Bérubé edited the new Aesthetics of Cultural Studies -- buy it here or somewhere more alternative -- which contains essays by many people whose work I respect, as well as two long-time Bad Subjects collaborators, Jonathan Sterne and Steven Rubio.

I'm especially glad that Steven was included in the book because intellectuals who have followed his path frequently get shut out of scholarly publishing, when they are precisely the ones that we need to read most. As loyal readers will know, Steven is the person, aside from Kim, whom I've linked to the most on this blog.

Looking at the table of contents, what strikes me most is that Bérubé sought out contributors who couple their brilliance with generosity, individuals for whom the Yiddish word Mensch is the best description. We all have to make choices in our professional lives. Mine is to side with the folks who are more interested in helping others than promoting themselves.

This afternoon, I explained to Skylar that I would be heading over to her grandparents' house tomorrow afternoon to "help Papa watch a football game." Kim immediately explained that I want to go. But then she joined me in several rousing renditions of the Cal fight song for "mouth trumpet," followed by the de rigeur, "Gooooooooooooooo! Beeaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrsss!" Talk about showing solidarity when it counts. She even made sure to repeatedly state, "They'll lose, of course. They always do." It didn't work last Saturday when she said something similarly pessimistic in Manhattan Beach. But I appreciate the effort. It sure beats that person I will resent forever who told me before the 7th inning of Game 6 -- October 26th, 2002, incidentally, which would have made it the most perfect sporting result ever -- that, "The Giants have it wrapped up."

Anyway, I'm reading around aimlessly a few minutes ago and peruse one of those ESPN fan polls, only to find this question:

10) If California wins, should they be No. 1?

- Yes

- No

I realize that I'm cursing myself here. But since I may never get to reproduce a question of this sort in my lifetime, I'm going for the pleasure I know I'll have tonight instead of the one that surely will not come tomorrow. At least in this household, we can still sing "Bear Territory" no matter what happens. Thanks, legally sanctioned significant other, for indulging me when it matters most.