seth defended his dissertation today, and it was extraordinarily good -- substantive, multidisciplinary, and beautifully clear. also, he brought small triangular sandwiches, with four different fillings, and horseradish. i'm very happy for him, and also thoroughly convinced that i will never reach those lofty heights -- that everything i do will be riddled through and through with methodological flaws, that all my research will be trite and unconvincing, and that my catering will consist of stale, crusty pastries that stick to the plate and refuse to come loose.