It’s almost that time again: National Day of Prayer is tomorrow.  It’s a day for us to come together and pray for those who need praying for.[1]  Like last year, I have some political science related prayer requests:

1. Fixed effects and people who ask for them to be included in revisions.[2]
2. Campus parking, any institution at any time.
3. People who don’t read footnotes.[3]
4. The student who thought I’d find it funny if “science” was in quotations every time s/he wrote “political science” in his/her essay.
5. University professors in other disciplines that obviously don’t see any value in the social sciences but make decisions about the institutional value of social science research.[4]
6. Whoever made Scholar One’s status of “awaiting final decision.” [5]
7. Blogging bans and anyone who advocates for them or tries to tell me the issue is “complicated.”  Expect a blessing in the coming year!
8. Students who try to sneak a peek at their cell phone during lecture.[6]
9. Anyone at a talk who says something like “I just don’t buy your causal mechanisms” and then doesn’t say anything after that.[7]
10. People who say “Political Science? Do you want to go into politics?”
11. The FIRST act and all its supporters!  I’m praying fervently for you!

Any prayer requests of your own?[8]  May the peace of the day be upon you!

[1] Like my grandmother-in-law has taught me, it’s ok to pray for “blessings” upon your enemies.  “Blessings” can include: (a) losing a flash drive of important information, (b) getting stuck at an airport overnight, or (c) getting a notification of a large fine from the library.

[2] Unfortunately, despite my continued pleas, I’m still waiting for God’s reply to this request.  And, no, as far as this request is concerned, unlike Garth Brooks, I don’t think “some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”

[3] Especially reviewers.  Thanks for asking me to put information X in a footnote!  It was already in footnote 7!  Did you even read the paper?  I won’t write that in the revision memo, though.  I’ll write something like “thanks Reviewer 2 for the wonderful suggestion, which is now referred to in footnote 7.”

[4] Seriously, can’t we just all agree that good research matters, regardless of discipline?  However, two can play this game. As Sheldon recently said on The Big Bang Theory: “Geology is the Kardashians of science.”

[5] Not that I would ever check daily on a manuscript under review (or multiple times a day once “awaiting final decision” appears).  That would be silly.

[6] Just pull it out and look at it on your desk already!  What do you think I think you are doing?  Just checking out your pants?! Of course I know you are updating Facebook about the riveting information I’m providing in lecture.  That said, just wait until after class.

[7] Geez ,thanks.  That’s super helpful!

[8] Sorry for the delay in posting an academic woman’s rant of the week.  I’ve been too busy dealing with an R&R to post the next edition.  It’s coming soon!