In two more weeks, I’ll be teaching at a new (old) school. I’ll be back at the University of Central Oklahoma, teaching in the place where I learned to teach writing. I’m excited and nervous. This will be my heaviest teaching load, to date. And I’m still working on that dissertation. This week, all my…… Continue reading two more weeks
One of my dissertation chapters is about John Joseph Mathews Wah’Kon-Tah and Sundown. It’s fitting in between chapters describing the art/writing inspired by locations–New Mexico and Oklahoma, to be specific. Mathews seems to walk a line of arguing that the landscape is a constant, and showing that it isn’t. He’s writing about the encroachment of modernity, and the ways…… Continue reading Shaped by landscape
I’ve taken a step back from writing, because, as I work through my dissertation it has become clear that I have much left to do and not enough time in which to do it. All semester, I’ve been wanting to have the time to read, to revisit my research and explore the new directions I…… Continue reading Dissertation Update
I’m working on the final chapter in my dissertation. The focus is Todd Downing, an Oklahoma-born Choctaw who wrote detective fiction in the 1930s and 1940s. His featured detective, Hugh Rennert, works for the U.S. Department of the treasury–work that often takes him into Mexico where he finds himself the witness or bystander in murder…… Continue reading notes on Todd Downing
For close to a decade, I have been in school. In 2006, when I was 22, I started college at UCO. I’d taken a couple years off, after completing my Associate’s degree back in Washington at Olympic College, and then moving to Oklahoma. (Long story). It was a summer session–British Literature, The Romantics onward, I think.…… Continue reading Secure Anxiety
I was so happy with, and exhilarated by, my first go at academic writing month that I decided to give it another try in December. Turns out, I should have given myself some time off, because I haven’t really done much of anything yet, except grade all the final projects and exams from my students,…… Continue reading Academic Writing Month, Take 2
16,014 words so far. My introduction is nearly done. Chapter 1 is well on its way to being done. Over the next 10 days, I plan to have both ready to send to my advisor. I’m tired. I took Tuesday off, because I had other work I needed to catch up on–a book chapter that…… Continue reading Academic Writing Month, Day 20… Only day 20?
I’ve been really happy with my progress the past 8 days. It’s November 8, day 8 of Academic Writing Month, and I have a total of 7649 words so far, toward my dissertation. Day 1: 1827 –this was the best day, by far, if we’re talking sheer numbers. I researched for 2 hours first, and then…… Continue reading Writing Hangover: Or, Academic Writing Month, Day 8
I’ve learned and relearned over the years that an important part of my writing process is taking time to reflect. I doubt I’ll post every single day of Academic Writing Month, but I will write some of my thoughts after each completed day and I’ll put some of those thoughts here on the blog. So,…… Continue reading Academic Writing Month, day 1 reflection
At the prompting of one of my mentors, I’m committing to Acacdmic Writing Month, or AcWriMo, the academic equivalent to National Novel Writing Month (which I always observe with a mixed sense of awe and horror). The daily goals look a bit different for AcWriMo than for NaNoWriMo, and it’s really easy for both to…… Continue reading Goal Setting
