So, blissfully naive enough to hope that NBC might give Best Friends Forever half a chance, despite scheduling it to premiere mid-season, I recruited many of my real-life best buddies to watch the show and text messaged back and forth with my BFF, Emily, about the episodes each week. I promised strangers cupcakes if they … Continue reading
I’m in the middle of drafting my paper on Nancy Drew and the War on Terror. Honestly, I’m excited but also having trouble framing my argument without it turning into show and tell: “Look Professor! I know a boat-load about the history of Nancy Drew and even more about girlie culture! Pat me on the … Continue reading
I bake a lot of cupcakes, so I feel like this is a solid offer. Have you heard of the Bechdel Test? You know, the litmus test for women in entertainment made famous in a comic strip. It simply requires that a film or show feature 1) two+ women who 2) have at least one … Continue reading
Last year, I read an essay on the Huffington Post by Lisa Bloom called “How to Talk to Little Girls”. The essay itself is sort of lovely as Bloom describes a dinner party at which she talked with the hosts’ daughter, stubbornly avoiding the topics of clothing or anything else stereotypically girlie. Yes, that is … Continue reading
I was in Boston this week for the Popular Culture Association national conference. It’s a really fun event that I think is kind of DisneyLand for academics (instead of rides we have panels. Ooooh!) It was also great to pal around with some friends from my Master’s cohort and PhD friends I don’t get to … Continue reading
I could use some of Veronica’s “pixie spy magic” this week. Wait. Let’s think positively. I have pixie spy magic this week. (I think I can. I think I can.) In the morning I head to Boston, MA with a rag-tag band of colleagues for the Popular Culture Association national conference. I am excited because … Continue reading
“Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” Mary Magdalene asked as she arrived at Jesus’ tomb (Mk 16:3). Last night at the Easter Vigil, our priest’s homily focused on the ways that we are entombed by what is not of God in our lives and how amid that … Continue reading
I started making fun of Taylor Swift with the release of “Love Story,” because, really, Romeo & Juliet and The Scarlet Letter are not romances to emulate. Did she take freshman English? Did she do the reading!? My friends Emily and Olivia have put up with much mockery from me over the years. When my … Continue reading
I love this Tumbler (Academic Coach Taylor) and visit it when I’m feeling stressed about school. I keep telling my students, “Clear thesis, strong analysis, can’t lose!” I think this one fits my research and blog quite well. Coach Taylor is such a good dad! I can’t really tell you enough how much I love … Continue reading
I’m writing a paper this semester about the new Nancy Drew novels and domestic containment narratives in the War on Terror. On one hand, I’m really excited, but on the other hand I’m kind of ambivalent about the whole thing because there’s already a ton published about Nancy Drew. (Nancy Drew and Her Sister Sleuths … Continue reading
Ph.D.s and Pigtails 