Posts by: dawn

the language of the working class

I was listening to an episode of Make Me Smart (embedded below) which was focused on the language of Donald Trump and how, no matter what he says, certain demographics listen,…

my advice

I've finished my first week as a newly-minted PhD in a new position as an assistant professor. And I already have advice! Well, this is more advice to those who…

here’s to new beginnings

I need to update my site. I'm no longer a PhD candidate. In case you haven't heard, I successfully defended my dissertation, have my PhD, and am an assistant professor…

acknowledgements

I'm at the end of my career as a student. Next week I defend my dissertation, and move on to my career as a professor. Through my time as a…

winter sun (poetry)

How valuable it is in these short days, threading through empty maple branches, the lacy-needled sugar pines. Its glint off sheets of ice tells the story of Death’s brightness, her…

pondering the error of my ways

My life feels like it has been one long trajectory along The Breakfast Club plot line -- except that I'm outside of the outsiders, beyond the recluse. High school was…

november, late in the day (poetry)

November, Late in The Day So this is aging: the bare sun, skinned, palely bucking the dark wind, slides through the glass, crawls on the carpet, climbs the footboard, lies…

a dissertating audience

While working on my dissertation, I've had severe bouts of dealing with impostor syndrome. I've had extremely difficult trouble getting over the hurdle of "I KNOW NOTHING." I sit down…

it’s not brain surgery

Today, as I was dissertating, I began wondering what it is that I'm doing. Who will my work matter to, if anyone? I'm not doing brain surgery. I'm not finding…