Introduction: Who Am I, Where Am I?

Hi, I'm Katie. This is my first foray into the blogging world, so please bear with me! I'm a first-year PhD student in Composition and Rhetoric at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where I'm also teaching two sections of English 150 -- Writing: Rhetoric as Inquiry (aka freshman composition). School starts Monday, so I've been lesson planning and tweaking my syllabus like a madwoman! I'm eager to immerse myself in new courses at a new university this semester.

I still feel like I've stepped into another world once I cross those "N" pillars on my walk to campus. I just moved to Lincoln a few weeks ago from Lee's Summit, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City. Last December I earned my MA in English from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where I taught freshman and sophomore composition to a diverse student population. More recently, I taught developmental writing and sophomore composition at a community college in north Kansas City, where many students commuted from small towns or farming communities. Here's a picture of my part of campus, which was green and lovely most of the year:

Now I'm living in downtown Lincoln, and it's been a thrilling and disorienting experience so far. I love the location of my apartment, which is within walking distance from campus, the Capitol building, the Haymarket district (including the farmer's market!), and a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and businesses. I walked around lost for quite a while this week looking for a tailor I had located on the internet; I didn't realize I had to take an elevator to the seventh floor of a Wells Fargo Bank building to find her! I love the bustle and energy of the downtown area, and the people in Nebraska have been kind and patient as I learn to navigate a new place. For instance, I was amazed by the service and efficiency at the DMV here--not usually the case. There are a few downsides to my new living situation, such as the nonexistent parking and the difficulty getting mail, but I'm overall enjoying what I think of as "city life." I live in one of six converted apartments on top of a vacant office building, at the end of a row containing a defunct printing shop, several bars, and a "gentleman's club":

It's pretty nondescript on the outside, but my landlord has done a wonderful job making the apartments feel homey and comfortable. This is my first time living in a place I furnished myself, so I'm enjoying the task of decorating on a grad student budget.

From my perspective, one of the most fascinating aspects of Lincoln is the Husker hysteria! I went to a small liberal arts college for undergrad and earned my MA from a commuter campus without a great sports record, so I've never experienced such overwhelming university pride before.

Even my grocery store is on board--I have to admit, it's pretty infectious. And while I wish people were as excited about our academics as our football team, I still enjoy being part of an institution with such a long tradition of excellence in many fields. My boyfriend is a Mizzou alum who still hasn't reconciled himself to the fact that he's now dating a Husker, but I think he'll come around eventually. He did enjoy the great food and abundance of craft beer when he visited.

I took the above picture at one of my favorite places in Lincoln so far: the Sunken Gardens. This gorgeous community garden is full of all kinds of plants and flowers, two large koi ponds, a fountain, a waterfall, and an abundance of quiet, peaceful outdoor spots. I visited on a gorgeous day last weekend and spent a few hours reading in the sunshine.

Last but not least, it wouldn't be an introduction to me without an introduction to Penny. This two-year-old golden retriever is spunky, rambunctious, sometimes disobedient, and always loyal. I like to think of her as a work in progress! She's living in Missouri with my parents for now, but they send me lots of Penny pictures and videos. As for me, when I'm not reading, writing, or grading, I enjoy coffee, fitness, and moonlighting on a feminist "snark site" that deconstructs popular women's blogs. I look forward to working with all of you this semester!

I'll close with my rendition of a "Where I'm From" poem, inspired by the awesome ones I've read so far:

I am from Charlotte, North Carolina
the blurry birthplace left behind
at nine months, never to return.

I am from 18 years deep in the heart of Texas,
the stars at night are big and bright,
sun tea and Spanglish and Remember the Alamo!

I am from Gary and Lisa, kindness and neuroses,
learning to ride a bike and cast a fishing line,
and the cross-stitched picture on the wall:
"Richer than me, you can never be--
I had a mother who read to me."

I am from Lee's Summit, Missouri, a town with
an apostrophe and a restless police force--
a sleepy, in-between place waiting for a spark.

I am from Kansas City, Kansas City here I come,
bright lights and barbecue, Chiefs and Royals,
where wealth and crippling want are juxtaposed.

I am from the pages of The Great Gatsby,

Hamlet, the creeping fear of The Bell Jar,
the disappointing ending of Gone With the Wind,
the back of the wardrobe en route to Narnia.

My license says I am a Nebraskan now,
though I don't yet belong here--
A new place, a fresh place, unspoiled by the
passage of time or sadness or change.
Here I will write the next chapter of my history;
Here I hold my pen over a fresh page.