Can I haz podium now?

Today I took an all-day workshop on presentation skills. It was required for my course, and I was not looking forward to it.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it!

The first couple hours were tolerable, especially after our coffee break. The presentation was interesting enough, but still a 9 am lecture, which automatically makes it hard.

But later, we got to put together a practice presentation and present it to a small group, and get feedback. This, surprisingly, was fun!Unlike a lot of people, I really like public speaking. I get kinda into it, and once I get talking, I lose most of the stage fright.

I was lucky enough to give a couple presentations at Brandeis about the dangers of sexual assault to students going on study abroad – and I really enjoyed doing those as well.

Each time I am able to give a presentation like this, a little voice pops up that says, “Can I do this for a living?”

Can I?

You know you’re an American Studies major when…

It’s official. I am truly an American Studies major.

For the very first time, I have used a Simpsons reference in an academic paper. In the past, I may have used pop culture references from Home Alone, South Park, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Jurrasic Park… but the Simpsons is a whole new level. That’s as American as you can get, as much Americana as one can possibly stomach.

My paper, you see, is about poor, white, southern folks. Rednecks, hillbillies, hicks, white trash, you name it. My aim is to evaluate these groups as “ethnic groups” and to see if that works. Are rednecks an ethnic group? Do they view themselves that way? Does the academy view them that way? Does society?

In a section on hillbillies, specifically, I used The Simpsons’ “Cletus” to prove a point about the incest stereotype.  In this scene, Cletus and his partner Brandine are making out in the back of a pickup truck at a Nascar-sque rally.

“Dang, Cletus. Why did you park by my parents?”

“Now honey, they’s my parents too.”

Topped off by a toothless yokel playing a bajo riff in the next truck.

Do I still get to consider myself a serious scholar? You be the judge.