11.03.2005

Now I am the master

I'm at the American Studies Association Conference this weekend in Washington, DC. It didn't occur to me until just today that the last time I attended this conference, it was also in DC--and I was a graduate student. I think it was 1997 or so. I remember how I felt--excited, because many of the big names in American literary and historical studies were there, but also kind of vaguely sick, like I knew that there were things I was supposed to be doing, but I didn't know what they were or how to do them. I felt sort of pervasively wrong.

And now, here I am feeling entirely differently. I'm presenting research that I feel good about, that's interesting and meaningful to me, I'm the director of a Women's and Gender Studies Program, I'm a real, live, published scholar, and I look awesome. I am the shit! It's pretty remarkable to me to see how much my life has changed since the last time I was here.

6 comments:

Christie Bates McKaskle said...

Rock on, Alison!

Anonymous said...

You're a master of evil, Darth.

Anonymous said...

What a chance to get that perspective! I'm proud of you...as always! (OK, Walter, I know...2 more drinks...)

Love you,
Mom

Anonymous said...

Hi Alison

What you are feeling is called "an earned right". You have earned the right to be where you are, feel what you feel and be considered a leader in your field. In "work speak" you have gone from a Lieutenant to a Captain. Good feeling, huh...
Of course, I'm still the DAD.

Love
Dad

Biffle said...

Whoa, look--my dad's responding to the blog! Now Walter will have to make up a drinking game for you.

Anonymous said...

Yo, homeslice! :)

If you do the grunt work, good things will come...or something like that.

I think Trey summed it up best, though...at least if you have grad students of your own that you get to marshall around. ;)

Have fun, and enjoy your earned status (your Dad is right, ya know... :).

- b