There is a stigma surrounding teen pregnancy, and we see that play out in media representations of it. Today’s assignment for my girls' studies class is to compare and contrast the portrayals of teen pregnancy from a documentary called The Gloucester 18 and an episode of 16 and Pregnant. The Gloucester 18 is about the... Continue Reading →
As many of you know, last week I was invited to be on Katie Couric’s television show. (Click here to see the post about how this happened.) What an experience! I have never done anything like it before, and I don’t know if the opportunity will ever arise again. I’m so glad I did it,... Continue Reading →
Today I’m headed to New York City, for the first time in some twenty years, to be on The Katie Couric Show. I really can’t believe it, but I am. And I’m nervous. And anxious. And excited. And curious. And hopeful. And realistic that it really isn’t that big of a deal. You see, the... Continue Reading →
My two-year-old recently turned three, and it looks like she has finally grown out of wanting to watch episodes of Curious George over and over and over (and over). They are all on Netflix, and I think we have seen each episode of all five seasons at least ten times. I’m not exaggerating. We considered... Continue Reading →
My favorite TV show of all time is I Love Lucy. I have seen every episode, I have them all on DVD, and I can quote lines by memory. I have seen many of the documentaries and specials on Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. So it should come as no surprise that I have also... Continue Reading →
Alex Haley, famous for writing Roots: The Saga of an American Family (1976), searched for identity by tracing his family history. He spent many years inquiring of every African he met the meaning of a few African words passed down from his ancestor Kunta Kinte, who was kidnapped in Africa and sold into slavery in... Continue Reading →
Okay. I admit it! I like chick lit. I do. I know that as a self-proclaimed student of serious literature that I shouldn’t. But I can’t help it. The books are funny and, for me, the ultimate escape. I can read them quickly without effort and at the end I feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Where’s... Continue Reading →
My college roommates once came home to find me weeping during an episode of Little House on the Prairie. I don’t remember the specifics of the show, but I do remember my embarrassment. They laughed at me, but I maintain that the series is one heartwarming and charming enough to cry over. There are many... Continue Reading →
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 