As autumn approaches, I’m coming to terms with not teaching the pop culture class ever again, due to a necessary redesign of my department’s curriculum. I’ve used this space for two years as network for students to cultivate blogging skills and share amazing content and insight. This term I’m teaching two sections of an interdisciplinary, sophomore writing seminar and a senior level cultural theory course. Pop Academy will be taking a pause as I use the next few months to think about how to incorporate this multiuser blog platform into my courses next term. I’m hoping to breathe new life into my senior seminar sections. Blogging just might be the thing to inspire vivid writing and rewriting.

My own lack of blogging is the result of 1) my summer spent co-editing a book project; 2) not feeling motivated; and 3) not feeling like I had anything spectacular to share. The good news is this lag has left with me many ideas that I need to form into projects for upcoming conferences. I’ve also spent some time thinking of ways to be more involved in my community, which I hope will bring some new passion to my writing. This effort has led me to serve on two fantastic boards. Following my attendance at my first ever Pride event (yes I’m 32, so I should be ashamed of this fact, but that’s another post), in June, I joined the advisory board of Old Dominion University Gay Cultural Studies. The board is tasked with endowing a postdoctorate position at ODU. The events members have already planned and presented have been amazing. The second position I took on is for the AltDaily Editorial Board. I’ll be serving with many other locals to review and advise content for an alternative news organization in Hampton Roads. I may even write a column. Now if only I could make this writing thing a regular gig….