while it is very shameless to self-publish this video, i think the subject matter is important enough that the ego-gods will give me a pass.

not only is this line of research important, it’s very, very vital for everyone to note just how bad my minnesotan accent is getting.

Driven to Discover: The Research Series looks inside the lives and work of the University of Minnesota’s most daring researchers and sees that they are in fact incredible people who make unbelievable discoveries that improve our lives, our planet, and our understanding.

a production still

it was my 12-hours of fame – and while i look forward to just seeing the finished product, i am even more excited that our research on heterosexism and homophobia in sport will reach more people. it’s important to be able to talk these issues candidly and sensitively and i hope i managed to do that without putting any feet in my mouth.

while yesterday was an amazing opportunity, it was not-so subtle reminder to me we do not yet live in a world where non-heterosexual individuals can feel comfortable being open about their sexual identities. case in point: this post about supreme court nominee elena kagan reflects how heteronormativity breeds heterosexism and homophobia in our society.

Since she happens to be an unmarried woman who has not publicly commented on her sexuality and supports LGBT rights<, many on the right are making assumptions about her personal life — and therefore her fitness to serve as a justice.

this example provides inspiration and further fodder for me as i continue researching the mechanisms and processes that allow AND prevent individuals from sharing their personal life en masse.

i’ve got a feeling (and a black eyed peas song in my head) that the generals CAN (and will) pull off the upset. this team, this program has fought it way through some very tough, dark times – times that were more navy than royal – and this team has already done more to excite and energize “Generals’ Nation” then i thought was possible. this team makes me prouder than ever to be a general. this team makes me wear crazy shirts W&L-themed in my minnesota living room. this team makes grown women cry and former athletes wish for their glory days. this team makes me smile … and hope.

this team is playing in march.

here is a little something i tried to write on saturday, but i got too distracted by the game …

as i am writing this, i am listening to WLUR’s broadcast of the ODAC women’s basketball conference semi-final game featuring the washington and lee generals and some other team from southwestern va. also, as i am writing this i am realizing the marymount saints are playing in their own conference final game against another team from central va.

as far as i am concerned, there are two teams that play women’s bball in va – and both of their colors are royal blue and white, both have sleek graphic identities (see the fleur de lys and the trident), and both were home to a member of the calhoun family.

this kind of impassioned, diverse environment is like brain candy for this nerd and in the midst of our discussion on technological determinism, Deleuze and Guattari, and the agency of language – i was frantically jotting down the ideas, inspirations, and new phrases that were rolling out and sparkling on the conference room table.

my love of words and the subtle way words can be used in concert was in heaven, and i warn you that i may begin to drop arborescent thoughts (a way to explain the world as a binary; as a system of ones of the others; the antithesis of rhizomatic thoughts), talk about meat space (the physical space your body takes up), and say obsolescence instead of obsolete.