Reflection 2/7 – 2/15

Mal likes to integrate himself into my writing process. 

I usually have words to say but lately I have been feeling at a loss.

Combating Independent Meritocracy, or, My Debt to the Janeites

“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” – Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

Signs, Spoons, and Stress

The dimmer state of affairs, in which it appears that I cannot get a grip of myself as of late.

Agender in Academe

There is something rotten in the state of Academia, and it reeks of disrespect for the sake of grammar.

Celebrating Change: A Retrospective Look at My First Year on Hormones

Sometimes it’s important to celebrate the little things.

Oh No, Not Another Blog! or, Why This Now Exists

Let me just get it out there that I am a sucker for new projects and new beginnings, this blog being one of them.

I have another blog established but I am unsure of where I want to take it. I do not know if I want to go the more personal essay route or to just keep it strictly professional and academic, if I ever get around to writing posts of that variety. However, there are events and happenings in my life that beg to be written about and shared, mostly in the realm of my academic adventuring and my transition – both of which, in a sense, began roughly about the same time.

This blog, ‘Metastasis and Dissertations’, is to follow me through the course of graduate studies, from master’s degree to awarding of my doctorate’s. It will cover some of my reflections and “daily life” in the world of academia as well as the highlights (and lowlights) to be found on the road of transition. Hopefully, this blog will also capture that intersection between queer identity and the academic pursuit, as well as what exactly it means to be a trans presence in the English Department.

At the moment of this post I am currently on schedule to start on my master’s in English Literature in the Fall 2015 term here at Sacramento State. I am on an unintentional semester-long hiatus from school due to being unsure about pursuing an MA when the spring term deadline rolled around. In the interim I have kept myself rather busy – I am currently reviewing and reworking a couple of papers into articles, establishing some connections with other scholars across the country, doing some preparation for the GRE, occasional creative composition, and researching PhD programs to apply to next year. I expect my spring and summer will continue in a similar fashion, with moving out also on the agenda and reconnecting with old friends and meeting new acquaintances.

In regards to gender, I identify as a nonbinary trans person who (at the moment) is of a transmasculine bent, meaning I am more inclined to presenting androgynous-masculine. I have been identifying generally as queer for about three years, if my memory serves me well. I have been identifying as trans for about a year and a half and have been in medical transition since August 2014 – coincidentally days before my senior semester of undergraduate studies began and hence why my identity and my studies share such an intense connection.

Formalities – I have no preferred pronoun set. I lack the energy necessary to police people, so I hope that you will be able to govern yourself accordingly. If one had to choose, however, I would prefer first the third person gender neutral set (they/their/them) or the masculine (he/him/his).

If one were to have keywords or searchable phrases for this blog, more than likely they would be the following: queer, identity, transgender, trans, transition, academia, graduate studies, intersection, queer theory, deconstruction, literary and critical theory, romanticism, self, perception of self, perception, community, volunteering, personal.

Welcome. I’m glad to have you along.