Hi! My name’s Mary Beth and, I must admit, this is my first time to blog like this (did another, more formal type via Blackboard for another class) so please bear with me… That said, I’m a second year PhD student in film studies. My undergrad degree is in history and I got my MA in film studies here at KU. So, why this class, you might ask. Well, although much of my work here at KU has been in memory/history and film, I am also very interested in the environment and film (esp. representation of and animals in); so, I thought this might be an interesting course, plus, as I’m no longer quite sure what I want to focus my dissertation work on, I thought this course might help give me ideas….or something like that…
Now that I’ve seen that we’re going to focus on food issues, I’m quite interested on another level as well. Over the last several years, I’ve become more and more interested in the food “side” of our (local and global) society, especially issues related to such as gmos, and organic/local options. As a vegan and animal rights supporter, I’ve taken to reading/keeping up with news about factory farming (hurrah for Californians passing prop 2!!) and that practice’s intersection with such as animal rights, the disconnect many have between the meat on their plates and the “happy” cow in the field, and just what it’s doing to the planet we call home. (Hope that doesn’t come off too soapbox-y…) Also as a vegan (although non-vegans a certainly welcome), I participate in a monthly potluck (VegLawrence) that consists of good vegan food, good company, and quite often a “program” of some sort (we’ve had Howard Lyman in to talk, watched videos about food issues from the Sierra Club and PCRM and the like); if anyone’s interested in coming, I’ll gladly give you the info (also available via: http://vegetarian.meetup.com/481/)
Um, what else…? I’m originally from Baton Rouge, LA; went to Hendrix College in Arkansas; and lived in Boston and Arkansas (not for school) before coming here. Other interests: movies, history, theatre, art (drawing/painting), music (playing and listening), playing games (did someone say poker? but also other board games), baking, am just getting involved with Animal Outreach of Kansas, can always fancy a good cup of coffee, watching KU basketball, just “being” with good friends, and trying to leave behind myself a smaller impact on our planet (to end on what is probably a somewhat lofty sounding note)
