let's get personal

Tomorrow registration at Rice closes, so I think we've got the class stabilized. I'd like to introduce myself in a little more depth and invite you all to do the same. If you're brave enough, tell us who you are, why you're taking the class, and what you would like to gain from the class and/or this blog.

My name is Annie Feighery. I'm a writer, blogger, mom, and social scientist. I'm passionate about motherhood, social change, and international aid. Although I'm involved in international aid projects, I believe that the most important work we can do for the world is to improve our culture right here in America because the export of our culture is a far greater influence than our international aid. My best shot at improving this culture is to educate parents in order to raise a generation of children in an environmentally sensitive paradigm. Additionally, I'm enthralled with popular culture. I see it as an insightful mirror of our society and the most valuable resource vehicle for social change at our disposal. I feel frustrated that most of the people who want to affect our culture toward environmental or ecological ends never watch a network sitcom or pick up a trend magazine--they don't speak the language of the people they want to change.

My education was in anthropology at the University of Texas at El Paso. I worked in the Houston non-profit world for five years before becoming a full-time writer two years ago. I'm still very involved in non-profits, however, via boards, committees, and volunteer service.

My vision for this blog and the class is three fold:

1) I want the blog to add a dimension of relevance to your classroom and reading lessons through popular culture and media links.

2) I want to provide a gentle exposure to technological means of communication, especially to blogs.

3) I want to create a venue for meaningful experiences, conversations that can change us all.