I’m going to New York City.  Here I come New York City.  I. Am. Going. To. New.  York. CITY!!

Sorry, I’m just a little excited.  Not just about going to New York CITY, but I had my first conference proposal accepted.  It is my first acceptance, not my first proposal.  I had on proposal denied for another conference, which is fine this one is more up my alley.  I’ll be presenting at the Conference on English Education’s biennial conference.  When I got the email this morning and the subject line read: CEE Summer Conference Proposal Acceptance–I nearly peed my pants.  I couldn’t believe it.  I still can’t believe it.

I have been working on this PhD for a long time and am not finally starting to come into my own research and into my own as a professional intellectual.  It’s so surreal.  I get to share my ideas and research.  I am amazed and surprise and humbled.  I really am a professional.  I never felt like that as a high school teacher or even community college instructor. It’s true that our society doesn’t place much value on the in the trenches teachers.  University teaching is very different, as we are seen as professionals because of those three little letters PhD.  I don’t have mine yet, but I am really close to finishing.  It’s a bit bizarre to feel this level of professionalism now as a student when I didn’t feel it as a teacher.

Well, I am going to New York City.  I’ve never been.  I’m also staying in the Dorm at Fordham University (which I have also never done–I went to college later in life).  I can’t wait to explore the city and share in professional academic intellectual conversations on how to prepare teachers in this day and age.

Please feel free to leave me advice on NYC.  I’ll happily take it.