Name:                            Catherine S. Kalish, though I go by Katie.  The “S” is for Simpson—my mom’s maiden name.

 

Campus:                         UW—Marshfield/Wood County a.k.a. “The Wood”

 

Home Location:              Pittsville, WI (The geographical center of Wisconsin) in an old, brick, prairie box style house.  I recently read that prairie box style houses were inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, so I should probably not read Bill’s book at home on a dark and stormy night.

 

Primary Research Area:    Last May I completed a dissertation on clothing in James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake.   I just published a paper (woo hoo) on teaching Finnegans Wake to freshmen/sophomores.  Of course I’m planning to publish the ol’ dissertation in some form, and I’m also hoping to do more work in Joyce studies (I’m thinking my next study will focus on food).  I’ve really enjoyed reading the novels of Muriel Spark and plan to begin research on her works in the future.   Oh, and I can’t forget Patrick McCabe.  I’ve only read one novel, but it was so interesting and powerful that I’ve promised myself that I will engage in a study of his works as well.

 

Reading for pleasure:       I’ve had really terrible luck lately with my for-pleasure reading.  Cue Debbie Downer (whah, whah, whahhhhh) music here.  I’ve recently read Tom Wolfe’s I am Charlotte Simmons, which I found disappointing.  I also started (and haven’t yet finished) Girl, 20 by Kingsley Amis, which isn’t as charming as the back cover suggests.  I’ve found Viriginia Woolf’s novels to be the most pleasurable that I’ve ever read.  In fact, I’ve enjoyed them so much (and there is such a limited number) that I am rationing them and will read no more than two per decade so that I still have some new Woolf works to read when I’m in my dotage.

 

Guilty pleasure:                I love reading fashion magazines when I get my hair done.  I can’t help it.  It is insipid and dumb, but there it is.  There is something about having 100 aluminum foils in your hair that makes Glamour really fascinating.  Hey, I could have made something up like, “My guilty pleasure is reading Dickens novels,” but I get points for honesty, right?

 

Me as a person:               I walk every day; it’s really a wonderful way to unwind, think about the day, and make plans.  As I was walking today, I was thinking about what I could say in this section.  When I was 18, I could have written something really cool about how I was into downhill skiing, extreme sports, and obscure, underground music.  I’ve realized that I have the same hobbies as most octogenarians:  I like gardening, bird-watching, and baking.  I wish I was more exciting.  I spend a lot of time with my husband, Brian, our daughter, Hadley (10 months) and our 15-pound cat, Aeden.

 

Super powers:                 I am really bad at having a hobby.  My closest friend gave me a “how to crochet” book, and I am really good at making ten-foot long chains, but that probably doesn’t count as a talent.  In fact, I was amazed that Elizabeth Zanichkowsky could knit and pay attention at a department meeting.   I guess my one special talent is that I make a great sour cream coffee cake.  I love baking, but I always worry that by giving the gift of trans-fat and refined sugar that I will be killing off my friends, so I try to bake in moderation (maybe my hidden talent is being neurotic).  

 

 

 

 

 

And this is my signature

¤

 

Catherine S. Kalish, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of English

UW--Marshfield/Wood County

2000 W. 5th St

Marshfield, WI 54449

715-384-1713