Leigh M. Johnson

A proposition for my friends, far and near: This year is the 30th anniversay of Elvis Presley’s death. As you may know, Memphis memorializes Elvis’ death every year with “Elvis Week” in August, including a candlelight vigil and an “Almost Elvis” impersonation contest. As it just so happens, Elvis’ death (August 16) is the same…

As readers of this blog know, I often comment on reviews that appear in the Notre Dame Philosophical Review. Mostly, I note when the critics have landed a real shiner (like the recent tags by Mendieta and Maudlin). But, this time, I’m a bit perplexed. In his recent review of the text Entfremdung: Zur Aktualität…

I stopped at the gas station yesterday to pick up some milk and noticed that the cashier had a (pretty mean-looking) shiner on her right eye. I asked her what happened, and she told me this terrible story about her bruise: Apparently, she’s been living in Memphis for the last 3 years with no air…

As I head down the home stretch of finishing the PhD, I’ve noticed that I am suffering from an acute case of completion anxiety. To be honest, I don’t know what’s scarier–trying to finish the dissertation, or having to think about it actually being finished (and, consequently, my new “post-graduate school life” beginning). It’s really…

Inspired by my friend Petya, I’ve decided to copy her experiment on my blog. So, here’s the deal… how about you ask me a question and I write an entry-long answer to it? I will take the first five questions I receive from readers and write a post a day in the next five days….

Recently, I’ve been editing my dissertation bibliography, which included an article that I wrote a few years ago and that I referenced in my dissertation. (I figure that noone else is citing me right now, so I might as well get the ball rolling.) I noticed that in my bibliography, I am situated between Fredric…

Here’s my first response in the “Just Ask” challenge. (By the way, I still need more questions!) Elena put forth the following query: How much does grass grow overnight? What is the deal with the American desire to mow grass daily? First, Elena, I love this question… it hits close to my Memphis heart. Memphians…

Thanks to all my friends who helped celebrate my dissertation defense. (Especially those, pictured above, who decided to celebrate with a drunken arm-wrestling tournament!) I had a great time. And this rosey-blurry-mostly-indistinct photo is exactly how I remember it!