On June 11, I submitted my conference abstract/CV for the 2006 ACS-AEC conference in Vancouver, October 2006. I am in final revisions for another conference, slated for Summer 2007. My work on the dissertation proposal, SSHRC/OGS application, comp 2 list, and comp reading lags behind, on account of both personal and work distractions. Publication and presentation prospects continue to be the top priority. I am taking time for assorted personal reading. My Jack Benny chapter was rejected by Bear Manor books, because it was deemed as too academic for their proposed book. This is a set-back for my SSHRC/OGS applications, but was not altogether unexpected. The editor did say that he found the chapter well written and interesting, but that it did not fit with the other 20 submissions, which were largely written from a media-journalism/fan perspective. Student loan tasks continue. Interlibrary research continues. A lunch meeting for the PhD cohort is planned for this upcoming Thursday, and I mean to re-write my bio for the WLU PhD student page as soon as I can. Have not been in major contact with the committee, although I received an small note from Faydra, and have consulted with Ron about my rejection and alternative publication possibilities for my Jack Benny piece.

Current Projects (Upcoming Submissions):

The Chaplin Review - RE700 Paper (Summer 2006); "New World Coming" Conference  - Jewish Consciousness (Due August 2006); Student Journal of Jewish Studies - RE701 Paper (Summer 2006); Association of Canadian Studies Conference - Canadian Jews and American film (Submitted June 2006); The Journal of Religion & Popular Culture - Jack Benny article (Summer 2006); The Journal of Religion & Popular Culture - Book review (early Fall 2006?); TDR - Groucho paper (Winter 2007). Also, comp 1 reading; comp 2 reading list; OGS/SSHRC application (due October 2006); other scholarship applications; language proposal (due August 2006); dissertation reading list; rough dissertation proposal (due August 2006); RA duties for Dr. Dawson (to be completed August 2006). I am also looking forward to attending (and possibly presentation at and helping out with) the next Regional AAR conference, which is meeting here in Waterloo in May 2007. However, the proposed topic does not yet appear applicable for my research.