Author Archives: Katherine Wikoff

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About Katherine Wikoff

I am a college professor (PhD in English, concentration rhetoric) at Milwaukee School of Engineering, where I teach film and media studies, political science, digital society, digital storytelling, writing for digital media, and communication. While fragments of my teaching and scholarship interests may quite naturally meander over to my blog, this space is intended to function as a creative outlet, not as part of my professional practice. Opinions are my own, etc.

Random Reflections on Malls and Department Stores

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

Monday’s Wall Street Journal ran an article (read it here) noting the waning days of the department store as anchor in the American shopping mall: “Mall Owners Push Out Department Stores: Fast-fashion chains, restaurants, specialty stores do a better job of driving mall … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, Creativity, History, Life, Milwaukee, Popular culture, WPLongform (posts of 1000 words or longer) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Little Free Library (#8) – Matching!

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

Often Little Free Library boxes match the house they sit in front of. I’ve done a post on one of these before (Little Free Library #2, here) but I didn’t think to include a photo of the house. For today’s … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, Books and reading, Life, Little Free Library, Milwaukee | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Signs of an epic life-and-death struggle

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

No doubt because I watched that BBC show on “The Hunt,” predators and prey seem to be weighing on me. In terms of “life and death,” the topic for today’s post feels mighty insignificant compared with the scope of human tragedy in … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Milwaukee | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Thousand Cuts

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

I worked from Starbucks at Red Arrow Park for part of the morning and made a quick visit to their restroom before walking back to campus. Maybe because it was a quiet time of day, I noticed something about the floor … Continue reading →

Posted in Milwaukee, Photography | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Neighborhood Watch (Stump Sculpture, Carved Tree Art)

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

Apparently this is a thing, to have your dead tree turned into a work of art. I’ve been driving past this guy for several years now. Might he be described as a “wood wizard”? Today I finally made time to pull over and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Creativity, Life, Nature, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In an Earlier Era of “Walkable Cities”

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

If you take a close look at some of Milwaukee’s older neighborhoods, you’ll notice that a hundred years ago (approximately, say 1870-1930) factories were surrounded not only by the modest cottages of workers but also by the mansions of the owners. Today you’d … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, History, Life, Milwaukee | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Wildebeests at the Watering Hole

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

A new series is beginning on BBCA (BBC America) tonight, “The Hunt,” originally broadcast last December on BBC One. Narrated by David Attenborough (who also narrated the brilliant “Planet Earth” documentary series), this new series apparently does something I’ve really never … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Nature, Television | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The World of the Train (Ten-Foot Poles and a Mother and Child Reunion)

Posted on July 2, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

That’s how it feels when you board the train: like you’ve entered into a self-contained world that moves, as if inside a tube, through the outside environment. Amtrak is the only way to go! If I can possibly manage it in … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Ghost Sign (#2) – Seen in the French Quarter

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

I think maybe this was supposed to be a sign for Tutt’s liver pills, except there’s a window where the “T” would have gone. The photos below are from the first two hits from Google News, one from “The Florence … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Life, Photography, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Storm Clouds over Mulate’s

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Katherine Wikoff

We’ve had some thunderstorms this week in New Orleans. Thankfully I was inside during the worst one Monday evening. Incredibly powerful thunder and lightning, and very low in the sky…seemingly right overhead! I took this photo as I left the … Continue reading →

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