acknowledgements Many thanks to Peter Gottschalk for grounding my thoughts in theory and for pushing me to articulate my ramblings in concise sentences (I do not envy that task); My family-Mom, Dad, and Graham-for sharing my sense of humor and for indulging me when you don't, and for supporting me with so much love; Poppy for the letters and thought-provoking conversations; My housemates, particularly Rachel and Em, for singing and dancing in the kitchen, for your support through the dark final

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... hours, and for tolerating firsthand the alarming deterioration of both my social skills and my wrists; The members of 84 Gnomes (Leo the Lion, RayRo, BennyDocter, Fran(zia), and G-Baby-my favorite gnomes) for providing the best second home I could imagine and for an endless supply of food, snuggles, dancing, and sleepovers; All of my friends, especially KellyToy, my thesis buddy and all-around partner-in-crime; Sinead, Kayla, and Sarah-the megabed support group; Brendan for giving me cheese when I most needed it; Jenessa for laughing meditation and dogs; Hannah and Leah for perspective and pickles in Olin; WesWings coworkers for laughs; WesRugby for rucking and mauling; Mo for the keyboard and lasagna; Ethan for the road trip and other Buddhist adventures; and Chase for the bleached hair; Ellie for reading so many pages; My professors over the years who cultivated my beginner's mind, and those who gave me suggestions for this thesis, particularly Professors