Prima Facie...

... which means, roughly, "at the first look." And this post is, in many senses, a first look: a first look at me (for a few), a first look at my life in Athens, GA (for many), and a first look at this blog (for all). So, taking things in order...

I'm David Grubbs, a student in the doctoral program of the University of Georgia's English department. I'm originally from Birmingham, AL, where I spent the first 27 years of my life. Certainly there's much more to say about myself, but there's no need to cover it all at once. Visitors to this blog can expect more autobiographical posts in the future.

This summer marks the end of my first year in Athens and the beginning of my second. While I remain an Alabama boy, Athens has become a second home. Another feature of this blog will be regular posts about people and places in Athens, so my folk back in Alabama can see what my life is like.

Finally, the blog. The name is a reference to Arthurian legend, specifically the Grail romances. These stories often revolve around Perceval, a young and foolish knight, who wanders the land searching for the secrets to the Holy Grail. This seems an apt metaphor for my life at the moment, again a theme I shall also develop further.

So, having laid out the aims for this blog, I shall now go out to the pool and turn browner.