Entries Categorized as 'teaching'

Idle Hands

August 28, 2010

Finished my first week back teaching after a far-t00-idle summer. Four classes and a fifth starts in October. I need to be busy again. Busy-ness makes me feel better. Having things to do, having places to be and responsibilities. I’d like to think it pushes me creatively, too. This summer was just a wash–too much [...]

VSC 6: Tonal

January 26, 2010

The last resident reading was Sunday night and I read the opening of my book. I was the first reader of the night and got to show several slides from my research–documents, photos that inform my work. It was a great night, with very positive response from the audience. Very uplifting. I shared the night [...]

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

December 10, 2009

Ted’s been away over a week and i’m going stir crazy! Thankfully he is coming home tonight. It was only a week, I know, but when it’s just me and the kitties it gets a little weird. I wonder what he’s going to do when i’m in Vermont for a month doing my writer’s residency? [...]

The Art of Storytelling

November 3, 2009

Saw David Sedaris last Friday, the night before Halloween at the newly renovated Balboa Theater downtown. The tickets were $50, and actually belonged to my lovely friend Jess, but she was sick, and her boyfriend was busy with rehearsals for a show, so they offered them to myself and Ted (and one extra ticket that [...]

Writers Ask

August 30, 2009

So school is back in full swing now, but i’m making plans for how to keep my life organized, to keep writing, and how to keep my sanity intact. One goal of mine is to go to bed BY 11 PM EVERY WEEK NIGHT. I can’t say that i’ll be able to do that on [...]

Common Ground by Paul Willis

July 26, 2009

Here’s another gem from The Writer’s Almanac. I’ve never heard of this guy, Paul J. Willis, but I’m going to have to get his book/s. This poem is so unique and beautiful and spare but so rich. I love the story of this Grandfather. Common Ground by Paul J. Willis Today I dug an orange [...]

A wet roof reflecting the bleak light

June 27, 2009

Why am I taking so long to read Blake Bailey’s Cheever: A Life? Maybe because I’ve been so busy (we’ve been so busy) with unpacking in our new home. I’d like to think it’s because I want to savor every moment of Cheever’s life, want to linger longer in the anecdotes and memories and recollections [...]

No Time to Stop and Smell the Cowboys and Flowers

June 11, 2009

Ted and I are in the process of moving from La Jolla to Azalea Park. When I say in the process I mean we are: Stressing Thinking about packing Stressing Worrying about having enough money to survive this summer Stressing Collecting Boxes for packing It’s a beautiful neighborhood and gorgeous house so here’s hoping it [...]

Being Dead is the Most Boring Experience in Life–Oscar Wilde (supposedly)

May 21, 2009

No, i’m not dead–but you wouldn’t know it based on my lack of posting lately. It’s been a hectic and challenging last few weeks. Some highlights: A couple of weeks ago, as you may know, I took Tom Spanbauer‘s Dangerous Writing workshop– three intense days of talking, writing, analyzing about what we are afraid of [...]

Why I love teaching…(part 1000)

May 5, 2009

I know, I know, I haven’t posted in a while and I have much to tell, but i’m buried underneath a mountain of papers and end of the semester chaos. In the meantime, here is the (top of the) front page of an essay from a current student of mine. The essay is about the [...]