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September 11, 2007
A NEW STRATEGY (THOUGHTS?)
SUNDAY 9/2
I spent a mostly uneventful day reading and grading papers. I realized it would be a light week for teaching, which is providential, because this will probably be the biggest workload I’ll have until the end of the semester. Happily, the semester at the U of M does not coincide with the end of WA.
At night, I went downtown with friends who live in Binghampton. They are a truly unique group and they love their community. I admire them; part of me wants to live there too, but I know I’d never get any work done. This is why I have a (somewhat expensive) “fortress of solitude” – my little green house at the end of a cove. But watching these guys live and hang out makes me wonder if I should have reconsidered this.
It was Delta Fest (or something), and there were a lot of cover bands playing along Main Street. I hooked up with some other friends and enjoyed an unseasonably cool night. The experience reminded me how blessed I am to have so many disparate groups of friends.
One thing I’ve found, however: I cannot stay out past midnight. Maybe a symptom of being thirty, or maybe I am just an old woman.
MONDAY 9/3
Spent most of the day in the sweatbox that it is the unoccupied Westminster building without the air conditioning on. Everything else was closed, so I parked myself behind my desk and graded, read, etc. It was a pleasant day – I slept until about 10 AM, ate breakfast, worked on a story, and went in to work.
To celebrate the last day off I will have until October, I went to the poker room at the Gold Strike. This is something I rarely do anymore; in fact, it’s only the second time I’ve been this year. Most of you know (or at least have heard me say, you may not believe me) that two years ago I won about 2000 dollars playing poker. Two years later, that nest egg is down to about 700 dollars.
Tonight, after a slow start, I was sitting on about 80 dollars playing against an off-duty dealer – these are usually the best poker players you run up against in Casinos; they make brilliant reads, particularly against part-timers like “you’res truley.” I had an AJ diamonds and the flop came out to give me four cards to a flush. She bet at me and I immediately called her. The turn came and didn’t help me – she bet more and I realized I only had about 20 dollars on top of the bet, so I went all-in. This is not a move I make often, even at a home game. I needed one card – a diamond.
And I got it.
I had about one more big hand, but I ended up the night up 100 dollars. It was a nice way to start the year.
(Aside: As I write this, the Titans/Jaguars game is on in the other room. There’s some commercial for a sitcom sitcom that uses the opening whistle riff from a Peter, Bjorn, and John song. Hope that’s making them a lot of money so that can keep making awesome Swede-pop.)
TUESDAY 9/4
A typical Tuesday starts for me at 5 AM and ends at 9 PM. At Westminster, I’m noticeably distracted, which is okay, because I only have two classes before I shuffle off to the U of M. WA has been very good to me in accommodating my schedule. The Eighth Grade classes get study halls on Tuesday; eventually they’ll go to P.E.
I was pretty sure that my Teaching Theory class was going to suck, and was upset when I found out we were actually expected to do assigned reading and write papers. However, after two meetings, the class has been pretty invigorating, and the readings surprisingly insightful. I think it was arrogant for me to have thought I knew how to teach college writing just because of my experience in High School.
I engaged in the project of getting my class to talk. Mildly successful. About 10 students piped up when I asked them to describe their previous English experience; the rest just stared at me as though their intense looks would get them out of class earlier. They are all really excited that they don’t have class on Thursday.
I’m excited about teaching the students who want to become better writers. But no one, and I mean no one, in my class says they want to be a certifiable English major. This makes sense: I didn’t either when I was a Freshman; I just liked writing and reading. My goal remains the same: to make them more confident and competent as writers.
My internet fiction writers group met tonight. Ben Popper, whom I have never met, wrote a really compelling and funny three page story. It pissed me off. He’s a better writer than I am.
WEDNESDAY 9.5
Romeo and Juliet is getting kicking. My Eighth Graders are discovering that Romeo is not a dashing Don Juan, but a mopey teenager who spends his time in the woods coming up with oxymorons to describe his mopiness. I think this makes them like him. As one of my students suggested, “He’s EMO.”
In between Westminster and Literary Research, I hit the treadmill at the Y. Happily, I’m getting faster. I’m running 8 minute miles on the 5k course.
I can’t keep my mouth shut during Literary Research, and make some rather surface conjectures about something called the “shared consciousness” of literature. I really think I’m just talking in these classes to hear myself think. I need to listen more. My fellow students make some wise comments, and I respond by getting everyone off on a rabbit trail.
THURSDAY 9/6
This morning I broke my rhetoric class into three groups and told them to come up with three trends, in an attempt to teach Plato’s EUTHYPHRO inductively. This was a wild idea I came up with after class last night. After some discussion, their trends were:
1. Sashes
2. Robes with Hoods (I suggested simplifying to capes, but they were adamant; this group reads to much wizard-themed literature)
3. Backwards Ties
We talked about how trends come to be trends, and it led to the Platonic question: is it a trend because it’s good, or is it good because it’s a trend? As one of my students said, tellingly, "This was more fun before we started talking about Plato.”
No U of M teaching tonight, as I said. I sometimes suggest, when pressed, that Parents’ Night at WA is a chore, and it’s arbitrary, and I don’t know why I say crap like this. I really like Parents’ Night, mainly because I really like pretty much all of the parents of the kids I teach. They ask good questions and they love their kids. They encourage me, and I can encourage them. I love meeting the parents of new kids who are really distinguishing themselves. I actually wish we could do it more often.
The Colts kicked the Saints’ asses. Either the Colts are really really good or the Saints are pulling that classic “10-6 to mediocrity” stunt.
FRIDAY 9/7
I was dead tired all day. It has been a long week. I look forward to the night, where I can cook a steak and go to bed early. I do both.
I have planned all week on watching THE LIVES OF OTHERS, which incredibly beat PANS LABYRINTH for the Best Foreign Film Oscar. I do nothing of the sort; instead I watch LETHAL WEAPON 2, a gift from my TIVO.
I know this makes me shallow and undisciplined, but I really liked LETHAL WEAPON 2, again. 1989 Danny Glover and Mel Gibson have such an unforced chemistry. The movie is visceral, loud, and involving. It was just what the doctor ordered. I still have the same Netflix movies that I had three weeks ago. Color you surprised.
SATURDAY
Because of the rain, I can’t mow the lawn at my Dad’s building. There are no football games worth watching until night so I go to the library all day.
I finished Frederick Douglass’ MY BONDAGE AND MY FREEDOM. It is, to say the least, amazing. In his updated, unabridged version of his earlier, shorter, more popular narrative, Douglass holds nothing back. When I started back in Graduate School, it was books like this I was hoping to read.
David and Tim’s birthday was tonight. I had a good time. Now all of my friends are turning 30. At one point, I sang a duet of WILD HORSES. It will be probably be best if I don’t talk to any of these people for a few days.
SUNDAY
I skipped Church because I had so much to do. This turned out to be a bad move because I was in a bad mood all day. But I did get work done, even in my (perhaps rain-soaked) malaise. This made me feel good – my mood swings are not going to keep me from getting work done. I spend most of the day convincing myself that I am going to make it through the year without having a stress-induced mental breakdown. I look for lights at the end of the tunnel.
The first episode of season 6 was of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM was kind of disappointing, but I’m just glad it’s back on. It gives me a nice way to start my week. I will probably call someone a “schmoehog” at least once this week.
In a way, I feel like Travis Bickle, the TAXI DRIVER – don’t worry, I’m not going to rescue prostitutes or plan to assassinate Presidential candidates. But I need my work, even though it wears me out. I look forward to twelve hour days. As Satan said in PARADISE LOST, “The mind is its own place, and can make a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven.” However, I’m convinced that God is teaching me to enjoy this unusual season of work. It’s weird that I’m so happy with it. I go to sleep looking forward to tomorrow, even though I know I’ll get up at 5 AM and go to sleep at 9 PM with only a few minutes to rest in between.
I surge forward to forge the smithy of soul in the uncreated consciousness of my race (or something like that).
| By Andytown | 10:33 PM
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Comments
Wild Horses was definitely the highlight of the night
Posted by: meerkat at September 12, 2007 09:02 AM
maybe my life is dull, but these are my favorite things to read on any blog, provided they are interesting and witty, which yours are, so keep them coming. if no one else reads, them, i promise you i will, and with great fervor and enthusiasm at that!..... poker? really?.... the last line of this post i'm quite positive will be the highlight of my day.
Posted by: bethan at September 12, 2007 09:32 AM
there's only one way to sing wild horses, and you nailed it.
Posted by: the bloke at September 12, 2007 09:37 AM
matt, i'm guessing you mean . . . badly?
Posted by: andytown at September 12, 2007 09:45 AM
Andy,
Personally, I think the new strategy kind of sucks. I know I will take some flack on this, but even though you are humble throughout your blog, this seems a little too self aggrandizing. I still like and love you a lot, but bring back your perspectives on culture, education, religion, etc.. That way, I can focus on my own sinful self.
Posted by: Harvey at September 12, 2007 03:54 PM
I enjoyed it, Andy, and the shift to a self-reflection/journal format is positive. Since the person who invented the essay made himself the subject of all his writings, I think you're allowed to weave the former foci of your blog--your reading, moviegoing, and aesthetic tastes--into a more personal account of your experiences. Anyway, no matter the format I'm glad that your break was short-lived. The Dedalus quote from Portrait made my day as well, especially as I'm making my way (slowly) through Ulysses right now.
Posted by: Jonathan at September 13, 2007 07:33 AM
Jonathan, great point. I guess I just feel that blogs in general that are way too egotistical. I feel that the diary format allows for way too much solipsism. Obviously this is my personal preference and not something that should be adopted by everyone else. In my world, Twitter may not be the end of the earth, but you can see it from there. Also, my language was a little harsh on my last post. Andy and everyone else, please forgive me.
Posted by: Harvey at September 13, 2007 09:54 AM
no prob, Harvey. Appreciate the feedback. You will still get my cultural rantings, but here's the prob: due to my busy schedule I'm not engaging culture. I rarely watch movies (though I really want to see 3:10 TO YUMA) and I really am not keeping up with the music blogs. You can, however, expect a review of the new Josh Ritter album forthcoming in next week's blog.
And Jonathan and I are both ardent admirers of Montaigne (he helped invent humanity, natch), so that's why solipsism can be a pretty appealing format.
Posted by: Andytown at September 13, 2007 10:58 AM
more!!
Posted by: bethan at September 18, 2007 02:28 PM