Sweeping Generalizations

This caught my eye today while I was on the Chronicle website. The article defends the notion that lecturers shouldn't be evaluated on students opinions alone -- and with good reason! I'm sure I've had students complain about me to department heads using all the standard gripes: grades ("I don't understand why this essay got a C"), fairness ("I think she hates George Bush and therefore hates all Republicans, which is what I am), and rigor ("She expects us to read this ten page Alice Munro short story!").

Besides the fact that my number one way to deal with students when they come to me with their excuses is to say: figure it out.

So yeah, I'm definitely on it.

http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2008/05/2008052001c/careers.html

Announcing

My story "Backbone" is a finalist in Redivider's 2nd Annual Quickie Contest, and "There Will Be Sense" is a finalist in the DIAGRAM Innovative Fiction Contest. The latter will appear in DIAGRAM's summer issue.

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

The New York Times has a piece on a new British book called “1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.” (It is technically 1002 books if you count the guidebook.) The actual list can be found here.

I was surprised to see House of Leaves, personally, and Finnegans Wake might be better suited for the sequel, "1001 Books You Must Pretend to Read Before You Die." Which books on the big list could you do without?

Lynda Barry

I'm big fan of Lynda Barry, thanks to Bianca. I teach the first chapter of her novel Cruddy in 1320, and every single semester, there has been at least one student to go out and buy the book and read it and come back to me completely freaked out.

Cruddy is truly the most harrowing book I've ever read. So much so that it took me about three months of putting it down and picking it up again to get through it the first time. I have yet to read it again in its entirety, but it's up there in my top five books of all time.

She's a cartoonist, and she painted the first draft of Cruddy (it's about 250 pages). I'm just saying.

Bianca found this today. She has a new book out about process.

Finally, a REAL job....

This seems such a strange announcement. But I'm not making this up. I got a job. One with job security, one where I won't be on the chopping block every new semester. Starting in August, I am The Writer's Liason for FC2 Publications at The University of Houston in Victoria, Texas. Part glorified secretary, part editor, part already convinced I'm going to fuck this job up and fuck it up bad, I'm just mostly excited.

I am so excited.

An article that made me lose sleep and start writing and the 08s that made me dance

First, the article:
I don't know what to say about this. It made me revisit my quirkiest story. It also made me feel like I have questionable taste. Like I'm not special or something.

And now commencement:
They didn't hood the MFA--or any of the masters candidates---this year. I guess it was a time saver. But it was sad so here's a pic of us looking sad.





Jack and I were there as adjuncts this year and so we took it upon ourselves to hood the Johns so that's what's going on in the second picture.

In other graduation news, Susan P. finished at UT. Robin, who is with child again (hooray!!!) graduated this semester. Katya did too. And also those other 08s we all know and love.

Yesterday the 08s held a prom at club de ville. My date was Michael. Maybe I will post a picture of us doing the wizard dance move when I can.

I don't have pictures from the KAP reading...

but a year ago today we were reading and singing and clapping for ourselves.


It doesn't seem like it has been a year. Some days it seems like it has been ten years. Some days I still look for your cars at the river pub. Wonder what next year will feel like.