11-13-08 Week Eleven Next Years VWS Vote

I don't feel like writing anything cohesive so WARNING expect the followoing to have no connection except being somehow related to the Writers Communties and Creativity.

So class was kind of cancled today, but we still had to meet and vote on our VWS choice. We went through the short but sweet presentations of the authors we had not covered last class and then wrote the names on the board and voted.

I have started reading a portion of Karen Russells book and so far am very much enjoying it.

For another course I finished reading Troilus and Cressida which I now understnad to be one of Shakespeares few problem plays.

I have a headache.

11-10-08 Week Eleven VWS Part Three

This was the first meeting for the next VWS series. We reviewed a number of promising authors who appeared good candidates for the next VWS. One interesting presentation was made by Rachel on a YA fiction writer. Her choice sparked a discussion on the selection of our visiting writers and how we can and/or should diversify are authors.

I found the suggestion a valuable one. As Prof. Row and students brought up many of the Degree Seeking students in the English department hope to continue on to teaching positions at the high school level. The VWS could expose these students to authors writing to a youth audience, something that future teachers could certainly utilize later in their career.

Our discussion made me start thinking about the limits of the VWS and how our class could stretch those precedents.

11-6-08 Week Ten Field Trip To New York

I went in the afternoon group outing to New York. Here is my breakdown of the trip.

I got on the train after my group at Princeton junction because it is closer to my house and the city, why drive all the way to Hamilton. The entire trip was a bit eclipsed by a serious problem I realized about half way between my car and the platform. My shoes were a size to big. Now I have at least three pairs of well broken in black heels that are quite comfortable but for a reason I still cannot remember I chose to wear my new patten leather pumps. OMG my feet were on F***ing fire before I was even on the train.

When we got into the city we bumbled around until we found the wrong subway which took us very far downtown...past Soho, almost to Brooklyn. We ended up taking a cab to Mtg. Prof. Row. When we eventually met Eileen she complimented my shoes! yea so the pain was not in vain. Her agency was beautiful I kept imagining how I would renovate and turn the space into my dream loft. Wonderful light and windows. She made being an agent sound difficult and work requiring but rewarding. The job sounds like it requires far too much human interaction for my taste. She was very smart in her answers and musing on her profession, and I really appreciated her taking the time from her day to talk to us.

Then we went to FSG and seemed to be walking into some coffee house cool hipster paradise where skinny jeans were the dress requirement. Everyone I observed was in no way older than 21 and found myself wondering how the hell these kids got professional jobs. But then again I don't want to work in publishing so whatever. The FSG discussion was very interesting and I particularly liked his answer to my Kindle question, although he is obviously a little biased. I do think the book will be electronic at some point, never obsolete, I mean some weirdos still listen to records, but the primary medium for book sales. I mean imagine how much money could be saved if universities issued electronic text books on a kindle-like device?

Overall it was a great day in the city that was educational and fun.