Roundup

I’m gonna try to get this blog back on the rails, ignore some of my personal problems–I’m getting tired of rehashing them, stepping over my own tracks– and focus a little more on writing, and the reading thereof. In that spirit, a brief roundup of some of the very best things that have crossed my path recently.

An essay by Tim O’Brien on the “well-imagined story”.

An interview with Marilynne Robinson.

An essay on death and life, and the possibility of a moment of consciousness containing the universe, by John Crowley.

Today was the first day of classes here at UCR. The only class I had was Writer’s Life, which is exactly what it sounds like. I imagine instruction on how to properly smoke a cigarette and remove coffee stains from a shirt are soon to come. In all seriousness, a lot of it seems redundant for me, and I wonder about a course like this being included in a graduate program. We’re covering queries, how to submit work to journals, etc. I feel like that should be something people are already acquainted with. Be a great undergrad course, for sure. But here we are, a class full of folks of varying ages but several of us of the world, and we’re learning what to expect out of writing? I’m skeptical. I’m skeptical of the whole program, to be honest. I’m grateful for the opportunity and I will soak up everything that comes my way, but I’m not expecting too much. I’m not sold on the idea of teaching writing, even now. (And I know I’m late on that argument, see this article in the New Yorker, if you’re a rabid follower of litblogs.)  But the degree and the time spent are both going to be useful.  So.

The good news is that the prof, one of two, seems pretty great.  The missing prof is Reza Aslan, who you’ve probably seen on The Daily Show or Colbert Report.  A little awesome, yeah?  Getting taught by someone who’s met those guys, pinnacles of journalism that they are.  At any rate.  I wonder about how much I should discuss on here.  I doubt I’ll be slandering anyone but regardless my life is potentially in the hands of a UC Regent who stumbles upon this blog in a Google search.  We’re having a bit of a budget problem in California, if you weren’t aware.  Had a walkout today.

I’ve got a homework assignment to hash out and then I can get back to writing the novel, the title of which I think I’ll go ahead and spill in acronym format: AAM.  Just for the sake of quickness.  I wonder a little bit about how quickly I’ve gone through the first quarter or so of it.  26k in a month and a half.  Part of that time absorbed in a…well, let’s not talk about it.  Let’s just say I’ve been distracted a time or two in that month and a half.  So, a pretty good pace.  If it keeps up like that–it won’t– then I’ll be done by winter, probably.  Considering it normally takes me around a year to write a novel, that’s pretty impressive.  Could even start writing another before I leave school.

To finish: haven’t heard about that potential good news yet.  Makes me wonder if maybe the offer was rescinded, sadface.  And lastly, just stumbled on this blog, by one Lauren Leto.  Snide remarks on books, a fan of Murakami and Hemingway?  Can’t beat that.  Welcome to the sidebar.