on that long, long weekend...
Mercy me...
It's been an extremely cold series of days here in middle Georgia. Since Wednesday, the temperature has held steady at a bone-chilling and rainy 30-something, forcing me to break my no-need-for-the-heater vow and run the warm air constantly. After just a few days of this bothersome cold, I've come to the conclusion that, no matter the opportunity, I don't think I'll ever call a Northern state my home. How do those people do it?
My new schedule this semester is pretty choice, if I don't say so myself. Unlike the fall, during which I spent 4 consecutive days toiling away at the writing center, and 3 days in the classroom, my spring routine involves 2 once-a-week courses and a mere 3 days spent tutoring undergrads. Organizing my schedule to have Thursday and Friday off has proven to be a wise decision, as it allows a solid 4 day weekend during which I'm afforded ample time for my thesis writing. Thanks to MLK day, this weekend in particular has been one long powerhouse writing session in which I've managed to get a lot of work done. Thus far, "A Single Perfect Soul" is sitting pretty at 15 pages and, once I've completed the remaining 5 scenes, should be anywhere from 20-25 pages in length. Considering that my longest submission last fall was a mere 12 pages (and, I should mention, one of the stories from my application manuscript), I'm pretty happy with my productivity. I can't quite hammer down any reason for it, but I've found myself newly excited about writing this time around. My last workshop was a nonstop, soul-crushing labor of self-doubt, so, needless to say, my current situation is a favorable one.
I've decided that the job I'd most enjoy--more than teaching or editing--would be doing some form of work for National Public Radio. Thanks to iTunes, I've been presented with the luxury of hearing more of their programming than usual, and I'm absolutely captivated by everything they produce. For as long as I can remember, people (both friends and strangers) have always told me that I've been blessed with a "radio voice." Perhaps they're right. Anyway, on-air or off, I'd be hard-pressed to come up with a more satisfying form of employment. This might not be very possible--obviously, I have no experience in broadcasting--but a dream's a dream, and if nothing else, it's certainly nice to imagine. Incidentally, my hands-down, favorite show of all is "This American Life," hosted by the always-enjoyable Ira Glass.
Shifting gears, Milledgeville, while a reasonably nice place to live, certainly possesses the recipe for boredom. This weekend, albeit a fruitful one in the creative sense, has been pretty lonesome. Other than beers with a few folks on Friday evening and a Georgia College basketball game with John and Carrie, I haven't seen a soul. Jesus, grad school is a far cry from my time at LSU. I miss the constant companionship and the never-ending opportunity for social entertainment.
Anyway, New York in 9 days, Baton Rouge in a few months, Chicago and San Antonio with Mom in May. Aside from that, I suppose I'll just keep plugging away.
No mo'...
It's been an extremely cold series of days here in middle Georgia. Since Wednesday, the temperature has held steady at a bone-chilling and rainy 30-something, forcing me to break my no-need-for-the-heater vow and run the warm air constantly. After just a few days of this bothersome cold, I've come to the conclusion that, no matter the opportunity, I don't think I'll ever call a Northern state my home. How do those people do it?
My new schedule this semester is pretty choice, if I don't say so myself. Unlike the fall, during which I spent 4 consecutive days toiling away at the writing center, and 3 days in the classroom, my spring routine involves 2 once-a-week courses and a mere 3 days spent tutoring undergrads. Organizing my schedule to have Thursday and Friday off has proven to be a wise decision, as it allows a solid 4 day weekend during which I'm afforded ample time for my thesis writing. Thanks to MLK day, this weekend in particular has been one long powerhouse writing session in which I've managed to get a lot of work done. Thus far, "A Single Perfect Soul" is sitting pretty at 15 pages and, once I've completed the remaining 5 scenes, should be anywhere from 20-25 pages in length. Considering that my longest submission last fall was a mere 12 pages (and, I should mention, one of the stories from my application manuscript), I'm pretty happy with my productivity. I can't quite hammer down any reason for it, but I've found myself newly excited about writing this time around. My last workshop was a nonstop, soul-crushing labor of self-doubt, so, needless to say, my current situation is a favorable one.
I've decided that the job I'd most enjoy--more than teaching or editing--would be doing some form of work for National Public Radio. Thanks to iTunes, I've been presented with the luxury of hearing more of their programming than usual, and I'm absolutely captivated by everything they produce. For as long as I can remember, people (both friends and strangers) have always told me that I've been blessed with a "radio voice." Perhaps they're right. Anyway, on-air or off, I'd be hard-pressed to come up with a more satisfying form of employment. This might not be very possible--obviously, I have no experience in broadcasting--but a dream's a dream, and if nothing else, it's certainly nice to imagine. Incidentally, my hands-down, favorite show of all is "This American Life," hosted by the always-enjoyable Ira Glass.
Shifting gears, Milledgeville, while a reasonably nice place to live, certainly possesses the recipe for boredom. This weekend, albeit a fruitful one in the creative sense, has been pretty lonesome. Other than beers with a few folks on Friday evening and a Georgia College basketball game with John and Carrie, I haven't seen a soul. Jesus, grad school is a far cry from my time at LSU. I miss the constant companionship and the never-ending opportunity for social entertainment.
Anyway, New York in 9 days, Baton Rouge in a few months, Chicago and San Antonio with Mom in May. Aside from that, I suppose I'll just keep plugging away.
No mo'...