Well, while I still lack a "real" full time position for the fall, I did manage to pick up two 5 week composition courses at the local CC, which is very nice. I have two days to prepare syllabi for two different comp classes (one is the intro and the other is the second level writing class) that will meet for two hours Mon through Thurs for five straight weeks.
I actually prefer teaching this kind of class. It is condensed and students do not have as much time to let things slip out of their heads. The problem comes when the students do not expect this sort of vigorous course. Since I have to meet the standards of local 4-year college comp classes, there are a certain number of pages and papers that the students must complete. This means that the drafts must come right up against one another.
This can be really tough with a class of only a dozen or so students and a press for time. I try to warn everyone that this is hard and make myself available, but it never fails that I have a few students who do not realize until too late that they will not be able to make it.
On a separate note, I am saddened by the fact that "Veronica Mars" was cancelled after this season. I'm told that one of my more effective chapters in my dissertation was the one on this show. I had hoped that there would be at least another season or two, which would bring more opportunities to write about it.
I suspect that the audience just couldn't find an audience. It was not really aimed at the target young woman/girl audience that I guess the CW was gunning for, and it's not really the kind of show that the uber-male 18-34 crowd would get into. It was a show that fell between definitions in terms of audience and storytelling. This resulted in a sort of unevenness that probably led to its downfall.
Let's see...not much else going on here. So, I guess I'll get back to my revisions.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
La...La...La...
Well, folks. "Lots and none at all indeed" aptly describes current events.
On the positive side, I successfully defended my dissertation on May 3rd. I am now technically a Doctor of American Culture Studies. So, if there are any symptoms that your American Culture is experiencing, I might be able to help diagnose them.
More positive is that Jenna and I found out that our landlord was over charging us by about $200 per month compared to other properties. So, we talked her into lowering our rent for the forseeable future. Woohoo!
On the more negative side, my committee had lots of "suggestions" for revising my manuscript of my diss. That's what I get for taking on the history of narratives and one of the most beloved genres in the history of film. Oh, and I am also throwing in a redefinition of the idea of ethics in there for good measure. Blech. So, I have been redrafting large sections of my diss to answer some of their questions and concerns.
On the wholly negative side, I was not able to land a full-time teaching gig for the coming year. It looks like I will be working as an Adjunct Professor at our local Community College, which isn't so bad, but they can get away paying us very, very little. Thankfully the people there are very nice, and I like the students for the most part.
Also, after much fretting and the serious consideration of selling my nearly paid off car, it looks like I might have enough income this summer that this is not necessary. Yay!
The best part is that my wonderful wife has been super supportive and excellent about everything, at least as excellent as I was myself.
I wish that I had the energy to bash all of those short-sighted schools that did not hire me and the stupidity of the strict disciplinary boundaries that kept me out of a number of positions that I was perfectly qualified for, but I don't have the heart. I've been blessed, even if not in the ways I might prefer.
Now, I just have to finish the manuscript, send it to some publishing friends, turn some chapters into articles, and rock the next year of job searching. It is sad that I probably will not be able to see most of my friends at all of the conferences that I like/need to attend, but it is not in the cards.
I really hope to be posting more often now for the handful of you who read this. I had the hardest time when Blogger switched over to this google thing. I had to change my name and password multiple times. I think I have it now.
I have so many things that I want to write about, but I have to get the important things done for the moment.
On the positive side, I successfully defended my dissertation on May 3rd. I am now technically a Doctor of American Culture Studies. So, if there are any symptoms that your American Culture is experiencing, I might be able to help diagnose them.
More positive is that Jenna and I found out that our landlord was over charging us by about $200 per month compared to other properties. So, we talked her into lowering our rent for the forseeable future. Woohoo!
On the more negative side, my committee had lots of "suggestions" for revising my manuscript of my diss. That's what I get for taking on the history of narratives and one of the most beloved genres in the history of film. Oh, and I am also throwing in a redefinition of the idea of ethics in there for good measure. Blech. So, I have been redrafting large sections of my diss to answer some of their questions and concerns.
On the wholly negative side, I was not able to land a full-time teaching gig for the coming year. It looks like I will be working as an Adjunct Professor at our local Community College, which isn't so bad, but they can get away paying us very, very little. Thankfully the people there are very nice, and I like the students for the most part.
Also, after much fretting and the serious consideration of selling my nearly paid off car, it looks like I might have enough income this summer that this is not necessary. Yay!
The best part is that my wonderful wife has been super supportive and excellent about everything, at least as excellent as I was myself.
I wish that I had the energy to bash all of those short-sighted schools that did not hire me and the stupidity of the strict disciplinary boundaries that kept me out of a number of positions that I was perfectly qualified for, but I don't have the heart. I've been blessed, even if not in the ways I might prefer.
Now, I just have to finish the manuscript, send it to some publishing friends, turn some chapters into articles, and rock the next year of job searching. It is sad that I probably will not be able to see most of my friends at all of the conferences that I like/need to attend, but it is not in the cards.
I really hope to be posting more often now for the handful of you who read this. I had the hardest time when Blogger switched over to this google thing. I had to change my name and password multiple times. I think I have it now.
I have so many things that I want to write about, but I have to get the important things done for the moment.
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