Friday, August 21, 2009

Post-Summer Update

Yes, as of next week summer is over. Sure we'll have a few warm weeks ahead, but school is in. And get ready, because I'm moving back to D.C. on Monday!

I'm been working furiously on my class syllabi the last couple of weeks. I'm teaching two sections of a course called "College Composition II" at Northern Virginia Community College and one section of a course called "Techniques of Reading and Writing" at Montgomery College. I won't say which, but I am much more excited about one class than the other. The less exciting class has lots of hoops the school is making the students and instructors jump through, making it difficult to find ways to keep the students from disliking English. But, I'll do my best to be creative.

I'll be living with Carl Cranney and Steve Ward, just a hop, skip and a jump (or a street, a bridge and a parking lot) from Parkside. That's very exciting, mostly because normally when I move into a new apartment it's usually always with strangers (LDS strangers, but still strangers). It usually leads to good friendships, but how comforting it is that I already know my roommates. Oh, and if you're reading this, feel free to drop by my new digs (during reasonable hours).

Lastly, my sister Angela came over last night for an end-of-summer party. We played video games, watched a movie, had dinner, and painted. Here are some pictures and my latest painting:

Angela at work
Angela's half-finished painting
my painting, supplies, and work area
my half-finished painting

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Chimney in the Woods

My parents walk the dogs in the woods behind their house several times a day. One day they ventured farther than usual and stumbled upon a chimney standing alone in a little clearing. The house has rotted away and there are no signs of a yard but for an old well half-filled in and a pile of stones.

We are left not knowing who lived there or what they did for a living. The image of that chimney in the woods, however, is captivating: