Post-Break notes

Spring Break is over - I expect to see students several skin shades darker. Cancun, Miami. Where else does one go during the break?

For my part, I read 700 pages of prose (as in required reading, grading, and critiquing), watched zero movies, got my car washed, attended a workshop to apply for a 12-month work-visa, panicked a lot about the writing I haven't done, met up with friends, marked the beginning and end of the break with chocolate fondue, did research at the university's historical documents library, despaired and rejoiced that the semester will end in six and a half weeks' time.

Seven Tuesdays left before I turn in my thesis. I have nine short stories, about 150 pages, and I am burned out at this point. Job applications, grading, doing lesson plans, churning out more pages for my travel writing class - I'm close to the end. Really close, but I'm not sure how I'll survive the next few weeks.

Apart from writing and teaching duties, there are other literary events going on. Ian Jack, the editor of Granta, is coming for a visit next week. My friend Elizabeth is holding a panel on writing with two other writers who've recently sold their novels. Two more Mark Webster readings.

And another wedding on the horizon - my friend, Peiming, the lovely pianist, is officially engaged. She provided the piano accompaniment at my wedding a year and a half ago. I wonder who'll be playing at her wedding. Certainly not me.

On the bookfront - literary novels about 9/11 are appearing on bookshelves. I've put in an order for Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It's been only three and a half years since 9/11, yet several writers feel that sufficient time has passed. Has it really?

Posted by Monoceros at March 7, 2005 8:53 AM