Before What Happens, Does

Zanni is so sweet to link to me. But she's a welcoming person, that Zanni . And I KNOW she is returning to Portland once Southern California is done with her. Zanni is a complicated person and a great poet.

Also think it's cute that she seems to think students actually READ the syllabus. Do they? I go over mine the first day but I don't know if it ever really sinks in. I think writing it helps me get a handle on the class. And in some circles I suppose it's almost a legal document.

I saw a syllabus on the web for a writing class - somewhere - and it said "I don't accept late papers. period." I would like to write this teacher and ask her, REALLY? I'd like to see how that plays out in her classroom ...

Shout out to Carly - if it's Thursday, this must be preschool!

Kept waking up last night. Finally decided to just get up at 5:00. There is no better time than early morning. Am reading Speciman Days by Michael Cunningham. I started it this summer and was slightly disappointed in it but it's getting better. And the Whitman references are cool. Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.

My son's open house last night - favorite part was reading this sentence in my son's essay: I am fond of chess. I find it charming he would write "fond" rather than "I like to play chess".

Was reading Tessa Rumsey' s book The Return Message last night. She does this thing where she end-stops an enjambed line. Like this:

Oh, how like a clock the lover lost its pale face and colored.
Numbers the longer you looked at it, until each phantom.
Tick of its innermost mechanism heralded possession.
And the mercurial sensation that something was slipping.
Away from you, until what once was your seduction device.

etc... It seems kind of gimmick-y in a way, but I like it. I don't think I've ever seen it done like that before.

My students have a quiz today. I must go write it.