Journal Entry #17
May 14, 2008
I'm just back from serving a week as writer in residence at Newfound Regional High School in Bristol, NH. Thirty-five years ago, I was the English Department chairman at Newfound. Hard to believe so much time has passed. I enjoyed the position immensely, by the way, but had to leave because I was supporting two adults (other than my wife), and could not do it on a teacher's salary.
I enjoyed myself. The students were the way I remember their parents: bright and enthusiastic. We talked about the sense of wonder, and what a writer tries to do (not tell a story, but create an experience). We also talked about why people weigh more in the basement than they do on the roof. On the fact that space is made out of rubber. That you age more quickly waiting for the bus that you do actually riding it. We talked about Hamlet and tribalism and tried to put the responsibility of an American citizen into no more than 57 words.
James Patrick Kelly, who has also served as writer-in-residence at Newfound, came over for an evening. Jim writes compelling fiction, and if you've not read him, you have a treat in store.
Several of us went to see "Iron Man" the other evening. It's not "Hamlet," but it is fun.
Science on the newsstands: Astronomy has a cover story on the approaching end of the Milky Way when it collides with Andromeda (which is fortunately still several billion years off). And The Atlantic has a cover story on the dangers presented by asteroids. Is anybody at the White House listening?
I'll be at the Florida Writers Assn get-together in Ponte Vidra, FL, Saturday, May 17. Will be conducting a workshop on common blunders. (Who better to do that?) And I'll also be the keynote speaker at the luncheon. Information can be had at http://www.windrusher.com/Conference.html
A tornado hit our home town of Brunswick, GA, two days ago. Did some damage on the mainland and on St Simons Island. Fortunately, though, no one was hurt.
Finally, I'm reading The Thurber Carnival. My favorite story, one of my favorite stories all-time, is "The Greatest Man in the World."
— Jack
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