Something in the air

I'm teaching a summer school course called Film and Society. It's four hours twice a week for six weeks.

Here are the films we've watched thus far: Zorba the Greek, To Kill A Mockingbird, Seventh Seal, and On the Waterfront. Discussions have been thoughtful and thought-provoking. I like the compressed format, and wonder what it would be like to teach this in a traditional semester. Not sure if I would like the slower pace. I like watching two movies a week. I wish you could have seen their faces after seeing Seventh Seal. They were speechless. Great discussion on To Kill A Mockingbird, especially focusing on Jem's rite of passage and who or what Boo Radley really is. For the sake of the lyrical-narrative, he is a nonspeaking man, who has been supposed by the whole town. Everything about Boo is speculation. The Radley porch is not a threshold of safety, as most porches are. Rather desolate, filled with shadows, the empty swing. Does Boo represent fear of the unknown, or the virtues of Atticus, which, in turn, become Jem's virtue protecting Scout? And, who really kills Bob Ewell? Both in movie and book that question is significant. We've had a great discussion about this and close analysis of particular scenes, which
open up our understanding of the story. I'm so glad I'm teaching this course.


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Yesterday was a terribly sad day for me. I don't know what happened. I felt like I was falling down a well. I did a lot of maintenance work, bills and errands, grocery shopping, and went for a long bike ride, but I always felt like I was standing on an edge. The sun was too bright. Basically, I was a mess.


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Today, I have to find the perfect wedding shower gift. Any ideas?


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Congratulations to Kelli Russell Agodon for receiving a grant. Also, her second collection is under serious consideration, right as I speak, so send some good vibes her way. I think she's going to be hearing some very good news, very soon!