Pocatello Part V: Ch-ch-ch-changes

Here's a rundown on what's going down in my world:

1) I'm back in school---no surprise there; it is, after all, that time of year---with a full load of interesting classes:

COMM g537 Rhetorical Theory. 3 credits. Principal rhetorical theories from the Greeks through the 18th century and contemporary American theorists. Writings of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Quintilian, Campbell, Blair, Whately, and Burke are stressed.

Books: Boxing Plato's Shadow, The History and Theory of Rhetoric

ENGL g555 Studies in a National Literature. 3 credits. Studies in important literatures and cultures not otherwise covered in the curriculum. Will include literatures in translation and literature written in English outside of America and the British Isles. [This semester we'll be reading Gabriel García Márquez.]

Books: The Autumn of the Patriarch, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Collected Stories, News of a Kidnapping, Of Love & Other Demons, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Strange Pilgrims

ENGL 627 Seminar in Major Literary Figure(s). 3 credits. Intensive study of the writings of one or two major authors. Critical and biographical topics and historical significance may be considered. May be repeated once with permission of the department. [This semester's focus: The Senecan Legacy in Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama. Ooo, I know.]

Books: Seneca, Four Tragedies and Octavia; Elizabeth Cary, Tragedy of Mariam; Thomas Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy; Shakespeare, Richard III, Titus Andronicus, Hamlet, Macbeth; John Edward Zimmerman, The Dictionary of Classical Mythology.

2) I'm working as an editorial assistant for Lynn Worsham, editor of jac: rhetoric, writing, culture, politics. She's just moved to ISU from another ISU (Illinois State) and has brought the journal with her. Should be a great experience. Plus, I have my own office now. And it's a corner office with windows---in the basement of the liberal arts building and the windows are only on the top third or so of the wall; but it's an office nonetheless.

3) For the first time in our married life, I'm working more hours than my bride---outside the home, that is, in a job that (nominally) brings in money. And I'm pretty sure she likes that. I think I do, too, though it's only been a few days.

4) Daughter #1 starts first grade Monday. I'm not sure how I feel about that, especially since I'll be gone most of the time she's at school. Mostly, I just can't believe I have a six-year-old. Still shocked at that, really.

5) Jess and I have been called as Marriage and Family Relations instructors in our ward (in addition to my EQ secretarying). Finally, I'll get to teach again!

6) In light of the demanding and worthy projects I've got on the table for the next year (plus, in some cases)---family, a new school year (my last, I hope, of degree coursework), work on jac, callings, my own writing (including Chasing---though I don't think I'll be posting as frequently), an anthology I'm co-editing (not Reading Until Dawn), blogging at AMV (I plan to do a post a month at this point), and doing dissertation research and various degree-related things (including getting ready for my presentation at RMMLA this October)---I'm officially putting Reading Until Dawn on the backburner, though I'll likely post my RMMLA paper there when I get it to an acceptable state.

I know, I know, you say, I haven't been plugging RUD for some time now, so what's going to change? Well, not much, I guess. I'll still be accepting submissions (*hm-hmm* MoJo), so don't let that hold anyone back. Having made my lack of activity "official," however, I'll feel less guilty about what I'm not doing to gather essays.

And there, as they say, you have it.