Tuesday, January 22, 2008

They're Engaged!


Jan. 21, 2008 ... Martin Luther King Day ... Cousin Beth's Birthday ... a Full Wolf Moon ... Hearts wildly open!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Starting 2008

One of my 2008 Pezolutions is to do a little better maintaining this blog, especially since I lately tend to be busy for days at a time and don't keep up the family chatter too well.

So, here I am. **applause**

I thought I'd share my winter altar space, set up to look like a snowy tableau (right).

I'm teaching five days a week this term-- three classes:

1. At PSU, I'm teaching a freshman composition class. I really enjoy it: the students are like blank slates, and one has a good chance to influence them as writers and to help writing become effective and enjoyable for them. Which is cool, if you're a teacher sort. At 20 students, this is my smallest class.

2. At PSU, I also have an upper div composition class-- "writing as critical inquiry." This is a really fun class because the students are juniors, seniors, and grad or postbac students. They're bright and experienced and not afraid to jump into class discussions, and their writing is fun to read. Which is good, as I have 28 in the class and they're each writing 5 essays, each of which will be revised at least twice.

3. At CCC is a lower division class on argument and rhetoric. It's an interesting class that goes beyond simple composition and into the realm of formal structured arguments. We're focusing on the classic Aristolian model, the Toulmin argument, and the Rogerian method. I have 30 students in this class.

So, that's two jobs (i.e., teaching jobs at two colleges). My third job is working in the CCC writing Center for 3+ hours week, as a one-on-one writing tutor. It's fun, and I have a couple of "regulars" that I've been working with since fall term-- it's nice to be able to see them progress.

My fourth job is working for the Grey School, which pays me a modest-- but increasingly important-- monthly stipend.

And the fifth job consists of selling bits of writing here and there. I haven't sold anything for awhile now, but have a manuscript under consideration. Stay tuned!

It's been a wet, cold winter, and it's gone too fast for me, someone who enjoys winter. I expect I'll look up one morning and find that spring has come. Indeed, I have bulbs beginning to erupt around the yard. Kind of scary when you consider it was 25 here this morning.

That's the news for now....

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Hail, 2007: The Year in Review

January Snowfall-- twice!





Publishing my first book....



Invited to attend Celilo anniversary-- 50 years since the flooding of the ancient site. Bittersweet.


Seeing the restoration of the tunnel at Oneonta Falls....



Ernie's last picture. R.I.P., sweet boy.



Defending my M.A. Thesis....


Finishing my Masters degree in nonfiction writing!


Visiting Mom and Joe....


May: Knee surgery.... again. Bleh.


Graduation-- and my M.A degree!





Farmer's Market.... a summer Sunday routine.

Ill-fater, disastrous, aborted trip to New York Summer Writer's Institute. This is me at about 3:00 am, in a hotel in San Francisco. Yeah, I know.

Nacho!


Harry Potter-- the release of book #7!


Prof. Moonwriter, handing out flyers....


The book arrives on Saturday morning!


I was one of 10 reviewers chosen to review the book for the Oregonian!




With Scott, Rebecca, and Moose at Smith Rock.




Early August: Grey School Conclave in Washington, near Mt. St. Helens.



August: Grey School California Conclave: Redwoods National Park



Headmaster Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Prof. Moonwriter!




Moving Mom into Cougar Springs:


Mom and Maria....


August 27: full lunar eclipse.







September trip to Mt. Rainier....




Hunting trip....

Scott turns 29....


A mama squirrel dumped her barely-weaned babies in our yard. So of course we fed them.


Erin turns 26....


Katie visits....

Thanksgiving-- and everyone together!




Hoska.... Erin's rookie year....


Dear friend Valerie....


Baking with Amanda....


Katie turned 31....

Christmas, Everett-style....



Happy holidays!








Katie celebrated at the North Pole....



Snow at Cascade Locks....


And at home....


Belated Christmas and Happy Birthday #78 to Mom in Redmond....




I'm putting the boat photo in twice, because Blogger is doing something weird where it is inserting a blank video block on top of it, which blocks the image. Weird.