School days...

[urbpan]

I just selected (not "registered" since registration doesn't begin until monday) a class to take this fall:
Writing about Nature and the Environment
An advanced writing workshop for students with an interest in writing about the environment, the course is also appropriate for students in the field of environmental management who wish to strengthen their writing skills. Some of America's most interesting writing has addressed the issue of our place in nature, from Emerson and Thoreau to Rachel Carson, Edward Abbey, and John McPhee. This course examines a range of writing about nature and the environment, all the time giving class members a chance to write about the subject themselves.

For some reason I'm terrifically nervous about it! When Alexis and I were talking about it yesterday, I said "There must be prereqs--I haven't studied ecology--I'm not qualified--" etc.etc. It's not as if I haven't ever written about nature before. But now I'm holding it up to scrutiny--real scrutiny...school scrutiny...*gasp*...HARVARD scrutiny. I have a stomach ache just thinking about it.

I won't sabotage myself! I may not be able to register on Monday (the website says high traffic may prevent it, and to try on Tuesday), but dammit, I will register. I've already payed the outragious registration fee, so if I don't get in, I have to register for something there.

Introduction to Nutrition at UMASS was so easy to take. This one, I'm nervous just thinking about it.

Comments

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

YAY! You're awesome!

[vyoma.livejournal.com]

Sounds like an interesting class. I don't get to pick anything like an elective until my last semester. My balance of time is pretty much determined.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

It's actually my last class to fulfill my requirements for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. I dropped out of Art School in 1992 with 12 credits to go. I'd love to go back fulltime to get a science degree, but I don't know how I could financially swing it.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

Nastiest. Icon. Ever.

[momomom.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds wonderful! If you do manage to register for the class (not doubting your efforts, just not sure if the class is hard to get into) I hope you will post as much as possible here. It sounds fascinating. I love to read good naturalists and good garden writers. I'm currently reading Notes from Madoo: Making a Garden in the Hamptons by Robert Dash (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0618016929/002-1216805-2655243?v=glance) (when I'm not reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince). The Madoo book is fascinating because the author is an artist, NOT an ecologist and really doesnn't give a 2 hoots about if a planting is native or not, simply how it looks. It's a different perspective than I've become used to. Still, it will be interesting to see how much he does use more native plantings as they often survive better, certainly with less effort.

I hope to read your work someday!

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

You read my work already! Granted, most of the stuff here is in the early draft stages--and I don't write the kind of John McPhee/Thoreau nature appreciation stuff too much. My best piece like that is here: http://www.livejournal.com/users/urbpan/10090.html

Some of the stuff I wrote for the early issues of my print zine is pretty good, I think, and god help me, I'll be putting out another issue in late September.

Books, books, books

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

Well, now that you mention McPhee and Thoreau, what did you end up reading on your south seas adventure?

Re: Books, books, books

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

what did you end up reading on your south seas adventure?

On dad's recommendation, I brought the most recent New Yorker to read "My Bird Problem," by Jonathan Franzen. I can't believe the word counts they give to these people! Nice work if you can get it, I guess. I liked his frank ambivalence about environmentalism, and his honest passion for birding, but why is it that every baby-boomer (in song, novel, New Yorker article, confessional interview etc.) has to gloat about going to bed with a girl in her 20's? It's not cool, it's gross.

David Sedaris Dress your Family in Corduroy and Denim, which I had apparently bought two years ago for the Costa Rica trip, read one chapter of, and somehow dad ended up with my copy, which he brought on this trip. I had my own new paperback and let dad keep the other. Oh, and it was funny, as always. I didn't laugh out loud as much as I have with some of his other books, but I appreciated a whole chapter on his sister Tiffany, who I worked with at the bakery in Arlington.

1984. I did laugh out loud in the early chapters of this. Was it meant to be funny, or is it only funny now that political lying is practically an olympic event? Or is that just my sense of humor?

No Touch Monkey! And Other Travel Lessons Learned too Late by Ayun Halliday. I saw this in the bookstore and was sold by the title. The author is a zinester ("East Village Inky") and the stories are about travelling to very exotic locations on the cheap--lots of diarrhea and marijuana.

The Best of AstoundingTales.com -- Volume 1 I ordered this anthology because my friend Greg Adams had a story in it. His is one of two stories in the collection that refers to the gorilla suit-with-a-space-helmet monster. Greg's is better. Like most anthologies (I hated when reviewers said this about Don't Shoot!) it has its high points and low points. Every story is either an homage to classic sci-fi/fantasy or a blatant ripoff. Authors' bios overuse the phrase "speculative fiction."

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. While I enjoyed the story, it highlighted what I dislike most about fiction. It's untrue. It's a long form deceit, leading you to think one thing and then suddenly telling you another. It also promises to make you believe in God. It doesn't.

I left my library copy of Collapse home (it's huge and heavey) but dad brought his, and gave it to our guide before we left. I bought The Beak of the Finch but decided to leave it for later, and one of my volunteers lent me Kite Runner but I didn't bring it, and I don't think I'm going to read it.

Barb got me an interesting-looking sci-fi novel called Air which I'll read later, and the copy of Mirth of a Nation you sent is in our bathroom.

Re: Books, books, books

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's just where I read "Mirth." I recommend skipping ahead to Sedaris' "Front Row Center with Thadeus Bristol" if you've somehow missed this piece the many times he's read it on NPR. It looks like you ended up with quite the list of quality books. I would like to hear your report on McPhee and Thoreau when you get to them.

Re: Books, books, books

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

This morning I read the little part where there's lists of things with checkmarks next to them - midwestern towns or injuries that kevin costner suffered ('wounded knee' had check marks in both colums).

That book is great for people who suffer from ADD.

Re: Books, books, books

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

In fact it was Kevin Johnson and not Kevin Costner. Who the hell is Kevin Johnson?!

NBA player -- also -- NFL player (different guys, I assume)

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

kevin johnson is jumping at his chance
kevin johnson is the director of marketing for the dc lottery and
kevin johnson is the only brown to have started all 48 of the club's games since the team returned to the nfl in 1999
kevin johnson is a great # 2 receiver in fantasy football
kevin johnson is wise beyond his years
kevin johnson is a businessman
kevin johnson is presumed dead when his car is pulled out of the harbor
kevin johnson is a real great reciever
kevin johnson is a hyprocrite and is full of double standards
kevin johnson is back
kevin johnson is proud to announce the newest arrival to his family
kevin johnson is helping the area restore itself
kevin johnson is a counselor
kevin johnson is director of product marketing at mitel
kevin johnson is healthy
kevin johnson is a photographer at kvec in norfolk
kevin johnson is very great basketball player of the national basketball
kevin johnson is living a dream at an early age
kevin johnson is wheeled into surgery for a tracheostomy
kevin johnson is entering the final season of his current contract
kevin johnson is the son of ira johnson
kevin johnson is a nationally respected singer and songwriter
kevin johnson is an interminable mockumentary featuring
kevin johnson is the former president of the firm
kevin johnson is a senior network services engineer
kevin johnson is a general assignment tv news photographer at wvec
kevin johnson is the bestselling author of more than twenty books for youth
kevin johnson is the bestselling author of eighteen books for youth
kevin johnson is unhappy in cleveland
kevin johnson is vice president of us sales and services
kevin johnson is the browns' top playmaker
kevin johnson is the new legislative director for istook
kevin johnson is a receiver who is just reaching his prime
kevin johnson is not one of them
kevin johnson is one of australia's enduring singer/songwriters
kevin johnson is 6'7" and weighs 215 lbs
kevin johnson is a lucky man
kevin johnson is the treasurer of prouser inc
kevin johnson is fully licensed to sell property & insurance in the state
kevin johnson is one of the bright young receivers in the nfl
kevin johnson is leading the hawkeyes
kevin johnson is their return man on the punt return
kevin johnson is bethany house?s senior editor
kevin johnson is one of those divisional foes
kevin johnson is set to moderate a panel that examines racial profiling
kevin johnson is leading osu in assists for the third consecutive year
kevin johnson is the bestselling author of "can i be a christian without being weird?"
kevin johnson is a basketball icon
kevin johnson is okay
kevin johnson is too streaky to be a fantasy stud
kevin johnson is now the editor of zog
kevin johnson is this month's superstar
kevin johnson is staying with the browns
kevin johnson is another source of pride for davis
kevin johnson is being mentioned as a trade candidate
kevin johnson is the only player to start all 33 games
kevin johnson is his obvious go to guy
kevin johnson is also an option; he had a great rookie season in 1999
kevin johnson is not going to be an eagle
kevin johnson is the main manager of the lrc
kevin johnson is shown looking down the corridor of the capitol building
kevin johnson is a big time playmaker
kevin johnson is kicked off the team for academic reasons

Re: Books, books, books

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

While I enjoyed the story, it highlighted what I dislike most about fiction. It's untrue. It's a long form deceit, leading you to think one thing and then suddenly telling you another. It also promises to make you believe in God. It doesn't.

Omg, dude. LIGHTEN UP.

I really enjoyed the part of the story where he was talking to/about Richard Parker and beckoning him onto the life boat and then suddenly realizing 'holy shit! there's a tiger on the lifeboat now!'

I got to the part of the theology blathering where he talks about atheists vs. agnostics and how doubt it basically stupid and how people should be able to move forward from that. Imo, it's a sign of strength to admit that you don't/can't/won't know and be okay with that. Why grasp at straws to make yourself more comfortable?

Re: Books, books, books

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

LIGHTEN UP.

Finish the book. Then we'll talk.

As far as the Atheists vs agnostics thing goes, I agree with you. In fact, that was kind of the point that Bill Maher was making (that I was trying to tell you about the other day). I don't think that the author actually agrees with his character on that point--I think he was just developing the character for us.

Why would it be better to pretend to be totally sure of something that you can't possibly be sure of?, is my take on it.

Re: Books, books, books

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm, when to read, when to read. Time is at a premium.

Re: Books, books, books

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

doubt IS basically stupid

yeah, I can type.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

And the moral of the story is ... do more drugs.

[mozzer131.livejournal.com]

What an awesome class. I'm seriously jealous.

[wakarusa.livejournal.com]

sweetie - don't be nervous. ne fret yourself pas. I bet it's an ecocrit-esque class, I can talk you through any and all of it. My dissertation was on RC, a buddy works on Abbey, another guy on emerson, thoreau - and I had to get my own stuff past a harvard gatekeeper or two.

plus, you'll enjoy it. and you write very well, idiot! you must know this!

hope you get in -

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I just gave them my credit card number, so I guess I'm in. I'll definitely be checking in with you and the other Ljers when I'm unsure of myself. I appreciate the encouragement.

[barbmg.livejournal.com]

Just found this thread and have to second the " and you write very well, idiot!".

Seriously, dude, you will kick ass.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

and you write very well, idiot!

LOL! Thank you for saying that!!