6 December, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Hey, just to update you on my previous post, yesterday went swimmingly!  I taught two creative writing classes and I really loved it.  It was wonderful being able to teach in my own field — I had fun planning the lessons (they seemed to really like the Raymond Carver stories) and teaching the classes themselves was a joy, because the students were actually interested in what I had to say.  I’ve been teaching at the language school lately, where the students aren’t motivated and don’t care at all.  At the language school, I was just there to get a paycheck because the students weren’t interested in learning.  It’s such a different experience to actually teach students who want to learn and to feel, at the end of the day, that I may have expanded their thinking a bit or at least exposed them to a writer they’d never heard of before.

Though the language school offered me a raise the other day, on Thursday I ended up quitting my job there.  My university has offered me teaching for next term.  I don’t know all the details yet, but I’m really excited about this opportunity.  My boss at the language school ended up being really understanding and congratulated me.  I know my days of teaching crappy classes at crappy schools aren’t behind me, but at least for next term I get to be a university lecturer!

1. Comments RSS

1. william Says:

   December 6th, 2008 at 3:48 pm

   I am very proud of you!!!

2. s. Says:

   December 6th, 2008 at 4:02 pm

   Thanks for sharing this wonderful news!

3. Ken Says:

   December 6th, 2008 at 5:56 pm

   Anglofille:

   It’s nice, isn’t it, to work for and want somethingfor years, then unexpoectedly get the chance and find out you are good it. (There is awlays, until you feel comfortable in the role the feeling you conned your way in.

   I remember, when I got my masters in the middle of the great Reagan recession of 1982 I started looking for jobs. Man, that winter of 82-83 was long, long, long.
   I lived in the city across the river frfom the capaital city, and would walk almost every day to a little overlook that offered a stunning view of the downtown and waterfront.

   I used to sit on the bench and wonder what the future held for me. Jeez, it was discouraging. I went for long walks taking the Henderson Bridge into the neighborhood where I live now. But I would keep on going west to Thayer Street, the point where the Big Ivy League School and the world Famous Art School that dominaes the western slope of the hill meet.

   I am embarrassed to say my mom’s boyfriend kept money in my pocket. I am proud to say that I paid him back in full the early 90s. He collapsed and died in the Fort Myers, Florida Wal-Mart on the Saturday morning after Bill Clinton was elected president.

   Anyway, by way of getting to the point. I finally got a reral paying job in the spring of 1983. It was with the man who looked like the odds on favorite to be our next governor. Well, that didn’t work out according to plan, but I found out in the course of that campaign the incredible advantage I had, with my one course in statistics both in talking to our people and our consultants. Because I could readily suss out that these were simple (and at times incredibly simple-minded) conmen. Remember that folks when you are watching all these self proclaimed experts on CNN , MSNBC and Fox.

   Teaching and the legal profession appear to have a lot in common. You spend years in elaborate, expensive training an then at the critical moment, they strip you near naked and throw you into the pool. Sink or Swim boys and girls! Most of us survive, but so do, unfortunately, drown.

   I remember one kid, who annoyed me by throwing on headphones the minute we left to walk to the parking garage (Do I bore you? Are you so clueless that you don’t know about the two famous horrific murders that happened near hear a few years ago?) He became a lawyer for the wrong reasons; he was hired for our office for the wrong reasons (he had been to Cuba and listened to a speech by Fidel, which our head guy, who deluded himself that he some kind of revolutionary, loved. I mean really–they don’t let you in the door unless you are willing to take an oath to declare loyalty to constitution and laws of the nation and our state.

   And he left for the wrong reasons. I distinguish between a 25 year old man who cries his eyes out to his mother and those who cries their eyes out to their woman. I can understand the former on a battlefield where Mom is not really there—don’t get when the woman is really there.

   Anyway Anglofille, I hopes this ends up being the beginning of your big break, careerwise. Maybe we will be seeing you on Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow’s show in a few years. If you ever make it to forums like that just remember–the operative word is show.

4. Cav Says:

   December 6th, 2008 at 10:37 pm

   That’s wonderful news. Way to go…

5. Gregory Says:

   December 7th, 2008 at 12:33 am

   Ken, is that Henderson Bridge like in Rhode Island?

   Rachel Maddow’s show? Get out of here, that is so safe, get in front of a happening demographic

   I will meet you half-way, make it Laura Ingraham,

   http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df10102005b.jpg

   Art in ruins, Pawtucket, next time you’re feeling under-employed, meet me in Pawtucket,

   I’ll find you a client, who isn’t in a carpet beneath the Division Street Bridge,

6. Ken Says:

   December 7th, 2008 at 2:23 am

   Pardon the misspellings. I could never proofread my own stuff unless I let it sit for days. My wife helps me out for my legal filings, but I don’t ask her to get involved in this stuff–in part because I don’t think she would like it.

7. Ken Says:

   December 7th, 2008 at 11:53 am

   Gregory:

   I’m very impressed: You met me with the Henderson Bridge (one side in the southern fringes of Rumford, RI if you take an expansive view of it and the other feeding into Wayland Square, on the East Side) then you raise me with the Division Street Bridge in good old Pawtucket. Always an experience to drive under.

   So I’ll meet you and raise you. I spent some of the best years of my very young years off a main road, on a side street, that dead-ends into Slater Park. Where am I? Or rather where was I? Bonus points if you can name the place where couples liked to take their wedding photos and place nearby where kids liked to go sledding.

   I can’t see our friend here on Laura Ingraham’s very crappy, stupid radio program. Stupid radio for stupid people. But as a former pol it was my job to be ahead of the happening demographic, so I take that as a compliment.

   It snowed here overnight. Jeez, I hate this weather.

8. Ken Says:

   December 7th, 2008 at 12:04 pm

   Gregory:

   Just clicked on your link and saw the photo of the gorgeous ruins of the Pawtucket railroad station. Right there on Broad Street near where, to slip into Rowdylan speak, where the Leroy movie house used to be. (Now a drug store) I saw Help and A Hard Day’s Night there, as well as all those beach movies with Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello.

   I don’t care to meet you for a drink in Pawtucket, because I don’t know any good places to get a drink in Pawtucket.

   Sonny Von Bulow died yesterday. These were sensational murders back in the day. As far as I know, the only murder trial feature film set in RI. I always thought Alan Dershowitz, operating out that non-heaven on earth called the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, had some nerve dissing our courts. Leave that to us RI lawyers please, counselor. We know what we are talking about.

9. Daniela Says:

   December 8th, 2008 at 1:13 pm

   congratulations! nice end of the year gift, enjoy the winds of change!
   all best x