e-mail me at billdeg@umich.edu

7/15/2009

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Today I biked to the coffeeshop and spent most of the day writing. Pretty normal. But it occurred to me riding home how much will change this year at work. Directing our service learning program means that mentoring is likely to be a big part of week-to-week life. Helping the new class of faculty fellows make plans. Working with our Vista Volunteer and my student fellow (both former students of mine). I hope to hone my listening skills, the best way I can think of to be of service.

Finished today the book review that I kept putting off during the Great Migraine of 09 and emailed it off. Tomorrow, back to the Fulbright Grant, which is almost complete (two more days of work perhaps). Then, back to the two articles that were supposed to be the big summer writing projects. Not too late, I keep saying, but August is going to mean loads of time on campus to plan for the service learning work this Fall. Not to mention planning for class. I have one section of first-year comp (service learning section) and my honors class on working-class cultures and rhetorics--the latter significantly changed since last time I taught it.

On the non-work front, Nicole and I are seeing the new Harry Potter film tonight. This weekend once again there is free live music in downtown Detroit, including Yo La Tengo (maybe the best live act around). Next week Lew comes to Michigan for a visit that's going to include hiking and taking in a Tigers game. Following week, down to Columbus to see the Dead Weather with my nephew. August means to weekend trips too: one to the Stratford Festival in Ontario and one down to Paint Valley Jamboree in southern Ohio. Not many movies I'm excited to see after tonight. Maybe Bruno. Definitely The Fan.

2 comments:

Tony said...

I'm liking the concert scene updates, particularly The Dead Weather's entry. The album is fantastic, get it asap; I'm trying to memorize so I can scream right alongside the band.

Excellent news on the Fulbright, and hope you and AN enjoyed Harry Potter. Honestly, I thought it was only okay, a little scatterbrained at points....

-TD

bdegenaro said...

We both liked the film. 'Half-Blood Prince' was my favorite of the books and I appreciated how the movie version amped up the whole "shit's about to go down" vibe. The kid who plays Draco gave a great performance, btw.

Listened to DW while biking to work (coffeeshop) and cooking dinner today...good stuff. Reminds me of the Kills but bluesier. Actually, seems to have more blues than any of the White Stripes records, for that matter.