Salamander
Fire Walking

I find the picture in my mind of mass paranoia in the US interesting.
Are you really that isolated from the rest of the world?
We just get on with things.
_|m/ ADM

Excuse me for saying so, but your teacher's full of crap. ;)

I love the dead time that paper shredding allows. It is the sort of time I also get while doing the dishes. It's a time to let the mind wander and/or wonder. Some of my best ideas come to me at such times (not that anyone gets to read my fiction as I am still too shy to share it).

Must, shouldn'ts, must always, nevers. I have said it before and I'll say it again. We all write in different ways and there is no pat formula. I think your teacher should remember this and foster that creativity. Stepford Authors aren't any fun to read.

Take Care,
Bobbi

P.S. I can't remember if I told you how much I liked the cat story. If I didn't, my apologies.

The Oracle of Pupik says He wants to be omniscient or He's not going to play.

Wow. That's some teacher you got there.

Your teacher sounds so ANNOYING. Please do everything you want in the exact opposite way she says because I would so like to read about her pompous face going red out of jealousity when you hand in your fantastic assignments.
She's like one of those kids who would lean over my colouring book at kindergarten and colour parts of MY picture with their clumsy colouring.

- And thanks for your words, as always Salamander.

You're fighting the teacher. She's teaching a course and you want to fly solo. You may have learned more doing her thing before you did your own.

What are you trying to get out of the course?

Your writing class reminds me of the semesters of music theory I took. In theory, you learn the rules, like this chord naturally progresses to this one. If one wrote like the theory courses teach the music would be quite boring. On the other hand, it's good to know the rules so as to know when to break them.

Playing devil's advocate as usual, I have to say your writing course interests me. I'm a bit curious about what works in writing, and I wouldn't be averse to a bit of regimentation to get the techniques down. I wouldn't mind taking something like that, except that I worry I'd be totally blocked if I tried to write on demand. There's more than a little "stage fright" there, too. I've started a few things over the years but never got very far on them, and I don't know if I'm capable of wrapping up a plot.

By the way, I like how your diary entry "bounces back and forth" between the paper shredding and your thoughts about your writing course, until it all comes together in the end. If you write your book as effectively as you did this entry it'll be an achievement.

Shay and I were just discussing last night how you consistently have interesting things to say, while almost everyone else has days when there's not much to talk about.

just finished reading A Farewell to Arms...not bad that Hemingway ;-P
too bad the class can't request the she read some of her work...that would be an interesting scene.
~~~
identity theft is a very real thing. i've begun shredding too. especially after my garbage got dumped on private property and was gone through...
shred away!

I don't think I like your teacher. I do know that when I took my two writing classes I learned how painful editing can be. That's about all I know. :)
Your flowers are beautiful!
I love my shredder. I use the shredded paper for starting the fire in my outside fire pit. See, junk mail is good for something.

I really am surprised that she didn't like the parable. How did it compare to others in the class? Or did anyone else share theirs?

Admittedly I'm only seeing the picture you are painting of your instructor, but the impression I've gotten from your writings is that this is the first class she has ever taught and she doesn't know what she is doing. I'm sure that's not the case, but if I had a teacher that fits the description of yours, that is the impression I would have.

Boy did I get lucky with the teacher I had for my English class!! In particular I have a problem with her opinion that
"When we point out exceptions to her, she replies that they were from a famous or popular writer, and they could get away with doing it."

They weren't popular or famous when they first wrote the works they became known for, so how does she really expect this argument to hold up?
Alli

Yes, gems!

Ah, you are so patient, Sal!
I hope you do get something more out of the class, than material for "Portrait of a No-Good Teacher". I love your words, you make everything interesting, and I wish like anything that you could have access to a great teacher to mentor you.
'When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.' I strongly feel that you must be very near to meeting up with a proper teacher.
love and wishing you only the best
Thubten

pretty pretty flowers....

/hug/

Funny you should mention scrapple. While I've never had it, my family is from New Castle PA, and my grandma talked about it in much the same tone you mentioned it.
My kids will be the third generation warned of this evil substance, without ever having tasted it.
Alli

My 2 cents: I agree with Alli's comment!

Sounds to me like she is teaching the things we learned in high school... my uni creative writing classes were much more open and inspired creativity. As long as it's well-written and interesting, isn't that all that really matters? Formulas, schormulas!

Wow, look at all those comments!!!

1) I think you're already a very talented writer who knows her voice and has a direction
2) In teaching a class that involves creativity, you have to start somewhere. I run into it all the time when I'm teaching. I know what I'm trying to teach and there are probably a hundred ways to get to that point, but I have to select one in which I can lead most of the class. Inevitably I have someone who has a better way... not meant sarcastically, it probably is better... but it's above the rest of the class' ability.
3) It could be fun to have a character make all the wrong choices. I think it would be liberating. Instead of figuring out the best thing you can experiment with all the things that could happen with the wrong choices. You might be surprised to find some great plot twists you could use later.

At any rate, your observations of her are quite entertaining to read... at least you're writing!!

have fun!

~QE