Greetings, All!

[Japhy Ryder]

[Peregrino]

Welcome, Japhy!

 

As someone else who works in academia (though I still consider myself a scholar Gypsy), I'd like to hear more about your upcoming publication!

 

Happy trails,

Peregrino

[Japhy Ryder]

Hi, Peregrino. As a "full-time, part-time," totally non-tenure track college teacher, I've done the gypsy thing, too, but feel fortunate to have taught at my current institution exclusively for the last eight years. How about you? Are you in Spain as a post-doctoral fellow?

 

My book's a guide for "underprepared" students on how to succeed in college. I've written about two-thirds of a first draft, so it will be "upcoming" for quite awhile. I sought an agent to represent me because I've done some writing in the past (co-authored a textbook, ghostwrote an exercise book) and want to earn more money from my work now and in the future. The wonderful agent who's representing me signed off on my book proposal before Christmas and has begun fishing for a publisher.

[Peregrino]

Congratulations! It sounds like you're providing a valuable service with that book.

 

I'm also "full-time, part-time" and non-tenure track here. I did an MA in Virginia 10 years ago, and then was in and out of academia for awhile, finally accumulating 6 years at my current institution, the University of Vigo, along with other stray teaching jobs that come my way.

 

I mostly teach courses in English language instruction, but I'm currently busting my butt on some lit courses at another uni in nearby Pontevedra. My early training was in lit, but in the past few years I've really gotten into film studies, which is the field to which I'm dedicating my dissertation (US cinema of the 70s, in particular--the true golden age of American movies, as far as I'm concerned). Sounds like I could use a book like yours for dissertation writers, by the way!

 

So, what field are you teaching in? Something more viable than English, I hope!

 

Best,

Peregrino

[Japhy Ryder]

Peregrino:

 

"A field more viable than English," he types hopefully? Naahhhh! My degrees are in English literature, but I've never taught it. Mostly I've taught composition, which I enjoy, but not as much as I enjoy teaching student success courses. Later today, I'm meeting with my university's associate provost to discuss my responsibilities and priorities as interim caretaker of the "retention" program I teach in.

 

Your dissertation research sounds cool. Which directors are you focussing on?

[Peregrino]

[Japhy Ryder]

Nope, I've never seen The Last Movie, but your mention of Hopper reminded me of Blue Velvet, one of my favorite films. Had it been released during the 70's, it would probably have fit your purposes perfectly. If Hopper's Frank Booth doesn't illustrate Girard's ideas about the relationship between violence and the sacred, then I don't know what does!

 

What's the sound of one po-mo clapping, I wonder? One reason I didn't pursue a Ph.D. in literature is that I never felt comfortable putting critical schemas before the works themselves. Call me a throwback.

[feahth]

where can you listen to alan watts on the radio? Japhy I wish i thought of that name

Edited January 22, 2007 by feahth

[Japhy Ryder]

feahth:

 

A Detroit, Michigan (USA) area rock radio station used to broadcast a different hour-long talk by Watts every Sunday morning, but that was nearly thirty years ago now. According to the list posted here (http://www.alanwatts.net/watts.htm#radio), a bunch of US radio stations broadcast the talks, but I don't know how accurate the list is.

 

There are Watts audio files posted at http://www.alanwatts.com. Another good source of information (including transcripts of some of the talks) is here: http://deoxy.org/watts.htm#radio. Enjoy!