My Semester this Spring

Started classes at Madison this week.  Also started work.  My weeks so far include leaving the house at 8am and coming home past 8pm.  Which makes for long days, but there's quite a bit of downtime in there.  Of course, with the semester just starting out, I'm using the downtime to do other things, like run errands and compare book prices and such.  For those interested, here's what my academic schedule includes:

Introduction to Production

Communication Arts 355

- Two lectures and two labs per week

- Light Journal (1 min, 16mm, black and white)

- Found Storyboard (approx 12 frames, photographed or drawn)

- Observational Documentary (5 min, digital, color)

American Literature

English 217

- two power lectures and a discussion per week

- 2 written responses (1-2 pages each)

- 2 papers

- midterm and final

American Film After 1970

Communication Arts 552

- two papers

- midterm and final

Intermediate Fiction Workshop

English 301

- 2 short stories (10 page and 15 page minimum)

- critique letters to peers

- reading responses

I'm most looking forward to the Production class and the Fiction Workshop class, mostly because they're hands on crafts and I like doing stuff instead of just learning about stuff.  But American Literature should keep be busy on the reading front and American Film should keep me occupied in terms of films.  We're going to be watching some awesome movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Blade Runner and even The Hurt Locker.  That one I'm excited about.

And of course, my extra curriculars!

Working Title

Student Creative Writing Workshop

- weekly critiques

- weekly Inspiration Trips

WUD Publications Committee

Student Union committee involvement

I've been in Working Title for a while, and I intend to get more involved in PubCom (what we call it).  Working Title is a sub-section of PubCom.  A little more than a year ago, I was informed about a FlashFiction website PubCom was hosting.  I did submit something to this site, but I never really got a response from them.  So my plan is to revive this site and give students on campus more opportunities to get their work published.  I also wouldn't mind backing raising awareness about Illuminations and Souvenirs.  I may have some qualms against Illuminations, but they're still a good opportunity for students.  

It may not be a professional publisher, but at least it's getting student work out there.  And it's also something to put on a resume that you were published somewhere that gets views.  Of course, that will involve an entire campus-wide marketing campaign and asking professors and TAs to promote the site.  But I can talk to some people in the English department, I'm sure they'll be on my side.

And, of course, I have a job.  It fits somewhere between all of this.  Actually, it's the reason I'm getting home so late in the evening.  At least in the middle of the week.  I don't work Fridays to Mondays, so that's four days off for other things, like homework and writing.  I'm trying to see the positive of that but these past two days have been long and hard.  I wanted to make homemade stir fry last night, but that's going to have to wait until tomorrow.  I can wait.  I'll make myself.

Semester Goals:

- Write more short stories to create a repertoire to submit to various online magazines and publishing companies.

- Direct a lot of time to academic studies