6-6:10pm: How are you…? What have you been writing for yourself?
6:10-6:20pm: Narrative final drafts? How do you feel? How do you want the reader to feel?
6:20-6:45: ALL IRBY… What did you think? What about her writing and ideas do you most value as a reader?
6:45-7pm: Your notes on Irby…. What did you find yourself noting most?
7-7:07pm: BREAK
7:07-7:20pm: Journal entries, OPEN MIC
7:20-7:40pm: I have an idea, as to how to end this semester…. It will be a “take-home”, even though we’re all locked in our bloody homes so that’s a moot qualifier….. I’m asking for logical responses and ideas here… what do you want to write about for your final?
7:40-7:50pm: What have you learned about yourself while being “sheltered”-in-place?
7:50-8pm: Closing… thoughts… tonight’s page.
HW: Final reaction to Irby, TYPED… That is, your final assessment of her work. If you want, add onto what you’ve already typed..
Final Prompts will be emailed to you before next class, and you will have three days to complete.
#professormikey 
Journal Entry- I’m watching Kitchen Nightmares and find myself cooking and wanting to try new things in the kitchen. I’m watching The Last Dance and can’t get enough of playing basketball outside. I’m midway through watching Community and am myself in the middle of community college. Is life imitating art or art imitating life at this point. Am I drawn to these shows because they interest me or am I influenced by the shows to find joy in my activities. Will I want to start flipping houses if I start watching HGTV or do I have to get into remodeling my kitchen before I flip to that channel? The classic chicken and the egg argument. Do I control what I enjoy or am I being brainwashed to enjoy? I haven’t been to outer space or gone on adventures with my grandson but Rick and Morty is gonna be on soon so maybe I’m overthinking this.
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Like the calm dance to this prose.. colleagues?
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Community is the BEST! Lol I found myself lost when the series ended. Six seasons and a movie!!
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“Do I control what I enjoy or am I being brainwashed to enjoy?” What an amazing sentence. Definitely will be losing sleep over that concept for the next few nights!!!!
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Thanks for the reaction and kind words, Jenna.
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My journal entries have been relatively sad, but healing. Excerpt: It feels like everyone is walking on eggshells around me. Sharp, uneven, large eggshells. I talk about something that hurts, and people jump to a positive of it, even if it’s unreasonable. I know I’m not getting a high school graduation ceremony, or a senior prom, or another lunchtime with my friends, and it’s absolutely crushing, yet my family will still throw in a “what if…” or “look on the bright side…” I understand the sentiment, but it feels like I’m not being heard. Oddly, at the same time, I don’t want to be heard either. I don’t want to talk or share. I just want to hide away from everything and forget life exists beyond the covers of my bed. It’s taken so much of myself to leave that state and get up and feel good about life. I’m proud of myself for that progress I’ve made today, and will make tomorrow, and the next day. I just want to keep moving forward, I’m tired of being stuck.
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Sharp, uneven, large eggshells. … Love this sentence.
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For our final I would like to write about similarities vs differences between the books we have read this semester. Stepahnie Neeley
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Good idea… maybe pick two and discuss…?
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So… what do we write on this “take-home” final?? I just want y’all to write something you get excited about.. BRING IT, SUCKAZ!!!!!
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I thought this would be easier to answer…
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What’s so hard about it? And yes I’m challenging you…
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I think it could be interesting to write something that incorporates some ideas for the future. Maybe some ideas of what we envision in our futures to get back into the outside world mentally.
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Noted…
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Will it be a personal essay or an Irby essay? 🙂
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Not personal, and not just about Irby.. lolzzzz
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What makes each of the authors relatable and why do you feel that connection?
What has been your favorite book to read this semester and why?
If you could ask each of the readers one question about their writing styles or intention behind their writing, what would it be?
What has been your FAVORITE part of the quarantine?
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This is awesome, Theresa!! Cheers!!!
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These are great Theresa!! They’d kind of combine our entire semester of essays in one. However, I really like the quarantine idea as well!! It’s a lot less structured and more unique to thee individual… sort of. Anyways, I like your list!
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Agreed, Ava. You’re killing it tonight, my kindest friend. 🙂
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2 sounds good
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I’ve been thinking a lot during this shelter in place notion. I’ve been thinking on my career because as you can see there have been many people left jobless. If they would’ve had an opportunity to look into the future ahead of time and see that this was going to happen. Would they have changed their career path. This quarantine has made me question a lot of what I’m doing but in a good way. I’m just tired of staying occupied by doing the same things I’ve been doing since quarantine has been in place. The more I explore I find other things to do but you can only do so much before getting tired of it. Now that they have opened up some trails, I’m glad to do some exploring and now with the rain coming in full clutch. I can enjoy the trails by myself because I don’t know of too many people that would want to go outside in the rain. I on the other hand enjoy the rain even though it make me sleepy and lazy. This one thing that has a caused a nationwide spread will be the reason why trust is going too be very valuable for years to come. It’s the one thing that even once it’s over, it will make you question everything about someone or something. Overall though, this has been quite the experience that I choose not to do again because I miss things being normal and not having to worry about little things. I’ve taken little things for granted and realized that those little things are just as important as the big things.
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For me, I want to write about the past school year, and find ways to analyze whatever the fuck happened. For a prompt, if not related to Irby (should it be?), maybe something about quarantine? How any books we read taught us? Not sure man this is tough!
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Oops. Didn’t see not personal. I vote Theresa’s questions!
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I think it would be cool to write about the authors’ reasons behind writing the novels we have read. (As Theresa stated above) That idea always stuck with me in our meetings during class–Why did the author write this?
I think we often just read books as if they are separate entities, not as if they are a part of the author. I think this class has shifted a lot of our outlooks on that concept and it would be interesting to write about for sure.
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I like the idea of authorial reasoning..
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I love this perception of the concepts! Great idea, Jenna! It’d be interesting to do a deep dive on the author of our choice 🙂
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Yep!!! Quite likely this could be on the final… Props to my sister Jenna…
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Why did the authors’ write? Why did they write the books we read? I like this.
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Lots of material in the topic of REASONING.
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I want to write about my favorite author, their personality and written way…. No central argument other than why he or she is my favorite.. Thoughts?
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I like this idea!! As opposed to focusing largely on their book, it would be cool to write about them personally as well.
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Ooo, this sounds quite intriguing!
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I am in!
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This would be good. There is definitely a connection that was made or feeling that was evoked…invoked…(I don’t know which is correct). The authors related to me in different ways and I think writing about why a certain author was my favorite would allow me to dig deeper into my own life and WHY those connections were made. Perhaps I could get a feeling for WHY they wrote what they did to begin with.
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Im in this sounds pretty good!
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I like this idea and the freedom it gives us.
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I believe that for our final, we should either choose to write about the connections between the authors and what it means to us. Conversely, I also believe that our situation in quarantine is unprecedented and perhaps a once in a lifetime occurrence. As such, we should keep these memories close, if another such event were to occur or use it to better deal with our current situations.
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Good ideas here, Kyle.
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I personally want to write about the experience that I’ve had but people close to have had and get interviews with them and get there ideas on this. I would like talk about how we as humans will define this pandemic. Will we view it as a win or a loss? Will we view as a time distraught or triumph. How have other stayed occupied during this pandemic? How have your friends or yourself be affected by this? What has helped you the most? How have professors treated the situation? Maybe favorite thing about quarantine? There’s just is much more to talk about and write about, it’s actually quite difficult.
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What about each of the author’s styles can you incorporate into your own writing?
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Interesting… can you elaborate, DAAAAASHAAAAA???
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Yeah! Whether it’s in the literal writing, capitalization/italics/quick humor with Irby, emphasis with Thompson (His sentences. How. Short. They. Could. Be), or honesty through your writing (Sedaris/Lawson), owning yourself, where you came from, who you and your writing are today.
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Perfect. Merci!!!
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What have you learned about YOU, during this whole thing?
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I have definitely learned that despite being a major introvert, I love to socialize and I miss seeing loved ones more than I ever thought that I would! I also miss going to the movies on a much more shallow note.
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Many feeling the same.. myself included..
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Definitely makes you appreciate the little, simple pleasures in life!
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I have learned that being alone with myself is a lot tougher than I had once imagined, but things are getting better as the days go by. I’ve also learned that I don’t eat as much at home so I have to be creative and become an amateur chef to create meals I enjoy. I’m always taking over the kitchen with my music and making a total mess trying to follow recipes. I’ve also noticed that I work best in the morning or the evening but I was just telling myself I work well in the evening because I was always underslept and wanted to use the morning to sleep in.
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I like Theresa’s fourth proposal, and i think writing about the positive side of quarantine would be a proper ending to this strange (to say the least) semester.
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Noted…
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Something about the positive flip side to quarantine maybe/ how it helped your writing grow/ how it still can? Why books are important now, more than ever. Escape, but growth also.
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Lots to write about here..
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An idea could be writing about struggles during the quarantine and how those struggles that make us human connect to struggles that the authors of the books we read deal with. To add also writing about lessons that could be learned from the author to help you overcome those struggles and maybe what you could offer the author to overcome their struggles. It incorporates reflection but also connects to the authors and the struggles they express through their writing. I like all the other ideas presented, so any of those would be fun to write about.
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Good…
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Me…. more emphasis on the magic of the meta.. where you are and what you’re doing and how all moments are instructional and enriching morsels.
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By being sheltered in place I have learned that but don’t get as bored as I thought. For me it has been some self-reflection for sure. Being almost 30 and this going on economically it’s kinda hard. Like hey housing market crashed, houses are cheap but no one can really purchase. For me I learned how to really change my thinking. Stephanie Neeley
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I’ve learned I need people. Like I can’t be solely independent, even though I thought before that I could do that easily. Glad I learned this now, during this opportunity, instead of later on.
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Same here, I used to be somewhat cautious of revealing myself to others, but now, I want to treasure every moment and let everything out.
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By being “sheltered-in-place”, I’ve learned that I’ve been living my first year of college life in an unhealthy way. I should be living more and experiencing the outside. You don’t know what you have until its gone. I’ve made a lot of goals and trying to find ways to improve myself while being held inside. Iv’e learned how important human interaction is even if its just sitting in a class for two hours. I finally found my insanity during these times and a way to avoid becoming that same insane.
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Setting specific aims for yourself is not only healthy but a purveyor of more LIFE.
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For the final, I think we should definitely have the option to write about any author in particular as well as a synthesis on all the books… or rather a synthesis on the last three should be allotted because they have so much in common. I also think that writing about our lives or our experience over the last semester should be an options. If we were able to write about our experience of the last semester, mine would most definitely involve the books we have read. I think that a lot has happened this quarter and even writing a prompt on our responses to covid 19 would be educational .
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I learned that I’m resourceful, capable of becoming lazy and pessimistic unless I hold MYSELF accountable and put effort into making my life better. I learned that I am tough, and patient, and willing to help others. I learned that I can stay calm under pressure. I learned that I can be a joy to be around or a pain in the ass depending on if I’m working on myself. I learned that I don’t have to be bad at things if I am willing to put time and practice into it. I learned that I am capable of much more uncomfortability than I thought I was capable of before.
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You all are giving me so much to consider for our final… cheers!!!
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What’s on tonight’s page, y’all??? Great discussion and ideas, production tonight…
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I have learned quite a few things about myself like if I actually sit down and draw for a few hours. I can actually draw what I want and I’m pretty good at it. I’ve also learned that you are your own creator and can only do things that you force yourself to do. Sometimes it takes a bit more effort than intended but it worth the reward. Taking days off can be a bad thing because it messes up the flow but in my case it helps me get back into rhythm. Reading books as helped with my concentration and imagination. It has opened a few more doors to my creativity.
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IF you don’t love your story, you fucking better! IF not, write till you do.
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I have learned that I am stronger that I think I am, and more able to handle situations than I thought I could. I have learned that I will do everything and anything I can to help my child succeed in life, even when it’s bloody difficult! I found that I miss people, and will actively work on my social anxiety, maybe therapy would be helpful? I have learned that I don’t really have it all that bad, even when living with my parents SUCKS MY SOUL OUT OF MY EYEBALLS. Lol. I have found gratitude in regards to my recent decisions. And that this craziness only leads to strength, both internally and community wide.
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You are SO strong, and I admire you, as I’m sure others do as well. Gratitude is always a healthy voice for oneself…
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Sucks the soul out of my eyeballs… an image I didn’t know I needed. Strangely relatable. Hang in there!!
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#kindness …. ❤
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The most important takeaway from my time in quarantine has been discovering how adaptive, how versatile, I can be. Before this i had no idea this side of me even existed, and all of a sudden here we are, without being able to see each other, but still moving forward with our education, and our life’s. If you asked me a few years back what would become of me if I found myself in a situation like this, i would of probably dropped everything and given up on the entire school year. But now, not only did I withstand the storm, I actually came out on the other side in one piece and looking for the next challenge.
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All your answers are right in front of you!
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Samantha Irby is a humanist.
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If you don’t like what’s happening in your life, change it!! You mold your own path.
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produce
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For your final Irby reaction…. Assess her work. What works, what doesn’t… If you’re an everything works, explain why. If you’re the opposite, explain as well!!!
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Being sheltered in place has shown me that I’m not as tough as I thought I was. I used to think I get up pretty quickly after getting knocked down, but I’ve been struggling with seeing myself do the opposite of that. Lately, I’ve worked on it. This past week or so I’ve made an effort to put what hurts behind me and not focus on the pain. I know I have to keep moving forward to succeed in life and to be seen. I know I need that to survive. I have learned that I’m good at acknowledging when I need help. I’ve also learned how dependent I am on outside influences! I’ve always been one to grouch about people in a joking manner, but I just have a lot of genuine love for everyone right now. I miss everything so much.
A quote from one of my favorite books, The Secret Life of Bees: “Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved.” That line has always stuck with me, but I hear it echo in my mind now more than ever.
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Sometimes I liked to joke that I wish I didn’t have to got to school. Being quarantined at home is not what I had in mind though. After this I don’t think that I’ll say that again. I learned that I can definitely be on my own but after a week or two I need the ritual of getting up and getting ready for school as well as sitting in a classroom with other people and seeing my friends. I also learned that it’s really easy to slack off and ruin a good routine but you have to be able to adapt and continue being productive.
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adaptation is key!! this is all so true
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I think an option for the final could be to write a series of short (well developed)narratives in the way that the last three authors did.
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this might be my favorite final idea yet. GENIUS!
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We’ll see…
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productivity should be consistent from day one
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One thing I have learned about myself is that I enjoy the company of others more than I had previously thought. I used to think that I could go long without seeing others but now actually not seeing them made me realize that the opposite is true.The people around us truly make us who we are.
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#professormikey, OUT. Great meeting tonight… I’ll be available by text for office hours till 9 or so….. Keep writing, we only have on more meeting left. I’ll be sending you the final soon, just need some time to compose and finalize it. Enjoy your night, and know I appreciate all of you, and your stories, and everything you contribute to each other and me. Bonne nuit….. -Mike
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