8/27/20
7-7:10pm: What are you writing in your journal? Haven’t started? All good…. Please try it!!
7:10-7:30pm: Sedaris findings… Share your thoughts. What sources did you find?
7:30-7:50pm: His character…. How would you describe it?
7:50-8pm: Before we read, what do we want from our read? That is… do you have certain expectations? What do you like to read? How do you like to feel after reading something?
8pm-8:15pm: Tell us about how you read…. Do you take notes? Write in the margins of your book? In a journal? WHAT?
8:15-8:35pm: As a student, we are constantly challenged, and show new approaches to working on our projects. We are “taught”, yes, but we also self-educate. How do you teach yourself to do something new, or improve at something? ‘Cause really, in the end, it’s all you and your efforts. And, how you study your efforts and the production from your productivity.
8:35-8:40pm: Think about how you use your time, be as efficient as possible. Any suggestions for us?
8:40-8:50pm: Closing…. What’s in your notes for tonight/on tonight’s page?
Assignment: Read the first four essays in Sedaris’ book. Please also read the “Author’s Note”. Be prepared to discuss and offer ideas on Tuesday. And as with every assignment, WRITE IN YOUR JOURNAL. Let me know if have any questions. Enjoy your weekend!!! Find Happiness and Humor, EVERYWHERE.
#professormikey 
Sedaris seems like a really interesting person. it seems like he has had a lot of experiences in life and he shares those experiences through his writing. Most of what I found was through videos on YouTube and I found that i was able to relate my own experiences to what he was saying.
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Try finding some articles on him..
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I think it’s cool that he is very relatble.
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So far my reaction on David Sedaris is very positive. He seems like such an interesting person and so pleasant to be around. After watching a couple of his videos and his interviews such as the one on Jimmy Kimmel I felt like I wanted to become friends with the guy. I can’t wait to read the books he writes and I have never felt that way towards an author. In his interviews he seems like a very humble man even though he is a crazy famous author.
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A note for your notes….. More than trying to relate to Sedars, appreciate how you’re different. That will contribute to understanding!
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What stuck out to me about David Sedaris was that he has no filter. The things he says, comments on, wonders out loud seems to be very unfiltered and raw, which i think is what makes it hilarious. Like when he said he hates small talk and prefers questions like “how many people do you know in a wheelchair” or when he wondered if a snapping turtle would be happy to eat his fatty tumor, AND THEN PROCEEDS TO FEED IT TO THE TURTLE. it’s so outrageous and unexpected it’s comical. Like he speaks what everyone else keeps secret in their mind or diary or whatever. He doesnt care about any judgment it appears. I found it wonderful.
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He is majorly free in his storytelling.
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YEs, it is great. I enjoy it.
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This is the same example I used! Definitely not the type of questions or conversations you’d typically have with people which is what I found very interesting from him! He’s so different it even makes me wonder how his way of thinking works you know?
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It seems to me he just says the first thing that comes to mind, not concered about scial norms or offending anyone.
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also I discovered he has a master class and I very recently found out my family has a subscription to that that I was not told about??? Haha anyways if there’s any groundbreaking new Sedaris content on there ill let you know.
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I’ve watched the whole class, and it’s incredible. Such a valuable tool in understanding him.
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very cool.
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Thats awesome!
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I found him to be narcissistic.
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I’ve heard that before. Can you elaborate?
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Sure in several interviews he talks about staying around for the fans. Not for their benefit but because he like the adoration. Also his reasoning for not liking social media is because he can’t handle people being negative to him.
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Interesting..
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Yes! I thought I was the only one. unpopular opinion i guess.
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Not unpopular at all. All opinions are welcome!! I just ask that you support them with some evidence or at least some written thought!! 🙂
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A lot of youtube videos were very helpful for research into what he does.
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As I was doing some research on David Sedaris I watched a couple of his interviews and became very intrigued with his way of thinking. He is someone who likes to think outside the box and see things through a different perspective. His style of conversation is also very different than your typical “Hello, how are you?” type which I really like. In one of his interviews, he said that instead of asking that question that we hear from everyone, he’d rather ask a question like “How many people have you seen in a wheel chair today?” which not only was it something that I found hilarious, but also something that made me realize that he really is different and thinks of the most random topics for conversations that make them much more interesting.
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Thank you for posting this!! Like how you focus on his style of conversation..
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I found some interview’s very interesting on YouTube. When they ask him why do you go from tragedy to funny and he said because he doesn’t want to be serious like other writers. He wants to be different.
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Honestly I don’t get most of the jokes that Sedaris said… Probably I don’t have the American humor! 😂
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I do like that he writes what he wants. I did find it a little hard reading his personality at first not sure why. As soon I I started to dig more I understand now.
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That is some evidence of strength.
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Sedaris writes everday!!! That’s how he improves on his writing and he’s also a very chill and funny guy.
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Did anyone find that Sedaris has this pronounced strand of curiosity?? How he writes about people….?
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OMG, YES! but he comes across it differently, I like how he uses questions and not your typical questions as ice breakers.
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Good!
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What I appreciate about him is that he is honest both in his writing and in himself. He talked about wanting to be “IN” the book store and how he is happy that he’s not shelved away in the “Gay Section”
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Yes!!
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I loved that he said that!
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A note for your notes….. Look for intention and purpose in Sedaris’ writing. And, in your own writing!!
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Description of his character? And if you can’t then please write your initial impression of him.
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I don’t really think his narcissism is a bad thing, I think it makes him funnier. But I don’t even think it’s a bad form of narcissism either. I think he certainly loves himself and is comfortable with himself but that’s just healthy.
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I think this!
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I do agree I was not making a statement of how I felt about him, just an observation. Overall I am looking forward to reading his book so that I can better understand him.
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All good, Michael!! I appreciate your observation of his narcissism. I get that too. One of the reasons why I’m such a fan of his. He has a case of the eff-it’s. 🙂
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His a funny person and his like to be different from everyone else. He doesn’t care what people think about him.
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David Sedaris seems like someone that is easy to talk to and he makes it clear that he likes to connect with people and make the conversation more meaningful than just small talk. He has a lot of integrity.
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Explain the integrity, please…
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He is really honest.
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Sedaris seems enthusiastic and passionate about writing in general. That could be the reason to why he started teaching. Just a thought.
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I think he is a fine individual, I really like how he picks up trash all the time.
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That is pretty cool.
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For his character, I would say he’s unique. He definitely seems like the kind to just do things his way, like his fashion sense, and overall his writing style. I think that’s a good look for people to start being themselves more.
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My impression of him is that he seems charismatic and funny. He is relatable to many people and can share stories like they are endless.
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Sedaris teaches me about new forms of writing, but also love of one’s own writing and life, writing about that life…
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my initial impression of him was funny. he just seems like he goes with the flow but not really in a chill way if that makes sense
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My initial thought was that he was a very curious man, which is an opinion I still stand by. The first video I watched of him was I believe somewhere between 2 to 3 minutes and he was talking about his class and what you’d take from it and found him to be someone who uses his mind a lot to think, analyze, and wonder.
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He has always struck me as curious. Almost more than anything..
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I think his character is very outspoken and truthful but also very informative.
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I love that he likes to question everything.
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Oh yeah he does!
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Did any of you laugh during any of the interviews? What made you laugh?
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I laughed when he started talking about the wonders of wearing a girdle. He compared the girdle he had to a baby tshirt and that before he couldn’t button up his coat.
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yes i was cracking up when he said he thought about feeding his tumor to a snapping turtle…and he fed his tumor to a snapping turtle
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I think his voice is the funniest thing about him lol! But I also like the way he talks because it seems like there is passion and almost like he cares about the person he is telling it to/viewers/fans.
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Yes! almost every other sentence that came out of his mouth lol. I love that when he was asked about why he didn’t write about sexual experiences he said he didn’t feel like he needed to. He seems like he is very open with his homosexuality and i love that!
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Me too!
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I laughed at his questions that he likes to ask people. His curiosity is hilarious.
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Isn’t it?
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I did laugh especially when he told his Japanese pants story.
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David Sedaris seems like a real solid dude, he seems like he would educate the people around him based on his life experiences. He is also as we all know a funny guy so I think I would really enjoy hanging out with him.
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I think Sedaris is bold and spontaneous. He definitely has no real filter and is able to tell it like he sees it. He seems opinionated, but lets himself think about the other people in his story telling and his essays.
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His character, I feel like you need to understand him to get him.
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What I find myself wondering is how others feel about being part of his stories. I remember hearing him read one about learning french and how bad everyone was at it, of course the way he wrote it down it would seem funny. However what if you were one of the people in that room and now millions of people got to laugh at your expense.
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I feel like he tells it how it is, that he wouldn’t enjoy making something up for his story. So if he said they were bad a french they probably were and if you don’t have the awareness to recognize that and find it funny than whats the point. Also who cares what strangers laugh at.
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Depends on perspective, Garin. In my opinion…
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David is ambitious and determined to do things well until his plan is achieved.
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David Sedaris Is a genuinely interesting person and real to both himself and the world. Very appreciated traits. His work and personality is unbiased to others opinions. He values real human connections and being able to experience life in the moment. That’s what I’ve gathered from his character but I still haven’t had a chance to do the research yet to make a hardened statement on him.
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David Sedaris seemed like a free spirit. He loves to travel and wears a coulotte’s on live television. He also is very witty in his responses. A good storyteller.
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Note for your notes….. Sedaris wants us to be not comfortable or uncomfortable in his stories, but present. Transported to that reality…
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Interesting. I like that.
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Enjoy!
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I thought that his stories with strangers were very funny.
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I laughed whenever he just tells his stories and retells all. the things that happen to him
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He laughs at himself often, and that’s often what makes the audience laugh. With him, and at him. And he doesn’t care.
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Thats what I find in interviews, he doesnt mind the host throwing some punches per say
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Very true!!
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I like how humorous he is and I like the fact he wants to stand out from others. He likes being unique and he doesn’t let what anyone thinks about him get to him.
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What do you want from his stories?
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I just want to read a book that I am actually intrigued in and that I don’t want to put down. I have not read a book that I actually enjoyed that was assigned to me to read
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I want to learn how to be just as curios. To question situations and people. Not in a bad way, but in a way that I can understand better and see it through all aspects and develop a feeling for it.
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I hope that I could learn how to involve humors that is actually funny in my writings.
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Just start practicing..
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YES! I want to be funny too…
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I like to read something that I can’t put down. That I end up thinking about during the day even when I’m not reading. Maybe even find myself laughing at the thoughts of what I read.
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That’s a great feeling, isn’t it?
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Yes.. yes it is!
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To laugh a lot! Im sure he wont disappoint!
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I want to be entertained, Laugh to myself, and hopefully have it leave a mark on me so I can remember it for another 5 years or so.
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Yes… for a book to be haunting…
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exactly
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Before we read, what do we want from our read? That is… do you have certain expectations? What do you like to read? How do you like to feel after reading something?
I Want to learn more about this writing style. I don’t have any specific expectations. I plan to go into this pretty open-mindedly; although I think I will enjoy his writing from the little bit I researched on him. I like to read a pretty broad variety, on my kindle right now I have a couple of books on Anne Boleyn, psychopaths/sociopaths, Best You, french and Italian cookbooks, a handful of Colleen Hoover books, the 5 love languages, The Dictionary of Italian Paintings and quite a few more… I really enjoy reading something that makes me feel something; I like to get mad at the character, want to scream in their face, I like wanting to cry with a character or laugh at or with a character. I like to feel emersed in my book, I want to ride the euphoric high through whatever required me to need to put the book down.
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This is great!! Thanks for writing out all these thoughts!
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Glad you appreciated it. I enjoyed writing it all out.
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I want to feel connected to his stories as if I was there. I would like after we read that I would only be excited to read more.
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I want to be able to be fully engaged in my read, to get drawn in. I don’t like to have expectations, lol so that i don’t get disappointed. I like to read fictional books, i like to indulge in my imagination. After I read something i like to feel complete, as if to get closure.
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I don’t know if “want’ anything from his stories per say. A story is what it is, you can hope for it to be interesting, funny, captivating, well done and such but a story, sometimes, can be more what you take away from it than what it is.
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i want to be able to understand his stories, I want to be able to grasp what he is sayin and conveying. I think that I want to be able to understand him as a person and as a writer
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Very good. He teaches readers, AND HIMSELF, about himself through writing…
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