Sallyacious

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January 18, 2007

Who Are You, Exactly?

I would be the person who used to post here on a much more regular basis. Sorry. I've been busy out in the real world (as opposed to this virtual place). I'll try to be better about keeping up here, it's just that I've had so much to do lately. I did start a couple of posts but then decided they weren't really what I wanted to say.

Classes are going well, I think. It's hard to tell when they just sit and stare at me whether I'm making any sense or whether I'm talking in loops and circles (this is entirely possible). I decided I was doing okay when my second class of the day started arguing with me as I was explaining the concept of the Male Gaze. I figured arguing meant they understood what I was saying and didn't like hearing it. If they didn't get it, my reasoning went, they certainly wouldn't be taking issue with the concepts.

I kept having to remind them that I wasn't necessarily trying to convince them to think that way. Only that I was trying to explain the concept. You don't have to agree to understand, but I think you do have to understand to disagree effectively. They were doing a good job. Though the speakers are the usual suspects. I've got to figure out how to get the silent ones to speak. Because some of them talked with me before class but volunteered nothing once class started.

(Beautiful moment of juxtaposition from class today: A member of the football team passionately arguing that pornography is not a good choice for the women who participate. That it cannot possibly be a good thing for them. While a group of 5 or 6 women kept insisting that it a) had to be a choice,--no one was forcing the women to participate; b) could act as an outlet for people who might otherwise act out their fantasies of torture, rape, violence, etc.; c) could be a healthy thing for relationships. In fact, I think I have an assignment for one of the discussion days. Everybody has to find an article on employment conditions in the sex industry and bring it to class for discussion. Then they'll really be able to get going.)

In other areas of my life, in the interests of having way too much to do, I somehow managed to agree to 1) teach a full load, 2) do fake depositions for law school students (which begin next week), 3) be in a show that opens in THREE weeks (thank goodness it's a one-act), 4) do a reading of Dave's play Lincoln's Shins and a performance of the other show at ACTF in FIVE weeks, and 5) help a former classmate out by doing a monologue for her directing class. At least it will all be over (except the teaching) before the end of February. Which is early than the chaos ended last year. The first round of chaos, that is.

Thank goodness I somehow managed to schedule a movie for class next week. Fewer lesson plans that way. Though I do need to get to the next round of readings so I can put together the next round of questions designed to give them something to talk about in class.

On the home front, I spent some this evening playing with three cats and one string. They were all very good about taking their turns and not trying to ambush somebody else's play, though they occasionally got impatient. It was interesting to watch the dynamic unfold.

And I figured out a solution for a couple of pieces of troublesome art. Which I will someday have time to do. (You know, Sal, you'd probably have LOTS more time if you stayed off the internet. But where would be the fun in that?)

Posted by sally at January 18, 2007 11:50 PM

Comments

Posted by: David Eames-Harlan at January 19, 2007 06:44 PM

Posted by: Sallyacious at January 19, 2007 08:23 PM

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