Hello again. School is back in session, and I'm teaching four sections of freshman composition. Pray for me, cross your fingers, send good thoughts my way. I've been used to taking two courses and teaching two, which I've realized in the space of these first two weeks is much easier than teach four courses. One hundred students in all. I'm still quite stunned at trying to juggle them all, and my office hours, and actually showing up to the right classroom on the right day at the right time. Beginning to reconsider if academia is where I should make my living. Not really, though. It's the thing I do best, learn and teach reading and writing, so I think I'll stay, even if I'm a bit worn out.

It's not just the teaching but that I'm trying to write a novel and apply to PhD programs at the same time. I'm just adjusting to the new schedule, I suppose. Probably in another week or so I'll be used to it. Although that may not be true, as next week I get to miss a few classes in order to do a reading from Trampoline in Cleveland with Maureen McHugh, and then later that week, I'm off to St. Paul for Alan and Kristin's much looked-forward-to wedding. Yay, I'm the best man! I can't wait to see happy people getting married again. The last good wedding I've been to was Gavin and Kelly's, which was a couple of years ago now. This one should be just as wonderful.

Jackie has moved into a new apartment, and we've been decorating it with glee. She gives the queer eyes for the straight guys quite a run for their money in the interior design department. This weeks tip is: find a color of crushed velvet that you adore and cut it into squares that will fit into picture frames. Do this multiple times and make an arrangement of the framed crushed velvet on whatever wall-space you deem worthy. She's chosen various shades of purple in silver frames. She's an eye for detail, that one.

I am immersed in the last section of the novel, which is very difficult to write. For most of the novel, my protagonist has been able to keep himself just out of reach of dealing with his problems, and now that's no longer feasible. So of course this makes for the difficult stuff for me to write. I can only hope I can do it justice.

Am already receiving ideas for possible next novel. I've enjoyed working on this one so far, except that it's kept me away from writing short fiction, which is my first love. I'm interested to see if my writing process for stories will have changed after writing a novel. If so, I hope for the better.

It's late and I have to be up quite early to teach, so I'll be off to bed now. But before I go, Dora, if you're reading this, I'm glad the story was a comfort at such a difficult time. Bless you and Kendrick back, and may the lizard be well.

Love to you all.