Look in the sky; it's a bird; it's a plane....

It's a university course in comic books!?!? That's right spidey friends. Yours truly along with an all-star group of two other profs will be offering a course next semester called Comic Book Design. The course is designed to have three parts: cultural historiography and character design, drawing forms and art, and computer art, design and layout. Hopefully it will fill up with students and get to be a regular thing.

That's one of the advantages of being at a smaller school. I really have the freedom here to make suggestions, be outspoken and experiment. This semester they started me off slow by giving me 5 composition courses. I like them, but 5 is a few too many and I have been craving something more juicy. Already for next semester I have myself scheduled to teach Intro to Western Lit. 1, Special Topics in Lit.: Drama, the comic course and an online comp course through a local prison.

I just figured I would write about something positive for once and let you know what the work sitch is like. BTW...allthough I will be on a tight budget for ordering any books for the comic class, I would love to get some suggestions from any comic readers out there. I have a short list already, but I'd like some more input.

Also, I will be in Philly Wed. 10/26-10/30. Unfortunitley it is not for the best reasons. My grandmother died on Sunday and I am coming in for the funeral. For those of you who knew my "Bubby", you already know she was a great women: kind, loving, independent, tough, giving, and every other positive adjective you can think of. She will be greatly missed.

Enough pepper to sneeze at!

First, let me recap quickly my trip last weekend. I already mentioned the grand canyon, but we also made it out to the petrified forrest and painted desert, The VLA (very large array), Fire Valley, and to White Sands National Monument.
All were very cool in their own unique way. And that's really it when you get down to it about New Mexico...it's unique. The terrain changes here are mind boggling. There are mountains that look like giant rocks, montains that look like giant forrests, deserts of pure plains and nothingness, Black valleys of lava rock and white sand dunes that seem to go on into infinity. I guess that's what they call it the Land of Enchantment. And then of course there's Roswell.

Anyway, when I got to work on Monday, I had a note on my door saying that I had won a raffle. I never win anything, so I was very excited by the news. I know I had entered a few raffles in the last few weeks that had various prizes; did I win the 500 dollars of food shopping? The 200 dollars from the historical society? The car!?!? The anticipation was unbearable. So...I called to claim my prize, and lo and behold, I won peppers (chiles as they call 'em out here). That's right a bushel of chiles. More chiles than any one man could eat or want (Noel, if you were here they would be yours). I'm not sure how many chiles a bushel holds, but I have been assured it is enough to keep me warm through the winter.

So...any ideas about what I could do with them all?

I did my first drive to Albuquerque on Wednesday night to meet up with my folks who are visiting for a couple of weeks. It took about three hours and it was boring as all heck. Like the drive to Dallas, there is nothing out there. At least it was only three hours.

Today we took a jaunt to the Grand Canyon. It took about 6 hours from Albuquerque. I have to tell you, for as amazing as the place is, I'm just not easily impressed anymore. Don't get me wrong, I had a good time. It is good enough for me to have the 'rents in to visit, but I don't think I could spend more than an afternoon at the grand canyon.

Tomorrow we head out to the Petrified Forrest, another ho-hum place I spent 20 minutes at about 10 years ago, and then we go to the VLA (Very Large Array) which I am looking forward to. I think I just like the drive more than the attractions. I like to get out there on the road, listen to some music, feel the wind on my face, smoke a couple of butts, and look around. Is that so strange?

Handy-Dan...Jackleg extraordinaire

The last time I saw anyone do something useful with a staple gun was Homer Simpson when he stapled Maggie's diaper. Otherwise, I don't see the usefullness. I guess you can staple pillows or curtains and all kinds of fabrics. Maybe you can make a nice stuffed animal for a loved one (watch out for scrapes and cuts if you hug it though).

For me, and my never-ending quest to get my little townhouse looking like a home, the staple gun has been useless. I bought one yesterday for $26.00. It looks just like the one pictured. I bought the smallest amount of staples you could buy for 3 bucks. I was a little put off that I had to spend 30 dollars for just one household project, but I thought, "hey, staple guns are cool...you never know what you'll use it for next."

While in the Home Depot, I had an electric stapler in my hand when an expert Home Depoter come over and asked what I needed the tool for. I explained to him that I needed to hang some telephone wire (I have only one phone outlet downstairs and it is in the kitchen. My Directv has to be hooked to a phone line and that's in the living room). He told me, "they make a staple gun that is made specifically for that job." I asked if he was sure and he said absolutley.

When I got home, I was excited to start the my stapling endeavor. I busted it open, filled the gun with staples, and thought out my plan of attack. I was so excited because for the last few weeks I have been tripping over that dang chord on the floor, spilling drinks, pulling the chord from the phone jack, and getting it caught on my front door (you can tell my place is giant, can't you?). All this was about to stop. Now I would only have an unsightly wire running across the ceiling.

After assembling the little bastard, I grabbed the phone chord and went to work. Poor little staple guys; I think they'll need therapy! Nary a one could muster the strength to make it through the wall. They couldn't even put a dent in it! I kept trying though...thinking it has to be me, my technique; I am certainly not one with the way of the staple gun. I changed hands, changed directions, tried different spots, and after about 20 minutes gave up and just watched the game.

It's amazing how one little failure can ruin your day. I had aspirations of getting other household things done that day, but after the dissappointment of the stapler, I gave up and put everything off. I have aquired more tools that I thought I could use and then they didn't work then I know what to do with! Rats.

Anywho...I'll be heading out to Albuquerque to meet my parents tonight, so I probably won't be able to post until Monday. See you then...

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dan

Today's post is dedicated to the New York Yankees baseball club.

You suck. Congats. When I think of how much money I save every year not owning the Yankees, it makes me very happy about the little bit that I have. As I watched them go down again to the Angels (for the moment, the greatest baseball team of all time...of course every team that puts the Yankees out of the playoffs owns that destinction for at least a day), I realized that the Yankees are not the "Evil Empire" that we Yankee haters like to believe.

More, they are a metaphor for our world today. A world where we see the rich bastards driving down the road in their Hummers and Jags; a world we we turn on the T.V. and see the red carpet rolled out for the superstars; a world where the heads of multi-million dollar corporations in their playtime toss money away to do reality T.V.. It's all there. We see it all around us. Our children watch it happen in front of there eyes and say "I want to be just like that when I grow up." But then we say, "money can't buy you happiness." But it is a hard sell. How can money not buy happiness when we see it bought and sold on the tube every single night?

Well...my only response is this. At the end of the day (or game as it might be), even though A-rod, Giambi, The Big Monkey Unit, Mussina and all the rest live large, if they bother to venture out into the real world in the very city they live in today, even those lovable, but slightly dirty New Yorkers, will have only one thing to say to them: You suck, ya bum!

And somehow, for whatever strange reason, everthing that is wrong in the world for a moment seems to be OK. Dream of sugar plums my friends. The groundhog has gone back into his hole and it is gonna be a good winter. Boo ya.

Cowboys will be boys

You would think that moving away from Dallas, I would be safe from the horrors that are Cowboys fans. But, sad as it is, this town is full of them. And following true to form, Cowboys fans that are not from Dallas tend to be worse than those born and bred there that at least have an excuse.

Already today I have had to endure the trash talk after yesterday's debacle. Now let it be known, I never do any trash talking before or after a game, but stikll I have to put up with the constant abuse. My only response is to say that when it comes to be playoff time, they are more then welcome to come watch the Eagles games with me when they have nothing left to root for.

On to other things...It has been cool and rainy here which is a welcome relief, albeit only to me. Everyone is scrambling for sweaters and jackets and seem not to know what to do with themselves when the temputure gets to 60. Me...I'm loving it. The mornings almost seem like mornings and not like you are in a perpetual 3:00 in the afternoon in summer. The rain did put the kabosh on many a fair goer this weekend, and I do feel bad for that since it seems the only thing to do here. I missed the fair completely though, so I guess I have something to look forward to next year.

If everyone out there could do me a big favor and think anti Yankees thoughts all day today, I would greatly appreciate it. All I want for Christmas is the Yankees not to win the World Series. So think Angel thoughts instead. And speaking of baseball...is there a bigger bunch of losers than the Atlanta Braves!?!? 15 years of domination and one world series to show for it. I think I am happier with the Phillies not making the playoffs then watching them lose in them every year!

The real Unreality?

"All that I see, seems so unreal to me,
Is it the truth or is it only fantasy,
Is it a dream or is it unreal reality?

All around me is such unreality,
Optical illusions as far as my eyes can see,
Is the whole thing a fake, or the ultimate reality?"

Thank you Dallas. I had a great time last weekend. Friends, food and women...my three favorite things! I'll tell you what...be careful what you wish for. I was begging to get out of Dallas for so long and now I struggle to find any time when I can get back there. Of course this is due more to the people I know there then the town itself, but it was a strange feeling to be back in a town with highways and hustle and bustle.

Then I came back to my world of grading papers and watching the old TV. Such is life. I do plan on going to the state fair this week though. Oh, and in case you all hadn't noticed...hockey returns tonight. Viva la NHL!! Go Flyers!!!