When teaching an intro course on literature, I often end up teaching my students about the difference between an ideal reader and an actual reader. An ideal reader is someone you can imagine reading a text and getting all the little jokes and references, appreciating the compositional complexity of the text, deriving as much pleasure [...]
Archive for the ‘Relationships’ category
Humorless
I fear that I’m getting a reputation for being not-fun in my old age. Sure, I’m only 30, but it’s clear that a whole landscape of human interactions has closed off to me. My interest in movies and television has waned. And I really don’t enjoy dating as much as I used to. It all [...]
Love wins
Someone once pointed out to me that D.C., with a 95% democratic base and populated by progressive thinkers from all income levels, would be to the left of Vermont, California, the Republic of Berkeley etc. if it were a state or had proper congressional representation. I am sure you are all aware of the sorry [...]
Small World
New York City is home to 8.3 million people, and sometimes I’m pretty sure I know every one of them. I’m not particularly popular or cool. I am not affiliated with a “scene,” I don’t go to a lot of parties, and I’m sort of a stay-at-home girl. But it’s gradually become impossible to leave [...]
CHD: Short one towel.
I settle down at the computer to write a Whatsit post when four gun shots ring out from the street directly in front of our house. This happens within the hour of my typing these words, the night before my post is due, and the helis only stop buzzing the neighborhood in the last five [...]
Crack House Diary: Ten Cents and the birth of Cain
I’m not sure how I’m going to handle this story about my dogs. If I complete the story it will span two or three Whatsit entries, and it will end with our taking what should have been two members of our family to an animal shelter, where they were left behind and never seen by [...]
Interviewing Asa shortly after his 10th Birthday
Asa recently turned 10 years old. When I was a kid I remember my dad would occasionally make me endure what he formally called the “Father Son Chat.” To honor the memory of sons getting grilled by dads, I decided to inflict the same on Asa. He was a good sport. Rogan: So Asa, you [...]
