FROM JAN

Greetings from HELL...

Before I begin talking about myself and the insanity of living in 110 degree heat, I want to say how incredibly happy I am that we have a place to gather together again! {Thank you for setting this in motion, Lynda and Andrew and Kyle} If you had a dime for every time I have thought about you/missed you/wished I could see your face - well let's say that you'd finally have some much deserved dough in your pockets. I love hearing about your lives and accomplishments and am in awe of every one of you. But then again, none of it is a surprise to me. You are the most incredible group of folks I have run across in my lifetime, and considering the places I've been, that's saying a lot.

It's 6 o'clock here in central NC and the temp has finally dropped down to 94. For pretty much the last two weeks, the temp has fluctuated from 94 to 110. For a week solid, it was 108-110 every day I left my office and with the humidity added in, the heat index was pushing close to 120. For three days we were told to literally not go outdoors if we did not have to. Imagine. Remind me why I came back to the South? Oh yeah, that sister thing...

Amy and I manage to get together about every 2 months or so and I kept my neice and nephew for 2 weeks over summer break. We had a blast, although it made us miss Nathaniel terribly. Mary and I celebrated our 10th anniversary last March and have discussed coming back to the Pacific NW for a Canadian wedding... maybe this spring??? We also have talked about moving up there if things keep going the way they have been, so maybe we'll end up being Elizabeth and Carol's neighbors after all. And someone please tell me where to get my hands on this amazing book of hers? {Like I have time to read right now}

I landed a full time teaching position at Central Carolina Community College and have begun my second year. Part of the job is teaching inmates at the medium security prison nearby. Incredible experience. I also teach two nights a week at NCSU in a very interesting First Year Writing Program. But I love CCCC the most. I am teaching American Lit and Creative Writing for the first time this semester. With a week of classes finished today, I can already tell you that this term will be very memorable; lots of students who have never heard of the writers I assigned and two kids in my Oral Communications class admitted they did not know who John Lennon was when I was preparing to show them a documentary on his life {The US vs John Lennon - fantastic work}. So, I am feeling ancient. And in John's own immortal words...nobody told me there'd be days like these. Sort of like the Cyndi Lauper apparel thing.

I have not been able to write a word since I landed back here - how do you teach full time and manage that? I have a ten month contract and was off in June/July, but honestly was so exhausted from the academic year that I did absolutely nothing the entire time. I swore I was going to prep for my new courses and get organized, finish unpacking finally finally, and go to the beach for the first time. Did I accomplish any of that? Not. However, the one other good thing about being so busy is that I somehow managed to lose almost 30 pounds without even trying. Yeah.

If you have not gone to see Hairspray, for god's sake get going! It's the best feel good movie I have seen in years. And for those of you who have enjoyed it - did you catch the two times that John Travolta made references to Pulp Fiction? Love it.

Rose, read MIDDLESEX by Jeffrey Eugenides. Luscious language. Incredible story. And enjoy the other two I added to your list. One is sci-fi by a brilliant woman I met in Tacoma many years ago and just learned that she recently died at 53 - horrible loss. And Alice's latest...

Okay, I'll stop rambling now. And as they say down here, give a holler some time!

Office #910-814-8815 but don't forget the 3 hour time difference.

miss you guys and gals,
jan