Hello, My Name Is

I'm falling asleep in the "faculty lounge"--really, just a classroom with a chalkboard, two podiums, and a bunch of ethernet cables. Happy to report that my first class was a really good experience (at least for me--I hope for the students too.) We discussed a number of quotes--from Mark Twain to John Keats. I asked students to share personal experiences related to the quotes to break the ice. It turns one lied to his father about comic books and was caught; another poked her cousin in the eye for, er, pooping in the bathtub. One fought a schoolyard bully and lost, but won a moral victory. All talked about their images of love and beauty. Each shared a mistake. They argued the distinction between ignorance and stupidity. Michael Jordan came up (no mention of the Clippers, however.) Most of all, I think they got comfortable with one another. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks.