I have now had sufficient time to process the experience of last week's class, and my system is still on complete sensory overload. I don't mean to sound like the crotchety Old Man River in his sagging tighty whities moaning from his front porch about staying off the grass, but as someone who started college in the 20th century I must say...wow, that class was intense, uncomfortable, unique, and something that deserves the title "21st century literature class" regardless of what century the literature came from. Maybe I have been out of the game too long, only taking one night class a year for the last five years or so. Maybe night classes in general just seem to lend themselves toward an odd mix of 18 to 65 year old disinterested awkwardness (Jaime, Jose - last semester Shakespeare?). Or maybe its just the fact that acting out scenes that involve wives with strap-ons taking mistresses from behind in hell that tends to get the ball rolling a little faster.
I said sensory overload earlier because I felt like I was hit with violent images (9/11 over and over and over and over), read very graphic, intense imagery (yes, the doggy style scene), watched gender-bending performances between total strangers (don't lie - you were a little uncomfortable too), and listened to some conversations, arguments that got us to priests molesting little boys. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was going to have to write a blog, that I was going to get to read a Brooklyn graffiti battle... (are we going to visit the actual works in their original environment? I think we should and would be willing to set up the itinerary complete with a playlist for the train ride... and while we're on the topic - no MC battles to read/listen to - I would say that there are a few that would have to be considered, no? but I digress)...and that the ladies in the registrars office weren't just f***'n with me, the professor's name really is John Lennon. Well thank you all for the experience. I am more intrigued/interested than I think I've ever been to see what the next installment has in store . I'm excited to get to participate more this time...BS.
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2 comments:
I appreciate the honesty in the blog and when you write all the things that we talked about, I guess it was a pretty intense first class, no? And one thing that I think you mentioned that I didn't speak about is the uncomfortableness of listening to classmates read the lines. You're right, it was uncomfortable and I think when we are feeling as if our feet aren't underneath us, that's when we can actually learn something about ourselves and the world. Or at least we feel our cheeks flush and even that in itself is an accomplishment.
I'll be interetsed to hear what you all have to say about Jarhead.....
p.s. We should talk about your interest in graffiti--yes, we are (I hope) going on a walking tour of Greenpoint/Williamsburg to look at the graffiti there but let me know your connections to the scene....
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