Open Letters

For an example of a loose open letter, head to this post found on my main blog--again, sorry, Erin! Also, check out the master of open letters.

It Watches this Video...

...or it gets the hose again.

I found it! The band is The Greenskeepers; the video is... breathtaking.

On my main blog, I posted about the video and I also... apologized?

Assignment #5 Heads Up

I forgot to tell y'all something in class on Friday. It has to do with our fifth assignment which has little or no restrictions whatsoever. The only restriction is that YOU DISCUSS WITH ME WHAT YOU WANT TO DO--that means either meeting with me to discuss it or COMMUNICATING in some other way (email, phone, smoke signals, carrier pigeons, gang gesticulations, etc) your ideas for the assignment. Furthermore, I must OK what you want to do. I'll help you generate ideas and help focus whatever you want to do.

I urge you to consider writing a creative work, as in a short story, a non-fiction personal narrative, several poems, even a short film screenplay (FYI, screenwriters is my forte)--something like that. At least consider it.

And if those "creative" options don't appeal to you, you could do an additional stuffy boring research paper, compare-contrast, critique, food/restaurant review--whatever "academic" pursuit you'd like. Depending on what you want to do, we'll formulate an assignment sheet together. We'll agree on how many pages, sources, etc. and more or less "sign" the assignment sheet like a contract.

I guess the difference is, a "creative" work won't necessarily have source support whereas another "academic" work would. That doesn't necessarily mean a creative work is easier just because you don't need sources. We'd treat it like we would in a creative writing class. I'd critique it and you'd revise according to the critique--or argue with me for your reasons for not. If you have an idea that would somehow merge creative work with academic (gasp! synthesize the two?), I'm all ears! For instance, perhaps you could write a personal narrative/research paper about, say, tattoos--I'm lookin' at you, Youks. You would tell your story related to tattoos as well as do some research about it (thus making it source-supported). That's just an example. You can do whatever you want.

The point is: talk to me about it.

I'm giving you a heads up on Assignment Five now so that you have lots and lots of time to think about it. I want to stress that I'd love to read some creative work since you're all creative people. You might think it'd be scary, but you can writing creatively. I'm here to help.

I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas! Meet with/email/call/pigeon me with your ideas as soon as you get them. Like, even now if you know what you want to do.

Have a great weekend!

Mace...out

"What?" In-Class Writing Prompt

Hip-Hop's Socratic Method

Introduction: Are you too young to dig A Tribe Called Quest? Even if you are too young, you should probably dig them if you think you like modern hip-hop--and especially if you don't like hip-hop. Maybe you will now? Tribe is one of those groups on which people like to bestow the covetous title of "pioneer."


Let's get your creative brain juices flowing a bit. One of my favorite Tribe tunes is called "What?" It features a list of questions that ask what certain things would be without one of its integral parts. Sometimes, the questions are humorous, sometimes they have to do with social/political issues.

Read the lyrics while we listen. Don't feel bad for not knowing some of Q-Tip's references. I don't know all of them, mostly because Tribe is pretty old, and I'm not really as hip as I like to pretend. Don't look so shocked. You should get the general idea even if you don't know what the hell he's talking about.

I'd like you to come up with a long list of what-questions similar to those that Q-Tip asks. But make them your questions. I want your personality to shine through your questions, just like Q-Tips does through his. Try to balance the light and heavy questions like he does. You don't have to try to make them rhyme if you don't want to--but, man, will I be impressed if you turn out some dope verses! If you need a beat, raise your hand. I'll come over lay down some phat beats.

You might be surprised how trying to rhyme might lead you to questions you never thought you'd come up with. If you're feeling courageous, come up with one question, then think of a word that would rhyme with the last word in the previous sentence. Then think up a question that fits it. You might find it a lot easier to come up with questions when limiting the focus. I like how the second question of each couplet seems to answer the first. I can't wait to hear/read what you came up with, my smart, funny students about whom I brag.

Here are some what-questions I came up with:

What are the Wild without Wes Walz?
What is an MC without yes-y'alls?
What is Encrimson'd without angry peasants?
What is Xmas morning when you got no presents?

What is grading papers without a red pen?
What is Luke Skywalker without old Ben?
What is a what-question without the curly mark?
What is Indy Jones when he's found the missing ark?

What is Mario when he's not Kartin' on Nintendo?
What is Snoop Dogg when he's not smokin' that endo?
What is Dave Chapelle without Tyrone's ashy lips?
What is drinkin' Crys without drinkin' piss?

Make Mother Proud

PS: For my lovely students who aren't necessarily into hip nor hop, I apologize. I know a lot of the prompts have been hip-hop related. Trust me, I listen to more music, and I'm working on working it all in somehow.

Mace...out

Since I Needed Something to Do While You In-Class-Work...

...and since we listened to Casanatra, and since I know all of you were like, "OMG!!1 Who is dis? They totally r0x!!1" I decided I should feed your burning, uncomfortable hunger for more.

Here are a couple blogs I wrote for my other blog; some of the more resourceful of you have already found it, which is cool 'cause I need more readers. These blogs are about Casanatra before and after a recent Casanatra show over at McGoff's Pub. I apologize before hand for gushing so much.

I should include a disclaimer: If you happen to check out my other blog, when I use the term "Comps," I don't not mean you, my lovely well-behaved students. "Comps" means Comprehensive Essay Exams; as I've mentioned, it's the big on-the-spot 3 1/2 hour essay exam I have to take in order to graduate. Three essays; six text-support; no texts allowed during the exam. Sux. I take it Saturday morning, and I'm not looking forward to it. So I swear a lot at "Comps." Not you, dear students. I love you; I hate Comps.

Mace...out

My Music Synthesis Exercise Examples

Hip-hop: GZA Genius (of Wu-Tang Clan fame) plus DJ Cut Chemist. The Wu didn’t name him “Genius” for nothin’. His rhymes are the freshest, most unpredictable, and deepest I’ve ever heard. Much love to RZA for his production and beats, but in all things WU, the rhymes come first. This often requires the music and beats to at times to be less important, adequate at best. That’s why I’d bring in Cut Chemist, who normally DJs for Jurassic 5. He is to DJing, as far as originality and freshness is concerned, what GZA is to rhyming.


Rockish: Thom Yorke (of Radiohead fame) plus Godspeed You! Black Emperor (atmospheric orchestra jamband). Thom Yorke is a legendary artisan due to adaptability, vision, and a seemingly bottomless well of creativity. GSYBE’s creepy jam symphonies would compensate the tense mindscapes that Radiohead has been leaning towards since “OK Computer.”