This is the first time since 1992 that it's back-to-school-time, and I'm not going back to school. Nineteen years ago, I'd just graduated from college and I was staying home to take care of my baby. Now, it's because I'm on sabbatical, and in a Whodathunk-It-Not-Me turn of events, there's this baby I'm taking care of.

But I'll be working on other stuff, too. I went to L.A. this summer--and here's another whodathunk-it: I loved L.A. While I was there, I pitched a sitcom. The pitches were fun but developing the idea and working collaboratively on the writing was super fun. I'd never written for screen before, and now I'm hooked.

I've also been going great guns on art projects. I especially enjoying cutting up pieces of paper and gluing them to other pieces of paper. Like this:



And this:


I think I want to be an art major.

Eight Months

Six Months

He's all like, what's up, baby.

I've got my Etsy shop up and running. I'm selling posters and painted cards. To check it out, click here.

Little Ted wants you to check out my Etsy shop!

And so ends the first week of this semester, Spring 2011. I'm only teaching two classes, both graduate--Contemporary Prose and Nonfiction Workshop--and I likeboth. I think it will be a good semester. I'm doing some traveling for readings and will post the places and dates soon.

But what's really dandy about this semester is that when it's over I will be on sabbatical. Sabbatical: the loveliest word I know. The time off is going to be so good to have. I've got the book project I'm working on, but I've also got a few other things cooking.

I'm especially excited about my latest art project. I call them Sign Paintings. I started painting them over the summer, and I couldn't seem to stop. Art Therapy, I guess. I've lost track of how many I've done but am guessing it's probably 60-70 so far.






The Boy gussied up these ones with Photoshop, cleaning up the lines and fooling around with colors. He and I have been thinking about setting up an Etsy shop and seeing if we can sell these as greeting cards.

Baby Teddy, seven weeks, and Colby the Pug, four years.