Maxwell Blue's Oubliette:

Jessica Reed

Poetry ● Matthew Parker

Hi Paolo,

Glad to hear you are doing well. That is an interesting predicament about your sci fi story for your Dad. It could be an opportunity/challenge though--to find a way to fix the problems you see and create a world you are proud of while still satiating your Dad's vision somewhat. Maybe if you craft something that both of you like, you can convince him you need to pursue your own writing instead of a series of books. I'm just thinking through it...

Biology and Women's Film sound very interesting. That is such a joy of college: the chance to explore wide-ranging intellectual interests.

Another possibility to avoid the sci-fi book is to take more classes. Then you could always say you were too busy!

Best,
Jessica

From Paolo Zizzo to Jessica Reed
Sent Mar 2, 2011

It is real good to hear from you. I am happy to hear that things are going well for you. Not much has changed for me. I am doing much the same things. I did take a couple of classes last fall. Biology and a women film class. I am not taking any classes this semester. As far as writing is concern I am not doing much of that other than working on a science fiction story that my dad wants me to write. He has been pestering me along for some time. I have written about ten pages so far. He came up with the story idea and he wanted me to flesh it out for him, but my heart and head at not into it. My dad is pushing for a short story of about 17,000 words so he can enter it into a contest and then he has grander plans to extend that to a novel and then into a series of novels. I do not know where to begin. The story lacks conflict and the people of the world that my dad has created don’t speak English so the protagonist has to use a laptop to communicate. The story is basically the “Time Machine” minus the bad guys. It is a perfect utopia where everybody lives hundred of years around massive trees that are networked together. I do not know how I going to get to 17,000 words. And a series of novels? Really? Stretching things to a novelette seems to me to be a herculean task and that with telling the whole story in one shot, because my dad’s idea to piece out bits over the course of several novels. He is thinking “Harry Potter”, which I have never read but from what I have heard the characters there are compiling and many, plus as an adding bonus speak the same language and live in a rich, interesting world. In the world I write about the people, so far only three characters, have no culture which adds nothing to the picture. Every time I see my dad he is always telling me, “What do you got for me? What do you got for me?” I want to tell him I am not writing you story anymore, but it seems to mean so much to him.

Greetings from a farm in Indiana! I have been busy fixing up our new house and preparing for spring and summer gardens. I have missed you all and Arizona, and wondered how each of you is faring. I would love to get back to teaching, but this first year will be devoted to healing the land and adjusting to this radical life change. I am writing again, after a period of quiet this past winter.
So write or post and tell me what you're up to! Have you been writing? How was your Fall semester, and how is this semester?

Cheers,
Jessica

Hello writers, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to move to a farm in Indiana in October! It's a major life change. I didn't anticipate this, but it's an incredible opportunity. I'll be living near family, and I'll have lots of space to play garden & experiment with sustainable technologies. (That's a dream I've had for a while, but I didn't expect it to materialize for at least a decade...) This won't affect our online network, but I wanted you to hear it from me that I'll be leaving town soon. To those students who were signed up for my class in the fall, I am sorry that I won't be able to work with you again. It was not an easy decision--leaving the sunny Southwest and my job at SCC. You all mean the world to me. But everything with the house and land fell into place so neatly; it seemed like the right thing to do. I wish you all the best, but as long as you're active online, this is not goodbye. Cheers! Jessica

Hi Chris, Haley, Paolo, Roger, and Tom, It is the time of the semester to invite the members of the Spring 2010 Eng 210 class to this social networking site. I have sent out the invitation, and will explain a little bit about the site tonight in class. This is a heads up--you may have new friends! Assume anyone who joins is interested in writing, and welcome them. I hope you will continue to stay on this site, and that it will take on a life of its own. Cheers! Jessica

Hi all, Hope you are having a lovely break! This is a friendly request/reminder to register for next semester's Eng 210 course just as soon as you can. I see Roger and Paolo already. I'd love to have all of you back. Tell your friends! Also, remember we have a pass/fail option for the course if you'd rather not worry about keeping track of points. You just have to make that clear with the school by the end of the first week of class. Cheers! Jessica