My classes this semester form something of a dichotomy. I have two classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. In the afternoon I study rhetoric, which is the study of the structure of argument, or communication which intends to convince and to persuade. It's fascinating stuff.

In the morning I am studying Creative Non-Fiction, or the writing of stories which are based in truth but which explore memory and experience in a creative or literary way. This genre is, as my professor said today, "the opposite of rhetoric." Creative Non-Fiction, according to this definition, sets out to explore and not to persuade. According to my professor (with whom I am inclined to agree), the best creative non-fiction will start with a question or an impression and explore it, not intending to end at any particular moral, lesson, or conclusion. This is the opposite of rhetoric, which always intends to persuade toward a certain end. Rhetoric has an agenda; creative non-fiction should not.

I like both these methods of writing. I'm enjoying both classes. I think both methods of writing have their uses and places; both are certainly valuable. But it's very jarring to get halfway through my day and begin talking about the exact opposite of everything that was said earlier in the day, and have both be equally true and valuable.

This is almost as good as the criticism class that proposed that meaning is produced by reading strategy and not by the author(a concept I wholly agree with), which was held in the same room as a creative writing class in which I was expected to discuss how we produce meaning as writers. (My response: I don't! My reader does! Go away and leave me alone!) Ah, the contradictions of English departments. I love it!

I woke up this morning feeling ill--my body having a physical reaction to all the stress from yesterday. I got up, got moving, and now I feel fine.

I've planned my lesson for tomorrow, and now that I know what I'm teaching and how, I feel a lot less stressed by the prospect of teaching. Preparation is a great stress reliever.

Today I also procured myself a reader for my thesis committee--a lit professor I had last semester who was very excited to read my work. So that's happy. I also located the office hours of the other professor I need to approach, so I can go talk to him tomorrow.

I had my creative non-fiction class this morning, which looks like it will be awesome, if a lot of work. (Much reading, much writing, much revision, many assignments.) I'm excited about it though. Creative non-fiction fascinates me.

I've yet to attend my composition pedagogy class, but I did the reading (assigned before the first day of class, which might be an omen) and it was actually largely comforting. It talked about what to do in your first week as a first year writing teacher, and the basic advice was to be yourself and find your own teaching style where you can be comfortable.

I am going to sleep very well, tonight, I think. Of course, that will be after I pick out clips for tomorrow's lesson and get my eyes examined (perhaps purchase glasses?) and go to the mutual activity...

Luckily Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are my busy days. After that the rest of my week is slightly less busy, which should give me a chance to get going on my thesis. (The days are ticking away, and my thesis remains unwritten. I have to defend in eight months, which seems like a long time, but will be gone like THAT.)

Off I go to class. *deep breath*