Jjaramillo

LATEST ARTICLES ( 113 )

• Hating Writing

  In the article "10 Famous Writers Who Hated Writing" from The Huffington Post, Bill Cotter discusses his "dark feelings" regarding what he labels as "the... Read more

  Posted on 10 November 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Amy Hempel Reading

  

  The power of the Internet brought me this mp3 of Amy Hempel reading "The Harvest" and suddenly I know what we're listening to in class... Read more

  Posted on 06 November 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Documentary Recommendation: Shepard and Dark

  

  Fascinating documentary about Sam Shepard’s forty year letter writing correspondence with friend Johnny Dark. Shepard stands as one my favorite authors and I... Read more

  Posted on 08 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Film Recommendation: Under the Skin

  

  Based on the surrealist novel by Michel Faber, the film adaptation was much different than the book. I admired director Jonathon Glazer’s experimental style... Read more

  Posted on 27 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Quick Note on New Semester and Dead Poets

  A new semester will soon begin as I write this and my thoughts obsess over inspiring and motivating my students. It’s hard for me to believe I’ve been teaching... Read more

  Posted on 25 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Film Recommendation: Enemy

  The film Enemy based on Jose Saramago’s novel The Double was a nicely surreal and non-linear film I admired quite a bit. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a fil... Read more

  Posted on 07 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Writerly Gear: Hybrid Mechanical Keyboard

  

  I have had so many conversations with students about how great old school mechanical typewriters are for the feel and cadence in the act of writing. Yet we... Read more

  Posted on 02 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Film Recommendation: a Scanner Darkly

  Lately for many reasons I feel I’ve been living inside of a Philip K. Dick novel, so I’ve been rereading a couple of my favorite–Flow My Tears, the Policeman... Read more

  Posted on 07 June 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Documentary Recommendation: Thank You Mr Watterson

  Great documentary now available for streaming on Netflix. I’d been waiting to watch this one for a while. I was glad to see some insight into the reclusive... Read more

  Posted on 26 May 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Thug Notes

  The first time I heard Thug Notes I found it very funny and engaging. I played it for my Lit 111 students. We liked the break down in a less elite language.... Read more

  Posted on 20 February 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• New Year’s Writing Resolution

  

  A few years back I made a joke to D about teaching and writing. I told her I was deciding to be a bad teacher and to focus on my writing. I told her I would be... Read more

  Posted on 03 January 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Grading the College Essay

  

  Reading this defeatist article on Slate.com on grading the college essay. Rings true in many ways but why would I want to give standardized exams instead of... Read more

  Posted on 13 December 2013 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Quick Review of Big Sur Feature Film

  

  Big Sur may be my least favorite Jack Kerouac novel. While On the Road and The Subterraneans captured youth and restlessness, Big Sur relates the aged, alcoholi... Read more

  Posted on 28 November 2013 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Thankful for Graphic Novels

  

  The other day a student came in to the office while I was reading a graphic novel and asked me what I was doing slacking off at school. He seemed to think I... Read more

  Posted on 26 November 2013 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Update: Neruda Not Poisoned

  I was interested to find this update on the Neruda exumation. Seems that he was not poisoned but family not satisfied or convinced according to a few articles. Read more

  Posted on 13 November 2013 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Quick Review of Junot Díaz’ This is How You Lose Her

  

  I’ve long read and admired Junot Diaz‘ style of prose. I’m almost embarrassed to say how much I’ve Read more

  Posted on 04 November 2013 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Last Tuesday at the Movies

  

  Home Went to the movies last week. I should’ve been grading or obsessing over the part time instructor evaluations I was supposed to be writing up. But I... Read more

  Posted on 29 October 2013 ENTERTAINMENT, MOVIES

• Stuart Dybek’s the Coast of Chicago

  

  We’re discussing a few stories tomorrow from Stuart Dybek‘s collection The Coast of Chicago. I admire “The Woman Who Fainted” and “Pet Milk” (4:27) and I was... Read more

  Posted on 24 October 2013 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• Stuart Dybek’s the Coast of Chicago

  

  We’re discussing a few stories tomorrow from Stuart Dybek‘s collection The Coast of Chicago. I admire “The Woman Who Fainted” and “Pet Milk” (4:27) and I was... Read more

  Posted on 24 October 2013 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING

• a Good Man is Hard to Find

  Discussing Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” today in Lit 150 class. I’m stealing this lesson/discussion from the Yale Writers’ Conference. Love... Read more

  Posted on 17 October 2013 BOOKS, CULTURE, SCHOOLING