Spring Break break

Hey guys,

So I know that it's Thursday, and you're all wondering why you haven't felt right for a couple of days now. Just to set you back on your axis, I figured I'd post so you can all stop missing me.

A quick note about the McEggers Tang Clan piece: I really appreciated everyone's responses. This was by far the most controversial reading we've had in this class, which I think is exciting, definitely. Some of you are probably still wondering why I assigned it, and Richard noted that I said something about "what happens when your voice takes over your publication," and that's a lot of it: How sometimes we (and when I say "we" I mean me, and maybe you, with your project) can get so deep into how we're doing something that we get away from the what we're doing. This is a major criticism of McSweeney's, that its style has overcome its substance. Another point: The small press world, particularly as navigated by your guileless instructor, tends to be fairly chummy. "We're all pals doing it for the love," that sort of thing. But it's important to remember that, even when you're working on a smaller scale, there'll be critics out there. Thick skins can come in handy.

Hope everyone is enjoying their break. And in case you are, here's a nice succinct explanation of how corporations have destroyed the industry nearest to all of our hearts. Have fun!