• The limits of judgment.  In particular, judgment as exercised by liberal/progressive folks.  Here I am talking about the way that so many folks on the left side of the fence seem to equate “judging” with action.  I want to review several episodes of a radio call-in show such as Radio Times out of WHYY in Philly and examine how so many callers who self identify (or demonstrate themselves to be) as “liberal” show a very limited understanding of public argument.  This is a similar line of thought that Lakoff
  discusses in progressives misguided belief in certain Enlightenment-informed assumptions–such as “the facts speak for themselves.”  [taking a break...Rowan is crying] Other points of connection.  Public arguments made in university spaces–public forums, organizations, meetings.
• Elephant in the room.  Limits of “the process” and the ways in which problematic behaviors/practices are systematically reproduced by silence.  Or, when an institution looks the other way and the kind of justifications given for not doing the right thing.
• Podcasting ideas–Fictions of English departments and state schools.  Short takes on writing.  Academic literacy narratives.

OK…gotta go burp the cannonball.

For all you fans of Rowan, you’ll be happy to know that my little cannonball is breaking the 13 pound barrier this week.  Yup.  The kid’s doing some serious growing.  There are days I come home from work and could swear that he grew while I was gone.  Incredible.   I was hoping to upload some new photos today, but the batteries in my camera died just as I inserted the cable into the USB port of my computer.  So, perhaps later.

Since I’ve been away so long, here’s a little update on what I’ve been up to:

• Changing a lot of diapers. Surprise, surprise.
• Making up songs to sing to Rowan.  There’s the “Me and You,” Juno-inspired song and the latest “Rowan Likes to Walk Around.”  I’ve been making my way through Kimya Dawson’s new CD, Alphabutt, which is all the inspiration I need to believe that I too can produce a kids album some day.
• Thinking about my next book project. Working title: Barring the Impossible.  Since Democracies to Come: Rhetorical Action, Neoliberalism, and Communities of Resistance was published in May, I have focused my conference proposals/papers on moments of rhetorical intervention–vote of no confidence against our university president, union strike preparation, campaign to save the Early Learning Center at KU–and I’ve continued to explore intervening in “micro-negotiations of hegemony” in my teaching.  Barring the Impossible will begin there.
• Began reading The Lord of the Rings to Rowan.
• Finished reviewing all applications for our tenure-track hire in Composition.  Booked flight to San Franscisco for MLA, December 27-30. Interviews will be conducted there.
• Finished writing my new course proposal, “Rhetoric, Democracy, Advocacy”  It will go to the department for review/approval in December and then on to the college and university curricular committees.
• Continue to pray that my Honda Civic with 195,000 miles on it is good for another 50,000.
• Have found some amazing sites for toy robots to add to the CRLS robot arm.
• Figuring out the best–and easiest–way to develop a comp/rhet podcast for our program–students are being VERY helpful!
• Attempting to make my way around the new channel line-up since Sirius merged with XM.

That’s a little window into my world at least.  There is so much that I’ve wanted to write lately…here’s hoping that with Rowan sleeping a good 5 hours a night these days that I’ll be able to get back to at least a weekly visit to CwD.