A This and That Update

I thought I would take a minute to give a brief update about my own reading and writing as the summer break is winding down, which is a bit sad since I feel not completely ready to start again simply because I have enjoyed the time off.

With that being said, I did receive an email yesterday from Purdue saying that I am going to be recognized at "A Celebration of Teaching Excellence" event on Thursday September 26 and will be able to take up to four guests. In some ways, I feel like I have reached the pinnacle of my career with receiving the 10 years of service recognition, being recognized by the Dean earlier this summer in an email, and now this. I am still fairly young in my career though, so hopefully this isn't the top yet, but I guess in some ways that is up to me.

I managed to finish reading There There by Tommy Orange. I must say it took me a little bit longer than I would have liked since I was writing at the same time, but it is a powerful read. It opened up a whole new, complicated, and deep perspective of the Native American/American Indian experience in this nation. I have now started The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and must say the first five chapters have given me a sense of how this novel is still as relevant as ever in these times.

As far as my own writing is concerned, I have now written almost 218 pages in my notebook and I am about to finish this notebook out and go into another one. I feel like because of how many words I am writing on the pages that I need to get as close if not more than 300 pages to have a word count that I would be comfortable with for a novel. However, at the same time I am getting close and see the end in sight or at least the ending that I see, but have some work to get there. This novel is probably my most ambitious one yet because there are nine different narrators and perspectives to keep straight. I am still trying to see if I can finish this draft before the semester starts, but it might not happen, and that is okay, but still would like to finish it by my birthday at the latest, which is September 19. Then after that at some point I will need to start typing it, and then it would be at the point that I could actually share it with someone who wants to read it. I have no idea how many people have read my first two novels, but I think it is more than I think because I have forgotten how many people I have sent them too, haha!

I am also running a lot and trying to train for the Indianapolis Marathon in November. I ran ten miles last night during Yena's cross country practice because that is when I have been running. I haven't gotten as much sleep as I have wanted the past three or four nights, but that should change after this week because the practices will be earlier since school is starting. I still need to do some longer runs like 15 miles and 20 miles, but there is still time. My secret, not so secret goal, is to run a time of 3 hours and 20 minutes or under to qualify for the Chicago Marathon for my age bracket. However, that is like a 7:37 and under pace for every mile for 26.2 miles, which I am not sure how realistic that is. I am trying to change my mindset right now and telling myself that this is achievable and that I can do it!

That's all I have for now. Thanks for reading and take care!