Hi there,
Thanks for hopping over here and having a look. You'll be using the blog regularly, so take a close look around. This post is simply a "get to know you" entry (or rather, "get to know ME" post ... you'll be composing a similar version shortly).
***This is posted in all its unedited glory. Occasionally, I'll post my raw drafts of things then edit them. The class is heavily revision-based, so I like my students to see revision happening rather than just hearing about it.
All that said . . . My name is Amy Bolaski. I'm 37 and wish I weren't, a Cancer, a mom, a wife, a tea enthusiast, an animal lover, a teacher. This is me. I don't like smiling in photos (clearly), and too much overt enthusiasm unnerves me, but I'm not as taciturn as I might look. I don't think I'm as green-tinged as the 2nd photo suggests, but perhaps I'm in denial. My little one took that shot, so I can't complain much about the levels.
Despite evidence seemingly to the contrary (see: above) I'm not much of an indulger in the endless selfie trend, and I really can't take the duck face. Moving right along.
Educational background first: I have an M.A. in Literature and Writing Studies, a Bachelor's in Literature and Writing Studies, and an A.A. in Journalism. I've taken classes at four colleges - I did some hopping around, had a few misses, took some time off. I got serious about my education around 2001 and changed my major from Journalism to English . . . and here I am. I started teaching as a grad student at Cal State San Marcos in 2002, an experience that really prepared me for teaching elsewhere. I've taught for MiraCosta for 10 years and previously taught at Mt. San Jacinto College, Palomar, and Central Texas College (online).
I've got a lot of experience teaching online, a journey I began when I had my son. I had hoped to combine motherhood and teaching in such a way that I'd have a lot of time at home. This combo sounds divine to a lot of people, but keeping work and home separate is often very difficult (and I know it's difficult to balance student/parent/employee/caretaker roles - many students here at MCC boast an impressive array of titles while carrying a lot of units. Not an easier format for student or instructor - not by a long shot - but I try to make it work on a daily basis.
I continue to ponder a Ph.D , but we shall see. My years as a student were the richest of my life, and I hope in some small way I can contribute to a positive and enriching experience for you all that will make up a small part of the proverbial "college experience".
As I type this, I'm sitting up in bed next to my five-year-old, Reed, who's come down with a serious case of bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis. That work/life balance thing - I've never gotten it down. You will, in all likelihood, see evidence of this over the next four months, and I'll probably elaborate a bit more later. Ideally, you'll find my strengths supersede my weaknesses. Anyway, poor little guy won't make it tomorrow, and it's only the 2nd week of kindergarten. And I'm still typing this rather than having posted it hours ago and gone to sleep. :)
I point this out mostly to illustrate the precarious balance many of us find ourselves in regularly - trying to study and write when the other circles of daily life converge on us. I find, too, that I often have to make difficult decisions about whether to parent or work first. I really do empathize with my students when they find themselves in all manners of crisis, as I know them very well (more on that shortly), and I do work with people individually when life interferes with the course schedule (that said, please don't take this statement as a "no real deadlines!" declaration). :)
A few happier moments below - the first day of big-boy school, Uno (we play a LOT of games around these parts), and his best friend, Kayla. He's my heart -- sometimes intrepid and charming, often diffident and difficult, always amusing and articulate.
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| First day. Wasn't too sad to leave Mama. At all. |
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| UNO beats War, which I'm forced to play nearly every day. It's the worst. |
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| LegoLand, trying his hand at wooing the lady. Hasn't quite worked out for him yet; she's got a crush on some kid named Luca and says she won't marry Reed. Bummer. She's pretty cute. |
I mentioned in my email that we just had kittens, though I should clarify that our CAT, actually, had the kittens, rather than us. We adopted Little a few months back when she showed up in our yard and became a fixture within mere days. She's beautiful and affectionate (and quite . . . little), and she was pregnant. Of course. Which we discovered about a month after taking her in. Cue Little's own littles, and we (currently) have six cats:
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| IKE - our 15-year-old orange tabby. He could give Grumpy Cat a run for his money for sure. |
And Little Mama herself, along with her sweet babies:
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| Part Siamese, part Ninja. Seriously. Stalking creatures from her beloved tree. |
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| Should you want a kitten, we have an all black one and a tabby who still need homes. |
a rhetorical strategy about which you'll soon learn.) Between
teaching, writing, parenting, "wife-ing", and caring for my grandmother, I don't have much free time these days. When I or my husband do, either of us can usually be found doing this, and trying to convince the five-year-old to do the same:
I don't get a lot of that <-----------------. Get used to seeing posts and receiving emails in the middle of the night. When I'm not any of the above-mentioned activities,
I'm reading. Voraciously. It's an addiction, really, but one of the best to have. Not financially, but it's justifiable.
Have you made it this far? If so, congrats. This MAY get more interesting as I feel compelled to add some films, bands, blogs, memes, and stuff I love. That will probably go in a separate post so as to be bearable. As your first assignment will ask you to compose a photo essay of your own on the blog, I hope you find this example useful, regardless of whether you find it interesting. I'm prolific, but I don't require you to be for this assignment. Details will be forthcoming for Blog Assignment #1, but just know I'm not requiring a specific word or photo count. Show us who you are, what you like, what you don't (the assignment will ask you to address a few specifics). I'm signing off for now, so start thinking about what you might like to include in your own introduction/photo essay.
And goodnight!
A
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