What I'm Doing Right Now

I just finished writing the following letter. Now I'm pringint. Then I'll sign, stuff and mail and be glad when it's over!

Dear Bubba (joke),

Can you believe that it's been over 30 years since that June night when we packed ourselves into that still nearly new gymnasium and graduated from high school? Let me say it again: 30 years! I'm sure we've each traveled our long and winding road as best we could, and I hope that this letter finds you at a place in your journey where you're healthy and happy.

Not long ago, a small group of us began thinking about a 30-year reunion, and, lo and behold, the time is here. (For those of you who haven't seen the announcement running in Madison County's Sentinel since June or so, I apologize that this invitation letter comes with so little time to prepare for a reunion coming up in mid September. The fault is mine alone.) Friday, September 14th, is Madison High School's Homecoming football game, and all who are able are invited to join old friends from the Class of '77 that evening as the Patriots take the field against a team from Cherryville. The game begins at 7:30, but we would like to begin gathering at around 6:00 to visit awhile before the opening kick-off. The folks at the high school will designate an area of the stands where we can all sit together. (Do you suppose they still have dances after Homecoming games? Do you reckon they'll let us crash the party? Will our hips and knees be able to stand it?)

On Saturday the 15th, we've reserved the back section of Mars Hill's Pizza Roma restaurant for any and all who would like to come. (For those who don't know, Pizza Roma is below Ingles on the hill between Main Street and "Future I-26.") Our reservation is from 5:00 till 8:00. A rib-and-pizza buffet (including salad and dessert bars) is available for $7.99; drinks are $1.50 (sorry, no beer in Mars Hill yet). If you didn't see everybody on Friday night, or if you weren't able to make it to the football game, please plan to join us at Pizza Roma.

It'll be a simple, low-cost, low-pressure weekend with old friends, and those of us who have tried to put it together hope that you'll be able to make it for part or for all. We didn't get addresses for everybody in the Class of '77, so if you see any of your "old" classmates around where you live, be sure to pass the word—6:00 on September 14th at the Homecoming football game and then 5:00-8:00 on September 15th at the Pizza Roma in Mars Hill.

If you're able to come, please contact me via email (mhs77reunion@yahoo.com) or telephone (423.929.wxyz) so that we can have some sort of headcount. We might even need to have nametags in order to recognize each other!


All best wishes—


Michael Cody
Vice President, Class of 1977

ENGL 3070: Native American Literature

This morning at 11:15, the first meeting of ENGL 3070: Native American Literature will get underway. It's a course that I designed and pushed through the hoops to become a regular offering in the Department of English. When my new position as Director of the University Honors and Midway Scholars Programs seriously reduced my teaching schedule, I made sure that I would still be able to teach this course.

I'm certain that a lot of folks would say that a white man like me has no business teaching Native American Literature. I suppose that idea has some validity. But I think that students need exposure to this literature and the ideas that emerge from it, and if nobody more qualified is available to teach it, I'm happy to do so. The subject fascinates me, but I make no claims to extensive knowledge about it. My training, however, allows me to get inside the literature via its literary qualities rathern than my knowledge of tribal cultures. So that's a valid thing, I think.

As I'm getting to know my class this morning, I'll ask each of them what experience(s) they have with "Indian" culture in America. My own experience? I remember playing "Daniel Boone" (the TV show) with my cousins when we were children. I always wanted to be Mingo, the Indian sidekick. Same with the Lone Ranger--call me Tonto. My last year in college before quitting to go to Nashville, my roommate was Cherokee.

So this morning we'll begin a journey in this class through the short stories and poetry in an anthology called Nothing But the Truth. We'll also read four novels between now and December: Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony, A.A. Carr's Eye Killers, Sherman Alexie's Indian Killer and Susan Power's The Grass Dancer.

Through this blog, I'll periodically report on how things are going and what we're learning.

Friends . . . So Long Away

The time that passed between my last entry and now is the longest I've let this blog sit idle. I've thought about writing, but I haven't had the time or the energy. I've missed it. I regret being so long away, but life has been busy. I wrapped up two summer classes, officially began my new position, took up duties at church again (Sunday school teacher, worship committee leader), saw our second granddaughter christened and continued all of the usual stuff involving wife and son and home. I hope, however, that I can now achieve some better balance in my life and maintain these things that are important to me. And among these things are my friendships.

This past weekend was full of friends. On Friday evening, I went to a party hosted by our ETSU graduate students in English. Although I didn't stay all that long, I enjoyed being with the friends with whom I work. My hope is that they won't leave me out of their lives now that I'm not in the English building every day. Those folks mean a lot to me.

On Saturday, one of my oldest and dearest friends and his wife--also a dear friend--arrived from Nashville for an overnight visit. My family and I picked them up, and we immediately headed for the home of some of our best local friends. There we spent the evening, eating the most wonderful food, laughing lots and enjoying the company.

On Sunday morning, I made music with great friends, first at Cherokee UMC and then in Greeneville, TN, at Asbury UMC. At the latter place, I was happy to be with friends I've had for several years but hadn't seen in a couple of months.

Then I was off to a cookout with the bloggers pictured above. We're in each other's life a lot through these blogs, but this was the first time that we've all been able to be together in real time in the real world. It was a blast.

Our understanding of friendship these days tends toward what, in earlier times, would have been identified as "acquaintance." But all weekend, I felt my connection to these people to be more than what that word suggests. It might not be defined by the full richness of older definitions and descriptions of friendship, but it's close, . . . and it's wonderful.