First day of Spring 2005

And outside the sunlight is glancing off the gumleaves against a brilliant blue sky! Working in my office at home today- getting lectures ready on William Blake for Friday morning. Took puppy and her mum for a walk at the crack of dawn… puppy (called “Tipsy”) has boundless, endless energy…. charging into Mum “Molly” knocking her for six… oh the joys of being a bundle of pup! Moving, mobile, mighty, magnificent p..u..p..p..y!!! Yesterday we had a great debate in Australian Literature on Helen Garner’s Joe Cinque’s Consolation. This provoked a lot of interest and a lot of strong points of view. It is an amazing work of literature I think in that it uses the resources of creative writing to challenge the rationalist and scientific attitudes that prevail in our society. Here literature is the instrument of LIFE, offering consolation to Joe, to his family and to a world in which common decency and feeling for others is in short supply. The debate has provoked some real enthusiasm for a continuation of this mode of teaching…. this is excellent if it stimulates deep thought and real interest in the underlying issues of our reading. We now need to get our skates on for David Malouf’s visit in a fortnight…