Meetings, meetings

Meeting number 1.
I spoke to a colleague this morning about some of the things I’m involved in. I sometimes find it difficult to remember. I’m so close to these. They are so much part of what I do that I don’t see them as important. But there’s BBC Blast, where I delivered two workshops on writing flash-fiction, performing it and filming it. Then I’ll be involved in Aim Higher, working with intelligent but unambitious Y10s who come and stay at the university, just like students, and enjoy the sort of activities they might do when they eventually come to university. I’m actually working on producing a book in two days with them, and it may well involve some of my students as helpers. And of course, I had to talk about the Creative Café. That is the project that is so close to my heart. I’m not sure where it’s going, exactly, but it’s going somewhere, and it’s great fun.
Meeting number 2
I met with Scott over at the Angel Café, where I’m organising a read of Making Changes on 1st December, at 2.00 p.m. I talked to him about the Creative Cafés project. He had a few extra ideas and might also be able to find some funding. He seems to understand the basic idea.
I ate at the Angel as well. Their food is good. And filling and comforting and yet quite healthy.
I wonder, though, if I got too many of my colleagues from the university to go there, whether it might not change character completely. Moderation in all things, I think, is the answer.
Meeting number 3
Three of us met to standardise marking of the Intro to Creative Writing 1 first assignment. This really seems a good system – getting the marks right before we start on the bulk of the writing.
We annotated the texts and then marked together, homing in on each section. We pretty well agreed. Then having a well planned marking scheme really helps.
It was good, too, because we were able to discuss in detail what happens where elements are partly there.
Meeting number 4
Our MA students. We looked at the worlds through the eyes of Adorno. Is our work committed? Or are we adding to popular mass culture.