August 9, 2013 Dear You, Welcome to our thinking, quesoning, and wring class. I’m excited to get to know you a s individuals, rather than as a big class of many students. This leer is one way to get started. I gure what’s fair is fair; if you’re gonna share a lile a bout who you are, you should know a lile about who I am. (As you read this, think of things you might choose to write to me.) So, I’m 45; married to Lauren—my high school sweetheart—and we have three sons: McLean, Ellio, and William. We stay busy with school, sports and more throughout the year. Lauren also works. For the most part, I act dierently at home than I do in class. (I don’t joke around nearly as much at home...beer for our kids and my relaonship with Lauren.) I will tell you stories about my family this semester, but you cannot rat me out. If you do, they will sell me on E -bay: "Used Father/Husband for sale, BUY NOW for $14.99." Here’s a story I will tell several mes: We have two dogs. “Dog 1 and 2.” Lauren thinks they’re smart. They aren’t. For example, when our door bell rings, it’s never for them. But does that stop them from barking and skiering across the oors to the door as if maybe this me it will be for them? Nope. Like I said, they’re dumb. Even worse, Dog 1 and Dog 2 are bu -ugly. Lauren thinks they are beauful. To me, both look like they ran into a door and smushed their noses in. What do you think? I knew it: bu -ugly! (I apologize if you have a bu-ugly dog, too. All dogs are beauful...on the inside. In truth, they have grown on me, but the Boxer has terrible breath and I don’t know what to do about it. Any future doggie docs or densts out there?) I'm a nave Charloean. I’ve seen Charloe grow from a relavely small town – for example, downtown had no buildings taller than 20 oors and no one ever went uptown to bars, clubs, restaurants, etc. aer 6 p.m. – to the big city that it is now. I used to be able to shoot guns in elds around UNCC and on farms just beyond SouthPark Mall. Except for living in Chapel Hill (for college), London (several mes), and Maine (several mes), I’ve always lived in Charloe. Somemes, I will slip up and tell you that I have to drive back to Charloe aer work. (I forget UNCC is in Charloe.) Before I began teaching, I worked a s professional writer. I sll do on o ccasion. Need any papers wrien? (That’s a joke.) For 20+ years, I wrote magazine ads, television and radio commercials; magazine stories; NPR radio essays; books, and other things. I’ve worked for myself most of my career, and started three businesses, including Walkabout Press, a book publishing company that’s sll in business. I don’t spend much me running it, and we don’t make much money anymore because we ha ven’t published a new book in six years. Why? Because I discovered how much I love teaching. Fo rizzle. What is it about teaching? I get to work with you. No maer how you feel about wring, y ou’re unique and naturally curious — humans are built that way — a nd if you’re willing to try some new things this semester, you’ll rekindle or connue to develop your innate curiosity. I promise. But you have to trust our process, even though it won’t always make sense or feel comfortable. And that’s where this class carries into life. You’ll grow as someone who thinks for yourself, you’ll develop skills that will help you succeed and achieve your goals, and you’ll have fun. I get to watch all of this happen. That’s prey cool for me. Does this always happen? Nope. You may not take an interest in this class and won’t do the work, or you’ll procrasnate and crank out crapola that you know is awful. That’s just the way it is for some students every semester. I accept that, no hard feelings. But if you are interested and want to grow as a creave and crical -thinking individual, I’ll do anything I can to help you! Enough about that. When someone I asks what I do for work, I say, “I teach and I write.” I write for many reasons, but the big ones are: (a) Wring is a way for me to think clearly and learn more about who I am, what I think and feel; (b) Wring is a part of me; and (c) Because I never want to forget how hard it is. Why should I expect you to do something so hard if I don’t remember just how hard it is? That’s not fair. Bu-Ugly One & Two I love my company logo! McLean, 14 Ellio, 12 William, 8 Lauren Me