Monthly Archives: June 2018

Over the Top

Posted on June 30, 2018 by profmondo

When I was in Scouts, at eleven or twelve years of age, I went to the Cumberland Mountain Climbing School with the rest of my troop. I really hadn’t wanted to do it, but Dad was something of an outdoorsman, … Continue reading →

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Poetry Corner: “It’s a Living” Edition

Posted on June 29, 2018 by profmondo

Last night, a former student of mine was talking on the Book of Faces about the fact (which she described as shameful) that teachers here in South Carolina don’t get paid a great deal. I mentioned that Mrs. M makes … Continue reading →

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Losing A Great One

Posted on June 28, 2018 by profmondo

I just found out that Harlan Ellison has died. He marked his 84th birthday a month ago. Ellison was one of my favorite writers, and his work earned the respect and admiration of his peers. As much as anyone, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Broken Glass Waltzes, Culture, Literature, Why I Do What I Do | 1 Comment

Lunch Downtown

Posted on June 26, 2018 by profmondo

It occurred to me last night that in about three weeks, it’ll have been 20 years since I got out of the magazine business. Well, that’s not entirely accurate — I freelanced every so often while I was doing my … Continue reading →

Posted in Broken Glass Waltzes, Culture, Family | 1 Comment

Choosing a Float to Ride in the Parade of Horribles

Posted on June 25, 2018 by profmondo

It’s hard to keep track of who we’re supposed to shun these days. Potential customers boycott businesses. Businesses boycott potential customers. Artist X has committed Misdeed Y — fire him, replace her, cast the past work into the cultural oubliette. … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Literature | 2 Comments

Sunday Potpourri: Merry Blockmas Edition

Posted on June 24, 2018 by profmondo

So the weather folks tell us that today’s high in Mondoville will be around 102, with a heat index somewhere near 110. Fortunately, the A/C in my office is set to about 3 degrees Kelvin (the average temperature of the … Continue reading →

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QotD: No More Heroes Edition

Posted on June 21, 2018 by profmondo

One of the things of which I’m proud is my defense of free expression at my job, as when I suggested that the faculty endorse a version of the U of Chicago’s statement on same. As a teacher and as … Continue reading →

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In Which the Prof Makes Mrs. Courtney Proud

Posted on June 20, 2018 by profmondo

Given that I’m a medievalist, there’s a certain irony in the fact that I was an indifferent Latin student in high school. At the end of my ninth-grade year, my dad presented me with the classes I was going to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Education, Literature | 5 Comments

Ekphrastic Connections

Posted on June 19, 2018 by profmondo

I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute to three of Lawrence Block’s anthologies in recent years, with more to come, and the two most recent stories of that set have been examples of something called ekphrasis — a twenty-dollar word meaning … Continue reading →

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In Which the Prof Wonders If He Is an Extra in an Evelyn Waugh Novel

Posted on June 18, 2018 by profmondo

As the Spawn and I drove between our hotel and the comic convention this weekend, we took Tryon St. into Charlotte’s Uptown area, where the convention center awaited us. You’ll be pleased to know that I try to be aware … Continue reading →

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