When - How - Why (did you start listening to the Best Show)

[Matt]

Matt, it's English 358 something, I think, through the creative writing program.  There's only one section.  I think it's full but I'm pretty liberal with the special permission numbers.  You have to write a lot (everyone brings work in on a schedule) but it's just the first act of a screenplay and I'm a pretty easy grader (for that and my playwriting class, anyway - I also teach expos 2 and technical writing, and I have to be tougher for those). 

I'd probably attend a New Brunswick listening party, like the Iron Monkey shindig, but Tuesdays are usually my days off.  Plus I need my weekly TBSOWFMU podcast to endure my commute.  I will be on campus on Tuesday October the 16th, though, to talk to my friend's playwriting class.

Aw snap! I already took the technical writing course that you are teaching (355:302). I should have waited!

Expos 2 will not fulfill any of my curriculum requirements. I will leave room in your screenwriting class for those who have a passion for creative writing (I am but a lowly civil engineer.) I may reconsider if your section opens.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Aw snap! I already took the technical writing course that you are teaching (355:302). I should have waited!

Expos 2 will not fulfill any of my curriculum requirements. I will leave room in your screenwriting class for those who have a passion for creative writing (I am but a lowly civil engineer.) I may reconsider if your section opens.

Honestly, Matt, it's the same no matter who teaches it, except I tell more jokes.  Except one time, before the Powerpoint presentations, I made a crack about how fun they were - something like "it's a Powerpoint presentation - get ready for the ride of your life" - and the poor kid thought I was making fun of him.  I felt really awful and spent the rest of the semester apologizing to him.  He got an A, which he earned, but I still felt bad.

We actually get a lot of students from other majors in the screenwriting class - everyone in America is writing a screenplay, or a book, or in a band, or doing improv comedy, or some combination of those, after all.  Sometimes the best students are the Engineering or History majors.

[Matt]

Honestly, Matt, it's the same no matter who teaches it, except I tell more jokes.  Except one time, before the Powerpoint presentations, I made a crack about how fun they were - something like "it's a Powerpoint presentation - get ready for the ride of your life" - and the poor kid thought I was making fun of him.  I felt really awful and spent the rest of the semester apologizing to him.  He got an A, which he earned, but I still felt bad.

We actually get a lot of students from other majors in the screenwriting class - everyone in America is writing a screenplay, or a book, or in a band, or doing improv comedy, or some combination of those, after all.  Sometimes the best students are the Engineering or History majors.

Well, all the other sections are closed. I am not surprised that these classes are in high demand. I will keep an eye out for an open section. Thanks!

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Well, all the other sections are closed. I am not surprised that these classes are in high demand. I will keep an eye out for an open section. Thanks!

OK.  But I really do let anyone in who wants in - it's always the passionate kids who hover outside my office begging for a special permission number because they never got it together during registration who stick around and write the best stuff - about 20% of the class bails once they actually have to start writing.  It's the sort of thing where, if you're into it, it's a breeze and kind of fun, but if you're not it can be incredibly burdensome.

But in any case, a special permission number is yours if you want it - not just because you're a FOT, though that certainly doesn't hurt.

[moonshake]

But in any case, a special permission number is yours if you want it - not just because you're a FOT, though that certainly doesn't hurt.

Sounds to me like ectoplasm.

[erika]

topic topic topic topic topic topic topic topic

(start a new thread, you guys... pwease?)

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

topic topic topic topic topic topic topic topic

(start a new thread, you guys... pwease?)

Sorry - I think we're done.

[KickTheBobo]

topic topic topic topic topic topic topic topic

(start a new thread, you guys... pwease?)

Actually, I'd like to talk about how I was rejected by Rutgers College back in 1991 (although Livingston College did give me the green light). Oh, how I yearned to be a Scarlet Knight!

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Actually, I'd like to talk about how I was rejected by Rutgers College back in 1991 (although Livingston College did give me the green light). Oh, how I yearned to be a Scarlet Knight!

OK, new thread, new thread, let's be good citizens.  Sorry, Erika.  (Bobo, the same thing happened to me in 1989 - check the general discussion board).

[Sarah]

I prefer threads to go off topic.  It makes the odd, artificial discourse that is messageboardspeak more closely resemble actual conversation.   

[KickTheBobo]

I prefer threads to go off topic.  It makes the odd, artificial discourse that is messageboardspeak more closely resemble actual conversation.   

same here. I like watching the evolution of some of these threads. In 25 posts, we went from Fido asking Tom advice on hooking up his new surround-sound to Dave from Knoxville sheepishly admitting that he has collected souvenir spoons from each of the lower 48 states. I always wondered who bought those.

[erika]

I prefer threads to go off topic.  It makes the odd, artificial discourse that is messageboardspeak more closely resemble actual conversation.   

That's fine then. But I thought this thread would be a nice place to read stories about how people heard about the best show. It turned into a two page conversation between a few people on a topic that not many can relate to.

No one's ruling with an iron fist here. I asked nicely. Just thought that when people clicked on this thread they might want to see something related to the topic that was listed instead of a two-way conversation. I think that's reasonable.

[erika]

ah, fuck it. i'm just grouchy. talk about whatever you want. but i still like to hear how people heard of the best show.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

ah, fuck it. i'm just grouchy. talk about whatever you want. but i still like to hear how people heard of the best show.

Yeah, it's a good topic, which is one of the reasons I agreed to move all the RU talk.  Frankly I'd like to read about it more than my freaking job.

[John M.]

I had heard about the show through aspecialthing for a while, but finally checked it out once I started looking for new podcasts in early '06. I'm constantly trying to get people into the show, but it's not the easiest thing to justify with a simple description.