Donna's Salon Utopia

Hello everyone! I started my PhD program as a full-time student officially on May 3, 2010. I am taking one online course in foundations of curriculum with Dr. Heather Sykes and an in-class course with Dr. Stephanie Springgay on arts-based research. I am enjoying both tremendously. With the online course, it is really interesting how you can respond to the discussion postings, as well as produce work that has links to videos, podcasts and include stories from blogs and photographs. I'm having a lot of fun with it. I have not received any marks back yet, however I hope the fact I am having a lot of fun with it is an indication that I am doing well. The arts-based research class is a blast too. On the first day we all learned some fascinating things about the origin of arts-based research, as well as some of the schools of thought on the topic. On the second day, we went down to Trinity Square Video at 401 Richmond St. W. in Toronto and saw three documentaries and a piec...

Things continue to go great through the blessings of God. I am really excited about starting my PhD coursework at OISE/University of Toronto. I start in May. I have now paid my fees and looking forward to getting my Robarts library card activated so I can make full use of their wonderful resource. OISE looks as though they have a good library too. I found out some terrific news lately. I will be teaching a dramatic writing course at Ryerson University's Chang School. This is in continuing education. The contract should come in the mail by Thursday. I'm really looking forward to this. I have been sent the course outline and I now have the required text that looks really interesting to teach from as a base. I have seen the movies we will be screening and it's going to be a really exciting class over May and June. For July and August I will be teaching the second half of media writing, taking over from the esteemed Roger McTair at Seneca College. I'm really looking forward...

Things are going great. I'm starting my PhD in May. I have some great part-time job prospects on the horizon. I will most likely be working in French again - which I love. My students are terrific! I was just doing some marking today and the things they come up with are excellent. I'm so proud of them. I especially love it when they come to class. I'm taking on an intern from Seneca College's Journalism program. He will be working with Donna Magazine for a month at least. He's a very promising writer named Chris Temelkos and expect to see great stuff from him on the mag. I'm coming up with a strong idea for my dissertation at the University of Toronto that will follow in the tradition of Salon Utopia and Afro Forever . Afro Forever was the original title of my thesis at Concordia University that I did more than 10 years ago. I'm loving the Macbook Pro I'm typing on now and I know it is going to come in very hand for the work I will doing over a few yea...

A former student of mine at Seneca College is looking terrific. Her stomach has shrunk significantly after her dedication of doing 300 sit-ups a day. I found this knowledge inspiring. I was speaking to a colleague of mine who was pointing out that most people who have been trained in voice breathe from the diaphragm. Due to this fact, it develops the stomach muscles and causes a bit of a paunch. Since like my colleague, I use my voice for a living, most likely I would not ever have a female version of a washboard stomach. I would always have a bit of a paunch. I do believe this. This is fine for me. Ultimately it is healthier and improves the voice to breathe from the diaphragm.

Today I will be going to Seneca College to teach. I am looking forward to a great day. Yesterday I was at Trebas Institute and I administered a test to the students. I think I get as nervous about those tests as some of the students do at times. Everything seemed to go well. I also played a podcast about Internet marketing that was done by a man named James Scramko. He has a website called: www.askjamesschramko.com . You should check that out for any of your online marketing questions. The guy is good. Well...that is it for today. I am keeping this short because I am still working on Abilene's Child. It is a fascinating story and I know it will really do well.