Dan Punday
@dan-punday.bsky.social
Professor of English at Mississippi State University. I've published on narrative theory, contemporary US (mostly) literature, and computing. Currently working on infrastructure as a narrative issue. Also sometimes makes pottery.
Been mulling this over. Just finished a book draft that covers material I've been working on for 5 years or so, so finding myself saying "I've written on this before...." More of a gesture of humility: not everything here is completely new, part of a longer process.
January 6, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Been mulling this over. Just finished a book draft that covers material I've been working on for 5 years or so, so finding myself saying "I've written on this before...." More of a gesture of humility: not everything here is completely new, part of a longer process.
Even though I'm back from sabbatical, I've gotten into the habit of saying the colleagues and students, "I check email every week" as if that's some great concession. Puts it in perspective.
January 5, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Even though I'm back from sabbatical, I've gotten into the habit of saying the colleagues and students, "I check email every week" as if that's some great concession. Puts it in perspective.
I'm a terrible proofreader. My eyes just fix every problem if I'm reading silently so I don't notice them. But hearing the text out loud really does catch my attention because it sounds wrong. Give it a shot!
January 5, 2026 at 8:27 PM
I'm a terrible proofreader. My eyes just fix every problem if I'm reading silently so I don't notice them. But hearing the text out loud really does catch my attention because it sounds wrong. Give it a shot!
I'm not if this is a serious question, but I've found my proofreading has gotten much better, now that I let the computer read the text to me (on MacOS, but I'm sure windows does something similar). Just letting the robot talk and following along on hard copy makes it so much easier to catch typos.
January 5, 2026 at 8:20 PM
I'm not if this is a serious question, but I've found my proofreading has gotten much better, now that I let the computer read the text to me (on MacOS, but I'm sure windows does something similar). Just letting the robot talk and following along on hard copy makes it so much easier to catch typos.
You definitely get a second change. I was disappointed by my word ("mid") but this will not stand.
January 1, 2026 at 10:39 PM
You definitely get a second change. I was disappointed by my word ("mid") but this will not stand.
Great to hear. Keep it up, man.
January 1, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Great to hear. Keep it up, man.
When I get reader reports, the first day all I can do is read until I get to the word "congratulations" or "regret." Second day, I can read the whole first paragraph. The third day, I can read the first sentence of each paragraph. Takes me a full week to read through the whole thing.
December 31, 2025 at 4:58 PM
When I get reader reports, the first day all I can do is read until I get to the word "congratulations" or "regret." Second day, I can read the whole first paragraph. The third day, I can read the first sentence of each paragraph. Takes me a full week to read through the whole thing.
Why start with students? If this stuff really does "expand cognition," lets see everyday people use it for years once it stabilizes, report on their experience, and study how it changes their thinking and emotional life, before we start swapping out current models of teaching and learning?
December 28, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Why start with students? If this stuff really does "expand cognition," lets see everyday people use it for years once it stabilizes, report on their experience, and study how it changes their thinking and emotional life, before we start swapping out current models of teaching and learning?
Derrida wrote his early stuff in the 1960s, but you were unlikely to encounter the world "deconstruction" in an undergraduate class until, at best, the late 1980s.
December 27, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Derrida wrote his early stuff in the 1960s, but you were unlikely to encounter the world "deconstruction" in an undergraduate class until, at best, the late 1980s.
I also resist the idea that we need to integrate AI into classes *right now!* The field is sorting itself out, and the sense of benefits and costs is still emerging. I don't think it's wrong to say, let me continue to teach my classes mostly as-is and see where we're at in 2-3 years.
December 27, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I also resist the idea that we need to integrate AI into classes *right now!* The field is sorting itself out, and the sense of benefits and costs is still emerging. I don't think it's wrong to say, let me continue to teach my classes mostly as-is and see where we're at in 2-3 years.
I agree that we need to take many more states seriously, and get out of the thinking that we just need to win something like 4/5 "stretch" states. Play everywhere. But my response was just to the original post that because a senate win is tough, we shouldn't talk like we're going to win.
December 27, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I agree that we need to take many more states seriously, and get out of the thinking that we just need to win something like 4/5 "stretch" states. Play everywhere. But my response was just to the original post that because a senate win is tough, we shouldn't talk like we're going to win.
Mine haven't started, but it's only a matter of time.
December 27, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Mine haven't started, but it's only a matter of time.
I think everyone agrees the senate is a stretch. But as a political strategy optimism seems like a good idea. "We probably can't change anything" isn't much of a mantra.
The possibility of "hope" was literally the basis for Obama's campaign. Being a sense of possibility is essential.
The possibility of "hope" was literally the basis for Obama's campaign. Being a sense of possibility is essential.
December 27, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I think everyone agrees the senate is a stretch. But as a political strategy optimism seems like a good idea. "We probably can't change anything" isn't much of a mantra.
The possibility of "hope" was literally the basis for Obama's campaign. Being a sense of possibility is essential.
The possibility of "hope" was literally the basis for Obama's campaign. Being a sense of possibility is essential.
We had him in as our writer in residence maybe 6 years ago. Nice guy, students loved him, gave a great talk.
December 26, 2025 at 11:10 AM
We had him in as our writer in residence maybe 6 years ago. Nice guy, students loved him, gave a great talk.
That's my experience as well: in class (group) warm-up exercises, quizzes, hand-written tests. Much better attendance, engagement, and discussion.
December 25, 2025 at 2:43 PM
That's my experience as well: in class (group) warm-up exercises, quizzes, hand-written tests. Much better attendance, engagement, and discussion.
I don't usually bother this time of year: of course I'm out of the office!
December 24, 2025 at 1:00 PM
I don't usually bother this time of year: of course I'm out of the office!
I have the exact same case. Isn't it beautiful?
December 24, 2025 at 12:29 PM
I have the exact same case. Isn't it beautiful?
This one's better.
December 22, 2025 at 1:19 PM
This one's better.
When I was an undergrad at Pitt in the 1980s, it was considered very responsible that students weren't allowed to smoke in class--only in the hallway between classes.
December 20, 2025 at 8:12 PM
When I was an undergrad at Pitt in the 1980s, it was considered very responsible that students weren't allowed to smoke in class--only in the hallway between classes.
I always tell people who are considering a PhD: what if you have a great 5-6 years surrounded by smart people reading great stuff, get your degree perhaps even with no debt, but don't get a prof job. Are you a) happy for the experience or b) depressed? If it's b, don't go to a PhD program.
December 20, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I always tell people who are considering a PhD: what if you have a great 5-6 years surrounded by smart people reading great stuff, get your degree perhaps even with no debt, but don't get a prof job. Are you a) happy for the experience or b) depressed? If it's b, don't go to a PhD program.