Fosco Returns

Well, this is a little awkward... You know how apologies are sometimes... Do you forgive your Uncle Fosco? Please?

January is never a good month for Fosco--just ask his longtime pals. He tends to fall out of contact during that month. This year was a bit better, as Fosco remained aboveground for almost the whole month (let's try to forget that whole "Hibernation 2005" thing).

But now it's February, so let's sit down and catch up. What's new with you? Read any good books lately? Yeah, I know: that new Norman Mailer book about Hitler is totally lame. I mean, who writes about Hitler anymore? See, we're back to being friends--it's like I never left! And what is new in the life of Count Fosco? Oh, I have some stories...

It's a new quarter at UCSC and Fosco (thanks to a unexplained Regents Fellowship) isn't teaching and is taking a three seminars:

• "American Renaissance and Expansion"--let's learn about the 19C in the American hemisphere! Or, more interestingly, let's read Moby-Dick. Sailor novels are HOT.
  
• A seminar on Spinoza, taught by the legendary humanist Wlad Godzich. He's like a vortex of knowledge...
  
• A course on 20C French reception of Hegel. Fosco finally accepts the necessity that he has to know Hegel.
  

And you know what? It turns out that this is slightly insane. Two serious theory seminars are testing the limits of Fosco's abilities. It's a great intellectual high, but the end of the quarter is fast approaching and three research papers are looming...

And what about fun? At some point in the next week or so, I will have to update you about:

• Fosco's amazing trip to New York City with his sister, Maggie Tulliver.
  
• recent eating adventures in Santa Cruz.
  
• the beginning of Fosco's physical therapy to repair his damaged right pectoral (remember that pre-Christmas accident?)
  
• Fosco's new car!
  

Stay tuned...