Another school year ends. Another wave of hopeful graduates. Here’s David Foster Wallace’s excellent commencement address.

See if you can tell which lines are from all-campus announcements and which are from the apocalyptic novels we read this semester:

Our students are getting sick now in large numbers.

Late yesterday afternoon, a Hamilton student went to the Health Center with flu-like symptoms consistent with the virus.

The student has been isolated in a private room on campus.

Nights dark beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before. Like the onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the world.

Arrangements have been made to have meals delivered to his room.

His professors have been contacted.

If the situation worsens faculty may have to make other decisions.

One test has come back positive for the virus.

The students are all being treated as though they have the virus.

If from infancy you treat children as gods they are liable in adulthood to act as devils.

The virus is now widespread throughout the county.

A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever.

We encourage students and advisors to meet when they are recovered to discuss the student’s plans.

Of a thing which could not be put back. Not to be made right again.

Please take care of yourself and stay healthy.

I’m working with the Downtown Writer’s Center of Syracuse this semester and will be teaching a course in the spring. Very positive experience so far which makes me look forward to the upcoming workshop.

Once again, I take on the role of Visiting Professor of English at Hamilton College. This year, my courses focus on apocalyptic themes in literature. I’m afraid the reading list isn’t very cheerful.

I have officially started my appointment as Scholar-in-Residence at Hamilton College.

Returned as Visiting Lecturer to Hamilton College. Baby boy was born on February 19, 2007—and there was much rejoicing!

As Visiting Professor of English for 2005-06, I gave a fiction reading at Hamilton College. Held in the gladiatorially named “Red Pit.” I had the urge to shout “are you not entertained” at its conclusion.

Very good turnout and lively Q&A session. Nearly every member of the English Department was there to show support. I’ve never experienced that before—in fact, I’ve never even observed it.

As a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship recipient, I spent two months at the Summer Institute directed by the East-West Center and the University of Hawaii-Manoa.