This summer I’ve got a lot going on. In addition to my endless reading list for exams in the fall I’m also working on my dissertation. I won’t bore you with the tentative details but it concerns playwriting in the classroom. Unlike the technological rants, opinions and observations I often spout about, playwriting is older than dirt. While you would expect the ability to find loads of information about technology on the web it may be less obvious to find information about playwriting. We’d both be wrong, however.
It’s quite amazing the amount of information I was able to find about playwriting on the web. Video’s from experts in the field freely available on YouTube, bloggers hosting interviews with playwrights, the complete texts of plays via author webpages, and other forms of information all available with a little dedicated searching. Now, I’ve got to be clear that I’m not endorsing travels to the “lower depths” of the internet for infringing material. You will find all sorts of legitimate material from the authors themselves.
I suspect that this is also true for other areas of interest. Perhaps you’re interested in learning piano but don’t have the time or money for lessons. Well, if you’ve got a piano, you could probably find a web application, site, video, or blog that might teach you a little something about music. Perhaps you’ve always been interested in novel writing, or advanced mathematics, or physics… there is probably a group, or an interview, or a tutorial available for you. I learned the basics of graphic design on the internet as well as how to tie a bow tie. Info is available. Instead of chatting away your summer or looking at photos of friends of friends you might consider tackling a long subdued interest of yours. Who knows what you’ll find? Perhaps a hidden talent… or a new career.