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.
For my birthday last month, I asked my wife for a ridiculous blazer, and my wife knocked it out of the park. Wore it tonight, and got complements at the restaurant and concert we attended. Am I brave enough to wear it to teach?
November 15, 2025 at 3:52 AM
For my birthday last month, I asked my wife for a ridiculous blazer, and my wife knocked it out of the park. Wore it tonight, and got complements at the restaurant and concert we attended. Am I brave enough to wear it to teach?
So enjoying this grad seminar on (recent) literature and infrastructure. Easiest teaching job in the world. Though there are only 6 students, class basically involves me coming in and saying, "so what did you think?" and the students cook for 3 hours. My main job is putting things on the whiteboard.
October 28, 2025 at 11:10 AM
So enjoying this grad seminar on (recent) literature and infrastructure. Easiest teaching job in the world. Though there are only 6 students, class basically involves me coming in and saying, "so what did you think?" and the students cook for 3 hours. My main job is putting things on the whiteboard.
On the "ripoff degrees" thing, I'm reminded of this data I presented when I interviewed to be dept head at Mississippi State: the difference between humanities earnings and business earnings is trivial over a career. All that matters is finding a way to graduate. Just help people find their niche.
October 11, 2025 at 12:21 PM
On the "ripoff degrees" thing, I'm reminded of this data I presented when I interviewed to be dept head at Mississippi State: the difference between humanities earnings and business earnings is trivial over a career. All that matters is finding a way to graduate. Just help people find their niche.
On the one hand: yay, here's the new Pynchon novel! On the other hand, I guess I put it in my Amazon cart twice and now have two copies. I'll find someone in the department who wants a free copy.
My wife: well, you're contributing financially to helping poor Pynchon to finally retire from writing.
My wife: well, you're contributing financially to helping poor Pynchon to finally retire from writing.
October 8, 2025 at 11:05 PM
On the one hand: yay, here's the new Pynchon novel! On the other hand, I guess I put it in my Amazon cart twice and now have two copies. I'll find someone in the department who wants a free copy.
My wife: well, you're contributing financially to helping poor Pynchon to finally retire from writing.
My wife: well, you're contributing financially to helping poor Pynchon to finally retire from writing.
Here's the flyer; the syllabus itself isn't anything special: just more or less one novel a week, with a couple of days spent on academic publishing and periodization.
October 7, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Here's the flyer; the syllabus itself isn't anything special: just more or less one novel a week, with a couple of days spent on academic publishing and periodization.
Obviously, I didn't marry my wife because she had an original Mac, but it didn't hurt. But talk about being a geek princess, referencing the computer by its RAM size.
October 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Obviously, I didn't marry my wife because she had an original Mac, but it didn't hurt. But talk about being a geek princess, referencing the computer by its RAM size.
Update. gaillardia, great coneflower, and lavender popped up right away. Yucca, butterfly bush, and others are dragging their feet.
September 26, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Update. gaillardia, great coneflower, and lavender popped up right away. Yucca, butterfly bush, and others are dragging their feet.
I've been checking quotes and details for this new book project before I send it out. Getting so close: I have this many things still to verify before I call it done.
September 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I've been checking quotes and details for this new book project before I send it out. Getting so close: I have this many things still to verify before I call it done.
Teaching this grad seminar on infrastructure in recent (mostly) US lit, and my students are killing it. Next up, Egan's *The Candy House*.
September 25, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Teaching this grad seminar on infrastructure in recent (mostly) US lit, and my students are killing it. Next up, Egan's *The Candy House*.
Thinking back on a conference I ran right before covid. It had, in my modest opinion, the best program book design ever. The cover was map-themed & the size approximated a folded map. Inside, each session took up exactly two facing pages, so you could see everything going on without flipping pages.
September 25, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Thinking back on a conference I ran right before covid. It had, in my modest opinion, the best program book design ever. The cover was map-themed & the size approximated a folded map. Inside, each session took up exactly two facing pages, so you could see everything going on without flipping pages.
The whole, "we're living in a simulation" thing never made any sense to me. But I have to admit that the furniture/layout of this AirB&B in Memphis does look like a video game. Waiting for an NPC to wander down the hallway.
September 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM
The whole, "we're living in a simulation" thing never made any sense to me. But I have to admit that the furniture/layout of this AirB&B in Memphis does look like a video game. Waiting for an NPC to wander down the hallway.
I've gotten into the habit of starting perennials from seed in the early fall, since they take so long to grow. Keep them on the porch until the weather turns cold, then put them under a grow light in December. I'll start annuals like tomatoes in January under the light.
September 13, 2025 at 12:32 PM
I've gotten into the habit of starting perennials from seed in the early fall, since they take so long to grow. Keep them on the porch until the weather turns cold, then put them under a grow light in December. I'll start annuals like tomatoes in January under the light.
You all. I have assembled a cheeseboard so attractive that I might now officially be an influencer. Don’t know who the university will get to teach my classes.
September 1, 2025 at 11:03 PM
You all. I have assembled a cheeseboard so attractive that I might now officially be an influencer. Don’t know who the university will get to teach my classes.
Finished a first pass through in proofing. Now just like a million quotes and references to check
September 1, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Finished a first pass through in proofing. Now just like a million quotes and references to check
Made some pan au chocolat yesterday and it came out great. But food writers seem to lose their minds about croissant recipes. It's not that complicated: dough with a layer of butter, then you fold it a lot of times. The NY Times recipe has 24 steps and recommends starting 24 hours early. Get a grip!
August 31, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Made some pan au chocolat yesterday and it came out great. But food writers seem to lose their minds about croissant recipes. It's not that complicated: dough with a layer of butter, then you fold it a lot of times. The NY Times recipe has 24 steps and recommends starting 24 hours early. Get a grip!
Hey, want to see me swimming with manta rays in Hawaii? Seems scary, but they've got no teeth. Every time the camera jerks, its because they ran into me.
August 19, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Hey, want to see me swimming with manta rays in Hawaii? Seems scary, but they've got no teeth. Every time the camera jerks, its because they ran into me.
Phone cameras are amazing. I’m on vacation away from most light pollution (in Hawaii) and just took this pic of the night sky. You can see so much stuff in the photo you can’t with your eyes.
August 10, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Phone cameras are amazing. I’m on vacation away from most light pollution (in Hawaii) and just took this pic of the night sky. You can see so much stuff in the photo you can’t with your eyes.
Ran a conference in New Orleans in the weeks before the pandemic, and our only give-away was stickers, trying to cut down on waste. Just realized we had stacks of them left, so this week back in the city I've put them up in bars all over town.
July 28, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Ran a conference in New Orleans in the weeks before the pandemic, and our only give-away was stickers, trying to cut down on waste. Just realized we had stacks of them left, so this week back in the city I've put them up in bars all over town.
Only in New Orleans can you get away with running a bookstore that has a maximum of 6 customers.
July 25, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Only in New Orleans can you get away with running a bookstore that has a maximum of 6 customers.
Today to Kroger: “Free, Take One”
One the one hand, why?
On the other, why not?
One the one hand, why?
On the other, why not?
July 5, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Today to Kroger: “Free, Take One”
One the one hand, why?
On the other, why not?
One the one hand, why?
On the other, why not?
Wanna see a scuba video?
June 21, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Wanna see a scuba video?
Chicken walks into a bar.
May 31, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Chicken walks into a bar.
Favorite new plant this year: a “great” coneflower. It’s 7 feet tall. Got it last summer at our campus’s horticulture club sale, but it’s blooming for the first time this year. Going to collect seeds and plant them all over.
May 21, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Favorite new plant this year: a “great” coneflower. It’s 7 feet tall. Got it last summer at our campus’s horticulture club sale, but it’s blooming for the first time this year. Going to collect seeds and plant them all over.
Random gardening post:
I walked past this piece of a cactus several times in New Orleans two weeks ago, broken off the plant and just laying on the sidewalk in the sun. The last time by decided to pick it up and bring it home. Look at how much it's growing in just a few days.
I walked past this piece of a cactus several times in New Orleans two weeks ago, broken off the plant and just laying on the sidewalk in the sun. The last time by decided to pick it up and bring it home. Look at how much it's growing in just a few days.
May 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Random gardening post:
I walked past this piece of a cactus several times in New Orleans two weeks ago, broken off the plant and just laying on the sidewalk in the sun. The last time by decided to pick it up and bring it home. Look at how much it's growing in just a few days.
I walked past this piece of a cactus several times in New Orleans two weeks ago, broken off the plant and just laying on the sidewalk in the sun. The last time by decided to pick it up and bring it home. Look at how much it's growing in just a few days.
Non-political/academic post.
I threw a dozen mugs this week for a church give-away. Pleased with their consistent size and shape. 1.5 pounds each of porcelain--bigger than I usually make, but thought that would be fun. Trying to do a quick bisque firing, but this weather isn't helping them dry.
I threw a dozen mugs this week for a church give-away. Pleased with their consistent size and shape. 1.5 pounds each of porcelain--bigger than I usually make, but thought that would be fun. Trying to do a quick bisque firing, but this weather isn't helping them dry.
May 11, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Non-political/academic post.
I threw a dozen mugs this week for a church give-away. Pleased with their consistent size and shape. 1.5 pounds each of porcelain--bigger than I usually make, but thought that would be fun. Trying to do a quick bisque firing, but this weather isn't helping them dry.
I threw a dozen mugs this week for a church give-away. Pleased with their consistent size and shape. 1.5 pounds each of porcelain--bigger than I usually make, but thought that would be fun. Trying to do a quick bisque firing, but this weather isn't helping them dry.