Why not celebrate the back-to-school season by, well, going back to school? The UCLA Extension course catalogue is full of classes that will certify an ambitious student in everything from interior design to fitness instruction.

We're intrigued by a weekend class, that for $95, teaches us how to do everything we do anyway, but as a writer.

Reading the Newspaper as a Writer. If we used to go to the grocery store, now we go to the grocery store as a writer. The same is true of doing laundry, washing the car, attending family reunions, going to the movies, having a relationship, walking on the beach. Eventually, we do everything as a writer. This is a critical leap and a source of deep joy.

FBLA twisted an ankle making a critical leap, a few years back. We notice that there's no actual writing in this workshop. Wandering around Smart & Final is all very well, but it doesn't produce 1,500 words on the trade deficit.

But this could be cool:

In this one-day course, we start with something very basic--reading the newspaper, asking: How do I read the newspaper as a writer? How can the newspaper improve, broaden, and deepen my own writing? What can I learn about plot? About language? How can I use the different sections of the newspaper for my art?

We use the different sections of the newspaper every damn day, because we have a contract here. UCLA doesn't have a class in blogging. Maybe they should.