Heading over to put up a new recipe on my cooking blog, but first I had to stop by here and make some announcements.
I have been super stressed lately and pressed for time. I am working on this big Christmas project that I finally finished yesterday, before I blew out a tire and spent the rest of my day waiting for a tow truck and getting bled dry at the dealership. Did you know Mini’s don’t come with spares if you have run flats? Did you know run flats cost about the same as my car payment? Neither did I.
I did get out of town this last weekend. It is my Grad School’s first residency ever in which I am not a student. And a lot of Alumni were crashing. So my friend Chera and I went for the weekend and shared a room. It was good to see all of our beloved professors and some of the new second years who were first years under us. I got to see my mentee. Got to see my beloved Bryan, my co-editor at The Whistling Fire, who is now the social organizer of the program- the cruise director if you will.
Speaking off… Chera just got news she is going to be published in the next issue of Santa Monica Review. I was the first person she let read this particular story and one of the first people she told, along with her boyfriend and grandma. I had to keep it under wraps for awhile but now I am free to tell the world how very proud I am of her. Bryan also just got his critical thesis published in Gently Read Literature this month. Also in Gently Read Literature this month is another of our fellow alumni Eileen Austin’s critical thesis. Months ago another alumni Monty was also published there. Also my friend, classmate, and Nebraskan native Rick Marlatt’s new poetry collection comes out this month from Seven Circle Press, where it was the winner of the 2010 Chapbook contest.
Poetry has never been my thing. But I know so many poets now and I have to work with so much poetry in The Whistling Fire that I have to keep informed. I am lucky that the poets I do call my friends are exceptional. And while I may never be super into poetry, I can now appreciate a good poem when it comes along.
So yea I am sort of feeling like a loser now. But I am super happy for all my UCR Pd people. Heading back to crash residency Saturday morning.
