I'm trying to figure out if this ad is fake. Regardless, it's funny.
9 hours ago
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Sweet Tea
Met up with Stacey at this eating establishment in Atlanta.
We discussed the finer points of BBQ . . . the noun and not the verb.
We discussed the finer points of BBQ . . . the noun and not the verb.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Heading to Atlanta This Afternoon
Heading out across the U.S. once again. I'll be in Atlanta for the next five days and then from there, heading to South Carolina for Meredith's annual family reunion/beach trip.
While I'm in Atlanta, we'll catch up with the fabulous Stacey Lynn Brown.
I'm also hoping to get food at Mary Mac's.
L. is too young to enjoy the aquarium, though I want to see it. It'll just be tough carrying him around.
We'll also be heading over to Athens to catch up with some friends.
This year's trip should be quite busy!
***
I still haven't recovered from Kundiman. My sleep's a little off, so going back to EST might do the trick.
***
I hate it when Netflix movies start to pile up. It makes me feel like I'm not doing my job.
***
Poems soon. I've just been in motion.
While I'm in Atlanta, we'll catch up with the fabulous Stacey Lynn Brown.
I'm also hoping to get food at Mary Mac's.
L. is too young to enjoy the aquarium, though I want to see it. It'll just be tough carrying him around.
We'll also be heading over to Athens to catch up with some friends.
This year's trip should be quite busy!
***
I still haven't recovered from Kundiman. My sleep's a little off, so going back to EST might do the trick.
***
I hate it when Netflix movies start to pile up. It makes me feel like I'm not doing my job.
***
Poems soon. I've just been in motion.
Shout Out
To Meredith & Suzanne for surprising me with a TLC-style "While You Were Out" home office makeover.
This is part of the after pics. Those are most of my poetry books (some are in my office at school). The bottom shelf's reference.
This is part of the after pics. Those are most of my poetry books (some are in my office at school). The bottom shelf's reference.
Dry Wall is Good
Here, Suzanne & Meredith covered up the paneling with sheet rock. Looks better, doesn't it?
Before Picture III
My computer sat below the window. Here, it's in the process of getting dismantled for the makeover.
Before Picture II
That was the wall that now holds all those books. Note the horrifying wood paneling.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
The 2008 Kundiman Fellows, Faculty, and Staff
The week came and went.
We "graduated" five Kundiman fellows.
We walked back and forth from Brown College to the Lawn.
We walked from the Lawn classrooms to the Cabell classrooms to the dorms to The Biltmore Grill.
We ate lots and lots of sandwiches.
We changed clothes many times because of perspiration.
We had equal weight and equal volume.
We had strawberries.
We had yogurt, though some had more yogurt than others.
We had lessons from Bei Dao.
We had lessons from Tan Lin.
We had lessons from Aimee Nezhukumatathil.
We had a night of sing-alongs.
We had cupcakes.
We had all you can eat from China King Buffet.
Anything else?
We "graduated" five Kundiman fellows.
We walked back and forth from Brown College to the Lawn.
We walked from the Lawn classrooms to the Cabell classrooms to the dorms to The Biltmore Grill.
We ate lots and lots of sandwiches.
We changed clothes many times because of perspiration.
We had equal weight and equal volume.
We had strawberries.
We had yogurt, though some had more yogurt than others.
We had lessons from Bei Dao.
We had lessons from Tan Lin.
We had lessons from Aimee Nezhukumatathil.
We had a night of sing-alongs.
We had cupcakes.
We had all you can eat from China King Buffet.
Anything else?
You Want a Knuckle Sandwich With Those Fries?
Yeah, I served hamburgers at the retreat. Believe me, if I didn't, it would've taken forever for everyone to get their order.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Staffers Unite!
2008 Kundiman Staff, from L to R:
Vikas Menon, Jennifer Chang, Sarah Gambito, Oliver de la Paz, Joseph Legaspi.
Vikas Menon, Jennifer Chang, Sarah Gambito, Oliver de la Paz, Joseph Legaspi.
Translation Reader
I read the translated versions of Bei Dao's poems. I probably butchered the poems.
Translation Cupcakes
We gave away cupcakes to anyone who translated a poem from another language into English.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Delays, Thunderstorms, Withering Heat
I've been traveling all day, so I'm tired. I'm still in the airport and my flight to B'ham is delayed just a little bit. That's been the case for all my travel arrangements this past week into and out Charlottesville, VA.
I'll tell you more about the retreat, but right now I'm quite tired.
***
This group just exited an airplane. Everyone was tanned. I wonder where they went.
***
People are beginning to really get on my nerves. I need to go home.
***
Yeah.
I'll tell you more about the retreat, but right now I'm quite tired.
***
This group just exited an airplane. Everyone was tanned. I wonder where they went.
***
People are beginning to really get on my nerves. I need to go home.
***
Yeah.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Kundiman 2008
I'm getting ready to head to the airport for my flight to Charlottesville, VA. I'll be heading to the 2008 Kundiman Retreat. I've only missed one retreat and it killed me.
I'll be blogging from there for the next few days.
***
Sad to leave L for so long, but luckily Meredith's sister came up from SF to help.
He's sucking his thumb now . . . ruh roh.
***
I see the third manuscript. It's right there, it's just in bits and pieces that need clear transitional pieces to conjoin them into the cohesive whole
Maybe that work can get done sometime this week.
I'll be blogging from there for the next few days.
***
Sad to leave L for so long, but luckily Meredith's sister came up from SF to help.
He's sucking his thumb now . . . ruh roh.
***
I see the third manuscript. It's right there, it's just in bits and pieces that need clear transitional pieces to conjoin them into the cohesive whole
Maybe that work can get done sometime this week.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Testing New Browser
***GEEK ALERT***
I'm in the process of messing around with two new internet browsers--Firefox and Flock. So far, Flock is fun, but Firefox wins the speed contest. It's much better than Safari or IE.
***
Woke up this morning and "repaired" my flooded chainsaw engine.
I then cut up a big log that was rolled up on our lawn.
Don't worry . . . I won't write a poem about it.
***
I want to write a poetry review entirely in Hulk-speak:
HULK NOT LIKE BOOK! HULK THINK LINE BREAK NEED MORE BREAK! HULK SMASH LINE BREAK! HULK SMASH!
I'm in the process of messing around with two new internet browsers--Firefox and Flock. So far, Flock is fun, but Firefox wins the speed contest. It's much better than Safari or IE.
***
Woke up this morning and "repaired" my flooded chainsaw engine.
I then cut up a big log that was rolled up on our lawn.
Don't worry . . . I won't write a poem about it.
***
I want to write a poetry review entirely in Hulk-speak:
HULK NOT LIKE BOOK! HULK THINK LINE BREAK NEED MORE BREAK! HULK SMASH LINE BREAK! HULK SMASH!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The World is Cute But Cruel
We caught this baby possum sneaking food from our bird feeders. He was a cute little guy.
Notice the past tense usage. We had been trying to get the critter to run away before Jake found him, but we were too late.
I'll spare you the gory details. Meredith screamed. I chased Jake around the yard. Things got ugly.
***
How about this latest issue of Tin House for your summer reading?
***
21,583 songs on iTunes for a final tally. Thank goodness that's over.
***
Midseason Finale of BSG has left me waiting anxiously for the next round. It was a bit of a choppy episode, but I liked the "payoff."
***
Notice the past tense usage. We had been trying to get the critter to run away before Jake found him, but we were too late.
I'll spare you the gory details. Meredith screamed. I chased Jake around the yard. Things got ugly.
***
How about this latest issue of Tin House for your summer reading?
***
21,583 songs on iTunes for a final tally. Thank goodness that's over.
***
Midseason Finale of BSG has left me waiting anxiously for the next round. It was a bit of a choppy episode, but I liked the "payoff."
***
Friday, June 13, 2008
"Final" Count
18,564 Songs. That's 73.06 Giga Bytes of music. And I know of two incomplete albums off the top of my head. I'll also be snagging Meredith's song collection from her iTunes album--she's got a lot more world stuff.
My iPod is only half way full which is why I got the 160GB in the first place. Take that Best Buy jerk.
****
Heading out to Portland OR today. Behave yourselves.
My iPod is only half way full which is why I got the 160GB in the first place. Take that Best Buy jerk.
****
Heading out to Portland OR today. Behave yourselves.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Funniest Song Title I Just Discovered While Uploading
"Too Much Pork For Just One Fork." Southern Culture on the Skids.
Still Uploading
I'm still dumping CD's into my iTunes.
Right now, the song count is 18489. I'm surprised about a number of CD's that hadn't been previously uploaded--my Yaz albums, for instance. Yeah, I liked Yaz. That was back in my Depeche Mode days--speaking of which, it's interesting to listen to DM again and hear how poorly they've aged . . . at least to my ears.
I was surprised that I hadn't uploaded Weezer's first album, the blue one.
I had no idea that I had so many Tom Waits albums.
Gosh, and remember The Mightly Lemon Drops? The Wild Swans? The Trash Can Sinatras? The House of Love? Neither did I, but I apparently have their albums. Nirvana/Grunge blew up that scene completely.
So who survived the synth pop years? There are very few bands still going from that era, but the two major players from my record collection are U2 and R.E.M., probably because they were wise enough to keep reinventing themselves. Perhaps that also has to do with their skills.
What's also surprising to me is to see how the grunge movement truly died with Kurt Cobain. Pearl Jam's the only thing still going, though some might count STP as still active.
Makes me wonder what musical acts will survive this new internet age, now that music is disseminated in this "new" medium. Soulja Boy? MIA?
***
Remodeling project for this summer: my office. Right now there's some nasty wood panelling which I'm going to cover with drywall. I'm also going to scrape the popcorn off the ceiling and paint the room a brighter color. Instead of bookcases, which I have now, I'm going to install a shelving rack system which will give me more space.
I'm vacillating between colors--white or a light sky blue.
***
Yes, I'll be writing this summer. I promise. I might do the poem a day thing that I did last August which was quite productive for me. Of the 31 poems written in that month, I think 3/4 of 'em got picked up in journals. That's really a good percentage. Goes to show you that not writing for 11 months can be useful.
(disclaimer: Students who read this blog, do not pay attention to the above paragraph. I am exaggerating.)
***
Baby L is gigantic. I've styled his hair into a mohawk. He's sleeping in his sling, completely unaware of his hair transformation. I think it looks cool. If I had hair, I'd style it into a mohawk too.
Right now, the song count is 18489. I'm surprised about a number of CD's that hadn't been previously uploaded--my Yaz albums, for instance. Yeah, I liked Yaz. That was back in my Depeche Mode days--speaking of which, it's interesting to listen to DM again and hear how poorly they've aged . . . at least to my ears.
I was surprised that I hadn't uploaded Weezer's first album, the blue one.
I had no idea that I had so many Tom Waits albums.
Gosh, and remember The Mightly Lemon Drops? The Wild Swans? The Trash Can Sinatras? The House of Love? Neither did I, but I apparently have their albums. Nirvana/Grunge blew up that scene completely.
So who survived the synth pop years? There are very few bands still going from that era, but the two major players from my record collection are U2 and R.E.M., probably because they were wise enough to keep reinventing themselves. Perhaps that also has to do with their skills.
What's also surprising to me is to see how the grunge movement truly died with Kurt Cobain. Pearl Jam's the only thing still going, though some might count STP as still active.
Makes me wonder what musical acts will survive this new internet age, now that music is disseminated in this "new" medium. Soulja Boy? MIA?
***
Remodeling project for this summer: my office. Right now there's some nasty wood panelling which I'm going to cover with drywall. I'm also going to scrape the popcorn off the ceiling and paint the room a brighter color. Instead of bookcases, which I have now, I'm going to install a shelving rack system which will give me more space.
I'm vacillating between colors--white or a light sky blue.
***
Yes, I'll be writing this summer. I promise. I might do the poem a day thing that I did last August which was quite productive for me. Of the 31 poems written in that month, I think 3/4 of 'em got picked up in journals. That's really a good percentage. Goes to show you that not writing for 11 months can be useful.
(disclaimer: Students who read this blog, do not pay attention to the above paragraph. I am exaggerating.)
***
Baby L is gigantic. I've styled his hair into a mohawk. He's sleeping in his sling, completely unaware of his hair transformation. I think it looks cool. If I had hair, I'd style it into a mohawk too.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Finishing up
The last of the grades today as well as the last of the advising here on campus.
***
It's been overcast & rainy for the past few weeks. I'm looking forward to a respite from the dreary weather, although my rhododendrons & witchhazel could use the extra drizzle. Things are opening.
***
Heading to Portland, OR this weekend to see my parents & the relatives on my father's side. A 1.5'er is graduating high school as a valedictorian.
***
No idea what to get my dad for Father's Day. . . oh my god. It'll be my first Father's Day!!
***
It's been overcast & rainy for the past few weeks. I'm looking forward to a respite from the dreary weather, although my rhododendrons & witchhazel could use the extra drizzle. Things are opening.
***
Heading to Portland, OR this weekend to see my parents & the relatives on my father's side. A 1.5'er is graduating high school as a valedictorian.
***
No idea what to get my dad for Father's Day. . . oh my god. It'll be my first Father's Day!!
Monday, June 09, 2008
Partly Cloudy with a Slight Chance of Frustration
I'm uploading all of my CD's to iTunes. A task which has taken me several months to accomplish. Not only do I have a lot of CD's, I'm short on time. What's frustrating is that iTunes doesn't always upload the artwork to the albums, so I have to go online, grab the picture, and then drag it onto the file batch for the album. It's such a pain.
Thus far, I'm in the 16,000 range in song count and I've gone through 4 out of 7 crates.
***
End of the quarter is officially today. My students turn in their portfolios. Yay. And you students who are reading this, I know you're happy too.
***
We took the baby to a party this Saturday and what was surprising was that he didn't freak out at all. Lots and lots of my colleagues carried him and not once did he cry about it.
Of course, when he got home he freaked a little.
***
I've been listening to Shearwater quite a bit. Jonathan Meiburg sounds a little like Mark Hollis from Talk Talk.
Thus far, I'm in the 16,000 range in song count and I've gone through 4 out of 7 crates.
***
End of the quarter is officially today. My students turn in their portfolios. Yay. And you students who are reading this, I know you're happy too.
***
We took the baby to a party this Saturday and what was surprising was that he didn't freak out at all. Lots and lots of my colleagues carried him and not once did he cry about it.
Of course, when he got home he freaked a little.
***
I've been listening to Shearwater quite a bit. Jonathan Meiburg sounds a little like Mark Hollis from Talk Talk.
Friday, June 06, 2008
I'm famous and I'm on YouTube
Poor students. At least there are puppets!
I like puppets.
I'm flattered. Really, I am.
***
Classes are OVER!
***
I've got a bowl full of M & M's in front of me. Green's the best.
I like puppets.
I'm flattered. Really, I am.
***
Classes are OVER!
***
I've got a bowl full of M & M's in front of me. Green's the best.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Good boy, Jake.
He's going to say "hold still." And then he's going to say, "good dog."
Gosh darn it . . . I AM a good dog. I'm not sure I like thing on my back, though . . .
I DO like beef jerky, though.
Gosh darn it . . . I AM a good dog. I'm not sure I like thing on my back, though . . .
I DO like beef jerky, though.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Who do you love?
I walk 47 miles of barbed wire,
I use a cobra-snake for a necktie,
I got a brand new house on the roadside,
Made from rattlesnake hide,
I got a brand new chimney made on top,
Made out of a human skull . . .
Tell me the man wasn't a poet. RIP Bo Diddley
***
Also RIP Yves Saint Laurent.
It was indeed a rough weekend for the arts.
***
Speaking of rough . . . the kiddo had his 2 month immunizations. Poor thing howled from 5:00PM to 11:00PM. I feel terrible. :-(
***
I rejoined Netflix. I've come to realize that there ain't no way I'm going to be able to watch movies the way I USED TO watch movies. So far I've watched dreck--Beowulf and The Transformers. Look, my argument to watch crappy blockbusters is that it's research. Besides, I spend 9 months out of the year trying to be an intellectual . . . once in awhile I like watching things blow up.
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what I should put in my queue. Any suggestions? My range is wide.
***
Last week! Last week! Last week!
I use a cobra-snake for a necktie,
I got a brand new house on the roadside,
Made from rattlesnake hide,
I got a brand new chimney made on top,
Made out of a human skull . . .
Tell me the man wasn't a poet. RIP Bo Diddley
***
Also RIP Yves Saint Laurent.
It was indeed a rough weekend for the arts.
***
Speaking of rough . . . the kiddo had his 2 month immunizations. Poor thing howled from 5:00PM to 11:00PM. I feel terrible. :-(
***
I rejoined Netflix. I've come to realize that there ain't no way I'm going to be able to watch movies the way I USED TO watch movies. So far I've watched dreck--Beowulf and The Transformers. Look, my argument to watch crappy blockbusters is that it's research. Besides, I spend 9 months out of the year trying to be an intellectual . . . once in awhile I like watching things blow up.
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what I should put in my queue. Any suggestions? My range is wide.
***
Last week! Last week! Last week!
Monday, June 02, 2008
Last Week of Classes
I'm draggin'. So are my students. Thankfully, the Spring quarter ends this Thursday for me. It's tough teaching when there's a baby in the house.
Anyway, the last official day for me will be Monday the 9th, when students turn in their portfolios. It'll be good to get back into writing again. Generally, I don't write during the school year . . . that is, I don't write with any consistency. I've been prolific in the summers. I suppose it's my coping mechanism.
Students . . . and I know some of you read this blog . . . try to write everyday if you can. At least a line. Don't be like me.
***
Meredith got a sexy new iMac. It's got a nice 20" flat screen and the DVD drive's right to the side. It's running on an Intel processor and it's so much faster than the laptop I'm blogging from right now.
It's kind of sick, but we're a 3 mac family. I've got my G5 tower, this G4 Powerbook, and now Meredith's iMac. I'm a diehard Mac geek.
Consequently, I updated all the computers so they're running the new Office 2008 suite as well as Leopard. Things are running smoothly so far.
***
Saw the new Indiana Jones movie. I feel for Harrison Ford. He looked . . . tired. That's not to say I didn't enjoy myself, though it's the weakest of the four, IMO.
Next on the summer movie list for me is The Incredible Hulk.
By the way, did you all stay after the credits for Iron Man? Quite a nice teaser . . . Comic book geeks, you may have to watch the movie again just for the nice little sneak peak.
God, I love popcorn movies.
***
People have been asking me what I've been working on, and it's hard to describe. I'm working on 3 things, though not at the same time. I know they're three projects because they're all so tonally different. It's the first time I've ever had the opportunity to work like this.
***
My chainsaw is broken. :-(
Anyway, the last official day for me will be Monday the 9th, when students turn in their portfolios. It'll be good to get back into writing again. Generally, I don't write during the school year . . . that is, I don't write with any consistency. I've been prolific in the summers. I suppose it's my coping mechanism.
Students . . . and I know some of you read this blog . . . try to write everyday if you can. At least a line. Don't be like me.
***
Meredith got a sexy new iMac. It's got a nice 20" flat screen and the DVD drive's right to the side. It's running on an Intel processor and it's so much faster than the laptop I'm blogging from right now.
It's kind of sick, but we're a 3 mac family. I've got my G5 tower, this G4 Powerbook, and now Meredith's iMac. I'm a diehard Mac geek.
Consequently, I updated all the computers so they're running the new Office 2008 suite as well as Leopard. Things are running smoothly so far.
***
Saw the new Indiana Jones movie. I feel for Harrison Ford. He looked . . . tired. That's not to say I didn't enjoy myself, though it's the weakest of the four, IMO.
Next on the summer movie list for me is The Incredible Hulk.
By the way, did you all stay after the credits for Iron Man? Quite a nice teaser . . . Comic book geeks, you may have to watch the movie again just for the nice little sneak peak.
God, I love popcorn movies.
***
People have been asking me what I've been working on, and it's hard to describe. I'm working on 3 things, though not at the same time. I know they're three projects because they're all so tonally different. It's the first time I've ever had the opportunity to work like this.
***
My chainsaw is broken. :-(
Monday, May 26, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
A rescue
Alas, two other eggs were lost when this nest toppled from atop our log pile in the woodshed.
Meredith has seen the mother robin.
I'm sorry, mother robin. I'm really really sorry.
Meredith has seen the mother robin.
I'm sorry, mother robin. I'm really really sorry.
This guy
. . . has been keeping me really busy.
*****
I've got a reading this week. Here's the info:
Central Washington University
Tuesday, May 20, 7:30 p.m.
Oliver de la Paz
Author of two collections of poetry: Names Above the Houses and Furious Lullaby. He is a recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship and Names Above the Houses was a winner of the Crab Orchard Award Series.
Location: Mary Grupe Center
*****
I've got a reading this week. Here's the info:
Central Washington University
Tuesday, May 20, 7:30 p.m.
Oliver de la Paz
Author of two collections of poetry: Names Above the Houses and Furious Lullaby. He is a recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship and Names Above the Houses was a winner of the Crab Orchard Award Series.
Location: Mary Grupe Center
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
More on the Long Poem
I'm looking specifically at North American long poems and I'm leaning towards more contemporary works, though the Moderns are okay.
So far your contributions:
Nathaniel Mackey--"Song of the Andoumboulou"
James Merrill--"The Book of Ephraim"
Mark Strand--"Dark Harbor"
H.D.--"Helen in Egypt"
WCW--"Patterson"
Anthony Hecht--"The Transparent Man"
Ann Carson--"Glass Essay" or "Autobiography of Red"
T.S. Eliot--"The Four Quartets"
Harriet Mullen--"Muse & Drudge"
Alice Notley--"The Descent of Alette"
Rita Dove--"Thomas & Beulah"
Wallace Stevens--"Notes for a Supreme Fiction"
Gertrude Stein--"Tender Buttons"
G.C. Waldrep--"The Batteries"
Walt Whitman--"Song of Myself"
Allen Ginsberg--"Howl"
What about:
Claudia Rankine--"Don't Let Me Be Lonely"
Galway Kinnell--"The Book of Nightmares"
Ezra Pound--"The Cantos"
John Berryman--"The Dreamsongs"
Derek Walcott--"Omeros"
And then there's the whole issue of what's teachable in a span of 10 weeks (we're on the quarter system here at WWU). . .
Now, these would be great books for a lit seminar, but this course is going to be taught as a workshop. What then? How do you teach a sustained meditation on a subject, keeping in mind the complexities of graduate student life?
***
Workshopping a long poem . . . I remember there were folks in my grad school days that would bring in excerpts of their long poems for workshop. We wanted to smack those people upside the head.
***
Lovely, lovely Killarney Clary. We're reading her in my prose poem class. No, she's not easy to pin down . . . especially on the heels of Edson and Simic collections. But man I dig her work.
***
Bruce Beasley: "How's it going man?"
Me: "Good, 'cept I'm not writing."
Bruce Beasley: "That's okay. I mean, how're you going to write with all your new responsibilities?"
Me: "Yeah, you're right."
Bruce Beasley: "Very few poets can write when they have new babies in the house . . . except Sylvia Plath. Don't be like Sylvia Plath."
So far your contributions:
Nathaniel Mackey--"Song of the Andoumboulou"
James Merrill--"The Book of Ephraim"
Mark Strand--"Dark Harbor"
H.D.--"Helen in Egypt"
WCW--"Patterson"
Anthony Hecht--"The Transparent Man"
Ann Carson--"Glass Essay" or "Autobiography of Red"
T.S. Eliot--"The Four Quartets"
Harriet Mullen--"Muse & Drudge"
Alice Notley--"The Descent of Alette"
Rita Dove--"Thomas & Beulah"
Wallace Stevens--"Notes for a Supreme Fiction"
Gertrude Stein--"Tender Buttons"
G.C. Waldrep--"The Batteries"
Walt Whitman--"Song of Myself"
Allen Ginsberg--"Howl"
What about:
Claudia Rankine--"Don't Let Me Be Lonely"
Galway Kinnell--"The Book of Nightmares"
Ezra Pound--"The Cantos"
John Berryman--"The Dreamsongs"
Derek Walcott--"Omeros"
And then there's the whole issue of what's teachable in a span of 10 weeks (we're on the quarter system here at WWU). . .
Now, these would be great books for a lit seminar, but this course is going to be taught as a workshop. What then? How do you teach a sustained meditation on a subject, keeping in mind the complexities of graduate student life?
***
Workshopping a long poem . . . I remember there were folks in my grad school days that would bring in excerpts of their long poems for workshop. We wanted to smack those people upside the head.
***
Lovely, lovely Killarney Clary. We're reading her in my prose poem class. No, she's not easy to pin down . . . especially on the heels of Edson and Simic collections. But man I dig her work.
***
Bruce Beasley: "How's it going man?"
Me: "Good, 'cept I'm not writing."
Bruce Beasley: "That's okay. I mean, how're you going to write with all your new responsibilities?"
Me: "Yeah, you're right."
Bruce Beasley: "Very few poets can write when they have new babies in the house . . . except Sylvia Plath. Don't be like Sylvia Plath."
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Planning ahead
I've been asked to be a poet for a number of panel proposals for the upcoming Chicago AWP conference in 2009. Funny that I phrase it that way, since I haven't quite felt like a poet for awhile. I've been a father and a teacher for the better part of a month, and I'm feeling a little out of sorts.
My ruminations on my title have me "chewing" on other things as well--genre, for instance. I'm teaching a graduate level class on the prose poem . . . a form (form?) at which I'm supposedly expert. Whomever has said such things has probably got the wrong guy. What can I tell you about the prose poem? That it's shorter than a short story? That sometimes there's no story? Maybe that often there's no plot in them and that they're given to economy in their language? To me, a prose poem is like pornography--I know it when I see it. I suppose that makes it difficult for me to feel like I'm imparting knowledge on my grad students . . . that I'm creating more issues for them as up and coming writers.
And now, I've been asked to propose a course for next year's graduate students and I've decided to teach a seminar on the long poem. How's that for messing with some heads?
***
Speaking of long poems, do we still highly regard the work of James Merrill? If I were to teach a course on the long poem, should I include The Changing Light at Sandover?
Additionally, there are a number of contemporary poets who are in the midst of a long-poem project that's yet to be completed. Brenda Hillman, for example, is still working on a poetic sequence involving the "primary" elements--earth, wind, fire, water. So far, I think she's dealt with water and wind . . . not sure, though. And Marvin Bell's Dead Man poems. I don't think he's quite finished with that project yet, despite what he tells the public.
Who else?
***
My parents visited last weekend, spelling us some relief. It's still work to have company over, but having folks who can handle a baby at a restaurant really helps us relive our personhood.
***
I want to see Iron Man, but free time is at a premium these days.
***
What's up?
My ruminations on my title have me "chewing" on other things as well--genre, for instance. I'm teaching a graduate level class on the prose poem . . . a form (form?) at which I'm supposedly expert. Whomever has said such things has probably got the wrong guy. What can I tell you about the prose poem? That it's shorter than a short story? That sometimes there's no story? Maybe that often there's no plot in them and that they're given to economy in their language? To me, a prose poem is like pornography--I know it when I see it. I suppose that makes it difficult for me to feel like I'm imparting knowledge on my grad students . . . that I'm creating more issues for them as up and coming writers.
And now, I've been asked to propose a course for next year's graduate students and I've decided to teach a seminar on the long poem. How's that for messing with some heads?
***
Speaking of long poems, do we still highly regard the work of James Merrill? If I were to teach a course on the long poem, should I include The Changing Light at Sandover?
Additionally, there are a number of contemporary poets who are in the midst of a long-poem project that's yet to be completed. Brenda Hillman, for example, is still working on a poetic sequence involving the "primary" elements--earth, wind, fire, water. So far, I think she's dealt with water and wind . . . not sure, though. And Marvin Bell's Dead Man poems. I don't think he's quite finished with that project yet, despite what he tells the public.
Who else?
***
My parents visited last weekend, spelling us some relief. It's still work to have company over, but having folks who can handle a baby at a restaurant really helps us relive our personhood.
***
I want to see Iron Man, but free time is at a premium these days.
***
What's up?
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Falling Behind and Catching Up
I feel like I'm falling way behind with things, which I've been told, is a normal feeling when one lives with a baby. I'm beginning to attribute this sense to a lack of sleep. I've always been a light sleeper, and now my weird sleeping habits are getting the best of me.
Even nights when it's not my job to be the diaper changer, I wake up suddenly at regimented times--1:30AM, 3:30AM, 5:30AM. And it's not even the baby's fault. I wake, check him, and he's sound asleep.
I figure it's my mind working overtime. I've got poems in my head, but I can't really catch a time to sit at my desk. All of this is okay, I figure. Summer'll be here and my scholastic obligations will taper off.
***
Last week's episode of BSG is on my DVR and has not been touched. I'll try to watch it tonight . . .
I've been engrossed in NBA playoff basketball. I so want the Suns to do well, but that's not been the case thus far.
***
Listening to the following artists lately:
Eef Barzeley
Shearwater
Lyrics Born
Okkervil River
Elbow
M.F. Doom
Even nights when it's not my job to be the diaper changer, I wake up suddenly at regimented times--1:30AM, 3:30AM, 5:30AM. And it's not even the baby's fault. I wake, check him, and he's sound asleep.
I figure it's my mind working overtime. I've got poems in my head, but I can't really catch a time to sit at my desk. All of this is okay, I figure. Summer'll be here and my scholastic obligations will taper off.
***
Last week's episode of BSG is on my DVR and has not been touched. I'll try to watch it tonight . . .
I've been engrossed in NBA playoff basketball. I so want the Suns to do well, but that's not been the case thus far.
***
Listening to the following artists lately:
Eef Barzeley
Shearwater
Lyrics Born
Okkervil River
Elbow
M.F. Doom
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Did you get your T-shirt?
Lookie here: Rigoberto swag.
I'm going to order one today.
***
Mere and I are experimenting with sleep schedules. Last night was my night to sleep and it was wonderful. Tonight . . . I'm on poop patrol.
***
I wish I were participating in NaPoWriMo this year. I have to say, it was good to me last year. Of the 30 poems I wrote, 'bout ten of 'em found homes in journals and in online pubs. That's a bunch for me, and the writing was fruitful.
I've been reading the stuff the current participants are writing . . . I'm so jealous.
***
Sun!
I'm going to order one today.
***
Mere and I are experimenting with sleep schedules. Last night was my night to sleep and it was wonderful. Tonight . . . I'm on poop patrol.
***
I wish I were participating in NaPoWriMo this year. I have to say, it was good to me last year. Of the 30 poems I wrote, 'bout ten of 'em found homes in journals and in online pubs. That's a bunch for me, and the writing was fruitful.
I've been reading the stuff the current participants are writing . . . I'm so jealous.
***
Sun!
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Sleepless near Seattle
Baby L kept us up last night. Day is night and night is day to him. So, I plopped him in a sling-carrier and walked from one end of the house to the other for two hours.
Hello, fatherhood.
***
The new quarter has begun and I'm, once again, reunited with my old friend, the prose poem. I'm teaching it slightly differently from when I had first taught the course in 2005. It'll be more workshoppy, if you will.
***
Been listening to these guys for a couple of weeks now. Hot.
Hello, fatherhood.
***
The new quarter has begun and I'm, once again, reunited with my old friend, the prose poem. I'm teaching it slightly differently from when I had first taught the course in 2005. It'll be more workshoppy, if you will.
***
Been listening to these guys for a couple of weeks now. Hot.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
My son
I'm going to take this down very shortly for safety reasons.
In the meantime, I'd like you to meet my son, Lucas. He's quite unhappy here, but wouldn't you be after 38 hours of labor?
It was quite an ordeal for Meredith, and I won't go into many details so publicly. At any rate, the outcome was a good one--healthy mother, healthy baby.
I slept for the first time in two nights last night, but from what everyone tells me, I won't be getting much more for the next year or so.
Anyway, thanks for all your notes of encouragement while Mere and I were waiting.
In the meantime, I'd like you to meet my son, Lucas. He's quite unhappy here, but wouldn't you be after 38 hours of labor?
It was quite an ordeal for Meredith, and I won't go into many details so publicly. At any rate, the outcome was a good one--healthy mother, healthy baby.
I slept for the first time in two nights last night, but from what everyone tells me, I won't be getting much more for the next year or so.
Anyway, thanks for all your notes of encouragement while Mere and I were waiting.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
In the Interest of Full Disclosure
. . . there's still no baby. So, I've been busying myself with preparing for the next quarter and planting trees, shrubs, and rhododendrons. I'll tell you when he's here, believe me. :D
We're also hosting my mother-in-law, so I've been a little preoccupied.
***
Last season of BSG on April 4th. What the frak is up with that picture?
***
I'll be reading with the poet Lorna Crozier on April 5th at 7:30 in the Lucia Douglas Gallery, 1415 13th St., Bellingham, WA, as part of the Whatcom Poetry Series, so if you're local and you're reading this, come on down.
***
This weather sucks. Two minutes ago, it was sunny. Now it's snowing. C'mon now.
We're also hosting my mother-in-law, so I've been a little preoccupied.
***
Last season of BSG on April 4th. What the frak is up with that picture?
***
I'll be reading with the poet Lorna Crozier on April 5th at 7:30 in the Lucia Douglas Gallery, 1415 13th St., Bellingham, WA, as part of the Whatcom Poetry Series, so if you're local and you're reading this, come on down.
***
This weather sucks. Two minutes ago, it was sunny. Now it's snowing. C'mon now.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Weird toys
Joseph Legaspi forwarded this bizarre link:
Most Baffling Toys from Around the World
My soon-to-be-born son will not have any of these things.
The toys I had when I was a kid--clicky
****
Chilling out in my office . . . *whistles*
****
Mother-in-law is coming tomorrow. I have to clean the house. I may skip heading into town tomorrow to scrub scrub scrub.
****
A couple of poems got accepted today. Yay!
Most Baffling Toys from Around the World
My soon-to-be-born son will not have any of these things.
The toys I had when I was a kid--clicky
****
Chilling out in my office . . . *whistles*
****
Mother-in-law is coming tomorrow. I have to clean the house. I may skip heading into town tomorrow to scrub scrub scrub.
****
A couple of poems got accepted today. Yay!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Hmmmm
The Sylvia Plath Effect
****
Students are turning in finals. Yay me! I'm glad this quarter's over, and I'm looking forward to the next one. I'll be teaching a grad course on the prose poem. Right in my wheel-house.
***
Watched Elizabeth: The Golden Age last night. Not as good as the first one, of course. At times I felt like I was getting hit over the head with the romantic intrigues. Still, Cate Blanchett looked fabulous in plate mail.
***
Scary Pictures
***
The sun! The sun!
****
Students are turning in finals. Yay me! I'm glad this quarter's over, and I'm looking forward to the next one. I'll be teaching a grad course on the prose poem. Right in my wheel-house.
***
Watched Elizabeth: The Golden Age last night. Not as good as the first one, of course. At times I felt like I was getting hit over the head with the romantic intrigues. Still, Cate Blanchett looked fabulous in plate mail.
***
Scary Pictures
***
The sun! The sun!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Nothing Yet
For those of you who are wondering whether Mere's given birth, I say to you, "Not yet."
***
We're bustling around trying to get our winter quarter wrapped up. I've been inputting grades from this past quarter, and I've also been preparing the house and the yard a little bit. The house definitely needs some "Spring Cleaning" before the newest member of the house settles in.
***
Saturday, planted three rhododendrons, two azaleas, and eighteen Douglas Fir saplings. There's been much rain up here lately, which is a good thing.
Anyway, my mother-in-law is arriving on Thursday, and I think I might make her garden a little while we wait for the wee-one.
***
I've moved to the guest bedroom because Meredith is sleeping with Chet (her gigantic man-sized pillow). There's no room for me and all that fluffiness.
***
We're bustling around trying to get our winter quarter wrapped up. I've been inputting grades from this past quarter, and I've also been preparing the house and the yard a little bit. The house definitely needs some "Spring Cleaning" before the newest member of the house settles in.
***
Saturday, planted three rhododendrons, two azaleas, and eighteen Douglas Fir saplings. There's been much rain up here lately, which is a good thing.
Anyway, my mother-in-law is arriving on Thursday, and I think I might make her garden a little while we wait for the wee-one.
***
I've moved to the guest bedroom because Meredith is sleeping with Chet (her gigantic man-sized pillow). There's no room for me and all that fluffiness.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Pug Vader Revisited
Joannie tagged me.
She explains that it's from an old Hemingway bet. Leave it to Papa.
From her blog:
Here are the rules:
1. Write your own six word memoir
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere
4. Tag five more blogs with links
5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!
My six-word autobiography:
I was wicked, but got better.
Now I tag Sandra, Cornshake, Paul, Helene, and H.A..
She explains that it's from an old Hemingway bet. Leave it to Papa.
From her blog:
Here are the rules:
1. Write your own six word memoir
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere
4. Tag five more blogs with links
5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!
My six-word autobiography:
I was wicked, but got better.
Now I tag Sandra, Cornshake, Paul, Helene, and H.A..
Thursday, March 06, 2008
House A-Kilter
Chaos in the homestead. Currently, our painter friend is removing the popcorn from our ceilings and repainting our dining and living room. That means all the furniture from said rooms is in our den.
I'm generally a grumpy guy when it comes to space and space issues. I like my stuff where my stuff is supposed to be. Now, I can barely squeeze past the sofa that's blocking the door to the carport.
This too shall pass, though. The painter's going to be finishing up today.
***
By the way, I've gotten really good at installing drywall. Poets, if you need me to surround you in sheet rock, I'm your guy.
***
Poetry? What's that? I've gotten so good at compartmentalizing my worlds, but I've left little room/time for it. Such a shame. Part of the issue is that I've been putting out small fires in my creative writing program. I suppose that's one of the occupational hazards. And with the baby coming . . . ruh roh.
A grad student passed by my office and gave me writing advice, which is funny, but informs me about my current state. He has an infant daughter and suggested waking up really early to get some writing done. Of course, that doesn't leave much room for sleep, but from what I've been told, I won't be getting much sleep anyway.
Poet parents, though, are a wonderful bunch. I've been getting all kinds of advice from both colleagues and friends from the poetry world.
I do know this much . . . something will have to get squeezed out and it can't be poetry for much longer. I've been taking inventory of my day and it's kind of frightening how much time I waste. I'm a highly functional human being in the morning. Much of my blog is composed then. I also frequent the gym either at mid morning or a little after noon on days that I'm not teaching. My teaching block's roughly five hours. But it's that time around 6PMish that I piss away. My brain's wiped from grading, teaching, etc.. My guess is that I'll need to retrain myself . . . break free of my current schedule.
Anyway, things are going to change. They have to.
***
Been listening to Post Rock stuff lately. I didn't really know that the music had a category, but . . . there you go.
I'm generally a grumpy guy when it comes to space and space issues. I like my stuff where my stuff is supposed to be. Now, I can barely squeeze past the sofa that's blocking the door to the carport.
This too shall pass, though. The painter's going to be finishing up today.
***
By the way, I've gotten really good at installing drywall. Poets, if you need me to surround you in sheet rock, I'm your guy.
***
Poetry? What's that? I've gotten so good at compartmentalizing my worlds, but I've left little room/time for it. Such a shame. Part of the issue is that I've been putting out small fires in my creative writing program. I suppose that's one of the occupational hazards. And with the baby coming . . . ruh roh.
A grad student passed by my office and gave me writing advice, which is funny, but informs me about my current state. He has an infant daughter and suggested waking up really early to get some writing done. Of course, that doesn't leave much room for sleep, but from what I've been told, I won't be getting much sleep anyway.
Poet parents, though, are a wonderful bunch. I've been getting all kinds of advice from both colleagues and friends from the poetry world.
I do know this much . . . something will have to get squeezed out and it can't be poetry for much longer. I've been taking inventory of my day and it's kind of frightening how much time I waste. I'm a highly functional human being in the morning. Much of my blog is composed then. I also frequent the gym either at mid morning or a little after noon on days that I'm not teaching. My teaching block's roughly five hours. But it's that time around 6PMish that I piss away. My brain's wiped from grading, teaching, etc.. My guess is that I'll need to retrain myself . . . break free of my current schedule.
Anyway, things are going to change. They have to.
***
Been listening to Post Rock stuff lately. I didn't really know that the music had a category, but . . . there you go.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
For my birthday, I will . . .
. . . relax. Though, I have to get through this day of teaching first.
***
Am currently radioactive.
***
Listening to the following:
Dengue Fever
Aesop Rock
Madvillain
Tift Merritt
Vampire Weekend
The Russian Futurists
TV On the Radio
***
The sunny days have ended. We will now return you to your regularly scheduled drudgery.
***
Am currently radioactive.
***
Listening to the following:
Dengue Fever
Aesop Rock
Madvillain
Tift Merritt
Vampire Weekend
The Russian Futurists
TV On the Radio
***
The sunny days have ended. We will now return you to your regularly scheduled drudgery.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
---
You Are a Dash |
 Your life is fast paced and varied. You are realistic, down to earth, and very honest. You're often busy doing something interesting, and what you do changes quickly. You have many facets to your personality, and you connect them together well. You have a ton of interests. While some of them are a bit offbeat, they all tie together well. You friends rely on you to bring novelty and excitement to their lives. (And while you're the most interesting person they know, they can't help feeling like they don't know you well.) You excel in: Anything to do with money You get along best with: the Exclamation Point |
Novelty? Excitement? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! So not me. For me, excitement = finishing a load of laundry
***
Had our faculty baby shower this afternoon. Lots of TOO CUTE things in the pile of goodies. Photos soon.
***
Weird series of hospital visits this week. Two shots in the buttocks. I know, TMI, but you read blogs for TMI, right?
***
Still sunny and loving it!
***
To my students who googled me . . . I see you.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The Brunswick Inn
From the Fishouse (aka Matt O'Donnell) invited me to read at Bowdoin College this past week. Here's the charming B&B where I stayed.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Don't Forget!
Poets, it's time for NEA Applications!.
If you haven't started filling your apps out, do it now. It's a complicated multi-step process that involves registering for a site and converting a lot of your files to pdfs. There's a time-lag for the site registration, so better get in line ASAP.
I completed my application last week after much swearing and gnashing of teeth.
Mary B. puts out a call for an NEA support group.. I might join.
If you haven't started filling your apps out, do it now. It's a complicated multi-step process that involves registering for a site and converting a lot of your files to pdfs. There's a time-lag for the site registration, so better get in line ASAP.
I completed my application last week after much swearing and gnashing of teeth.
Mary B. puts out a call for an NEA support group.. I might join.
Cooper's Hawk
This guy came to visit during the party. He's looking over at our bird feeders.
Bird Seed----->Sparrows---->Hawks.
Bird Seed----->Sparrows---->Hawks.
The most patient dog, ever.
So . . . truth is, Jake's not scary at all. We put him in humiliating situations all the time.
The kid's first cup.
Suzanne and Cynthia made the cup. It's sterling silver. They took it with 'em back to San Francisco for engraving.
LUMPIA!
Lots of things to celebrate this past week:
1. Valentine's Day.
2. Our first baby shower.
3. My upcoming birthday.
****
We had a low-key Valentine's Day. While I don't feel I need a designated day to tell Meredith how fabulous she is, it's pretty fun giving each other presents which usually happens on birthdays and on Christmas. I got Meredith two plum trees and some heather to landscape the yard. The plum trees are planted and should bear fruit come summer. Meredith got me the gizmo with which I'm taking these pictures. (Mere, I'm totally happy with this camera. I'm going to take pictures of everything now. You're in trouble!).
****
We had the first of two baby showers. This past one was for our neighbors and our relatives. My mother flew over from Oregon (OR-uh-gun) and made the fabulous and perfect eggrolls you see in the picture. Growing up, they were my favorite thing to eat. Nothing's changed.
Anyway, we got a lot of cute baby outfits. One of our neighbors knitted some hats and gloves. Another got us a fabulous mobile. Babies are expensive, man.
****
My birthday'll be here next week, so I decided to treat myself to a gizmo. I got myself a new iPod. I already filled my 60GB iPod and I'm not even through my entire CD collection yet. I can't bear to get rid of music.
So anyway, I decide to go to Best Buy to purchase a new iPod. I'm looking at the 160GB iPod which, I know is huge, but I know I won't have the problem of over-filling it, plus I'll be able to store photos and my manuscripts.
Out comes rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guy. He sizes me up and asks, "Can I help you?"
I say, "Yeah, I'm looking at the 160GB iPods."
He says, "Are you looking or looking to buy?" in a sneering manner.
I'm stunned, of course. So I tell him to get me one and I'll buy it. He goes away for a couple of minutes and comes back with the merchandise. I'm not done shopping at this point, though, because I still need a case. Rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guy is looking impatient and is hurriedly fingering all the cases on display. "Here's one and here's one." "Here's another one." At this point I'm pretty annoyed and I want to get out of the store. After I select my case, he walks me over to a cash-register, but he can't see me off without making a comment.
"You know, 160GB is big. You won't be able to fill it." And I'm thinking to myself, duh, genius. I didn't really reply to him. I just wanted to pay for my stuff and go. What I should've said to rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guy was that he's a little punk who doesn't know jack about what a customer wants, and that he should go home to his momma's house after I kick his skinny little ass, and that rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guys like him are going to stay rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guys because they don't know jack about how the world works and that I feel sorry for rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guys like him because what they THINK they know ain't gonna cut it.
Really, though, I'm too nice and I "walk off" the bad experience.
So to you, rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guy, I hope your day goes better and that you can pay for a college education with partial funding from the commission I got you. Keep your nose clean and learn some manners.
***
Of course, the iPod and the camera are great gizmos and I'm having loads of fun with 'em. As I'm blogging, I'm importing a bunch of my CD's to iTunes.
1. Valentine's Day.
2. Our first baby shower.
3. My upcoming birthday.
****
We had a low-key Valentine's Day. While I don't feel I need a designated day to tell Meredith how fabulous she is, it's pretty fun giving each other presents which usually happens on birthdays and on Christmas. I got Meredith two plum trees and some heather to landscape the yard. The plum trees are planted and should bear fruit come summer. Meredith got me the gizmo with which I'm taking these pictures. (Mere, I'm totally happy with this camera. I'm going to take pictures of everything now. You're in trouble!).
****
We had the first of two baby showers. This past one was for our neighbors and our relatives. My mother flew over from Oregon (OR-uh-gun) and made the fabulous and perfect eggrolls you see in the picture. Growing up, they were my favorite thing to eat. Nothing's changed.
Anyway, we got a lot of cute baby outfits. One of our neighbors knitted some hats and gloves. Another got us a fabulous mobile. Babies are expensive, man.
****
My birthday'll be here next week, so I decided to treat myself to a gizmo. I got myself a new iPod. I already filled my 60GB iPod and I'm not even through my entire CD collection yet. I can't bear to get rid of music.
So anyway, I decide to go to Best Buy to purchase a new iPod. I'm looking at the 160GB iPod which, I know is huge, but I know I won't have the problem of over-filling it, plus I'll be able to store photos and my manuscripts.
Out comes rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guy. He sizes me up and asks, "Can I help you?"
I say, "Yeah, I'm looking at the 160GB iPods."
He says, "Are you looking or looking to buy?" in a sneering manner.
I'm stunned, of course. So I tell him to get me one and I'll buy it. He goes away for a couple of minutes and comes back with the merchandise. I'm not done shopping at this point, though, because I still need a case. Rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guy is looking impatient and is hurriedly fingering all the cases on display. "Here's one and here's one." "Here's another one." At this point I'm pretty annoyed and I want to get out of the store. After I select my case, he walks me over to a cash-register, but he can't see me off without making a comment.
"You know, 160GB is big. You won't be able to fill it." And I'm thinking to myself, duh, genius. I didn't really reply to him. I just wanted to pay for my stuff and go. What I should've said to rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guy was that he's a little punk who doesn't know jack about what a customer wants, and that he should go home to his momma's house after I kick his skinny little ass, and that rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guys like him are going to stay rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guys because they don't know jack about how the world works and that I feel sorry for rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guys like him because what they THINK they know ain't gonna cut it.
Really, though, I'm too nice and I "walk off" the bad experience.
So to you, rude-know-it-all-Best-Buy-teenager-guy, I hope your day goes better and that you can pay for a college education with partial funding from the commission I got you. Keep your nose clean and learn some manners.
***
Of course, the iPod and the camera are great gizmos and I'm having loads of fun with 'em. As I'm blogging, I'm importing a bunch of my CD's to iTunes.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Thai Food with the Kundi-Crew
From left to right, Joseph, Jon, Janine, Sarah, Me, and Neil.
January's taking the picture.
January's taking the picture.
Our First Kundiman Panel
From left to right, David Mura, Sarah Gambito, Tamiko Beyer, Purvi Shah, and Jon Pineda. I'm off to the right . . . somewhere.
*Photo courtesy of January Gill
*Photo courtesy of January Gill
Check out my sexy shirt
That's my Kundiman shirt, worn for the a/p/a reading at NYU. The photo's courtesy of January Gill.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Back
Hi guys. Sorry it's been awhile. I seem to be apologizing for my blog absences quite frequently these days. It's not that I don't like you or anything, it's just that I've been busy in all aspects of my life.
I've been getting home fairly late and I've had lots of students come by during my office hours (primo blogging time), so I just haven't had time.
Anyway, enough moaning and groaning. How are you?
***
AWP was a blur. I spent a lot of time with Jon Pineda, talking about fatherhood, jobs, poetry. It was good to catch up with him. It's too bad his book wasn't out for the conference. He read some stuff from the new book at the A/P/A reading and the Kundiman panel. Phenomenal new work, and I'm looking forward to reading it cover to cover.
A lot of the conference was spent behind Table #220 at the bookfaire. That spot ended up becoming the meeting place for our extended Kundiman clan. Of course, I hung out with Sarah Gambito, Joseph Legaspi, Jennifer Chang, many Kundiman fellows and former faculty members, and friends of the organization. So it was a big conference for our burgeoning non-profit organization.
The joint panel with Cave Canem was wonderful. I'm still in awe of Toi and Cornelius. And it was great to partner up with Tim Seibles for moderator duties.
The solo Kundiman panel was also fabulous, and our fellows really shined.
Overall, though, it was good to be in good company. I always feel bad about not being able to spend time with anybody at the conference, but this time, I think I had some good long conversations with good friends.
***
Still, I didn't get to see New York. I mean, I've seen New York and I've wandered through New York on several occasions, but now that it's so far from me, I should've at least gotten in some culture. No plays. No museums. No shows.
***
I bought some books, but not as many as in the past. I was disciplined.
***
Photos soon.
I've been getting home fairly late and I've had lots of students come by during my office hours (primo blogging time), so I just haven't had time.
Anyway, enough moaning and groaning. How are you?
***
AWP was a blur. I spent a lot of time with Jon Pineda, talking about fatherhood, jobs, poetry. It was good to catch up with him. It's too bad his book wasn't out for the conference. He read some stuff from the new book at the A/P/A reading and the Kundiman panel. Phenomenal new work, and I'm looking forward to reading it cover to cover.
A lot of the conference was spent behind Table #220 at the bookfaire. That spot ended up becoming the meeting place for our extended Kundiman clan. Of course, I hung out with Sarah Gambito, Joseph Legaspi, Jennifer Chang, many Kundiman fellows and former faculty members, and friends of the organization. So it was a big conference for our burgeoning non-profit organization.
The joint panel with Cave Canem was wonderful. I'm still in awe of Toi and Cornelius. And it was great to partner up with Tim Seibles for moderator duties.
The solo Kundiman panel was also fabulous, and our fellows really shined.
Overall, though, it was good to be in good company. I always feel bad about not being able to spend time with anybody at the conference, but this time, I think I had some good long conversations with good friends.
***
Still, I didn't get to see New York. I mean, I've seen New York and I've wandered through New York on several occasions, but now that it's so far from me, I should've at least gotten in some culture. No plays. No museums. No shows.
***
I bought some books, but not as many as in the past. I was disciplined.
***
Photos soon.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Ready? GO!
I'm all packed and I've got the arrangements for my panel, my hotel, and my flight. I'll be getting into the city at around 5:00PM. Hopefully I won't have any troubles getting to the Hilton from JFK, but . . . 5:00PM in NYC is really busy. I want to see the Cave Canem Fellows read on Wednesday, but that might not be possible. At any rate, I feel like I'll be running around as soon as I land on the tarmac.
Since I'll be away, keep the blog tidy for me, k? I'll bring back pictures if you're good.
Since I'll be away, keep the blog tidy for me, k? I'll bring back pictures if you're good.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Oliver's CRAZY AWP Schedule
Wednesday, 1/30
Arrival JFK: 4:57PM
7:00PM--CC reading? I know dinner with Joseph Legaspi, Sarah Gambito, et al. for sure
Thursday, 1/31
10:30-11:45AM: Panel Presentation--Celebration Song, Circle Song: Kundiman Looks Back at its First Five Years. Conference Room K. Sheraton, Lower Level, Executive Conference Center. New York, NY.
2:00PM: Meeting with Tax Accountant (yes, I have a NY Tax Accountant who is AWESOME).
6:00PM-8:00PM: National Literary Organizations of NYC Welcome Reception
Friday, 2/1
2:30-3:30PM: Kundiman Table #220
6:00-9:00PM: Celebrating New Asian American Poetry. New York University. The Great Room, Room 101. 19 University Place. New York, NY.
Saturday, 2/2
8:00AM: Kundiman Staff/Board Meeting
3:00-4:15PM: Panel Presentation--Broadening the Circle: How Cave Canem and Kundiman Became Family. Conference Room D. Sheraton, Lower Level, Executive Conference Center. New York, NY.
6:00-8:00PM: Creative Writing Programs of the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountain West Cocktail Party
Sunday, 2/3
3:00PM: Depart from JFK to Seattle
10:47PM: Arrival
*****
If you want to see me, how about breakfast? :D
*****
What should I buy? My budget's limited this year . . .
Arrival JFK: 4:57PM
7:00PM--CC reading? I know dinner with Joseph Legaspi, Sarah Gambito, et al. for sure
Thursday, 1/31
10:30-11:45AM: Panel Presentation--Celebration Song, Circle Song: Kundiman Looks Back at its First Five Years. Conference Room K. Sheraton, Lower Level, Executive Conference Center. New York, NY.
2:00PM: Meeting with Tax Accountant (yes, I have a NY Tax Accountant who is AWESOME).
6:00PM-8:00PM: National Literary Organizations of NYC Welcome Reception
Friday, 2/1
2:30-3:30PM: Kundiman Table #220
6:00-9:00PM: Celebrating New Asian American Poetry. New York University. The Great Room, Room 101. 19 University Place. New York, NY.
Saturday, 2/2
8:00AM: Kundiman Staff/Board Meeting
3:00-4:15PM: Panel Presentation--Broadening the Circle: How Cave Canem and Kundiman Became Family. Conference Room D. Sheraton, Lower Level, Executive Conference Center. New York, NY.
6:00-8:00PM: Creative Writing Programs of the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountain West Cocktail Party
Sunday, 2/3
3:00PM: Depart from JFK to Seattle
10:47PM: Arrival
*****
If you want to see me, how about breakfast? :D
*****
What should I buy? My budget's limited this year . . .
Monday, January 21, 2008
Things I'm doing. Things to do.
This past Saturday, I served BBQ. I'm using the term correctly.
Meredith corrects me when I use BBQ in other circumstances. BBQ is very specific to her. To me, I use the word to refer to grilling or a type of sauce used to cover grilled meats. To her, it's pulled pork.
So anyway, we had a Southern-style New Year's meal, complete with black-eyed peas, collards, cornbread, BBQ, and mac n' cheese. So good . . . and so bad for you. I swear, I was using meat in everything.
Time for my colonic.
***
Running into the issue of conducting a workshop for a collaborative piece. How do you do it?
For one thing, the level of investment in a collaborative poem might not be as high as the investment a writer has in a solo piece. There's also the whole juggling of egos that's magnified when there's collaboration (See Project Runway whenever there's a group project). My temporary solution is to conduct workshops solely with the collaborators. So, in a class with four groups, you meet with each group individually instead of the whole class.
Is that solution working? We'll see. Our first meeting will be on Wednesday.
***
Bored with my gym music so I bought a bunch of hip-hop albums. (Yes, E. When I ran into you and C. at Everyday Music, I was going to put some albums back, but I wound up buying 'em all). .
Spoils include the following:
Kid Koala--your mom's favorite dj
Lifesavas--Gutterfly
RZA--Afro Samurai: The Soundtrack
Lupe Fiasco--The Cool
Common--Finding Forever
Pete Rock--Hip Hop Underground Soul Classics
My gym selections are very different from my normal musical tastes. For example, during the same album shopping spree, I had the new Low album, Drums and Guns. I also eyed the new Bonnie 'Prince' Billy album. I'm also awaiting the new album from Cat Power.
Here's the thing, though . . . you don't want to be running on a treadmill or bench pressing while Low shuffles into your iPod. It happened to me once, and I almost dumped 170 lbs on my chest.
Anyway, I'm loving RZA and Kid Koala right now. RZA's remade himself from a seminal member of the Wu-Tang Clan to a damn good soundtrack editor. See his Ghostdog soundtrack. You'll understand. And Kid Koala's not exactly the type of stuff to get your heart rate up, but it's an interesting listen. Tight samples of dialogue with music and beats here and there to form a narrative.
I've yet to give the other albums a close listen, but I will when I go to the gym today.
***
Got a couple of poem acceptances and some journal solicitations. Very good season so far. I just need to keep working which is tough when you're me. Writing has not been on my brain lately. But if you want to talk about painting and scraping popcorn ceilings, I'm your man.
***
Baby shower . . . egad.
My well-intentioned mother sent out the invitations in her illegible script. So babiesrus.com looks like babiezon.com There's also the problem of Meredith's name. While she can and has gone by my last name, she doesn't professionally and that's cause for some concern, since the invitations were sent using my last name and I'm not sure many of her relatives actually know what my last name is.
Meredith corrects me when I use BBQ in other circumstances. BBQ is very specific to her. To me, I use the word to refer to grilling or a type of sauce used to cover grilled meats. To her, it's pulled pork.
So anyway, we had a Southern-style New Year's meal, complete with black-eyed peas, collards, cornbread, BBQ, and mac n' cheese. So good . . . and so bad for you. I swear, I was using meat in everything.
Time for my colonic.
***
Running into the issue of conducting a workshop for a collaborative piece. How do you do it?
For one thing, the level of investment in a collaborative poem might not be as high as the investment a writer has in a solo piece. There's also the whole juggling of egos that's magnified when there's collaboration (See Project Runway whenever there's a group project). My temporary solution is to conduct workshops solely with the collaborators. So, in a class with four groups, you meet with each group individually instead of the whole class.
Is that solution working? We'll see. Our first meeting will be on Wednesday.
***
Bored with my gym music so I bought a bunch of hip-hop albums. (Yes, E. When I ran into you and C. at Everyday Music, I was going to put some albums back, but I wound up buying 'em all). .
Spoils include the following:
Kid Koala--your mom's favorite dj
Lifesavas--Gutterfly
RZA--Afro Samurai: The Soundtrack
Lupe Fiasco--The Cool
Common--Finding Forever
Pete Rock--Hip Hop Underground Soul Classics
My gym selections are very different from my normal musical tastes. For example, during the same album shopping spree, I had the new Low album, Drums and Guns. I also eyed the new Bonnie 'Prince' Billy album. I'm also awaiting the new album from Cat Power.
Here's the thing, though . . . you don't want to be running on a treadmill or bench pressing while Low shuffles into your iPod. It happened to me once, and I almost dumped 170 lbs on my chest.
Anyway, I'm loving RZA and Kid Koala right now. RZA's remade himself from a seminal member of the Wu-Tang Clan to a damn good soundtrack editor. See his Ghostdog soundtrack. You'll understand. And Kid Koala's not exactly the type of stuff to get your heart rate up, but it's an interesting listen. Tight samples of dialogue with music and beats here and there to form a narrative.
I've yet to give the other albums a close listen, but I will when I go to the gym today.
***
Got a couple of poem acceptances and some journal solicitations. Very good season so far. I just need to keep working which is tough when you're me. Writing has not been on my brain lately. But if you want to talk about painting and scraping popcorn ceilings, I'm your man.
***
Baby shower . . . egad.
My well-intentioned mother sent out the invitations in her illegible script. So babiesrus.com looks like babiezon.com There's also the problem of Meredith's name. While she can and has gone by my last name, she doesn't professionally and that's cause for some concern, since the invitations were sent using my last name and I'm not sure many of her relatives actually know what my last name is.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
So here's the deal . . . (or why Oliver's so busy).
I've been remodeling a lot of rooms in our house, which should've been your first clue.
One particular room, which I haven't photographed yet, has aqua furniture, a rocking horse, and lots and lots of children's books with a changing table in the closet.
Yes, Oliver's going to be a dad some time in March. Meredith bought a whole bunch of diapers a few weeks ago which intensified my worry. It's all good, though. I'm excited.
I haven't been posting much about it because it's a personal thing for me. I suppose I've been coming to terms with the idea of fatherhood and I haven't had anything profound to say. In the presence of profound moments, there's really nothing else that I can say that'll magnify the moment's profundity. Our lives are going to change. Change is good.
I also haven't been writing, which is okay. But I've been thinking about writing and the way I've been thinking about it has changed quite drastically. I'm not able to articulate that quality of my thinking just yet, but I can feel it.
We're taking a class and we're bored out of our minds. I suppose that's because both of us have a parent who's a physician. I'm pretty pragmatic. Meredith's got a whole bunch of books. We pretty much know the material presented to us in class already, so it makes for an excruciating two hours.
Things are humming in our house. Preparations are being made, etc.. So that's why I've been sporadic with my blog postings.
Enough about me, though. How are you?
One particular room, which I haven't photographed yet, has aqua furniture, a rocking horse, and lots and lots of children's books with a changing table in the closet.
Yes, Oliver's going to be a dad some time in March. Meredith bought a whole bunch of diapers a few weeks ago which intensified my worry. It's all good, though. I'm excited.
I haven't been posting much about it because it's a personal thing for me. I suppose I've been coming to terms with the idea of fatherhood and I haven't had anything profound to say. In the presence of profound moments, there's really nothing else that I can say that'll magnify the moment's profundity. Our lives are going to change. Change is good.
I also haven't been writing, which is okay. But I've been thinking about writing and the way I've been thinking about it has changed quite drastically. I'm not able to articulate that quality of my thinking just yet, but I can feel it.
We're taking a class and we're bored out of our minds. I suppose that's because both of us have a parent who's a physician. I'm pretty pragmatic. Meredith's got a whole bunch of books. We pretty much know the material presented to us in class already, so it makes for an excruciating two hours.
Things are humming in our house. Preparations are being made, etc.. So that's why I've been sporadic with my blog postings.
Enough about me, though. How are you?
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Congratulations, Neil!
Neil Aitken, editor of Boxcar Poetry Review, has just won CSU's Philip Levine Book Prize. Go congratulate him!.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. So happy for you, Neil.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. So happy for you, Neil.
Friday, January 04, 2008
More Stuff
Like this poem of mine on VQR Online. Beautiful beautiful journal.
Also . . . weird to have this sudden explosion of poems on the web.
***
I'm almost over the cold. Pho is the most delightful stuff for colds.
***
School starts next week. I've been working on syllabi. Two fun classes: 1) Forms of Verse, 2) Collaborative Poetry.
I'm still finalizing which forms to use. The usual suspects like sonnets, villanelles, and sestinas will be there, but I want a few surprises.
For the Collaborative Poetry class, I'll be using Saints of Hysteria. Should be quite fun. Lord knows how I'll run a workshop, though.
***
I want to see Juno.
Also . . . weird to have this sudden explosion of poems on the web.
***
I'm almost over the cold. Pho is the most delightful stuff for colds.
***
School starts next week. I've been working on syllabi. Two fun classes: 1) Forms of Verse, 2) Collaborative Poetry.
I'm still finalizing which forms to use. The usual suspects like sonnets, villanelles, and sestinas will be there, but I want a few surprises.
For the Collaborative Poetry class, I'll be using Saints of Hysteria. Should be quite fun. Lord knows how I'll run a workshop, though.
***
I want to see Juno.
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