For Aaron

I go above and beyond the call of duty,

NOOOOOOO

David Tennant quits as Doctor Who

Pardon the geeky angst...but dammit.

SNOW? NOW?

Panic! At the Bibliotheque

I got my first real assignment for Warren Wilson and my book's ordered. This is all becoming shudderingly real.

~*~

I've been trying to write and backlog some poems for the upcoming semester just to stay ahead of things in case I get bogged down. (Right now Ricardo Montalban is an Indian Brave on Bonanza. He is suitably righteous and angry...very Khan-like.) Back in the day I had no problem writing on demand, I synched into it and produced with little procrastination (though some courses were tended to far more gladly). It'll be curious to see how this low-residency system works in terms of process for me.

~*~

Aaron said this to tease me, but he's got a serious point, and I know he's righter than right, so I have it taped up in view as I work at the home computer: "Some people finish poems, RJ."

So Bad, But So Good

We celebrated Ashley's birthday Saturday. Because she loves pumpkiny stuff, I made her a Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow-Sour Cream Topping and Gingersnap Crust from a recipe at Epicurious. It was faaaantastic.

I'm not a big cheesecake fan and had never tried to make one before, but this recipe seems almost fool-proof.

The only quibbles I have: if you follow the recipe exactly use a larger springform pan (the recipe calls for a 9", but makes enough filling for at least a 10"); because I followed the recipe and had an enormous amount of filling in the 9" pan, it increased the cooking time by about 45 minutes; if you decide to make this without the topping (and really why would you? sour cream? and marshmallow? come on!) cut the spices unless you really really loooove spicy pumpkin.

Punky

I was supposed to be up at quarter of 6 this morning so I could do my thing and be at work at 7. Nothing major, just a usual Sunday. Until I went into the kitchen to get my coffee and realized it was actually 7 already. The clock had reset itself prematurely for next week's time change. I called work, then rushed around getting ready. I ended up being about 30 minutes late. So far it's been a normal Sunday, a few straggling check outs, nothing major. About five minutes ago I look down and realize I'm wearing mismatched shoes.

And It's Time, Time, Time

I kept meaning to hop on and blog a bit here and there for the last month but then I'd just find something else to do...it's not been particularly frantic or anything--I've just not felt like being online much. I've been trying to read a lot (more essays about poetry than poetry itself) and get myself geared up for classes by setting up what'll be my work blocks.

Things of note since late September:

My mom now yells at the television whenever she sees John McCain. She either calls him "nitwit" or "that old asshole." The latter is particularly impressive--it has been reserved solely for my father for the last 15 years. She admits that she understands how I felt during 2004 and the last several years.

I was training a new person last week. She said there was no need to worry about her taking too many breaks or her room service beer count being off since she didn't smoke or drink. I said "Well, that's good, but you have to have some sort of vice." "Oh, I do. Jesus Christ."

Interview Sarah Palin

Through the magic of the interwebs, you too can interview Caribou Barbie!

Debatable

The debate last night was just dreary...but I think that's because I watched MSNBC and they kept a pretty consistent split-screen, so my eyes were constantly tracking left to watch John McCain's petulance when he wasn't talking.

Highlights: my mother repeatedly shouting some version of "you old asshole" at the telly. She also perked up when Lehrer asked about Russia, then started going off about Putin rearing into Alaskan air space. She is truly angry at her party.

I might have to get her a helmet for the veep debate. She could do herself a caution.

God.

From The Smoking Gun:

Cop Hit In Gas Attack
West Virginia DUI arrestee charged with farting in officer's face

Zut Alors!

The book-keeper and general problem-solver/go-to person is out today with a migraine. I'm myself and her today. I do not like this. Not a whit.

~*~

I'm awfully impressed with Warren Wilson's speed in getting out information, forms and such; especially in regards to answering emails. They're really on the ball. It makes for a lot of reading (and re-reading) and digesting, but I can't say I've ever had such an experience with any other program or school.

~*~

I've been shopping around for a new car; I've hated it because I'm trying to be practical and thrifty at the same time and that just complicates things.

I've always thought about fuel-efficiency first and looked at just compact/subcompact models, but now trying to find something in my price range, that's not going to jack my insurance rates to the sky, that's got good crash test ratings and AWD AND something at least moderately fuel efficient...well...yes...I've been a little obsessive...and I wonder if Brian regrets having that Consumer Reports as much as I've asked him to look up models over the last few months.

As much as I've loved my little Focus, I need to get something with AWD: I ain't tryin the mountains in January with just front-wheel-drive...that's for suckers.

~*~

Poems out in the mail last week, trying to finish up one more packet this weekend.

Transitional

Usually I'm all ready for the season to shift, for summer to slide into fall and have those few weeks of crisp air and foliage that's almost too perfect. But this year...no. Something resists. I want a few more weeks of summer please. I want to ride out the last few weeks of the lantana and new guinea impatiens being perfect.

~*~

Working on poems this morning, playing with a cento and a piece that I muddled through a Markov generator.

~*~

This friend of the family gave my mother a bushel of tiny white peaches--each one the size of a ping pong ball. They're fantastic: meaty and not too juicy. I'm being drafted to help make preserves later today.

Regular

This article by George Saunders in the New Yorker is just viiiiiicious. And coffee out my nose funny.

WOOT!

Ages ago I made this oblique comment on a post about taking a big step. Well--I took it. And it's official. I'll be a student in Warren Wilson's MFA program. I just got the call a little while ago.
Unreal.

Newness

A new poem. Shan't be here long.

And it wasn't.

Bleg

Could anyone send me a copy of Peter Gizzi's "Ode: Salute to the New York School."

It would be greeeeeeatly appreciated.

SUBMIT

qarrtsiluni is calling for submissions for its next issue: Journaling the Apocalypse. More deets here.

Blargh

Drizzly today and chilly-ish. The sort of day that's perfect for napping and reading and lounging with coffee. I at least have coffee. On the up-side, I get to use a pressure washer later today. My inner butch is singing.

~*~

I've been revising and rethinking old and newer poems like crazy since I got back from LA...well once the jet lag and exhaustion lifted. It's been a much different process...for the first time in years revising has been as pleasurable as writing the first draft of something. Plus I've started a few new drafts.

ZESTY!!!

Burglar wakes men with spice rub, sausage attack

The victims told deputies they awoke Saturday morning to the stranger applying
spices to one of them and striking the other with an 8-inch sausage.
Burrimond said money allegedly stolen in the burglary was recovered. The
sausage was tossed away by the fleeing suspect and eaten by a dog.

When my boss asked me if I'd heard this I thought she was lying. Sadly, no.