Almost there...

Can I just tell you, making people show up to class on the day before Thanksgiving is just mean. And scheduling conferences on that day: also mean. I'm really, really annoyed that I'm not on my way back to Ohio yet, and won't be until midnight. That's right...I'm riding a bus over night and will be arriving in Cleveland at 7:30 Thanksgiving morning. Lame!

*

Of course, I'm very excited to get home and see my boyfriend and my family, but mostly, I'm excited to meet my new "little sister." Mom and Dad rescued her from the shelter last Friday, after they saw her story on the news (watch here). I might just die of puppy envy.

*

I am pretty grumpy because I want to be home and I'm not, so instead of whining, I'm going to jump on the gratitude journal band wagon and see if I can mellow myself out.

This year, I'm thankful for:

• My amazing family (and bf)
• New friends
• Finding a path in life that feels right (most of the time)
• Poems
• Being able to watch TV on the internet
• Having enough money for the things I need, and most of the things I want
• Student Loans! (see above)
• Pink pepper spray (and that I've never had to use it)
• Books
• Office supplies
• Netflix
• Self-awareness & growth
• Being a non-smoker for the first time in 9 years
• Moving to Chicago, and learning to be truly on my own, even though I'd still rather be in Akron
• The Megabus
• Textured tights
• Hot water...

Okay, so that last one was me looking at the clock and realizing I have to go shower and get ready for class (stupid day before Thanksgiving class). I probably won't be back here for a while, so happy Turkey Day, ya'll.

Fill in the blank

I was just reading this blog, which I've never read before, and found this survey. I like it, so I'm going to fill it out. Besides, I've accomplished exactly nothing since I got home from class, and doing this will at least get me typing.

• My uncle once: umm...I can't think of an answer for this one. This is not starting well.
• Never in my life: will I eat liver, sushi, or mushrooms on purpose.
• When I was five: I believed I could make it rain.
• High school was: somewhat torturous, but great fodder for poems.
• I will never forget: the day of my mother's lung transplant.
• Once I met: Al Gore.
• Once at a bar: I wrote a terrible poem on a paper towel from the bathroom.
• By noon I’m usually: starting to be productive.
• Last night: I worked on my manuscript for the first time in a long time.
• If I only had: the power of teleportation...
• Next time I go to church: I will probably cry my eyes out.
• What worries me most: is that people will only see the worst in me.
• If I were a character in Shakespeare: I would have an amazing wardrobe.
• I have a hard time understanding: philosophy, and people who like it. (Love you, bf)
• You know I like you if: I overshare. It makes me feel close if you know my secrets.
• Take my advice, never: write an email when you're drunk.
• My ideal breakfast is: mom's waffles with bacon cooked inside.
• If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: bring a camera and a picnic basket.
• Why won’t people: respect my personal space (especially on the el)?
• The world could do without: girls wearing leggings instead of pants.
• I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: do a shot of whiskey.
• My favorite blonds are: babies.
• If I do anything well, it’s: obsess.
• And, by the way: I'm glad things are getting back to normal.

I just realized how much easier the end of the semester is when you don't have students. Too bad my assistantship isn't for not-teaching every semester!

I keep putting off buying my end of the semester bus ticket because I don't know when I'm going to finish the long version of my Ashbery paper. It's due 12/10, but if I get done sooner, break can start sooner... (Really, who am I kidding? I should just make the reservation for 12/11.)

Last night, I spent several hours updating my submission records and trying to get my files organized. Realized I've barely sent anything out since February. I have 200 free copies to use at school before the end of the semester, so you know what they're going to be...

I'm anxious about going home and seeing my peeps, but not so anxious to see the snow. Maybe it will melt before Thursday. What do you think, Ohioans?

Speaking of Thursday...it's really not fair when profs say over and over again that we are going to have class on the day before Thanksgiving and then cancel at the last minute. Now my overnight bus ride is just pointless.

Yeah, that's about all I have to ramble about today. Happy Monday!

Wanna Trade?

So, I was just organizing my poetry shelves when I realized I have two copies of Anne Winters' The Displaced of Capital, and I was wondering what I was going to do about it when I had the most brilliant idea...

Anyone want to start an "oops, I ordered it twice" book trade? I know I'm not the only one who binge-orders at Amazon without the benefit of a list.

Day Off

I had big plans for today...including doing laundry, scrubbing my bathroom, and watching that Netflix movie that's been sitting here for 3 weeks (if I can find it)...but here it is, 4pm, and I've gotten as far as carrying a basket of laundry downstairs, finding out that all the machines are in use, and giving up.

But I don't feel guilty about that. I've been working my ass off this semester--well, working my ass off ever since I stopped crying about living in the big bad city and missing my boyfriend and my MFA peeps and my family. Today is the first day since I've been here that I have zero deadlines stressing me out. Sure, I have to go back to work tomorrow, but I am caught up enough to relax for one day. So, instead of doing chores like I should be, I've watched a little internet TV (last weeks Supernatural (BTW, who knew this guy was so freaking ripped?)) and chatted on facebook with a guy I've know since 4th grade who also happens to live in Chi-town.

Mark this as another reason academia is better than corporate life--when you finish a big project, you get to take the next day off.

procrastinator's update

With less than 2 hours left until my self-inflicted deadline, I now have 8.5 pages typed and believe the other 1.5 pages will come from expanding on things I rushed through.

But...I just. don't. want. to. write. anymore.

I feel like there should be some marathoner's metaphor for this, but I haven't been a runner since tenth grade gym class, so I just don't know.

Writing papers is lame. It's a good thing I'm doing a creative dissertation because there's no way I could do hundreds of pages of this.

So. Back to work. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Update: 10:34. I almost finished on time. And, I'm a little short page-wise, but my word count is right on track. How does that work?

Anyhow, we have to read these bad-boys and I know that it takes longer than 15 minutes to read ten pages, so it's good that I'm short.

How Long?

I've been toiling over my Ashbery paper since Thursday and I have 3.5 pages typed and several pages of disjointed notes to show for it. Today is the last day, and I'm giving myself a 10 pm deadline. We all know I procrastinate, but I will hate my life if I have to pull an all nighter. Tomorrow I have to be on campus 9am to 6pm, which isn't the longest academic day I've ever had by far, but it would be the longest academic day after an all-nighter. So, 10 pm deadline. I'm giving myself, more or less, 2 hours per page. That should be more than enough, right?

That's where you come in, readers. I'm curious how much time you spend working on your critical writing. I can easily spend 8-10 hours on a 3-5 page paper, but I also know that when pushed, I can write a decent (not my best work) 3-5 page paper in about an hour and a half (assuming I know/understand/like my topic). But when we get to 10 or more pages, I feel like it will take days. For those ugly, unavoidable 20-25 pagers, I need at least a weekend of uninterrupted cramming. Doesn't matter how much research I do ahead of time, or even if I manage to write a first draft before the last minute.

How long, folks?

PS - thanks to everyone who has made suggestions (here and elsewhere) about resources. I don't have time to check them out for this paper, but I do have to expand this topic at the end of the semester, so I'll take a look then.

Break Time

I have been so busy lately--and not just "wow, there's a lot on my to do list, but I'm watching TV" busy--that I have gotten really bad at answering emails, updating my blog, etc. (So, if I owe you some sort of communication, please forgive me!) But I'm still really good at updating my facebook status. I'm taking a little break right now for dinner, but then it's back to Ashbery. I don't know what I've gotten myself into--I'm supposed to be coming up with a theory as to how his seemingly unrelated phrases and images work together to make meaning. Huh? I'm sooo not the scholar I pretend to be. The worst part is, if I bomb this, me and the prof won't be the only ones who know--I have to present this paper, conference style, to my whole class and whoever else decides to show up next Wednesday. Fun!

*

I really wish I was going to Winter Wheat this weekend. Looks like there will be some really great sessions, and of course lots of old NEObuddies. I hope you guys have fun!!

Life is nuts. School is hard. Blogging will have to wait.

Maybe tomorrow.

In the meantime, a photo. NEOMFA alumni at the Windsor Pub. One of many unofficial reunions to come.

Morning Musings

Why can't I make a decent pot of coffee? Seriously, someone, help me out!

*

I had way too good of a weekend for it to be Monday already. Every day should be: sleep until 11, go out to lunch, take a nap, go out to dinner, go dancing until 4 am. Forget writing syllabi and reading Mao.

*

Fellow bloggers: does your spouse/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend read your blog? BF and I had a little argument about this the other day. I think he should read it, he thinks not...but he was annoyed when Toby knew something from my blog that I'd never talked to BF about. I'm just curious how other couples handle it.

*

I think I figured out poetry project #2. There's going to be mafia/ Italian Catholic immigrant themes running through it, but the organizing narrative will be about a woman observing her aging mother after her father leaves (or dies, haven't decided how morbid I want to be yet). With the exception of some details from the 1940's, this project will not be (auto)biographical. I'm feeling really good about this--I've been kicking around this idea for years, but I didn't want to write a book that had to be totally research based. The mother-daughter angle lets me get started even though I don't have time to do the library work right now.

Alas, I still need to finish ms #1. I'm clearly missing fall deadlines again, but maybe I can make the winter ones.

*

Indian summer this week. It was really warm out over the weekend and is supposed to be in the 70s today and tomorrow. And I just put away all my summer clothes.

*

I thought I was going to be part of history and become a Chicagoan all at once when Obama comes to Grant Park on Tuesday, but apparently, the tickets sold out in less than an hour. I guess I'm going to an election party, but I think it might be safer to hide in my apartment and avoid the CTA that day. Oh well.

*

Carol asked me to talk about revision. She's finishing her thesis. I'm going to try to post something soon. Something poetic (gasp)!

All Saints

Everyone thought I'd be a Halloween baby, and sometimes I think I should have been. When I was a kid, everyone dressed up at my birthday parties anyhow. Alas, I was born a day late.

I celebrated with my family last weekend, but tonight, I'm going salsa dancing with my new Chicago friends. Hopefully I don't break an ankle.

Happy Birthday to Karen, too!