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!

Megabus: Mega-bargain?

So, I'm heading back to Chicago after a long holiday weekend at home...and I'm on the bus! Got my ticket for $35 dollars, and so far, so good. Free wireless, no airport-style security, pretty stress free up to this point (except I seem to be getting a little motion sickness). AWPer's, you gotta check this out! They say you can get tickets for as little as $1.

Well, I think it's time to shut down the laptop and take a nap. I'll let you know how the trip was later.

Do you miss me, Blogland?

I'm in Kansas City today, killing time before the cook-off opens. It's unusal that I have a day where I don't have to be at work by 9:30, so I'm enjoying the downtime. In a minute, I'm going to go sit by the pool and work on my ms. Right now, I'm on the public computer at the hotel bc I got tired of lugging my laptop around and only having five minutes to check email a day. Nobody told me that the cook-off opens at 4 here. I would have brought it if I'd know.

The pics over at Mary's (too lazy for links, you all know Mary) of the BOR Poetry Editors' meeting are making me want to cry. I'm so sick of missing all the good stuff.

So...I'm probably going to hell for this, but I may be the only person in the world who is happy about the flooding in Cedar Rapids. Don't get me wrong--my heart goes out to those who are impacted by this disaster--but it means I get a very badly needed week off. During that week off, I'll be hanging out with the family, working on poetry, and posting some pics of my crazy summer. Hopefully I'll remember to snap some of the flooding Missori river on the way home. Pretty crazy.

Who's gonna drive you home?

Well, I'm back from the commonwealth. Of Virginia, that is. This is me following the Walmart trucker into Ohio:

In my mind, I was taking a picture of the "Welcome to Ohio" sign, but I was too far away. This leads nicely into my next section...

What I learned on my trip:

• Trying to take photographs while driving at speeds that may or may not be above the posted limit is a practice in stupidity and recklessness.
• UVA is in Charlottesville, not Richmond (I'm not sure why I thought it was in Richmond, but that doesn't really matter, now, does it?)
• It is not only hotter in Virginia than in Arizona, but the bugs are scarier too.
• I'm sure I learned something else, but right now, I don't know what.

What I brought home:

• Driver's tan. I tried to take a picture, but it is impossible to photograph both of your own arms without smooshing your boobs together and that picture doesn't belong here.
• Fun binder clips and a mini stapler

What was waiting for me in the mailbox: (not pictured - Kim Addonizio's what is this thing called love)

What I'll miss the most:

puppy love

big sister

*

Amy wrote about her sister visit this week too. Carla sometimes doesn't remember things that I do, but for her birthday, I gave her The Little Engine that Could and season one of The Muppet Show and she remembered those.

*

Confession: I *heart* listening to Celine Dion while I drive. That's embarrasing, isn't it?

Road Trippin'

Why I love the West Virginia turnpike:

Dear St. Christopher

I'm about to embark on an 8 hour drive--at least half of that being a direct route down I-77. I like when I don't have to look at the map for a state and a half.

This is today's horoscope:

Your good energy is perfect for helping you get your way in the world, even if just yesterday all seemed lost. See if you can find a way to kill two (or more) birds with one stone. Efficiency is golden now.

So, what bird can I kill (that sounds awful) while driving? How can you multitask on a road trip?

Next time you come here, there may be photos of the *other* mountains. The ones that don't seem so large now that I've been out west. But they sure are pretty.

Bisbee Recap

The People

Bob and Estellean Wick are the most gracious hosts any wayward traveler could ask for. They welcomed us into their home and pampered us with delicious food, beautiful surroundings, and delightful conversation. It was far more than any of us hoped for or expected. They took us to some of the best restaurants in Bisbee and Nogales, Mexico (where they demonstrated their excellent salsa dancing skills). Both Bob and Estellean are thoughtful, intelligent, creative, and insightful and happy to share their memories, stories, and beliefs with anyone who asks. And they're not shy about sharing opinions or asking tough questions either.

The Wick's also have a wonderful staff at their home; Marita and Elvita, two wonderful cooks who always had coffee ready for us by 5:30 a.m. and never let us go hungry, and Lalo, a very talented gardener who patiently allowed Jay and I to practice our Spanish skills with him. The poor man probably never heard "como se dice" so many times in his life!

Then there are the residents of Bisbee. All generous, welcoming, and excited to have a bunch of poets in town. The reading at the Oliver House had an amazing turn-out; the place was packed! Since it rained that night, we read inside. The room was too small, so people lined the halls, the stairways, and even stood outside and listened through the windows. I've never seen so many people so interested in poetry (except maybe at AWP) in the same place.

Finally, I can't forget my traveling companions. It was the perfect combination of old and new friends, connections and rekindlings. The best night of the trip had nothing to do with location and everything to do with who I was with. We sat around drinking wine and talking and I haven't had so much fun in ages.

The Places:

I'll let the photos do the talking.

The view from the Wick Ranch, sunrise.

The view from the Wick's driveway:

Chiricahua Mountains:

Nogales, Mexico

Final Thoughts

This trip meant so much more to me than I can explain here, so this post almost feels silly. I'll just say that I can't imagine a better gift for a writer, especially a beginning writer, than to provide everything she could possibly ask for, for an entire week, and ask nothing in return except that she spend all her free time writing. The Wicks seem to understand and nurture the creative process in everything they do, in the place where they live, in the way that they act. To bring us into that world, off the grid, away from TV and internet and constant headlines, and allow us to submerge ourselves in words and ideas was an amazing blessing. And Maggie, our teacher, our facilitator, was just as nurturing and encouraging as we could ask as well (and not without a stern hand when we got off track, either).

The southwest is sooo far from Ohio not only in distance, but in landscape, in air, in flora and fauna...it made everything feel new. The way the earth got greener each time it rained, the way the sky changed in seconds from sunny to black and ominous, the way the mountains reflected light, these things opened my eyes to my own landscape, made things that are familiar and almost mundane become precious because they were missing. And mornings. Arizona almost made me a morning person.

As far as my writing, my thesis...I generated so many ideas that I don't know when I'll have time to write them all down. I'm not sure my plan is any clearer now, but it is richer. And my mss is longer than the page minimum finally, which means I have room to play.

Sad that it's over, but more ready now to continue with the day-to-day. I spent a lot of time at the ranch thinking about next steps and my future. I realized that the not knowing is the blessing. Opening doors and checking things out sounds like the best possible plan for the next couple years. I'm ready to ask questions.

About that secret

Now that everyone knows, I can explain.

I was one of six people chosen from the NEOMFA to participate in a summer workshop/fellowship at the Wick ranch in Bisbee, Arizona. Here's a link about the program. I can't even begin to explain how excited I am. I applied last year but wasn't selected, so I had to watch my friends go off to the desert without me. This year, I'll be going with two of my closest friends and 3 other people who are pretty freaking cool, too.

I've never been to the southwest. When I was in high school I wanted to go to the University of Arizona, but didn't apply for whatever reason. I've always been fascinated with that part of the country...it's sad to admit this, but it was because of a ridiculous historical romance novel about an Anasazi girl and her love affair with Kokopelli. I tried to reread this book a couple of years ago and couldn't believe how bad the writing was, but the story stuck with me all through my teenage years.

Is it wrong to start a count-down until July 21? Do you think I'll make myself crazy?

I've got a secret...

I heard good news today...and it involves me going to the desert. Yippee!