The last resident reading was Sunday night and I read the opening of my book. I was the first reader of the night and got to show several slides from my research–documents, photos that inform my work. It was a great night, with very positive response from the audience. Very uplifting.
I shared the night [...]

Posted in Vermont Studio Center, art, books, fiction, my writing, teaching, writers No Comments »

Ted’s been away over a week and i’m going stir crazy! Thankfully he is coming home tonight.
It was only a week, I know, but when it’s just me and the kitties it gets a little weird. I wonder what he’s going to do when i’m in Vermont for a month doing my writer’s residency?
So, the [...]

Posted in Vermont Studio Center, books, cute photos of me, my latest man-crush, poetry, questions that plague me, teaching, ted, writers 3 Comments »

Saw David Sedaris last Friday, the night before Halloween at the newly renovated Balboa Theater downtown. The tickets were $50, and actually belonged to my lovely friend Jess, but she was sick, and her boyfriend was busy with rehearsals for a show, so they offered them to myself and Ted (and one extra ticket that [...]

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So school is back in full swing now, but i’m making plans for how to keep my life organized, to keep writing, and how to keep my sanity intact.
One goal of mine is to go to bed BY 11 PM EVERY WEEK NIGHT. I can’t say that i’ll be able to do that on the [...]

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Here’s another gem from The Writer’s Almanac. I’ve never heard of this guy, Paul J. Willis, but I’m going to have to get his book/s. This poem is so unique and beautiful and spare but so rich. I love the story of this Grandfather.
Common Ground
by Paul J. Willis
Today I dug an orange tree out of [...]

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Why am I taking so long to read Blake Bailey’s Cheever: A Life? Maybe because I’ve been so busy (we’ve been so busy) with unpacking in our new home. I’d like to think it’s because I want to savor every moment of Cheever’s life, want to linger longer in the anecdotes and memories and recollections [...]

Posted in fiction, shopping, teaching, writers 3 Comments »

Ted and I are in the process of moving from La Jolla to Azalea Park. When I say in the process I mean we are:
Stressing
Thinking about packing
Stressing
Worrying about having enough money to survive this summer
Stressing
Collecting Boxes for packing
It’s a beautiful neighborhood and gorgeous house so here’s hoping it all goes smoothly.
Oh, did I mention I [...]

Posted in books, collage, crafts, postcards, teaching, writers 1 Comment »

No, i’m not dead–but you wouldn’t know it based on my lack of posting lately.
It’s been a hectic and challenging last few weeks. Some highlights:
A couple of weeks ago, as you may know, I took Tom Spanbauer’s Dangerous Writing workshop– three intense days of talking, writing, analyzing about what we are afraid of in our [...]

Posted in my writing, teaching, vintage books, writers 1 Comment »

I know, I know, I haven’t posted in a while and I have much to tell, but i’m buried underneath a mountain of papers and end of the semester chaos. In the meantime, here is the (top of the) front page of an essay from a current student of mine.

The essay is about the opression [...]

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From The Writer’s Almanac, March 29, 2009:

Teaching Poetry to 3rd Graders

by Gary Short

At recess a boy ran to me
with a pink rubber [...]

Posted in books, cute photos of me, fiction, my writing, teaching, writers 3 Comments »