Finished my first week back teaching after a far-t00-idle summer. Four classes and a fifth starts in October. I need to be busy again. Busy-ness makes me feel better. Having things to do, having places to be and responsibilities. I’d like to think it pushes me creatively, too. This summer was just a wash–too much [...]

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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 1 Comment »

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? [...]

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 [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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