Still Breathing!

Wow! I just realized how long it's been since I blogged about anything. I've been so distracted.

First of all, it's not like me at all to write journal after journal for the whole world to read. But beyond that, I've been swimming upstream for months now, against the current, trying to keep my head above water since I seem to be lacking in the gills department. Life is turning around for the better, but along with that come some giant obligations to keep working toward personal goals.

I'm still working with my workshop group once a month at MCL. Everyone's grown so much in the last year. It's truly amazing, the work that's coming out of Salon members these days. The group is so easy to facilitate. And our last session! Everyone had truly groundbreaking comments regarding each others' work. It was a great session.

Had to pull together a collection rather quickly to meet a deadline. Sent the thing off--electronically, I might add--then almost immediately revised the ending of one of the poems and wished I'd placed them in a different order. It's a competition manuscript, so my confidence is also immediately blown. Little chance I'll place when even I can see the flaws.

Rust Belt Regional this weekend! I can hardly wait. Second year in a row that Columbus is hosting this event. Hope the crowds turn out for it. It's supposed to rain this weekend. Who knows how many people will be afraid of melting. If you're reading this and you're looking for something FUN to do this weekend in Columbus, you've gotta be there. More info here:

http://www.rustbeltpoetryslam.com

Okay. I'm out.

Enormous Room

Wow! What a great time we had reading last night at Kent State Stark campus. The Enormous Room turned out to be a library conference room. Nice turnout. GREAT audience.

We think of enormous as a spacial reference... the size of a room, or a vase, or a lake-front home. The enormity of this reading space lies in the receptivity, interest, and openness of the hearts and minds of young people who love poetry. They pulled life from someplace deep inside of each of us, and even when we were done they hungered for more.

The opportunity to answer questions about process and purpose--THAT I hadn't expected!

Bob Miltner was a tremendously gracious host. Steve Abbott, Jen Bosveld and I agreed: This is a place any person within several miles of this Kent State location should hurry to each month. It will be contagious. It will leave you covered in sparks. It will teach you what your words can do and leave you speechless and full of words at the same time.

Chillin' at Nats

National Poetry Slam. Austin, Texas. I wake up today and realize it's probably going to be pivotal for us. Lots of teams coming into today's preliminary rounds determined and hungry for a win. With a second-place showing in our first bout on Tuesday night, we're sitting in 19th place. This is one night we will have to hang onto the ropes with our hands, feet, and teeth to keep from getting dropped from semi-finalis contention. It's a tough place to be. It's a learning place to be. I am so blessed to be here, and it's also the most fun I've had in months.

WOW! A new YEAR!

Yes! Suddenly I'm getting multiple poems per week (which will come as a great surprise to those who know me!). It really is a new year. Riding to work on COTA gives me an extra hour or so each day to let my mind just relax. Poems have sprung from this new experience!