As I work today, periodically, revising my next lit mag submission and my 2006 Chapbook (tentatively titled Echolocation), I started thinking about when is it best to stop writing?

What I mean by this is: currently when I write I normally only have time to scribble the thought down and hopefully fill about a page of my steno pad. I do not do any kind of revising or review of that material generally for several months. Is this a productive way to write? Since I try to keep myself constantly writing I have a large volume of “poems”, some of which will never be revised because there is no real “poetic content” in the few hurried lines.

Any thoughts out there on this? I know when I wrote earlier in life, like from about 13-23 I just wrote when an impulse took me and formed it into a poem as I was writing. I still rarely, if ever, typed a poem as I was thinking of it. Just curious what other people do and if my large volume of crap is holding me back

It doesn’t usually take long for me, at work, to get this wave of dread. Seriously, the wave of dread feels very similiar to a wave of nausea. (And I know this post and my last post will have horrendous spelling errors . The dread began when I had to make a phone call that I knew would just bring me aggravation. Luckily, I didn’t get anyone on the phone.

So as you can see, I’m back at work today. Working on my next magazine submission. I have 6 poems I am editting but not really sure where to send them. I am thinking of the Literal Latte poetry contest but not sure. I know a lot of journals don’t accept work during the summer and since I have exhausted all my NC ones for this year, I am starting to wonder if I should break out the Poet’s Market and pick another state to try over the summer. Any suggestions?

Well, just a short post to get started on a short week. From a short person who probably needs a short bus today for her mental agility. TTFN. (oh how 7th grade)

How do you summarize a week of almost nothing of everything writing? Maybe the best word I can think: Full. That is how I feel right now: Full; full in the way of being content; full of information and excitement; full of really bad cafeteria food .

I won’t give a blow by blow hear or anything, but all in all I had a great week. I attended more functions etc then I did in my first residency and I spoke with/spent more time with a larger group of people then the first as well. I was, of course, more at ease during the large and small group sessions but I did find them more tiring somehow this time.

I slept in this morning for the first time in a week and then this afternoon I took all my notes and comments and pared them down to two pages. I also pulled 6 poems to begin working on for my next magazine submission. I don’t have a lot out write now. I hope to get a lot of submissions out this summer to those that accept because that will be the only revising I am doing this summer. My next pod submission isn’t due until August 15th.

There is lots of reading that I want to do and I do have the NC Writer’s Conference next Saturday. I do still hope to find something to do in July for a weekend or a day, just to keep me working and/or being around the community of writer’s.

I am excited about this next term. While last term was just me believing I was doing the right thing w/ getting my MFA, now I know I am in the right place. This term will be a return to what I know of myself as a writer: my love for stories but to learn to balance that with the power of language which is what first drew me to writing I think as I made songs up on school bus rides that were way too long. One of my first “writing” positive memories was of Mrs. Boyer (Williams now) telling me in 9th grade creative writing that I had a natural sense of rhyme and rythym. See teachers we remember things like that even when it is going on 20 years later!

Ok, I could babble more, but I think I’m off to read some more!

Earlier this week I finished Stacey Waite’s chapbook love poem to androgyny which I don’t have in front of me right now to know if I spelled anything correctly, but it was really good. The writer had a clear focus and the poems were well written. You can pick it up from Main Street Rag publishing. Glad I did

I am sitting in my cubicle where there is no a/c and listening to some light making a loud grumbling. But, I actually feel pretty good today.

Looking back at my blog, I can’t believe my last post is from Wednesday. Since then I have been through several more seminars, beginning of small group workshops (I’ll be critiqued this afternoon to finish out the batch), met a lot of new great people, attending more graduating student seminars, actually attending the graduate student reading last night, went to the all-program dinner on Wednesday (actually talked to people), hun out on Thursday night with my old pod and pod leader, and I got a call yesterday for a job interview!!!! **crosses fingers **

All in all I have had a great residency. I think I am starting to call down, especially after knowing I have a job interview, that it will take time to get through the program but I should enjoy it all while it lasts.

Tomorrow I am looking forward to sleeping, hopefully, for a really really long time. After today I should have about 2 hours or less to make up so whew, thank goodness!!!!!!!!!

I know, not a very exciting post, but the exhaustion of residency has taken me in.

Finally did it this week! Came in and worked for an hour. Did as much as I could in an hour.

2nd full day of residency yesterday was good. I had my large group critique and I think it went well, especially considering I was not very happy w/ the poems I was turning in. But my eating is off the hook this week. I am only eating three meals a day but I am feeling pretty “hungry” in a strange way. I am so happy to be doing the MFA but it makes me hunger for this to be my life. To be in education and to write. I just get so tired of waiting!!!!

Had another great class w/ Cathy Smith Bowers and this morning also managed to type up some edits on my next submission I want to get out. Still don’t think I am going to get it out this week.

Well today is a non-fiction class, last large group session and then the all-program dinner. I didn’t go last year but it is earlier this year so I am hoping to make it. Wish me luck

This is technically day 3 of residency. Day 1 was Sunday and was the meet/greet and manuscript exchange. It was fun being part of the welcoming committee. I managed to stay for everything on Sunday but I was socially exhausted by the time it was done! I am so glad I stayed though because I got to here Bob Hicock read. He was amazing!!! I would love to work w/ him at some point before I graduate, even if it is just a seminar or large group.

Yesterday was an early day as I rushed to try and get my critiques done. I felt rushed because this time we had to handwrite and/or type our comments and hand them in to the poet and to our workshop leader. This was an extra step that was surprisingly time consuming. My seminar for Monday was w/ Cathy Smith Bowers so it was great fun. I attended two graduating student seminars and then my workshop. Our workshop ran a little long so I decided to head on home instead of walking into the middle of the student readings.

I think heading home was a good plan. I managed to get the two critiques for today done last night (I’m also up today–eek!) so this morning I was able to finish the last book I had not read for this residency, only had 20 pages left and I am working on edits for the chapbook I am planning on sending off in July. In talking w/ other people I am really going to have to get off of this kick on sending things out, chapbooks anyway, solely based on what year I wrote them. It will, of course, make it harder for me to put one together given the volume of junk I have.

This morning I have another class w/ Cathy and there is another graudating seminar I want to take before workshop. There is a reading tonight but I’m not sure if I will attend. Workshop is done at 5 to 5:30 and reading isn’t unil 8:15. My idea was to maybe get a bite to eat nearby and then work on my critques for tomorrow. Maybe that will keep me around long enough for the readings, but I didn’t bring my books to be signed by the readers. hmmm…

Anyway, great week so far. To be so involved and happy is so unusual for me (well in a day time basis, my home is just fine). This week has already felt so wonderfully long!!!