Positive
I just registered for classes next fall. My workshop professor will be the fabulous Jonathan Ames. My lit seminar will be with Jeffery Renard Allen. Shadow narrative. If there were a pregnancy test for excitement, mine would show a big pink plus sign.
Shelley’s lit seminar has been outstanding. Already I’m dreading the end. I love our class discussions, writing for her every week, her engaged feedback. Reading her comments used to make me a little verklempt. The first time I saw her handwriting on my work I welled up. When she likes what I do, or when a crit with Philip Lopate goes well, I feel huge, full with what I’m making. This experience is one I worked hard for, but at the same time it feels like an amazing gift. It’s not so much “needing grad school” it’s that I wanted this world, these relationships and community. To be in it, and then of it. I’m in love with everyone.
and we love you. One of Us, One of Us! As part of the literary tribe, I feel like we should have a ritual sacrifice at the end of the semester-- something bloody...or something vegan with agave nectar. It’s all good.
One of us! You’re my people. I love you like crazy.
you’re full of excellent ideas. You and I clearly fear no blood, but we could do a vegan option for Tim. I’d feel incomplete if there wasn’t anything fleshy offered up.
I could also bring my copy of Freaks to a movie night at Bruce’s.
I want an MFA in writing - desperately, even - but I’ve been in school for so long that I think I need a few years off in the inbetween to, I don’t know, actually write. It’s mostly the community that I miss, and I’m glad to see that sentiment confirmed here.
a bit jealous.
That’s really true. The students that came straight from undergrad seem to feel like they should have waited longer, gone out and had some experiences and learned more about themselves. Which is actually how thoughtful 23 year olds tend to feel anyway...they’re aware of their lack of experience which is a good thing. My BA in writing is from 1996 so I had plenty of time figure things out. About midway between then and now I was hot for a particular program mixing programming with Lib Arts interests, but now I’m glad I waited until something was exactly right. Stopped compromising, really.
Thanks for tolerating my sentimental love fest.
What are or were you in school for?
oh no, hate those smilies. they look like i made them on purpose. i feel that an ascii face is ok, but auto conversion smilies are hateful.
aww MDH. I sorry.
I got a BA in creative writing in 2004, then jumped into a Masters of Library Science program, which I just finished last summer. I didn’t really do any writing while I was in grad school, and am just now starting to get into a regular writing habit again. I’m rusty for sure.
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