Almost the New Year

Hello. God I'm bad about blogging. I need to just get into the habit of blogging. Period. Though, I really never have much to say about my life, and if anything, it's about a book or film or TV show or band...etc. Well, maybe I'll start blogging about that more often. Right now, during this winter break, I've read a lot of stuff, watched a lot of stuff, wrote a lot of stuff, and thought about a lot of stuff. Plus I went to Vegas.

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I briefly talked about The Road last blog. But I've been thinking about the book and how it was written (I need to read more from Mr. McCarthy), and they way emotion was shown through mostly the outward impression, and the characters--while being the main focus--were just pieces of the landscape. The novel is so bleak, but as a reader I couldn't put it down. It was hope. The hope in the novel is false hope--hope that at the sea things will be warmer and better--because in the end the only hope is to stay alive. There is no colony, there is no group of scientists looking for a way to reboot the world. Everything is gray and disintegrating. There were no explanations, no reasons. Just a boy and his son, trying to stay alive. I found myself constantly becoming a part of the novel. When they found food and stuff, I found it. When they were looking and couldn't find anything, I felt hungry or disappointed. This novel connects you to the characters, but not through their emotion or thoughts, but through their actions; the struggle to stay alive, the struggle to remain hopeful, even if, in the end, it is kind of pointless...or is it?

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I just finished reading The Lovely Bones. Which, by the way, you all need to read if you haven't. See it before the film, because I think it might be different. I think Peter Jackson is great, but I'm afraid the films going to be more of a mystery and a clue-hunt, rather than the story it really is. There are no chases. There are no court justices or revenge. It is all about little victories and enormous tragedies. It's an easy read. Em and I read it in two days each.

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I read three of Ian's stories this week. And they were rad. I actually found myself laughing at loud at some of his scenes. Two seem to fit within a post-college narrative. The stacks however, was a very interesting young-adult story. I dug them and want to read more. So, Ian. Send 'em.

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I just finished the first (readable draft of The Story Thief) and sent it to my friends. For those of you who did not get it and read this, email me and I'll send it. There's a big chunk of the book that I'm thinking needs a lot more work...and I'll probably be working on that pretty hard while the novels in everyone's hands. There's a scene with a gas truck that I forgot about. That I never wrote down, but has been floating in my head, and their's a connection the BIG flashback that I hadn't really figured out, till last night when I couldn't sleep...so...It's exciting. I wrote the first sentence in November 07.: "They were lying boys." I wrote the title that September. "The Story Thief." And started writing the story January 08. I've had a lot of help from my fellow grad students and I don't think it would be what it is without their help (and I wouldn't be the writer I am without them).

It feels good to have that done...for now. I got a good bunch of work once I hear back and once I start working on that bigger section.

But for now, I can breathe.

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My Novel/Collection of Stories/Novella Bumping (aka How we Started Bumping) is in the process of review at a small press. Well, the query's been approved and I'm sending the proposal and first four chapters this week. Now that I started writing in 06...maybe 05. My friend at Home Depot started telling about his life in gangs and drugs in Whittier, CA. I wrote down everything, started writing, writing, writing. I had a ton of stories about the gang stuff, and even wrote a screenplay with him and Caleb. But in the end, the most interesting stuff to me was his time as a tweaker. And that is what happened to Bumping. There's a lot of reference to the loss and violence of their life in Bumping, but it never fully explores it. I wonder what the staff of the press will think. Otherwise, they might make me explore that more. We'll see.

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I wrote a ton, ton, TON of poems over the break. Trying to detached myself from a project (I haven't wrote something outside of a project in over 5 years...everything has been for one project or another). So I wrote a good 70 poems over the break. Honestly, though, I think about 20 were good, which I revised and sent out. The rest need a lot of work. And I'll think I'll bring those into the workshop this semester. I also started taking my old thesis We're Not Murderers (a screenplay) and started adapting it into fiction. I'm not sure how it will work, but we'll see. I think it could be interesting. I want to explore different ways of narrating. Having one section be from the POV from the house, the gun, and the car. I'm not just, though.

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I just started watching the Wire. Jesus. (I'm speechless).

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I got some dishes to do and some cooking, and some cleaning, so I better get going. I'm think we're gonna watch Away We Go tonight or tomorrow. Then, hopefully, more of The Wire.

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Indie is staring at me from the chair. I better go.

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Love,

Joshua

Winter Break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK. So my grading is done, my portfolios are in, and I just got back from our mini-vacation in Vegas (we met My brothers and their signifs). It was a blast and we're back.

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I've been very disappointed about things lately, but I'm feeling OK. I've got a lot to do this break--mostly things I've been forced to put on the back burner for time reasons (not really, time, 'cause the pace here is so slow, more likely I just wanted the time to really work on some stuff).

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I just finished two books:

The Half-Known World - Robert Boswell. Hands down the BEST book on writing fiction I have ever read! I'm not kidding. So, good. Memoir-like, yet very focused on writing. Boswell--who has decided to leave NMSU after I get here--seems to be on the same wave length as me and many of my writing buddies (you know who you are). So, go find this and read it. SO GOOD.

The Road - Cormac McCarthy. Ian, I finally read this. And I couldn't put it down. Finished it (like the Boz book) in two days. Now, I want to write a post-apocalyptic novel...

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Right now I'm reading A Prayer for Owen Meany (I taking this slow), and House Keeping by Marilynne Robinson. Yes, and Ian's stories...

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I just finished typing up the rough-rough draft of The Story Thief. I'm reading over it and making notes, and hopefully will start reshaping it the rest the break and have a rough draft for people to look at.

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I thought I had more to say, but I'm gonna get back to my duty on the couch with my Wife and my dog, and watch Iron Chef America.

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Love

Joshua

Snow and the End of the Semester

So, it has snowed here twice in the last week (maybe two weeks). Which is weird. It's actually pretty cold in this mug, and I can wear my coat. Which is nice. Indie had some fun in the snow--didn't really know what to do with it, but when I took her out yesterday afternoon she wanted to frolic through it. I won't post pictures, 'cause I think Em put them up on the book that is face.

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It's the end of the semester and I've got 26 papers to grade (well 24, 'cause I graded two already: one A all the way--she's from Washington--and a C+. The C+ has made extreme strides in his writing and is starting to understand how to make an argument, but my God, he won't listen to hardly anything. In fact, he makes comments about things that are so general and I'll say, "Dude, that's not true," and he'll look at me like I don't know anything about life. YOU'RE 18 WTF do you know about anything!? One example: He said, "All my teachers say I have a great voice, I just have bad syntax, grammar, and spelling." I said, "Voice don't mean shit if you're distracted by the errors. I mean, it's true you have a strong voice, but it took me over an hour to read this 8 pages, because I had to sift through all the errors. If you want your voice to come through, take the time, to really proofread." He looked at me and rolled his eyes, and goes, "Uh, yeah, I don't think so. Anyway...") So, this weekend I'll be grading as well as getting my porfolios for my classes done. Basically, I just have to revise one essay and print everything...which is easy, except that I'm out of ink and out of my paper quota at school (they give you maybe 200 prints. That is note enough for a graduate student. Fucking cheapskates!) But I'll probably be all done with everything by Monday...including entering my grades. Fun times.

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I finished Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. You all need to read it. Actually, read American Gods first then Anansi Boys.

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VEGAS: 8 Days! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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I watched Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen last night. Holy Fucking Christ! It's so bad, but the effects are so good! I like two maybe three of the actors, but there's so much time wasted on them, and not enough of the Transformers. But when they are onscreen, yes! Emily kept saying, get rid of the humans and have it take place in space. Then she said we need to watch the cartoon. I'm down for that. Maybe netflix has it. Anyway, don't bother seeing it if you haven't. It's sort of waste of time. But if you want to see massive explosions and some transforming, then by all means...

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I went over to my professors place with my class on Thursday and ate Vegetarian Chili and cornbread and hung out. That guy has so many books he had to have a separate room just for books. I thought I had a lot of books! Not even close. They wrapped around one room and went into another.

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OK. That's all for now. I hope you all have a good Holiday! Those of you going home to Pac. NW, say high to Seattle and Bellingham for us. Tell those cities we miss them.

Love,

Joshua

End of the Semester

So, we're coming to the end of the semester, so I've got portfolios to turn in and papers to grade. I've got a lot of work, but most of it is grading, since I'm pretty much done with all of my other work. I just got to print them up. Grading I'm not looking forward to, because I'm afraid my students haven't improved. A lot of their second drafts were worst than the first...have you ever had that? Ugh. Their final papers are due monday...fingers crossed.

I'm right in the middle of reading both A Prayer for Owen Meany and Anansi Boys. I'm stoked about them so far.

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In about two weeks, I'll be in Vegas meeting up with my brother, his wife, my other brother, and his girlfriend--right now i just watched the foo fighters storytellers (or the end of it) and got to see them perform "everlong." This is one of the best songs ever written. It still gives me goosebumps to hear it. Everything in that song is perfect. And THE DRUMS. God. So good. I gotta admit, watching the old sunny day real estate bass player playing with the foo fighters is a pretty nice treat too. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah. Vegas.

I'm excited to see my family and their signifs. I'm excited to roam the hotels and the strip...something we really didn't get a chance to do last time. Hopefully I will a million dollars playing the slots. Wish me luck!

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I hope everyone had a good thanksgiving. We had a vegan thanksgiving. Stuffed Squash. So good. Emily and I have had a 90s video party the other night...meaning that we watched videos online...classics like Semisonic's Closing time, Dave Matthew's Crash, Mighty Mighty Bosstones' The Impression that I Get...and more. A while ago we did the same watching Bush videos, NO Doubt Videos and more. DO it sometime. It's crazy the kind of shit it reminds you of, and how good these songs are. Shit, that reminds me. I'm gonna watch some old Radiohead videos like Karma Police and The Bends. Mmmmm. Any other 90 suggestions?

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I've been writing a lot of stuff: Mostly The Story Thief, and some Lyric Essay stuff (writing about faith, my family, and shit like that), and a little poetry too. I got some stories from Ian not to long ago. Gonna read them over the break! I'm excited...

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Well I think that's all for now.

I love you all,

Joshua

I've got some reading to do

Really, I do. Though, none of it is for school. Right now I'm reading David Sedaris' Naked and Sherman Alexie's Absolute True Diary of a Part Time Indian and some random literary journals, while also peeking at some poetry books I've got lying around. Next? You ask...well. Next, I'm going to read Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys and John Irvings A Prayer for Owen Meany. I also have some poetry collections I'm going go through too. And another Sedaris book.
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I started working on The Story Theif again. It's exciting. I wrote the final scene of the novel (the first novel in the saga) and figured out the beginning of the second book, but that'll have to wait. I'm planning on working on The Story Theif over break so that I have a decent rough draft for those of you who have already agreed to take a look at it. I thank you ahead of time, and demand that you also send me some of your stuff so that I can read and stuff during the break.
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I've been thinking about Kate's The Baby Lottery. I think I might read that again soon.
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Next semester: Poetry Workshop - I'm gonna work on a sequence called "The Fires." It's new.
Fiction Workshop - I'm gonna try to work on a long-story called "We're Not Muderers."
And I'm either taking Form and Tech with Robin Romm dealing with Magic Realism or an Independent study with Connie Voisine, where I'll be working on my manuscript so that I can have it ready by march for contests...We'll see.
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I'm listening to Elton John right now and about to clean the book case. I miss you all my friends.

I can't wait for Star Trek on DVD...and don't worry Dave, we'll get to the Wire...soon...
Love
Joshua Young

Mesilla

We went over to Mesilla today (where Billy the Kid was tried), and walked around. We forgot how cool it is there. Probably one of the few good things about Cruces. It's only two miles from the campus...While we were there we got some really good salsa and met an old lady who had lived there her whole life (and said it was so cold...). We also saw a freaking Rooster walking around...I have pic...I might put it up later.
Anyway. It was a good day of walking around and hanging out.
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I have to grade 27 rough drafts tomm. Wish me luck. Looking at them, I think I got a lot of work to do.
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Gonna eat some chips and salsa and watch SVU.
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Mastadon, Converge, and High on Fire are comign to Cruces. We'll see...
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Later friends,
Joshua

Halloween

So, tomorrow is Halloween. I'm pretty stoked about our costumes, but I think Em's is gonna be pretty pimp. I'll post pictures when I have them...
So, I presented To The Chapel of Light (and talked about hybridity in poetry/writing) today at the NMSU graduate symposium. It was cool. I actually had a good time and heard some cool stuff. Our panel was dealing with Place. We talked about about the importance of place in our writing, and it's an interesting idea, especially with those of us who are miles away from our home or town that we have grown to love...so, Like Kate said, think of ourselves as exiled writers. That will make home/place even more potent in writing.
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I just want to give a shout out to Ian. Sorry, bud. But seriously you should get a hover-board!
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That's it for today. Short post.
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We'll talk soon.
love ya'll
Joshua

Fuckin' A

I'm in the writing center at NMSU and I'm already missing the Keaton Collective boys. They played here last night. It made me miss Bellingham even more and made me hate this place even more. Two of my friends from grad school showed up, and only one of my students. I think everyone there (or most everyone) bought something from the band. That said, not a lot of people. What's wrong with local "Artists" They play first and leave, taking all their friends. Fuck them. Show some fucking respect for touring bands. Plus he sucked and really wanted to be Sigur Ros, but wasn't good. Not horrible, but he just sort of made stuff up as he went and I felt like I was wasting my time. God, I do I sound mad?
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I forgot all my notes I needed to work on an assignment at home, so I can't working on anything here. I'll have to do it at home, later.
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The sunset last night was amazing. The boys were pretty stoked. Em and I told them, "Las Cruces is beautiful from the waist/shoulders up."
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I heard a new David Bazan on the radio here.
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I just watched the new trailer for "Do You See Colors When You Close Your Eyes?" I'm glad Caleb listened to me and took the Kilmer song out. I'm glad he put in "Fires" by Keaton. It's perfect. I can't wait to see the film. My baby is almost done! I wrote the first draft in three days and spent a couple years revising it and rewriting it and workshopping it. It's nice to see a glimpse (trailer) of it.
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This week we had to make room for the boys, so we cleaned out our second room--the one we don't use--and I pulled my drum set out. It's still in its bags. Basically, I haven't touched it in months. I didn't even play it at our last show. I don't know if I'll ever play it again...or at least not for a long time. I told Chad that I missed playing shows. I do. I miss playing in the Braille Tapes, but I'll tell you right now, I would not enjoy touring. Anyone who's ever toured with me knows. to quote Wendelin, "Man, you got itchy feet." I just want to play the shows and get home. I'm just not made for touring. So, I guess that's why BT didn't last longer. I would rather go to school and make a career in Academia, then live in a van. But that doesn't mean I don't miss playing. I miss beating the shit out of my drum set and fucking strumming the shit out of Chad's guitar, and yelling and singing. Maybe someday soon I'll play in a band, but it won't be Las Cruces.

That's it for now. I gotta do some Writing Center shit.
Later
Joshua
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I know what I have to do and do it, I know, what I have to do and do it, but I don't know what it is until it's done!

This title of this blog is the chorus in a Chicago based band called Owls. I think the songs called "Friends," but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's been in my head for a month. But there's no relation to this post.
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Our dog Indie, no longer with Kennel Cough, has found her bark. Yesterday she started barking at a tiny little puppy, scaring it to death...embarrassing! We think all of her medical problems are over...though she did drain our savings...totally worth it...
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I told my advisor that the pace of this place is too slow. She said, "yeah, totally." I asked her if she could make next semester a little more like other MFA's. Give us a lot of work! She said, "Don't worry about that." I like most everyone here at the program, but the town and program is really really laid back...have i mentioned that before? There's a "I'll get to that tomorrow attitude." Ugh. OK. Enough Complaining.

I talked to Kate Trueblood today (email). She said: When you miss everyone, just think of yourself as an expatriate. I'm gonna give that way of thinking a try.

I'm waiting for our program to release the list of classes for next semester. Still no word, but I'm hoping to take two fiction classes and a poetry class. Maybe one of each and an independent study to work on my manuscript. We'll see.

There's also some writing contests at school. I'm entering all of them. MFAers out there. Should I submit The opening chapter of The Story Thief (Magic-realism) or A chapter from Bumping (about meth addicts-minimalist). Lemme know.
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My students turned in their annotated bibs today. WTF? NO ONE (Ok one or two) actually followed directions AND I GAVE THEM TWO PAGES OF EXAMPLES!!!! Fuckin' BS. They're gonna get it on Friday. I'm turning them back to most the class and making them redo it. UGH I"M MAD!
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OK. I'm settled. I haven't read anything lately that's really blown my socks off. But I'm reading Sedaris and he makes me laugh and smile. Next up: Anasi Boys, The Absolutely True Diary..., A Prayer for Owen Meany, Black Maria, The Ghost Soldiers, Novel Pictoral NOise, and more Sedaris. Lots more.
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That's all for now I think...
Keaton Collective will be here on Sunday. C. Dale Young on Friday. The Apocolypse on Monday. Maybe not, but who knows.
Bye bye for now.
Love you all. times a million.
Joshua

Out in the Sun

So, Indie's feeling much better, and those of you who have facebook can see all the pictures. It's cooled down in the mornings and at night, so we're able to walk without frying.
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I'm realizing that this town is portal into the past. Everything is behind (food, fashion, recycling, etc, etc). Even our street is lined with relics from the past, like Studebaker trucks for example. I had a list of things, but I can't find it. Maybe I'll write about it later.
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There's really not that much to talk about. I just have to keep making myself post these or I'll never keep it up.
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My friend Kenny saw Michael Chabon in Portland. He held the door for him, they made eye contact and Kenny said, "Oh...Hey." Michael Chabon is my hero! I have dreams about him. Someday, I'll post the dream. It's pretty classic and Michael is my best friend by the end of the dream. Just thinking about it warms my heart. Imagine waking and realizing that he is not my friend...
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I'm gonna go eat some food my wonderful wife cooked. So...
Love
Joshua

Ba, ba, ba...muffins

Hey, it's been a while, so I thought I'd post some stuff.
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It's supposed to rain tonight. It's weird, all I do is wait for rain or grey skies. Last week there were a couple grey days. I felt so good about it. It was fun walking to school under that.
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I've been writing like crazy and reading like crazy and watching tv like crazy. We won't go into what exactly I've been watching, but one show is GLEE. I love it. I watched some Mad Men and I think I like it. I may give it some time when I have more. Next on the list is THE WIRE. yes, Ian, yes Dave. We are going to watch the WIRE!
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I miss fiction. I miss WWU. I miss all my friends. I think I'm taking all fiction next semester. I need a break from poetry just long enough to take a breath. Plus I go all this ficiton I haven't finished and I'm dying to. AFter that, I'm pretty relaxed on fiction. Nothing seems too ready to write. So, I'm gonna try to write some Story Theif stuff next Semester, and then hit the poetry hard in the summer, to finish up my MFA with nothing but poetry.
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Teaching's going good. I like my students. Some are quite sharp. I'm curious how my next batch will be...
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I have to admit. I took WWU for granted. I mean, I didn't, but I did. I'm really ahead of my classes. Like weeks ahead. I think i'll have a lot of time for Em and Me in November and Dec, as well as time for some submitted and more writing and a lot of novels! and of course, TV. I feel like there's less work here than at WWU. Maybe not, but I feel that way. Em does too. So, I just keep pushing myself ahead, reading, writing, and prepping.
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I'm taking a Lyric Essay/Hybrid class that is pimp. Carmen Gimeniz Smith (I spelled that wrong) is really awesome and reminds me a younger Kate Trueblood, only a poet. But she also reminds me of Oliver, 'cause she way hip and into cool bands. Oh that reminds me. We were dicussing Roland Barthes by Roland Barthes and we wer etalking about signs and signifiers and all that jazz, and Carmen brought up "All the Single Ladies" by Beyonce, so we discussed that song...in our seminar, and I sang, "I you liked it then you should've put a ring on it!" Classic conversation. I will always remember that.
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Next week I'm presenting on CD Wright's book ONE BIG SELF. I need to read it again, get some notes. I also get my "packet" workshopped next week. Should be a blast
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Indie is feeling better, she's off the meds (though we are giving her Benedryl to ease her sore throat), and is as spunky as ever...
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My dad and brother saw Bob Dylan the other day. I'm jealous.
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I think that's all for now.
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I love all of you,
Joshua

PICTURES AND WHATNOT

I promised some pictures, so here they go...I started with some old ones, but I don't know, I felt like I should put 'em up. It's beautiful here at times. I mean, the sunsets are amazing, and the "mountains" are really cool...they're like a compass needle. If you can't figure out where to go, just look towards the Organs and you can find your way.
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I'm way ahead of my classes, which is fine, it gives me more time for Emily, and more time to write. Right now, I'm reading a book called Letters from Abu Ghraib by Joshua Casteel. It's pretty good. He's an interrogator in Iraq. He's a pretty Patriotic American and faithful Christian, but as the book carries on, he keeps falling further from both of those, and his letters become angry, frustrated, and confused. It's interesting to witness this change in letters. It's refresing in a way, because it's brutally honest, and crazier, becasue he's in the face of a "war." Read it!
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I'm working on a narrative essay for one class (it's about a heist my dad was in), and it's turning out to be super long, but I really like what I'm doing with it. I'm stealing this dialogue trick, this douche bag I went to school with did, only his was sloppy and nopt very cool. I thought of it, and a heard a "ding, ding." It might not work, afterall a douche bag first came up with it, but who knows.

I'm also working on When the Wolves Quit. Tightening up the poems, getting them ready for submissions. And I'm sending out To The Chapel of Light to contests...wish me luck! I' m waiting for a BIG one to notify me. I don't think I stand a chance, but nonetheless, I'm waiting to hear.

I think I'm taking all fiction classes next semester. I want to write fiction. I feel like I need a break from poetry for a few months. Let my work settle before I go back and start working on it again. We'll see. If Carmen is teaching a workshop, I might take one.

I'm excited for all the new series that are coming out: GLEE, HOUSE, BONES, THE OFFICE, PROJECT RUNWAY...to name a few...yes I LOVE PRunway.

OK that's all for now,
Love
Joshua

Stuff and Stuff

I'm gonna post some pictures from the last couple months up here in the next couple days.
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I miss my friends and family...I miss the northwest fall season...
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Right now I'm just writing poems and working on a story about my dad.
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Later,
Joshua

Storms, Dogs, and Other Things

So, this is what happens at night here. It's all hot and sweaty all day, and at night storms roll in like fucking troops on a village raid. Popping and cracking and flashing gets started (sometimes some rain), and the sky lights up like it's daylight for a few seconds. It's crazy and something that is kind of cool out here in the desert.
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We were supposed to go camping up at Elephant's Butte this weekend, but Indie is still sick and we've got her on a bunch of antibiotics and cough medicine. Which is fine, 'cause we rescheduled for a couple weekends away, and I have papers to grade, an essay to write, and some research to do (among other things). Plus we're supposed to have storms all weekend. We've got all these severe weather alerts on our TV and computer. So, I'm glad we're staying home and staying dry.
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I just read my friend's blog (hi Ian), and his last post is about a conversation about writing. And I want to say, that I'm right there with you man. I miss home. I wonder why I'm here in the desert, away from everyone. (It's weird right now too, because my Grandpa's sick and for the first time in my life, I'm not around my family). But here's what I want to say: Our decisions to leave and go for our MFAs, MAs, or PhD's isn't just about our field, our writing, or our career, but it's about continuing with what we started and getting a foothold in the community, so we can share what we've learned with others. I'm thinking about a lot of my writer friends, and I can say honestly, that already they are some of the best teachers out there. So, Ian, I'm with you, but just remember when this is all said and done, you get to be the Kate or Oliver or Bruce or Carol or whoever you look up to for the next generation of writers...that and it's good to get out of Bellingham for a while...at least we now know how much it is worthy of our love.
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Sorry, I just felt compelled to talk about that. BTW. I will always remember that convo. and those people, and I can't wait to read what they publish (so I can teach it).
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Emily and I have been talking about reviving Lines and Blood books while we are down here. We talked a little today about our first project being an online journal. This is just an idea right now and will take a lot of time to figure out, but I'm excited to publish my friends (and others) stuff. Yes, I have already been thinking about stuff from Western's workshops that I want to publish...all in good time.
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OK. I got lots to do, so we'll talk soon.
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Love,
Joshua

Hello, hello

So, first of all, we got ourselves a dog. We named her Indie. She's adorable! We got her on Friday. Yesterday night, we found out she had kennel cough, and we took her to the emergency vet, who gave us medicine and whatnot. She's doing OK, but just really tired (not to mention she was spayed not that long ago...she's had a rough week). We're taking her camping this weekend...
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OK, so I've been catching up on Entourage. I don't care what people say that show is Entertaining! There are many series I need to watch, though. I need to watch The Wire, Battlestar, for example. In time, in time.
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I did watch Adventureland. That's a great little flick. I recommend. It's about post BA, wanna-be grad students. Sound familiar? Yes, it does.
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I need to see Humpday. I hear (from some friends) that it's quite good.
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I've been teaching now for a couple weeks and it's going OK. Teachers out there...did you ever have days where you just want them to write all class and teach nothing because you feel like it's pointless and they should just know? Or maybe you just want to hand them the text book and say, "Read it and if you have questions we'll talk about it."? I think I've got some pretty sharp kids and some who really don't give a fuck, and just want to pass. Not to mentions a handful of students didn't show up for peer review and the rough draft turn in. That's 50 points they lost for missing one day. HA! not only that I got the whole "I'm not feeling well" email with a docx attachment. BTW it's labor day weekend...hmmmm...
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Enough of that.
So, as you know i finished a first draft of my next collection of poems: When the Wolves Quit. It's about 87 pages, but since it's a novel in verse, I feel like it's missing a lot. I just wrote four more epistolary poems for it, which I will workshop. Speaking of workshop, I like the people. There are some people who are very very helpful. I gotta say, I'm loving (imagine the McDonalds music: do, do, dooo, do, doooo). After rereading it, I know I got some rearranging and some writing, and maybe a little cutting/combining to do. My goal of finishing three books while I'm here is close. I have a feeling I'll be done with this by the winter and ready to send out for Spring poetry contests. But I may hold off and give it some real attention.

So in terms of books. I got The Story Thief to finish (all my fiction friends, I've got all of part one written, i just have to type and revise. I've got part two mapped out, and part three is up in the air, which makes me wonder if I should divide each part into separate books or make it all one big EPIC). and I have my next book of poems, which I think will be the last in my trilogy (to the chapel of light, when the wolves quit, and the churches of caspian).
I know, I know, I'm getting ahead of myself, but I like doing that, it gives me reasons to finish what I'm working on at the moment.
*
In terms of film making, I've been talking to Cam and Caleb, and it looks like Do You See Colors When You Close Your Eyes? is almost done with a decent rough cut. I'm excited and can't wait till I see the film. That was my baby for a handful of years, and after almost making it and everything following through, it is getting made (probably because I stepped aside and let lines and blood take the reigns and I let go).
*
I'm hungry. I'll catch you later.
Love you,
Joshua

Camping and other things

So, Emily and I went camping this weekend. It was a quick trip, just up over the pass (the pass is a hill. It's pretty much like riding your bike up to Western from downtown--i'm exaggerating), and down a long winding road. Basically, the "mountains" i stare at everyday from Las Cruces...we camped just on the other side. There are pictures on facebook.

It was fun. I haven't been camping in years, and it was nice to get outta the house and town for a day or two. We're gonna go up north to a place with water and stuff in two weeks. I'm stoked.

*

I just looked over my latest manuscript...which probably should be my thesis...and realized it needs a little work. I need to figure out how to format each "type" of poem, and also how to make this novel-in-verse move like a novel...

All this work on poetry is making me want to work on The Story Thief. That novel's been working itself out in my head like crazy...I can't wait to finish a good rough draft of my poetry, get ahead on school work and readings, and then sit down and type out all my chapters that are basically handwritten right now. Soon.

*

I also have to type up the opening scene of a film called Feller. I keep putting it off. But I need to get it done this week. And perhaps work on some more scenes......ahhhhh....

*

I miss my friends from Western. Ian, Kenny, Matt, Chelsea, Eddy, Matt Brown, Cumi, and so many others (I named you guys first cause we hung out the most...), and I miss my professors. School is way different here. I mean, it's similar in ways, but so different. Plus I gotta learn some spanish. I'm gonna get myself a book and start learning. I got three years...and what will be my thesis is pretty close to draft stage, so...I'll have time.

*

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my choice to come here. Part of me regrets it. This town is pretty weak. Why couldn't I have gone to pittsburgh, or chicago, or boston? Well, I can answer that. MONEY. nowhere else could I live like I'm living now. I mean, I can buy food, see movies, pay bills, and go camping. The downside is there's not much else to do. I can't even go to Mexico, cause the town over the border, Juarez, is having crazy murder problems right now. It's fucked. Look it up on the news...murders...

*

On my links wall is a link to Strength and Vision. My buddy Dave writes about music, movies, and stuff. He's hella good. If you want to follow a blog (he's not a daily blogger, but he gets you your fix when you're needing it) check it out. He's good.

*

I get the David Bazan record soon. I'm waiting...

*

Love you,
Joshua

Camping, Poetry, and Fiction

So, Emily and I are going camping in Carlsbad this weekend. We're stoked. We're gonna get out of the house, get out of town and do something we both haven't done in ages! We're excited!
*
Classes are going good. My students are pretty rad and i like them. They all seem to like writing and want to be good writers, or at least pretend like they do. I'm really excited, because I feel like I can just get them to write without forcing them to, or trying to be all fancy. They're just good kids. But we'll see how it turns out.

In terms of my classes. They're cool. My form and tech class isn't what I expected, but i'm gonna write about David Bazan, my dad, my mom, and the church. I think that's what I'll be doing all quarter. Maybe some film stuff in there too...we'll see.
*
I've been sending out query letters for my novel Bumping, with no interest. Until I sent it out to a rad little press from NY, who didn't find the subject matter appropriate for the press, but asked for something else.

I sent out my two collections (actually the first twenty pages); To the Chapel of Light and When the Wolves Quit. See, this press does novels only, but they're all about changing and experimenting with the idea of what a novel is, and since my collections of poetry are really novels-in-verse they might fit the press. We'll what he says, but I got my fingers crossed.
*
I've got a new batch of poems I gotta start sending out. I'm getting all that ready, soon.
*
I saw Harry Potter 6. Awesome. The kids can act now! Pretty rad!! I liked it: dramatic...not that much action, but good drama (malfoy is amazing!) and really funny. Check it
*
Later,
Love,
Joshua

Oh man

So, i registered for the wrong class. actually, i wasn't the only MFA student to do that. A few did. So, i had to drop the class, and now i have to return the books i bought...which is a shame, 'cause they were cool books.

i've been walking to school. It's hot. i sweat. and i drink a lot of water. i just want this semester to get rolling to the swing of things start leading my days.

my grandfather's getting an operation today to remove a tumor from his brain. i'm thinking about him. my dad and jordan are heading there to be at the hospital...i'm there in spirit, i guess.

i saw funny people last night, 'cause we missed the first ten of harry potter (cause the freaking traffic was awful--construction). it was really good. i think my favorite of apatow's. we'll see. i'm gonna let it stew.

ok, i got stuff to do.

love ya'll

joshua

And so it begins...

Well, not till thursday, but I finally get my fin aid check tomorrow morning and i can pay the bills i need to pay. i had an orientation for "grad school" yesterday which was the most boring day of my life. it probably was so boring 'cause i've already been to grad school. whatever, i made it through, then that night Em and I got drunk watched St. Elmo's Fire (which was hard to find in itself, considering that all the Blockbusters in Las Cruces shut its doors and we had to find the Hollywood on the other side of town). The brat pack was quite a relief from the monotony of orientations. I'm just ready to get going, to write, to learn, to fucking get some shit done!
*
I waiting for two things besides school stuff:
1) David Bazan's Curse your Branches
2) Star Trek on DVD.
*
There was supposed to be a storm tonight, but now there's not. It's 101. Hot.

Ok that's all for today.
love
Joshua

Las Cruces III

So, I start teaching next week. 27 kids in a class about Rhetoric and Composition. Hm. I've got the first few weeks planned, and I'm gonna have to figure out the rest of the semester (i wanted to say quarter). I'm excited to start new classes. I'm taking a Comp/Pedagogy class, a form and technique poetry class, and a workshop (the professor is Richard Greenfield, whose first book is prose poems...hahahaha yes! I knew I came to the right school!!!).
I'm excited to work with new profs (though I'll miss my old ones!!) and I've been writing pretty crazy this last week (and a bunch before the wedding and move)...so I'm excited to workshop them...
anyway, gonna go get some beer.
More later,
Joshua

Oh...

I miss Bellingham.

Las Cruces Part II

So, the weekend here is kinda boring. Everything (like art galleries and museums) close early on sat and aren't open on sun. And on Sunday food places aren't open till after lunch or not at all. Oh well, it's not like we got a bunch of money to spend anyway, but still...

We're just trying to unpack the rest of our stuff and keep ourselves busy. Right now we're watching "Micheal and Micheal Have Problems." Pretty funny stuff. We've also been watching a lot of the the Travel and Discovery Channel.

I start training tomorrow. I'm a little nervous, 'cause I don't know what to expect, but I'm sure I'll be fine. Man, I just want everything to start to I can find a routine and start a writing schedule again and a workout schedule. Speaking of that, I've lost some weight since I started working out up in B'ham. Next time you guys see me, I ain't gonna have no dunlap.

Those of you who read this and are on the up and up with lit contest and zines for submission, if you find anything cool, send them my way. I'm gonna start submitting and shitload of stuff these next two months. I got a book (something that's somewhere between a short novel/novella/sh. story collection) that needs to go out to contests/presses/agents. A collection of poems/my thesis that needs to do the same, and a ton of poems and stories that I need to start landing in journals. I got alotta work this fall.

I miss B'ham already. I miss, besides the people, the FOOD. There's some good food here, but not like B'ham (I'm sure once we learn this place, we'll have our spots, but as of now...not much).

That's all for now. i'll let ya'll now how everything goes. Stay clean and just say no.

Love you,
Joshua

Las Cruces

Hello,

So, Em and I have been down here in New Mexico for a few days. And we already got internet hooked up, so we're pretty stoked (plus digital cable). But yesterday she was surfing the web and came to this site, and said, "geez it's been a while since you posted." So, today I got up and decided, after surfing the web a little myself, seeing that nothing's really happening on facebook, or anything, that I would give everyone an update.

We made it here in two long days. Left Sunday the 2nd and made it here on the 4th...kind of...

See we drove no faster than 60mph (not counting a few hill), because the tow-trailer we had couldn't go any faster without exploding. But after a post-wedding celebration with the Fix family, we got up at 6am and left Yakima, and we drove from there, into Oregon, through the dry part, into Idaho, past Boise, and we stopped in Twin Falls.

First of all I was stoked to stop because my favorite Built to Spill song has the same title, but we also stopped cause we were hungry and needed a good meal. We ended up hanging out for a while, taking pictures, and walking around. The bridge into the town is amazing, and there's this little paradise below the cliff, where the river goes, and there were people parachuting off the bridge, and the sun was setting. It was amazing!

So, we finally got back on the road and I drove into the darkness of Idaho, which turned into Utah, which had some amazingly smooth roads, that once we hit SLC, were crap, one lane freeways, construction, bumps...i spent a lot of time cursing to myself and woke up Dan and Em. Then after the city we were supposed to take highway six (a shortcut), but as we got on it there were these weird windmills and curvy roads and darkness, so we opted to stay on the main freeway (we probably lost an hour or so, but that's better than running out of gas where there are no towns). I switched over driving at like 3 in the morning or something and Dan took over, wanting to get us out of Utah and into Colorado. We finally did. It took forever.

When the sun started rising, trying to peek its head over the mountains we stopped at Denny's had some "build your own" Grand Slam and took off again. This part of Utah was amazing. There were rock formations, huge outlooks...oh...then after hours of that (it started getting old, kind of), we reached the town of Moab. This is somewhere you all should go. It's crazy cool, old, and seems to be a freaking hot spot. Em and I want to go. And we probably will someday soon...

We got gas on in a town that (I can't remember the name) was repaving every single road in town. It sucked, but we made it out, and about an hour later we were in colorado, which fields and farms and was a change from Utah, even though they were basically in the same place. I don't know if I got a lot of pictures of Colorado...I'll check.

Colorado was OK. It was nice at first, then got hilly and the roads got shitty, and it took forever to get into New Mexico. There's a place just off the main road called four corners where you can stand in four states. Cool. We didn't have time to we jetted passed at 55mph.

New Mexico (the sign said Navajo country), was dust and straightness forever, with some mountains in the distance. At this point we were just trying to get through the state down to Las Cruces so we could get our keys and sleep in our apartment. But the longer we drove, the more we knew we wouldn't. Then after hours and hours, Albuquerque came and went. It was sunset, and the city seemed cool, and there was a lot of water (rivers and stuff) and green tress and bushes. It was a nice change for a bit. At the truck stop, we got some drinks and food and met a cashier who had moved back from Portland. He said, "I like it here. The sunsets are the best." I was thinking, OK, but Bellingham's got the best sunsets...so, we'll see. (The sunsets here are unreal...I don't know. I'm still partial to B'ham's sky...we'll see...we'll see...)

We kept moving and made it to Truth and Consequences, NM (Yes that's a city) to get gas. Stop. Rewind. Albuquerque we had over a half tank, and an hour out of Truth and Con. we had a quarter, then twenty minutes out we were empty and started freaking out. So, we started coasting down hills and trying to take that momentum up hills. We made it, with not sputtering or anything, pulled into a Chevron or something, filled up, and started to drive, then the truck sputtered to a start.

Long story short it wouldn't start. We had to get a motel. The mechanic who came out said we had a messed up fuel pump. A wrecker-truck driver towed the truck to our new apt. and I had to go and sleep in the rental truck till Em and Dan woke up, and drove the car down {yes we unloaded the car from the trailer).

And here we are.

I'll try to post a lot more than as of late. You can check out pictures at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=2186026&id=25903020&page=5

Love you,
Joshua

School's out!

So, I'm officially done with my MA at Western. Done. Everything is off my plate (though, I do have to pay a couple fees I have yet to pay). But what's next for me?
First off, I'm getting married in July. Second, I'm moving to New Mexico. Third, I'll be teaching and working on my MFA. Three years of my life will take place in Las Cruces, NM. Wow. It's been hot in Bellingham, and that's good, 'cause I need to get used to the heat. I am not a heat guy. I'll take rain and snow over too much sun any day. But that will have to change and change soon. Although, it might be the perfect motivator to get myself a job and get out of Las Cruces when I'm done.
*
I've been watching a lot of discovery channel: Dirty Jobs and the Deadliest Catch. Soo good.
*
I got a DVD for doubt on my coffee table. I think I'm gonna watching it tonight. Hoffman, Adams, Streep. Sounds like a hit to me! I read the play a year and a half ago, and that was amazing. I'm curious to see how the playwright turned it into a film...
*
On friday night, I finished all of my guitar parts for robot meat is murder. Last night, I went to play my drum parts. Half were good, the other half were pretty good, and I have one song I didn't even play on. We're wondering if we are forcing the whole "two drum" thing. I think we might be, and our drummer Wendelin is so good, I'm not sure other drums add, but more likely muddle it up and take away. We'll see what the rest of the band likes.
I just want to start on the vocals...soon, soon, soon.
*
OK. I'm hungry.
That's all for now.
Joshua

yo, yo, yo, yo, yo!!!

STAR TREK! See it! I loved every second of it. Could be that I grew up watching good ol' Kirk and Spock and the whole gang. God I loved that show. The movie did everything it had to in order to keep going, and everything it had to do to work. I won't say anymore. GO SEE IT!
*
I just read Davis McCombs DISMAL ROCK. Great book of poems. I think it's my favorite of his.
*
OK. Fuck the Airborne Toxic Event. How did that band ever release anything? They suck, suck, suck.
*
That's all.
Later.

Hello.

So, I keep telling myself that I'm going to blog, but then I don't. Today, Emily woke me up early and I made coffee, and now I'm waiting for it, and she's on the phone with her auntie talking about wedding stuff.

Speaking of that, we've decided to do a small ceremony in Mount Vernon. We were getting way stressed about everything: the move, the wedding, school, etc, etc. And decided to do a no frills, no excess wedding. Now we feel g.o.o.d.

I've been thinking alot about what my future projects are. Right now, I'm working on drafting out a script called Feller for lines and blood, and i've written it, but I just have to type it up...yeah I still write everything long-hand...

but anyway, I'm right in the middle of two big projects: The Story Thief and When the Wolves quit.

The Story Thief is about a lot of stuff: Oh, I can't find my synopsis, I find it and put it up. But it's gonna be a big epic novel...i think. I'm like halfway done...i think...I'm gonna try to get a bunch of it done this summer.

When the Wolves Quit: a collection of poems (or a longer series) about a preacher who dissapears, and when the town starts looking for him (he's an important figure) they finding bodies. The town has a lore about people vanishing and never being heard from again, well, because of the search and the discoveries, they start realizing that most of these vanishings are murders, and maybe the preacher was murders...meanwhile, the preacher's dead, down in the place of light and shadow, trying to stregthen his shadow, trying to get back up to the town and visit...I'm like thirty pages deep on that...we'll see how it goes. I was planning on making this my thesis for NMSU, but I might be done with it by early next year...we'll see.

I'm sending out my novel: Bumping (aka How we started bumping) I hope some agents wnat to see more.

I want to blog about the bagelry's bullshit and other things of bitching, but I'm not going to. I'll just get a little fired up, and really, it's all trivial.

I'm gonna go on a hike, then Star Trek.

Boo yah

Updates and Catch ups

So, I keep fixing up my shit on here. I know those of you who read this, probably already have my shit, but hey, it's up for future readers. Next up is the Fragments of Youth Magazine, and AP records, and there's a DVD coming out...so, keep your eyes peeled.
*
I might start posting some of my newer shit up here as I work on it, or maybe just lists of them...we'll see...but this gets me writing. Oh, that reminds me. I got some writing to do after this post.
*
Emily and I just got back from Las Cruces...It's a great place: The people (faculty/students) are great, the Program is great, the Campus is great, the Mountains are cool, there's a Co-op, Vegetarian places, a Organic Food Store - Toucan, Coffee, a New Mexico Fairhaven (kind of), and stuff...
*
We flew from Seattle to San Fran (Don't go there. If you fly into gate A and have to fly out of gate C, you have to get off the plane, leave the terminal, and then go back through at the other gate, meaning that the orange juice you bought gets thrown away. NOT COOL), then Phoenix, then El Paso. We rented a car there and drove 40 or so minutes to Las Cruces. OK. So, El Paso sucks. Shit-hole. We're driving, thinking, "OH, fuck, what the hell is this place." Fortunately we stayed at a great hotel, and the rest of our time was cool. But that drive was scary. I mean, scary, like thinking that we have to spend the next three years in THIS PLACE? But like I said, as is well, and Las Cruces is pretty cool. I think I'm really gonna like living there.
*
We got back Saturday night, late, and now we're back in B'Ham.
I defend my thesis in couple weeks, and then, I'm pretty much done (except for Oliver's class) with my MA.
Whattcha think? Should I walk? Should I sell my tickets? I think I'm gonna walk, all my buddies are, plus I got an IPod, so I'll be set.
*
I went running outside today. Jeez. My lungs burn. I'm so used to running (or biking) inside. I feel better now, but Jeez. I gotta keep this going. Tomorrow, I'm doing it again. This time, longer.
*
OK. So, I'm gonna get back to watching the Biggest Loser.
Peace.

Things keep stacking up...

I'm pretty excited to head out into the SW to visit Las Cruces. I don't really know what to expect with the whole trip, but I've heard good things...so...well, either way, I'm excited.
*
I thought I knew what my next project (poetry) was going to be, but it looks like it's changing again. It's gonna have a narrator...i think, and it's gonna have a main character, with little surrounding pieces. God, I wanted to do the whole sujfan thing with 50 states, and I still might be able to do that, but we'll see how things shape up. I sent out a couple new ones just for the hell of it. I guess we'll see if any journals like it...it's weird not writing prose poems, they're so easy to write, but like I've been told, it's very easy to write a BAD prose poem. The form lends itself to that. I don't know why, really. But it makes sense. I'm still gonna go back to the form every once in a while, but my next project will probably steer away from that. Although, I do want to write something that is completely prose poems--I got ideas, but nothing too official. Maybe just a chapbook.
*
I've got a screenplay to write and I keep putting it off. The scenes I have to finish before the next meeting with the production team is in my head, I just can get myself to write it. I have the whole thing in pieces on different pieces of paper, but nothing typed. Ugh. I'll do it. I swear!
*
I'm getting ready to send my book(s) out again. I'm got 3 contests for "to the chapel of light" and about ten agents for "bumping." I think I'm changing the title from "how we started bumping" to "bumping." Kate Trueblood's idea. I like it.
*
I'm watching Seinfeld and listening to the bath run and thinking about John Berryman's The Dream Songs.
*
Later...

April...

Do you like the new picture? It's one of my twin's, Caleb. It's also hanging on the wall in my apartment--I just looked at it. I'm thinking about rearranging the blog a bit here and there, but that will come in time. It is pretty nice to open the page and see that picture. www.calebyoungphotography.com if you're interested.
*
OK. Here's my final count for MFA's in Poetry. Everyone's doing it over on the MFA blog, but I haven't been posting in a while, so I figure I'd just do it here...for my own, uh, sort-of closure. (In order of acceptance, rejection)

University of Pittsburgh - Accepted
New Mexico State University - Accepted w/ TA (full ride)
University of Mass - Amherst - Rejected
Cornell University - Rejected
University of Mass - Boston - Accepted w/ possible/partial TA
Columbia College (Chicago) - Accepted w/ Follett Fellowship
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale - Rejected. favorite poets teach there :-(
University of Virginia - Rejected

I feel good. I wish I could've afforded Chicago, but even with the fellowship I wouldn't be able to swing it--it's expensive--plus I've heard some things from reliable sources about the way the program works; very prescripitve; i.e. you have to learn to write like they want you to. Fuck that noise. I mean, I'm sure it's not as bad as I was told, but where I'm going now, there's a lot of freedom...and the teachers there are way good. Pittsburgh. Oh, Pittsburgh. If only. Everything about the city is great, everything about the program is great, except it was fairly big, and I wanted something smaller. And I was still waiting to hear about funding when I finally turned them down. It was a sad day, but I guess, if we really wanted to live there, we could move after school...but the next move is up to Emily, and I have a feeling it will be New York. The other rejections are no surprises. I shot big and feel like I got into some tough/very selective schools. Of my acceptances, two schools let in less than five into the program...so I'm feeling pretty pimp. Speaking of that, Boston would've been a cool place to live and go to school, but it just didn't work out. NMSU is perfect. It's hot (I'm so sick of the cold right now...though it is sunny right this second). The funding is great. The program is small. The teachers are good. And most importantly, I get to teach, not only Composition, but eventually, Creative Writing. Boo Yah. I can't wait.
We're buying plane tickets to visit in April, when Em gets home. I'm Excited!
*
I've been listening to bands from my high-school/post hs days: Fields of Mars (regulars in the eastside/seattle all ages scene in the 99-2000's). So, good. Also seldom, kilmer, oh...montgomery. I need to find that EP. It's somewhere. Pedro (of course), early death cab. I'm going through all of these great shows, and keep thinking about how cool the scenes were then. Maybe I'm just old and jaded, but I feel like what happens today is a bunch of fucking gimmicks and cool-point-attempts. I want to see kids playing music for kids. Not cool kids playing music for cool kids. That's fucking pointless. Music is about community. I haven't seen an all ages community for years. The music community up is B'ham is the shit, though. But most of us (I'm really, slacking, so, I shouldn't say "we" but "them.") are really supportive and go to each others shows, play on each others records (or at least talk about it) and buy each others shit. We love each others bands, not just because they're good (they are), but because we support each other.
OK. I'm stepping off the soapbox. I'm gonna watch LOST.
Later.

My final quarter...

has begun. All I gotta do is finish my thesis (which is almost done) and learn about the long poem (our class is about called "The North American Long Poem" I think).
**
Wow. Then I'm done with my MA, done with Western, and off to Las Cruces...
**
The wedding is approaching. I'm excited.
**
Dave. Again, I apologize. I'm sad about missing Pelican.
**
Till next time...

I don't care what anyone says...

Watchmen was pimp!

Charlie Kuafman please zip up your pants

I just watched Synecdoche, New York. After waiting and waiting to see this, I was let down. There was so much stuff going on in this film that just didn't get anywhere. I'm not gonna go into it, but the alternate reality stuff was rad, and sort-of magic-realism, but didn't really do anything other than add cool points to the film. Nothing seems to ever be explored, except the inside of Kaden's head. Yes, maybe that's the point--the whole simulacra angle--a copy of a copy of a copy. But It got old, and old fast, just like the characters. I wanted something to hold onto and just felt frustrated. And where was Keener? She's the best part of any movie and she was non-existant...a ghost...ok, I get that that was the point of her character...nevermind.
I just feel like Kuafman, who is probably one of the only writers out there with auteur status, unzipped his pants and started masterbating--think nick cage in adaptation masterbating in the middle of the night. yes, kuafman, instead of writing just masterbated onto paper and then said, "hey, i'm gonna direct this one. just give me a good cast." He did have a god cast, problem is the film was more of an experiment in levels of narration and complicating narrative trajectory, and avoiding answers, rather than a film with any substance. Well, it had a lot of substance, but the viewer--me and you--only got a taste and never the full meal.
I'm kind of pissed.
I'm gonna watch Arrested Development.

Ah...the break...

I'm officially done with all the work for this quarter. I turned in my Almodovar paper at 12 noon exactly, just in time. It kept getting bigger, starting at ten and moving on up, till I turned in like 20 pages plus works cited. I think there's a good ten more pages in the paper, but not yet. It's good for now. I'm just glad to be done.
*
I also printed up the newest addition of to the chapel of light. I got a little work to do. I'm not sure what I have to do will work...I'm gonna give it a shot, but I think the "film" aspect is only gonna obstruct what's going on with the narrative. I'm gonna give it a shot anyway. We'll see. First things first...table of contents...I know that sounds easy, but it's not, 'cause I need title for that. Right now I don't have any.
*
Right now I'm watching Little Children. That movie is good.
*
I've been listening to the Crystal Skulls a lot lately. Man, I'm glad I saw them before they disbanded. It's funny 'cause the guitar player was in a band caleb and I were obsessed with called Faux Pas (a really mathy-sort of sunny day-esq rock band...) God they were good! That turned into The Dance Imperative. A straight up rock/indie sound, and catchier pop vocals. They were good too. Then they broke up. Then the singer joined the Crystal Skulls. I need to find those CDs. They're good.
*
This part of Little Children is fucked up.
*
OK. I'm gonna start working on that table of contents.

So...

I had plans to write a bunch. I was gonna write about Vegas, MFA stuff, the braille tapes, wedding stuff, and on and on. But I keep putting it off.
*
I'm moving to Las Cruces, New Mexico. MFA in Poetry. Mmm. I've been walking to work and freezing my ass off. I think when I finally decided on New Mexico, I was thinking about the heat. Plus I had just shaved my beard. Cold.
*
The braille tapes played our last bar show. It was fun. I'm gonna miss playing.
*
OK. that's all for now. I promise to write again, soon...I know I'm really only talking to Dave and Em and a few others...but hey, maybe you're reading this and I don't know you, or I don't know you're reading this. In that case...hey, how are you.
*
Later...

Pittsburgh? Pittsburgh!

I was accepted into U Pitt's MFA program for Poetry. Boo-yah. Now, all I'm waiting for is news on funding, and word from the other schools I applied to. U Pitt is my first choice, so we'll see how good the other offers are...I'm excited. I'm not biting my nails (well, I am, and Em's gonna strangle me, but I'm not biting them about MFA programs cause I fucking GOT IN!!!!!) OK.
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I'm reading Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union and Espada's The Republic of Poetry.
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I'm also working through my novel, The Story Thief. It's at 140 pages now, and I've only got four chapters, plus some insert stuff/creation/destruction stories. BAM. It's flying, but it's got a lot more to do. Right now The old man and Martin are at Tom Robbins, and Blake and Loach are hitting the road with the fox. Sorry, here's a synopsis:
The story takes place on the edges of an unnamed Indian Reservation and small city called Ridgeville, located in Montana. This novel mostly follows two twenty-something men named Blake and Loach who remain stuck between Ridgeville and the Rez; neither place accepting them as “one of their own.” So, they spend their days wasting time, smoking cigarettes, and drinking coffee outside the general store. They tend to cause problems with both sides of the border, but at the same time they are searching for some level of acceptance from either community. The novel opens as an old man in a Black Cadillac pulls up to the general store, looking a Native Indian woman named Eva. After the store owner refuses to give the old man directions to Eva’s, Blake and Loach offer directions to the old man for a bag of money, but as they soon find out the money is no longer inside, instead there is only a fox. The two boys head into the Rez to find the old man and get the money they are owed, only to witness the old man removing a cold blue substance from the head of Eva as she lies asleep in her front room. Here, they confront the old man, but he eludes them, and they return to the store, mildly defeated, and fall back into the same old habits. This is when the fox starts showing up, and they feed him, thinking that is what he wants. Dan the Rez police officer comes by to ask the boys if they saw the old man. They deny it and return to what they do. Here is the prologue for the novel:
They were lying boys. Liars one might call them. But aren’t all boys liars in some sense? They told white lies like exhaling. Their bodies were made to do it. They told bigger lies like throwing stones, maybe. Their lives were connected by other lies. I won’t spell it out or diagram it, but you get the picture. It’s easy to understand. They knew it and clung to each one. Continued. Elaborated. But I guess liars might be the wrong description. Personally, I would rather call them story tellers. After all, they knew how to narrate.
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Plus I'm still tinkering with my thesis and starting a newer collection. Yikes. I got my hands full, plus all this film stuff I'm working on...OK. I gotta run.
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Later...

Almodovar, Tropic Thunder, and a whole lot of poetry

I'm trying to write a paper on Almodovar's All About My Mother. I'm examining the scene that mirrors Cassavete's Opening Night. They're basically the same scene in action, except for a few differences. Both have fans coming for autographs and in both films they die. Cassavetes explores the inside of the (actors/playwright/director/etc), Almodovar explores the loss outside of the car, and in his case, the people inside the car never know of the death. In Opening Night, Gena Rowland's knowledge of the death is the catalyst for her behavior throughout the film. It's amazing. Anyway, I have to write it, so I won't blab on.
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So, Tropic Thunder. Do I need to say anything? It's good.
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I'm getting ready to send my manuscript out. It kinda scares me that I'm sending it to the same place as my thesis chair. I've been working on it since March, I guess. It keeps changing on me and mutating. But I think I got it now. I think. I'm pretty stoked with it. We'll see what happens. I'm sending it to a pretty huge contest...Yikes.
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I wanna watch Hot Fuzz...

Super Bowl Sunday

I'm not that excited. Hell, I didn't really know who was playing...but I'm gonna watch the game, then I will watch the Office. Truth is, I gave up on sports awhile ago. It wasn't just one of that I'm-throwing-in-the-towel-cause-I'm-Artsy (even though my Dad jokingly accuses me of this), it's because I have given up on Seattle teams. OK. Call me a wuss, say I've got no backbone, no spirit, whatever...but for those of you who can remember the Seattle Sonics losing to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA playoffs? Do you remember that? I was heartbroken...I might've cried. But that was it for me. I tried to have hope for the Mariners and The Seahawks (but I had completely given up). So, when my hope for Seattle sports went out the window, so did my interest in other teams, but I can say that I do enjoy watching games when they're on--hell I don't know whose who anymore--and I do enjoy the pastime. There's something nostalgic about it and I flashback to hanging with the Young Fam watching on weekends when I was young. But anyway. I'm actually looking forward to the Super Bowl, but I'm not like shitting-my-pants excited. All I have to say is, "Fuck the Steelers."

**

I read some poems last night. And I was nervous. Like REALLY nervous. But afterward, everyone was like, "Oh, you seemed so relaxed and natural" and I'm thinking, "Are you fucking nuts, I was sweating and about to fall over..." Either way, it was fun and it was good to hear my stuff aloud, in front of people. It was also great to see some friends read pieces from the thesis they are working on. Good stuff. For the most part (and there are exceptions) I'm proud to say I studied with these guys and gals. A talented group.

**

I know I shouldn't be reading stuff not for class...since I have so much for class...but I'm reading The Yiddish Policeman's Union, which is really good, and a pretty quick read. Chabon is great! His range is everywhere, and I've read everything of his except his serial novel and a handful of stories...but he's so good. I also had a dream about him that was weird. We just hung out and talked about writing. He was appalled that I wanted to study poetry rather than fiction. But we had a good time. Then I woke up.

**

Band: Pop Unknown
This band is cool. The drummer from Mineral, some dudes from Austin TX. Good poppy, indie rock. Shitty label, though. OH, Deepelm. The self-proclaimed "Emo" label. Basically the guy who runs it is a business dude who heard about "Emo" and started signing bands. The bands that've worked with him say he's shady and purely buisness, but the early stuff on the label is fantastic (Appleseed Cast, Pop Unknown, Imbroco, Cross my Heart, etc) I guess he was good to some of the bands; he let them put out a ton of records...anyway, I don't know where I was going with that.

**

I just got back the first two chapters of my novel How We Started Bumping (Thank you Matt). I haven't looked at it in a year...I've been researching agents and publishers and writing a new novel, and poems...but I still like it. I'm excited to send it out, regardless of what agents (I got one in mind right now...he's rad and legit), I'm stoked that it's good enough to get out there.

Dave Woods...you will be missed up in the 'Ham

OK. David, I don't know where else I'm going to getting educated on Hardcore, Grindcore, Metal, and the merging of those genres...and not just the hard stuff, which seems to be a misconception about your tastes. See, to anyone who reads this (Dave you might be the only one), Dave is more than just a gruff metal-head. He's got some soft, indie shit that makes me look like a freshman in indie-rock. You are responsible for the likes of The Weakerthans, Earth, Dino Jr, among so many others...I used to hate bringing a record in I was SURE you had never heard, and you say, "Oh, yeah, this ones is legit." But I snuck a few in there, and I'm ashamed to say it was stuff that was unreleased or a friend's band...and sometimes, sigh, even new braille tape stuff...But Dave's knowledge doesn't stop at music. The guy has a pretty extensive knowledge of Lit and Film. He told me to see Le Trou, he bought me Bukowski, and together we had numerous convos...one of the only things making work OK. Now you are gone, and while I like most the people at work, I'm afraid it won't be the same...hell, I'm dreading tomm. But I'll see you soon, and we got unfinished business... Love you, dude.

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OK. I've been "hitting the gym" and I feel good. I forgot what it felt like to workout. I like it.

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I want to read The Yiddish Police Union...but I don't have the time. I also want to read Anansi Boys, and Middlesex, and After Dark...but I can't. I have piles of poetry collections to read, and I haven't even ordered some of the books I really HAVE TO read.

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The knew Knight Rider makes me want to puke. I haven't even seen the show, just the trailer. Ugh. Why can't there be a law against remakes? Even the good ones are problematic: they give the bad ones an example. I can't think of any examples...but here's some criteria if you want to make a film based on an older film.

1) If must alter its plot in some way. (New Ending...preferably darker and abstract)
2) It must extrapolate on a story thread that the last film didn't follow
3) It must have a different title than the first
4) The write must not be allowed to use the previous script or film as a guide. They must know the film and rewrite it, as if it was their own...from memory...maybe notes, but not an outline.

OK. I'm just kidding. But Seriously, when TV shows start getting remade we need to examine our expectations for entertainment and someone must be scolded. I don't know who. Maybe the producer? Maybe the Exec who green-lit it? Maybe everyone who signed on? Maybe the viewer? I don't know. Maybe no one...maybe I should just shut the fuck up and stop bitching.

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I blogged about wedding stuff: http://efixlovesjyoung.nearlyweds.com check it out if you want.

OK. Weddings. Movies. And Manuscipts.

First things first. I am getting married. I can't believe I haven't posted about that yet! Jeez. So, I asked Emily to marry me and she said, yes, and i totally tricked her. I think she knew something was up, and I'm fairly certain she knew I was going to propose soon, but didn't know when. Anyway, I'm gonna blog about it for our little wedding blog/website...so, I'll put a link up to that later, if you're interested. But I am getting married then moving away for college, and yadayada...

**

So, I just got a ton of notes back for my thesis from my mentor, Kate Trueblood. I gotta say, I was very pleased with her reaction to the poems, but not so pleased with her reaction to the narrative. I'm sure she took some of it too literally, but I'm also sure that I've kept things too hidden and complicated. I took her notes and started looking at the book different, and started to rewrite some of the early and later poems to sort of "pack it in." I do understand that a reader might get lost, but I feel like most of the book is just a lot of reference to, talking about, or even alluding to a place or person or whatever. A lot of it is the road and parts of america passing by...but enough of that...i got work to do.

**

I just saw Gran Torino. Eastwood is the man. Some say he can't act. Fuck them, he's good. And while the other acting was so-so (way mumblecore-ish) and the cinematography wasn't anything to write home about, the light was pretty great and the story was pretty good (sort of good will hunting kind of stuff), and with the exception of the Christ pose at the end--when you see it you'll know what I mean--the flick was really good, and actually really, really funny.

**

I just watched Talk to her again. Almodovar is my hero. 'nuff said.

**
Stop talking about it. Go buy a book. And buy it local (or at least indie).

Thursday

I'm tired. But can't seem to get to that stage when the bed seems like the best choice of the moment...in fact, my mind is racing and all i want to do is work on stuff i'm supposed to work on...

i got a pile of notes and suggestions for my thesis...some i think are great, some i think are wrong...but i'm not gonna be stubborn and i'm gonna take these notes and really see how they work...i also got new ideas for "the story thief" well, not that new, but more rounded out (i don't know if that's what i mean)...i also got a great idea for switching pov for a middle section that might help take the story another direction, something darker...but i'm not sure.

ok that's all i got for now...got a lot to do.

oh, and i'm in love with dinosaur jr. and the band earth. yeah, i know, i'm late, but whatever...i love these bands...

The break is almost over...

So, I'm on book 3 of the Twilight Saga--I know, laugh it up. But seriously, these books are so compulsive and this Meyer's writer can tell a story, though her writing is pretty bad...I won't go into it, but if you've read them you'll know what I mean. This will not stop me from reading them...I'm still going! It's nice to be reading these while I'm on break. Relaxing. Watching Arrested Development, Seinfeld, and Cheers...

I've also been reading, Andrew Hudgins and I just peeked at some James Wright, and TS Eliot.

As of now, I'm taking a break from my thesis To the Chapel of Light and have been working on a a new project called To Capsian City. This is about people leaving their homes to find fame and fortune in Caspian City, but the book also tracks a murder and two lovers fleeing from the scene. This part of the book, goes to the actually planning, the murder, the town's reaction, the lover's flee to Caspian, and their arrest and trial...I've got a lot of stuff and right now, I'm just putting, as my dad says, "Like things if like spots." Right now everything is just scattered cause I'm writing and writing, but I'm excited to go back to Chapel and school...where I will be working mostly on The Story Thief and film theory, with thesis in between.

Enough for now. I'm gonna go eat some Mac and Cheese...