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