Bellingham

Hey, I'm sure you Bellingham folk recognize this. Bellingham Bay. This area has its hands on many things in my past, from shooting films with Chris Koser, sneaking into the derelict buildings and properties for two or three shots (I remember one time Chris made me walk down the center of Holly, before a bunch of cars past--he was making a post-apocalyptic short film. I went, "Dude, I don't want to get hit." And went, "Don't worry, I'll tell you if they're gonna hit you," but of course, he was watching the scene, and we got a few honks before we ran from the road...near miss). Before we started dating, Emily and I used to walk everywhere. We really didn't have anywhere we could hang out, so we walked. Many of our walks stopped here, just right of the picture.

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I'm headed to Denver next week for AWP. It's gonna be good times. I'm excited to see my friends and check out all the panels and writers and all presses and journals. And of course, Chabon. I think my Dad's sending his new book to me, so I can get it signed, or something. I'm riding with some fellow MFA from NMSU. 10+ hours. Good times. I'll probably be reading and tightening up dialogue and small fixes on the Story Thief. Which reminds me, if you want the new draft, lemme know. I could use all the eyes/brains I could for the final draft I work before I start sending it out. I got a feeling that next year is just gonna be too busy to really focus on it, so I will have spring and summer to get it out.

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So, there's been a lot of workshop talk lately, but I've taken a break from writing about it. But I thought I would mention something. My friend said, "The workshop has become a parody of itself, a joke." He hates it. Like really hates it. I think there's still some good in the workshop, but we just have to wade through the bullshit. I think it's gotten better.

During the workshop of this fantastic little story, people were making a big deal out of a little things (the first line said, "So and So hadn't set foot on a diamond in years..." And a couple people said, that it made the story seem like it was gonna be about finding diamonds. I yelled, "REALLY? COME ON!" And said, people who talk/know about baseball, really aren't gonna have to say "baseball diamond." And besides it's a picky thing to bring up, considering the second half of the sentence says something about fans. The following two paragraphs talk about an old baseball player" Fucking idiots!), but what was happening was that the story was really good, and only really need a tiny unpack-job and some reorganization. It was working. One guy said, "This feels like a fourth or fifth draft." Tee prof (who is starting to realize the guy who said this is kind of a douche, idiot, who only harms the workshop) goes, "I don't know what you mean, is that good or bad?" The guys goes, "Well, it's good, but it's only a fourth or fifth draft, it needs some cleaning up. I mean, it's not quite good yet." The professor said, "Does it really make a difference what draft it is," then the guy goes, "well most stories turned in here were messy, and obviously not a fourth or fifth draft. I think after a few more, this could be ready." Later in class, we found out that the guy who wrote the story wrote it two weeks ago (which according to his friends, means he wrote it a week ago and this is his first draft...HA...awesome!) Anyway, I've come to realize that there are people who SUCK, and your job, in keep your writing community solid and positive and beneficial is to move past what these kinds of people say, and to not even comment, don't give them the satisfaction of dignifying a response. That's all they want, I think.

We work-shopped three stories, and I, at first, was miserable. I had given up, but people started talking about stupid shit, so after twenty minutes I finally spoke up, and kept at it. I disagreed with the prof on almost everything and at one point, the prof said, "I can't think of a book that does this successfully. I said, "Excuse me, but to tell a writer that they can't do something, because you can't think of a book that did what they're trying to do well, is ridiculous and wrong." He nodded and said, "yeah that's just an opinion." After class he came up to me and said, "I want you in every class I teach. You call me out on my bullshit. And that's what we need. When you say stuff, it always makes me question what I'm thinking, even if I think you're wrong, sometimes, I end up changing my mind, or at least thinking about what you said."

It was a little justice. It felt good. He kept laughing during the workshop and saying, "Josh you're funny." I thought he was teasing me, but apparently, he was stoked about how pissed and agitated I was getting at the misreadings and responses. I told him I studied with Kate Trueblood, who said, "Just cause I'm your professor, doesn't mean I can't be wrong. It doesn't mean what I said is stone. Read the work closely and make your points. Prove me wrong if I'm wrong. I'm not God. You're here for the community, not to agree with me."

Thank you, Kate.

Anyway, I thought I'd share that.

Ian, feel better, and I'll see you next week.

Matt and Chelsea, have fun in that castle.

Dave, yeah I became a fan of NW Hardcore! WHAT?!

Emily, don't make fun of me, and I love you.

And anyone else who reads, thanks.

OK. Enough of that,

Peace out,

J to the Izza