Bret Easton Ellis and Writing

I went to see Bret Easton Ellis read from his new novel (the sequel to LESS THAN ZERO) IMPERIAL BEDROOMS. It was cool to see him read. He seemed a lot more relaxed than he did five years ago when I saw him read from LUNAR PARK. I hate going to readings of this kind. Idiots always ask stupid questions. Here's the thing, most of them are prefaced by biographical information or the flapping of the gums (just to talk in front of people) and I do not envy BEE having to placate those dudes. Though, I suppose he picked fun at some of the questions (from those who deserved it) in a way that made it seem friendly. One guys said, "I identified with American Psycho and it connected with me as I'm sure it did with everyone." Uh, that book is about a narcissistic serial killer! The same spoke five years ago, and made the same kind of scene. It reminds me of a guy I met at a Palaniuk reading, who came with his mom and dad. He had all of Chuck's books, up to LULLABY. His mom came in while we were standing in line and said, "You're Dad is angry! We have to drive all the way to Forks tonight. The Ferry's leaving. You better hurry up or Dad say he's leaving you here!" He threw a fit and eventually convinced his mom to convince his dad it was worth it. Awesome! Funny thing is that that guy went to Western. I had two classes with him. He was the biggest weirdo-dork-asshole I've ever met. But that guy could write and draw comics like a mother fucker. I think his name was Terrence.

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OK. Bret Easton Ellis. I'm sure I've blogged about him. I could go for days. But I'm not really gonna talk about him that much. When I wrote my first novel-thing "Standards" (about a successful indie band--based a lot of it on Mineral), the pastor friend of my friend read it. He met with me and talked about the use of "you," talked about expository writing vs. "putting us in the scene," and about what I've read. I hadn't read a lot, but I named off the good ones, "Tom Robbins, Vonnegut, Salinger, and Hesse." He said, "Good, now write down these titles: Less than Zero by Ellis, Generation X by Coupland, and...actually I can't remember the third one. I never read or found it, so I can't remember it. I was 19 what the fuck can I remember? Anyway. I read those books. Gen X was pretty good. I think it's an important book, but I didn't love it. I went on to read GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA (Fantastic) and MICROSERFS (Amazing--Must read this!! If you live in the NW) and a bunch of his other novels that were OK or bad. I read LESS THAN ZERO in two days. I feel asleep in the middle of the night reading it, woke up in the morning, and finished it. It was brutal and honest and full of lies and pain and anger and apathy. And it's first person barely had a conscious. Barely did a thing. Just roamed like a camera with limbs, a dick, and a nose. I've read it five times in my life. I'll probably read it again, maybe not. It changed the way I wrote. In fact, I wrote too much like it. Trying to publish my short novel BUMPING has run up against resistance because of my minimalistic style (though, someone has just read the first three chapters and asked for the whole thing !!!!) and its similarities to a screenplay. The problem is that the book is written relying on subtext and understatement. I learned that from Ellis and Carver. Let me stop and say, No I am not comparing myself to them. I am however acknowledging that I stole a lot of what I do from those two, especially Ellis. But looking at my stuff now, I don't know if I could go back and write another novel like BUMPING. While writing THE STORY THIEF, I developed a voice and style that leans away from this minimalistic style of Carver and Ellis. I think though, if I write another novel that's not TST related, I will try to write it as minimal as possible, but not too minimal. Here's the thing about screenplays. My fiction is nothing like my screenplays, However, I do write dialogue that makes my fiction look like screenplays. I've been working on that (thanks Ian and workshop crew!). But if I could, I'd just riff on dialogue for pages. That's what my screenplays do. I wrote a scene for the film DO YOU SEE COLORS WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES that was 15 pages long. In the final film it's not even a minute. In fact in the final draft of the screenplay it's less than a page. I cut the shit out of it (see I can do it!). Anyway, if you're ever in workshop or talking to someone about a story in workshop and they start talking about it being like a screenplay, but it's just minimalistic. Say, "Yeah, I see what you're saying, but it's not utilizing the form of a screenplay and it's just heavy on the dialogue." Or something like that.

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I think the point of that last section is to say that Ellis got me to start writing scenes and writing with a voice. Tom Robbins taught me how to write crazy (though looking back, that mother fucker is meta to the max. I'm gonna have to brush up on him before TST BOOK TWO). Aimee Bender taught me how to me quirky and magical. Gabriel Garcia Marquez taught me how to write Magical Realism like a storyteller. Tim O'Brien taught me how to write honestly. Haruki Murakami taught me how to leave things unanswered. Kate Trueblood taught me how to write down into character. Stephen King taught me how to pursue a project and finish it. There's more but these are the ones I remember.

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Em keeps calling me over. But I refuse to leave the computer because of what's on the TV. Pitiful. I will not out her, but it's awful and awful and awful. I know she knows it's bad, but for her I think it's like a car crash. She'll crane her neck and won't look away. She can't help it.

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I'm really digging Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers. Cool record. And I dusted off Amestory's Birds Underwater. Great stuff.

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Love to the max,

Joshua

Another Tour Photo Blog

Someone took this picture when we were in San Francisco on the last tour with Braille Tapes. Of all the years we had been touring, this was the first time we took a bus in San Francisco. We were headed into town to go to Guitar Center and pick up some drum sticks for Wendelin. So, I don't know what Chad is talking about, but that coffee looks good. I think it's a latte. I might've bought it for him if it's the coffee I think it is.

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We stayed on the floor of Josh William from Polar State (that's him in the corner, talking to Chad), and other friends. The floor was dirty and I don't remember much of the night we stayed, because I came in after driving and fell asleep. There are pictures of me under a blue moving blanket. Everyone was still up, but I was sleeping. I was sick. I always get sick on tour. Always. There hasn't been one tour where I wasn't sick. In fact, in Autumn Poetry days, I used to carry around cough syrup--especially when I was singing in AP, before drums. By the time the BT started touring, I figured it was best to suck on cough drops and let the cold pass naturally. By this tour I wasn't smoking and the cold passed in like two days or so. But this tour I threw out my back. There are pictures of me lying on the stage after a set. I did that a lot after shows. My back got a lot more sore from rocking out with a guitar. For years I had been rocking out on drums and after all those years, my back sort of got used to all the drumming. But the guitar playing part killed me. It's weird to think about that tour: It might be the last tour I was ever a part of. I really don't think I'll ever tour. The chances are 1 in 18 million. Maybe I'll play shows again, but even that is a long shot. I'm still writing songs and Chad and I have been chatting about doing something over the next year (a CD), and when we're a lot older we're gonna make a record called Geriatric Noise. We'll have to be in our 40s or 50s to do that. We'll see.

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I know I got a million projects, but I started jotting down some scenes for a novel about a band. I like real scenes. I'm excited for when I get to actually focus on it. For now, I'm just going to jot down stuff that pops in my head.

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I'm gonna borrow my Dad's Kindle and read The Story Thief. No pens or anything. I'm just gonna read it. Ems gonna read it too.

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Sorry, I mentioned pictures and didn't post them. I'll try to find them and post them as reminders.

INCEPTION is coming!

Later,

Joshua

On Saturday...

My brother's wife threw him a birthday party, and since I wasn't in Chicago, I could go, and since it was also my birthday, I could celebrate. It was good. I got a little drunk, saw some old friends, and didn't make a fool of myself. My brother did. He got really drunk. Walking from Mollys house to the Fairhaven, he was swaying and talking a whole lot, and at the bar it was clear he was really drunk. Apparently after we left, he kept at it, and eventually puked. That night he told my friend that this new girlfriend looked like his old girlfriend (she doesn't, at all). He also did some other things, which I won't repeat, but will probably put in a story.

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It was good to be back in Bham. Dave droves us (And indie). When he first saw Indie running towards he goes, "Oh, well, she's cute." Indie was pretty well behaved and stayed with our friend while we drank and hung out. While up there, Dave and I walked Indie around Boulevard (ho how I missed thee!) and then went to our friends' house on lakeway and they played croquet and played catch. It was nice to be up in Bham on a good day, just sort of floating around. I miss that.

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I've been applying for a ton of jobs and a ton of teaching jobs (including Western). I just a needed to pick up some classes for the year. I'm hoping to get some shitty ass job and just work it, and teach when I'm not working. Who knows what kind of shits gonna go down, though.

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I finished reading Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins. If you haven't you should read it. Robbins is so meta, and so ridiculous. Now, I'm reading The Brothers K by David James Duncan. It's really good so far and makes me what to write about baseball. I won't. I have other things to do, but don't worry, I wrote down some ideas of a story about a father and son and baseball. but we'll see if and when I ever write this. I also started outlining a novel about a band. I wrote one about an indie band--actually, it was my first novel--when I was 18, maybe 19. I'll probably use some of that arc, but I don't know...this new one is different, and will probably be based a lot of Chad and I touring with the Braille Tapes. Man do I have stories...and man, do I love to embellish.

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Well, I'm gonna read and drink some coffee and stuff.

Later,

J

It's my birthday.

Yeah. Seriously. Em and I have been uploading a bunch of records onto our I-tunes. We've been slacking on doing this for a while. Saddest moment of the operation: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible was MIA. However, we did upload an earlier EP. Btw. Does anyone have Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site that I may borrow. I bought it, but I let this douche bag and his wife borrow it, and when I asked for it back (along with a few other CD/DVDs) he claimed not to have it. So, I have a case, but no CD. Also, Built to Spill there's nothing wrong with love. I've bought 3 in my lifetime and every time they disappear. Oh, and Band of Horses first record. I need These. Stat.

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We finished Mad Men Season 2. It's fucking amazing. Can't wait to watch season 3. Then four starts next month. Oh, and we've decided not to finish the Wire till we have jobs. Which sucks, but it's fucking motivation. Someone needs to buy one of my books and give me a shitload of money for it. Any takers?

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Well, see yous all later.

Joshua

I had a dream about Fugazi

Seriously. I was in Bellingham (where they had just moved--in my dream) and I thought, man I should just pop in and see what they're doing. The bass player (who's not the real bass player) was a grumpy-guss, but let me come in and hang. Then more people started showing up and Em showed up with Indie. And they had dogs, and all these kids started coming over and there were other dogs running around with indie. Then Ian MacKaye comes home and says, "Hey everyone, I feel like a good jog." So, fugazi and friends go for a job. It was rough. Em was way ahead, like most of the girls running (and Ian, who was the fastest). They passed me when going up a big hill, then passed me on the way down. Afterwards, we hung out in their front room with all the runners and dogs and listened to "The Waiting Room" on repeat. The whole time the bass player kept practicing in his room and only came out to make a sandwich.

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OK. I've got some writing to do. Later.

Joshua

29

I turn twenty-nine in two days. 29! How old is that!? It's weird that I'm that old. But that's all I really have to say about that. Next year, I'll be 30. 11 years ago I graduated from high school--I barely learned a thing.

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This picture. My dad's barely twenty, my mom twenty-fourish. HA TWENTY!?

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It's been a frustrating week. Well, not completely, but I have to apply for jobs. I've applied for a handful of teaching jobs, but none of them start till the fall, AND no one has emailed or called to say, "Hey, we'd like to interview you." Meanwhile, I'm doing this tutoring this and it's frustrating the shit out of me. But whatever, it's good for me. But what's depressing about job hunting is that I'm gonna have to work a shit job and depending on what I get offered by schools, I may have to keep it. I've applied to Microsoft and Nintendo and stuff like that, but I doubt I'll get those; I have no work experience in the office--and I don't know excel worth a shit. Plus every app asks you for a resume (not a CV) and you upload, then they're like "please list education and work" and I'm thinking, "Why the fuck did I just upload my resume?!" It sucks. I've got a BA AND a MA! But in English. Who's gonna want to hire me. Actually, I kind of hope I get a job in the call center, and a couple English classes this fall. That way, I can maybe do both...I don't know. We'll see.

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I've been writing a lot of material, a lot of poetry. I should be transcribing it, but I don't want to. I think I'm gonna read when I'm done with this.

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My dad's reading The Story Thief. He's making comments to me as he reads. First, though, he's reading on a Kindle, so he keeps looking up and saying, to no one in particular, "45%" or "84%" He's actually made some great comments. And pointed a couple things out to me that, I was like, "Really?" or "Oh, shit that's brilliant!" He's a good reader to have. I'm excited to see what the other readers have to say. Hopefully, it's mostly, "Brilliant. A Masterpiece. Can I give you money or a back-rub?"

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Been getting a lot of rejection letters. That's actually good. I've been waiting a while, and I think journals are cleaning out their stacks of manuscripts...so if you're waiting expect some returns.

I even got a rejection letter with some notes (and I'm not saying their not right, but) and I thought, "You're rejecting me and you're giving me notes?" Something like, "Tighten this up and work on tone." Thanks McGrueber. Look, if you're gonna give me notes in a rejection, please be concrete about it...it read like he was making editorial comments (you know, the kind that you get when they've accepted with conditions...the kind I saw Puerto del Sol send out a few times. The ending is off. The middle is really clunky. We would just write something that said, We loved the piece, but were curious about if you're willing to make some edits...and then we'd ask them about the edits. But whatever. It's not like I'm mad. I just thought it was an interesting way to reject someone. But don't worry, I will be submitting to them again in the fall. Why? Why not?

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Em's doing good. She's been real tired this week. But the midwives suggested Iron and Vitamin K (along with all the prenatal stuff she's already taking). It's like a pharmacy in there! But yesterday she was feeling a little better and we went for a walk. It was nice. There were birds in the trees, and fish and ducks in the water. Indie is being a brat and I think she needs to poop.

After that, I'm gonna read and drink coffee.

Later,

Joshua

Finally!

I finally finished revising my short story, "Testimonials are Money Makers." And I submitted it to McSweeney's. I swung for the fences. Here's hoping they love it!! But I got a list of places to send it if (and they probably will) reject it. But I'm stoked about it, so whatever...

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I drove up to Bellingham yesterday for a few hours to hang out with my niece and Caleb. We ate at La Fiamma (YES) and went to Fairhaven Toy Store. It was a good time, and on the way home I got to drive my Dad's Prius. Pree-tah, preee-tah, pretty good.

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Indie has issues with the cats here. She is always stalking and chasing them. Though two have kicked her ass, and she stalks them very carefully. She also cries when we pet or hold them. It's funny.

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The other night I got to feel my little boy kicking away inside the womb. I've done it before, but this was the first time it felt like a kick (or punch). It was really amazing.

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Well, I've finished The Story Thief, finished Testimonials, and I'm waiting for editorial comments from a press. WTF do I do now? Well, I'm gonna write some poetry...keep building this next thing till it bursts...and read some of Ian's fiction...maybe read Chas' thesis again (seriously really, really amazing book of poems)...and read some Tom Robbins.

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I think OnDemand has season two of Mad Men coming on today. We'll see. And I'll let you know how awesome I think they are.

That's all for now.

Later,

Joshua

Saturday.

So, Em's brother, Daniel, is coming to town for a visit. We're probably gonna head down to Fremont for the Summer Solstice stuff. Then dink around Seattle for a bit. Last night I finished reading THE MOTHER GARDEN. You should read this!! I started reading EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUE (which I've never read--I know, I know, shame on me). My dad loaded THE STORY THIEF onto his Kindle. It's a cool thing to see--except I already found a few minor errors. But whatever, I'll get to that.

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My dad's talking about Kosher food right now.

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Indie's sniffing through the shoes and trolling around the place.

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OK. I've been transcribing a shitload of poems to my document titled: THIS IS THE WAY TO RULE - PIECES. Actually, it's really all my new poems in one document, though most of them are related to my apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic book - this is the way to rule. About 10% is linked to my personal/las cruces/bellingham poems. After another month of writing, I'll probably print up the document--sorry Em I'll be using a lot of paper for this too--and start organizing them. I'm thinking about clumping them all together, cutting them up, and organizing them that way...we'll see.

Here's the scoop. The book is going to cover time before the wreckage-during the wreckage-and the aftermath (where people hear about a city called Caspian and start looking for it). The tricky thing about the aftermath is that the wreckage is still happening, but our main characters are chasing it, trying to save people affected by it. I've written thirty-plus poems just from the pov of the dudes chasing this, and a handful from other povs during that time. We'll see what happened from this, but I'm really excited about where it's going...it's gonna be BIG (in length, I mean). I'm already pushing 120 pages, though I've bumped many of the poems together so that it's only 70. Maybe when it's done, I'll make it a trilogy...ya'll know how much I love trilogies!

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OK. I'm training for this online tutoring thing. I make fairly good comments on the training papers...but I'm so not used to grading like this. I grade in abstract ways, that allows the students to find their own way. Sure, I can be concrete. But I don't feel like I have to explain to a student what a run-on is. I just say, this is a run-on, how can you make it not one? But I can't with this new job. It's frustrating. Also, I realize I'm not that well-versed in the "language" of composition. I just tell people something's not right and show them how it might work. I did this thing with compare/contrast and I was apparently totally wrong. But when I looked at it, I thought, no I'm not. This is just a different way to write it. I guess the problem is that when I teach, I try to get my students to learn how to make arguments in their paper in new ways...to stray from formula. It works pretty well, and actually, in the process kids end up following pretty close to what a formula would ask...only in interesting ways. This is actually good for me. I know that. But here's another thing. It's stressed me out. I'm told to proofread more closely. So I do, then I'm told that I'm comma splicing (which all of you know, I do a lot. There's probably a shitload in this blog post, but whatever). When I look at it, it's not a comma splice. I seriously have anxiety proofreading. I always have. But now, with this job, it's crazy. My trainer told me to leave a few extra minutes for proofreading. That's funny! Extra minutes? When? In the 30 minutes or so I have to comment on a paper, where am I going to find time to proofread. Except that I do. The stuff I miss are really minor or things where I read the sentence as though it needs a comma. I just started cutting commas out unless it was DIRE. Then I get comments like, "You're missing a comma." I look at my paper and the same type of sentence in an earlier paper, got the comment (this is comma splice). Whatever. I just need to brush up on my stuff. That much is clear. I'll probably go and surf the web, 'cause all my books are in storage in Yakima. Oh, well. I just need to vent...any suggestions fellow online tutors?

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Did I mention in the last couple days that the new Bret Easton Ellis novel is out (The fucking sequel to LESS THAN ZERO). Did I mention that when I hung with Ian at the bookstore--which was rad as shit--I squealed like a child when I saw it and made a moan, and Ian started laughing, and I played it off like it was for his benefit...I even said, "That was for your benefit." I don't think he bought. I think he knew how giddy I was. It was like I was sixteen and my dad bought me a pink Corvette for my birthday. I made a weeeee sound till I lost control and it gurgled into a moan. Classy stuff. I think there was a girl across the aisle who shot me a "gross" look.

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I'm trying to figure out what I should read next after Robbins:

The Corrections - Franzen

The Brothers K - Duncan

The Bone People - Hulme (yeah, I was supposed to read this for Comps, but I never got it).

Travels with Charley - Steinbeck

The Bone Shaker - Priest

Fortunate Son - Mosley

Let me know what you think...

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Later dudes, if you're in Fremont there, HOLLA

Guns and Ammo,

J to the Izza

Reading, Revising, and Writing

I started reading this book last night. The first two stories are fantastic. I wouldn't really call them magical realism, but they're really close. Actually, these things could happen...but not really. Anyway, really good. Robin's magical realism class was fantastic, and it's cool reading stories she's written in that vein. I recommend this book...her writing is great.

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This brings up a question: My whole writing life, I've been told, "Don't use too many exclamation points," and "Don't BOLD dialogue." As a reader in workshops, I definitely found that people who do this never tell a good story, their dialogue is weak-sauce, and they suck as writers. It seemed that they were using these tricks because they didn't know how the capture urgency and intensity without doing these tricks. OK. When Robin does it, it's fucking brilliant. And I'm wondering, when is it OK? Is it OK for Robin and a few others and that's it? Is it OK if I did it in the Story Thief when I wanted to? Please tell me? Reading her work, makes me want to go back over my work and do the things (things like BOLD and !!!) where I didn't do it because I was afraid to. I follow rules when I can. And I know when I see these tricks in stories, part of me goes, "NO! HOW DARE YOU!" But there are a few things I've read where it's perfect. Robin for one. Another is a douche I care not to mention. He did it. It was great when he did it, but I've been afraid to. Here's the thing: I'm not gonna go back and put these things in just because I read it in a couple stories, just because it's OK in Robin's stories, just because some douche from Bellingham did it. But those impulses were there! And if I don't do it in this book, when I won't do in in The Story Thief 2: The Quest for the Golden Story. Just kidding that's not the title. But seriously, I can't change style in the middle of a series of novels...can I? I've got time, it's not like Harper Collins is printing this today, for all I know, it will be years before those words end up getting printing between pages, but seriously, were these impulses correct and I just dogmatically followed rules when I shouldn't've? Makes me think.

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Speaking of that, I've got less than 100 pages. I'm gonna get on that.

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I'm gonna write some poems tonight...BOOM...

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New book of poems idea: Bros and Hoes - A novel-in-verse with alternating POVs from the perspective of frat-boys and girls. Example of a bros POV, "Shit this room is half-dark, but the moon-light's punching its way over her sheets. I've totally gotta get on this shit. Her fucking tits are rocking and my muscles look good in this light...I'm about to hit this...

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I'm getting hungry too...

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OK. Later,

Joshua

Blogging is just not a priority right now...

...but dammit, I'm gonna do it.

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I've been trying to push through my final revision of The Story Thief. I got a few readers who are gonna take on this massive text as soon as I'm finished. It's summer, so I guess the timing is right. I'm writing a query letter for it--I've been working on one for three years. Letters are harder than writing novels. But I think I got something decent...we'll see.

I didn't watch TV once today, though I might pop a flick in after an hour of revising and blogging it up. I've got some many poems to type up and a story to revise that I'm itching to finish and submit to McSweeneys (I'm swinging for the fences on this one...it's that good, or at least I think it is...). Then I'm never writing another short story again. Actaully, while writing my book-long lyric essay (I only write in spurts, maybe once a week, sometimes once a month), I wrote about this. With short stories, for me, I think that if I come up with an awesome character, why the fuck would I want to end the story in 10-25 pages? I want those characters to be a novel, or novella, or fucking epic fucking BOOK. I don't see the point in writing short stories, when all I want to do is take it further. I'd rather write half a novel, not finish it and move on, then write a story and try to revise it, till its "publishable." Does that make sense? Here's a better way to explain my way of thinking: I DON'T WRITE SINGULAR POEMS. Why? Because what the fuck is the point of that? If I'm gonna write a poem about divorce, there's no fucking way it will cover all of what I want to say, so I write as many as I can, till I say what I want to say. That's usually a book. But look at Levis, he wrote the same project for years. Look at Sharon Olds taking about sex and her father (how many books?), look at any poet, and you might find that. That's why collected poems suck (but that's a whole-nother rant). The best books of poems are the ones that are projects. They don't have to be narrative or anything, they just have to transverse the same place. Look at anything Oliver de la Paz has written: narrative or not, there's a project at work.

That said, when I write a poem it's for a project. If I write a poem and it's not for a current project, it becomes its own, and by the end of the week, I have at least the start of something new. In a way, a lot of my writing, from fiction to screenplays to poetry to non-fiction are dealing in the same themes, some more magical than others, some more rooted in realism than others, and some more out of left field than others, but you'll find connections...I don't think you even have to look. My poetry is blantant with that. My fiction...depends on what you've read of mine. The Story Thief and Bumping are worlds apart, but thematically they're dealing with a lot of the same things: loyalty, family, community, etc.

So, here and now, I say, "I will not write another short story, without it existing in a project." Though, I may change my mind, I have the feeling I won't have the chance.

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Have I said this yet? WE'RE HAVING A BOY. I'm going to be a father and it's going to be a boy. Either way I would've been happy, but I thought it was a boy, and I was right. That's cool. Em says, "All men think they're having a boy, that's how their brains work." Sure, she may be right, but whatever, I was still right.

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This is a picture of a little shack in Marymoor Park (in Redmond). It's cool and there's graffiti all over the insides. Em and I took Indie and my dad's girlfriend's son, Nolan, to walk around on the trails there. It was a really nice day, and we walked for a while. Nolan threw a sticky vine on me and I swore it was a snake coming to eat my face off. Everyone laughed at me. I'm kind of a baby about that stuff.

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I realized, while walking, that I need to get back into shape. I'm a fluctuator. I get skinny in the spring and summer, fat in the fall and winter. I'm getting too old for that. So, I'm gonna keep working out--I've started--with no excuses. At least run everyday. When I get job and some money coming in, I'll get a gym membership. There's gonna be a time in my life, where I can't shed the wait I put on in the winter. So, this is where I start working out and keep it going!!! CHEER ME ON!!! Here's the thing...I LOVE WORKING OUT. I LOVE RUNNING. I LOVE LIFTING WEIGHTS. I don't love sit-ups and push-ups, but I do them anyway. So, I don't know what my problem is? Maybe it's that I love TV, film, reading, and writing more. Maybe it's that I'd rather bum around with Em and Indie, than go out and sweat at the concrete or the treadmill. Well, I'm tired of shoving my body into medium shirts. I'm tired! By august, I will be where my 32-32 jeans and medium shirts with room to spare. I will be working away this gut I've been pampering for too long. I will be healthy. I want to be healthy, because I don't want my kid to learn how to be fat from me, how to be unhealthy, how to be lazy. I want my kid to see me and go, "My dad's in good shape." So, when he's learning to ride his bike, I can run next to him and cheer him on as he goes, I can be quick and strong enough to catch him when he's about to flip over his handle bars, and of course, good enough to beat him in all sports he tries to take me in...after all, isn't that my job as a father?

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OK. I blogged a good amount. I'm gonna edit, watch a flick, and go to bed. Later dudes and dudettes,

Joshua

It's Sunday

So, we just finished season one of Mad Men, and I'm way stoked about season 2 and beyond. So, good. I'm kind of bummed I didn't start it earlier.

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I also watch Funny People again last night. It's a bit long. That section in No. Cal is just a bit too extended, but it's my favorite Apatow film. I love the struggling stand-up stuff. And Sandler is just great.

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We went out to Marymoor park and walked about with Indie and Nolan (my dad's girlfriend's son). It was great to get out and walk around--it's nice out. We walked along the trail towards Redmond. Em gives me shit, 'cause I'm so pumped to be back around water, in the NW. I keep saying, "Man, it's good to see water wherever I turn..." and stuff like that. So, I don't say it as much.

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Right now we're watching the Ms play, which is something we never got to do in Cruces. 3-2 Seattle at this point. My dad and I are heading out to hang in Redmond and visit a bookstore and get some coffee or something. Then I'll probably have some more online training to do tonight. We'll see. The online job I got is tough for me. I'm a slow reader and slow grader. So I think this will be good for me--I'll have to read and learn how to comment quickly according to a certain pedagogical slant. I totally agree with a lot of the stuff I've been reading while training, but it's still tough commenting on papers without a lot more freedom. But like I said, this is good for me.

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I might go out and apply for a job at a bookstore or something, keep apply for adjunct jobs. I was hoping to find something that overlaps and just a teach a class or two this coming year, but I don't think that will be the case...so, here I go out with my Master's looking for a job. Why can't there be jobs made for me? I looked into Microsoft, but there's really nothing that really fits. Em thinks I should just apply for a Office Admin job and do that. Personally, I wouldn't mind office work, but I think I might suck at it. Whatever. If you know of any jobs in the Seattle/Bellevue area, let me know.

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OK.

Joshua

So...

...Em and I started watching this show. My God, it's good.

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Yeah, yeah, we haven't finished the Wire, but currently, our netflix is on hold--I left a DVD for Up in the Air in our DVD player, which is in storage in Yakima. But soon, we'll get back to The Wire.

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Yeah, that's all. I got a lot of shit to do. So...

Love.

Joshua.

SHIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEETTT

here's where my potato looked like the last day. pretty impressive. i threw it away after this pic. it was sad moment. anyway, i was gonna put up a bunch of pics of our trip and shit, but it error-ed on me, so i'll do it later. right now, i'm training, and waiting for a response to my simulation. i emailed some people and submitted a book to a publisher and stuff. oh, and friends, i have news..not baby related...fyi. but only those of you who ask will receive in person (or however). but speaking of babies...guess who finds out whether we're having a boy or girl on friday? guess. guess! we're excited!!!

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so, in kirkland, chilling, training, looking for jobs and places to live. it's good to be home. good to be alive. good to be blogging again. i'll try to keep this daily (or at least, every other daily)...

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see you around the bend,

j.

OMG! It's been toooooo long

I'm in Yakima, WA. We're about to head over the pass in a couple hours, and stay in Kirkland for the rest of our stay (more or less). We are both apartment and job hunting so if you know of anything, let me know. Thanks Chelsea for all the emails about jobs. I'm way behind. I did have a phone interview with University of Phoenix. We'll see how that goes. I'm applying for a librarian assistant in Issaquah. We'll see how that goes.
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I just finished reading Stephen King's THE STAND. Fantastic! IF you haven't, read it. If you have, you know what I'm talking about. Almost 1200 pages of really great scenes followed by transcript-like trite dialogue, followed by dumb shit, followed by awesome shit, followed by some crazy suspense (is he the king of suspense or something?), oh and all those archetypes floating around the page like a supermarket for archetypes...

Honestly though, I needed to read this for a few reasons. One) My New project of poems is about the aftermath of an apocalypse of types. Two) Book two of The Story Thief (titled "The Man who stole the job from the Story Thief" Just kidding, I don't have a titled, yet...) begins in this sort of aftermath, after the stories have been taken, anyway. Those of you who care with chat with me about it later.
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I started Chabon's Manhood for Amateurs. It's good so far. Next up, Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. NO, I haven't read it. YES, Shame on me. I got a lot of poetry to read, but I'm not sure what yet.
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So, one of these days I'll get some pictures of the trip and stuff up.
Later Gs. Keep it real and Keep it nasty,
J.