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