How many days has it been?

17 days. That's how many days. It's been busy, and for those of you who read my other blog, then you know what I'm talking about. See, I was told I had to blog over there before I blog here. So, it's the holidays, and I have barely any days off (I'm working Xmas Eve, Xmas, New years day), but it's OK. I'm not mad. I asked to work them (more money). I've been trying to squeeze in writing and submitted in-between dad-duty and work. I'm getting a lot more done than I thought. I think is because I figure out where I'm gonna submit before I do it. I gather all the things I need (make lists) and then when I get a few minutes at home, or mostly at ITT-TECH (before classes) I submit a wave of stuff. I've got so much out there it's hard keeping track even with things like submishmash and duotrope and new pages and many of my note books. but I'm managing OK. IN fact, duotrope is a lifesaver, though I'd rather have my own system, I just never have the gumption to set it up. Anyway.

I've been writing a lot. Work gets slow sometimes, and when it does, I'll jot down some lines, write parts of a story, or a poem, or I'll organize a manuscript, and figure out where some holes are, where I need to write more. I just made a list the other day of all my projects, and it's a little crazy. Being someone who had given up on poetry till my final year of undergrad, and even at WWU in the MA program, I wasn't taking poetry seriously till Oliver's prose poem class, I was surprised to see how many completed or mostly-completed poetry projects I have. There's Wolves, Chapel, Rule (my trilogy of performances-in-verse), and there's We're All Just Failures In Successful Skin (my first book of poems, most of which I wrote as an undergrad. It's about my parent's divorce and my grandfather's bullshit when I was in my teens and twenties), and there's Las Cruces vs Bellingham, which is about Bellingham and Las Cruces, but mostly it's about the last couple years of my life: all the changes, the moves, the challenges, the friendships, and the failed relationships, before some of the best things that ever happened to me), and there's my recent project that seems to be about a city and adolescence and crime(?) (I'm trying to figure out whether this would be a good project to collaborate with a certain someone whose work I really love. I think I may be sending him an email soon, but I'm trying to figure out what exactly I want the project to be. Maybe I need fresh eyes).

Then there's my fiction projects (The Story Thief, Bumping, Real Vampires. And then there's The Mission Tapes.

I've been writing a lot of short stories that are really absurd or magical real. I've got a bunch done, and a handful of halfies. We'll see what comes of these, but I know I've got a fiction chapbook out of what I have.

I have this goal right now. Before I finish graduate school, I want to have publish two full-lengths of poems (or have them accepted for publication), and at least one fictional book published. I know, grand dreams! But I think this is realistic. I've been getting published more and more frequently. I think, for one, I'm learning how to submit, how to send the right kind of stuff, and how to know which journals are right. I can't read every journal religiously and learn exactly what they publish, but I can learn what kind of stuff they publish from know what kind poets (or writers) they do publish. A lot of that listing I talked about earlier in this post, is figuring out what piece is right for what journal.

I revisiting Dexter. Emily hasn't seen it. We're on Season 3. I can't wait to revisiting the Trinity Killer in Season 4. We're also wrapping up the Wire. Season 5, disc 3!

I've been playing guitar a lot because my little bro brought me his Fender acoustic. I've been playing for Elliot. He seems to like it. And it gives me a chance to write for Mission Tapes. I've got a lot of songs. I have no freaking idea when this thing will get off the ground, but I need a 4-track. Anyone got one they want to donate or let me borrow for an extended amount of time? Which reminds me, I need to get my microphones back.

Emily just got the OK from the doctor to workout again, so both of us are working out again. Hopefully, I can keep going. I'm tired of being fat. I just want to wear my jeans and tees without feeling uncomfortable. Plus I'm trying to eat right. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway, there's more to write about, but I'll save that for another blog. Hopefully that will come sooner than later.

Love ya,

Jooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh