bringing the tally up

One more official acceptance: Goddard College, a low-residency program in Vermont.

Another letter from Emerson, this with contact information so I can figure out who to harass with my millions of questions.

And an envelope from the U of MN; slim, and I almost had a heart attack. But it was just a reminder that the date to sign up for Split Rock courses is fast approaching.

Things are heating up--I'm still hopelessly watching those forums, discovering Cornell, Michigan, UMass Amherst, other top programs are sending out notifications of acceptance. Not so far away now, the yes's and the no's.

Right now: just finished both of Major Jackson's books of poetry. I'm doing this backward, reading all the books of the participants from last month's Palm Beach Festival. I read Malena's while I was there, at least. Now on to Claudia Emerson, who really blew me away.

Right now: shoveling the sidewalk, wishing we'd either get spring or get more than an inch dusting, over and over again.

Right now: eating too many brie and turkey sandwiches.

Right now: thinking about a nap (curses!) and more of the thick novel, the escape.

Trying to live in the right now and not fret too much about the future. Wrote some snippets of poems this afternoon, even with a stressful day at work (a little mid-day frustration, but we buoyed back up). King Lear. Not the frustration, no; this is so good, to enter into the world of words for a class period, even if it's being stumbled over and kids are muttering, "Shakespeare is gay." (Um, hello?)

Words and sleep and my husband. These three things, all I need. (Who needs food, shelter, money? I trade them all for words and sleep and him.)