But, I’ve decided to give it another shot, for various reasons, none of which need concern you, gentle reader.
So, what have I been doing? Well, if you know me, you won’t be surprised that the answer is, quite a lot. First of all, I went to MacDowell for two weeks in January. Loved it! Rather than rhapsodize at length about it here, however, I suggest you obtain a copy of the Spring 2011 Schuylkill Valley Journal, in which my personal essay about MacDowell appears. (Details on how to get a copy can be found here.)
I’d only just got back from New Hampshire (live free or die!) and it was time to go to Washington for AWP 2010. Rocked the Timeline panel! In fact I had so much fun being a moderator/organizer that this year I’m submitting TWO panel proposals–a Raintown Review Fifteenth Anniversary Reading and a Parenting/Writing Discussion Panel.
I have been teaching a poetry class a week almost consecutively since then at the delightful West Windsor Art Center. Actually I have a new 4 week class starting on Friday afternoons next Friday May 6th, if anyone wants to sign up? (It’s $75.) I’m also teaching a one off workshop for them this coming Sunday, 1-3, and giving a reading afterwards with Elyse Fenton, 3-5 p.m.
The Raintown Review website is back under our control after the great expired domain name fiasco of earlier this month. The latest issue (Vol 9 Issue 2) came out in March almost inexcusably late (Highlights online), and of course we’re currently reading for Vol 10 Issue 1.
This year I have had several poems appear in the marvelous Flea and one on Ernie Hilbert’s e-verse radio, plus one will appear in an upcoming issue of Think journal. Almost by accident I ended up doing the Poem-a-Day challenge this National Poetry Month, so I have lots of material that will need submitting soon, and have also pretty much completed my second book manuscript. (Of course no one has published my first book manuscript yet, though it was a semi-finalist for the Richard Wilbur.)
In June I will be chairing the Mezzo Cammin Women Poets Timeline seminar at the West Chester Poetry Conference, so I have been busy preparing for that and drafting my own essay on U.A. Fanthorpe.
The kids are great! Becky didn’t end up competing much of a Level 9 season because of a knee injury, but she’s hanging in there with the Gymnastics. She also made Honors Band and is in Honors classes for High School next year. Lorna makes all As and is adorable!
The new company, Global Bridge Consultants, is doing okay (she says cautiously). Of course I don’t do much more than invoice, admin, and proofreading, but Mr. E appears to have it all under control.
It may not surprise you to learn that I decided to put the Barefoot Muse on hiatus–It was increasingly the lowest priority thing on a very very long list. The archives will remain up indefinitely, however.
So that’s you all updated on my life, gentle reader, which means next time I am in a blogging mood, hopefully I can talk about something more recent, relevant and interesting!