Monday, March 6, 2017

Winning


It’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog. Part of that is the inevitable busy-ness that seems to follow me these days. Ironic, since I have had a lot of good news on the writing front. But first the busy-ness.
For the first time since moving here, I have a “real” job. I still am doing about 15 hours a week of consulting and contract work, but I also have a part time station in a physical, real academic department, where people introduce me as “the statistician.” It’s similar to my contract work, but it is also harder to slack off/leave everything til the last minute.

Jake is in school, and settling in. It’s good for him and for me. Other than him sleeping through the night, knowing I am dropping him off at 8 and am “free” til 11:30 is the biggest change in my life since he was born. He’s also developing his own little personality and attitude and that’s great. As I’ve said before, I will take all the terribleness that comes with being two if it also means he’s starting to be his own person. He’s surprising me with a new word pretty much every day, which is kind of cool.
Then there’s school. Last semester, I ended my second undergrad career, as my advisor thought I could handle grad classes and I had complete the equivalent of an English major. It was kind of bittersweet. I hear a lot about millenials and how awful they are supposed to be, but honestly, my classmates were for the most part great, and definitely a lot more together than I was, probably til 28. So this semester, I am enrolled in a grad level course, as “non-degree-seeking” while I wait the results of my application for an MFA program. (yes, I applied, re-taking the GRE and all). The class is interesting and exciting but it’s also a LOT of work.

So, that’s where we are in the non-writing piece of things. And, I will say this. I struggled and continue to struggle with figuring out what the balance should be. I am currently reading a book called “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” which is probably fortuitous. It’s about some combination of stoicism and being true to your priorities which is exactly my problem these days.
I am doing my best to be a good colleague and be productive in my day job, but the top priorities really are Jake and Sherise, and the writing. And both domains are doing pretty well. As some of you may know, there was some early concern about Jake having some language delays, but that has been pretty much cleared up. His speech therapist says he’s actually now a little ahead of his language milestones. Pretty much every day is a new word (or a word applied to a new concept). Yesterday the word was “stuck”

And the writing. So, since the last time I posted here, I have won two (TWO!!) paying contests. The first, which they announced this fall, was with the national English honor’s society’s publication The Rectangle. That has since been published. Here’s the link (poem shows up on page 9):


I am pretty happy with this poem, although it isn’t aiming for anything really big.

 

The other award is a major one. It’s the annual poetry contest with the Southern Indiana Review. Here’s the link to the announcement. If and when I can share the actual poem, I will. But this is a poem I am very proud of and a big deal.

 


 

That’s where it’s at. Cross your fingers for me, re grad school. Official word is theoretically coming this month.