I have a new chapbook manuscript. I sent it to a chapbook contest. Tomorrow I’m hosting the Austin Haiku Group via Zoom, and am grateful we have a chance to get together virtually. I was asked to judge a contest in the Austin Poetry Society annual awards. I have three projects-in-progress right now, and IContinue reading “The Best of It: Creative Quarantine Edition”
Tag Archives: april
The Best of It: Music and Teaching Edition
Not setting my alarm clock. Being able to work on a nice dinner in stages throughout the day. Waking up to find a surprise disco playlist in my Spotify account. The playlist John has curated for his History of the Blues/Global Power of the Funk course at Texas State this semester. The way that theContinue reading “The Best of It: Music and Teaching Edition”
The Best of It: Working From Home Indefinitely Edition
Wearing yoga pants every day of the week. Not having to pack my lunch. That I had the foresight to bring my work laptop home when I left for spring break, even though school hadn’t officially been closed yet. That I actually have been using my work laptop for work rather than just using myContinue reading “The Best of It: Working From Home Indefinitely Edition”
The Best of It: Kitchen Organization Edition
Yesterday, John helped me put up a peg board so I could hang my pots and pans. I love how it looks, and I am thrilled with how this has opened up cabinet space. John also reorganized my shelves to make common dishes and cookware easily accessible. I’m really grateful for his sense of design.Continue reading “The Best of It: Kitchen Organization Edition”
The Best of It: Hearth and Home Edition
This morning I woke up without sinus congestion for the first time in I don’t know how long. Chris Morocco’s turmeric-coconut curry with pork recipe is both easy and amazing. John and I ate nearly the entire thing. My weighted blanket arrived this morning, well ahead of schedule. I can’t wait to sleep under itContinue reading “The Best of It: Hearth and Home Edition”
MFA All The Way!
I remember seeing an ad for the UT-El Paso Online MFA in Poets & Writers magazine back in 2011 (or maybe early 2012). Even before I knew much about the program, I was excited by the prospect of being able to pursue an MFA online, without having to leave Austin. (Heck, I didn’t even want toContinue reading “MFA All The Way!”
Weekly Writing Prompt: (No) Makeup Edition
Image via theeverygirl.com As a product loaded with gendered norms, makeup can cause a lot of unnecessary grief. Women who don’t wear it get criticized. Women who wear too much get criticized. The internet is full of tutorials for how to wear makeup without looking like wearing any. Some women reject makeup, and others feelContinue reading “Weekly Writing Prompt: (No) Makeup Edition”
Weekly Writing Prompt: How to Fail
Pinterest Fail is a site where you can see photos of Pinterest tutorials gone horribly awry. Browse through the site to see all the ways in which the projects can go horribly wrong. Then find a Pinterest tutorial that looks fairly complex. Write an alternate version of the tutorial describing how to fail at whateverContinue reading “Weekly Writing Prompt: How to Fail”
Weekly Writing Prompt: Unfamiliar
Spend an entire day (or if you’re brave, an entire week) writing in a style or genre outside of your usual. Try romance if you write literary fiction. Try writing only sonnets if you’re normally a free-verse poet. See what develops when you’re in unfamiliar territory.
Weekly Writing Prompt: Random Number Poem
Get a random number generator. Random.org is a good one, and they also have a great app for your mobile device. First, decide what you want your first pass with the generator to determine: The number of total syllables in your poem OR… The number of total lines in your poem If you went withContinue reading “Weekly Writing Prompt: Random Number Poem”