Back from New York City, which was wonderful as usual. So many things seen and done and eaten and heard, etc. Now I’m doing laundry and getting ready to pack, because starting tomorrow I’ll be in Cleveland for the next three days teaching at the Imagination Writing Workshop. I attended Imagination when I was 19 and 20 years old, where Karen Fowler and Jonathan Lethem and James Patrick Kelly all worked with me as a little fledgling writer. It was a great place to begin learning about writing, and led me to the Clarion workshop when I was 21. It’s really weird and wonderful to be teaching as part of the workshop faculty now, ten years later. Life is strange and interesting and, yes, really good.
This summer I’ve been incredibly busy. I feel like I’ve been working as hard as I do when university is in session. But after this Friday, I’ll be mostly free. Saturday is my birthday, and also the next Stage at the Oakland Center for the Arts, where I’ll be giving a reading from One for Sorrow. Afterwards, if you’re around, come out for birthday drinks with a bunch of us to Imbibe, and then dancing at Utopia maybe, if the mood hits us. It will probably hit us. It will probably hit me at least, because Saturday will be the beginning of the rest of a summer where all I’ll have to do is prepare for One for Sorrow’s book launch party and get a syllabus ready for my fall classes. I plan on doing a lot of reading, swimming, sleeping, and worshiping the sun.
Till then, I’ll be in Cleveland, staying with the lovely Catherynne Valente, who’s gracious enough to put me up for my out of town stay. Perhaps I will be a more regular journal keeper once my stint at Imagination is over, and as the rest of my summer becomes golden and free.