(no subject)
Last night I had the opportunity to go to the annual benefit for Four Way Books, a small literary publisher run by Martha, one of my former college professors. I could hardly believe last year, that when Martha invited my poetry class, that I was the only one that took her up on the offer. I mean -- wine, chocolate, and poetry? Impossible to turn down, even with schoolwork to do. I brought Nomi and we had a fabulous time, and I even met a famous translator who gave me some feedback on some of my Miriam Reyes translations. I was excited to be invited again this year -- things like this help to remind me what exactly it is that I'm doing in New York.
It's hard not to feel a bit like a kid again at these sorts of gatherings, with all the adults all seeming to know each other, and we're in an apartment where I'm a bit afraid I'll break things. But there is wine, and people are kind, and Nomi and I talk to a few interesting people before settling in on the couch with our plates of hors d'œuvres, scoping out good seats for the poetry reading portion of the event. Nomi spies a familiar face from across the room, and we go over to talk to her writing teacher from her high school program at Iowa Writers' Workshop. When we turn around, our seats are taken, but it's one of the poets reading, so we can't mind too much.
When Martha goes up to make a speech, she introduces all of the Four Way staff and board members. Then she congratulates two impending graduates of Sarah Lawrence's MFA program in poetry, and then my name, saying that I'm a "promising young poet who's applying to graduate programs". It is a good thing I'm already sitting down, because otherwise I would be falling over. All of the grown-ups clap -- all hundred-plus of them -- and I blush a surely-attractive shade.
In other news -- my big brother is becoming a Master of Things next weekend and I am going to Kansas to see him gradu-ma-ate. Zach is great!
Also -- still thinking about to where I want to move my blog. It's a little bit intimidating, because I'm going to have to name it something. I would happily accept any suggestions.
It's hard not to feel a bit like a kid again at these sorts of gatherings, with all the adults all seeming to know each other, and we're in an apartment where I'm a bit afraid I'll break things. But there is wine, and people are kind, and Nomi and I talk to a few interesting people before settling in on the couch with our plates of hors d'œuvres, scoping out good seats for the poetry reading portion of the event. Nomi spies a familiar face from across the room, and we go over to talk to her writing teacher from her high school program at Iowa Writers' Workshop. When we turn around, our seats are taken, but it's one of the poets reading, so we can't mind too much.
When Martha goes up to make a speech, she introduces all of the Four Way staff and board members. Then she congratulates two impending graduates of Sarah Lawrence's MFA program in poetry, and then my name, saying that I'm a "promising young poet who's applying to graduate programs". It is a good thing I'm already sitting down, because otherwise I would be falling over. All of the grown-ups clap -- all hundred-plus of them -- and I blush a surely-attractive shade.
In other news -- my big brother is becoming a Master of Things next weekend and I am going to Kansas to see him gradu-ma-ate. Zach is great!
Also -- still thinking about to where I want to move my blog. It's a little bit intimidating, because I'm going to have to name it something. I would happily accept any suggestions.