I think most everyone knows by now, but for completion/posterity's sake: I'm going to UC-Davis next year. I'm half-heartedly excited about it -- there's so much to do between now and September I can't even think about it right now -- but I like the city and the people I've met there. Hopefully I can get used to being a Californian.

I keep forgetting that I actually need to apply to that, as per getting lost in present/losing sight of future. Part of it is stress over the GRE, which seems like a waste of time, money, but it's not a waste if I do well on it, right? But, I have to actually do well on it, right? They'll understand if I have to count on my fingers and do quadratic ( Read more... )

So, okay, my journal has sort of devolved into a place to post enjoyable things I've read recently. I'm okay with that. I have the flu.

My friend Kate (who I used to have a crush on: THERE: LiveJournal drama) recently recommended this book to me. It's called An Elemental Thing, by Eliot Weinberger. He writes very short, poetic essays that are kind ( Read more... )

Keith Ratzlaff has a new book. He's one of my favorite poets, and his Man Under Pear Tree is one of my favorite poetry collections. I missed him, but now he is back.

Here's a poem from his new book:

The Struggle between Plenty and ThankfulnessToday when I framed ( Read more... )

A blue whale's tongue weighs six thousand pounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xry-GZq1LV4

(Also, Brian, Rachel: what's up with the face mask? Any idea? Is it just one of those things?)

I don't do these things normally, but softlykarou posted one I can get behind. Here's my favorite poem. I think I've made everyone I know read it or listen to me read it in public at some time or another, but too bad you're getting it again.

The Sudden Light and the Trees
by Stephen Dunn

Syracuse, 1969My neighbor ( Read more... )

Sometime earlier this year I mentioned to my grandma, in passing, that I'd like to learn bridge ( Read more... )

So I asked out that girl I've been crazy about and she turned me down. There's not much of a story there except that when I kissed her I missed her mouth and feel kind of dumb about that, because if I'm only going to get to kiss her once, ever, I would have liked it to be on the lips.

6. My mom decided, while the turducken was cooking, that its name was Herman, and kept referring to "him" as such ( Read more... )