Punk Mandolin Equals Awesome Mandolin

In short, the Dropkick Murphys are my new favourite band.

In long[er]:

Exactly one week ago I received a letter in the mail from Queens University of Charlotte. Queens is one of the places I applied to for the MFA program, so I was getting all excited about opening the envelope. The size of the envelope really should have been a clue. Inside was merely a letter stating that my application had been received, and would I be so kind as to send transcripts if I had not already, as well as the necessary letters of recommendation. But but but... I SENT all those, thought I, slightly disappointed. So I checked my calender and realized the letter had been sent roughly a week and a half prior. Probably immediately after my application reached them. In addition to that, they mentioned that it would take approximately eight weeks to reach a decision.

At least it wasn't bad news. It was just a gentle confirmation.

On Wednesday, one day after I received that letter in the mail, I received an email from Queens. I have been accepted into their MFA program! In addition, I have been accepted in both poetry and fiction. Both. Both. I don't know exactly what to think of this. It is extraordinary. I will now reveal that Queens was my top MFA program choice. And I am in!

Don't Light A Bull's Horns On Fire (and other tips for university students)

1. Know how to write cheques.

2. Know how to use bank/credit cards.

3. Know your interests.

4. Know school requirements and graduation requirements—be your own advisor.

5. Go to class regularly.

6. Turn off your cellphone.

7. Know bus etiquette.

8. Learn early on how to use the libraries.

9. Show up for class on time. (Note: emergencies happen, and previous arrangements with professors are good.)

10. Keep a budget.

11. Don't leave class early. (See note in number nine.)

12. Do the homework.

13. Ask your questions.

14. If you have issues, speak them. Otherwise, you have only yourself to blame.

15. Know elevator etiquette.

16. Understand that this is university, therefore you must:

17. Work hard.

18. Be prepared to learn things on your own so you are ready for class.

19. Put effort in—you'll get more in return.

20. Speak to professors.

21. Pace yourself; schedule your time.

22. Do your own laundry.

23. Do your own dishes.

24. Clean your room on occasion.

25. Have one sincere hobby.

26. Learn about your school's resources—even the ones you don't use.

27. Know when to shut up.

28. Learn when to speak up.

29. Inspire your profs.

30. Draw inspiration from profs.

31. Respect others' time.

32. Know your limits.

33. Study every day, even if only for 15 minutes.

34. Respect animals.

35. Use mass transit.

36. Recycle.

37. Make copies and backups of important work.

38. Have questions.

39. Eat daily.

40. Do your own work.

41. Be a good student—if not for yourself, then for all the people who have to put up with you.

When it rains... When it shines?

So I made another shortlist. This time it's Arc Poetry Magazine's 11th annual Poem of the Year Contest. But I didn't just make the shortlist; I actually made the editor's choice category. Or is it the editors' choice? I've seen it written both ways for this contest. Either way, I made it into the top 50 poems of over 1100, and that's the best I've done to date. It makes me feel rather special, as Arc is a major Canadian journal. It's also a bit mind-blowing. I know that my poetry has improved over the past year, since I've been taking it more seriously, but to receive notice within the space of one week that I'm going to be published for the first as well as the second time? It's incredible. On one hand I feel so privileged, and on the other hand, there's this evil sneaking suspicion that maybe journals have lowered their standards to let me in. It's strange to have so little confidence; I'm not accustomed to this. I don't usually second-guess myself so much. Is a poet's life filled with ever-growing doubt? I think I'm willing to find out.

In other news, I saw a beautiful worm this morning. Just one, leisurely inching its way across the sidewalk. It was a soothing pinkbrown but neither fat nor skinny. Just a perfect little worm out for a morning slither. I liked that worm. It won't last long, as it was slithering away from the grass and protected spaces.

Has the streak ended?

I can't say for sure, but my shortlisting streak may have ended. At the very least, it has been interrupted... because my "poem(s) was selected by [the] judge for publication in The River: The Natchez Poetry Anthology." Yes! I will be published! In something that might be respectable! Of course, technically I am still just in one of the shortlisting categories (The Gold Collection or The Silver Collection). But publication? That makes a shortlister happy.

Not that the day started out on a low note, by any means. I had a good workout, turned in bursary applications, applied for a job, classes went well, I got my work contract, obtained a Social Insurance Number, I had a delicious dinner, had an extraordinary dessert... And then I opened my mail to discover that lowly little me will be published. You don't have to be excited for me, though. I am excited enough to carry me.

Hello, My Story Is...

I have a new obsession, I think. If doing something three times can be an obsession.

My new obsession can be found at the Winnipeg International Writers Festival website. Just go to the website, and find the "Hello, My Story Is..." link. And click that. And create the title of your autobiography. And maybe enter a brief description of your biography, perhaps explaining the title.

I have created three of these books so far. They should appear on the website sometime soon.

You create books, too, please. Please do. Otherwise, I'll have all the books there. (I plan to add books daily, if possible.)

But I'm not just doing this out of a freakish obsession. There's actually more to it! Participating in the biography project gives you a chance to WIN! BOOKS! From WRITERS! I'll take free books any day. Like the day at last year's Writers Festival when I won five or six books by the evening's featured authors. YEAH! Books are nutritious.

On an unrelated note, one is not permitted to sell ideas on eBay. Even if it's a real idea that one genuinely plans to sell. If one tries to sell such an idea, eBay cancels the listing. What kind of an auction site will not allow one to sell ideas? I will tell you: a capitalist American site, where ideas are of no value.

News, Naturally

I have decided which MFA program I want to attend. Of course, I still have to be accepted there, so I won't mention yet which program it is.

I am the queen of shortlists. Not because everything I write gets shortlisted, but because I never make it further than shortlists. However, three shortlists is good enough for me. There's the one I don't like to mention, there's the International 3-Day Novel Contest shortlist, and then there's the one I found out about earlier this week, which makes me rather excited. Yes, I made the shortlist for This Magazine's 10th Annual Great Canadian Literary Hunt, in the poetry category. I feel good about that.

Here's the news from this week that I don't feel good about: My colposcopy results are in. Now, my PAP smear showed slightly abnormal cells, but the colposcopy showed severely abnormal, precancerous cells. So I get to have another little procedure that will hopefully take care of that. At least I get to be anesthetized. I want to do some reading up on LLETZ (large loop excision of the transformation zone), the procedure I'll have, but it's hard to read about having a loop of wire scrape my insides. And then the cauterizing process. It sounds like FUN! (No.) Just one of those things that must be done, though. Especially with all the cancer genes in my family.

Let me leave on a more upbeat note: I was able to work out today, after about a year of not being able to work out. In the past couple of years, I have experienced two concussions, a broken foot, a broken leg, a torn ligament... um, I needed acupuncture, an MRI paid for by me... and I can't remember what else. Finally, I was given approval to use my legs again. Yay! Kicking back on the recumbent bike felt unnaturally good.