Confession Tuesday

From my trip to Alaska. When I took this photo, I was thinking about Confession Tuesday.

So there's my first confession, there's a lot going on in the world, so let's begin.


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There's been a big brouhaha over Seth Abramson's new business about helping writers apply to MFA programs. If you don't know about what's going on, consider yourself lucky because honestly, it's much ado over nothing. If you want to find out what's going on, read more here, and here.

I confess, I'm kind of a live and live girl myself. And while I see the irony & humor in a potential MFA student who can't write their own personal statement (um, maybe you *shouldn't* be applying for an MFA program if this is a problem for you), it makes no difference to my life whether Seth has this business or not.

Honestly, it's hard being a poet. And when I say "being a poet," I mean trying to squeak by on what we're paid. I mean, not paid. I teach in various ways to make extra cash. I confess, when things weren't very good financially for us, I used to take a box around the house and fill it with items I could sell on eBay. I remember when my husband noticed the anniversary gift I gave him (the vintage lighter that looked like the helm of a ship) was gone. You do what you have to do. We had bills. I cleaned house.

So while it's easy to take someone down for trying something new, something you don't agree with, it's actually easier (and better for your health) just so say, "interesting," or perhaps, "interesting, I wouldn't do that, but interesting" and move on with your life already in progress.

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I confess I'm always amazed how people grow a backbone on the internet.


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I confess when I pay my bills, I use The Simpson stamps.

And when I'm paying for a bill I'm either not happy about or was higher than I hoped, I put the "Homer Simpson making the 'Doh! face" stamp on it. When I like the company, such as a donation or our water bill (our cheapest bill since we don't use our dishwasher- consider this an extra confession for the day), I use the happy baby Maggie stamp.


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I confess I just learned that my very favorite magazine is back in business (and I know how much a dork this makes me look like, but honestly, I've spend most of my life having interests that a so-called "dork" would have ---i.e. rock collector, stamp collector, coin collector, orchestra-or "dorkestra" as they call it, poet (sorry, guys!), NPR nerd, watcher of Antique Roadshow, lover of big band music, documentary watcher, or the list goes on and on...) so I will tell you that my very favorite magazine of all times is none other than Victoria magazine.

And I know you probably haven't heard of it.

Here's a link to it if you want to know what it's about. Let's just say it has nothing to do with lingerie (that would be too edgy for me).

I have already signed up for a subscription. Forgive me.


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I confess this is the end of confessions. I'm going mountain biking today on my new bike. And I confess the best part of buying a bike from a small town is that the bike owner gave me his phone number and said he offers 24 hour FREE emergency road assistance (basically, he jumps in his truck and comes and picks me up) if anything happens to me or my bike while riding. Priceless! Gotta love these small towns!


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