Wednesday, January 31, 2007

All has been quiet on the poetry front...

... it's rather creepy. To fight the boredom of waiting, I submitted to 17 journals this month. Hah. Not really a record. I actually hit an all-time record of 23 subs last August. I know. I'm creepy. But I'm willing to bet that you people out there are creepier than I am. For one, I'm environmentally conscious enough to collect my nail clippings in the husband's ashtray instead of letting them loose around the house.

That's probably the reason why the authorities have granted me....


Italian citizenship:

Wheeee! I was so relieved when the letter from the government arrived yesterday. I applied almost two years ago... and come March they asked me to ring the immigration office and request a follow-up on my 'ship. Thing is I've lost the phone number of the person I was supposed to contact.

So, I'm doubly pleased since I don't have to call anyone anymore. Having an Italian passport would permit to go to many parts of the world without requesting a visa (and getting interrogated regarding my dubious intentions) every time. Incidentally, it'll be the second time I change my citizenship. I just found out last year that I was a Taiwanese citizen at birth. Gaaaak. Why am I always the last one to know about these things? It was around that same time last year when I found out Neil Young was still alive. Right. Whatever.

30:30 update:

I'm soooooooooo overjoyed that this round is over.
Taking a break! Wheeee! I'm so fizzled, I keep smelling my hair burn. Poems list to date —

21. My Real Intention Was To Steal The Bucket
22. At the Check Out
23. (fear) of being watched
24. (a fear) of rabbits
25. Laguna Palace, Mestre
26. A Night in the Suburbs
27. What My Elbows Say About The Afterlife
28. (a fear of) the man richard
29. On the 29th Day
30. This Much Is True

Teehee. There's a fear mania going on there. It's one of the things I love about 30:30... we tend to get rather obsessed over the same things. Really great interaction!

I've gone over the edge with the man Richard again. Must be a hang-up of some sort since Valerie and I never got to finish our story about him pinning tails on donkeys.

Amazon shopping:

Since "school" starts tomorrow at Steve's workshop, I bought some books we've been assigned to read plus other things I've been wanting to get for some time:

Nine Gates by Jane Hirshfield
The Birth of Tragedy by Friedrich Nietzsche
Proofs and Theories by Louise Gluck
The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Skin: The Complete Guide to Digitally Lighting, Photographing, and Retouching Faces and Bodies by Lee Varis
Selected and New Poems (Pitt Poetry Series) by Denise Duhamel
Amnesia by Jonah Winter
The Fever Almanac by Kristy Bowen

6 comments:

Ivy said...

Congrats on the citizenship, Arlene! Yay!

And nice book list, too.

michi said...

yesyesyes!!!!! good omens!!! yesyesyes!!! love it love it love it.

okay. that out of the way - 17 subs eh? jeeeeez. and i think 10 is a lot.

and hooooooray re the citizenship! what are you still doing there anyway? get your arse over here, dearest darling wifey!

update: neil young i still alive even now. as is paul mccartney. and prince charles. no, sorry, nietzsche is dead.

there is a poem there in those nail clippings, you know. i may have to return to this for inspiration at some point.

huggles,

m x

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Interesting list. I can't say enough great things about the books by Hirshfield, Nietzsche, and Gluck. If you've not already read them, you won't be sorry.

Rachel Mallino said...

I already started reading the Hirshfield and am loving it so far, especially her breakdown on concentration.

Gosh Arlene, I wish I had 17 poems to actually submit! I envy you.

*rach*

*slvttd* is my word verification which sounds to me like slut in russian. What are they tryin to say?

Sandy said...

Wow, that's a lot of submissions Arlene. I sent out at least 10 last month but more rejections than acceptances. Your writing is so good though, I don't think you get very many rejections.

Squamish Writers Group said...

17! Wow, that's a lot. Do you submit 5-6 poems to each? Do you make simultaneous submissions? Just thinking that 17X5 is 85 poems sent out in one month.And you say your record was 23 last August- that's 115 poems sent out in one month. Phew girl - you rock!

Jude