Bye Bye 30

So in two days I turn the big 3-1. It's hard to believe and a few months ago when it hit me I kinda freaked, until I realized how much I have done in the last year. I got to see the launch of Columbia Poetry Review 20 which I co-edited, I completed my MFA, I had work published in MiPoesias and Buffalo Carp, I began teaching in the Hands on Stanzas program, I went on two Caribbean cruises, went to Door County, went snorkeling for the first time, went kayaking for the first time (both in Lake Michigan and the Gulf of Mexico), I've done a lot of wine tasting (a lot), went skiing for the first time, ate some amazing meals, finally saw a lunar eclipse, got a ds and a wii (totally hooked on video games again), took a bookmaking class which was incredible, learned a lot of new crochet stitches and made a lot of stuff, figured out what I want to be when I grow up, applied to grad school all over again and got accepted by both programs, joined a gym, bought a home, got engaged, and along with my amazing fiance, have almost completely planned a wedding. I gotta say it's been a damn good year for this girl and I'm looking forward to everything 31's gonna bring.

I was the girl in the stall between them!

A couple of weeks ago we went to see the Blackhawks kick some Detroit butt. After the game I used the washroom and here's what I heard.

Graduate School, part 2

So, I got the news today. I have been accepted to DePaul's graduate program in Student Affairs. I'm hoping this time around I will be able to get a job that will pay for the degree, I'm pretty sure it will.

Weathering the whether

It's been a long winter, and April being my birthmonth, I'm determined to see and feel spring. I have pulled the pedal pushers from the bottoms of my drawers and started packing up the sweaters for summer storage. We've been working through the cold months planning the wedding and thinking long and hard about our collective future, you know, the ever-pressing question of what we want to be when we grow up. A few months ago I finally figured it all out (for myself at least, the better half is still working it all out on his end). For my part I have been setting up the pieces to put my plan in motion, more on that later. The biggest variable remains how to support this endeavor, both with experience and money. Unfortunately, people who have no idea what I am working for (and quite frankly don't care) have had too much say in my future, and it has been hard trying to figure out where I can go from here. But I've done a rare thing for me and decided to stand up for myself and say something to someone.

But yeah, it's been a long winter. The last few weeks, snow and wind have managed to wedge themselves between a few nice days and seem to just be a reminder of how heavy some things can feel. Right now though, this is my favorite kind of weather. Flashes of lightning are breaking the darkness of the evening at home and thunder's pounding. Soon a steady tapping will splash the windows. I love the energy of a good storm, the feel of a spring shower and the smell of wet concrete. There is truly no greater relief. Perhaps I've been looking at things all wrong, maybe a few nice days have managed to wedge themselves between the snow and wind. Maybe, but all I know is right now I have the rain and I am going to bask in it.

TV meme, blar

Empire Magazine has revealed its list of the "50 Greatest TV Shows" ever. Below is the list and here be the rules.

1. Italicize the shows of which you've watched every episode
2. Bold the shows of which you've seen at least one episode
2a. Star the shows you consider "top 50"
3. Post your answers

50. Quantum Leap*
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex & The City

45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek *
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers

40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python's Flying Circus *
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm *
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation *
36. Father Ted

35. Alias
34. Frasier *
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood

30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under *
26. Red Dwarf

25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office UK *
22. The Shield
21. Angel

20. Blackadder *
19. Scrubs *
18. Arrested Development *
17. South Park *
16.Doctor Who *

15. Heroes
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica
12. Family Guy *
11. Seinfeld *

10. Spaced
09. The X-Files
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24

05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
01. The Simpsons *