I'm here! I'm here.

In December, I kept saying to friends "January...January will be a chance to focus." And in a way it was: I kept my schedule relatively clear, and spent a little more time puttering around at home to my heart's delight. I also took on approxmiately 1.2 zillion prose projects, the last of which I finished at 5:30 AM this morning. I am so very ready to go home and curl up with my Washington Post, my glass of wine, and my episode of House.

It's true that I wouldn't have pushed my last deadline to the wire had I not spent much of the weekend carousing with folks from Writer's Center and enjoying the Philip Lopate reading on Saturday night. But it was worth it. I have to say, when you find an opportunity to volunteer with a group that really clicks--that has good leadership, a sense or urgency, and an openness to trying new things--it doesn't feel like service. It feels like vocation. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to join the Board last year, and help welcome Charlie to the DC literary community, where he was most sorely needed.

If you live in New York, know that I'll be headed up your way on Friday for this little shindig:

February 6, 2008 - 8 PM

Earshot Reading Series
with Sandra Beasley, Daniel Scott, Claudia Cortese,
Nicole Bufanio and Andriano Rizos

at Rose Live Music
345 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY

-$5 cover includes a free drink-

I'm really looking forward to this trip. Later that night, I'll be crashing on the floor of my sister's dorm room at Sarah Lawrence. Earlier that day, I'll be having lunch in a fine downtown establishment with...oh, oh, but I can't tell you about that part yet. And by Saturday afternoon I'll be enjoying "Cool Poets, Hot Poems, and English Tea" with David Lehman, Laura Cronk, Moira Egan and the sexiest poet of all, my friend (and soon-to-be-AWP-roommate) Carly. Not a bad way to spend 36 hours!