Summering

The school year at Binghamton University is officially over in a month. I'm sure the next three years will fly also.

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Had an amazing spring break in Savannah with my brother and sister-in-law. Minus the pollen and the bugs, Savannah is one of my favorite cities. You really never run out of great things to do and see, and it literally has something for everyone.

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Got my contributor copies of Cave Wall the other day. The journal is slim, handsome, and full of good stuff.

I have two poems from the new manuscript within the pages. Thanks to Rhett for including me.

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Though we're still working on proofs for Ghost Lights, (mainly because I'm an editor's worst nightmare, as very few of my poems in the book, which I've probably mentioned before, are left justified) we're almost completely done at this point, and since the painting for the cover has been obtained, I can now show you what it's going to be. Again, thanks to Felicia for letting me use it. I love it, and I think it works perfectly with the book.

Bear is working on a cover design now. The back cover and blurbs are pretty much set, but we're trying to make sure everything on the front meshes well with the images, as far as the font and color scheme.

Needless to say, I'm thrilled with how everything's coming together.

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The new manuscript also seems to be coming together, now that I'm working closely with Joe Weil on it.

I've written a new poem (with at least a few more to follow), continue to edit many of the poems, and have shifted many of the poems around in different sections (which works a lot better than it did before).

I hope it's close to becoming a legitimate contender by the end of summer or before.

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The Days of Heaven (yes, the image at the top of my blog is from the film) Blu-ray is now officially one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen in my entire life.

Campos

Just watched Afterschool. After seeing The Last 15, I was expecting a lot from it. Though it didn't deliver as much as I'd hoped, I enjoyed it. Antonio Campos has balls, he's young, and he's doing his best to tackle important issues artfully and, dare I say, a bit recklessly, which I love.

You can say that for a lot of directors, I'm sure, but keep your eye on this guy.

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Also saw Chungking Express (finally for the first time). Now I know why people have been talking about it for all these years. A beautiful, original, and thought-provoking film that I'll be seeing again in the future for sure.

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Got my contributor copies of Phoebe yesterday in the mail. Looks great. A wild mix of styles too. Thanks again to Moriah and the rest of the editors. They did a nice job.

And there's a bonus poster in the inside pages of another piece of art from the artist who did the cover. I've never seen that before, and I love it. Maybe this will be a new bonus for contributors and subscribers if journals have enough money to do it. It's a great idea.

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The plane ticket has been purchased for my week in Savannah with my brother and sister-in-law.

I love Savannah and wish we were closer to it.

They're most likely moving back somewhere north in the summer, so this may be my last time to go.

Needless to say, I'm excited.

Raleigh Durham

I believe what was probably my 5th or 6th All About Beer Festival is now over. It was definitely one of the best. And quite possible my last. And now because I gained too much weight after eating a lot of shitty food and drinking too much, I have to get on the horn and shed the pounds.

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Has anyone ever been to a Loco Pops? There are only four locations, all in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, and it's a mind blowing place. Gourmet Popsicles. I had a Cherry Hibiscus yesterday. I saw Blueberry Thyme. Lavender Pear. There are sugar-based and cream-based. And they're amazing. I don't understand how it's done or how they're so good.

If you're in those areas, make sure you hit one of them up and grab yourself about fifteen. You won't regret it.

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A lot to get done this week. Leaving on Thursday for my Savannah. Celebrating Thursday night. Friday night will be more low-key. And of course celebrating Saturday night post-wedding.

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I'm also going on temporary hiatus from the first book interviews until I can get about ten sets of questions or so to poets. Again, this week is going to be busy, though next week I should be able to take some time, sit down, read, enjoy, get questions together, and get them sent to poets who have been owed questions for a long, long time. Maybe even more than ten sets of questions. I'll update when I'm back in full swing.

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I need to write new poems.