Schlafly Don’t Bother Me

I had a Schafly Oatmeal Stout for dinner. As a side I had spaghetti and meatballs.

I spent most of the day doing homework: reading Sula by Toni Morrison, creating a chapbook called Boundary-less Bodies, and starting a book called American Anatomies. The rest of the day I spent trying to figure out how to deal with a difficult situation: how do you address a situation in which people don’t realize they something entirely inappropriate?

Friday was PCM: Practical Criticism Midwest at BSU. Basically what that means is that all of us English folks go spend a whole day showing off our academic prowess. We then unwind by drinking wine and eating tiny sandwiches, fruit, and cookies.

The last part of the long, intellectual phallic strutting day is the Doggerel competition in which everyone tries to out do each other the opposite direction. And, let me tell you some people really out did themselves. Typically, of course, one of the features of the Doggerel is that each participant actually writes their own original poetry—they don’t generally steal someone else’s poetry (originally written as a joke)  in order to humiliate them. Doggerel is supposed to be funny, witty, and crass. I think it is safe to say that with few exceptions the MC and the judges were the funniest part.

Perhaps, they can do better next year, and with any luck, I won’t be there to know.

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On Monday, after being sick for about two weeks, I get to start running again. I would love to remain healthy for the time remaining until the mini-marathon. I would have kept running while I was sick this time, but I had goop in my lungs. Every morning I cough up enough phlegm to make me ease off running until I was only expectorating a bowlful or so with each cough.

I need new running shoes, too. My favorites have worn through the ball on the right foot. I am hoping to find some new ones on-line. I think these may be the ones I buy when my ship comes in.

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Next Wednesday Elizabeth, Sarah, and I leave for Chicago. I already wrote about how much I am looking forward to leaving the humdrum of Muncie for the excitement of Chicago. What I haven’t written about is that I will get to hear people like Kim Addonizio, Joy Castro, Tyehimba Jess, Dorothy Allison, and Lucille Clifton read their own work or discuss writing.

Also, Art Spiegelman is the key-noter. If you don’t like to read, or if you only get to read one book about the Holocaust, I recommend reading Maus I and Maus II. They are graphic novels. Not really. They are two of the best graphic novels I have ever read.

Finally, I am drinking a Buffalo Bills Brewery Blueberry Oatmeal Stout for dessert.  A good end to a mediocre week.

But, next week will be better, and tomorrow I get to spend the day with my family while we go to see my grandma, so it can’t be bad.