Excuses, Excuses

Oh, Tenants! You know how it is: midterms and job candidates and receptions and conferences hither and yon and grad applications and snowy days and sunny days and the blooming of the pussy willow. But you've not been forgotten. Not one bit and here, now, is a little update on, well, everything.

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First things first, today is the day of our Very Special March 5 Event. What?, you say. Yep, today is our not-exactly-a-reunion-but-kind-of when we get a chance to show off the department and all the neato stuff we're up to and then listen to former prof Bill French as he explains everything we need to know about Julius Caesar, the play not the guy, or the play and the guy, but definitely the play, which the CAC is performing this very evening.

So why not come to Colson Hall and hang out with us this afternoon? You know you want to.

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In fact, people like hanging out with us so much, that a bunch of creative writing alumni and friends of the program joined us in DC in February for part one of our 10th anniversary celebration of the MFA program.

And guess what? We got to meet Mark Brazaitis' mom and see the house where he grew up! Yes! Fascinating! Mark's mom even told me a couple of stories about The Young Mark Brazaitis (kind of like Young Abe Lincoln or Young Thomas Edison... I'm thinkin' there could be a movie), but those are Top Secret, so you'll have to talk to me privately if you want to know any more.

Anyway, it was quite a party with lots of food (thanks, Mom!) and heartfelt testimonials by current and former MFAs and an appearance by the one and only Gail Adams. Isn't she the best? We certainly think so.

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And speaking of creative writing, last night was the COW reading at Zenclay... and the turnout was truly impressive, as was the writing, of course. There were also some, um, interesting raffle prizes, as described on the blog a few days ago... and some, um, interesting introductions by emcee Alex Berge and shadow-emcee Aaron Rote. I'd go into detail... but I just can't. You pretty much had to be there.

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Just like you'll want to be at this Monday night's Sturm reading featuring nonfiction writer Randall Kenan. Time and place: 7:30 p.m. in the Gold Ballroom. Will there be any of those cute like WV cookies? Oh, come on now, you know the answer to that!

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Ok, finally, a picture of actual catkins, not from the pussy willow tree in my yard—couldn't get a good pic of that—but from a smaller version alongside the house. I'm assuming, based on what a neighbor told me, that former resident Wincie Carruth deserves the credit for today's catkins. According to said neighbor, who, by the way, walks the most darling little dogs—a Westie and a Scottie (who, again by the way, is nearly blind and so sometimes rides in a buggy of sorts... just to feel a little breeze in his fur...), Wincie was known for her roses and general green thumb and so maybe I could work on that this summer? All of South Park would be appreciative, especially if I could resurrect that yellow rose... that one really was so striking.