Well, I finally finally heard word from one of the colleges I applied to teach at full-time. It was the school where I thought I had the best chance at getting an interview, since I've taught there before as an adjunct and have a friend on the hiring committee, but no, instead a polite little letter saying nix. I'm trying to not feel upset and instead think about nm's recent exhortation to "start thinking outside the fucking box" (meaning academia) [if only I didn't feel like someone who could become an excellent teacher]... hmmmm, I wonder if I could sell my body for lewd lesbo artwhore action on a local streetcorner? Or something commercially equivalent?

Anyhow, on a cheerier note, maybe I'll post the pieces I put together for nm's birthday (which includes the haiku-photo of the previous post). This project was constraint-based and here are the rules I drummed up.

Constraints mostly decided upon beforehand, re: the Project of Celebrating Ms. Martinez’s 30th Birthday & Her Presence Here in General or Specific, Etc:

-All elements must be derived from photos taken in a 1 hour time-span of the following ambulation: E .25 miles, S .5 miles, W .25 miles, visit Louie, N .5 miles. In other words… all photos will be from Foster Beach, which is the photographer’s favorite 45-minute meander.

-Said photos must be predominately of graffiti, street art and local signage.

-In The Assemblage Phase, all Witte and Charme may be employed, but the results must be derived from aforementioned graffiti, street art and local signage.

-At least one haiku must ensue.

-One Spanish word must be found and used.

-Each letter of the alphabet must be a participant.

-Birds are a good thing.

-Go ahead and attempt a lipogram including only name-letters, in honor of our being named with letters. And sure, it’s hard since nm only has six consonants within her name - one a bloody Z for heaven’s sake - but sure… fine, no problem.

-Music of the utmost quality (preferably lent by Birthday Honorarium) must be listened to during The Assemblage Phase.

-Friendship in Specific must be revered during The Assemblage Phase.

*







p.s.

A: Yo, teach, you ever been married?
Me: No.
A: You ever lived with a boyfriend, with a, with...?
Me: A roommate?
A: No. I mean a...
Me: Partner? Yeah, sure I have.
A: Yeah, a partner. Ain't it a bitch? Clean up this, or clean up that. Then they're wanting you to...
G: Do everything.
A: Yeah, you got to get rid of that shit. Throw it right out the door.
G: Until you're calling them back saying "Hi sweetie, you going to be home tonight?"
A: Guess that's so. Guess that's the way it is, right, teach?
Me: Hey ladies, love it while you're still young and flexible.

p.s.s. what's up with H Clinton? Are we a back/forth monarchy or what? I don't like her (despite her femaleness and all), but what choice will there end up being?

p.p.s.p. I rented a moving-truck today, and negotiated the price down $150, which still involves me relying on other people's abilities (my family's) to make something significantly marketable. But hey. The process involved a phone and I was firm, so hey.