Full Plate

69º ~ sunny, sunny, and more sunny, no hint or sign of fall, despite what the advertisements on TV and in the paper claim

Ah, dear reader, it's that time of year again at the desk of the Kangaroo.  The time of year when anxiety and excitement overwhelm the heart.  Chaos and calm vie for the right to rule my blood pressure and my sleep.

Here's what's currently running through this spaghetti brain of mine:

1.  I'm blessed to have great poetry pals who will read two versions of my current manuscript and offer thoughts on which is stronger.  This goes back to the Great Manuscript Exchange, and I'm happy to report that progress is at hand.

2.  I graded one class set of papers over the weekend and have one to go for that assignment.  Three sections of another course will be turning in papers by midnight tonight...so Grade On.

3.  College football makes me happy in a conflicted sort of way...such brutal contact and such body damage and such primal competition.

4.  Baseball season is winding down.  I've lost track of the Cubs a bit since my boys were dispersed to other teams.  Good bye D-Lee, good bye TheRiot, my long favorites.  I'll catch up with the roster next spring.

5.  There are five book contests with deadlines of Sept. 30th that I feel I must enter.  This means landing on some solid ground concerning the manuscript ASAP. (See #1.)

6.  Ten days until Allison Joseph and Jon Tribble come to campus.  Woo Hoo!  Lots more to do, mostly trying to spread the word far and wide.

7.  Less than a month until I visit the University of Missouri Columbia to talk to a class about Blood Almanac and possibly read at a Columbia reading series (non-university affiliated).  Thanks to Steph K for adopting the book and being the liaison for the reading.

8.  Less than a month until I get to see my mom in St. Louis for a mother-daughter weekend.

9.  Less than a week until C. hits a milestone birthday and we celebrate with good friends by boating on Lake Ouachita.

10.  Look at the time!  Look at the time!  I've got to prep for classes, grade online quizzes, grade bushels of papers.  I've got to read the manuscript for the thousandth time and try to gain some objectivity over it.  I've got to read at least one book of poetry this month.  I've got to revise these new poems.  I've got to submit my summer poems.  ...  I've got to remember to breathe!