tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post5503988665176971695..comments2024-03-28T02:14:08.783-07:00Comments on THE MFA BLOG: MFA Blog Addictions...Tom Kealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11913868167191023096noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-72399734225140026742010-04-01T23:15:00.853-07:002010-04-01T23:15:00.853-07:00Hi,
You have a nice blog. I'm always interest...Hi,<br /><br />You have a nice blog. I'm always interested in gathering details on panic attacks and stumbled upon this http://panicfreeme.com. It seems to be a good website with important details on panic attacks.camilynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01024263073326014593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-55889232885782799142008-03-17T14:16:00.000-07:002008-03-17T14:16:00.000-07:00My name is Sarah, and I am new to this world. theg...My name is Sarah, and I am new to this world. thegradcafe.com was my gateway drug, introduced to me last week by a friend waiting to hear from English PhD s. Just say no, just say no, I whispered over and over. But I was too enticed. I gave myself over to it and then quickly moved on from there to Seth Abramson's blog, which has given me many reasons to give up and start looking for a nannying job for the fall. Now I am here, typing this pathetic posting while I watch the clock clicking toward 2:15, when the mail comes. I have never been so miserable.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687822187496671255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-41441379220518711192008-03-15T15:11:00.000-07:002008-03-15T15:11:00.000-07:00If anyone has a blog addiction, rather than going ...If anyone has a blog addiction, rather than going to the blog every 3 minutes, enter the blog address and then your email at http://rssfwd.com - it'll automatically email you new postings. very helpful if you prefer email to feedreaders, which I do.warmaidenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08391769344411207864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-86793533289376377252008-03-08T14:00:00.000-08:002008-03-08T14:00:00.000-08:00I'm (re)reading Pam Huston's collection, Cowboys A...I'm (re)reading Pam Huston's collection, <I>Cowboys Are My Weakness</I> it a really fabulous collection of short stories. And I'm working through <I>The List</I> by Tara Ison (novel).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18382258703126540760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-61423778490430911702008-03-04T17:31:00.000-08:002008-03-04T17:31:00.000-08:00Writers, like all human beings (especially creativ...Writers, like all human beings (especially creative ones) can be eccentric.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11939556181617016148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-81352855716061852862008-02-29T15:42:00.000-08:002008-02-29T15:42:00.000-08:00Mumkin--Yeah, The Thorn Birds is pretty good so fa...Mumkin--<BR/>Yeah, The Thorn Birds is pretty good so far. I'm still at the beginning. Sometimes you just need a juicy epic novel. My mom always tells me to read Clan of the Cave Bear but I haven't yet.Babellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13357366139637270597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-58336793625714533942008-02-29T12:01:00.000-08:002008-02-29T12:01:00.000-08:00Samara,I love The Thorn Birds! Hope you're enjoyi...Samara,<BR/><BR/>I love The Thorn Birds! Hope you're enjoying it. Maybe I should dig out my old copy to take my mind off the waiting game, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-32540060374087337822008-02-28T10:35:00.000-08:002008-02-28T10:35:00.000-08:00ksy979--I feel the same way. I'm not reading anyth...ksy979--<BR/>I feel the same way. I'm not reading anything by anyone in the programs I haven't heard from yet, just out of superstition. When I was applying, I couldn't read my recommenders' work--it was painfully good. But when I'm able to set aside my own insecurities and just enjoy good writing, it serves to inspire me and remind me how much a part of me this whole writing thing is.Babellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13357366139637270597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-23320247087449836022008-02-28T09:40:00.000-08:002008-02-28T09:40:00.000-08:00Sorry if I post this twice--having some problems w...Sorry if I post this twice--having some problems with the internet.<BR/><BR/>Towelhead is turning out to be a great, albeit extremely disturbing, read. I can't put it down.<BR/><BR/>I have been looking at my own stories in the harshest of lights lately, and I thought the last thing I'd want to do is read others' (superior) work. But reading is proving to be a salve for my wounded ego. When I am inspired by literature, I remember the real reason why I'm doing all of this, and it has nothing to do with an arbitrary measurement of how good my writing is.<BR/><BR/>That doesn't mean I'm not in a panic that I haven't received calls from Brooklyn or Iowa, but, you know, it's a start.KSY979https://www.blogger.com/profile/13988997660753948767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-47182844093090104312008-02-28T09:08:00.000-08:002008-02-28T09:08:00.000-08:00Elizabeth--I've been reading The Thornbirds for es...Elizabeth--I've been reading The Thornbirds for escapism. I started The Pillars of the Earth but had trouble getting into it.Babellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13357366139637270597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-80907311921732695082008-02-27T09:53:00.000-08:002008-02-27T09:53:00.000-08:00Can we maybe get a new mailbag, please? I'm sure ...Can we maybe get a new mailbag, please? I'm sure that a lot of us have questions related to deciding on schools, coping with rejection, etc.<BR/><BR/>Thanks.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09025596238487480967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-25333019228533766222008-02-27T05:34:00.000-08:002008-02-27T05:34:00.000-08:00Maybe reading books with writer protagonists would...Maybe reading books with writer protagonists would be helpful. Two suggestions:<BR/>- The World According to Garp by John Irving (one of my all-time favorites)<BR/>- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (what I'm currently reading)Lucy Bryan Malenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499619159332322621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-62263852814037315592008-02-26T22:35:00.000-08:002008-02-26T22:35:00.000-08:00Hey all,I've been testing out yoga to try and work...Hey all,<BR/>I've been testing out yoga to try and work with the waiting-period stress (and because I'd like to be able to touch my toes). I've gotten no official responses yet, but have sufficiently freaked myself out by looking at the blogs that I'll be rejected from all 12 schools and will have noplace to go. And I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one who is finding it hard as Hades to write right now. For reading material I suggest Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth." It's not earthshattering fiction but I found it really nice to have something I didn't have to think too hard about right now. Oh please, let at least one phone call come.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13889296708935648435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-44852141868034610152008-02-26T14:59:00.000-08:002008-02-26T14:59:00.000-08:00I second the vegetarian cooking--I recommend anyth...I second the vegetarian cooking--I recommend anything by Deborah Madison. I've been on a mushroom crepe kick. Yep. Cooking with a big glass of red wine and some old school R.E.M. or some good jazz is my perfect night. And letting my husband clean up.Babellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13357366139637270597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-49870509592813007952008-02-26T13:32:00.000-08:002008-02-26T13:32:00.000-08:00Don't feel bad, spill, I, um, haven't read Lolita ...Don't feel bad, spill, I, um, haven't read Lolita either. I bet some lurking professor will figure out who I am and make sure I receive a rejection. Crap. <BR/><BR/>As far as other distractions, I recommend the following for a guaranteed night of fun: a bottle of wine, an empty house, a playlist of diva power ballads (aretha, whitney, etc.), and a wooden spoon (as your microphone, of course). Hours of fun, my friends. Hours of fun.KSY979https://www.blogger.com/profile/13988997660753948767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-47632955700991946572008-02-26T13:11:00.000-08:002008-02-26T13:11:00.000-08:00I totally agree with you, Samara. And the communit...I totally agree with you, Samara. And the community has been so helpful during this whole process. When I'm not torturing myself searching for others' acceptances, I take comfort in the fact that others are going through the same thing. It's like a rite of passage. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, Towelhead is about a 13 year old girl whose Irish mother sends her to live with her Lebanese father in Texas. Alan Ball adapted it into a movie coming out this year. <BR/><BR/>My friend has been pushing me to read Erian's short stories for some time, but I think I need a good, engaging novel right now. I haven't really been able to get into anything since I read Coatzee's Slow Man a few months ago.KSY979https://www.blogger.com/profile/13988997660753948767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-28489458565719957292008-02-26T13:10:00.000-08:002008-02-26T13:10:00.000-08:00KSY979:I have "Towelhead" but I haven't read it ye...KSY979:<BR/>I have "Towelhead" but I haven't read it yet...it's in my stack of to-read-next. I discovered Erian when I was reading "The Worst Years of Your Life" (a collection of short stories by Mark Jude Poirier). One of her stories ("Alcatraz") is in there--it was great--so I decided to look for more of her work. Let us know what you think of it!<BR/><BR/>I am currently reading "Lolita." I must confess that this is my first time to read it. It is funny how there are some classics that you can just miss somehow. What are all of your thoughts on Lolita? I think it is lovely, but I am hating myself for feeling sympathy for the ever-so-twisted Humbert Humbert.spillinginkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16945505396249080245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-75613262698631300632008-02-26T12:56:00.000-08:002008-02-26T12:56:00.000-08:00What am I doing for fun these days? Hmmm. What is ...What am I doing for fun these days? Hmmm. What is this word you speak of... "fun"? <BR/><BR/>Just kidding. Obviously, I have to do fun things in order to keep from having a total nervous breakdown. They include:<BR/>- Eating Girl Scout Cookies, especially Caramel Delights.<BR/>- Experimenting with oil paints (I'm a watercolorist).<BR/>- Learning how to cook delicious vegetarian meals.<BR/>- Playing ultimate frisby.<BR/>- Kicking my husband's butt in Scrabble. <BR/>- Tracking democratic primary results.<BR/>- Writing (Yes, I've managed to continue writing, and yes, I still enjoy it).Lucy Bryan Malenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499619159332322621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-42479851417851206762008-02-26T11:52:00.000-08:002008-02-26T11:52:00.000-08:00No-I haven't heard of her! What is it about?You kn...No-I haven't heard of her! What is it about?<BR/><BR/>You know, it seems like one of the most important reasons people go to MFA programs is to be part of a community of writers--and nothing is more fun than writers talking about writers we love.Babellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13357366139637270597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-66367640695957436512008-02-26T11:26:00.000-08:002008-02-26T11:26:00.000-08:00side note: alicia erian was rejected by mfa progra...side note: alicia erian was rejected by mfa program after mfa program.KSY979https://www.blogger.com/profile/13988997660753948767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-82368564171831329182008-02-26T11:25:00.000-08:002008-02-26T11:25:00.000-08:00oh good, samara! i've been trying to get a thread ...oh good, samara! i've been trying to get a thread like this started for a while. <BR/><BR/>i'm about to start alicia erian's towelhead. has anyone heard anything about it?KSY979https://www.blogger.com/profile/13988997660753948767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-33705895929194528112008-02-26T11:16:00.000-08:002008-02-26T11:16:00.000-08:00Hey, this is off topic, but just to get our minds ...Hey, this is off topic, but just to get our minds off the suspense, I thought I'd ask if anyone was reading anything good. I just started "One Good Turn" by Kate Atkinson (a follow up to "Case Histories," which I liked) and have been reading a Richard Yates story collection my brother-in-law gave me. His story "Fun with a Stranger" blew me away. What else are people doing for fun these days?Babellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13357366139637270597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-87584678412734341382008-02-26T07:45:00.000-08:002008-02-26T07:45:00.000-08:00Mare--Good to know others are in the same boat! L...Mare--<BR/><BR/>Good to know others are in the same boat! Luckily I'm only applying in one area code, so there will be no taping of anything to the back of my phone. I do jump everytime someone calls me from work or a cellphone not already in my contacts, though. <BR/><BR/>And thanks for being so positive; it's very important! I myself have picked up Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones, because all this MFA stuff has been really making it difficult to write (I mean, since I *started* applying, like, a year and a half ago), and it's the first book that's helped me separate what I guess she would call "monkey mind" from the actual writing process. I know it's like, the old standby book on creative freedom and all that, but it's taken a LOAD of the pressure off by helping me see long-term instead of just what happens to my mailbox in March.lishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03647625031764576992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-62039801751451155132008-02-25T22:40:00.000-08:002008-02-25T22:40:00.000-08:00hi all!lis-- a professor of mine also turned me on...hi all!<BR/><BR/>lis-- a professor of mine also turned me on to all the MFA gossip and tracking going on on the web. I definitely lived to rue the day!<BR/>Thankfully he didn't tell me about taping area codes to the phone.<BR/><BR/>Having been through all this last year, all I can say is 1.) It's getting pretty close to being over (as you surely know, since you've memorized the timeline of all this and 2.) Congratulations on getting your work out there! <BR/><BR/>Someone will love it back! Now, if more than *one* someone loves it back, that's when it gets *really* bad...Marehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01011921312671139503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-40353965530715364902008-02-25T13:48:00.000-08:002008-02-25T13:48:00.000-08:00Having gone through all this hullabaloo last year,...Having gone through all this hullabaloo last year, you would think a girl could learn from the agony of checking the boards. Alas, no. And on a day of rare form when I thought I could quit, cold turkey, wash my hands of you, evil MFA boards that give me nothing but conjecture and excruciating eyeball pain, a former teacher of mine emails the link to seth's blog to me and says, "I don't know if you saw this, but it might keep you up to date!"<BR/><BR/>There should be a 12 step for this. With a pamphlet for friends and family.lishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03647625031764576992noreply@blogger.com