Interview and Chapbook

Even though I feel like I'm hopelessly slogging away in the trenches, it's nice to feel like I'm making a difference somewhere in the world. I've been teaching over in East Liverpool, OH this semester, and it's an hour and a half drive (one way) on Mondays and Wednesdays. Needless to say, I'm tired by the time I get there, and even more tired when I get home and get up to teach early the next day.

Plus...they're all Steelers fans over there. Snide, pompous, no gooders...makes me want to scream.

But aside from that, some days I wonder just what the heck I'm kidding myself about trying to become a teacher. Anyway, when these little things happen, it's nice and keeps me from totally throwing in the towel on academics. I wouldn't ask me what my stance on higher education is at the moment, you won't get a nice reply.

Here's a link to a goofy picture of me and an interview by one of my students.

http://easternflash.blogspot.com/

In other news, I should have a newly minted Chapbook from Plan B press coming out in December. I just signed the contract and felt like a big boy. You can get your copies from me for just a small price of 7 bucks. Just think, 7 dollars to have me warp your mind for the rest of your life. Not a bad trade off.

Speaking of that class in East Liverpool, I better get going.

To the Forefront Ladies, to the Forefront!

...I'm not really popular with the ladies, just a funny quote!

Shannon found my blog, so I guess I should write something in it! So yeah, lots of stuff has been happening lately. Shannon and I got married, and bought a sweet little cap cod in Norton. It's close to both of our places of employment, and has everything we wanted, or at least the shell of everything we wanted in order to improve upon: real fireplaces, a sweet little pavilion in the back, landscaping and greenery, a nice kitchen, three bedrooms, and at least a basement to work with. The story behind getting the house is way too long for this, but I'll tell you if you like someday. We love it! It's nice to have your own place to come home to, especially when you know that you're monthly payment is going towards actually owning something.

In publishing news, I've gotten a chapbook picked up by Plan B Press. "Opening Up the Trees" will be available sometime this fall!

I'll post a picture of the house later. Gotta get to work.

Not Really a Lazy Summer

Despite the fact that I'm always crazy with things to do, I've had some luck publishing some things. Two new poems are up for grabs in the print world:

Anon (a British rag, how fitting for me!) picked up two poems: "Another Version," and "A Note to a Dragonfly."

Pretty sweet!

In other news, I'm going to be taking on some HR duties at Clampco, my dad's factory. I figure this is a good way to get some professional experience under my belt while I'm slogging away in adjunct land. Might look good on the vitae when I have some more poems or a book published and I'm in the right place at the right time.

Some might say it's a career change, but for me, being a writer was never about sitting in a library or coffee shop all day and riffing off of ideas. My work has always come from things I live. And you can't get much more living than clocking in next to people who bleed blue collar work, and coming home with the smell of blueprint ink and the oil from roll form steel on your clothes. That's inspiration.

The best part about it is that I won't have to worry about money so much in the meantime, and Shannon and I can buy a house and start building something together. There will be more poems and ideas in that too. Poems are everywhere really, you just have to be open to them coming in different forms I guess.

Anyway. That's enough for now. Sorry about the picture being sideways, but I' too lazy to make it look good.

New Life and a Publication to boot? I'll take that!

So this was a good weekend! Aside from the absolute blur that comes with the planning, ceremony, and reception for a wedding, I'm totally excited to start a new life with my best friend. I'm a lucky guy. I really am.

We made it totally official yesterday and took the last step: changed Shannon's name from Barr to Venner, and I started moving in to her apartment. This is all good!

Despite the fact that I should be using this time to calculate final grades for my KSU students, what else is awesome is that Shannon's excited for me to start writing again. Hey, if you're an artist and you meet someone who wants you to be exactly what you are, don't let them get away, ever.

I got a poem picked up: Protestpoems.org took "This You Must Know," an old Revolution standby.

Anyway, thanks to every and all who came to my wedding.

Getting Married in Two Days!

...which is pretty cool!

I haven't posted anything in a long time. But, I did think this picture was appropriate. To all the people who make fun of me because of my little running socks, I guess you can say that old habits die hard.

I'm absolutely nuts right now. I've been teaching 5 sections and getting ready for a wedding and yet another move. It seems like my life has been nothing but one big change after another. But when I get frustrated, I have to remember to just let it all happen, and that I'd really wouldn't want it any other way.

On the poetry front, I've been working on some new chapbooks, but no one has seemed to want to accept any of my poetry lately. Eh, whatever. They're missing out.

Here's me and Shannon making fun of my mom's milk glass collection. I have a real big problem with it for some reason. Hideous!

This is supposed to make me feel good?

I'm going running for the first time in about two months today...in the complete brutal cold and blowing wind. It's kinda how I've always done things though, "against the wind," like that song. Is it Bob Seeger? But at least I'll be doing it with Shannon's brother, so I won't be alone! I'm glad I have someone to run with now. Makes it easier to exercise, and I need all I can get right now!

Man. Crazy!