People Who Move Too Much

Can you believe we’re thinking of moving again? Okay, not just thinking, actively planning. Napa has some of the best weather I’ve ever experienced, but apparently, beautiful weather is not enough to keep us rooted. Do you know I have to drive over an hour in any direction to get to any kind of poetry reading? (With the exception of the Napa Writers Conference, which, let’s face it, only comes around once a year.) If you like olive oil and wine, forgetaboutit – this is your place. But poetry?
So we started making a list of things we wanted to do before we moved, like visit SPD in Berkeley and Muir Woods, visit some of the SF museums we haven’t made it to yet, drive out to Point Reyes. My repeated ankle injuries have made more nature-hikey-kinds of visits difficult this past year, but I think I’m recovering from the latest (some kind of weird tendonitis) and anxious to enjoy some of the amazing scenery along the coast. It was 110 here yesterday, so I think we have some summer left to do these kinds of things. September is San Francisco’s summertime.
Remember I told you I was reading through all kinds of writing about writers? I’ve read two of Lorrie Moore’s short story collections (“Self-Help” and “Like Life”) and I’m reading “How to Become a Famous Novelist,” which is fairly amusing (though male-centric.) Apparently someone said Lorrie Moore was to blame for all MFA fiction students using the second person. I love using the second person in poetry, but I didn’t have anyone to blame until now. I’m trying to write some poetry book reviews, too, in my spare time. And I’m trying a little fiction/personal essay writing.

Speaking of moving, I don’t want to move all my lit mags (and I subscribe to like, two billion) so if you want me to send you a pack of 3-5 fairly recent literary magazines for the cost of shipping ($5 Paypal,) let me know.

Tic tic tic. The clock is counting down our final days in sunny-but-expensive California. The boxes are out. The hunt for a new apartment is on. A PO box has been procured.