A Congress of my past selves convenes Hotly debating how to appropriate The dull foul-smelling coins That make more jingling sound than they can buy — An outmoded currency, this rage. They argue from all the times I’ve switched selves That beliefs aren’t immutable. They stand me before a murder board As if I wereContinue reading “A Shutdown Poem”
Category Archives: Self-Absorption Dept.
The Annual Thanksgiving Letter
The other day I realized I hadn’t updated the blog in over a year. Partly it’s because I wanted to focus on writing books rather than blog posts. But this being the holiday time of year, I figure a blog post can function a bit like the traditional annual Christmas letter to sum up myContinue reading “The Annual Thanksgiving Letter”
I’m in Best American Essays 2011!
My essay “Farzad, Son of Glory,” is on the list of Notable Essays in Best American Essays 2011! This is pretty exciting, because when I started with creative writing a few years ago, that was a goal I had in mind for some misty far-off future era when I’d have toiled long and hard inContinue reading “I’m in Best American Essays 2011!”
May Concussions Bring, Um … Publishing Discussions?
It’s been an eventful spring and summer in some ways, so I thought I’d do another catch-up post. May: Concussion In mid-May I had an odd experience. I was coming home from a dinner with friends at restaurant downtown around 11:00 at night, and took the American University shuttle bus from the Tenleytown metro station,Continue reading “May Concussions Bring, Um … Publishing Discussions?”
Authenticity
After my marriage ended about a year ago, I had no real intention of dating, at least not through my own efforts. As it happened, I ended up doing a surprising amount of dating that just sort of happened without my feeling like I’d gone much out of my way to cause it. In thisContinue reading “Authenticity”
A Surefire Recipe for Unassailable Faith, Involving Four Judgments and a Vegetable Analogy
I have a new essay out, published in the latest issue of a literary magazine called Hotel Amerika, which is run by Columbia College in Chicago. The essay is called “A Surefire Recipe for Unassailable Faith, Involving Four Judgments and a Vegetable Analogy.” In it, I give my own homecooked recipe for getting faith andContinue reading “A Surefire Recipe for Unassailable Faith, Involving Four Judgments and a Vegetable Analogy”
A Catch-Up Post
Since I haven’t updated the blog in a few months, some catching up is in order. Here’s what’s been going on with me: September At the beginning of the month, I had an exciting work trip to Kansas City, Missouri. I hadn’t realized (as you probably hadn’t either) that Kansas City is actually a very coolContinue reading “A Catch-Up Post”
In Which the Author Loses Her Moonshine Virginity
(Quick announcement first: I’ve added a new section on Mormon-interest books to my “Recommended” page, in case anyone’s interested.) So, the weekend before last, Amandine and I drove down to Knoxville, TN, so she could spend some time with her dad. The drive was long (8 1/2 hours), but I dulled the pain somewhat with oneContinue reading “In Which the Author Loses Her Moonshine Virginity”
Independence Day and NYC Trip Report
Happy Fourth of July! Some good news to share: Starting next month I’ll be joining the ranks of the (fully and gainfully) employed. I’ve accepted an offer from a federal government agency and will be going back into my old line of work as a program analyst (subject, of course, to background checks and paperwork,Continue reading “Independence Day and NYC Trip Report”
Happy 101 Sweet Friends
Chanson of Letters from a Broad has memed me. I am flattered to be memed, plus meming people back is much easier than thinking of a blog post on my own, so here goes. (For opaque reasons, the meme is called “Happy 101 Sweet Friends,” hence the title of my post.) The instructions are: List 10Continue reading “Happy 101 Sweet Friends”
Therese Doucet 