Apparently I've Been Busy

So...it's been a while. My last update was last summer, and it's almost this summer (Spring Break started today, actually). Here's what I've been up to:

AUGUST

Wentworth Institute of Technology

I got an email from Ron Bernier, Dean of the English department at Wentworth Institute of Technology. My poetry mate Lisa had been adjuncting (teaching part-time) there and I had sent an application letter for an open spot in, like, March 2012. Ron asked if I could come in for an interview that week in Boston. I was in McCall, Idaho, on family vacation, so obviously I said yes. I got in my car, drove to Boise, slept, drove three days across the country, slept, and went to my interview. Ron seemed nice, and once I told him I was going to be an adjunct professor at BU he was intrigued enough to give me a class. He gave me the option of English 100 or English 115, and I took 115 because it's an intro to literature class more than a first-year writing class.

Boston University

A few days later he called and asked if I wanted a second course. I like money, so I said, "Yes." Then BU called a few days later and asked if I wanted third course, so I said, "If you can make it Tue/Thu, then yes." So they made it Tue/Thu, and I said, "Yes." So last semester I ended up with five courses at two different universities. MWF I got up, drove to Wentworth, taught 9-10, took the T to BU, taught 11-12 and 12-1, took the T back to Wentworth, taught 2-3, and then proceeded to grade and attend volleyball, institute, or social functions/dates depending on the day. T/Th I took the bus to BU, taught 12:30-2, did a bunch of grading, and then went to Books and Basketball (a tutoring program I was called to run, in Roslindale, which is bloody forever away, for wards that aren't in our stake) or actual basketball. I've never been that swamped before, but I kept up on rent and fully paid off my London loan and two credit cards. I had great students, my favorite class being my T/Th class at BU, where I had a group of 8 or 9 kids in the theatre program. They started calling me Calvino after they saw my BU login information, and they called my class "How to Dress, with Calvin Olsen" once they had figured my style out (see Michael below). All in all, it was an insane-but-excellent semester. I'm glad it's over. I now have one course at BU and two at Wentworth (I had one at WIT, but Lisa got into a class at Harvard, so I took over her class).

Twinsies!

 

 

 SEPTEMBER

In September, I got asked by my ward's activities committee if I would help them write the 10-minute skit for the tri-ward campout (I didn't skinny dip this year, but I did help a group of my closest associates put a lobster in Carly Porter's sleeping bag). We had to include Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber (Beiber? Beeber? Be-br?), so...

This happened.
(Brandon, Megan, Me, Jake, Natalie)

OCTOBER

I gave a TED talk. Well, a TEDx talk. CLICK HERE TO SEE IT.

I got an email out of the blue from a producer at WGHB Boston (the broadcasting company that I had heard of at the tail end of my illegally-downloaded copy of AM Radio back in high school [whose music video I had never seen until now...it's amazing]).

NOVEMBER

I did a buttload of grading.

DECEMBER

I went home for Christmas break. It was really good. Highlights were...

Road-tripping to Vegas with Gage, Jared and Dad to watch Boise State win a great bowl game

Shooting with Jared and Chad

 



January

Ready for a new year, I...

 



Came back to Boston

Went to my buddy Justin's wedding

Started having picnics on the church rooftop

Went rollerblading. It had been years and years. Still a blast, still hurts my feet.

 

FEBRUARY

 I wrote a poem every day (a feat, let me tell you), and...

Painted a masterpiece. I call it "Moby Dick Vomiting Jonah, Sans Depth."
I only had a foam brush. When Allison willed me her painting things she failed to mention keeping the brushes.
Please notice the little lightning strikes at the top.

I painted my other masterpiece.
Just kidding, this is by my unbelievably talented friend, Adrienne Stein.
I finally got the chance to visit her again.

Got freakin' dumped on by Winter Storm Nemo.

 

Got a translation published in New Haven Review.

Took the time to read it.

 

Went on a Valentine's Day man date with Reedgis.

MARCH

So far this month, I...

Got to see my poetry mate Dan Kraines give a reading.
Please notice the interpretive photography I employed.

Made my way to the AWP Book Fair to buy poetry books and light a fire under my butt to revise and submit.

Hung out with Allison while she was visiting and finally saw the cool part of the Boston Public Library.

Actually spent more than thirty seconds downtown.

Finally took the time to visit Boston's famous Trinity Church.
One of its windows (no pic, too much light for my "smart" phone) easily makes my top five for stained glass.

So it's been an eventful few months. I'm waiting to hear back from some PhD programs (AKA once again in limbo, assuming I ever even leave limbo). I applied to twelve programs--six comparative literature and six in English with a creative dissertation. So far Hawaii, Denver, Columbia, Cornell, Houston, and Princeton have said no. USC, Harvard, Oxford (had a phone interview), Utah, Florida State, and Brown are silent as of yet. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

 

Things are good. Boston even gave me a sunrise a week or two ago (first time for everything). I'll leave you with that.

 

"You're welcome."  -Jesus