During the first two weeks of July 2015, I attended my first MFA residency at West Virginia Wesleyan College. I'm studying Poetry. Finally doing this is probably in the top best decisions I've ever made in my life - no exaggeration. It's up there with marrying my wife, serving my country, attending undergraduate college in the first place way back when there were lots of reasons not to.
2015, my 46th year, ranks for a few reasons as one of my worst and absolute best years of my life all at once. It's been a lovely go.
Committing to the MFA was not something I would have done had a life changing disappointment not been dumped into my world. We're often given 180-degree opportunities when life's brakes screech us to a halt and things break. So I took advantage of the panic and did what I'd been fantasizing about for years - acted on my passion. That was something I'd preached to many people for years. I believed it and thought I was walking the talk, as they say. But I wasn't. I was settling on working a job that let me writing some of the time.
But suddenly WITHOUT A JOB, the time had come to really act. Hey let's go do what we really want to do! Get that MFA and go write ALL THE DAMN TIME!
Luckily I have a wife who supports such a hair-brained idea and who believes in every word I tap out at three in the morning.
Since the endeavor began I've attended yet another residency during the first two weeks of January 2016, and survived. I've written and read more than at any time in my life. I'm understanding the craft of writing and poetry better with each week. I'm meeting and learning from mentors. I'm networking. Meeting friends in the field of my continuing passion. Most of all, I feel as if I've found a tribe I've sought out for years. I'm who I should have been a long time ago.
2015, my 46th year, ranks for a few reasons as one of my worst and absolute best years of my life all at once. It's been a lovely go.
Committing to the MFA was not something I would have done had a life changing disappointment not been dumped into my world. We're often given 180-degree opportunities when life's brakes screech us to a halt and things break. So I took advantage of the panic and did what I'd been fantasizing about for years - acted on my passion. That was something I'd preached to many people for years. I believed it and thought I was walking the talk, as they say. But I wasn't. I was settling on working a job that let me writing some of the time.
But suddenly WITHOUT A JOB, the time had come to really act. Hey let's go do what we really want to do! Get that MFA and go write ALL THE DAMN TIME!
Luckily I have a wife who supports such a hair-brained idea and who believes in every word I tap out at three in the morning.
Since the endeavor began I've attended yet another residency during the first two weeks of January 2016, and survived. I've written and read more than at any time in my life. I'm understanding the craft of writing and poetry better with each week. I'm meeting and learning from mentors. I'm networking. Meeting friends in the field of my continuing passion. Most of all, I feel as if I've found a tribe I've sought out for years. I'm who I should have been a long time ago.
