Five Things that Don't Suck, Almost-All-Appetizer Chinese Feast Edition

1. pea shoots in garlic
2. scallion pancakes
3. spicy cucumbers
4. edamame in spicy black pepper sauce
5. pan-fried chicken dumplings

Five Things that Don't Suck, Catching Up on Movies We Should Have Seen Decades Ago Edition

1. Cabaret
2. Dog Day Afternoon
3. The Godfather*
4. To Kill a Mockingbird**
5. The French Connection

*I know, I know
** just want to reassure all you literary types that I HAVE read the book; just hadn't seen the movie until last night

Five Things that Don't Suck, Close But No Cigar Edition

1. my manuscript being named the 1st runner-up in a book prize from a major publisher for the 2nd time in a few months
2. my manuscript*
3. having a glass of wine big enough to serve as both celebration and consolation
4. being too tired to go get a second giant glass of wine
5. the notice this morning that Wheaton's main act for Spring Weekend has canceled his New England tour and is being replaced by CHIDDY BANG**

*I want to just write "TRUTH" here, but that makes it look like it's the title of my manuscript. Man, writing is hard.

**Mostly because I enjoy the thought of everyone in the SAIL office repeatedly saying, "CHIDDY BANG." Sorry, SAIL folk. You know I love you, but that's pretty damn funny.

Five Things that Don't Suck, Rainy Wednesday Edition

1. how happy the bees (old and new) seem
2. finishing a book that feels like an accomplishment*
3. the potential for getting my grading done before I leave campus this afternoon**
4. meerkats
5. a yard full of flowers getting a nice, gentle drink

*largely, it doesn't suck because I no longer need to be reading it
**please, everyone knock on wood RIGHT NOW

Five Things that Don't Suck, Earth Day Edition

1. trees
2. hugging said trees
3. not being allergic to trees
4. oxygen
5. compost

Five Things that Don't Suck, End-of-Lenten Resolutions Bargain Hunting Edition

1. half-price jelly beans
2. half-price Cadbury mini-eggs
3. half-price Cadbury caramel eggs
4. half-price, um, bunnies?
5. half-price peeps and Cadbury creme eggs, assuming that's how you roll.

Bonus: Process Notes for a Video Remix

Hey, all,

I don't often use this blog as promotional space, but Nic Sebastian over at The Poetry Storehouse has made a video remix of my poem "Secrets." Both the video and her notes on making it are available here. I have other poems up on The Poetry Storehouse website, too--check them out if you want, with audio or without, and read about how to use any of the work on the site in your own project. There is some super-cool stuff going on over there, let me tell you. My thanks to Nic--and to all of you.

You may now return to your marshmallow bunnies and hams. Or whatever it is you people do. I probably don't want to know.

Five Things that Don't Suck, Bunny Trail Edition

1. jelly beans
2. Cadbury mini eggs
3. Cadbury caramel eggs
4. bunnies
5. not having to include Peeps or Cadbury creme eggs on this list because it's my list and both of those things kind of gross me out*

*although I will stand by your right to assert that they don't suck--their factories employ people; the Peeps diorama contest is a ball every year; blah, blah, blah