It's been a whirlwind of a first day, but experience has taught me that residency always goes too quickly. So, I'm trying to be present in every moment, in all conversation, and each lecture.
What a wonderful community Spalding fosters. Our beloved program director, Sena, begins each first dinner with the words, "Welcome Home." At my first residency, I thought that was silly and strange. I didn't understand that this community would quickly become my home. Sena's words, I now see, are well chosen and perfect for the environment. I am home. Home amongst like-minded writer folk who become just as excited about one single line as I do. Home alongside men and women who have 'other' careers that pay bills but hold out hope that their writing needs to be heard, read and enjoyed. It's a nice reminder of why I do what I do.
This residency is a touch bittersweet though because it is the last time I'll be here with the members of my class. Because of my Jappa move, I'll switch to extended semesters next summer and will attend my residency in Greece. I'm not complaining about the Grecian adventure, but it is sad to think I won't graduate with these folks. All the more reason to remain and maintain presence in every moment!
My brain if filled with craft words, those buzzy sorts of adjectives and adverbs that I always forget I know until I'm back home. Words like interiority to describe a character, structural elements, the narrative thread, the arch. I miss these words when I'm not here. I need to make a concerted effort to maintain a res mind when I go back to my city and my bill paying life.
Jappa is, of course, still on my mind. I have some manga comics to look through while I'm here. One of my res buddies spent a year teaching in Fukishima, so I've been picking his brain on things to do and places to visit. And of course, I've told everyone that I won't be here come next May, so I have many promises to follow this blog. It will be a crazy, wild experience to be sure. But it's something that I need to do. Earlier today, we workshopped a piece written by a woman who is currently living in Qatar. This is a global culture. I know that I will be able to continue my writing career with ease once I'm across the pond.
To that, I always pick up a piece of Spalding gear at residency. I've amassed a collection of t-shirts, a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants. Forlornly, I walked past the bookstore today, not sure if I should pick up any new swag. I'm trying to take only one suitcase with me on the move, so do I really need another piece of clothing?
Maybe that's part of the lesson I'm learning in the prep for this life change. All the stuff I think I need, all of the random dollars that have been gobbled at Target are really meaningless in the end. When I distill my life into the concept of taking only one suitcase, I realize I need my stones, my Sylvia and Ginny (stuffed cat/rabbit animals, respectively) this machine, my journal, running gear and my portable JBL speaker for tunes. (Can't live without music!) While the other things, fashionable clothes and shoes, scarves, my collection of mugs and all the fun art I've created over the years, are wonderful and have a place in life, they're all just ... things. Damn, that's pretty zen.
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