Just a quick self-plug that I’ll be once again part of Notre Dame’s Creative Writing Reading Series at Lula’s Cafe in South Bend on Wednesday, October 6th at 8pm along with Amy Marie Thomas (poetry) and Ruth Martini (prose).
Bring yourself, bring a friend, bring money for the fine and hospitable people of Lula’s Cafe.
More information on this and other readings can be found on the ND Creative Writing website (recently redesigned!)
I’ll be reading this Wednesday night at Lula’s Cafe in South Bend as part of Notre Dame’s MFA reading series. I’ll be there with Levi Sanchez & Elizabeth Franklin, two of my talented, prose-writing colleagues.
I’m terminally shy & congested with stage fright, but come on out anyway and enjoy the reading!
I received a call earlier this afternoon informing me that I have been accepted into Notre Dame’s MFA program!
Not really sure what to say, I’m still pretty much speechless and sure that at any moment they’re going to call back and say, ‘No, sorry, we meant to call the other Ryan Smith.”
It’s incredible that they’ve responded this early, but I was told that the selections committee all made identical initial picks, so that was pretty much that.
As sentimental as it may be, I do have to mention that today marks the anniversary of Jake’s death, which is a large reason that February is often a ‘bad month’ for me (the snow certainly doesn’t help). That the call came on today of all days means a great deal to me.
Well I’m sure my thousands and thousands of adoring fans are anxious waiting to hear how my day went, right?
Actually, overall, the experience was quite good. I’m still relatively sick, but the lady supervising the testing center was extremely amicable, pointing me to the center’s Kleenex that I was welcome to take in with me and even offered me a couple of cough drops from her own purse. Hard to complain about service like that!
The test was pretty much exactly what I expected, and I did about as well as I expected to do. I was done in a little under 2.5 hours, so don’t let the 4-hour full-length time scare you away; keep in mind I did the math portion in roughly 12 minutes (out of 40 I think).
One practice test I took that was adaptive and simulated the look and feel of the GRE scored me at both 620 and 600 the two times I took it (in regards the verbal section, AKA the only section that matters for me) and they were dead on, as I ended up with a verbal score of 610. Not spectacular, but not too shabby either. It should keep my application from getting weeded out right out of the gate, even at Notre Dame.
My math score….well. Suffice it to say it confirms my belief that I probably ‘do math’ at about a 7th grade level, but was also quite high considering I answered (mostly) at random, and I’m not kidding.
I managed to get to bed at around 1am, which probably sounds late but is actually extremely early for me, and didn’t have much trouble getting up at 7am to get to the testing center by 9. I’m feeling mostly better physically.
So, there’s the update. I wish I could say the hardest part was over but I’m still facing the logistical nightmare of organizing all ‘the other stuff’ – letters of recommendation, statement of purpose letters, getting my writing sample edited with (hopefully) my best stuff, etc. The worst part honestly is getting all the money together to pay for everything. It’s going to be about $45 for 5 official transcripts from IUSB, and about $235 in application fees if I end-up applying to all four schools I’m aiming at, which are: Notre Dame, IU Bloomington, Purdue (who has an MFA program, who knew? It’s the 6th best funded in the country, too. WTF?) and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which is even more expensive than Notre Dame (thank God ND waives tuition for its MFA program!).
The SAIC is the most expensive in terms of application fees ($80, ouch!) so they may not make the cut, mostly because I’m not sure I have a considerable shot at it, and even if they accepted me I have no idea how I’d afford tuition, much less living in Chicago. They suckered me in with beautiful, high-quality mailed materials that are full of gorgeous artwork and very impressive writing from their graduate students. I can’t help but apply. Their propaganda has worked!
Happy Halloween! It’s my favorite holiday! 
I’ll be working all night of course, but still.
Also, the obligatory: GO FIGHTING IRISH!
Notre Dame is undefeated on Halloween and until 2003 had a 13-game winning streak going on All Saints Day.
I think I was tagged on doing this thing; I usually think it’s a bit vapid but I’m doing it for the same reason most people do: I’m bored.
1. I have a mild yet extremely frustrating case of OCD. It takes a couple of forms — mainly it causes me to strongly squint my eyes uncontrollably, all day every day. This generally means after 1 or 2 pm I have a horrible headache from it. Every day. Ugh.
Ironically people who see me do it usually ask if I have a headache; I do, but it’s caused by the squinting. It’s been getting progressively worse over the last year or so, enough so that I’m contemplating seeking some kind of treatment for it. I also rub my face a lot, which in turn makes me want to wash my hands more than normal.
2. I’m addicted to catchy, thuggish rap songs. Especially when performed by an incredibly attractive British artist of Sri Lankan Tamil descent (I’m looking at you, M.I.A.)
3. I’m addicted to the TV show Jon and Kate Plus 8. I generally don’t watch much television, and have known for as long as I can remember that I do not ever, under any circumstances, want children. Yet, this show of all shows, right? And if I get the chance to kidnap Aaden or Leah, I will!
4. I almost never remember my dreams. On an average of 2-3 times a months, usually. It’s been that way my entire life.
5. I’m extremely judgmental and usually unapologetic about it. For instance, I judge almost everyone on what they read. If you read Dan Brown or any of the ‘Twilight’ series, I think less of you. Much less.
6. Somehow along the way I became a hardcore fan of both Notre Dame (first and foremost) as well as Ohio State football. Because of this, I’m fairly certain that if I ever step foot in Ann Arbor I’ll be lynched.
Leaving in about 45 minutes to head up to Notre Dame stadium for today’s game against Michigan. Woo!
Going to be a nasty, rainy, muddy game I think. Ugly win #2? I’ll take it!
#10 ND jersey: Check
Poncho: Check
Let’s roll!
