Deadline Tomorrow
From the organizers of the 2013 MFA Program Alumni Conference:
What you can do at the God Wally Alum (Post MFA) Conference this July 28-August 3:
Take a class in sequencing poems in a collection and/or on geographies and culture, isolation, relocation and the effects thereof and/or landscape and the willing suspension of disbelief and/or more; learn how a stupid computer program recognizes poetry; inhabit the roles of characters in the reading of a Shakespeare play; explore the connection between improv theater games and writer; participate in a caucus on discipline; churn out pages of your latest work in progress while the scent of eucalyptus wafts through your open window to emerge from your immersion for dinner and camaraderie; soak up readings from some of the best writers on the planet; outbid your new pals on the funkiest objet d’art that you never knew faculty member so-and-so crafts in his spare time; develop your interpretive dance skills; reconnect with God Wally alums from graduation year 400 B.C. to 2013; amid the golden hills daydream for hours and call it pre-write; immediately increase your blog audience by a factor of x; exchange literary witticisms (“this is like Virginia Wolfe meets Brett Easton Ellis” or “this is what might result of TS Elliot challenging Elizabeth Bishop at arm wrestling”) over manuscript workshops just like in the old days; bring your books for your fellow writers who can’t wait to hold signed copies in their hot little hands; beef up your resume; pump up your reading list; take some extra time to explore the magnificent San Francisco Bay area, stopping out at John Muir Woods or driving throat-in-heart Highway One or perhaps catch a glimpse of Ferlinghetti at City Lights…
What you can’t do: imagine for one second you’re at home making breakfast for the family; languish in morning traffic on the 405; squirm through the “three truths and a lie” icebreaker at your company’s Q1 offsite meeting; haul home swag to dump in the landfill; kick yourself in the booty for not coming to the conference years past, because you’re here now. Where are you? St. Mary’s in Moraga, CA, [http://www.stmarys-ca.edu]: which boasts one of the beautiful campuses in the country. This is July 28 through August 3 (short stay available). This is you replenishing and revitalizing you.
Join us. April 30 is the deadline to register without a late fee and make your preferences known. Go on line now and do it. We’re waiting for you. Yes, you!
[http://www.wwcmfa.org/alumni/conference-information/]
Peg Alford and Cass Pursell on behalf of the God Wally Post-MFA Alum Conference
Your friendly organizers, 2013
