(no subject)

The news out of new Orleans is just... god, I'm heartsick for the people there, and fucking cranky with everyone else-- the newscasters, the people who should have planned better for this, the idiots who call salvaging groceries and soda "looting" if a black kid does it but only "taking" when it's white people. I saw a picture of what much have been seventy school buses, parked in a line and half-drowned-- why aren't those buses in Texas or Oklahoma by now, loaded up with refugees? Why were they just left there? Why was the only plan for the 100,000+ residents without their own cars "get to the Superdome and never mind that we forgot to stock up on potable water"?

I want to do *something,* but I have no money right now and I don't think they need my blood. So how about this: If you've made a donation, let me know, and I'll make you something-- a pincushion, a bracelet, a tiny felt superhero, *something*. And if you haven't, maybe this will be the incentive you need.

(no subject)

Even if you've already given to one Katrina-relief cause or another, well, here's one more for you. Etsy has put up a hurricane relief shop called Crafters United, and there's a lot of cool stuff up for sale, with the proceeds all going to the Red Cross. So get something cool, and support the Red Cross while you're at it.

(no subject)

Also! I almost forgot to post about it: I got a job! Actually, I got two jobs. One is at the Maret School in DC, as a counselor for their after-school program. it's basically kid wrangling, with some arts-and-crafts and playground duty, but the school itself is really pretty and I think it'll be fun. The other is phone canvassing for Progressive Maryland, which... I don't know. It pays a bit better, but man, I am *such* a freak about talking on the phone, and I don't know if it'll make me less of a social-anxiety weirdo or *more*, doing this four four-hour shifts. So we'll see.

memoriiiiiies

Okay, plainsong_x made me think of litmag, which made me dig out my old copies of Erehwon-- I have all four years, even though I was only on the staff for three, and oh man. So, so, hilariously bad. And, remember, this is the *best stuff*. This is what we won *awards* for. And yet it's all poems with hideously awkward rhyme schemes and titles like "Lament of the High School Existence." Which is a poem that we *actually published*, ye gods, though at least I wasn't on the staff yet and can't be blamed.

Also, somewhat mysteriously, my copy of v.36 has, tucked inside the cover, a certificate granting me the "You Can All Come Over To My House But Not Talk To Me Or Look At Me For A Few Hours Award." So I'm not entirely sure what that-- oh, wait. No, I remember. We had the release party for the issue at my house, the night of the series finale of Buffy. But I totally taped it and watched it after everyone left! Mostly!

And... okay, I was on staff for the publication of both "Malevolence of a Spice" and "Journey Through Scorpio's Dreamland." I make no excuses; they actually were better than 90% of the poems we got. But hey! "In Case the Ground Should Be Removed" is not bad at all, for high school, and I quite like the title. So go us.

Dear lord, the page design in v.37 is *horrifying*. Who thought *that* shade of purple would be a good spot color? And who let the newest staff members loose unsupervised in Pagemaker? Oh, right, our editors were crap that year. We shaped up for v.38, though; J and M and I ruled with an iron goddamn fist, and our spot color was tasteful, too. I'm still mad that we had to redo the cover at the last minute, though.