The Loyalty of Water: A Yin-Yang Tattoo

Guest post by Lita A. Kurth

A Yin-Yang Tattoo

In Parkland, a subset of Tacoma near the Pacific Lutheran University campus, a placid blonde woman poked a tattoo onto my left hand, right where I can see it every day: the yin-yang symbol in red and black. A bunch of us got tattoos when we finished our MFAs, but up to the very hour that I had it done, I didn’t feel the time was right. I had thought I’d wait until I achieved integration or published my novel, but that afternoon, while a friend and I ordered matching felt jackets a few doors down, I experienced a sudden fierce urge to get a tattoo. Now I can look at it multiple times a day, a reminder of perfect balance.

The Divided Self

At a university where I once worked, professors laid their extra books on a hall table for anyone to take. I remember picking up a book with the title, The Divided Self, thinking, oh yes, this is about me. It was more about Victorian literature, so I set it down again, but I am a person often at war with myself. I am a person who says, “I’m going to lose a few pounds before AWP starting today” and then goes to Five Guys for a hamburger and fries. Then I’m surprised and angry. I declare to myself that, “I’m going to work on my novel today” and the day passes. I’m frustrated, disappointed, bewildered. It’s one thing to achieve balance between two conscious selves; it’s quite another to bring in the mysterious unconscious which seems to operate out of sight. I only see its footprint.

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Loyalty: Zadie Smith

From The Rumpus interview with Zadie Smith:

I like the work, it’s beautiful work, I’m glad that I do it. I feel with my students that they feel there’s a magic trick, you know, like you go into the room and something magical happens, and that really isn’t my experience. It’s a very worthwhile and satisfying labor, but that is what it is.

AWP Packing List

• One travel mug, and at least three decent types of tea bags
• One good sneaky move for approaching the coffee condiments table and making off with some milk
• The business cards that make it look like I'm trying too hard
• The alternate business cards that make it look like I'm trying too hard not to try too hard
• One tote bag for the inevitable book purchases
• One car, with mostly vacant trunk, for the inevitably overflowing tote bag
• A small bag for the free chocolate
• A big bag of almonds, to offset the free chocolate
• The names and numbers of people in attendance whom I know, for social validation
• Three phone numbers of friends not in attendence, for occasional reality checks
• Velcro for soul, firmly attached on both ends
• One list of must-see events, panels, and people 
• Three brilliantly scintillating pitches for the major projects, all coming in at under 30 seconds
• Three slightly longer yet no less brilliant synopses for said major projects, accessible in less than the time it takes to steep tea
• A list of editors who like good tea
• Extra tea
• Two printed copies of my first 50 pages. One is just asking for trouble via spilled tea; three is expecting too much.
• One good natured spouse who likes books in the way a healthy person does, for balance and a birthday dinner
• One overpriced hotel room with a bathtub, for emergencies
• Confidence, confidence, confidence. 
• One stop at Powell's on the drive home, just in case the trunk isn't full enough.

See you there?

AWP Tips

From the scarily freqently perfectly timed mind of Roxane Gay:

Some Dos and Don’ts:

Do drink a lot of water. Go offsite to buy bottled water because the convention center and hotel will charge exorbitant prices.

Don’t thrust your unsolicited manuscript into an editor’s hands. It will be awkward for both of you.

Do visit the host city for at least an hour or two. There is life beyond the convention center.

Don’t try to attend everything. It’s not possible. Instead, pick a few panels and offsite readings to attend and leave the rest to possibility.

Do acquire a good tote, and on Saturday evening, ship home all the books and magazines you buy.

Don’t pretend to have read someone’s book if you haven’t. Don’t be sycophantic or use flattery as social currency. You can and should engage writers in normal conversation. Writers are people, too.

Do have fun and do not take the conference too seriously. Do carve out quality time with your friends when you can—a quiet hour for coffee or a meal far from the hubbub of the conference.

The only part of this I won't be taking to heart is the shipping part of it, because we will have a trunk. Great American road trip, here we come!

If you're going to be there, I hope to see you! This is my very first writing conference, and any other tips (or drinks and moments of commiseration once we're emotionally flattened) are more than welcome.

The Loyalty of Water: Alphabet Fridge Magnets

Editor’s note: Kristina was one of the first people I asked to join this project (full disclosure: we were college roommates), and I was thrilled when she said yes, mostly because I know just how busy full time work can be. She’s also got a toddler. I wasn’t expecting anything of great length, but as anyone familiar with her writing knows, short forms have never held her back. I wasn’t expecting what I did get, however, which was a very excited text suggesting that we curate her Facebook posts. I was in love with the idea immediately.

As you’ll get to see, Kristina makes the most of tiny spaces and snippets of time. Everything you read below was a status update, no editorial privilege exercised beyond curating the collection. It was a pleasure to work with her to create this snippet of 21^st century writing in a time of motherhood.

Alphabet fridge magnets make me feel very much a mom. 8/26/13

In my last decade I learned to love ideas -- the complex, subversive, utopian kinds. Thus far, the present decade invites me to ground those ideals in the love of people -- the real and particular kinds. May my heart accept this invitation without restraint. 10/17/13

how can such a tiny, bright, funny, charming, loving, gorgeous creature instigate such a tremendous amount of exhaustion for her progenitors? 11/9/13

I was asked to write a personal mission statement: "I act now--no matter what--to cultivate a safe, inspiring, and happy world." What do you think? 11/21/13

Someone has learned to say "I love you." Heart melt. 12/4/13

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