I am sorry to say that I have to go to the mall today, which means driving for an hour over bumpy roads dotted with a horrifying number of Maine Needs a Tea Party Governor signs, all for the pleasure of being stuck in the netherworld of Dick's Sporting Goods. My mall raison-d'etre is my pressing need to find something to give Paul for his 13th birthday, which is advancing rapidly. However, I'm happy to say that both of my children also love weird used crap from thrift stores and yard sales, so I'm hoping to circumvent much of the mall-rat pain by finding a lot of great stuff at the Goodwill. Also, I will be meeting my friend Donna at the Goodwill, and Donna actually enjoys shopping, as well as eating ice cream at inappropriate times of the day.

In other news, I have written two decent poems in two days. I'm feeling pretty good about this.

And now, here's a special note for teachers who have talked to me about coming into their classrooms this year: If you glance at the "Upcoming Appearances" list at the top of this blog, you'll note that my schedule is wide open. Nary a National Poetry Month engagement has yet appeared. However, if previous patterns hold true, I'll start getting calls shortly for winter and spring gigs. So if you've been toying with trying to work out a residency, now is the time to contact me before someone else takes the slot you desire.