OK, I know it's been a while since I wrote anything. I did try to post something last night (or maybe Friday ...I'm having a hard time with time lately), but they were updating Xanga and wouldn't let me.

Anyway, I have been working VERY hard. I am turning in a piece for workshop this week, so I had to get that finished and typed. I also am trying to revise as much of my thesis as possible before Spring Break so I don't have to do it during Spring Break. PLUS, I have been preparing resumes and cover letters for jobs with deadlines while/before I leave also. These jobs are more practice than anything else -- one of them I'd love to have (assistant to the executive director for a non-profit publishing company, with some editing duties involved) but since there is virtually no way I can start a job before the middle of June, they'd have to really really want me to stay that patient. So this is mostly just to get used to sending resumes out, and maybe get a few practice interviews in.

Meanwhile, the writing part is actually going pretty well. I had a big meeting with Lucy last Wednesday about the second draft of my thesis, and she was actually very positive. Everything needs more work, of course -- except for the one story we spent all last Spring working on -- but she was very clear that I was heading in the right direction, and also that I was capable of getting there. "You've done the hard part; you've got everything down on paper," she said. She is so great. I should have all of the short stories (four) revised by tomorrow. The novel (or rather, the first three chapters of it) will take a bit more work. After conferencing with Lucy and my workshop professor, Carolyn, we decided I need to set the first chapter (at least) aside and completely rewrite it. This sounds awful, but it doesn't feel that bad, I think because I knew the first chapter had become progressively muddled with each revision and I just needed the courage to set it aside. And the other night, I came up with my new first sentence.

Hmmm, I wasn't going to tell you what it was for fear of copyright infringement, but what are the statistical chances of two people writing the exact same story from one first sentence? (Actually, I've done exercises in workshop like that -- it's amazing how differently people work from the same starting point.) So, the final thought for this post is the World Premiere of the new first sentence of my novel (the original title of which no longer fits, I'm considering Games for Girls as the new one, but I'll probably change my mind if I ever finish it):

"The house where Willie Grammaire lived after her husband left her, the house where she died thirty nine years later, was now hosting her funeral reception."