Tomorrow, at the ungodly hour of 4:20 a.m., I will leave Samford and go to the Birmingham airport. From there I will fly to Chicago, and then to the jewel of the Mid-West: Minneapolis. What brings seven lowly Alabama English majors to the great state of Minnesota? Why, nothing less than the illustrious (cough) Sigma Tau Delta (or, STD - snicker) convention. There, along with other poor abstract souls, we will read papers on such highly relevant topics as "Renaissance Poetry: Gender and Class Identification in The Faerie Queen," and "Necrophilia and Neo-Capitalism in Poe's Early Short Stories."

Yes, we are nothing if not relevant. That's why they confine us to a convention center in Minneapolis once a year. 

On the upside: All I have to do is read some poems that I submitted at the last moment. 

On the downside: I  . . . I can't remember what poems I did submit. I mean, I know SOME of them for sure, but like I said it was last minute and I really didn't think they'd get accepted, sooo . . . this is where I can pull the "constant revision" card. Who are they to say if "Novemb

er Morning" could not be revised and evolve into "Tulips and Motorcyle Drag"?

Is it sad that my younger brother is the one who reminded me about the Mall of America when I was whining to him about what to do there? All I'd found was an art gallery (actually . . . I probably will go) and some museum on the mill industry (gag blah I'm zoning out as I type it). So, shopping and art. And reading The Education of Little Tree. All in all I'm still bitter about having to miss Dr. Brown's Amazing Folklore Class tomorrow, but who am I to refuse a University Excused Absence for three whole days? 

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In other news, here is the best I can do as far a haircut photos go. Mac Photo Booth pictures always end up looking emo and self-conscious. 

I hope I can find some sort of internet connection up there in the wilds of Minnesota, and fill you all in on my Mid-Western adventures. Until then - peace, children.