Changing of the Guard

On Monday, I started the application process to the University of Minnesota MFA/PhD and the University of Iowa MFA. I figured it would be auspicious to begin them on May Day (which is not only the title of my first mystery but also one of my favorite holidays due to the springy feel, the historic roots, and the fact that my stoic father actually gave my sister and me a May Day basket one year as a surprise, one he made himself out of styrofoam cups--that incident made it into May Day, but the rest is really fiction. Mostly.).

You know, when you click on the the May Day link to amazon.com above, I think it brings you to MY amazon.com page, which means you can find out what I order through amazon.com, so I'm just going to come out and tell you I ordered two belly-dancing videotapes yesterday. And that the "Star Wars Revenge of the Sight Lightsaber: Green and Silver by Hasbro" is on my "recommended for you" list. I'm a complex person.

Back to the MFAs. I am committed to writing all twelve of the Murder by Month mysteries, but I also want the time/skillz/practice to write mainstream fiction, alternative fiction, fantasy, and socially responsible fiction. Plus, I need to get out of Alexandria, at least for a while. I'm feeling restless. I had hoped that it would work out in a big way with my hometown crush so I could write and teach online in Paynesville--not as glamorous as an MFA, but appealing and satisfying in a different way and EASIER--but it was not meant to be.

The MFA application process is tedious--I've spent a couple days on it already--but what else do I have to do, right? Except belly dance. With a green light saber.