Thursday, February 24, 2011

Three Beautiful Things 02/23/11: Poetry is the Light, Despite the Awesome Waitress, Momentum

1.  I read my always in progress lecture/paper/essay entitled "On Needing Richard Hugo" to my Intro to Poetry class, with the idea that they needed to hear how, for me, poetry isn't a school subject, it's not a vehicle for earning school credits, it's not a dilettantish, casual interest:  Richard Hugo's poetry has illuminated my world as I do the best I can to live with all that's dark in my soul. 

2.  The waitress was awesome.  Her dad is from Spokane.  He loves Rainier beer.  Her family is having a reunion this summer at Priest Lake.  She made my experience beautiful.  But, unfortunately,  that's where my pleasure ended at Mama's Hot Wings in Eugene, OR.  The wings were neatly piled in a gutless little pyramid.  Before they arrived, the waitress brought me handi-wipes.  Why?  These were the most tame, greaseless, sterile, neutral "hot" wings I'd ever eaten.  They came with a little pile of celery, carrots, and cucumber with watery, runny weak blue cheese dressing.  Well, I guess it was blue cheese.  It had the appearance of blue cheese.  It was hard to tell since the dressing was diluted.  I was excited to have a couple of tall boy Rainier Beers with my lunch.  The beers were very slightly chilled, but after being out of the "cooler" for about three minutes, turned lukewarm.  Like I said, I loved the waitress.  She was a great gal.  But the food and beer at Mama's Hot Wings were so desultory, so disappointing, so half-assed, I won't go back.  I'll keep fixing and eating my own.

3.  With the prospect of a snow day off tomorrow, I got some momentum going grading papers and if we have that snow day, I'm going to see if I can get all this being behind behind me.

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