The Winter Ritual


It's that time of year again, folks.



No, not that. I'm talking about a more intellectual activity.



No, I mean, one that can actually be achieved by human beings. Normal ones.



Yes, you've got it now, I'm applying to grad school. Again. They say third time's a charm, right. Well, whoever said that had better be correct, or I'm going to hunt them down and take out my frustrations. And not in a leather and feather kind of way.



Many of you (ok, there aren't actually many of you reading this, but of those - ) many of my friends helped me decide which poems to submit for my grad school application last winter. I appreciate your help, readers of great, and otherwise, literature. I'll be applying again over the next few weeks. I'm not asking any favors of you this time, other than just send out good vibes, prayers, wishes, hopeful thoughts and the like in the direction of grad schools all over the southeast region. I probably won't post again until I've gotten the applications completed, so if you don't hear from me, don't worry - it won't be another six years. If any of you - if all four of you reading this - care to see what I'm submitting, comment or send me an email and I'll send you the verses that will, byallthingsholy, convince some higher authority-



no, I mean these guys-



to allow me to pursue my education and career. Ok, to pursue my dream.


And hey, if it turns out 2011 isn't my year to wallow in letters and fill my mouth and mind with the mellifluous music of professors of creative writing, well, I'll just keep scratching in the attic of ink and fibers, and try again in 2012.



A poet looks at the world the way a man looks at a woman.
~Wallace Stevens

Beneath the Winter Moon
I Do Return Again



It's strange to see I haven't posted a blog in six years. All those social internet-community websites took up the space in my brain and time at hand (which wasn't much to begin with), and life changed so drastically that blogging just halted. I'd like to it to begin again. I'd like to start it over, in fact.



Except, I just read my initial post on this blog, my intentions for it, and I'm rather pleased to see that I still agree with my self - I continue to want this to be a refuge of light, a source of beauty, a good place to go to find something comical, a whimsical world where anything might happen; in short, an inspiration - even if only to myself.



So. I'm keeping the name - Grey Shangri La - and the general format, but I'm going to include some new items. A friend of mine blogs about her time volunteering. I'm going to include my volunteer time, photos of the silliness pervading the nearest space/time continuum, and encouraging quotes from people smarter (or at least more famous) than I am, as well as the usual poetry, reviews of movies, new crafts I've recently completed, recipes, observations, discussions about books and other mystical creations, as well as anything anyone would like to talk about. I need an outlet again, I guess is the point. So thank you, wander-bloggers, whoever you are.



"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return."
~ Leonardo da Vinci