Honored

That's pretty much how I'm feeling today.

I had an email from Allan Wolf who said my post on The Watch that Ends the Night made him feel like a rock star. That's so cool. In my book, he is a rock star. I am honored by his pleasure.

Just being asked to be a guest at Jama's Poetry Potluck is amazing. When I look at the line up of poets, I can't help wondering how I managed to get on that list. Honored. That's how I feel.

Last night I received an award from Columbus State University, College of Letters and Science, as the 2012 Outstanding Alumni in the area of Humanities. I'm honored.

David Lenoue, Dean of the College of Letters and Science, Barbara Hunt, Chairman of the English Department, and me

When I think back on my return to school in 2000, I have so many good memories.

The paper I wrote on the Embryonic Development of a Lizard's Eye. It was for a technical writing class. My professor, Dr. Joe McCallus (who nominated me for the award), came around with slips of paper with general topics. My unlucky choice was biology. Then he assigned an audience. Mine was a ninth grade biology student. Okay. So I picked the lizard's eye, but the requirement was to take something complicated and write so that my audience would get it. Fun? As a matter of fact, it was.

The day Robert Pinsky, visiting poet, refused to answer my question because he assumed I couldn't possibly be a student (at my age! or maybe I just looked teacherly that day). I very graciously shut my mouth, but I still don't read much Pinsky.

Working with Dr. Nick Norwood, an excellent poet, and my first published poem in CSU's literary magazine, The Arden. Now that was something for my eyes to behold.

The wonderful, supportive faculty, some of whom are still good friends today.

There are many more, but that's enough for now.

I'm still feeling honored.