Dolly Parton is 60 today! Wowsa. Time flies. But she's done a lot with her years... and that's a good thing. The other day on Country Music Channel, she called it "Sexty" not "60."
I saw an interview she did once, where she said she'd never complain about working too much or about being famous because it was her childhood and life-long dream... what's to complain about? Very good philosophy... especially for those celebs or public figures who really don't care for fans or who go to the hospital for exhaustion. Exhaustion?
A buddy of mine went to Morocco over the holidays. Looks kinda cool, colorful, and that hillside pic looks very similar to the hills of San Francisco. Time to start thinking about summer plans, huh? Or even spring break holiday ideas...
Speaking of San Francisco (pictured above from USF campus)... and summer plans. There's lots of summer writing workshops and retreats being offered. I already shared about VONA (the writers of color workshop at University of San Francisco in late June/early July). The Hurston/Wright Foundation summer workshop for writers of African descent. There's Squaw Valley in Northern California. Tin House in Oregon (with one of my favorites, Lorrie Moore). The Kenyon Review. Bread Loaf in the Northeast. Northwestern University.
There are some costs involved, however, just like college... the money is there via scholarships and fellowships. And with many wanting to diversify their summer attendance, there may be added incentives. But... summer writing workshops are a great way to begin developing a community of writers for yourself, making connections, and having that uninterrupted quiet time for putting your words on paper. I went to VONA in 2004, so I can personally vouch for the quality of that program and the great relationships I developed. And I have friends who have attended Hurston/Wright and Squaw Valley... so I can vouch indirectly for those. Anyways...
Happy Thursday. Wow, it's Thursday already?!?!
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