Stripping the Virgin Naked

I'm supposed to go to a big poetry reading today.

But I am infinitely lazy and I just can't handle the Way today. I had a rough time last night. The crowd surfing still fresh in my mind. I can take crowds, but an energetic, energized crowd freaks me out. You feel like a powerless sardine. You have to do what the crowd does, go where the crowd goes. It can be taxing on the spirit.

I woke up too late again to go downstairs for breakfast/ lunch, so I made a light salad for breakfast, I'll make something for lunch. I got online. Today is my burn a day down day. That's right, Sundays are made for burning down anyway. I have very few days like this. To become useless. Tomorrow I'll be more productive. I get on IRC and stay on IRC.

While on IRC I remember talking to a MrJayce, who was into publishing. He is an amazing technical writer in San Francisco. I haven't been in San Francisco in ages. We had a lively conversation where he found out that I was looking for entry level jobs in a reputable magazine. Out of the clear blue sky he gives me the contact information of the editor of Discover Magazine. He said that basically, she is very good and believes in giving the underdogs a chance. I thank him. Well, a week goes on and in my usual fashion I forget all about the contact until today. Today I have something kick me in the pants. So, I send off this email in the early afternoon:

Ms. Robinson:

I know you are probably quite the busy executive, and I normally I would not bother you, but I'm a down and out writer looking for an opportunity to write for a reputable magazine. I have few skills, but I do have determination and enthusiasm. I am looking for an internship or a ground level entry into a magazine like Discover or some similar publication.

Would this be possible, or could you give me leads in other directions?

Thank you for reading,
Hobobob

That's it. Short and sweet. I thought that that would be enough. I go on to other engaging conver- sations in IRC. We talk about everything, from weather, to sex, to cars, and movies. There is normally a lot to say, a lot to discuss. And since this is a holiday weekend...well, there seems to be more people in the channel than normally.

It's a digital cook out, with digital franks on the barbecue and digital beers being passed around. We are interested in each other and each others lives. I get into a long discussion with another IRCian in Ohio. We've talked at length for quite awhile before because she is usually on late, like I am, after everyone else has left. XANADAU, or as I like to call her Xana is very interesting. She is into poetry too and leads me to her website that has her work. I can tell you now, she's been writing poems for along time and has A LOT of poems. Wow. We talk about them and I tell her about my books on Blurb.com. I give her a link to follow to RESTING THE CHEMISTRY, and she looks over it. "What do I do to order one?" she asks. Order one?? Why in the world would you want to do that? "I collect books of my favorite poets, and from what I read of your work so far, I would like a book."

Wha? I'll just send you a few excerpts of the best ones, you don't have to buy the book. I just can't understand yet why would anyone buy one of these books. "I would rather have the book in my hands." Wow. So...I sold one of my books last night. You have to realize that I feel like stripping naked and running up and down the hallway ringing doorbells. Wow...IRC is indeed amazing.

I get sleepy, the hour is late. I get an email:

Hobobob,

I'll be looking for interns around July for our Fall internship.
Send your resume and cover letter to me at my work email, SoandSo@discovermagazine.com

SoandSo

Well I'll be damned. MrJayce had a hot one that I've been sitting on for a week. I thank Ms. Robinson and stare at her email for quite some time. I have to go over my other resumes and see if I can get something together. An intern? This could be my foot in the door. Learn the ropes and put them down on my resume for the next magazine. That's the plan, build the resume first, get the job that I want second.

I am overjoyed at getting mIRC and getting on IRC. I am indeed happy to burn down days on it, sacrificing them as one would a sacrificial lamb on an altar. I happily slit it's throat and watch as it bleeds out. I hold the body up into the sun and call out to the god of mIRC. This was the path that I had chosen, thank you for guiding my way.

Enough imagery. I stagger to my bed, thoroughly spent and tired. I crawl in, the night is tiring. A lot has gone right today...for a change.

Hobobob