Have you ever eaten strawberry-rhubarb salsa? Goddamn it, I have. Goddamn it...I'm going to go eat some more.

There exists, amongst my people, a tradition known as the summer mix. It's mostly competitive, only, no one else plays. It's mostly naughty, or, at least what you'd want to be hearing while doing naughty things. Dancing, drinking and kissing girls. Real naughty. My summer mix looks like this:
Most of the songs are naughty too, though, only one officially.

I'm digging on you. You're digging on me. We're digging on we...I can't stop how I feel.

This is what I know: I'm reading in Minneapolis on July 1st. Then, I'm reading in Cedar Falls on July 31st. I'd like to read more. Maybe sell some books. Could I read for you? I would be an honest boy...promise.

Jojo eats lightning bugs. Once, she sprang herself from our retaining wall and caught one mid-air. In other words, we have lightning bugs.

I'm reading Lorine Niedecker's Collected right now. I'm not entirely sold; New Goose was not great, but my Midwestern affections and general politeness really hopes it gets better, and believes it will if I just sit quietly and don't fuss. Also, this is exactly how I write poems.

I've got lots of stuff I want to do this summer. Will it get done? Stay tuned...

Unsolicited Michigander Reviews Used Without Permission!

"Your book is lovely!" -Aaron, Kansas City

"...I thoroughly enjoyed it." -Allison, Chicago

"What is this?" -Scott, Iowa City

"michigander is amazing." -Sasha, New York

"This is really beautiful." -Anne, Coralville

"Yessssssss" -Erika, Iowa City

"You wrote this? Really? You?" -My Grandma, North English

You too can have opinions about things...your journey starts here.

I feel like, maybe, I take the same pictures all the time.

Do you have dogs? I do. Most of the time we're pretty cool, but right now, I wish they were someplace else...

Last Sunday I helped my sister-in-law move. I've been walking like 70's John Wayne ever since. You know, like I killed a guy and threw out my back disposing of the body.

In the last few weeks I've read Joe Hall's "Pigafetta...," Macgregor Card's "Duties...," and Lyn Hejinian's "Saga." It was an odd amount of travelogue poetry.

I've also been reading Dean Young's "Embryoyo," mostly because it's a beautiful book, but also because Jim Galvin mentioned him practically every time my poems came up for workshop.

"Bee-Stung Aviary" is reviewed in the latest issue of "The Home Video Review Books." Check it here.

Aaron McNally got his copy of "Michigander." Did you? It's something real nice.

I don't leave the house much. Which is why most (read: all) of these pictures are from around the yard. That could be sad, but look at all the awesome shit I get to see right here! I don't know that this is true, but I am fairly certain that I'm scared to leave the house with the camera, which I am always scared of breaking.

Mid-post happening! The postman just dropped off my author copies for "Michigander!" I have 4 colors of covers, 30 total copies and one super gift for my wife...her name is in there as much as mine is! Would you like one of these? Would I be willing to give you one? There's only one way to find out...

Last week of classes. First year in the can. Met with a local high school student today who wants to be a writer (sigh), but I did get to talk about my self for a real long time, which is always pretty fun. The workshop prom is tonight...yeah, that's right. And I have a few books that I keep forgetting to mail off (I'm a real good business owner).

Macgregor Card is reading with Brandon Downing next Wednesday, 7pm @ Prairie Lights. Ummm, maybe you should go. Card's last book, "Duties of an English Foreign Secretary," is pretty fantastic...you could, um, borrow my copy if you like. Let me know, k?