I've been reading this guy's blog somewhat obsessively for the past few days, having clicked to him from this guy's blog, and just when I was thinking of signing off from the day, Gimpel's June 1, 2005 posting made me laugh out loud for the first time all day. So thanks!
So, you leave the Bay Area for the East Coast; they leave the Bay Area for Papua New Guinea, and you find each other online.
I coulda introduced ya!
–Julie
Actually, now that I've thought about it, you probably have met Gimpel. John had a birthday party the weekend you took the MFA exam. Power went out in the cabin, you and Monstro made an appearance at the party. Gimpel was there. Big guy with blondish hair and glasses.
But you may have had enough other stuff on your mind that you didn't remember. And you know, it was four years ago.
–Julie
I don't remember him (sorry Gimpel), but I do remember all my MFA buddies huddled worriedly around me, asking how the exam was going and chewing on their fingernails. 🙂
I also remember driving under a massive redwood tree to get down to the party from the SC mountains, and to this day I'm amazed we didn't die as a result.
And, of all the people I know who took comps for grad or post-grad work, I have the best story: Power went out in my cabins and was out the entire time of the exam (three days). My landlord ran a generator for an hour on Saturday, which afforded me just enough time to watch the documentary on the Singin' in the Rain DVD, which I wanted to quote for one of my essays. And then Monstro and I drove down to campus on Sunday (by which time the redwood had been dispatched from the road) and typed in the GA office for, like, 10 hours.
And, I remember giving Mr. Comtesse a “Club” pre-mixed cocktail for his 30th birthday, to welcome him to the club, and I remember him laughing longer and louder than just about anyone at any of my jokes, ever.
Ahhhh, memories…