Well, This Was a Surprise

For those of you who have been regular readers of this blog for some time, you may recall that back in January I applied to an artist colony for a one week residency this fall. The artist colony turned me down and pointed out that late summer and early fall are the times in most demand because of the academic schedule. They asked if I wanted to be put on the waiting list. After getting over feeling slighted, I decided to go on the waiting list and in the meantime try to make other arrangements (which I did with my aunt in North Carolina). Well, yesterday I received an e-mail from the artist colony saying that they have an immediate opening from now through Labor Day. Below is the email exchange with some identifying information removed.


-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 2:58 PM
Subject: Immediate short opening in writer's studio at XXXX

Dear Gerald Huml,

This is probably too little too late, but I have a writer's studio available from now through September 4, 2006. Let me know of your interest.

Best wishes,

S.

Huml wrote:

S.:

Thanks, but I've made other arrangements for a week in October elsewhere.

Regards,

Gerald Huml


Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 3:34 PM
Subject: Re: Immediate short opening in writer's studio at XXXX

Thanks for writing back so quickly. I'm glad you'll have a space to work this autumn.

Best wishes,

S.

*

I figure one of their scheduled artists/writers had to cut their stay short for something like a family emergency. While I appreciate the artist colony keeping me in mind, they certainly didn’t give me much notice or much time to write at the colony (I wanted a week) had I been interested in going. It felt satisfying to write back and tell them that I found other arrangements. Notice I kind of implied that the other arrangements are at another colony rather than my aunt’s. LOL.

I’ve met my 8/31/06 work deadline yesterday. I’m just doing some very minor tweaks to the data today.

*

No More Be Grieved

No more be grieved at that which thou hast done,
Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud,
Clouds and eclipses stain both Moon and Sun,
And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.
All men make faults, and even I in this,
Authorizing thy trespass with compare,
My self corrupting salving thy amiss,
Excusing thy sins more than thy sins are:
For to they sensual fault I bring in sense,
Thy adverse party is thy Advocate,
And ‘gainst myself a lawful plea commence,
Such civil war is in my love and hate,
That I an accessory needs must be,
To that sweet thief which sourly robs from me.

--William Shakespeare