dulcetly...notes on a bookish life

As I'm getting my ducks in row for later this week, I am an odd mix of apprehensively nervous and over-excited. On one hand, I love the idea of a city awash in writers and getting to see so many people, including our awesome authors and friends I only see every few years. And there is still so much to do, books and other paper stuff to finish for Saturday, poems to be chosen for my reading Thursday, notes to be made for Friday's panel. But also, it's a whole lot of socializing and having to remember names and faces and conversations, far more than I do on a normal basis, all of which send my little introvert heart into panic. I've had all this week off from the library hoping to avoided the last-minute craziness, but alas, it looks like there will still be last minute craziness. I might have to forgo some of the panels I was planning on taking in and some more social things I was planning on doing and spend that time in the studio finishing up.

As for an itinerary, I am probably hanging out over at the Palmer House on Thursday, since there are a couple panels there I was planning to attend before I head over to the Beauty Bar. Afterward, it's on to BLP's reading in Wicker Park and then over to the bathroom readings at Neo (the place I lived around the corner from for two years and didn't realize it was actually still an operating club). Friday, I'll be around the book fair before my panel in the afternoon and think I might just stay in the loop that night and check the Sixth Finch/YesYes reading at Book & Paper (chock full of dancing girl poets) and the VIDA karaoke fundraiser at Tamarind. Saturday, I do hope to get back over to the Hilton after the open studio to hear Lyn Hejinian read and maybe check out the whole dance party thing I hear so much about every year.

But before I get that far I have to manage to finish pretty much everything up tomorrow, including a quick trip to Office Max, over to the Hilton to pick up my badge, and then stapling/trimming about 100 books for the signings. *sigh* Even thinking about it all makes me tired.