Summer is Over When....

Summer is over for me when we close the pool for the winter. Tomorrow is the day when we'll lower the water level and put the cover on. It's appears to be good timing as the days are mellowing from today's 90 degrees to seasonal 70's for the next week or so.

September is also the month when next year's Old Farmer's Almanac goes on sale, celebrating its 224th year. It's available now. I haven't share many of the Almanac's wisdom lately so to celebrate fall and the release of the 2016 Almanac I'm going to give you some Old Farmer's wisdom.

To eliminate garlic breath, eat an apple.

Dogs can hear sounds four time farther away than humans can and distinguish differences of as little as 1/8 of a tone.

Money is like manure: Unless you spread it around, it doesn't do much good.

A chicken can run at 9 mph.

"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt." Henry Kaiser

I read a recent article in Poets and Writers by University of Michigan professor, Jeremiah Chamberlin that I found shocking at first but the more I read the more sense it made. Basically, after many years of teaching college students, he found a common belief among his students that rural people aren't as smart as their urban counterparts and are lacking in emotional depth and self-knowledge. He attributes these misconceptions to the facts such as 80% of Americans live in cities or suburbs and have little contact with the 20% living in rural areas. Also contributing is the media portrayals of rural types into either down-home, old fashioned values people or skin-head militias. Chamberlin believes it is a common prejudice that is never discussed though we discuss others like, race, sexual preference and religion.

Since I am one of the rural types, it worries me that the people holding these beliefs are the ones likely to be the future leaders in politics and industry. America has come a long way from our agricultural roots but is that a good thing?

Friday is September 11th, the day of infamy for our generation. Like many of you, I'll never forget where I was on that day. The feeling of being stunned, sickened and sad. I feel some of that all over again on the 11th.

Do you remember where you were on 9/11? Do you think us country folks are kind of dumb? Do you believe that is a common feeling out there? Did you ever try to catch a chicken?

Should You MFA or Not?

One writer's magazine that I often enjoy is Poets and Writers. Though I don't write for the literary marketplace I do read lots of it. And despite what some people in the business would have us believe, writing is writing whether it's for a literary audience or the genre lovers. This past issue P&W had their annual feature on MFA programs.

I'm way beyond the point of wanting to pursue another master's degree but I often wish I had considered it when I started my writing career. In truth, I didn't even know such programs in creative writing existed. When I did learn of these programs, I should have investigated further. I might have found one that fit my financial and time restraints.

In today's world of the MFA offerings around the USA, many colleges are competing for those writers hungry for that degree. What do they hope to get with that degree?

I think firstly they want professional advice, assessment and the sharing of expertise and knowledge their instructors will bring into the classroom. But how expert are their teachers? Are they multi-published authors? Are they experienced teachers? Teaching is about more than knowledge. One has to be able to convey what you know in a manner that students can learn what they need. Have previous graduates of the MFA program found success. If a MFA candidate has already ventured into publishing, will the program raise their writing to a higher level?

One of the other expectations of enrolling might be making contacts and becoming part of a larger writing community. There are other less ambiguous measures when selecting a program? Is it a residency program which would mean leaving a job, a family and certainly increase cost? Is it low residency or non-residency meaning you'll save money and perhaps keep the day job but lose the face to face contact with your instructors? And will any debt you incur be worth the possible advancement to your writing career?

I do have regrets I never took the MFA path but I know I couldn't afford the financial or personal tradeoffs I would have had to make when I started writing. Do you think MFA programs are worth the costs and time? Have you heard good or not so good things? Are all such programs equal? Do you ever read Poets and Writers?