it's been a full three days. i've been to some interesting panels: writing faith for the faithless, research and the novel. party nation led the awp disco on thursday night, a nice spectacle (see man dancing). b has forced me to talk to people i wouldn't normally talk to (see the green lady in the pic who was staring us down... i said what's up with the green lady staring? and b said, i don't know, let's go talk to her!) turns out she's from alaska and bob butler's book changed her life.

lee smith gave a great keynote address... touching, inspiring. i snuck into her after party but was disappointed because i didn't get to meet her and all the food was gone. tonight we are going to the VIP party with ann beattie... katie dirtied up an invite so we'll be legit. but first, we are going to cruise the receptions in search of free food (after all we are starving artists) but we unanimously decided that we cannot take any more cheese cubes. we draw the line there.

all in all, good fun.