The Woz

I was doing some research today and came across Waziyatawin.  She's an academic and Native activist.  Reading her stuff, I decided I really liked her, both because she makes important points and because she's eloquent. 
While I was reading some interviews with her I noticed that they referred to her as "The Woz" which made me think of the famed computer tycoon.  I think that's possibly the best nickname to have. 
Also, on a more serious note, Waziyatawin is being targeted by the FBI for giving a speech criticizing the U.S. government's handling on Native lands.  She's not a terrorist. 

How to Make a Zine

I've mentioned before how cool I think zines are.  This morning, while doing some research on zines, I came across this cool website on how to start your own.
I would love to do this, though right now I am way too busy to even get all the other stuff I want to do done.  So I guess this is just one of those projects that will have to wait.     

Researching and Interviewing

I spent the evening researching for an interview.  All the articles out there say that if you're going to give an interview, you should know as much as possible about the company and their mission.  So I spent the evening on their site, looking at everything I could about them.  Then I Googled them to see if interesting things came up.  The only thing that really caught my eye was a short set of pieces that discussed their history.  They've only been around thirty years here, though they discussed the old school way of doing things and I found myself profoundly grateful that it was the old school and not the norm any longer. 
Everyone wish me luck on this.  I'm really going to need it. 

Everything You Love is Bad for You

After the whole aluminum thing, I've been thinking a lot more about what I put into/on/near my body.  One of the things I found was a blog called Green Living Q and A, which covers some thoughts on green living, including discussion of the whole aluminum debate.  Some of the things I've learned so far:
- Juice is not that much better than sugar water.  I kind of suspected this was true.  Apparently consuming high levels of fructose increases the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.  So, I guess I'm going to have to try drinking less of that.  Mostly, there days, I'm drinking pop (I know!  It's one of my few vices, and everyone gets a few, right?) and Arnold Palmer's, which my Dad is obsessed with. 
- PVC is unhealthy for you.  Now that I've read this, I remember it, but I'm wondering how the heck I could have forgotten that.  Now I feel bad for admiring so much PVC clothing over the years.  And it looks like leather is not necessarily a good option either.  Other fabrics I shouldn't apparently want include EcoSpun Fabric.  
- Christmas lights have chemicals, but there are kinds out there that have less chemicals.  The European Union (God bless them!) certify a type of Christmas lights as "RoHA compliant," which just means that they have less chemicals than other lights.  (How much is unclear to me.)
- Wall decals are made of vinyl.  Which is dangerous (see the PVC comment above.)  Great.  There goes my easy, Etsy-encouraged decorating idea.  Also, vinyl wallpaper and paint are dangerous, so I'm wondering what I am going to be able to use to decorate my walls.  I'm in trouble if I'm not allowed posters or framed art.  I was thinking of making a display on my ceiling of those Chinese paper lanterns, but not I'm afraid to even research what might be in them, especially given that China does not have such a great record when it comes to lead. 
- Heartworm Preventing Medications aren't that different from pesticides.  This I can blame on having a rabbit as a young girl as one of my few pets.  (My other pets?  Insects.  No kidding.)  I bet Jennifer, animal expert and fellow aluminum shunner, would have something to say about this, so I'm going to have to remember to ask her next chance I get. 
Also, I found some new research on aluminum through the blog, including this one detailing how it is related to Alzheimer's.  This pdf also talks about aluminum levels in various everyday stuff.  I find this one particularly scary, since it appears to be a lot of stuff.  It says that it's in pop cans, which I guess means I'm going to prefer bottled pop from now on.  They're also in clay cat litter, so I guess if I ever get that cat I was thinking of getting, I'm going to have to be careful of that.  There's also this study that details aluminum in tea.  One of the people over at Jane Austen Today once discussed herself as a tea snob, and I guess I am in some ways too, but this study is now putting me off of tea.   
One of the many things that comes up on this blog a lot is how people are chemically sensitive.  It seems like way more people are chemically sensitive than I would have guessed.  It also makes me wonder what causes it, because I can't really think of a time I've been overly sensitive to a chemical.   
I find this stuff exhausting.  Nothing is apparently safe.  I hated Walden, but reading this stuff makes me want to pack my bags and go live out in the wilderness. 

Lit Mag Research

I've been doing research on literary magazines, because, as most of you know, I'm trying to get myself published so I can qualify as a "real" writer.  (Though I already tell people I'm a poet with a capital P.)
One of the sad things is that most literary journals aren't taking unsolicited manuscripts at this time of the year.  Those include:
Alaska Quarterly Review
American Literary Review
The Antioch Review
Arts and Letters: Journal of Contemporary Culture
River Styx 
Bellingham Review
Brevity
The Columbia Review
Then there are the journals that I can't publish with, because I don't meet their qualifications.  One of the big disqualifications is that I am no longer an undergraduate or I don't go to a certain school.  These include:
The Allegheny Review
Echoes
Yale Literary Magazine 
Or my favorite disqualification: no unsolicited manuscripts.  I'm looking at you,
American Poet
Contemporary American Voices
What frustrates me the most about all of this is that the entire point of having a literary magazine is to try and publish people before they get famous, that way you can brag that you published so-and-so before they got it big.  I mean, maybe if I'm lucky I'll get an invitation from people like this, but so far, it's very frustrating.  
Finally, I have a short list of places I can send to immediately:
American Quarterly
Bellowing Ark
Ascent
Atlanta Review
Land Grant College Review
Beliot Poetry Journal
Black Warrior Review
Birmingham Poetry Review
The Capilano Review
This is actually not such a short list, and I know I shouldn't be complaining, but I feel like I've done a ton of work for not very much payoff.  Though, I've worked in history, I know that's basically how research always goes.