*Sweatpants Wrap Up; **A review; ***Another Review, ****Submissions Update

*
Tour was revelatory. Some highlights include:
+Throwing a rug at people for about an hour in NYC outside the Cake Shop. Then getting into a wrestling match at a dance party. Then getting stuffed into a garbage can.
+Staying in a suite in Philadelphia that cost more than a tour van whould have -- thanks Bill.
+Hanging out with the awesome guys in Mostly Dimes. Tom losing his voice because he nailed the Sweatpants theme song so dang good and then blaming us for it every night afterward. And Eric's stagedive to the onto an empty floor.
+Also meeting other bands like Pedals on Our Pirate Ships and Straight Punch to the Crotch, even though I was generally so tired at load in time that I felt antisocial.
+Going to an impromptu pool party in Charlottesville and diving into the pool everytime I did something awesome, which was often.
+Playing in DC to a really nice audience which included one of my top ten biggest musical influences (falling somewhere between Stevie Wonder and Bob Mould).
+Getting better/more serious about doing the band. Feeling like there is something to it more than just a good way to hang out with Dave and Jamie.

**
My review of Matt Bell's short collection of microfictions, How the Broken Lead the Blind (sold out from Willows Wept), is posted now at Gently Read Literature. In thinking about Matt's book, I make this point: "Regardless of the logistical framework of any story, my first judgment of each is simply that it is interesting. This is a rare feat in a genre which prioritizes mood and ingenuity over coherence and occurrence." I'm sure it's debatable. I just hope it makes sense. It reads like I got all my teeth jumbled in my mouth.

My review of The Collectors (also by Matt Bell, from Caketrain) is coming out in this issue of The Chapbook Review. Links forthcoming.

***
PH Madore's Dispatch is a cool place to read stories. I like the new logo, and I like the pictures that Christy Call draws. The latest issue is a story by Adam Moorad. In the latest news in Madore's war, he is offering stickers that you can get for free. Then you can take pictures of where you put the sticker and upload them to the Litareview website. (Suggested locations include "Betwixt the pages of quality," a police car and Miranda July's mailbox.)

****
A lot more paper submissions came in than I was expecting. Some came in after I left for tour so they didn't make it on the road with me. I'm reading them anyway, of course. I have to say, having a paper copy really helps the process a lot. I'm about 50% done with the first read-throughs. I'm honestly surprised with how good these manuscripts are. I posted about that at Facebook and someone told me if I don't say bad things about some of them, people will think I lack discernment. But it seems possible that people who are ready to mail their manuscript with just a moment's notice are also at a stage where the work is ready to be considered. At any rate, it's been fun reading hardcopy and when PG officially opens again, it will probably be a submission requirement. Or is that jerky? Is it less jerky than having long response times?