Oops-a-Daisy

Next year all of my homies will be in school full-time. My friends say, "You'll have loads of free time. What will you do with yourself?" I lie in bed a night, searching for the answer to that question. Maybe I'll go back to hair school (I dropped out). But then I remember that no one wants a stylist whose forehead requires massive amounts of Botox to bridge the fault lines between her eyebrows. I'm too old to stand on my feet for hours on end and too tired to keep abreast of the latest hair trends.

Maybe I'll begin rewriting my picture book manuscript, Thanks for Nothing, Toothy. It's been rejected twice, but my gut keeps telling me, "That story is your big break; don't give up."

When I tell people that I'd love to write children's books for a living, they nod their heads, smiling, thinking, "This gal is a real dreamer, a complete time waster."

I've decided to go back to school because an M.F.A. in Creative Writing will look spiffy on my book's "about the author" cover flap. Yesterday I e-mailed ASU, inquiring about their Creative Writing program. When I clicked the send button, I covered my eyes and peeked from behind the cracks between my fingers: Your message was sent.

Mi madre's wise words began tickering around my forehead: Think (proofread) before you speak (or e-mail ). I'm copying the e-mail for your reading pleasure. It was too casual and horribly written. I'm sure I've blown my chances of getting accepted into their program. Now my friends won't have to ask me what I'll be doing with all my free time next year. That would be like rubbing salt into my oops-a-daisy wound.

To Whom it May Concern (sounds so stuffy. Do we even use that salutation anymore?),

I want to know if you ever admit students (like me) who dream of being in the Creative Writing program, but have 3 kids and a husband to take care of. I just want to dip my toes in the school pool, so I can see if I have M.F.A. gumption in me (I think it's in there). I graduated from BYU with a BA in English. My GPA is 3.1 (I'm not proud of it. I can do better.)

Sincerely,
Katy Suzuki

I do have a blog: http://www.wordtomimadre.blogspot.com/

P.P.S. I couldn't decide if I needed commas in that first sentence. The first class I'd take would be a grammar course. I've taken one before in undergrad but would love a refresher. The sentence diagramming nearly killed me. I think I landed a C- in the class. I'm not proud of that either.

I just noticed more grammatical errors in my e-mail. I find comfort in knowing that Jesus loves me, and the Church is still true.