A letter to cousin Dave

Dave,

I thought I would e-mail you. It has been a long time.

I hope the weather in Florida is well. But then again, is it ever not well? The weather in Pittsburgh has finally broken, and the trees are starting to be green, again. It’s nice. This city is much better when there are greens and reds and yellows to go along along with the blacks the grays and that distinctive slush color. They don’t call Pittsburgh, “The Gray City” without good reason.

It seems like I am following in your footsteps -- editing!

This past spring I was the copy editor and the literary editor of our student-run literary, photography, and poetry magazine, Spirit: the Life and Letters of Duquesne. I loved every minute of it and I can’t wait until our next issue (Fall, 2004). I have pretty much decided that literary publishing is the business that I want to go into when I graduate next May. Luckily, Pittsburgh is a good place to get started; this city has a pulsing, lively literary scene.

I have also taken on the position of the 2004/2005 copy editor for our school paper, The Duquesne Duke. Basically, five hours a week I am dedicating my time to spelling and punctuation mistakes! I don’t mind, though. I guess, like you, I find something intriguing about perfect grammar.

Along with the editing I have also been focusing on the writing. I still have my aspirations and dreams to be some kind of writer some day. I have been writing the occasional news article or profile (most recently, I was “contracted” by the Duquesne administration to write an 800 word profile of some Catholic bigwig. Propaganda? Sure.). Since January, I have also (in vein) been trying to get my fiction printed. So far unsuccessfully (or, more accurately, 0-7, unless you count the fact that I had two 500 word pieces printed in the same magazine I am the editor of, which is probably a conflict of interest). I have taken a liking to the “quick-fiction” genre of writing (basically, 750 words or less) and have been focusing on that “demographic.” I’m not quitting any time soon. With every rejection I just become more inspired to improve my writing. Criticism is my friend, or at least that’s what I keep telling myself.

My Dad and I were down at the new Hilton Head home in March. Now that is the good life -- a grueling day of 18 holes only to come home to a cold beer and a fine view of the Atlantic. I somehow doubt that my aspirations for editing and writing will ever afford me a place like that, but for the time being I am just going to keep the family close!

I leave for home in about two weeks. Unfortunately, I will be taking 12 weeks of Italian at William Patterson University. Damn liberal arts education and it’s requirement of three semesters of a foreign language! I ask: Why does someone whose only aspirations are to specifically write in the English language required to learn a second language? I try not to think about it. I am also trying to get a freelance writing or editing position with either the illustrious Ramsey Reporter or The Ramsey Suburban News. I am trying to build my résumé like an inverted pyramid.

Tell Liz I say hello, and write back when you have some free time.

-- Jason

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