Aug. 19 - Lisa's Musings (on Bad Poetry and Cupcake Day) and Every Day Life

Now, I know I've been busy, but somehow I missed Bad Poetry Day AND Cupcake Day.

It was Aug. 18, and both days escaped me. Had I had time to go through all 200-plus emails that had arrived yesterday, (before this afternoon) I'd have known.

And I'd have certainly celebrated both because I'm sent a LOT of really bad poetry while wearing my I Love Cats Editor hat. But none as a reporter for A2 Journal (thank goodness.)

And I'm not really sure why people feel the need to send me cat poems when my writer's guidelines CLEARLY state that I do not publish poetry. I think it's even in bold type.

But I still get cover letters with the bad cat poetry that says, I know you don't publish poetry but ... I'm sending it anyway. Or, this poem's different. Or some variation thereof. Or, the poets emplore me to make an exception in their case.

So, tell me, batman, what's an editor to do?

And what part of I Don't Publish Poetry isn't plain as day?

But I respond anyway. Because this is something I've always done. Since Day One. It makes them feel like I bothered to look at their mail, I guess.

I thank the writer for thinking of I Love Cats with their work but I don't publish poetry. Most times I attach a copy of my guidelines as a gentle reminder that if you didn't read these before submitting something, perhaps you should have.

And now, you have no excuses if you decide your next submission should be 2,000 words when I only want 500 words. But I digress.

Now Cupcake Day is something I can really wrap my brain (and fingers) around. I'm quite frankly very surprised that I didn't get an e-mail from one of the many cupcake places in the area to alert me. I checked.

Had I known, I'd certainly have celebrated this day.

Now that I think about it, I could do it belatedly. Like tomorrow.

Instead of TGIF, it could be TGFC ... Thank God For Cupcakes.