Until very recently I was often the last minute prom date, the months before people would try to get who they really wanted and then a week before the big dance when their intendeds cancelled or told them no for the last time, they'd ask me. And of course I'd say yes because I really wanted to go, thrilled not spend another Saturday night with my parents at the Olive Garden.

But the new pimple cream must be working because I'm being offered opportunities to participate in AWP events over a month before the conference. I'll be part of a reading on Weds night with a to-die-for-line-up and today No Tell Books was invited to co-host a reading event with three other groovy presses on Saturday. I'll post the details when everything is ironed out.

And the best part is, I won't be spending hours in Costco debating cheese and wine selections -- these folks already did most of the planning. All I have to do is find the right shoes.