Every summer I do this solo ritual of riding out over this Reed College "canyon" to hear readings and lectures at the Tin House Workshop. It's way too expensive to actually attend, so I slip in as unnoticed as possible into the back of the lecture hall and ampitheater and absorb a few good words.

I usually appreciate the guests, but there's something weird about all these hopeful writers gathered together in one of what must be dozens and dozens of summer writing workshops across the country. Who said that everyone has a story to tell? Maybe they should have said that while everyone has a story to tell not everyone needs to try and get their story published. Is that mean? Maybe. Fuck it.