Would you like to be my lit friend in DC?

If you know me at all in my actual life, you know that I crazily, inappropriately, outsizely and completely love the state of New Mexico. I moved here three years ago to get my MFA at NMSU and I just fell hard for everything about it: the strangely beautiful desert, the gigantic sky, the mountains, the food, the manana attitude and casual lifestyle, the Old West stuff everywhere, all of it, everything, in total. It's my place.

cliche desert sunrise picture

I even love stuff about New Mexico that most people hate, like the bad drivers, lame local government, insane wind and heat and dust and the way you ALWAYS get a rock in your shoe even if you're wearing a pair that is completely tied and closed.

Unfortunately, the winds of the world are now pushing me towards Northern Virginia, where my boyfriend is going to be doing a Phd. I'm basically crying my eyes out every day to leave NM, but as I've just secured a job in my new area, I'm trying to have a good attitude about leaving where I love to live in the political highwayland of the DC suburbs.

Here I am looking pensive and forlorn on a hike. See how much I don't want to leave the desert?

One thing that could make the transition a bit better for me, I'm hoping, is if I had a way to meet like-minded individuals. If you're reading this post on this blog, I'm assuming you are at least somewhat like-minded.  I hear DC has kind of a burgeoning lit scene. Do you live there? Do you know any writers who do? If you're a person who likes books and lives in NOVA or DC or even MD, I am inviting (imploring?) you to be my friend. I'm planning on going to readings and stuff but I also like to drink drinks and do non-literary things with literary people.

I'm arriving around August 15th. Get at me. Please and thank you.