Not Another Bullshit Night in Suck City

I live right down the street from Florida Atlantic University and had no idea the poet Nick Flynn was doing a residency there this year. I love this guy! He's the author of several top-notch poetry collections and three incredible memoirs including the book that became the dynamite movie Being Flynn. He writes like a dream; I mean his writing is not linear but it's beautiful and engaging. Plus, he lives a dream; he evolved from the confused child of two deeply troubled adults to husband of actress Lili Taylor and one of the lucky few literary writers to make headway with the reading public.

Last night Nick Flynn gave a reading at FAU. He's from Boston, so of course he was funny and smart and satirical and just terrific. He said a lot of interesting things but one of the most poignant was this: in Buddhist study--as in writing--we need three things to make it work:
1. study/research/reading
2. practice
3. community

I like this. So true, so zen. And I love Nick Flynn. I'm going to reread all his work.