Monday, June 21, 2010

What Do You Know About School Days?

For a few months now we've been receiving AARP bulletins in our mailbox for someone who, as far as I know, doesn't exist--at least not at our home address. Each month I mark through the man's name and write: "No such person at this address." Then I mail the bulletin back to AARP, hoping the man will eventually get his bulletin. About a week or so later the bulletin shows up again in my mailbox with my writing on the front page. Frustrating!

Guess AARP has unlimited postage funds, or maybe they're inflating their subscription numbers by mailing bulletins to solid addresses but to people who don't really exist. Who knows? Anyway, before tossing this month's boomeranging bulletin I browsed through it and found a call for submissions.

In the "In The Know" section, under YOUR TURN! the editors are looking for essays about "What you really know about school days."

I know some of my readers are or have been teachers, and we've all been to school, so it sounds perfect for you all! If you want to see you name in print in a national magazine (don't know if it pays), e-mail an essay of up to 400 words to whatiknow@aarp.org or mail it to "What I Really Know," AARP Bulletin, 601 E. St., N.S., Washington, DC 20049. Be sure to include your name, phone number and e-mail address.

I couldn't find a deadline anywhere on the copy; just contact the editors to find out if there is one. Of course, if the editors are as inefficient as the folks who mail out the AARP bulletins, you might never get an answer, or you answer will be sent to someone else.

12 comments:

  1. Omigosh! Too funny. I experienced something similar when two magazines began appearing in my mailbox every month. They were addressed to me though I had not ordered them. And--here's the best part--they were written 100% in Spanish. No English anywhere. It would take too long to explain how I tracked down the circulation depts. Turns out their mktg dept began a promotion and I was chosen because my last name "sounds" Spanish (it's Italian). Anyway, it took three more months for them to stop sending the magazines!

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  2. Oh Gosh! We've begun to see these kinds of things in our mailbox and we are 48.
    Love the blog! Anything to do with reading is my kind of blog! I'll put you on my blog list.

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  3. Oh, by the way, do consider submitting to EnchantedConversation.org.

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  4. Sounds fun! I'll check it out :)

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  5. Maybe they keep forgetting where they sent it!

    Pat
    www.critteralley.blogspot.com

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  6. Donna, will you email me at billin7@yahoo.com. I need to talk to you about Sat writer's meeting on Tuesday 6/29

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  7. Hi Lisa,
    What a great story. Could be an essay there.
    Donna

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  8. Hi Kate,
    Thanks. I tweeted about Enchanted Conversation the other day. Love the pubs and ideas on your site!
    Donna

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  9. Hi Pat,
    Too funny! Hope to see you at Saturday Writers this Saturday.
    Donna

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  10. Hi Linda,
    I e-mailed you earlier today about our June 26 Saturday Writers meeting.
    Donna

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  11. You find submission opportunities in the most amazing places, Donna. I get the AARP bulletins and magazines, but sometimes they pile up for months before I get to read them. Maybe I'd better start paying more attention.

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  12. Hi Pat,
    Thanks. When it comes to submission opportunities I'm like a red-tailed hawk on the look-out for a field mouse.
    Donna

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