Knowing That I Was Alive: Melissa Mesku

[In which I meet the software-engineer-by-day, writer-only-on-Sundays, and cover anything from the stand-up "scene" in Tucson to the Manhattan too-cool literati, the shameless self-involvement of memoir to writing about yourself generously for others, and never, ever throwing anything away. Oh, and the infuriating ordeal of technical difficulties and the unfortunate consequence of my mini monologue to fill the space. Plus: fighting over Nicholson Baker.]