Liz Gallagher and Arlene Ang, will be crossing the Atlantic next week for the second leg of Liz's Maximus Miracle Virtual Book Tour for her new book The Wrong Miracle (Salt Publishing 2009). To meet Liz complete in her Superwoman costume check out the first leg of her tour on Arlene's blog The Event Museum. Each tour host was asked to provide Liz a list of questions after reading her book. I was a bit shy about asking questions, but Liz is one of those caring individuals that makes you feel immediately at ease. I discovered yesterday after reading Arlene's wonderful interview that I am supposed to cook dinner. I ask what exactly do you feed Superwoman and a poet dressed in a moovelous cow patterned unitard. I am thinking Beef is out of the question. I am thinking that neither one has ever been to a Louisiana Crawfish Boil (except its not crawfish season), perhaps an East Texas Catfish Fry, I was thinking the Southern tradition of Chicken Fried Steak, Cream Gravy, and Mashed Potatoes (except for that small problem of beef). I am leaning towards the fish fry, fried potatoes and onions, coleslaw, hush puppies (no small animals involved) and strawberry shortcake. I will be wearing my leopard print jogging suit that Arlene gave me. Let me know if your coming, so there will be plenty of food.Friday, October 30, 2009
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Liz Gallagher and Arlene Ang, will be crossing the Atlantic next week for the second leg of Liz's Maximus Miracle Virtual Book Tour for her new book The Wrong Miracle (Salt Publishing 2009). To meet Liz complete in her Superwoman costume check out the first leg of her tour on Arlene's blog The Event Museum. Each tour host was asked to provide Liz a list of questions after reading her book. I was a bit shy about asking questions, but Liz is one of those caring individuals that makes you feel immediately at ease. I discovered yesterday after reading Arlene's wonderful interview that I am supposed to cook dinner. I ask what exactly do you feed Superwoman and a poet dressed in a moovelous cow patterned unitard. I am thinking Beef is out of the question. I am thinking that neither one has ever been to a Louisiana Crawfish Boil (except its not crawfish season), perhaps an East Texas Catfish Fry, I was thinking the Southern tradition of Chicken Fried Steak, Cream Gravy, and Mashed Potatoes (except for that small problem of beef). I am leaning towards the fish fry, fried potatoes and onions, coleslaw, hush puppies (no small animals involved) and strawberry shortcake. I will be wearing my leopard print jogging suit that Arlene gave me. Let me know if your coming, so there will be plenty of food.
Liz Gallagher and Arlene Ang, will be crossing the Atlantic next week for the second leg of Liz's Maximus Miracle Virtual Book Tour for her new book The Wrong Miracle (Salt Publishing 2009). To meet Liz complete in her Superwoman costume check out the first leg of her tour on Arlene's blog The Event Museum. Each tour host was asked to provide Liz a list of questions after reading her book. I was a bit shy about asking questions, but Liz is one of those caring individuals that makes you feel immediately at ease. I discovered yesterday after reading Arlene's wonderful interview that I am supposed to cook dinner. I ask what exactly do you feed Superwoman and a poet dressed in a moovelous cow patterned unitard. I am thinking Beef is out of the question. I am thinking that neither one has ever been to a Louisiana Crawfish Boil (except its not crawfish season), perhaps an East Texas Catfish Fry, I was thinking the Southern tradition of Chicken Fried Steak, Cream Gravy, and Mashed Potatoes (except for that small problem of beef). I am leaning towards the fish fry, fried potatoes and onions, coleslaw, hush puppies (no small animals involved) and strawberry shortcake. I will be wearing my leopard print jogging suit that Arlene gave me. Let me know if your coming, so there will be plenty of food.Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Bio-Sorta
This is the photo I am going to use on my bio-page for my chapbook. I hate photos of myself, it seems my own image of me and my actual image of me are vastly differently, on the inside I am thin, blond and have no gap between my front teeth, I also am not quite the goober I am in real life. Not near as klutzy or goofy, sentimental and the inside me doesn't snort when she laughs or burps like a seal or crys everytime she watches Bambi or laughs throughout the entire movie Pulp Fiction. I am getting excited about the book, mostly because I chose poems that were important to me, that goofy, goober, klutzy me that holds the family table-lore record for once laughing so hard that she snorted broccoli out her nose. I am mostly groovy and feeling happy and blessed.
This is the photo I am going to use on my bio-page for my chapbook. I hate photos of myself, it seems my own image of me and my actual image of me are vastly differently, on the inside I am thin, blond and have no gap between my front teeth, I also am not quite the goober I am in real life. Not near as klutzy or goofy, sentimental and the inside me doesn't snort when she laughs or burps like a seal or crys everytime she watches Bambi or laughs throughout the entire movie Pulp Fiction. I am getting excited about the book, mostly because I chose poems that were important to me, that goofy, goober, klutzy me that holds the family table-lore record for once laughing so hard that she snorted broccoli out her nose. I am mostly groovy and feeling happy and blessed.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday-itis
I have a problem with Mondays. They come every 7th day no matter how hard I petition the powers to be, they are as regular as clockwork. Tick-tock. I had a good weekend, however as is the case of late, I am still so far behind that I am beginning to get embarrassed, I managed to write questions for Liz Gallagher's book blog tour that begins on October 28th, on Arlene Ang's blog and moves to my blog sometime the first week of November ( I had told Liz I would have the questions to her in September). I managed to get my house mostly clean, and groceries bought, and yesterday it was girl scout meeting and my day to provide the youth supper at the church. I love interacting with the youth group, mostly I keep my involvement low-key for Rachael's sake, but I love when it is my day to cook (but am thankful that is comes around once every 6 months). Perhaps it is a combination of the satisfaction of cooking for a large group, and part the joy of seeing so many young people who are joined in the spirit of faith and community, or perhaps it is because I get to eat cake. Whatever it is, I feel blessed because of it, and this time I had pineapple upside down cake (yum).
This week is my first time returning to a full schedule, I am still coughing, and still on antibiotics for another 4 days, but almost well, I am sleeping 10 hours a day, and exhausted by 7:00 pm every evening, but at least I am falling no further behind. The doctor indicated it might be 3-4 weeks before I was 100%. I am on travel this week, and I suspect I will collapse at the end of the day, but feel confident I can get my job done. I exercised for the first time in 3 weeks yesterday and while I moved slowly and took breaks, I managed almost 2 miles on the treadmill, tonight I am going to try to do my workout video. The photo, a raw photo (one I have not edited) I love the vibrancy of the marigold. I have been trying to teach myself a new photo processing software, but am still way behind the learning curve, and I find myself going back to the easier software. I am just rattling--to avoid the chore of Monday. I am mostly groovy, despite it being Monday.
I have a problem with Mondays. They come every 7th day no matter how hard I petition the powers to be, they are as regular as clockwork. Tick-tock. I had a good weekend, however as is the case of late, I am still so far behind that I am beginning to get embarrassed, I managed to write questions for Liz Gallagher's book blog tour that begins on October 28th, on Arlene Ang's blog and moves to my blog sometime the first week of November ( I had told Liz I would have the questions to her in September). I managed to get my house mostly clean, and groceries bought, and yesterday it was girl scout meeting and my day to provide the youth supper at the church. I love interacting with the youth group, mostly I keep my involvement low-key for Rachael's sake, but I love when it is my day to cook (but am thankful that is comes around once every 6 months). Perhaps it is a combination of the satisfaction of cooking for a large group, and part the joy of seeing so many young people who are joined in the spirit of faith and community, or perhaps it is because I get to eat cake. Whatever it is, I feel blessed because of it, and this time I had pineapple upside down cake (yum).
This week is my first time returning to a full schedule, I am still coughing, and still on antibiotics for another 4 days, but almost well, I am sleeping 10 hours a day, and exhausted by 7:00 pm every evening, but at least I am falling no further behind. The doctor indicated it might be 3-4 weeks before I was 100%. I am on travel this week, and I suspect I will collapse at the end of the day, but feel confident I can get my job done. I exercised for the first time in 3 weeks yesterday and while I moved slowly and took breaks, I managed almost 2 miles on the treadmill, tonight I am going to try to do my workout video. The photo, a raw photo (one I have not edited) I love the vibrancy of the marigold. I have been trying to teach myself a new photo processing software, but am still way behind the learning curve, and I find myself going back to the easier software. I am just rattling--to avoid the chore of Monday. I am mostly groovy, despite it being Monday.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Coming Soon
My chapbook will be out next month from Flutter Press, and I did not realize how excited I was until this week when I started working on the cover. This is the 4th cover I have done since Monday, but it feels right. I am still recovering, this week has been tough, after work every day I am ready for bed by 7:00. I am still coughing a new set of lungs and yesterday the doctor called in another round of antibiotics for the bronchitis, I am hopeful this round will knock it out. I am looking forward to a low-key weekend.
My chapbook will be out next month from Flutter Press, and I did not realize how excited I was until this week when I started working on the cover. This is the 4th cover I have done since Monday, but it feels right. I am still recovering, this week has been tough, after work every day I am ready for bed by 7:00. I am still coughing a new set of lungs and yesterday the doctor called in another round of antibiotics for the bronchitis, I am hopeful this round will knock it out. I am looking forward to a low-key weekend.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Photographers Zen
and I find myself drawn to discovery of these worlds, a sense of being on the edge of understanding, an essence of vitality extending itself to all life. I fight the need to quantify the numbers of ridges, catalog that myriad shades of brown, record the textures of the forest floor. Instead I sit. I breathe. I am. I photograph. I leave.
and I would love for one of these boxes to bare my name. In the middle of the forest, at the intersection of three dirt and rock roads, roads impossible to transverse under the weight of winters snow, yet I would put my name, my fire, and my love here, in the middle of the forest and each day I would trust God world's to show me a miracle.
and I find myself drawn to discovery of these worlds, a sense of being on the edge of understanding, an essence of vitality extending itself to all life. I fight the need to quantify the numbers of ridges, catalog that myriad shades of brown, record the textures of the forest floor. Instead I sit. I breathe. I am. I photograph. I leave.
and I would love for one of these boxes to bare my name. In the middle of the forest, at the intersection of three dirt and rock roads, roads impossible to transverse under the weight of winters snow, yet I would put my name, my fire, and my love here, in the middle of the forest and each day I would trust God world's to show me a miracle.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A Different World
It has been a rough several weeks, my Mom is home and gaining her strength. She will be having physical therapy and occupational therapy in learning how to live with COPD, and the necessity of home and portable oxygen. She sounds strong and determined, and has been nearly a month without a smoke. Rachael, I and Mike have all been sick. An unspecified virus, but the doctor believes it was likely the H1N1 flu, they did not swab Rach or Mike, and mine came back negative ( she said the nasal swab was only 50-70% diagnostic), but the doctor told me she believed it was the flu, and prescribed Tamiflu. Whatever we had it shuts you completely down, sore throat, extreme exhaustion(eating and walking--to much work), respiratory distress(like breathing heavy air), and for me fever (Rach never had a fever-but everything else) Rach and I slept until we could not sleep anymore, the better part of 4 days straight, on the 5 th day we became human. I also had bronchitis before the viral sludge, which may be why I had such a hard time just getting air. Even super-Mike was laid low by the bug. Yesterday I rejoined the human race at least part-time, and today I am going to work a full day. I am still on drugs for the bronchial infection, but glad to feeling mostly like myself. I am behind in all things on all fronts, and my focus is to not fall any further behind. I am hoping that the doctor was right that I had H1N1 Flu and am now immune, but just in case I will likely still get the vaccine.
I have a poem and drawing in the October Issue of Autumn Sky Poetry, read poems and enjoy art by Theresa Senato Edwards & Lori Schreiner, J.L. Glenn & K.S. Bartow, Mel Goldberg, Guy Kettelhack, Rivka Keren, Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, J.B. Mulligan, Kristine Ong Muslim, Katherine Riegel, Cheryl & Janet Snell, Janice D. Soderling, Rae Spencer, Ira Sukrungruang, and Donna Vorreyer. Its a beautiful issue of the romance between poetry and art and I am honored to be included.
I have been reading quite a bit and enjoying the poetry of my fellow poets, I hope to be able to share what has been catching my fancy of late. The photo, the forest floor near my dad's cabin in Alaska, he saw my black and white photos of mushrooms, and wanted to know what drew me to them, and I said, I think it is because I think of them a bit other worldly, a world within a world, unique microcosms. His response was to take me on a walk and show me where the native shrooms live. I really need a macro lens, or some photo tubes. this is the first of about 100 I took of Alaska shrooms, perhaps out of 100, I will find 10 that I like. I am mostly groovy, all things considered, happy to be here with those I love, and feeling lucky that it is not yet time to say goodbye to my Momma. I am blessed.
It has been a rough several weeks, my Mom is home and gaining her strength. She will be having physical therapy and occupational therapy in learning how to live with COPD, and the necessity of home and portable oxygen. She sounds strong and determined, and has been nearly a month without a smoke. Rachael, I and Mike have all been sick. An unspecified virus, but the doctor believes it was likely the H1N1 flu, they did not swab Rach or Mike, and mine came back negative ( she said the nasal swab was only 50-70% diagnostic), but the doctor told me she believed it was the flu, and prescribed Tamiflu. Whatever we had it shuts you completely down, sore throat, extreme exhaustion(eating and walking--to much work), respiratory distress(like breathing heavy air), and for me fever (Rach never had a fever-but everything else) Rach and I slept until we could not sleep anymore, the better part of 4 days straight, on the 5 th day we became human. I also had bronchitis before the viral sludge, which may be why I had such a hard time just getting air. Even super-Mike was laid low by the bug. Yesterday I rejoined the human race at least part-time, and today I am going to work a full day. I am still on drugs for the bronchial infection, but glad to feeling mostly like myself. I am behind in all things on all fronts, and my focus is to not fall any further behind. I am hoping that the doctor was right that I had H1N1 Flu and am now immune, but just in case I will likely still get the vaccine.
I have a poem and drawing in the October Issue of Autumn Sky Poetry, read poems and enjoy art by Theresa Senato Edwards & Lori Schreiner, J.L. Glenn & K.S. Bartow, Mel Goldberg, Guy Kettelhack, Rivka Keren, Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, J.B. Mulligan, Kristine Ong Muslim, Katherine Riegel, Cheryl & Janet Snell, Janice D. Soderling, Rae Spencer, Ira Sukrungruang, and Donna Vorreyer. Its a beautiful issue of the romance between poetry and art and I am honored to be included.
I have been reading quite a bit and enjoying the poetry of my fellow poets, I hope to be able to share what has been catching my fancy of late. The photo, the forest floor near my dad's cabin in Alaska, he saw my black and white photos of mushrooms, and wanted to know what drew me to them, and I said, I think it is because I think of them a bit other worldly, a world within a world, unique microcosms. His response was to take me on a walk and show me where the native shrooms live. I really need a macro lens, or some photo tubes. this is the first of about 100 I took of Alaska shrooms, perhaps out of 100, I will find 10 that I like. I am mostly groovy, all things considered, happy to be here with those I love, and feeling lucky that it is not yet time to say goodbye to my Momma. I am blessed.
Monday, October 5, 2009
This is the day that the Lord hath made
One of my favorite songs(verses) and the next line is I will be glad and rejoice in it, I am wondering if God meant to include Mondays. Today I am home, and I am glad. I have spent nearly 30 hours in a car since Thursday, and my back, neck, shoulders and legs are barely functional. I was feeling sorry for myself when pain woke me up this morning, but then I remembered that I used to feel this ways for months on end, and since July the days I feel this way are the exception instead of the rule. My Mom is out of ICU, slowly gaining her strength, and will likely be home sometime in five to ten days. When she gets home is when it will be tough, she is going home with oxygen, a c-pap machine, a nebulizer and unable to smoke. I am hoping they give her a patch, or medicine to cut the craving for a smoke. My husband quit smoking this summer with the help of medicine, and has not smoked for 100 days. As I sat in her room watching how smoking has ravaged her body, I felt such gratitude towards Michael for quitting, for sparing Rachael and I, the effects of a lifetime of smoking. My mom is fantastic, she has always been a rock for me, a person who accepts me unconditionally, all of me, even my big goober side, I am damn lucky in my parents. I have learned much from her about life, love, about what is important in this world. She has always been fierce for us girls, now it is time for us to be fierce for her.
The photo, my cat Samantha (Sammie girl), this weekend we found a stray at our hotel, a little girl kitty that looked much my old cat Tommy. I wanted to bring her home; Mike said we would upset the cat pecking order in our home and that we hand no kitty vacancies( we have 5 for 3 people). When we went to leave Louisiana, I could not find the stray (I know I could of convinced him),so we came home without her. When I got home last night, all of our cats were exceptionally glad to see me as if they had EKP(extra-kitty perception). My cat in training M & M (mm-ers)even moved from his spot on the floor to acknowledge my existence and my husbands cat Disney, slept on my side of the bed. So perhaps it is best that we did not bring another cat to the mix. I am hoping some other hotel resident took that sweet girl home.
One of my favorite songs(verses) and the next line is I will be glad and rejoice in it, I am wondering if God meant to include Mondays. Today I am home, and I am glad. I have spent nearly 30 hours in a car since Thursday, and my back, neck, shoulders and legs are barely functional. I was feeling sorry for myself when pain woke me up this morning, but then I remembered that I used to feel this ways for months on end, and since July the days I feel this way are the exception instead of the rule. My Mom is out of ICU, slowly gaining her strength, and will likely be home sometime in five to ten days. When she gets home is when it will be tough, she is going home with oxygen, a c-pap machine, a nebulizer and unable to smoke. I am hoping they give her a patch, or medicine to cut the craving for a smoke. My husband quit smoking this summer with the help of medicine, and has not smoked for 100 days. As I sat in her room watching how smoking has ravaged her body, I felt such gratitude towards Michael for quitting, for sparing Rachael and I, the effects of a lifetime of smoking. My mom is fantastic, she has always been a rock for me, a person who accepts me unconditionally, all of me, even my big goober side, I am damn lucky in my parents. I have learned much from her about life, love, about what is important in this world. She has always been fierce for us girls, now it is time for us to be fierce for her.
The photo, my cat Samantha (Sammie girl), this weekend we found a stray at our hotel, a little girl kitty that looked much my old cat Tommy. I wanted to bring her home; Mike said we would upset the cat pecking order in our home and that we hand no kitty vacancies( we have 5 for 3 people). When we went to leave Louisiana, I could not find the stray (I know I could of convinced him),so we came home without her. When I got home last night, all of our cats were exceptionally glad to see me as if they had EKP(extra-kitty perception). My cat in training M & M (mm-ers)even moved from his spot on the floor to acknowledge my existence and my husbands cat Disney, slept on my side of the bed. So perhaps it is best that we did not bring another cat to the mix. I am hoping some other hotel resident took that sweet girl home.
Today is Monday, and I have been out of the office for a week, last week our external e-mail server was down, and I was unable to check my work e-mail, so I know I will be buried in email, missed deadlines, and have a to-do list that will take me days to finish. I have to return my rental car, a follow up doctors appointment, and either Mike or I have to go get our puppy-dog, Blondie ( who is 14). So it is Monday, I am rejoicing in the everyday rhythm of my own life. Thanks to everyone for their prayers and healing thoughts for my Momma, please continue to keep her in your thoughts.
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