A little over a week ago, I received a request from Randall Brown, editor of Matter Press, for micro fiction or poems under 75 words. I sent six recently finished poems-- offering images also. The next morning, I got this email: “I love these! I’d like to publish all six, with the images.” Elated, I ran down to tell Paul -- and then, the anxiety started in. All six in one shot? Would I ever write another good poem? Would anyone notice them, or would they be lost? Would the paintings be “safe” on … [Read more...]
Seeing Anew
Last night, Paul and I had dinner at Peking Gourmet, our favorite Chinese restaurant. We love the food, the kind and cheerful owner, Kim, and our regular server, Judy. At the end of the meal, we always read our fortunes -- and they usually offer the standard hopeful predictions about money, friendship, and travel. But last night, we both received apt philosophical fortunes. Mine was: “Clear your mental, emotional and psychic space and you’ll see.” Paul received: “To live your life in fear of … [Read more...]
The practice of good-bye
I was chopping celery for dinner three weeks ago, when the chirpy Brit-Indian inflection of a BBC World announcer interrupted my flow: Technology Giant Apple announced the death of its cofounder Steve Jobs today. Why was Apple the subject of this sentence? As a Mac aficionado, I mourn the loss of Steve Jobs’ edgy spirit in this world, but as an Apple stockholder, I’m less concerned. “Technology Giant Apple” will survive, or not. I’m more interested in the way we speak about death, our … [Read more...]
I opened the box of sketch journals, finally
This vodka box of journals and sketch books has been sitting in the northwest corner of my studio for a long time. Although I logged them all when I inventoried my mother’s artist studio, after her death, I hadn’t been able to bring myself to examine them until recently. Before: Nice, neat studio table . . . with vodka box After: A table full of sketchbooks in chronological order . . . and a reminder from Mom to “RELAX”! Hah!Generic Cialis if … [Read more...]
Winter is a good time to be a writer
Today I spent a few hours working on a book proposal, then I was forced out to an appointment, which was blessedly short and actually not too painful. I’ve signed up for the Mac one to one tutorials, and this is the first one I’ve done since weeks before Christmas. My tutor, Craig Whitaker, was smart and not pushy --- and he is a BCCC alum, fan of my poetic mentor Chris Bursk. So . . . anyway. I need to work on a poem I wrote about the Sound. Those photographs say much more than the current … [Read more...]
