On Narrative Difficulty

Internet's incredibly slow this morning (as many of you know, because we live in the country, we have to use Satellite broadband). It's partly cloudy, so that could account for some of my difficulty on the web today.

I'm currently taking a respite from my grading. I had students write some persona poems and they did so with much difficulty. I suspect it's quite difficult for some newer writers to move beyond the ego. Either that, or they've spent much of their time in college discovering self-hood that to be asked to move out of self-hood stretches them in uncomfortable ways.

I don't remember a time when I struggled with writing outside of myself--mostly because when I was a younger writer, I wanted to get away from myself--who I was then.

***

Currently discussing with some grad students the problem of incorporating characters into a long poem or a manuscript. I'll tell you what I told them--

When you introduce a character in a manuscript, the character(s) often inadvertently become the pivot-point for a manuscript. All poems that surround them then seem to, in some way, service the character. If the surrounding poems don't, then it's up to the writer to determine whether or not they want those surrounding poems to service the narrative of the character or whether they want to take the manuscript in a different direction.

It is, however, relatively easy to move through a collection's narrative once you have a character established. A couple of my grads are finding that they can't stop writing from character. That, unfortunately, is also a side-effect of writing poems with characters in them. It's easy to get attached to the conventions of such writing. Berryman couldn't stop. Neither can (could) Bell.

***

And in other narratives, this is re-hash for most of you, but it's collected here on the NewPages blog: The Future of University Presses and Journals (A Manifesto).

***

Finally, I saw the renewal of an old narrative that I watched with great joy in my childhood. The Star Trek film, was joyous, epic, and just what I needed as a respite from the troubled times my family's having. Sometimes I too want to open the door to a parallel universe.

Loved the updated McCoy and Spock. Wasn't too keen on Simon Pegg's Scotty, or the fresh take on Checkov. I had a hard time seeing Checkov in the fresh-faced actor who played him in the film. But otherwise, I really enjoyed the film.

***

And other things I'm enjoying:

Straight Dish

So many of you were wondering what the bad news in the de la Paz household entails.

It's bad.

Meredith was laid off and then replaced at a time when Western Washington University's President called for campus-wide hiring freezes.

We went to the union to see what our options are and basically because Meredith is a non-tenure-track faculty member she did not have sufficient union protection.

I do want to thank all of you who've e-mailed me via back channel. We're working on our financial situation and we should be okay. We'll just need to cut back a lot.

I go up for tenure and promotion next year, so that may provide a bit of a bonus in salary depending on the situation between the union and the administration.

Additionally, some part-time work is cooking up here and there in the English and Linguistics department for Meredith.

We'll be okay.

I must say, though, that I'm composing this note using a great amount of restraint. . .

In Oliver's workshop sessions today:

I told students to write down the contents of the garbage containers for their characters.

I muddled over the differences between "Squawk" and "Squeak"

I said ". . . freaking Mary Oliver."

I pulled an assignment out of my ass entitled "Diptych: The Knife in the Actor's Hand/The Ghost in the Wings."

***

Sunny, finally. The window guys are replacing our old aluminum windows for vinyl ones. Should help us save some money in the winter from lowered heating costs.

I don't know how far along they are. I'll find out soon.

***

In an effort to save money, Meredith and I are consciously trying to eat out less. Right now, though, I'm craving sushi.

It's been hard deciding what's going to go. We'll definitely get the most basic satellite TV subscription. That's for sure. But what else will we cut? I'm thinking about losing the land line, since I do tend to use my cell phone a lot more these days.

We were talking about also losing the internet, but I do need it for work. Decisions, decisions.

***

Current Spin:

Sandy Denny & Fairport Convention. "Who Knows Where the Time Goes."

DJ School

DJ Qbert has created an online DJ School.

I want to learn how to juggle.

Quickly

Wilco is streaming their new album on their website. Listen here.

***

One more thesis defense to attend this week and then I'll be done.

It's funny what a table of contents can do to a manuscript collection. I know I've said it before, but it's extraordinary what such a gesture can do for the writer.

***

I'm still pissed.

***

Haven't had an opportunity to see the Star Trek movie yet. Soon. Soon.

***

Tonight, I'm presenting awards for the Sue Boyton Poetry contest, co-sponsored by the Whatcom Community Fund.

***

Current Spin:

Silversun Pickups.

Restraint

So much to tell you. There's just so much that I want to say, but there are reasons why I cannot tell you the exact nature of our dilemma.

Thank you all for your support. I can probably tell you more about our plight after a few meetings important parties.

Cross your fingers.

***

Not all news is bad, though. I've got something to announce in June.

***

Also, we're in week 7 of the final academic quarter of the 2008/2009 year. What a crazy year, eh?

I for one am both excited for and dreading summer.

***

It's amazing what constructing a table of contents can do for a collection of poems . ..

***

Current Spin:

Bat for Lashes. "Daniel."

Happy Mother's Day Meredith!

IMG_0872, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Downturned but Sunnyside Up

IMG_0835, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Went to see the Skagit Tulip Festival with my family, which was a much needed respite after the bad news our family received on Friday.

I'd love to share the news with you, but we're in the process of going through procedures. Suffice it to say we as a family will have to make some drastic decisions about our lifestyle.

Still, on this day there were tulips and kites and a kid who laughed and talked baby language to horses without malice or irony.

Today, there was bright joy.

From the Family and Friends of Craig Arnold

THANK YOU.

Our dear friends and family,
Though Craig himself has not been recovered, the amazing expert trackers of 1SRG have been able to make themselves and us certain of what has become of Craig. His trail indicates that after sustaining a leg injury, Craig fell from a very high and very dangerous cliff and there is virtually no possibility that Craig could have survived that fall. Chris will pursue what he can about getting specialists to go down into the place we know Craig is so we can bring him home, but it is very, very dangerous and we are not yet completely certain what that will require. The only relief in this news is that we do know exactly what befell Craig, and we can be fairly certain that it was very quick, and that he did not wait or wonder or suffer.

I cannot express again the profound gratitude I feel to everyone who has loved and honored Craig with their goodwill, their immense efforts and energy, and their overwhelming generosity. I believe that where he is, Craig knows.

There will be further occasion to celebrate Craig, and when I know more I will post it.

For my part, I love Craig beyond the telling of it and will always love him as immeasurably, as enduringly, as steadfastly and as unconditionally as I do now and have done these past six years. In leaving our family Craig, in a manner absolutely characteristic of his own vast generosity and capacity to inspire, brought us all closer together than we perhaps have ever been. I feel his presence, loving and understanding and funny and deeply feeling, at all times. I hope you do, too.

With love,
R.

***

Saddened by this beyond words.

***

Latte and a Rice Krispy Treat

Yes, that's what I'm snacking on in my office after a day filled with talking to students about poems.

My throat is parched and a latte, perhaps, isn't the best solution.

I find that 15 minutes of a conference is often more valuable to students than an hour and fifteen minutes of lecture. Besides, I do like chatting with my students as individuals. They're quite interesting people who've got a lot of things on their minds and in their lives.

In my capacity as the Creative Writing adviser for Western Washington University's English department, I'm finding that I do like the position a lot because I can literally sit students down and talk to them about what brought them to the major, which is supposedly a love for the language.

I do find people who use the major as a place to hide. Of course, there are plenty of those and they make themselves known through their work. But I also find students who are sincerely in love with the language, have stories they want to tell, and have stories that need to be told.

***

My students in the long poem class are in the middle of their projects now. Wow. All I can say. They've got some really fascinating poems--tangled, but fascinating.

***

The sun is out and I suppose it'll stick around through the weekend. The family will probably go to the Tulip Festival this weekend. Good idea, eh?

***

Current Spin:

DeVotchKa. "How It Ends."

YAY! Going to see them on the 22nd!

Ninja Grandparents, Arts in the de la Paz family, and other things

My parents are ninjas.

They drove all the way from Bellingham to my house. I wasn't expecting them. They have grand-baby fever.

Retirement seems boring . . .

***

My cousin Jovencio has a new website: jovenciodelapaz.com.

Yes, he's an artist.

My other cousin (from a different uncle), Sarah, is musically inclined. She's a trained violinist.

Looks like there's an artistic gene in my family.

***

My parents brought Hum Bao.

They're good ninjas.

***

Current Spin:

Bowerbirds. "In Our Talons."

Hot diggity

So glad to be out of April.

***

May's looking to be a crazy month with lots of graduate students defending during the first two full weeks. I've got two students defending this week and two next week. All of 'em have put together some really incredible and publishable work.

***

Saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The title, of course, suggests that there will be other origin stories.

What can I say . . . it was exactly what I thought it was. I had a big bucket of popcorn and I shared it with my younger cousins. I turned my brain off and watched big explosions and martial arts.

I wanted a bit more of Deadpool, and the geek in me was cringing a little bit at how they sort of mangled his story.

I also wanted more of Gambit . . . but otherwise, I enjoyed myself.

***

Now, looking forward to this:

Star Trek! Check out Leonard Nimoy!

***

Current Spin:

Passion Pit. "The Reeling."

My very blurry, damp, video of The Shins

Of course, there's lots of background noise, and a shaky hand-camera, etc. The conditions were downright crap. I cut a moment early in the video where James Mercer also complains a little bit about the weather.

What this definitely signifies to me is that I should think about investing in a digital video camera. ;-) *cough*

RIP Al Robles

Al Robles was such an important social force in the Bay Area as well as in Fil-Am letters.

The Start of May

It's Free Comic Book Day!

***

Going to see The Shins tonight with Meredith. Pray for no rain.

***

I'm so glad National Poetry Month is over. I'm burned out. Don't get me wrong. I love what I do and I love writing and reading poetry,

***

My folks are going nuts over this fight tonight: Pacquiao vs. Hatton.

***

Current Spin:

The Shins.

I'm trying to gear up for the concert.

The End of April

First, there's this:

Findcraigarnold.blogspot.com.

Then there's this:

NPR Aires the Craig Arnold Search.

***

April came and went so fast. I told my students that this is the end of week 5 of the quarter and they look absolutely beat.

I then preceded to teach them scansion, which only furthered their weariness.

***

Scan this:

1) Soft and easy is the cradle

2) For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams

3) Double double toil and trouble

4) Higgledy Piggledy

***

I'm so glad NaPoWriMo is over. I'm gassed, even though much of the stuff was just revisions of things--I did, however, generate a few new solid drafts of things. I'm going to "POOF" the poems as soon as I can get them copied and saved.

***

Current Spin:


Son Lux. "Stay"

Craig Arnold Missing

(He was just here in Bellingham, visiting us, too!)

This is from an e-mail I recently received:

"I'm writing because a dear friend of mine and an exceptionally talented poet, Craig Arnold, whom some of you know, has gone missing on a small volcanic island in Japan while on a creative exchange fellowship. Craig, an experienced explorer of volcanoes, never returned to his inn after leaving alone to research the island's active volcano for the afternoon. The authorities are on the third day of searching for Craig, and are scouring the small island (of only 160 inhabitants) with dogs and helicopters. If he is not found by the end of the day, the authorities will call off the search.

We need your help to insure that the search will continue. The island and areas surrounding the volcano are small enough that an extended search will surely lead to Craig's discovery.WE NEED PEOPLE TO CONTACT THEIR LOCAL CONGRESSPEOPLE AND SENATORS TO PRESSURE THE JAPANESE STATE DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE THE SEARCH. WE ALSO NEED HELP SPARKING MEDIA ATTENTION FOR THIS STORY, WHICH WE ALSO HOPE MIGHT INCREASE PRESSURE ON JAPANESE AUTHORITIES TO FIND CRAIG. I have attached a document with background information about Craig, as well as information about the details leading up to his disappearance as well as about the island itself. Please feel free to use this as reference material.

If any of you have ideas or know people who might be able to help, we'd appreciate hearing from you. You can contact Rebecca Lindenberg, Craig's girlfriend, at rlindenberg@mac.com. Please, though, take a minute to contact your senator and congressperson via telephone or even email to explain this problem and insist on their help.

We are so hoping to find Craig today, God-willing not seriously injured. If so, this will not be an issue, but we must ensure that if this isn't resolved today, Craig doesn't end up an unsolved mystery. He is too important to too many people, not to mention to arts and letter generally, for this to happen.

We appreciate your help, good wishes and prayers."

"Discovery" Winners Announced

And they are . . . here: Clicky!

Forgot to mention

. . . this was from yesterday: HFR Blog Post.

***

Worried today. The Washington State budget was passed and WWU is going to have to make some drastic cuts, many of which will effect the way we teach.

Additionally, since Meredith's not tenure-track, she may lose course lines.

***

Current Spin:

Ryan Adams. "Sylvia Plath."

Up and At 'Em!

I've got a poem up for the week on Linebreak.org.

***

Woke up at 5AM this morning with the "A" refrains for a villanelle in my head. Are they good refrain lines? I don't know, but I had to find out. It may or may not be today's NaPoWriMo piece. Haven't decided.

***

I got caught up with all my school and office work, thankfully. Of course, since it's the start of the work week for me, I expect more stuff to pile onto my plate.

***

Lots of long poems in this month's issue of Poetry Magazine. I think I'll bring it in to my class. Ilya Kaminsky has a REALLY long poem in there.

***

Current Spin:

Martha Wainright.

Lousy Day Yesterday

Sunday started with my mother deciding to drive herself to church. My dad had earlier, gone back to Ontario, OR, to finish up some paperwork, so it was my family staying over with my mother to keep her company over the weekend. Anyway, my mother had been to the church a couple of times and knew, roughly, how to get there.

Here's the thing, though--she's a lousy driver and has lived in a small dinky town where all the roads are straight and it takes only a few minutes to get from point A to point Z.

Anyway, while I was taking care of Lucas, I got a call from my mother. "I got in an accident, big time" is what she said, verbatim. Her voice was low and steady, so I wasn't sure how she was doing. I asked her if she needed me to come down and she did, so I drove down to help her out. Needless to say, when I got there, there were two patrol cars and my mother sort of standing there, a little helpless-looking.

My mother isn't as independent as one would hope. My dad controls the finances, a lot of the paperwork, etc., so my mom doesn't know how to navigate through such things when he's not around. Likewise, my dad can't cook and doesn't necessarily take the best care of himself if my mother weren't around. So there's a couple dynamic at play here. Meredith and I, in contrast, are quite independent.

So, finally, after the citations were issued and the tow-truck hauled the wreckage away, I dealt with all the authorities on behalf of my mother--insurance, auto body, authorities. . . All told, a lousy day. Having your folks move to your town is a blessing and a curse.

***

Today, though, is shaping up to be a better day. The folks at the auto body shop did a lot to boost my mother's confidence. All in all, my mother was pretty ashamed about the whole accident.

***

Lots to do today. Grading, prepping, gym. I'm ready for the summer.

***

Current Spin:

St. Vincent. "Paris is Burning."

The big push to Summer

Half way through the final academic quarter of the school year. It's been an interesting one, thus far, though I feel like it just started.

I've been quite busy these days. I finished up a grant application for Artist Trust. I've never been great at applying for these kinds of things. We'll see. Plus, I'm a little unsure of my work sample and how I submitted the thing. They wanted fifteen pages of work, but my poems lately have been long, so I formatted the sample so that the poems are all together instead of a poem per page. Hard to explain right now, since I'm multi-tasking. Let's just say I'm not so confident in the package that I put together.

I also have been scrambling to put together an AWP panel for Kundiman. I've got all the preliminary stuff done, now it's just fixing up the language of the proposal.

Finally, I'm judging a local poetry contest, so I've got to read several manuscripts. Whew!

Anyway, I'm trying to keep afloat. My office and particularly my desk are a mess.

***

Got my contributor's copy of From the Fishouse: An Anthology of Poems that Sing, Rhyme, Resound, Syncopate, Alliterate, and Just Plain Sound Great, edited by Camille Dungy, Matt O'Donnell, and Jeffery Thomson. It's a hell of a thing, and it's bundled with a CD. Very cool and supporting readings are coming to a bookstore near you.

***

Current Spin:

A.C. Newman. "The Palace at 4am"

Post Concert

IMG00051-20090422-2324, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

It was the first time I had ever been to a concert by myself, and I definitely do prefer going with someone else.

Alas, I could never get that second ticket. Mt. Baker Theater had sold out many weeks ago and the scalpers on Craig's List were selling them for way too much. There was no way that I would shell out extra coin for them.

Outside of that, I thought it was a solid concert. Ra Ra Riot came on to the stage as the opener and they were plagued by a few sound problems. The cellist's microphone wasn't working, but her cello and the violinist's sound was definitely working--in fact, their sound was drowning out the vocalist. All technical problems aside, they were an interesting and entertaining band, playing many of their hits from The Rhumb Line. (The cellist, had a CRAZY electric cello).

As for Death Cab for Cutie,, it's clear they've geared up for their summer tour with some real raucous numbers. Much of the pacing of the concert was fast, with many songs bleeding into other songs. I thought that there would've been a bit more interaction/interplay between the audience and the band, given Bellingham's their hometown, but it seems the pace of the playlist eliminated many of the possibilities for banter.

Really, there seemed to be only one slow number--"I Will Follow You Into the Dark," with Gibbard, solo, playing an acoustic guitar. Otherwise the concert was loud, danceable, and spirited with the echo of the crowd singing along.

What I was disappointed in, as I had mentioned earlier, was that there were relatively few deviations from the set at hand. It seemed that, "by god" they were going to play all these songs. I did miss the banter. The music, though, was tight.

On This Thing I've Been Writing

So it's been 22 days for this NaPoWriMo project. Like I said in my first post, this was a project I had been thinking about--some of the poems had already been written, but all the poems posted on the blog are new versions. Most are quite different from their previous incarnations.

I did have one hiccup on Day 19, I believe. I got tired of the epistolary pieces, so I did something else, revisiting another sequence/series by constructing a new "Self Portrait" poem.

Anyway, regarding the epistolary project, a few things I've discovered:

1) The setting is, in my mind, a different reality or locale. I don't think it will work as a real place or a real time.

2) It's an allegory. See #1. I can be as broad as I want with poem and still have it adhere to the general tone and movement of a singular work.

3) There's a character that's central to the narrative--The Artist. But the artist is not the speaker. The artist is the subject, in a way, though he/she is not always in the epistolary pieces. I'm still discovering this character and his/her relation to the speaker.

4) The "Redaction" sections are newish--I saw the idea of pentimento in painting as applying to these sections, where there are smallish, minute "edits" to the previous narrative. I haven't figured out how or why these occur in the pieces, or if there is an occassion for the changes.

Some questions about the direction of this thing:

1) Is it a long poem as I had first suggested?

2) While, tonally, it seems consistent, is there enough variation to move a reader forward?

3) Should there be "Setting" pieces interspersed throughout the project's current narrative? In other words, should there be different poems that not only disrupt the "Dear Empire" pieces, but poems that contextualize the very ambiguous epistolary pieces?

4) Who is the speaker? What's at stake for him/her? He/she is the lens of the piece, and indeed, he/she is writing to "Empire."

5) Who is Empire?

Paneling

IMG_0802, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Charles Baxter & Sam

IMG_0798, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Fielding questions from the audience

Sam Ligon

IMG_0795, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Introducing Charles Baxter

Food Porn

IMG_0789, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Mizuna's Rack of Lamb over seasoned orzo. Delish.

Sleepy Corner of Downtown Spokane

IMG_0793, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Kate & Gundar

IMG_0780, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Also at Mizuna's

More Get Lit! pictures

IMG_0781, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Me n' Brenda Miller at Mizuna's.

Jane Smiley

IMG_0774, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Beautiful Bing Crosby Theater

IMG_0762, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Dani

IMG_0763, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Our fabulous host, Dani Ringwald in a dress that's off-the-chain.

Poetry in the Streets of Spokane!

IMG_0776, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

From L to R, Me, Ken Letko, Martha Silano, and Christopher Howell

Benches in a Fireplace

IMG_0757, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Exactly. Benches. Fireplace. Bizarre.

A Peak Inside

IMG_0754, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Swag Bag

IMG_0753, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Get Lit! was a great time. Each of the authors got one of these handsome bags filled with goodies.

Pulitzers

Details are here

Wandering aimlessly

I at last found a WiFi connection after the connection in my hotel room sputtered out yesterday.

I think there's a bandwidth counter for the hotel's ISP. One particular author has been on the internet 24-7. This author will not be named, but I will tell you that this person's laptop is on a shared network and it's visible on my computer.

There's a temptation to snoop, but I won't.

***

I teach a workshop on the Prose Poem in . . . oh, now 45 minutes.

***

Finally found a place w/bandwidth in the lobby. But they're setting up tables as I type this.

***

There's an unbelievable amount of footage of poets reading. Here's one thing I found:



***

Current Spin:

Fever Ray. "When I Grow Up."

Kind of creepy, I know.

Coffee Break

Stayed up really late writing the Day 17 poem. Unfortunately I got up early this morning. It's how I'm wired these days.

***

Speaking this morning at 9:00AM with poets Ken Letko and Martha Silano. Should be fun.

***

Ran across this video from the La Blogoteque series:

#74.1 - Vic Chesnutt - Sponge
by lablogotheque

And then there's this

Happened upon this question just before logging off. Do you still shop at record stores? NME poses this question and an article here.

Me? Absolutely I still shop at record stores, though less so nowadays. If I'm in downtown Bellingham, I almost always have to stop at Everyday Music. It's such a great record store . . . I lose all track of time there.

There's nothing quite like diving through stacks. I feel a similar joy when browsing through book shelves at book stores.

Life, Friends, is not so boring

First, this:



I showed this video to my long poem graduate students (thanks Mary). I found it to be quite interesting after having reread The Dream Songs.

This round, the book seemed much darker . . . sadder, but I was also more overwhelmed by the weight of it than previous readings.

Listen for the cash register. Also, look for Al Alvarez's pipe.

***

Next, I'm blogging to you from Pendleton, OR. I'm completely filled with a weird nostalgia. The sage desert basin is as picturesque as ever.

Also, it was great to finally meet the great Shaindel Beers. I, of course, butchered her name. For that I apologize.

Anyway, pictures to follow.

***

Finally, I listened to the new Metric album on the drive down, so they're my current spin (Warning--shaky camera):

Additionally, I spun these guys:



The Knife.

AND, the new collaborative album by this rock goddess:



PJ and John Parish

Busy Week of Readings and Teaching

Hitting the road bright and early tomorrow.

I'll be driving six hours to get to Oregon and the BMCC Arts and Culture Festival.

I'm scheduled to read on Wednesday, April 15th, from 2:00-2:50 in the Art Gallery on the BMCC Campus in Pendleton, OR.


After, I'll head back north to do several panels, readings, etc. at the Get Lit! Festival in Spokane, WA.

Come see!

Strange Days

Still stunned by the death of Deborah Digges.

***

Amazon, after all, is the retailer many in BookLand love to hate. While it only represents about 10 percent of the business (Barnes & Noble controls more than 35 percent), Amazon has consumer “mind share,” economies of scale, and some nerve: The online retailer provides enormous discounts to consumers, argues publisher discounts in its own favor, and now, with the Kindle, seems to have a stranglehold on the dissemination of e-books, as well. And there’s something about Amazon that isn’t exactly “nice.” For one thing, executives seem to work on the Beg Forgiveness, Don’t Ask Permission business model; when it launched the Kindle2 earlier this year, executives must have known there’d be an outcry among agents and publishers about “audio rights.” But they launched it anyway—and the minute BookLand squawked, Amazon reneged and offered an audio opt-out clause.

--Sara Nelson's take and why she thinks Amazon has the right to determine what it wants it wants to sell and how.

***

I'm at least, fortunate to have a ton of used and independent book stores in my vicinity. Buy local or bye bye local.

***



I still want goats.

***

Then there are these goats:



The Mountain Goats. "No Children."

Deborah Digges, RIP

AMHERST - Award winning poet and professor Deborah Digges died Friday night of an apparent suicide at the McGuirk Alumni Stadium at the University of Massachusetts.



My Life's Calling


My life's calling, setting fires.
Here in a hearth so huge
I can stand inside and shove
the wood around with my
bare hands while church bells
deal the hours down through
the chimney. No more
woodcutter, creel for the fire
or architect, the five staves
pitched like rifles over stone.
But to be mistro-elemental.
The flute of clay playing
my breath that riles the flames,
the fire risen to such dreaming
sung once from landlords' attics.
Sung once the broken lyres,
seasoned and green.
Even the few things I might save,
my mother's letters,
locks of my children's hair
here handed over like the keys
to a foreclosure, my robes
remanded, and furniture
dragged out into the yard,
my bedsheets hoisted up the pine,
whereby the house sets sail.
And I am standing on a cliff
above the sea, a paper light,
a lantern. No longer mine
to count the wrecks.
Who rode the ships in ringing,
marrying rock the waters
storm to break the door,
looked through the fire, beheld
a clearing there. This is what
you are. What you've come to.


by Deborah Digges

Amazon's Jungle of Stupidity

An update about the fiasco is here.

Freaking BS.

Moving Targets

Someone recently asked me what my "style" of writing was. I have never been able to give the type of answer I feel most people are looking for when I respond.

My usual answer is "It depends on what I'm working on at the moment." My other answer is "It depends on what I'm reading or what's influencing me."

Sitting on my hard drive at home are four manuscripts in various states of completion. The styles of the manuscripts are quite varied. Sometimes, I write in one particular mode to take a break from writing in another particular mode. I've got a bunch of these rhetorical poems that are in couplets which I feel are a direct response to longer, narrative, biographical pieces. The longer biographical pieces are probably a response to the historical sequence I had been working on in the mid 2000's. And then, of course, there's this latest epistolary sequence which started as a series of postcards but has become something larger and beyond the postcards.

I don't know what to tell these people who want to know about my "style" of writing. I guess I'm a firm believer in being a moving target. I've always felt an artist should evolve or change . . . so I try to evolve/change from project to project.

***

Heading over to Eastern Washington for the Get Lit! Festival. I've got a host of responsibilities/readings. That event should be the last of the academic year for me.

***

Current Flashback:

R.E.M.

I saw them in Boise, Idaho promoting their GREEN album. That was a LONG time ago. Michael Stipe still had long hair and he was wearing black eyeliner. The BSU Pavilion was relatively empty.

I'll be reading tonight:

Village Books. Bellingham, WA. 7:00PM.

***

Still trying to figure out who's writing the letters in my long poem. Haven't gotten the POV down yet. I'll just keep writing.

***

Current Spin:

Hope Sandoval and the Warm Intentions. "Suzanne."

Feeling mopey. Which is kinda fun.

Up & At 'Em!

5:06AM here. What the hell am I doing up writing poems?!

***

Contemplating heading downstairs and running on the treadmill. Would it make too much sound? Currently realizing how hamster-like such a move would be.

***

I'm annoyed that my iPod can't sync to two computers. I mean, I basically have the same exact music library between my laptop and my desktop. Why does it keep resetting the iPod?!

*whine*

***

It's true, I'm hardly ever serious on my blog. I'm having far too much fun. And anyway, I really am a goofball in real life, though not so much in the classroom. All my poems house my pent-up seriousness, I suppose. I mean, I've always been serious in my poems. Humor is such a hard thing to do in poetry. I think I've written one funny poem in my lifetime.

Have you ever written a funny poem?

***

I've been admiring my neighbor's planter boxes. I need to borrow my other neighbor's Bobcat. Now that the weather's warming up, I'd like to have a mini-garden, or perhaps a few rows of planter boxes. I know my mother would like that. She had a pretty fierce garden at our old place in Ontario.

***

Current Spin:



Grandaddy. "Summer Here Kids."

I wish. Puffy coats and bearded drummers, still. . .

An Interruption

Yes, I'm aware of the fact that I'm working on a long poem. No, I don't consider it cheating for NaPoWriMo.

***

Speaking of long poems, students are baffled and taken by Berryman's The Dream Songs.


We've been talking about closed form long poems and open form long poems. Berryman's poem being the example of the later.

Whether these epistolary pieces are part of a closed work or a long work has yet to be decided. I do know that I've already written pieces that could serve as interruptions. The "interruption" pieces are not epistolary poems.

***

More on the budget crisis . . . talk of raising tuition at 4 year institutions. Not much else is known since representatives from the universities are still trying to negotiate with the senate. What's clear is that there's a deep divide along party lines. Guess which party is advocating deep cuts in educational spending?

***
Ah sunny spring days, where have you been?

***
Current Spin:

St. Vincent. "These Days."

Hell of a cover. Ah Brooklyn.

An Explanation:

Here. I talk about the opening poem of Furious Lullaby.

Love love love

This crazy band:

Micachu & The Shapes. "Lips"

***

Also love these sunny Pacific Northwest days. Gorgeous.


***

And did I mention I like my Tuesday/Thursday teaching schedule?

***

I now love my new phone. Can't get an iPhone 'cause I live in the county, so this is the only type of "Smart Phone" available to me. Still, love it.

First week of classes

Logistics were ok. I'm was in a crappy classroom (I somehow always get put into this particular classroom), but I managed to transfer.

It makes such a difference--even a small window makes a difference.

***

Worried about the state budget, particularly about the number of cuts that are projected. The budgets proposed by the Washington State House and Senate last week call for 21% to 25% budget cuts to Western Washington University. If enacted, these will be among the highest cuts in the nation.

If enacted, people will clearly lose jobs and because Meredith is not tenure track, we may be in trouble.

***

At least there's music:

The Heartless Bastards. "Brazen"

About the NaPo poems

I'm keeping these up longer because I want to be held accountable to/for something. They will go poof, but for now, the longer they stay on the blog, the more pressure I feel to revise 'em.

--The Management

I've been a dad for a year . . .

IMG_0616, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

And it's been an adjustment, but let me tell you, it's worth it.

Hmmm . . . Should I Participate?

Ever since Maureen Thorson came up with NaPoWriMo, I've wanted to participate. Now the Academy is in the mix.

If I do choose to participate, it won't be through the Academy or as a fund raiser. When I wrote my poem-a-days for the month of August, I felt the camaraderie between poets, but I also had time to savor the company.

Now, in the midst of a new quarter, I'm not sure I'll be able to do a NaPoWriMo justice.

We'll see.

***

First day of the quarter. Sunny. Bright. Horrible classroom. Looks like a holding cell.

***

Long Poem writing prompts for my graduate class forthcoming. Basically, students will be writing one long poem. Some of the prompts/assignments will be generative while others will be revisionary. We'll see what happens!


***
Current Spin:



Great Lake Swimmers. "Pulling On A Line."

Shout Out!

To my friend, Joseph Legaspi, whose poem was selected by Ted Kooser for the poem in his American Life in Poetry column.


Congratulations, Joseph!

I can't walk and chew gum

Meanwhile, there's Anne Rossi playing violin, percussion, and singing.

Amazing that she managed to stay on the box w/out falling off.

***

Heading home today and praying for good weather. So far it's sunny in Mankato.

***

I'll see y'all in B'ham!

KRISTIN!

IMG_0573, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Kristin Naca had lunch with me at Bliss Cafe.

Popcorn Ball

IMG_0575, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

A student in the audience gave me a popcorn ball before my reading.

Splendid Dish

IMG_0590, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

One of the Rick Robbins masterpieces. He's one hell of a poet AND cook.

Shiny Head & Shiny Workshop

IMG_0592, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Here's some of the workshop crew from my week-long stint at Minnesota Statue University at Mankato.

One thing you didn't know about me:

That I went to punk rock concerts in LA like this one:



7 Year Bitch.

I think I actually went to the concert where this was filmed. I'm in the back somewhere. I had hair then. . .

Riot Grrls.

Apparently I'm on a tough-girl binge.

Here's P.J. Harvey:



P.J. Harvey. "Man-Size."

A Short Break from Visiting Writer Duties

After meeting with students for workshops and one-on-one manuscript meetings, I had a longish break today.

I took full advantage of the respite and met up with the bitchin' poet, Kristin Naca who's now teaching over at Macalester.

Much gossip and laughter.

***

I just now finished up my two syllabi for the Spring Quarter. I teach my usual ENG 353, introduction to poetry class, but I'm also teaching a 504 graduate class which will be focusing on the long poem.

The dilemma with the 504 class is that it'll be a workshop. Run. A long poem workshop.

The trick will be to 1) keep them engaged in each others' poems and 2) keep them engaged in their own poems for 10 weeks.

***

Did I mention that I loved my Macbook?

***

Current Spin:

She's back to her punkish ways! Holy kittens.

I miss Sleater-Kinney

Check out Carrie Brownstein rockin' the guitar and Janet Weiss pounding on the drums.

Man, they were so good.

***

I'm still in Mankato, MN. I've been having trouble sleeping. I don't sleep well in hotels--a combination of the dry air, the pillows, and either being too hot or too cold. So I woke up at five AM this morning. I'm still in bed, though, feeling a little lazy and wanting to blog a little and surf a little.

Not that you care.

Anyway, I have to do a wee bit of work today--respond to a few graduate student manuscripts as well as prep for the morning's workshop. I've also got a radio interview taping later in the afternoon. All in all a light day.

***

I love my laptop. The 13" Macbook I blogged about earlier is as dreamy as it looks. It's so fast and what's more, it's got everything from my desktop computer. All my poem files are here as are all my music. The battery seems to hold up pretty well, too.

Some things, however, are taking some getting used to. The trackpad, for one, is great, but I keep mis-clicking on the "right-click" corner (the trackpad itself is the button, in case that wasn't clear).

I'm glad I shelled out the money for extra RAM and extra hard drive space. Both are relatively cheap these days, so if you're planning on getting one of these laptops, I recommend upgrading.

***

Gray day here, very much like the spring Northwest days. The folks here keep apologizing for the weather, but honestly, I like the gray.

I was telling one of the graduate students I was meeting with that gray was good writing weather and he agreed. You really can't go outside and do a whole lot. Just the perfect type of weather to hang out by the window, drink a hot drink, and write.

***

Bobby Jindal drives me crazy.

***

I better unplug. Free waffles are calling.

Swoon

IMG_0557, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Rick Robbins swooning on a swooning bench.

Crazy Chandelier

IMG_0563, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Note to Self

IMG_0565, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

This was a note the artist left for himself--If you can't read it, it says, "Deal with This!! Purple Skull Chokes the animal."

Oil Painting Studio Part IV

IMG_0566, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Oil Painting Studio Part III

IMG_0550, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Oil Painting Studio Part II

IMG_0549, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Oil Painting Studio Part I

IMG_0548, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Poor House to Palace Part II

IMG_0546, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

And this is the finished side with my host, Rick Robbins, walking towards the entrance.

From Poor House to Palace

IMG_0545, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

A reception for a visiting art history guy was held at this house in Mankato. It used to be the county poor house, but it's since been converted into this amazing house filled with bright colors and art. This shot is of an unfinished side.

Where I'll be this week

I'll be heading over to Mankato, MN to conduct some workshops, give talks, and a reading. Here's why: I'm the Eddice B. Barber visiting writer at the University of Minnesota, Mankato.

If you're in the area, I hope you swing by. The schedule's on the link.

Geek Chic

Geek Chic, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Voila, my new 13.3" Macbook. It's actually more powerful than my desktop which is a G5 Dual Processor. The keyboard glows. Hum

Should be useful when I hit the road in the next few weeks--Mankato, MN, and then Spokane, WA.

I applied for a GAP grant from WA state this year, but I can't wait to see if I was a winner. Luckily Meredith and I got kickbacks on our taxes.

***

I've got a stack of 47 Bluebook exams to grade. *cry* I did, however, manage to grade 10 poetry portfolios with 4 more to go. Oh Spring Break, you're so close . . .

***

I should've filled out my damn NCAA bracket this year, but it slipped my mind. Really, there are only a handful of teams who I think can win the whole thing. Whereas in past years, it seemed there were a few more. My Final Four picks: UNC, UConn, Louisville, and Pitt. Yeah, I know they're all #1 seeds. I just don't think the #2 seeds are that close. And I think all the upsets will happen between the lower seeded teams.

***

Current Spin:

Ryan Adams. "Come Pick Me Up." Feeling a little alt-honky-tonk today.

I'm going to miss BSG

(Geek Mode ON) I’m trusting that many of you who read this watch the BSG series, so I won’t even begin to try to explain the back story to you.

***

I’m going to miss Battlestar Galactica. The last episode of the updated 2004 series airs this Friday. I am, in actuality, not a big television watcher. Yes, there are shows that I watch other than BSG, but BSG is the only show that I will watch by myself from start to finish. I am, otherwise, a fidgety television viewer.

I’ve had to explain to a few people why I enjoy the show—many of you bloggers are dialed in, but there are a number of people who just don’t get my passion for the series. I try to explain to non-watchers that it’s basically like The West Wing, except in space. I’ve never watched an episode of The West Wing, but such a pronouncement by me seems to create the intended effect. They get it once I pair BSG with something in the “real” world. My own parents can’t stand fantasy or science fiction. “Your mom and I don’t like fictions” is something I’ve often heard from my father when I’ve suggested we go see a popcorn sc-fi flick at the movie theater.

I understand why my parents are apprehensive about engaging sci-fi/fantasy narratives. Science Fiction, at its worst, is pop-philosophy that’s conflated with exotic words and ridiculous problems that are solved by science-lite solutions. The goal of the writers of bad science fiction is, ultimately, to impress with the creation of new worlds without firmly maintaining feet on the ground in this world. Sci-fi, though, at its highest form is brilliant allegory. BSG, is pretty brilliant.

The engineered “villains” of BSG, the Cylons are complicated “antagonists.” I’m putting the terms in quotes because lately in the show, they’ve become more humane than the humans who have created them. Phillip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, which was adapted to become Blade Runner, had similar concerns with its Cylon-like antagonists, the Replicants. Both Cylons and Replicants lash out against their creators. Both Cylon and Replicants seek to master a very human narrative theme—they are questing for a way to cheat death.

Additionally, so often science fiction is about mastering one of two other narratives—the idea of a utopia or the aftermath of a dystopia. Human societies (in most cases, human) are always flawed—the narrative eventually reveals how the utopia is actually dystopia or how the dystopia is created by humanity in the first place. Such a narrative, post 9/11, is compelling, blunt, and necessary. There’s an excellent article about BSG in Rolling Stone citing season 2 as the high-water mark of the show. The New Caprica shows place the members of the colonial fleet as members of an insurgency. In a memorable season 2 scene, a human colonial suicide bomber takes out humans and Cylons alike. Admiral Adama, played quite excellently by Eduard James Olmos, asks whether humans “. . . are worth saving. . . .“ My response, of course, is yes, but the value of BSG as a cultural force is that it beckons complication.


Here’s where I speculate about the upcoming ending:

Gaius Baltar is one of the most intriguing characters in the series for me. He’s a wonderful reimagining of Count Baltar from the original 1978 series. At first, I saw him as pure villain, but now I’m seeing him as something further. Could he be the holder of the master narrative of humanity?

His career in the show is interesting. First, of course, as scientist, he creates the downfall of human civilization. Later, he becomes a politician. Then, he becomes a religious figure. His career changes are so profound to me that it’s hard for me to take him as anything other than a symbolic character. Further, Baltar’s subconscious apparition—Caprica 6. Could she be like the muses from old? Here, I invoke Homer: “Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus/and its devastation . . . “

Will Baltar become the poet/historian for what’s left of humanity? What I know from President Rosalin’s dreams is that Baltar and Caprica are last seen in the vision of the opera house, carrying Hera. Could Baltar, the destroyer of humanity, also be the instrument of its rebirth?

***

I've got more speculation about the final episode cooking in my brain, but I'm finding it hard to articulate. Overall, though, I'm just saying BSG is and was a damn good show. I reluctantly watched it at first, having been a fan of the previous incarnation, but this new version is in many ways superior.

I'm sad it's ending, but I'm also glad that there's going to be some sort of conclusion to the series . . . that the acting can and will remain superb and that the writing will not find itself, like so many shows that last too long, tired and out of spark.

The "Transition Team"

Apparently, I'm the transition team for my parents. For the past week and a half I've been running around doing errands for them and it's cut my writing and grading time to shreds.

Meredith and I have been busily arranging books, DVDs, VHS tapes, and CDs into their newly installed cabinets. What's clear is that they've collected a lot of crap in the 32 years of life in the sticks of Eastern Oregon.

I found all kinds of crap--for example, a Newsweek magazine from 1974 featuring the Patty Hearst story.

Why would you keep that?

Additional head-scratchers--five magnifying glasses, seven dictionaries, five bibles, a plastic bag full of wedding trinkets from other peoples' weddings.

Then there are the hundreds of pictures of me littered here and there, between book pages, in boxes, sprinkled loosely throughout the clutter.

I'm going mad.

***

Out of all this, however, I have some how managed to get a nice television.

***

Finals week this week. Thank goodness.

***

My mini Macbook came yesterday. I couldn't hop onto the internet because I transferred the entire contents of my older desktop to the laptop. That process took 6 hours.

All told, the 13" Macbook is more powerful than my G5 Tower, which is crazy. . .

Love this thing . . . I'm blogging with it right now. The key pad takes some getting used to. There's no click button--you press the keypad itself. Also, you can rotate objects, resize objects, and right click on the same pad, depending on how you move your hand or fingers on the pad. Wild.

***

(Geek mode off)

***

Haven't written a lick for a couple of months. The big push of the quarter coupled with the parental move has left me with very little time. Priority, of course, goes to L's care. The last official day of transition for my folks will be the 21st of this month. Thank goodness.

***

Current spin:

School of Seven Bells. "Half Asleep."

Waiting for . . .

our new 13" Macbook.

I've had my G4 17" laptop since 2002. Never had any problems, but now it's clearly old. Meredith gave me the blessing to go ahead and buy a new CPU with part of our tax refund.

It'll be here between the 13th and the 19th.

Yay!

***

I'm not going to g-cycle the older laptop. Rather, I'm going to leave it at my parents' house so I don't have to use their PC's.

***

Finally got the baby to nap. This morning was exciting. He didn't like the yogurt I was feeding him. He kept spitting it out. Then he grabbed it from his mouth and put it in his hair and his clothes.

*sigh*

***

Last day of the quarter--tomorrow.

***
Current Spin:


Antony and the Johnsons. Cover of Leonard Cohen's "The Guests".

At first, I thought Antony was a woman with a deep voice. I've been trying to decide if I actually liked his stuff . . . then I heard him cover some Cohen songs. My my.

My old self

My old uniform, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Yup. My old EMS uniform. Just above it, you can see a Grey's Anatomy book and a Medical dictionary.

Ah, my past life . . .

I was just asked an interview question about how much the past creeps into my poems. In the previous collections, not so much, but now I'm all about writing about the past.

***

I helped my parents move some stuff out of their new office. The cabinet makers are coming tomorrow, so I had to clear out an area in the room. My EMS uniform was draped over a box of my old cartoon books---you know, Peanuts excerpts and Garfield cartoon books. I had a ton of those as a kid and my parents kept 'em.

Anyway, about this EMS uniform. Of course I tried it on. It was . . . painful, to say the least. I've gained quite a bit of weight and bulk since those days.

If you must know, I was an EMT in LA Count for the better part of two years. Not my thing, but it certainly helped me discover my true path.

***

I taught my last lecture class of the quarter today. Technically it was a review for the final. Of course, the students didn't ask any questions. Rather, they tried to lawyer me into reducing the length of the exam. I sort of caved, for a portion. I realized, I really didn't want to grade two long essays, so I cut one of 'em. That only means that the one long essay they have to craft is worth a heck of a lot more. Their fault.

***

Current Spin:

Arthur & Yu. "Afterglow."

Thin Mint Cookies

IMG_0507, originally uploaded by odelapaz.

It was only one thin mint cookie. Little did we know that one cookie would make such a mess.

And no, we don't usually feed our child junk food. He saw us eating thin mints and greatly wanted one for himself.

We caved.

We're awful parents.

Aw crap--Taxes For Writers

Forgot to send my manuscript to this contest. Ah well. I suppose I've been a tad bit distracted these days.

Reminder, Oliver--send the manuscript out this week.

***

Big tax break coming our way which makes me glad that we have our accountant. I've been with the dude for the better part of five years and I always get a good return. He's smart and he knows what questions to ask me.

The baby, of course, helped with our returns tremendously.

Meredith and I do intend to spend some of the tax return on insulating the attic of the house (which, by the way, grants another tax credit).

***

Every year I blog about taxes because I do think many writers are generally bad about keeping records that will grant them tax returns.

Things that you can count if you file as a writer:

1. Internet--you do use it for internet submissions and now you can actually log and track things that you've submitted online just by printing e-mail correspondence.

2. Computers, Printers, Paper
3. Digital Camera--Depends on if you have a webpage or a blog. You can claim it as part of your publicity.
4. Web Site Host Fees
5. Books--Use your discretion. These generally have to be "writing-related," but YMMV.
6. Paper, Toner, Ink, Office Supplies--Again, use discretion
7. ENTRY FEES FOR BOOK CONTESTS--Yes, you can claim this.
8. Writers Conference fees
9. Membership Dues--e.g. your AWP Membership fee
10. Postage
11. Some Research Trips--You'll need direct and clear evidence that this trip is indeed going towards your next book project.
12. Promotional Expenses--Brochures, Flyers, Press Kits
13. Donations--These can be books given away for promotional purposes, swapped books, or books donated for fund raisers. You might even consider your membership to the Academy of American Poets as a Donation.
14. Dry Cleaning--I laughed when my friend Rigoberto told me he had been claiming his dry cleaning, but by gum, he was right. You can claim dry cleaning.
15. Finally, if you use an accountant like I do, you can write these "professional fees" off.

***

To get you in the mood:

I really should be getting back to sleep but . . .

I saw this and laughed.

What does this say about me?

Scary Beards

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. If I saw Will Oldham strutting down my street, I'd be frightened.

His beard has grown quite scary.

I so wanted it to be good . . .

If I had that power, the 2 hours 40 minutes of Zack Snyder’s grim and grisly excursion into comic-book mythology might not have felt quite so interminable. (“It will never end,” says Dr. Manhattan. “Nothing ever ends.” No indeed.) Also, an enhanced temporal perspective would make it possible to watch “Watchmen” not in 2009 but back in 1985, when the story takes place, and when the movie might have made at least a little more sense.

***

I'll probably see it anyway.

***

We were going to switch off co-sleeping with the little guy last night. I was to be the second shift. Meredith never came in, but, in anticipation, I was awake from 1:30-3:30AM.

My left eye is twitching. Thank goodness my parents will be here on Saturday.

***

Gorgeous weather. Too bad I'm sleepwalking.

***

Current spin:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: "Cheated Hearts." Watch for the Bellingham, WA clip. Shout out to B'ham.

The Soundtrack for a Manuscript

I listen to music.

I listen to a lot of music.

I listen to a lot of music when I write.

Surprising, yes. Lots of folks can't write to music. I've always had some kind of soundtrack going on in the background. I like competing rhythms. Somehow the rhythm and melody of external music sculpts the mess of images that's flashing through my brain.

Anyway, this group is who I primarily listened to when I composed a lot of the poems for Furious Lullaby:



The Rachel's.

***

Now, I'm listening to a lot of folk/alt-country stuff. Perhaps I'm mining for narratives. Lately, I've been listening to singer-songwriter types. You know, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, and some of the more recent folks like Colin Meloy of The Decemberists and Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes.



Conor Oberst.

***



Leonard Cohen.

***

End of the quarter--I've got a class this Friday, then Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Whew. I'm beat.

What's also been stressful is that the little guy has been waking up almost every two hours. Meredith and I are sleep deprived.

Luckily my parents will be here on Saturday.

***

My real current spin is this:

Michael Draws His Wu-Tang Sword

Name-checking the states of the Republic does not make your poetry Whitmanic. Shoveling pop culture references into sloppy lines does not transform your poems into Frank O’Hara’s. Using the phrase “cock ring” or alluding to the seduction of a friend’s wife does not fill your poetry with edgy, erotic energy. The words arranged in All-American Poem are simulacra of the vital American poetries introduced by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “The Poet” and running through and beyond the appearance of Donald Allen’s landmark anthology of 1960. These are poems written by a personality, not a person. They are Reality TV poems that demand you love them simply for being written down. Everything about All-American Poem is insulting and self-centered, from the content of the work to its (lack of) style or perspective to the very manner by which it was brought into the world.

***

Whoosh!