Soham serenading Sarah.
1 week ago
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Kundiman 2009
I'm writing to you from the fabulous Alderman Library.
The coffee machine is humming behind me and there's lots of writing going on.
I'm glad I'm here.
Travel was hell.
I woke up early Tuesday morning so that Meredith could take me to the airport. My flight was scheduled to depart at 7:30AM. Anyway, no hitches until the plane got on the runway, when it was discovered one of the engines wasn't working. So the took the plane back to the gate and had all of the passengers deplane. The pilot said that the delay could be anywhere from 2-3 hours. It was, of course, longer.
I wound up getting rebooked to a later afternoon flight. I originally would've gotten in to C-ville at 7PM, but instead got in at 11PM. At least I made it.
***
Anyway, the Kundiman Retreat is in full swing. The fellows are, as I mentioned, writing. Workshops will kick off this afternoon and boy am I impressed by this group. Some of the folks have already published a couple of books.
***
Current Spin:
Bowerbirds.
Monday, July 06, 2009
A Kiss Before I Go
I'm getting ready to head to Charlottesville, VA, for another Kundiman Asian American Poetry Retreat.
This year's faculty includes Myung Mi Kim, Rick Barot, and Staceyann Chin.
Should be quite fantastic and quite hot.
I'm also bringing a small karaoke machine. . .
I'll try to blog on site with pictures, of course.
***
Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't plug an upcoming reading of mine as well as a bunch of readings for the PAWA Arkipelago Reading Series. Check the info here:
pawainc.blogspot.com.
***
Have to say that I love the layout of Cue. Makes me want to update my own website.
***
So, how's the summer reading going? Slowly. I did just finish Joel Brouwer's Exactly What Happened.
Still trying to finish Almanac of the Dead. My mistake was to take this "project" on starting with a very dense and epic novel. So, I might put it down for now and keep on going through my stacks of poetry books and thinner novels.
Ultimately, what I'm finding is I'm distracted by parenting, The Wire, and deadlines.
Enough excuse making. On to the next book--I'm looking at Laura Walker's rimertown.
I'm intrigued by her atlas poems, and the delving into the memory of her small rural town.
***
Current Spins (Songs that remind me of Summer):
Icicle Works, and
The Dream Academy, and
The Kinks.
This year's faculty includes Myung Mi Kim, Rick Barot, and Staceyann Chin.
Should be quite fantastic and quite hot.
I'm also bringing a small karaoke machine. . .
I'll try to blog on site with pictures, of course.
***
Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't plug an upcoming reading of mine as well as a bunch of readings for the PAWA Arkipelago Reading Series. Check the info here:
pawainc.blogspot.com.
***
Have to say that I love the layout of Cue. Makes me want to update my own website.
***
So, how's the summer reading going? Slowly. I did just finish Joel Brouwer's Exactly What Happened.
Still trying to finish Almanac of the Dead. My mistake was to take this "project" on starting with a very dense and epic novel. So, I might put it down for now and keep on going through my stacks of poetry books and thinner novels.
Ultimately, what I'm finding is I'm distracted by parenting, The Wire, and deadlines.
Enough excuse making. On to the next book--I'm looking at Laura Walker's rimertown.
I'm intrigued by her atlas poems, and the delving into the memory of her small rural town.
***
Current Spins (Songs that remind me of Summer):
Icicle Works, and
The Dream Academy, and
The Kinks.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Stuff online
A long poem of mine can be found at Guernica Magazine.
***
For those of you who are interested in my recent radio bit, I've been told the show won't air in Bellingham until Friday and that the podcast will likely be available around the same time. If you're really curious, you can check back with the Chuckanut Radio Hour's Website.
***
I've been a busy bee indeed. Parenting, reading, writing, building garages . . .
I'm only three weeks into my summer and already I feel it sleeping away from all these projects.
***
I need to buckle down and finish reading stuff. Not enough hours in the day, people. What I wouldn't do for a 25th or 26th hour. To think of all the things I'd get done.
***
Nothing beats a good cover. Try this:
And compare it to the original:
***
For those of you who are interested in my recent radio bit, I've been told the show won't air in Bellingham until Friday and that the podcast will likely be available around the same time. If you're really curious, you can check back with the Chuckanut Radio Hour's Website.
***
I've been a busy bee indeed. Parenting, reading, writing, building garages . . .
I'm only three weeks into my summer and already I feel it sleeping away from all these projects.
***
I need to buckle down and finish reading stuff. Not enough hours in the day, people. What I wouldn't do for a 25th or 26th hour. To think of all the things I'd get done.
***
Nothing beats a good cover. Try this:
And compare it to the original:
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
On the Air
Tonight, I'll be reading a poem for the Chuckanut Radio Hour. If you're in Bellingham, WA, you can tune in to FM 102.3.
***
Spent about three hours yesterday revising approximately 28 pages of a sequence for a chapbook entry. Fiddling with margins is tiring. The MS Word defaults drive me crazy. I keep turning them off, but somehow they magically get turned on again and again.
***
I've been renovating my parents' garage. They were in dire need of storage and for the past couple of days I've been installing cabinets, building shelving, and putting down a work bench counter top.
I love power tools.
***
I've been slow with the 32 books for the summer challenge. I blame The Wire.
It's my new addiction. I'm going to try to finish the novel I'm reading this week, before I head to The Kundiman Retreat.
***
These days I feel like I'm mostly done with my third book. Such thinking has afforded me the luxury of thinking about other projects. As I mentioned earlier, I did some touch-ups on a chapbook which I think I can convert into a manuscript with a few more poems and pieces that work as counterpoints to the chapbook's main obsession.
***
Wow. The quarry is blowing up parts of the mountain. I felt a really big explosion just now, after the whine of machinery.
***
Current Spins:
The Innocence Mission. Calm. Summery.
***
Spent about three hours yesterday revising approximately 28 pages of a sequence for a chapbook entry. Fiddling with margins is tiring. The MS Word defaults drive me crazy. I keep turning them off, but somehow they magically get turned on again and again.
***
I've been renovating my parents' garage. They were in dire need of storage and for the past couple of days I've been installing cabinets, building shelving, and putting down a work bench counter top.
I love power tools.
***
I've been slow with the 32 books for the summer challenge. I blame The Wire.
It's my new addiction. I'm going to try to finish the novel I'm reading this week, before I head to The Kundiman Retreat.
***
These days I feel like I'm mostly done with my third book. Such thinking has afforded me the luxury of thinking about other projects. As I mentioned earlier, I did some touch-ups on a chapbook which I think I can convert into a manuscript with a few more poems and pieces that work as counterpoints to the chapbook's main obsession.
***
Wow. The quarry is blowing up parts of the mountain. I felt a really big explosion just now, after the whine of machinery.
***
Current Spins:
The Innocence Mission. Calm. Summery.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Writers Group Stuff Day 6
Write a poem that somehow incorporates the idea of the DOCUMENTARY.
You could use a shaky, hand-held camera as your point of view, or you
might employ an element of documentary poetics in the piece (or
attempt some kind of hybrid thereof). Try to include the following, if
possible:
1. A quote, either real or invented.
2. A moment of unexpected humor or comic relief.
3. An object found in a place where that object is not typically
found.
4. At least one proper noun.
You might also try using the word "documentary" in the title, and then
writing a poem that doesn't announce itself as connected to a
documentary of any sort, but somehow distills the idea.
Extra credit: after your poem, share the name of your favorite
documentary or documentary-ish film.
***
God, this was hard. Being funny is hard. Sort of lost the film idea of the POV.
Favorite documentary film--Trekkies.
***
Poof!
***
If you follow me on Facebook, you'll know that I'm addicted to The Wire. After much praise about the show, Meredith and I decided to see what all the hype was about. Oh my goodness, we devoured Season 1.
***
Favorite characters--Freamon, Bubbles, and Omar.
Where the hell did they get these fantastic actors for this show?
***
Prefuse 73.
You could use a shaky, hand-held camera as your point of view, or you
might employ an element of documentary poetics in the piece (or
attempt some kind of hybrid thereof). Try to include the following, if
possible:
1. A quote, either real or invented.
2. A moment of unexpected humor or comic relief.
3. An object found in a place where that object is not typically
found.
4. At least one proper noun.
You might also try using the word "documentary" in the title, and then
writing a poem that doesn't announce itself as connected to a
documentary of any sort, but somehow distills the idea.
Extra credit: after your poem, share the name of your favorite
documentary or documentary-ish film.
***
God, this was hard. Being funny is hard. Sort of lost the film idea of the POV.
Favorite documentary film--Trekkies.
***
Poof!
***
If you follow me on Facebook, you'll know that I'm addicted to The Wire. After much praise about the show, Meredith and I decided to see what all the hype was about. Oh my goodness, we devoured Season 1.
***
Favorite characters--Freamon, Bubbles, and Omar.
Where the hell did they get these fantastic actors for this show?
***
Prefuse 73.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Writing Group Stuff Day 5
The Prompt:
Write a poem that incorporates a city or town in the state you grew up
in, but make it a city you've never been to before.
Include a reference to either religious iconography or a national
monument.
Finally, use your favorite brand name laundry detergent.
***
I cheated with the monument and the detergent. I sort of referred to 'em, but didn't give any names.
***
The Poem:
Poof!
***
I have to say that I'm not surprised about Michael Jackson's death, really. After all his surgical procedures, I imagined that he was on a number of addictive pain killers. The EMT in me saw the tell tale signs, just by watching him move around in public. Still, it's definitely a tragedy. There were quite a number of tragedies with celebrities this week--Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and now Michael Jackson. Rough week.
***
MJ.
Write a poem that incorporates a city or town in the state you grew up
in, but make it a city you've never been to before.
Include a reference to either religious iconography or a national
monument.
Finally, use your favorite brand name laundry detergent.
***
I cheated with the monument and the detergent. I sort of referred to 'em, but didn't give any names.
***
The Poem:
Poof!
***
I have to say that I'm not surprised about Michael Jackson's death, really. After all his surgical procedures, I imagined that he was on a number of addictive pain killers. The EMT in me saw the tell tale signs, just by watching him move around in public. Still, it's definitely a tragedy. There were quite a number of tragedies with celebrities this week--Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and now Michael Jackson. Rough week.
***
MJ.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
2 of 32
I'm still reading Almanac of the Dead, but I'm also reading Joel Brouwer's Exactly What Happened.
Almost done with the Silko and I'm about half way through Brouwer. My summer is long, so I think I can still meet my goal! 32 books for a summer!
Writing Group Day 4
Prompt:
Write a poem entitled:
Fragments Addressing ________________
You (obviously) can put anything in the blank, and use the title as a
call to form, or not.
Here's the other thing you have to do:
Use Google Image search and plug in whatever word (or words) you
inserted into the blank. Pick the 5th image that comes up and
incorporate it into your poem somehow. (For extra fun, feel free to
include a link to your image in your post.)
****************
Poof!
*************************
Yeah, they're fragments. I think I'm going to blow this up. Here's the picture:
Na Pali Coast.
Why I chose this topic is beyond me. I had a National Geographic on my desk and figured I'd "topic-dive" for this prompt.
The hour time limit was actually a welcomed thing. This was a hard one for me.
***
Currently editing a chapbook. . . my "Dear Empire" pieces are getting reworked into something.
***
Super XX Man.
Write a poem entitled:
Fragments Addressing ________________
You (obviously) can put anything in the blank, and use the title as a
call to form, or not.
Here's the other thing you have to do:
Use Google Image search and plug in whatever word (or words) you
inserted into the blank. Pick the 5th image that comes up and
incorporate it into your poem somehow. (For extra fun, feel free to
include a link to your image in your post.)
****************
Poof!
*************************
Yeah, they're fragments. I think I'm going to blow this up. Here's the picture:
Na Pali Coast.
Why I chose this topic is beyond me. I had a National Geographic on my desk and figured I'd "topic-dive" for this prompt.
The hour time limit was actually a welcomed thing. This was a hard one for me.
***
Currently editing a chapbook. . . my "Dear Empire" pieces are getting reworked into something.
***
Super XX Man.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Writing Group Stuff Day 3
Here's the prompt:
Compound and portmanteau words.
Such as watermelon, suitcase, lipstick, icebox, tree lawn, honeydew,
hairdresser, overcoat, typewriter, whale road, mantelpiece, T.V. tray,
pigtail, ladyfinger, copperhead, newsprint, etc. For some reason, I’m
finding this interesting lately. I’m not sure if it’s the putting
together of two things or their exact relationship or the metaphoric-
ness or the echo of kennings??? Use at least 8 compound words in a
poem. They can be either the compound word itself or the compound
taken apart into the two separate words. Quick source:
http://www.janbrett.com/piggybacks/compound.htm
***
POOF!
***
This was fun and I could've kept going but I've got other projects on my plate for today. I'm pretty sure I'll come back to this poem.
***
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. I am seriously thinking about getting a ukelele and here's a master for you.
Compound and portmanteau words.
Such as watermelon, suitcase, lipstick, icebox, tree lawn, honeydew,
hairdresser, overcoat, typewriter, whale road, mantelpiece, T.V. tray,
pigtail, ladyfinger, copperhead, newsprint, etc. For some reason, I’m
finding this interesting lately. I’m not sure if it’s the putting
together of two things or their exact relationship or the metaphoric-
ness or the echo of kennings??? Use at least 8 compound words in a
poem. They can be either the compound word itself or the compound
taken apart into the two separate words. Quick source:
http://www.janbrett.com/piggybacks/compound.htm
***
POOF!
***
This was fun and I could've kept going but I've got other projects on my plate for today. I'm pretty sure I'll come back to this poem.
***
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. I am seriously thinking about getting a ukelele and here's a master for you.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Writing Group Stuff Day 2
OMG. Why did I try a pantoum? I did adhere to the one-hour writing quota, but I fear I didn't have as much time to revise as I'd like. And I kept screwing up the pattern so I kept having to go back and redo things.
***
Look at the Junk Drawers by Paho Mann. Assemble your own junk drawer
and create a poem influenced by its contents.
www.pahomann.com.
This is a prompt directly taken from my friend Papatya Bucak.
***
Poof!
***
Lisa Hannigan with a very cool hat.
***
Look at the Junk Drawers by Paho Mann. Assemble your own junk drawer
and create a poem influenced by its contents.
www.pahomann.com.
This is a prompt directly taken from my friend Papatya Bucak.
***
Poof!
***
Lisa Hannigan with a very cool hat.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Writing Group Stuff
My writers' group is kick-starting again for a mini-session. As usual, I'm posting the poems here for a brief time and then I'll take 'em off the site at the end of the day.
We're using prompts this time. The prompt for this day was to grab a random non-poetry book and find a word from a few random pages. I drew the following words:
1. Myself. 2. Speechlessness. 3. Mythologies. 4. Vacuum. 5. Idleness.
I give my students similar assignments. There's something about putting together puzzles that I truly enjoy.
Anyway, I know Blogger is going to kill my linebreaks. The poem's in couplets, so when there's a staggered third line it's because the line was too long.
Also, I have to say, I'm still in love with the couplet. You can't hide in a couplet.
***
Poof!
***
The Poem's Origins:
The story about my father asking a Japanese soldier for a cigarette is true, from what I understand. My dad was probably five years old when he asked for a cigarette.
My grandfather was a heavy smoker and it wouldn't surprise me that he would tell my father to get smokes from the soldier.
I'm a little unsure about the correct name for the flower. I know it's a lily and I know it's orange with some darker orange stippling. The flower's on a thin stem and there can be clumps of five or six flowers per stem. Our house is along a logging road that's U-shaped. We're adjacent to some DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources) property, and they recently cut back a swathe of about 40 acres, leaving a naked, scarified empty lot. We take daily walks on this road with our stroller.
***
Current Spin:
More Summer-ish music.
We're using prompts this time. The prompt for this day was to grab a random non-poetry book and find a word from a few random pages. I drew the following words:
1. Myself. 2. Speechlessness. 3. Mythologies. 4. Vacuum. 5. Idleness.
I give my students similar assignments. There's something about putting together puzzles that I truly enjoy.
Anyway, I know Blogger is going to kill my linebreaks. The poem's in couplets, so when there's a staggered third line it's because the line was too long.
Also, I have to say, I'm still in love with the couplet. You can't hide in a couplet.
***
Poof!
***
The Poem's Origins:
The story about my father asking a Japanese soldier for a cigarette is true, from what I understand. My dad was probably five years old when he asked for a cigarette.
My grandfather was a heavy smoker and it wouldn't surprise me that he would tell my father to get smokes from the soldier.
I'm a little unsure about the correct name for the flower. I know it's a lily and I know it's orange with some darker orange stippling. The flower's on a thin stem and there can be clumps of five or six flowers per stem. Our house is along a logging road that's U-shaped. We're adjacent to some DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources) property, and they recently cut back a swathe of about 40 acres, leaving a naked, scarified empty lot. We take daily walks on this road with our stroller.
***
Current Spin:
More Summer-ish music.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
My 2nd Father's Day
This is the photo Meredith took while she and Lucas were still in the hospital. It's still my favorite picture.
***
Heading down to Seattle for Dim Sum to celebrate!
***
My summer writing "program" starts on Monday. Wish me luck!
I'm still in bed. Summer is awesome.
***
Current spin:
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
At Last, the Rain
We've had 28 rainless days during the end of spring. I've avoided watering everything--the lawn, the rhododendrons, the heather. Everything's crispy and yellowed. But yesterday, it rained. I'm beginning to really like the rain. It's writerly weather.
***
Today I'm going to buy some lumber. The plan is to build planter boxes for a vegetable garden. I'm sick of spending all that cash on things like kale and tomatoes. Plus, since we're living on a budget and we have 6 acres, we may as well use some of our land, no?
I'm not sure what to plant, since I'm a newbie at all this. I'm thinking lettuce would be good, since I like salads in the summer. Squash perhaps? Cucumbers? Tomatoes?
***
Now half way through Almanac of the Dead. I'm thinking I should've started with a "thinner" book for this 32 book marathon. My initial judgment about the book is mildly revised. The pace is picking up and I'm glad the focus of the narrative has turned to Lecha, the medium (or whatever her ability is). Still, it's a slow read. Lots and lots of back story. Character development. Not a bad thing, necessarily. Like I said, I'm only half way through.
***
Writerly things to do:
1. Revise/edit some of my NaPo poems for a chapbook.
2. Send more work out.
3. Write more stuff.
4. Dust off some older projects.
5. Write more stuff.
***
It's so good to have the summer in front of me. Ah!
***
Current Spin:
Telekinesis. It's just the right amount of summer sugar to get me started.
***
Today I'm going to buy some lumber. The plan is to build planter boxes for a vegetable garden. I'm sick of spending all that cash on things like kale and tomatoes. Plus, since we're living on a budget and we have 6 acres, we may as well use some of our land, no?
I'm not sure what to plant, since I'm a newbie at all this. I'm thinking lettuce would be good, since I like salads in the summer. Squash perhaps? Cucumbers? Tomatoes?
***
Now half way through Almanac of the Dead. I'm thinking I should've started with a "thinner" book for this 32 book marathon. My initial judgment about the book is mildly revised. The pace is picking up and I'm glad the focus of the narrative has turned to Lecha, the medium (or whatever her ability is). Still, it's a slow read. Lots and lots of back story. Character development. Not a bad thing, necessarily. Like I said, I'm only half way through.
***
Writerly things to do:
1. Revise/edit some of my NaPo poems for a chapbook.
2. Send more work out.
3. Write more stuff.
4. Dust off some older projects.
5. Write more stuff.
***
It's so good to have the summer in front of me. Ah!
***
Current Spin:
Telekinesis. It's just the right amount of summer sugar to get me started.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Done! Done! Done!
I just entered the grades for my classes this morning. While I do say that I'm "Done! Done! Done!" I'm not completely out of the woods yet. I still have a few comments to make on my grad portfolios. Shouldn't be bad, since I'll mostly be writing to them about what to do next with their long poems.
***
I've got a number of projects on my plate for the summer, which is great. I've now got time to assemble version 3.0 of In Defense of Small Towns. I've been sending out version 2.5 to publishers and contests, but 3.0 is looking to be a leaner more focused collection. I had been quibbling with myself over the inclusion of poems about illness in the earlier versions . . . those poems are out of 3.0 which, I think, is a smart decision, but in omitting those poems the manuscript now has a lot of gaps which need to be filled.
***
First off, it's interesting how Stephen Burt brings up Ronald Johnson's ARK. I could NOT get through that Johnson book. I tried, but I failed.
Secondly, I somewhat agree with Burt's "disagreement" with Tony Hoagland's assertion that the "narrative" will be the next successor to "Third Way." But I think, also, that there are some really spectacular historical narratives that are being written in contemporary poetry, particularly by minority writers, many of whom are not mentioned in Burt's article.
***
Currently reading: Almanac of the Dead. I'm a third of the way through it and I'm finding it really difficult to "like" the protagonist, Seese. It seems like it's the worst possible telenovela. So far, it's far flatter than Ceremony. Mind you, like I said I'm only 1/3rd through it. Maybe the pacing will pick up, but so far no payoff. . . and it's the first book of my 32 books.
***
Current Spin:
Dinosaur Jr. From their new album "Farm."
***
I've got a number of projects on my plate for the summer, which is great. I've now got time to assemble version 3.0 of In Defense of Small Towns. I've been sending out version 2.5 to publishers and contests, but 3.0 is looking to be a leaner more focused collection. I had been quibbling with myself over the inclusion of poems about illness in the earlier versions . . . those poems are out of 3.0 which, I think, is a smart decision, but in omitting those poems the manuscript now has a lot of gaps which need to be filled.
***
First off, it's interesting how Stephen Burt brings up Ronald Johnson's ARK. I could NOT get through that Johnson book. I tried, but I failed.
Secondly, I somewhat agree with Burt's "disagreement" with Tony Hoagland's assertion that the "narrative" will be the next successor to "Third Way." But I think, also, that there are some really spectacular historical narratives that are being written in contemporary poetry, particularly by minority writers, many of whom are not mentioned in Burt's article.
***
Currently reading: Almanac of the Dead. I'm a third of the way through it and I'm finding it really difficult to "like" the protagonist, Seese. It seems like it's the worst possible telenovela. So far, it's far flatter than Ceremony. Mind you, like I said I'm only 1/3rd through it. Maybe the pacing will pick up, but so far no payoff. . . and it's the first book of my 32 books.
***
Current Spin:
Dinosaur Jr. From their new album "Farm."
Saturday, June 13, 2009
What the New Kids Are Doing
For much of the past decade, the most imitated new American poets were slippery, digressive, polyvocalic, creators of overlapping, colorful fragments. Their poems were avowedly personal, although they never retold the poets’ life stories (they did not tell stories at all); the poets used, or at least mentioned, difficult ideas, especially from continental philosophy, although they never laid out philosophical arguments (they did not lay out arguments at all). Nor did they describe concrete objects at length. Full of illogic, of associative leaps, their poems resembled dreams, performances, speeches, or pieces of music, and they were, in M.H. Abrams’s famous formulation, less mirror than lamp: the poets sought to project their own experiences, in sparkling bursts of voluble utterance. Their models, among older authors, were Emily Dickinson, John Berryman, John Ashbery, perhaps Frank O’Hara; some had studied (or studied with) Jorie Graham, and many had picked up devices from the Language writers of the West Coast. These poets were what I, eleven years ago, called “elliptical,” what other (sometimes hostile) observers called “New Lyric,” or “post-avant,” or “Third Way.” Their emblematic first book was Mark Levine’s Debt (1993), their emblematic magazine probably Fence (founded 1998); their bad poems were bad surrealism, random-seeming improvisations, or comic turns hoping only to hold an audience, whether or not they had something to say.
Thanks to Carol for pointing this article out to me.
***
My thoughts on it when I've had a chance to digest. At the moment, recovering from four hours of brush-cutting.
***
Random thought: Thinking about film, particularly the old celluloid stuff. How each cell was a picture, and how such a concept influenced book making--namely poetry book making.
Now wondering how digital media will reconstitute the art.
I, unfortunately, wasn't wearing my iPod as I cut brush, so I thought of very random things as I waved the cutter from side to side.
***
Current spin:
Fanfarlo. They're selling their new album for $1 here and it's quite good. Worth way more than a buck.
Thanks to Carol for pointing this article out to me.
***
My thoughts on it when I've had a chance to digest. At the moment, recovering from four hours of brush-cutting.
***
Random thought: Thinking about film, particularly the old celluloid stuff. How each cell was a picture, and how such a concept influenced book making--namely poetry book making.
Now wondering how digital media will reconstitute the art.
I, unfortunately, wasn't wearing my iPod as I cut brush, so I thought of very random things as I waved the cutter from side to side.
***
Current spin:
Fanfarlo. They're selling their new album for $1 here and it's quite good. Worth way more than a buck.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
And so it begins . . .
After my 3PM meeting this afternoon, I will officially start my summer.
***
As I said in posts below, it is not my intent to read all those books in the list. I just posted it to show you/see what everyone recommends. The tastes, I see, are wide-ranging.
***
Baby is teething, big time. Lower right bicuspids. He was in some real pain last night and refused to eat. We've got all the gels and the fix-it medications. Sleep seemed to do the trick.
***
My creative writing students want to be creative writing teachers. There is nothing inherently bad about wanting to pursue this particular line of work. There is, though, a divergent array of obstacles that are in their way. My job as their teacher and adviser is to teach them not only about art, literature, and a life of reading, but to teach them how to navigate the very difficult terrain that comes with my line of work. I also have to stress to them that what I do is not for everyone. Therein lies the crux of the problem--on the one hand, creative writers in academia can thrive and be effective teachers. On the other hand, by becoming a model for students as an artist in an academic environment, (depending on the teachers and the students) you're providing students with a limited world view of the life of an artist. I want to stress that all of these thoughts are my thoughts and are subjective. I can say that I had the benefit of learning from very effective creative writing teachers. They were not perfect teachers, but they did instill in me a passion for writing and especially for reading.
I've been teaching college-level courses since 1994 when I was a biology TA. I did take some breaks in between, but that's almost 15 years of teaching at the college level. I wasn't a great biology TA. I wasn't a great creative writing TA either, but over the years I've gained some insight into how to work in a classroom. I personally was motivated to become a better teacher at the sacrifice of some of my art. Ah yes, so there. I said it . . . at the sacrifice of my art. I'm okay with making these sacrifices because that's how I'm wired. I know that I can't write when I'm teaching during the year because it takes quite a deal of creative energy to prepare for classes, and I'm okay with that. I just love being with students who want to learn about literature. I love filling out my book order forms for the next quarter's classes. I love discussing the books with students who may be encountering an artist's work for the first time.
Not every artist can or will thrive under such circumstances and not every academic environment will allow the artists housed in their towers to make such sacrifices. I like to think about the poet Robert Hayden when I think about writers who teach. Brilliant writer whose own poetic output, it is suggested, was greatly affected by his teaching. I've also had classes with well-respected writers who didn't care about their teaching. It definitely showed and it did illicit some distaste for the course, but there are always teachers who greatly care about their own teaching.
How do you learn to navigate the academic world as an artist? How did I learn to navigate the academic world as an artist? I had good models and I'm still learning.
***
I really like this article by my friend, Papatya, on the whole tenure process: Papatya's article.
***
Current Spin:
Still listening to Eulogies.
***
As I said in posts below, it is not my intent to read all those books in the list. I just posted it to show you/see what everyone recommends. The tastes, I see, are wide-ranging.
***
Baby is teething, big time. Lower right bicuspids. He was in some real pain last night and refused to eat. We've got all the gels and the fix-it medications. Sleep seemed to do the trick.
***
My creative writing students want to be creative writing teachers. There is nothing inherently bad about wanting to pursue this particular line of work. There is, though, a divergent array of obstacles that are in their way. My job as their teacher and adviser is to teach them not only about art, literature, and a life of reading, but to teach them how to navigate the very difficult terrain that comes with my line of work. I also have to stress to them that what I do is not for everyone. Therein lies the crux of the problem--on the one hand, creative writers in academia can thrive and be effective teachers. On the other hand, by becoming a model for students as an artist in an academic environment, (depending on the teachers and the students) you're providing students with a limited world view of the life of an artist. I want to stress that all of these thoughts are my thoughts and are subjective. I can say that I had the benefit of learning from very effective creative writing teachers. They were not perfect teachers, but they did instill in me a passion for writing and especially for reading.
I've been teaching college-level courses since 1994 when I was a biology TA. I did take some breaks in between, but that's almost 15 years of teaching at the college level. I wasn't a great biology TA. I wasn't a great creative writing TA either, but over the years I've gained some insight into how to work in a classroom. I personally was motivated to become a better teacher at the sacrifice of some of my art. Ah yes, so there. I said it . . . at the sacrifice of my art. I'm okay with making these sacrifices because that's how I'm wired. I know that I can't write when I'm teaching during the year because it takes quite a deal of creative energy to prepare for classes, and I'm okay with that. I just love being with students who want to learn about literature. I love filling out my book order forms for the next quarter's classes. I love discussing the books with students who may be encountering an artist's work for the first time.
Not every artist can or will thrive under such circumstances and not every academic environment will allow the artists housed in their towers to make such sacrifices. I like to think about the poet Robert Hayden when I think about writers who teach. Brilliant writer whose own poetic output, it is suggested, was greatly affected by his teaching. I've also had classes with well-respected writers who didn't care about their teaching. It definitely showed and it did illicit some distaste for the course, but there are always teachers who greatly care about their own teaching.
How do you learn to navigate the academic world as an artist? How did I learn to navigate the academic world as an artist? I had good models and I'm still learning.
***
I really like this article by my friend, Papatya, on the whole tenure process: Papatya's article.
***
Current Spin:
Still listening to Eulogies.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Suggested Summer Reading
So, these are the suggestions from people via Facebook, this blog, and elsewhere. Mind you, I may not get to all of these books, but I'll certainly see if I can get a hold of a copy somewhere. Here it is:
Leslie Marmon Silko: Almanac of the Dead--currently reading.
Junot Diaz: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Jeffery Eugenides: Middlesex
Haruki Murakami: After Dark
Kelly Link: Stranger Things Happen
Ed. Michael Chabon: Best American Short Stories of 2005
Michael Ondaatje: Coming Through Slaughter
Ed Pavlic: Winners Have Yet To Be Announced
Adrian Matejka: Mixology
Daniel Chacon: Unending Rooms
Alice Sebold: Lovely Bones
Denise Duhamel: Ka-Chang!
Laure-Anne Bosselaar: Garage Sale
Beth Glylys: Bodies that Hum
Arundahti Roy: The God of Small Things
Peter McCabe: Butcher Boy
Karen Russell: St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Roberto Bolano: 2666
JG Ballard: Empire of the Sun
Alison Bechdel: Fun Home
Elias Canetti: Auto-da-Fe
Thom Gunn: Thom Gunn: Selected Poems
David Markson: The Last Novel
Richard Price: Lush Life
Jay Wright: Transfigurations
Laurie Sheck: Captivity
Felix Feneon: Novels in Three Lines
Haruki Marukami: Kafka on the Shore
Antonio Munoz Molina: Sepharad
Gerhard Richter: Writings 1961-1993
Jerzy Kosinski: Steps
Charles Johnson: Dreamer
David Markson: Wittgenstein's Mistress
Joe LeSueur: Digressions on Some Poems by Frank O'Hara
Ahron Appelfeld: Badenheim 1939
Nathaniel Mackey: Bass Cathedral
Janet Malcolm: In the Freud Archives
Nick Tosches: The Devil and Sonny Liston
Nick Tosches: Where Dead Voices Gather
bell hooks: Wounds of Passion
Raymon Queneau: Exercises in Style
Jacob Riis: How the Other Half Lives
Alan Dugan: Poems Seven
Kazuo Ohno: World from Without and Within
Rutu Modan: Exit Wounds
Paul Metcalf: Both
Ben Marcus: Notable American Women
W.G. Sebald: Austerlitz
Louise Erdrich: Master Butchers Singing Club
Douglas Coupland: JPod
LJ Davis: A Meaningful Life
Claire Hero: Sing, Mongrel
Attila Bartis: Tranquility
Catherine Bowman: The Plath Cabinet
Liz Waldner: Trust
Barbara Maloutas: The Whole Marie
Sheila Heti: Ticknor
Carmen Gimenez Smith: Odalisque in Pieces
Katherine Dunn: Geek Love
Craig Lesley: Burning Fence
Tom Philips: A Humument
Mahmoud Darwish: Memory for Forgetfulness
Yasunari Kawabata: Beauty and Sadness
Michael Ondaatje: In the Skin of a Lion
George Stewart: Names on the Land
Lawrence Weschler: Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees
Elfreide Jelinek: Anything by her *Thanks E.*
James Harms: After West
Fatima Mernissi: Dreams of Trespass
Jane Hirshfield: Nine Gates
Hayden Carruth: Collected Shorter Poems
Bert Meyers: In a Dybbuk's Raincoat
Patricia Smith: Blood Dazzler
Steve Lopez: The Soloist
Terry Tempest Williams: Finding Beauty in a Broken World
Tobias Wolff: Our Story Begins
James Conrad: Making Love to the Minor Poets of Chicago
Yannick Murphy: In a Bear's Eye
Roberto Bolano: Last Evenings on Earth
Jim Ottaviani and Leland Purvis: Suspended in Language: Niels Bohr's Life, Discoveries, and the Century He Shaped
Michael Connely: City of Bones
Octavia Butler: Kindred
***
Whew. Lots of books. We'll see which ones I get to. 32 books is an awful lot.
***
Sent the manuscript out this afternoon. Decided not to release version 3.0 this round. I think 3.0 still lacks crucial content.
***
Current Spin:
Eulogies. There ya go, Lee. ;-)
Leslie Marmon Silko: Almanac of the Dead--currently reading.
Junot Diaz: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Jeffery Eugenides: Middlesex
Haruki Murakami: After Dark
Kelly Link: Stranger Things Happen
Ed. Michael Chabon: Best American Short Stories of 2005
Michael Ondaatje: Coming Through Slaughter
Ed Pavlic: Winners Have Yet To Be Announced
Adrian Matejka: Mixology
Daniel Chacon: Unending Rooms
Alice Sebold: Lovely Bones
Denise Duhamel: Ka-Chang!
Laure-Anne Bosselaar: Garage Sale
Beth Glylys: Bodies that Hum
Arundahti Roy: The God of Small Things
Peter McCabe: Butcher Boy
Karen Russell: St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Roberto Bolano: 2666
JG Ballard: Empire of the Sun
Alison Bechdel: Fun Home
Elias Canetti: Auto-da-Fe
Thom Gunn: Thom Gunn: Selected Poems
David Markson: The Last Novel
Richard Price: Lush Life
Jay Wright: Transfigurations
Laurie Sheck: Captivity
Felix Feneon: Novels in Three Lines
Haruki Marukami: Kafka on the Shore
Antonio Munoz Molina: Sepharad
Gerhard Richter: Writings 1961-1993
Jerzy Kosinski: Steps
Charles Johnson: Dreamer
David Markson: Wittgenstein's Mistress
Joe LeSueur: Digressions on Some Poems by Frank O'Hara
Ahron Appelfeld: Badenheim 1939
Nathaniel Mackey: Bass Cathedral
Janet Malcolm: In the Freud Archives
Nick Tosches: The Devil and Sonny Liston
Nick Tosches: Where Dead Voices Gather
bell hooks: Wounds of Passion
Raymon Queneau: Exercises in Style
Jacob Riis: How the Other Half Lives
Alan Dugan: Poems Seven
Kazuo Ohno: World from Without and Within
Rutu Modan: Exit Wounds
Paul Metcalf: Both
Ben Marcus: Notable American Women
W.G. Sebald: Austerlitz
Louise Erdrich: Master Butchers Singing Club
Douglas Coupland: JPod
LJ Davis: A Meaningful Life
Claire Hero: Sing, Mongrel
Attila Bartis: Tranquility
Catherine Bowman: The Plath Cabinet
Liz Waldner: Trust
Barbara Maloutas: The Whole Marie
Sheila Heti: Ticknor
Carmen Gimenez Smith: Odalisque in Pieces
Katherine Dunn: Geek Love
Craig Lesley: Burning Fence
Tom Philips: A Humument
Mahmoud Darwish: Memory for Forgetfulness
Yasunari Kawabata: Beauty and Sadness
Michael Ondaatje: In the Skin of a Lion
George Stewart: Names on the Land
Lawrence Weschler: Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees
Elfreide Jelinek: Anything by her *Thanks E.*
James Harms: After West
Fatima Mernissi: Dreams of Trespass
Jane Hirshfield: Nine Gates
Hayden Carruth: Collected Shorter Poems
Bert Meyers: In a Dybbuk's Raincoat
Patricia Smith: Blood Dazzler
Steve Lopez: The Soloist
Terry Tempest Williams: Finding Beauty in a Broken World
Tobias Wolff: Our Story Begins
James Conrad: Making Love to the Minor Poets of Chicago
Yannick Murphy: In a Bear's Eye
Roberto Bolano: Last Evenings on Earth
Jim Ottaviani and Leland Purvis: Suspended in Language: Niels Bohr's Life, Discoveries, and the Century He Shaped
Michael Connely: City of Bones
Octavia Butler: Kindred
***
Whew. Lots of books. We'll see which ones I get to. 32 books is an awful lot.
***
Sent the manuscript out this afternoon. Decided not to release version 3.0 this round. I think 3.0 still lacks crucial content.
***
Current Spin:
Eulogies. There ya go, Lee. ;-)
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Waning Confidence
I felt good this morning. Really good. So good that I decided to tackle a task so Herculean that I'd been putting it off for so long.
I decided to chop several poems out of my manuscript and slice up my eight-section long poem. All this makes manuscript version 3.0.
I've taken out stuff that seemed unrelated to the collection's strongest narrative. The long poem, which appears in manuscript version 2.0's first section now has sections sprinkled over three sections. I felt the long poem was too loud with all of its sections together and that by distributing the pieces over the course of the manuscript, a reader can build up a relationship with the themes and ideas contained in each long poem section.
But . . . now that I see how short the sections have become, I'm a little worried. Prior to my cuts, the first section was about twenty-one pages. It's now thirteen pages. I haven't complete all my cuts, but for reference, the page total of 2.0 is 75 pages which is too long. I'm trying to get the manuscript to 55-65 pages.
***
The good news is that those poems that were cut could fit into another project that I'm working on, thereby boosting the numbers of poems for that particular collection.
***
Finals week. I'm collecting my first batch of portfolios tomorrow. I'm so ready for the summer. I'll be done with everything, including grading, by Thursday.
***
Current Spin:
Iron and Wine has a new CD out with a bunch of B-sides and covers. This gem is on the newest CD.
I decided to chop several poems out of my manuscript and slice up my eight-section long poem. All this makes manuscript version 3.0.
I've taken out stuff that seemed unrelated to the collection's strongest narrative. The long poem, which appears in manuscript version 2.0's first section now has sections sprinkled over three sections. I felt the long poem was too loud with all of its sections together and that by distributing the pieces over the course of the manuscript, a reader can build up a relationship with the themes and ideas contained in each long poem section.
But . . . now that I see how short the sections have become, I'm a little worried. Prior to my cuts, the first section was about twenty-one pages. It's now thirteen pages. I haven't complete all my cuts, but for reference, the page total of 2.0 is 75 pages which is too long. I'm trying to get the manuscript to 55-65 pages.
***
The good news is that those poems that were cut could fit into another project that I'm working on, thereby boosting the numbers of poems for that particular collection.
***
Finals week. I'm collecting my first batch of portfolios tomorrow. I'm so ready for the summer. I'll be done with everything, including grading, by Thursday.
***
Current Spin:
Iron and Wine has a new CD out with a bunch of B-sides and covers. This gem is on the newest CD.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Palpable Heat
It's so close . . . summer. I can feel it. We had a minor heat wave in the Northwest, topping out at roughly 88 degrees at the homestead. Which means my teaching season is almost at a close.
As I've mentioned in previous blog entries, I'll be spending the summer reading and writing. It is in fact my honest and earnest goal to read 32 books this summer while maintaining a writing schedule.
I've been getting a ton of book recommendations on Facebook. I'll consolidate those recommendations and put them here on the blog.
The intent is not necessarily to "review" the books, but to 1) see if I can keep my attention focused on all things literary, 2) lessen the impact of losing cable TV, and 3) modeling good behavior for my son who, in fact, seems to read a lot more than me these days. Of course, I also want to fill up my head with good art, so there's the REAL goal of this exercise.
Now, I do intend to blog about my progress, not that you care.
***
Currently, shoulder to shoulder with L. in bed. He didn't get his full nap today, so we're taking a make-up nap.
***
I have to pee, but I don't want to get up, lest I wake him.
***
We managed to refinance our mortgage this past Friday. Yay! When we first bought our house, our APR was 6.5%. We locked in 4.5% for our refinancing which cuts out about $400 from the monthly mortgage payment. That'll give us a little more breathing room.
***
Meredith got into the Speech Pathology program at WWU. She'll be great. I know her first love is teaching French. She's a brilliant teacher and I for one know that she's done her part to build the French major. The French department is making a big mistake by replacing a brilliant and talented teacher like her.
***
So now, because of all of these life changes, we've been budgeting ourselves. It's good to do.
***
Here's my current spin:
Zee Avi. Because it's Summer! Yay!
As I've mentioned in previous blog entries, I'll be spending the summer reading and writing. It is in fact my honest and earnest goal to read 32 books this summer while maintaining a writing schedule.
I've been getting a ton of book recommendations on Facebook. I'll consolidate those recommendations and put them here on the blog.
The intent is not necessarily to "review" the books, but to 1) see if I can keep my attention focused on all things literary, 2) lessen the impact of losing cable TV, and 3) modeling good behavior for my son who, in fact, seems to read a lot more than me these days. Of course, I also want to fill up my head with good art, so there's the REAL goal of this exercise.
Now, I do intend to blog about my progress, not that you care.
***
Currently, shoulder to shoulder with L. in bed. He didn't get his full nap today, so we're taking a make-up nap.
***
I have to pee, but I don't want to get up, lest I wake him.
***
We managed to refinance our mortgage this past Friday. Yay! When we first bought our house, our APR was 6.5%. We locked in 4.5% for our refinancing which cuts out about $400 from the monthly mortgage payment. That'll give us a little more breathing room.
***
Meredith got into the Speech Pathology program at WWU. She'll be great. I know her first love is teaching French. She's a brilliant teacher and I for one know that she's done her part to build the French major. The French department is making a big mistake by replacing a brilliant and talented teacher like her.
***
So now, because of all of these life changes, we've been budgeting ourselves. It's good to do.
***
Here's my current spin:
Zee Avi. Because it's Summer! Yay!
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Heat Wave
I haven't had much to say since Monday. I've basically been feverishly grading . . . trying to clear my desk before the mad rush of student portfolios arrives.
What have YOU been up to?
***
Looks like we got the refinancing on our house approved. That should definitely lighten our debts. We also just paid off one of our cars (with the money from another sold vehicle), so we're slowly paying down things we owe and cutting back our expenditures. Unlike much of America, we have no credit card debt, so in that regard we're fiscally healthy, apart from the loss of one income.
***
I'm planning on starting a garden . . . not this summer, but perchance I'll build the beds in the Fall (Raised beds are the way to go with our acidic soil out here).
Kale is a biggie on my list. Maybe lettuce too. A student brought bags and bags of the stuff to class one day, saying that she had far too much of it. I want too much lettuce, too.
***
The nice people at Artist Trust have accommodated my schedule. So now I can enjoy the Camano Island Residency for a month any time between July and November. I'm looking at my calendar and planning around August. August seems to be my most productive months. I don't have any other travel plans (July = Kundiman).
Got into Breadloaf, but didn't get any financial assistance this time and 'cause we're tightening our belts, I just can't spend the cash to pay for the trip or the tuition. Thank you to those who nominated me. I'll try again next year.
***
I also missed attending the ASLE Conference. I was all ready to go and then discovered that the ferry times weren't working the way I had assumed they would. Apparently from Anacortes there's only one ferry to and from Victoria, BC.
And the ferry from Seattle was triple the price. If I wasn't teaching today, I would've happily stayed overnight, but alas. I'm sorry Camille!.
***
I brought goodies for my classes today.
***
Current Spin:
Regina Spektor. New album, June 23rd.
What have YOU been up to?
***
Looks like we got the refinancing on our house approved. That should definitely lighten our debts. We also just paid off one of our cars (with the money from another sold vehicle), so we're slowly paying down things we owe and cutting back our expenditures. Unlike much of America, we have no credit card debt, so in that regard we're fiscally healthy, apart from the loss of one income.
***
I'm planning on starting a garden . . . not this summer, but perchance I'll build the beds in the Fall (Raised beds are the way to go with our acidic soil out here).
Kale is a biggie on my list. Maybe lettuce too. A student brought bags and bags of the stuff to class one day, saying that she had far too much of it. I want too much lettuce, too.
***
The nice people at Artist Trust have accommodated my schedule. So now I can enjoy the Camano Island Residency for a month any time between July and November. I'm looking at my calendar and planning around August. August seems to be my most productive months. I don't have any other travel plans (July = Kundiman).
Got into Breadloaf, but didn't get any financial assistance this time and 'cause we're tightening our belts, I just can't spend the cash to pay for the trip or the tuition. Thank you to those who nominated me. I'll try again next year.
***
I also missed attending the ASLE Conference. I was all ready to go and then discovered that the ferry times weren't working the way I had assumed they would. Apparently from Anacortes there's only one ferry to and from Victoria, BC.
And the ferry from Seattle was triple the price. If I wasn't teaching today, I would've happily stayed overnight, but alas. I'm sorry Camille!.
***
I brought goodies for my classes today.
***
Current Spin:
Regina Spektor. New album, June 23rd.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Dancing a Jig
I'm dancing a jig because of this: Ta Da!
Came at a good time, too, because of the recent stuff I've been blogging about.
Also, the Camano Island residency will be great. I'll use that time to put some finishing touches on a couple of projects that have languished while I've been working on this third book.
***
I"m also dancing because the end of the academic year is upon me. It's the last week of classes and there's not much left to teach. I'm looking forward to getting back to the writing desk.
***
I saw UP this past weekend with Meredith. If you haven't already, you must see this movie because I firmly believe that it's a masterpiece of animation. It's also intelligently written. The 30 minute montage at the beginning of the film is emotional but not overwrought. To be honest, there are parts of that montage that are devastating and stay with me. But the early emotion of the film is so necessary to drive the action of the film.
I'm curious to see what the movie looks like in 3D. The director of the film was interviewed on Fresh Air. What's interesting is how Pete Docter says that one of his influences was Warner Herzog.
***
Current Spin:
Old School. Sonic Youth has a new album, too.
Came at a good time, too, because of the recent stuff I've been blogging about.
Also, the Camano Island residency will be great. I'll use that time to put some finishing touches on a couple of projects that have languished while I've been working on this third book.
***
I"m also dancing because the end of the academic year is upon me. It's the last week of classes and there's not much left to teach. I'm looking forward to getting back to the writing desk.
***
I saw UP this past weekend with Meredith. If you haven't already, you must see this movie because I firmly believe that it's a masterpiece of animation. It's also intelligently written. The 30 minute montage at the beginning of the film is emotional but not overwrought. To be honest, there are parts of that montage that are devastating and stay with me. But the early emotion of the film is so necessary to drive the action of the film.
I'm curious to see what the movie looks like in 3D. The director of the film was interviewed on Fresh Air. What's interesting is how Pete Docter says that one of his influences was Warner Herzog.
***
Current Spin:
Old School. Sonic Youth has a new album, too.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Continuing with the Reading List
The List (of possible Summer reading) So Far
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Middlesex
Almanac of the Dead--currently reading.
After Dark
Stranger Things Happen
Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Best American Short Stories of 2005
Coming Through Slaughter
Winners Have Yet To Be Announced
Mixology
Unending Rooms
Anything else? Poetics, perhaps? Remember, 32 books. . .
***
I'm trying to refinance my house. It seems that banks want a whole bunch of information before such a thing happens. In our case, I need to come up with a "Road Agreement" between all the residents of my little wooded road. There are four other families that live on our dirt road and much of our communication has been informal, over beers and bbq. But seems like the hard times in the banking industry call for bigger hurdles. The insurance agency who was asked to "insure" the loan wants a road agreement filed with the county, so I have to gather all my neighbors, get them to sign a document in front of a notary, yadda, yadda.
What's funny is out where I live, our notary is in the liquor store behind the town's only gas station. How's that for charming?
***
I've got a talented bunch of writers who are graduating. Sad to see 'em go.
***
A lot of universities are culling their journal holdings. WWU is no exception . . . That's going to hurt a LOT of journals.
***
Thinking about my manuscript again. It'll be a week or so before I can act on some of my impulses, so I'm storing them here for future reference:
1) Cut all the Syllogism poems and place in Dumbstruck Luck
2) Distribute 8 sections of the long poem throughout ms.
3) Insert Self Portrait as the Burning Plains of Eastern Oregon
4) Cut Eschatology poems.
***
Current Spin:
Old school, I know. I'm feeling nostalgic. I miss my youth today.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Middlesex
Almanac of the Dead--currently reading.
After Dark
Stranger Things Happen
Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Best American Short Stories of 2005
Coming Through Slaughter
Winners Have Yet To Be Announced
Mixology
Unending Rooms
Anything else? Poetics, perhaps? Remember, 32 books. . .
***
I'm trying to refinance my house. It seems that banks want a whole bunch of information before such a thing happens. In our case, I need to come up with a "Road Agreement" between all the residents of my little wooded road. There are four other families that live on our dirt road and much of our communication has been informal, over beers and bbq. But seems like the hard times in the banking industry call for bigger hurdles. The insurance agency who was asked to "insure" the loan wants a road agreement filed with the county, so I have to gather all my neighbors, get them to sign a document in front of a notary, yadda, yadda.
What's funny is out where I live, our notary is in the liquor store behind the town's only gas station. How's that for charming?
***
I've got a talented bunch of writers who are graduating. Sad to see 'em go.
***
A lot of universities are culling their journal holdings. WWU is no exception . . . That's going to hurt a LOT of journals.
***
Thinking about my manuscript again. It'll be a week or so before I can act on some of my impulses, so I'm storing them here for future reference:
1) Cut all the Syllogism poems and place in Dumbstruck Luck
2) Distribute 8 sections of the long poem throughout ms.
3) Insert Self Portrait as the Burning Plains of Eastern Oregon
4) Cut Eschatology poems.
***
Current Spin:
Old school, I know. I'm feeling nostalgic. I miss my youth today.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Summer Reading List
I'm compiling a summer reading list.
The list will be multi-genre. I want your recommendations.
There's very little on the list so far:
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Middlesex
Almanac of the Dead--currently reading.
I need ideas on poetry collections. It's not that I'm unfamiliar with poetry, mind you, it's that I just don't know where to begin! There's so much I've already read. I want to be surprised, you see . . .
Anyway, I'm not particular, though if you've got solid short-story collections you can recommend, that'd be great too.
My ambitious goal is to finish 32 books this summer. Why 32? I have no idea.
***
Other things--I sold my car and my father's truck for money. We're cutting back on a number of other things as well.
Meredith, ultimately, was offered one class in the English dept. for Winter quarter, but unfortunately, that won't replace the seven classes she's used to teaching year to year.
I'm going to look into doing some low-res teaching . . . at least for part of the year to make ends meet.
***
Current Spin:
Echo & the Bunnymen.
The list will be multi-genre. I want your recommendations.
There's very little on the list so far:
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Middlesex
Almanac of the Dead--currently reading.
I need ideas on poetry collections. It's not that I'm unfamiliar with poetry, mind you, it's that I just don't know where to begin! There's so much I've already read. I want to be surprised, you see . . .
Anyway, I'm not particular, though if you've got solid short-story collections you can recommend, that'd be great too.
My ambitious goal is to finish 32 books this summer. Why 32? I have no idea.
***
Other things--I sold my car and my father's truck for money. We're cutting back on a number of other things as well.
Meredith, ultimately, was offered one class in the English dept. for Winter quarter, but unfortunately, that won't replace the seven classes she's used to teaching year to year.
I'm going to look into doing some low-res teaching . . . at least for part of the year to make ends meet.
***
Current Spin:
Echo & the Bunnymen.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Good News About Melissa. Still Concern for Her Companions.
Roxas has been reunited with her family. The fate of her two companions — Juanito Carabeo and John Edward Handoc – is unknown.
***
Thank goodness. It's still unclear what condition Melissa's in, but I'm glad she's back with her family. Keep the pressure up for Juanito and John Edward.
***
Thank goodness. It's still unclear what condition Melissa's in, but I'm glad she's back with her family. Keep the pressure up for Juanito and John Edward.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Melissa Roxas
Roxas is a well-known Filipino American activist, who served as the first Regional Coordinator of BAYAN-USA in Los Angeles and co-founded the cultural organization Habi Arts. Roxas is an active human rights advocate and was instrumental in organizing a BAYAN-USA contingent that participated in the International Solidarity Mission in 2005, an international fact finding mission that called attention to the escalating human rights violations in the Philippines. Roxas went to the Philippines in 2007 to pursue human rights work, where she became a full time volunteer health worker. She was abducted on May 19, 2009 at approximately 1:30 PM in Sitio Bagong Sikat, Barangay kapanikian, La Paz, Tarlac. She was with two other volunteers, Juanito Carabeo and John Edward Handoc. .
***
On a personal note, Melissa Roxas was a Kundiman fellow in 2005. She's a supremely gifted poet and a beautiful person and I'm deeply worried about her.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
DeVotchKa at the Nightlight
Be patient w/ the video. I've got the wrong type of video equipment for this kind of thing:
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Some Wishes
Found out that Meredith probably won't have any work coming in from the English department either. This is mostly due to the fact that she had found out that she had been replaced after the various departments already had their 2009-2010 academic schedules in place. The only thing we can hope for now is that someone who teaches linguistics suddenly gets a grant and plans on taking some leave, or if some other non-tenure-track faculty member winds up carrying to large of a load.
I'm still pissed, but we'll manage.
Thank you all for your words of sympathy, encouragement, and support.
***
I and my creative writing colleagues will be meeting with lots of students to talk about MFA/PhD programs this afternoon. So much to tell them.
I've got handouts at the ready.
***
I've been blessed with a sudden burst of productivity these past two years. Summer brings me back to the writing desk more regularly, and I have a number of projects I'll be hunkering down to deal with.
First of all, I've come to some realizations about my manuscript, tentatively titled In Defense of Small Towns. I'm going to make some big cuts this summer. Additionally, the cuts I make will, more than likely, make it into another manuscript I've been working on. The tentative title of that second manuscript is Dumbstruck Luck.
And then there's this business of the "Dear Empire" poems. I don't think I can sustain a whole manuscript like that. I need to think about relationships in that manuscript . . . how I want to produce a narrative--a whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, so to speak.
Finally, I've shelved a project about Filipino migrant workers for a time, because . . . well, because I fell ill, had a child, and couldn't do the research. I might be ready to return to that project.
Anyway, the past two summers had me writing exclusively in August. I'm going to try to maintain productivity from June to September. We'll see what happens.
***
Current Spin:
The Pixies. Yes, old school.
I'm still pissed, but we'll manage.
Thank you all for your words of sympathy, encouragement, and support.
***
I and my creative writing colleagues will be meeting with lots of students to talk about MFA/PhD programs this afternoon. So much to tell them.
I've got handouts at the ready.
***
I've been blessed with a sudden burst of productivity these past two years. Summer brings me back to the writing desk more regularly, and I have a number of projects I'll be hunkering down to deal with.
First of all, I've come to some realizations about my manuscript, tentatively titled In Defense of Small Towns. I'm going to make some big cuts this summer. Additionally, the cuts I make will, more than likely, make it into another manuscript I've been working on. The tentative title of that second manuscript is Dumbstruck Luck.
And then there's this business of the "Dear Empire" poems. I don't think I can sustain a whole manuscript like that. I need to think about relationships in that manuscript . . . how I want to produce a narrative--a whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, so to speak.
Finally, I've shelved a project about Filipino migrant workers for a time, because . . . well, because I fell ill, had a child, and couldn't do the research. I might be ready to return to that project.
Anyway, the past two summers had me writing exclusively in August. I'm going to try to maintain productivity from June to September. We'll see what happens.
***
Current Spin:
The Pixies. Yes, old school.
Monday, May 18, 2009
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:
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:
Friday, May 15, 2009
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. . .
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. . .
Thursday, May 14, 2009
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."
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."
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
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.
***
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.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
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."
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."
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Downturned but Sunnyside Up
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.
Friday, May 08, 2009
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.
***
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.
***
Thursday, May 07, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
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."
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."
Monday, May 04, 2009
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."
***
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."
Sunday, May 03, 2009
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*
Saturday, May 02, 2009
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.
***
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.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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"
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."
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."
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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."
***
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.
***
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.
Monday, April 27, 2009
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."
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."
Saturday, April 25, 2009
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"
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"
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Post Concert
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.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
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?
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?
Monday, April 20, 2009
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