Illumination: The Fyrefly Jar Weblog

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

She's waiting like an iceberg,

Waiting to change, but she's cold inside.

She wants to be like the water.

90 Comments:

At Mon Nov 28, 05:46:00 PM, John said…

This comment has been removed by the author.
At Wed Dec 14, 12:38:00 PM, Amy said…

...
At Wed Feb 01, 02:45:00 PM, John said…

He's steaming along, furnace aglow,
 Steering a thousand poor souls, black tie and pearls. 
He wants to be like the iceberg.
At Wed Feb 01, 02:52:00 PM, Amy said…

I remember this from Nov. Why did you remove it?
At Wed Feb 01, 04:20:00 PM, John said…

I worried about intruding on something your narrator was working on. Inviting discussion is one thing, collaboration another. In any event, I'm still not sure I got it right. "Steering" isn't right, and "poor" gives the game away too soon. Aw, shucks. I ain't no good at this nohow.
At Wed Feb 01, 11:43:00 PM, Amy said…

Ah. I see now! Okay.

I'm usually the self-critical writer around here. I understand your point about "poor," but that didn't come to me when I read it.

I read today that Wislawa Szymborska just died. I'm rather sad about it. Plan to take in more of her poetry this weekend in honor.

Much more I want to say about used books and gyms and things ... but I've got the chance to get to sleep before midnight tonight, and I am going to grab it. The red wolf of Amy opportunities, one might say. If one would say things like that.

à bientôt
At Thu Feb 02, 03:42:00 PM, Amy said…

Spent some time today tracing my maternal roots in a genealogy published by my great-uncle. Some of the last names in my line just won’t work (Kneuer, Van Wagenen). Many of my relatives were Demarest, which might be in the running. Originally I had thought of Morrison, but now I’m not sure about it.

The gym!! What a bargain, and now to have it shut. How frustrating. Is there a park to run in … something like that. I say this when I refuse to run out around the neighborhood. As yet, I am not a jogger of any sort.

Found another Elbow song I like: “Neat Little Rows.” Not the most upbeat lyrics, but something about the way it is sung, the sounds.

Kinda feelin’ blah about myself today, so I called the salon and made an appt. for another tea with milk. Something shorter, not short. Angled. Who knows, as long as it is a bit different. Often just the coconut scents from the different stations lift my mood.

For the past year I have tried to refrain from buying books until I read most of what sits here for me, so I will live vicariously through your trips. Fifteen minutes. I admire your ability to make such finds in a short time. The Marx Brothers … thinking now of the cramped stateroom from A Night at the Opera. One of my favorite scenes of theirs. Tell me what you think of Working when you are finished … something I might have to read too. I am pretty sure the Rand book was on a list of things I was going to read last year. What happened to that list? And of course, everyone has to buy a “what the hell” book on an outing. My last “what the hell” books were purchased at the insane “Borders Is Finally Officially Closing and We Are Serious This Time” sale: Seeds: One Man’s Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers by Richard Horan and The Gentleman Poet: A Novel of Love, Danger, and Shakespeare’s The Tempest by Kathryn Johnson. Now I just have to read them.

Raven Used Books. That sounds familiar. I think someone once bought a book for me there … Bee Lessons. That same person sent me a book from another area store: Wandering Moon. The book is The Indian Grammar Begun, and he added an inscription: “Of time: Yeuyeu, now. Wunnonkou, yesterday. Saup, tomorrow”
At Thu Feb 02, 11:31:00 PM, John said…

Made plans to catch up with a friend over appetizers this evening at this place she recommended in Northampton. I could have sworn she said Comma. Where the hell is Comma? I googled it. Nothing. iPhone Map app. Nothing. Where the hell is Comma?

Driving down, hoping for the best. On the way, the word takes a beat: "Comma comma comma comma comma chameleon..." Wait a minute. Karma? Turns out yes. Karma, 48 Main St. I was disappointed. Comma would be an awesome name for a trendy little spot. The place where you rest, catch your breath, gather yourself before moving on. I'd eat there.

Anyway, Karma was fine. I had a berry smoothie with health tincture infusion, and the charoset (apple, raisin, honey and walnut in a delicate chutney, served with flax crackers). Impressed the waiter by pronouncing charoset properly. How else would I pronounce it?

So your note re: books, bees, salon, etc., is lovely, and I've got it here—let's say I've bookmarked it—and I look forward to returning to it tomorrow. Got to get up early for some committee work, so logging out.

I will say I understand your point about the coconut scent, and hope it restores you. When I'm feeling blah, sometimes I get a haircut, as it's nice to have the smooth neck and the scalpy attention.

And maybe I shouldn't say this, as I'm not big into hair product, but I am loyal to Paul Mitchell with awapuhi. I encountered it way back in '88 or '89, and it's just nice company to have in the shower and throughout the day. I've tried others, but nothing's knocked it off the shelf yet.

Would you have capitalized "googled"?
At Fri Feb 03, 12:43:00 AM, Amy said…

Yes, I do cap Google as a verb. The fiction publishers ask it of me, so now it is habit.

Comma would have been awesome. Karma is a word I like too.

Ah, Paul Mitchell w/ aw. Still a good shampoo.

Just finished watching Errol Flynn's Robin Hood. The swords, the justice, the hero, the lady. Swoon.
At Fri Feb 03, 11:27:00 PM, John said…

I'm sorry about Wislawa Szymborska. A weekend reading, absolutely.

How nice that you have your great-uncle's research. You're related to Hopper, as I recall, but you're tracing along the maternal. I'm curious with you. Happy hunting.

There are parks to run in. Trails to climb, rail corridors to bike, all that. I like the elliptical. Nice and easy, nice and easy. The stamping around I can do without. You remind me to get outside. Thank you. But you make the point, well taken (I think you recall Polonius here, or was it Franklin): "Neither a runner nor jogger be." Amen to that.

Fifteen minutes in Raven Used Books is record-fast zippy for me. This is the new one, the Greenfield store. The original is in Northampton.

Yes, best to read first what's home unread. I've got a few of those as well. Still, as I write this, I'm all but salivating to visit the Strand.

I like your choices: Seeds and The Gentleman Poet. Good premises both. We might hold each other to reading and reporting on one of our to-be-reads. Have we the time?

"Of time…" You know, it speaks well for an inscription that it's looked up, touched, brought to the fore. Speaks well for yesterday, today and tomorrow, as grammar goes. Let the language live. Let the people have their land, their dance, their ancestors.

If I don't watch Robin Hood shortly, I'll be quite surprised.
At Sat Feb 04, 12:56:00 AM, Amy said…

I sit to write fiction each time, planning on it, ideas and phrases dancing, but then I read what you have written and want to respond, keep talking, read more. That’s possibly been frustrating, but I hope not. I know you’ve said you felt more in the world of fiction of late. I can understand that.

You are right about Hopper; yes, that was paternal. Thanks, I’ll be happy to keep investigating.

When you say “Have we the time?” I assume you mean can you and I fit in right now this reading and reporting; I can if you can. If so, tell me if you select fiction or nonfiction, so I can match it up. Would feel odd to be reading the opposite style from yours.

Often when you try not to think of something you just think of it more, and now with your mention of the Strand and Raven, I am thinking of wandering around used books! It’s been quite a while. Not many great used stores right around here. There’s that excitement, not knowing what you might find. Of course you know … you’re the one who is a bit Pavlovian.

This Robin Hood viewing I was drawn to Basil R. and Olivia D. more than Errol; not sure why. Perhaps because I’ve seen it so many times … good to attend to different things. Let me know if you get the chance to see it.

Another good rehearsal tonight. Almost everyone there. Covered lots of songs. The gallery featured an amazing exhibition of a woman’s bead work on different animal forms. One large monkey is incredibly detailed … and $15k. One of our tenors kept everyone else back from the pedestal: Don’t touch the monkey! (Like we would smack it to the ground in excitement or something?) Sounded amusing if you were not aware of the context. (Oh, we sing next to a gallery space, if I didn’t mention that.)

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So, if we did ever write via email, what address would you use? Just in case, you know, we were to, well, use email, to, uh, email.
At Sat Feb 04, 08:39:00 PM, John said…

Your “cut-up” poem was so cool. I never heard of such a thing! Now I want to try it.

By fiction, do you mean the Mars adventure? Oh, please, don’t worry about me. When the mood strikes, and you have time, go for it. Your character might be coming to terms with what she’s committing to do. Who visits Mars to dig up bones? Unheard of. It’s a big leap. I also know what you mean about “want[ing] to respond, keep talking, read more…” I’m with you on that.

I’ll go through my unread books to see which one I’d like to explore here. I think it should be one acquired at least a year ago to qualify. I also wonder whether I’ll be able to remember what it was about the book that said to me, "Yeah. This solves that problem."

“Don’t touch the monkey! (Like we would smack it to the ground in excitement or something?)” Hey, I’ve seen it happen. Better safe than— Ook! Ook! Ook!

So I spent the day in Concord, N.H., at a make-up Toastmasters Leadership Institute. Four other of our officers attended, including my good pal Dan; and one regular member, whom we’re grooming (ook!) for an officer position, whether she knows it or not. We were the lone contingent from Vermont; everyone else there was from New Hampshire. It was … informative, in a dry, plodding way. I shoulda presented at this one.

Space tape was (and is, I guess) a reflective, silvery, kaleidoscopic adhesive tape sold in rolls and sheets, and came die-cut with graphics. It was quite a fad at my school. Now that you mention it, I’ll bet the official name for the thing isn’t space tape. That’s just what we called it. I’m sure your dad would know. How are your folks? Well, I hope.

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.  .  .  If you ever wanted to write me directly, my professional address is John [at sign], and then my domain name, as given with my 100 Words profile. Do you want to test it and see if it works?
At Sun Feb 05, 10:25:00 AM, John said…

— you know, I just re (re)-read your note, and I see now what you were saying about your progress in fiction. I'm glad you have ideas and phrases dancing. I don't know why I read that as you needing to work things through. Sorry about that. I'm working out a lot on my own, and assumed everyone else must be, too.
At Sun Feb 05, 11:42:00 AM, Amy said…

So I have no idea what happened yesterday. One minute I am working on an article in the late afternoon and the next minute I find I have been using the keyboard as a pillow. Cheek imprints. So I go have something to drink and eat, and then a bit later I find I have passed out again! I was trying to tell me something, I guess, because at 9:30 pm I put myself to bed, sleeping in my clothes straight through until the morning. And I don’t feel that great today, either. *huff*

I do have things I am working on, but in this case, yes, I meant that I think of ideas on the Mars fiction line but haven’t been putting them down recently. I adore your Jan 30 Jeremy dig trip: the glow and implosion, the inner fire. So great. It’s hard for me to come up with a return when reading such description as that. But I need the challenge.

Every time I see the word Concord I hear a guy of the old Pepperidge Farm voice-over type saying “CAHN-KERD!” Rather annoying! Dry and plodding? Well, it happens at these meetings. At least VT was represented. What was the best presentation?

I don’t do cut-ups as they should be done to reflect their name, but I don’t have time to take an X-Acto to paper, etc., so I just make circles down the page. It’s a great way for me to get use out of the tons of catalogs I get. It was popularized by Burroughs, among other writers, so I heard about it in classes on the Beats, and then my creative writing instructor had us do it, and a folding technique, too – matching words of a page together once folded up. Anyway, try the balloons sometime, even with the local paper. I find I get one decent poem out of about 15 or 20 attempts. Most times I just find myself circling cool words and phrases but they don’t come to a rounded idea.

My parents are good, thanks for asking. Pretty active. I get to see them often, which is nice.

I think I remember that tape, but we didn’t have a name for it. I was more into these stickers that were bubbly and had a blue-green swirl fluid in them, shapes of footprints and things. They were cool. Put them on the denim binder.

Later today I’m going to make a quick trip to meet my new second cousin once removed, Avery. My cousins live nearby but I’ve been too sick to make an appearance before this. First, some work to make up for yesterday’s collapse on the computer! ook, ook
At Sun Feb 05, 12:17:00 PM, Amy said…

Oh! And I did take my salon trip but I was not offered tea with milk, and I did not ask for it, so just the shorter hair this time. I'll have to do the tea/milk thing tonight for myself.
At Sun Feb 05, 06:24:00 PM, John said…

Sounds like you’ve been fighting your bug for a while, and this was the weekend you just needed to recharge. Nine thirty is a reasonable hour to hit the hay when you’re feeling blah. Push fluids and zinc (I’m working a Cold-Eeze sugar-free “wild cherry” lozenge as we speak). You getting enough sunshine? I’m not concerned yet, but don’t put it past me. Let me hear how you’re taking care of yourself.

Thanks for the kind words about the nano scene. Description doesn’t come readily to me, so your praise means a lot.

Or you know? Maybe it isn’t description, but observation I struggle with. I often don’t recognize people who seem to know me, and I still miss exits, lost in thought.

Ha! “CAHN-KERD!” I didn’t hear any of that while I was there. One presenter kept saying "idear," which I wouldn’t have recommended. Is that a New Hampshire thing?

The best presentation… Hm… The liveliest one was a Jeopardy-style game designed to teach or reinforce concepts touching on the international speech contests, org history, club mentor, sponsor and coach requirements, distinguished club requirements, publication availability, our brand, etc. I answered two, correctly.

Some in the organization clearly live for this stuff, and it was fun to hear their give-and-take — follow these wonks as they sparred over special circumstances.

Midmorning we broke out into sessions by office. My fellows urged me to attend the presidents’ session, as I’m a shoo-in for that post this year (it’s true), but no, modesty prevailed and I stuck it out with my lowly vice presidents public relations. Stick around long enough, you serve in every officer position.

I will try the circles, at least. So much life and light tucked within the mails.

Yes, I know the stickers with the bubbly and the swirl fluid! “Put them on the denim binder.” Nice. That alligator CLACK of the three-ring binder… Also the black fuzzy stickers.

  Hello Avery! I'm John.

ook, ook
At Mon Feb 06, 12:14:00 AM, Amy said…

What is this “sunshine” you mention? Actually, no, I don’t get enough. I have extremely low vitamin D so my dr. put me on megadoses last year. Now I keep forgetting to take my vitamins this year. This last cold is almost gone, happily, so I should be good for the near future. Sounds like you are fighting something also, so I hope you feel better.

As far as I know, “idear” is not just NH but New England and the east generally. Like I have heard “ayuh” in places outside of Maine … language lives and spreads.

Jeopardy! I am a game show junkie. Love ’em. I would have appreciated that format. With all this time I have, I think of trying out for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? I’m not as big a fan of this newest version, but still.

Is it Monday already? Okay, time to finish the “taking care of yourself” parts of the weekend.
At Mon Feb 06, 12:18:00 PM, John said…

— Just interviewed a CEO in Atlanta for my client's book. Next thing you know, we've agreed in principle to partner on his memoirs. He's from the Bronx, a real wiseguy, and very successful. It'll be fun to help him tell his stories. As he described the project, I kept recalling Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!.

I wonder if you'd feel better after taking your prescribed megavitamins. I wonder...

Game shows are kinda fun. I used to watch Let's Make a Deal, religiously, when I was a kid. It and I Love Lucy were my favorite things. I can see you on Millionaire. (I stopped watching it after Regis left, but in your case I'll make an exception.)

"No Whammies!" Oh, for a simpler time... Ayuh.
At Mon Feb 06, 01:43:00 PM, Amy said…

Okay, I love this Amazon review about Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!: “a bunch of hilarious yarns with the smart-alecky author as know-it-all hero. At some point, however, attentive readers realize that underneath all the merriment simmers a running commentary on what constitutes authentic knowledge: … total disrespect for fancy ideas that have no grounding in the real world. Feynman himself had all these qualities in spades, and they come through with vigor and verve in his no-bull prose.” I hope your project is very much like that! Wow.

You’ve also reminded me that I never got back to a friend of a friend who wrote me about helping her with her novel. I still need to write her, find out what she really wants. (She said it needs “proofreading” after having been sent out to many, many agencies already; I think she means something else.) I don’t usually work with individuals, so if she wants to hire me, I have to draw up a contract and figure out what would work for both of us. Depends what she wants.

Sorry, I wasn’t really clear about the vitamins. I did manage to take the mega-ones last year, but now I am supposed to be on “regular” ones this year, and I am not consistent. Either way, you are right. I would feel better taking them.

I saw Hodgman on The Daily Show (I think Thursday’s show?) and thought of you. Pretty funny. He talked of the “Haves” and “Soon to Haves,” as one of the Haves. The ongoing loss of the middle class really gets my goat, so I’m always interested in current economic commentary.

Nice and sunny here. Will try to go out this afternoon and walk around in some of that bright light.
At Tue Feb 07, 02:10:00 PM, John said…

I know, right? (Re: Feynman.)

Your Whole Foods piece is a delicacy and a delight.

Hodgman's a pip. The Areas of My Expertise is one of my favorite books. I also recommend the audiobook, as it includes a wealth of treats including the participation of Jonathan Coulton. I could listen to Hodgman all day.

With you on the whole economy thing.

Vitamins! Sunlight! (Sorry about the exclamation points. Are they too strident? Gentle breaths. A walk somewhere: vitamins. Sunlight. A chocolate milkshake.)

Received the CEO's book background today. Rudimentary thematic outline, 40 pages of single-spaced notes, longhand. Exciting prospect.

Why not take the novel? I'll bet you'd do an aces job.
At Tue Feb 07, 10:58:00 PM, Amy said…

My car stinks of gasoline. All the time now. I do not think that cars should stink of gasoline in their normal state, and neither does my mechanic. So this evening I drove it to the garage. Just so happens that I use a garage about an hour away. (I really trust this garage.) So that took forever. Not literally, but it seemed like it. I imagine the bill will be up there, but what choice do I have? I’m not really into asphyxiating.

I also baked cookies today. It seemed more fun than working, and sure enough, it was.

Hey, thanks! An aces job. Based on that, I will write her tomorrow and get this project sorted out. I am really interested in your CEO project. Keep me posted, if you would.

No, not strident to me. However, you did use the two-word noun that is basically my kryptonite, or my color yellow, or whatever special weakness you prefer. Did you know this? Those cold chocolate things are the reason I had weight to lose last year. Right now I am hearing that straw-slurp sound made at the frothy bottom of the empty glass. Jiminy! I cut myself off from them at some point. Had to. I think, in moderation, I can now go back. Or, you have made me think I can. I can. Yeah.

One of your favorite books? Ever? Well, then, I should certainly read it, as I trust your book sense completely.

The moon is amazing tonight. Is it a full moon? Let me check. Yes! Grand. It was with these black-blue strips of cloud here … such a great color, unmatched by Crayola or Benjamin Moore. There is slate and indigo and cornflower in the cloud color, but overall indescribable.

So I have been thinking about tattoos. Not that I am serious about getting one, but I think about them sometimes. I remember that once we talked of tattoos and you described one that would look like a barcode. I always thought that was clever. Tonight I was thinking about constellations. I’m just not that committed, though.
At Wed Feb 08, 01:42:00 PM, John said…

Which do I lead with, the gasoline, cookies or kryptonite?

I’m glad you’re getting the car care you need. And hey, you find a good mechanic, a straight shooter, you stick with him. I know the feeling. Is it the carburetor? I’ll bet it’s the carburetor. Have him check the fuel line, too. Sometimes it’s that.

Cookies!

No, wait, the other thing. The cold, creamy goodness. I would stay away from that. If this is something you’ve sworn off, you need to honor that. Hips and thighs tell the tale, my friend. With me it’s the personal pizzas and calzones. I mean, you know, it’s true, you gotta live. Once in a while, a moderate, um, serving. Can. Um.

Good for you, baking cookies! What kind? Cookies are among my one weakness. 

 Keep me posted on the novel, and I’ll keep you posted on the CEO project. Right now I’m working toward conceptual agreement on the book’s value to him, his company and his readers. Once we agree on that, my fee should be academic. I don’t want to bill him for inputs (my time, some number of words); I want to bill him for mutually agreed upon, dramatic business outcomes.

 “Jiminy!” :) I’ve found myself saying “Gosh!” and “Gee, whiz!” lately. Don’t know what’s up with that.

 Bar code “tats” abound on magazine covers, in stock photo illustrations, and on hipsters in the field. I no longer support the design.

Constellations are cool. The challenge there is that I like knowing the stars are whizzing around as sparks, and that the constellations are changing. (I saw this happen once at the Hayden Planetarium, and it impressed me deeply.) I wouldn’t want to try containing a constellation, not so much for the constellation’s sake, but because I fear its cosmic energy would fling me around like a rag doll.

For you… I’d say a Bomb Pop. We talked about these once, the nipping of the fins.

Saw a neat movie a couple of nights ago: Chronicle. It’s a refreshingly dark approach to the superhero origin story, with fantastic acting, effects and set pieces. I’m preoccupied with it. It has lots to say about anger, alienation and power. it’s the other way Peter Parker could have gone, or Superman. I saw it at our new Cinemark “XD” auditorium, so it was enormous, jarringly crisp, and just a tad too loud. I plan to see it again.

Lunchtime. Roast beef horseradish cheddar wrap with Vegenaise. Next door is the candy store, the malts, etc. I’ll walk briskly by with you in mind.
At Thu Feb 09, 12:07:00 AM, Amy said…

I can’t define my mood, but it’s not the best. I hope sitting here and writing will help change that.

Turns out the lead mechanic I liked so much left last summer with a bunch of his staff. These people seem competent and really nice … but worth the drive? Not sure. I believe what they told me. It was the fuel lines (Good Call!!), which they fixed. Also fixed the other problem I knew existed. $700

Yes, you are right; you gotta live. That feeling gets stronger in me year to year. Today I ate many of the cookies I baked, and I didn’t feel bad about it. I made the standard Tollhouse … had to decide between semisweet chips and dark chocolate, and I thought, “Well, I can snack on the dark chocolate ones … why waste them in a cookie??” So I used the semisweet. (Sorry to discuss your weakness in detail.)

Well, those barcode tattoos might be overdone now, but certainly you were ahead of your time, talking of it back then! Do you have any lottery number impression for 2013? The Bomb Pop … the fins. I pride myself on remembering details, and yet I have very hazy thoughts on that … can you remind me? Would that make for a large inking? Sounds painful.

Oh, Chronicle: I have seen the commercial many times. Something about that really interests me, and now you say it is good, which I am glad for. I liked that it seemed to build, with an anger, as you said. I thought perhaps it might be acted too “young,” but you didn’t think so. I am sure you will get some new things from it as you go again.

I may have to write about sitting in a movie theater for an upcoming 100 Words … some fiction piece or something. I so rarely go, and when I have gone it’s been in a small art theater that doesn’t let you get lost in the dark or forget the wall and aisle are right there or that the projector is close and those seats are not made of that magical new-cushion puff that will lean with you. But really, it’s the lost in the dark that I miss.

Speaking of lost in the dark … the Hayden. Haven’t been there in a number of years. Maybe I will go again soon, then. I think Harrison Ford narrated the last show I saw … or was it Tom Hanks? See, too long, else I would remember. I do love passing the Rose Center at night, the rich blue glow of the glass and the planets … I could stay and stare at that for a long time.

Do you like Rainn Wilson? I love him. I mean, The Office is funny, of course, but I read his blog as he updates it, and I catch whatever else he does. I just dig his sense of humor.
At Thu Feb 09, 02:27:00 PM, John said…

You say it was an undefined, not-best mood. I hope after having written, and slept, you've emerged into a sunnier, surer space, both within and without. But, you know, maybe you haven't. Another ride, more loud music, more at Hell, yeah!

Clipped this piece from the Times the other day and tacked it up at my workspace: "Professional Advice for Police Learning to Write: Don't Back Down." The cutline: "Charlie Newton, left, and Jonathan Eig teach Chicago police officers how to tell their stories." This inspires me. I want my business to reach out to people, help them to tell their stories. I need to get out there.

Just solved a workflow problem: installed a program that lets me record Skype calls, so I don't have to take interviews like a madman with the iPhone cricked to my ear, and the pen and the scribblings and the missing-a-good-quotes dragging me down. Am I less dexterous than I used to be? Is this a middle-age brain thing, or a bad telephone ergonomics thing? In any event, now I'm on Skype.

Ah, the fuel lines. Yep. Yep. Sorry your favorite mechanic split. Is he still in the area?

I joined a gym today: King's Gym in Greenfield. The equipment and facilities look tired, sprung, resigned. But you know what? I'm keeping a positive mental attitude, as we say. This is going to be good. Many of us from The Leading Edge have landed on these shores as if by shipwreck, and I hope here we'll raise a happy little village. A village of the fit.

The bomb pop ink might hurt. I don't know. I've never had one applied. I regret speaking against constellations as tattoos. I think if that's one's vision, that's an absolutely charming vision, and one should go for it. Perhaps a constellation of a bomb pop?

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, 
But in ourselves, that we are syrupy."

As it happens, I preserved within my hard drive, pressed between two heavy PDFs, a thin sheaf of yellowing AIM chat transcripts concerning Fyrefly sky and mailtojds. I can forward them to you, if you like. The bomb bop ref is in there, and sanguine bones.

Rainn Wilson. Yes, I think I like him. I like Dwight Schrute less and less, but that just tracks with my diminished interest in The Office since Steve Carrell left. I want to see Super, which I take to be sort of grim; and I'm aware Wilson blogs, but I haven't checked him out. You dig him, so I'll make my way over.

I chose my used book to read: Difficult Loves. I bought this at City Lights, the bookmark's been waiting patiently to tell me. You introduced me to Calvino, you know. Invisible Cities. Thank you. Difficult Loves I've long wanted to read, but the title always gave me pause. Foolish of me.
At Fri Feb 10, 12:37:00 AM, Amy said…

No, not foolish. I too at times have kept a distance from certain things. My copy of that book is hardback, the only hardback of all my Calvino books. Not sure what that means, but it is. I am going to read one of the books I previously mentioned: The Gentleman Poet. I did consider my copy of Possession, which has been waiting its turn also, but that one can jump in down the line.

I have not used Skype, but it sounds like a great way to connect on business projects, and that recording software beats writing out the talk with a crick. I suppose the gym can help determine if it is dexterity. I doubt it. Perhaps ergonomics.

One journal I edit is about teaching artists (e.g., painters, actors, writers), and the articles are written by these instructors; often the writers will describe how they “get out there” and help others tell their stories. Very inspiring. One woman worked with convicts to the point where the prison program for creative writing has blossomed. Anyway, it is a noble direction.

I did write to the novel project woman, apologized for the delay, promised her I would send her a message about my work, fees, experience, etc., this weekend, and she sent back a quick thanks. Hold on. [Pencil on calendar] Had to add it to all the other things to do.

Before I read your message I had listened to Moby’s “We Are All Made of Stars” and “Synchronicity I” (“A star fall … ”). Among my favorite apps are my night sky ones, reminding me of the winter sky, summer sky … Then, I don’t need a tattoo to trace them. The chats would be interesting to read.

Have you heard about this venture called Innovative Leisure? Sounds promising. One of my friends wondered if Warren Robinett will be one of the unnamed developers. I wish! That would make it complete!

Here’s a write-up: “Innovative Leisure is the brainchild of Seamus Blackley, technical director of the original Xbox. Blackley tapped a handful of old-school arcade developers—most of them from Atari—for a new venture to leverage their experience with pick-up-and-play projects in social and mobile gaming markets that share the same priorities. The lineup of developers includes Ed Logg (Asteroids, Centipede, Gauntlet), Rich Adam (Missile Command, Gravitar), Ed Rotberg (Battlezone, S.T.U.N. Runner), Tim Skelly (Rip Off, Reactor), and Owen Rubin (Major Havoc, Space Duel), among others.”

I love when different greats in a field come together. It’s like the Left Bank Lost Generation.

Would love a Paris literary tour. Craig Ferguson recently replayed an episode of his show when he was in Paris, stopped in to visit the fellow Scot who owns and runs Shakespeare and Company. The crammed shelves … looked like I could spend a week in there.

Okay, enough, enough of books and stores and stars and moons. I am sure I have other things I can speak of. Don’t I?
At Fri Feb 10, 11:59:00 PM, John said…

I've been listening to "Follow" by Brandi Carlile on a near-constant loop for three days. Huge fan of heartfelt yowling, as I might have mentioned. This song really works for me.

The Skype interviews, with recording, are a success.

Got bogged down with something this evening. I look forward to writing tomorrow, when I'm fresh. Wanted to say goodnight. Wanted to say good morning.
At Sat Feb 11, 03:23:00 PM, Amy said…

Hmm, three days of yowling. Is it four now? You can tell me.

Change is difficult, especially at this level. Good to have a positive mind-set, but still difficult. I hope that you have been finding your own good way through. It reads like it, but of course there must be times.

I set this paper boat across the pond rhetorically. Just thinking while typing.

Now back to our golf coverage from Pebble Beach. Joe? You got Tiger on the 16th?
At Sat Feb 11, 03:54:00 PM, John said…

— For the next four hours I am not John; I am Shinichiro, a fisherman (and former samurai, troubled by nightmares). It is summer in Japan, the Edo or Tokugawa period (1600-1868), and we are telling ghost stories.

My friend Julia, whom I recommended for that editing job, invited me to join her story, Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai, a live-action roleplaying game (larp) where players tell the story of the Fisherman, his Wife, and the Yokai (demons) and Yurei (ghosts) they meet when they are apart; and how they reconcile their associations with the Yokai when the Fisherman returns home.

So it's good to be here.

Love the paper boat. :)

Clack! Clack! Clack! It's time to start.
At Sun Feb 12, 12:06:00 AM, John said…

Plus, after, live music.

I was alone, but I was not alone. My friends and neighbors rock on stage! The cafe was packed. The floor thumped! I lost myself to it for a time, feeling the music, the stories, the Hell, yeah! I bought a CD, nodded and hugged my goodbyes. I shared a touch with Katie, the drummer, and she didn't miss a beat.

I am alone in a house now, Brandi Carlile's "Follow" on its familiar loop. It's not the same.

Is it four days of yowling? Possibly. Thanks for the note of encouragement. "You can tell me." You can tell me.

I intended to write today. I just feel kind of raw. Kind of happily sad. Hopeful and energized and old, but young.

Tiger's on the 16 hole, Chet, that famous par-four 16 here at beautiful Pebble Beach. He's looking at 401 yards, all of it riding at the edge of the world: a stone's throw from the implacable blue Pacific. He's gonna want to hit the approach to the right side of the green; everything slides off to the left on this hole, as you know.

Gorgeous, sunny day, Chet; mild. Tiger Woods, hardly at the top of his game, but still an athlete you want to reckon with, on the 16 at Pebble. No surprise: he's asking for his long iron.

Chet, let me ask you, hate to put you on the spot up there in the booth — Tiger Woods, 36, hasn't won a tour event since the 2009 BMW Championship; gorgeous day, wind a distant afterthought — but do you think he's got a shot at this? He won this championship once, knows what that feels like. Wants to do what he does best. Can he do it again?

Tiger Woods takes his time, lines it up — a tremendous drive!
At Sun Feb 12, 12:44:00 AM, John said…

— Gah! Enough wallowing. "Games People Play" (The Spinners). Finding my own good way through, yes. Thank you. :)
At Sun Feb 12, 11:01:00 AM, Amy said…

Realized that I didn’t have any Stevie Wonder songs on the iPod so I corrected that yesterday. I also bought the whole INXS album The Swing: used to listen to it every day of high school junior year during first-period study hall in the cafeteria. Audrey and I would drink chocolate milk, memorize facts for upcoming tests, and rock out like all good girls should.

You’ve mentioned aging a couple times now … before I fell asleep last night the Marvell line came to me: “Had we but world enough, and time” so I just read that poem again now. Has one of my favorite two-line endings to a poem ever. Just the pacing and sound of the words: “Thus, though we cannot make our sun/Stand still, yet we will make him run” And then of course Dylan Thomas, which is a little closer to "the end" than we are, but cripes, a villanelle! I’ve tried them and it’s terribly hard.

Growing older, yes, but not old. Young, yes, as you feel it now. Your young, your newness. And anyway, if you are old, then I am old; and no way!

More to come. Now, some editing interrupted by thoughts of other favorite poems, no doubt.
At Sun Feb 12, 12:36:00 PM, John said…

Was a/b to send, when I read, happily, your latest. My reply to that first:

My Stevie Wonder consists of "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)", played 30 times since June 9, 2006. Only 30 times? Mm. Yes.

Ha! INXS. I like "Johnson's Aeroplane" for sure. Swung over to Berlin's Love Life, which is more my speed. Rocked this tape in the Nova a time or two. Route 9, I-195, shore points, points north… Jesus.

I'm with you on the study hall and chocolate milk, you and Audrey, denim and laughs. A nice scene.

I had to Wiki villanelle. Yes, it looks a right challenge. (I accept.) I, too, dig the Marvell. News to me that the piece has its critics. I rather take it at face value.

"Do Not Go Gentle…" There's so much I don't know. I'd never stopped to really read it before. Isn't that something?

Ah, my vaunted youth and newness. I hope to give it good work. "…if you are old, then I am old; and no way!" No way, agreed. We're young, somehow, and wiser.

---

Avon, on The Gentleman Poet: “This mesmerizing novel is also a celebration of good food, glorious words, and the power of love, while bringing readers an intriguing glimpse of arguably the most famous writer of all time.” Nice. That sounds like a great read. I look forward to hearing your impressions.

I’m interested in the journal to which you referred, the one about teaching artists. I’m always on the lookout for inspiration.

Request clarification, 100W: “I'll send K. some [pages] of mine, nothing in comparison.” In any event, glad you’re pursuing that.

Related: Enjoying your carnival scenes. I feel like I’m there with mustard on my shirt, gunning for a big-ass panda. The damn thing's rigged, but I keep trying. Every-one's a winnah!

The night apps: I have a folder called Mars on my phone consisting of this blog, 100W and a Mars globe app. I have other molecular, Earth and space science apps in a folder called Knowledgy.

 I like your Moby tracks. Let’s see what I have… “Porcelain,” “Honey,” and “Beautiful.” Apparently I stopped collecting Moby in 2007.

Wow, Innovative Leisure; good for them. Interesting project. Golly, arcades: those were the days, huh? With this news, Amy, I think you’ve just pre-sold me an iPad 3. (You know the yellow Adventure castle is my Facebook cover image, yes?)

A Paris literary tour, eh?  

“Okay, enough, enough of books and stores and stars and moons. I am sure I have other things I can speak of. Don’t I?”

What's on your mind?
At Sun Feb 12, 11:49:00 PM, Amy said…

I could write a long time tonight. Let’s see what I can get down before I need some sleep.

Funny, I was going to mention in my last message that "Johnson's Aeroplane" is a favorite track. Not sure what it is about that album, but the whole of it is rather good. Berlin!! It’s not on that album, but “The Metro” is one of my favorite 80s songs. I can’t believe I don’t have that on the ol’ iPod. [Fixing that now …]

The blue Nova. Glad I got to ride in it as part of the story of jds.

The journal on teaching artists is called … well … Teaching Artist Journal. The site tajournal.com has info and sample articles, I think. I work on a few journals that are “discourse” writing, which I am not supposed to “edit” (and this is one), so these pieces are more loose stories and less reworked academic material. It is also in MLA style, which I know the least about and relearn each time. But I always find at least one piece interesting.

100W clarification: After editing romance novels for different publishers for a while, I thought, You could do this. So I started a romance (even though I never read them for pleasure), and I work on it when I can. I made some great friends in grad school: one friend has had three fiction novels published since graduation, and another friend (K.) just finished her YA novel MS. So I am behind. K. asks to see scenes from my incomplete book, and I send them to her. Both friends motivate me to keep going with it.

Speaking of 100W, I am digging your trios! I may steal that idea for future entries! Really great. “Coke-bottle green” is perfect. I am a bit obsessed with color words. Is D. a friend or fictional? Trees with backs, and I think of Ents.

Thanks for the carnival scenes praise. Yes, rigged. Part of the experience, though.

Wait, iPad 3? I thought you were supposed to hold off on the tech … oh, yeah, I already got my laptop, so I guess it’s fine.

What are my sky apps … Pocket Universe and SkyView. Neat stuff. A favorite game app is called 7 Little Words. I think it’s brilliant. Simple idea. Puzzles that are not too hard, kinda crafty. Great when you are somewhere for a bit, a waiting room. Some free puzzles, then others for sale cheap, but that’s fine. I will pay for the fun of it.

Wish I could go to Westminster Dog Show this year, but alas, this week is too busy. One day I’d like to see it live, root for the beagles, some other breeds I like. Reminds me of the movie Best in Show (pretty funny), which reminds me of A Mighty Wind (funnier, I thought), which reminds me that I never saw Spinal Tap.

What is on my mind … what can I talk about … I’m sure to sort through some of it with a less sleepy head.
At Tue Feb 14, 09:04:00 PM, John said…

Work tunes. Got a lot done, but I'm slowing, tuckered. Thinkin' I'll turn in presently. I enjoyed typing these in as they played. J.

"Masquerade" (Berlin)
"Home" (Marc Broussard)
"Busy Man" (The Baron Sisters)
"Closer to You" (Brandi Carlile)
"It Was a Very Good Year" (Frank Sinatra)
"Karma Police" (Radiohead)
"Lost in the Wheel" (Tim and Eric)
"Nobody Loves You Like Me" (Jonathan Coulton)
"Everything In Its Right Place" (Radiohead)
"Who's Gonna Love You" (Fascinoma)
"Jesus Ranch" (Tenacious D)
ibid
"Let it Be" (The Beatles)
"Waist Deep in the Big Muddy" (Richard Shindell)
"You Are Everyone" (Dar Williams)
"Thoughts of a Dying Atheist" (Muse)
"D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song" (Danny Kaye)
"Say Say Say" (Paul McCartney)
"Hello I Must Be Going" (The Marx Brothers) [Ha!]
"Leaves That Are Green" (Simon and Garfunkel)
ibid
"Stroller Town" (Jonathan Coulton) [ :) ]
"Here They Come" (John Williams) [Star Wars]
"I've Just Seen a Face" (Arlo Guthrie)
"The Only Living Boy in New York" (Simon and Garfunkel)
At Wed Feb 15, 01:20:00 PM, Amy said…

A friend is visiting me this week, so I have been cleaning for two days. I hate cleaning. I love having things clean and organized, but I hate cleaning. Sucks.

Went to sleep early last night, then had a bad dream with traveling dark streets in a filthy, decrepit neighborhood. Lovely.

For my listening pleasure while working today:

“Birdland” Weather Report
“Main Street” Deer Tick
“Honky Tonk Blues” Hank Williams
“Travel as Equals” Joseph Archer
“The Book of Morris Johnson” Zee Avi
“I Will Dare” The Replacements
“Shake It Out” Florence and the Machine
“Got to Have Rock and Roll” Heartless Bastards
“Basin Street Blues” Dr. John
“Jig-Saw Puzzle” Rolling Stones
At Wed Feb 15, 09:15:00 PM, John said…

!!! My workshop was this tremendously successful perfect yeah happy work/play time. I really nailed it. I _loved_ every second of that hour and a half. This is something I'm very very good at, I just discovered. I love facilitating.

*sigh*

You hate cleaning? Hm. "Thich Nhat Hanh." That's all I've got to say about that. But yeah, always nice to have a clean place. How nice for you that you have company! I hope you guys are having fun.

You and these dreams. Related to the cleaning, this one? Sounds like an unpleasant dream. Sorry.

I'm not remembering my dreams these days. I have an impression of last night's: trying to contain spinning, like stopping the seat of a wall-mounted diner stool from spinning, but not a diner stool. No particular stakes, just a thing I try to deal with in the dream. It's only an impression. The dream could have been about anything.

I tend to wake up too warm, tangled in the comforter, and generally leap right for the iPhone and Words With Friends therein.

Playing "The Metro" now...

Ah, the blue Nova. It was a good car. They don't make 'em like that anymore. I'm glad to have given you rides in it, here and there. You remember my '92 Civic? I finally retired it in November. Had it all this time. Golly. I got every last dime of my money's worth out of that old gal. Anyhoo, I'm rockin' a 2008 Civic Si. She's a pistol!

Thanks for the 100W clarification. Dale is a real human being; I'm sharing his house. He's in educational grant writing, I guess what the kids call development. His wife died last year after about six months of illness. He and I talk about grief sometimes, and forgiveness, and acceptance.

Glad you like the trios. I had this idea that I would build a world a month. It's a nice project. Your stuff! Pshaw! Awesome! Such control in the service of art. Very affecting.

Glad we have the Christopher Guest stuff in common. I bed you'd really enjoy Spin̈al Tap. I think of it as something you'd like. Heck, I might just watch that shortly. [Robin Hood, Tap, Rear Window]

Have you seen Moon or Margin Call yet? Both were small releases, and well done. If I had to recommend one or the other, I'd say see the former. The latter came to mind when I read your mala madre piece.

Root for the beagles! I'm with you there.

Music, more, later. J.
At Wed Feb 15, 10:49:00 PM, John said…

Ack! s/b "bet"
At Wed Feb 15, 10:57:00 PM, Amy said…

uh-huh. LOL!

[gotta finish some work ... more in a bit]
At Wed Feb 15, 11:43:00 PM, Amy said…

I am sorry for Dale’s loss. Grief, forgiveness, and acceptance are worthy topics for discussion. Each person has a different take on grief, I think.

Oh, good! I was hoping that the workshop would go well.

My friend is staying in the city, to experience New York. What, New Jersey isn’t exciting? I’ll be entertaining here in the near future. In the space I’ve made clean(er). Thanks for the TNH reminder! Obviously needed.

No, have not seen Moon or Margin Call. I see that in a “six degrees” way they share Kevin Spacey. Moon does seem more like something I would watch.

Well, the beagle did not win. Fixed, surely.

Gotta get up early, so off to sleep I go. Again, really happy that your evening was so fulfilling.
At Thu Feb 16, 04:41:00 PM, John said…

What is it with Zen and cleaning? :) But seriously, this is what it's all about. This speaks to me:

The value of a vow (a "practice" is a vow—"I vow to have a writing period every day") is in perfecting its methodology. Issan Dorsey, a Zen priest at San Francisco Zen Center, used to say, "You don't even clean to make things clean, so much. You clean even if it's not a mess. You just go around and make things look like somebody paid attention to them."
— Sher, p. 5.
At Thu Feb 16, 11:39:00 PM, Amy said…

I have owned this book for about four years: Clean: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing by Michael De Jong. The five zen cleaning ingredients listed are baking soda, Borax, lemon, salt, and white vinegar. “In Zen-Cleansing, we meet ourselves in the mindful act of safely and purely cleaning our personal environment.” I just looked through this book again (it’s not part of my cleaning routine, if that is not clear by now), and it might help me learn to like cleaning somewhat. Or at least make it less of a time-sapping annoyance and a more healthy experience.

I’d be interested to know more about how that Sher quote speaks to you. I like Sher, as you know, so your thoughts might help me with her words.

I met my friend at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this morning. We’ve written each other for 15 years; this was the first time we’d been in each other’s physical presence. He lives in Sydney, so it hasn’t worked out before this. The new American Wing is really nice; had to wait for the crowd to dissipate before taking in the whole of the huge Washington Crossing the Delaware. And I spent a good amount of time before my favorite painting, of course: Joan of Arc. Sought out A Maid Asleep, which I wrote about for a 100W recently. Learned a lot about Roman and Syrian history. A really nice rainy Thursday.
At Fri Feb 17, 01:14:00 PM, John said…

I landed the CEO's book project. I got the fee I wanted, a single-project record for me. Feelin' pretty good, but I also worry whether I can deliver. (No, I can do this, I can do this...) Breathing is.

Yee-ha!
At Fri Feb 17, 01:30:00 PM, Amy said…

Yea! You can certainly do it. Breathing and writing. It's great when a project moves forward! I am happy for you. Many CEOs will be jealous and calling for you.
At Fri Feb 17, 05:57:00 PM, John said…

I tells ya.

Thanks for the happy encouragement. Whew!

Wow, good for you, meeting after 15 years. How did he like the city? How was it to finally meet? Now you have a place to stay in Sydney. (That should be the city's tourism slogan, you ask me.)

I'll write more later. I spent way too much time on my 100W piece, and, like the famed White Rabbit, I'm late, I'm late!
At Fri Feb 17, 11:59:00 PM, Amy said…

“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I hardly know, sir, just at present — at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”

All time spent on the 100W piece was well worth it. Not a word wasted. Well done.
At Sat Feb 18, 12:42:00 PM, John said…

One of my favorites:

The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. “Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?” he asked.

“Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”

“Not a word wasted.” Thank you. I think of Tock: “It's bad enough wasting time without killing it.” One hundred words is an ache, a redemption, a glory, or can be. Do you still write haiku?

Eggs for cookies. This piece is perfect. I love so much about it: the downward, swept direction of the action, like a fir; what I take to be the symbolism of the windows, beyond which there are no cracks, but beneath, in the world we live in, cracks aplenty; the shape of the windows, which forgive me I read as coffins establishing a barrier between what we can know, which is flawed, and what we cannot, which is the source of unbroken light. The uninterrupted transition from art studio to dining room (that pairing alone!); the sage and crown; cookies and nervous lips; some early motive crash; no peace in our beds. Then ground, the shifting earth, darkness. To make our way, if we choose, the boots: themselves a million microscopic acres of fissures, flaws, failed leather. Keep them? Cherish them. (Sticking the landing: “so worn.”)

This is my impression, anyhow. This is what I feel in the piece.

A fair day today. Were I to have a friend visit, I’d suggest we hike up to High Ledges, see the village from there. Thermoses and sandwiches. Make our way down.
At Sun Feb 19, 12:06:00 AM, Amy said…

So tired that I messed up a word in the 100W entry! Argh! Hate that. Also I find it hard to type on this laptop, still. In time I will get used to it.

What a description of thoughts you posted here. I keep rereading it and find more in it to think about.

I write haiku infrequently now but did have some published, I think last year? I will get back to it with a serious practice, but I find it takes a manner of thinking of things in still or short images -- stopping the world and finding the meaning -- and right now my process isn't like that. I do love haiku!

Must go for tonight. I look forward to writing more tomorrow.
At Sun Feb 19, 11:40:00 AM, Amy said…

These are the last two haiku published:

before the wake begins
her voice thin as the papery
combs of the wasp

sugar sludge ring
in the small paper cup
from the child’s lemonade stand

Not the best I’ve written, but not terrible.

Spent the day yesterday showing my friend the sights of NJ: colonial-era homes, estates, lakes, then lunch at a local tavern, talk over coffee. He flies home today, but not before a stop at the Strand, he said. [whistle! Flag drops. Personal foul. Tourist gets to bookstore before native. 10-yard penalty. Repeat first down.]

He wanted to get a short Steinbeck novel: something compact and American. I told him about The Wayward Bus, my favorite. Have you read it? Character driven. People brought together. Who will change and who won’t? Many critics say, Nothing happens, but not true. A masterpiece, to me.

I looked up images of High Ledges. The way the Deerfield River curves. The mountains. Now, of course, not the fullness of leaves, but many trees nonetheless, and evergreen. What kind of sandwiches? Hiking isn’t quite right for cucumber and cream cheese, but for some reason I have been in the mood for it. Peanut butter is a better hiking food. Travels well. In the Thermos? A cold mint tea? Lemon water? Ah, anyway. You have a good plan for entertaining.

Today, lots of work that has not been getting done. Some golf on the iPod, as usual. My vitamin. (Gotta remember that!)
At Sun Feb 19, 05:55:00 PM, John said…

Swaying to “Johnson's Aeroplane” at the chiclet keys. I have a dual-monitor setup and an Apple wireless keyboard, which took forever to get used to. I think I’m there. I make only ferruy few mustakes. Hang in there with young Toshiba S.!

Thanks for the link to Teaching Artist Journal. I know a few people who might appreciate knowing about that. And, frankly, I’ll be a repeat visitor. (The editors had me at “collaborative ethnomusicology.”)

MLA! Yeah. I guess that’s good to know, and whatnot. “Styles.” Pfft.

So how far are you with the romance novel? Do you have it all plotted out? Is there anything about it you’d like to share with me? I’m interested.

My slapdash short story, "The Secret Origin of Interplanetary Pup," is absurd, but I believe it has heart: it’s a statement about things I care about, and I’m enjoying finding out what those things are as I go. I’d guess I’m halfway done writing the first draft. I write 100 words; I look at where it might go next; I write another 100 words. It’s an interesting approach. Would you like to see it?

Ah yes, iPad 3. You’re right to remind me about my no-new-tech proposal. Um. Well, we’re sailing clear of winter, so the air is moistening up, and you’ll be less susceptible to jealousy-sparked static shock. Plus, you’ll be benefitting from whatever I get, as far as correspondence goes. A win for you!

I hadn’t heard of 7 Little Words. Should I buy that? My waiting-room go-to is Words with Friends. To the degree I play other games, I turn to Amazing Breaker, Fruit Ninja, Nanosaur 2, Tiny Wings, SplitApple, and World of Goo. I downloaded Infinity Blade, but I always lose interest halfway into the tutorial.

I remember considering the De Jong book on Zen cleansing. Some good points made, for sure. With me, it isn’t cleansing, but making choices in my relationships with objects and spaces which support my own and others’ success. I simply put things away when I’m finished with them. I clean as I cook. I make completing the act a part of the act. In that way, I am ready for next time, I achieve that impression of care to which Dorsey refers, and I have protected what is to me, very important: organic flow-through.

Sometimes I don’t, and when I don’t, frankly, I like to spend a day setting things to rights. Get the music going, open the windows, yeah.

I enjoyed your description of your time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was there last summer, but as is often the case with me I don’t take notes; and, though the works often amaze me, I find I fall into preferring to observe the other patrons.

I have your haiku. I like them. I‘m sitting with them…

“Personal foul.” Ha!

[The Wayward Bus. Check.]

Peanut butter does travel well. I dunno. Roast beef? Roast beef and peanut butter? Something good like that: A PB&RB with the crusts snipped, with apple wedges. Yes, lemon water would work.

You follow golf, I take it. Who do you like? Do you play? I'd like to see someone invent a game that's half polo, half rugby. I'd definitely tune in to that.
At Mon Feb 20, 12:09:00 AM, Amy said…

Wow. What else to say. You’ve sculpted your thoughts on cleaning into an amazing 100W entry, and I’m blown away. Many times I wish I could craft my feelings like that.

Do you know Peter Walsh? He works with hoarders and is a cleaning/organizing guru. I follow him because he goes beyond cleaning into feelings and connections and action. In the past three years I have changed my relationship to objects, and I am in a healthier, better place there. I have given away a good number of my things in working toward nonattachment. I still have more to do, but my attitude has changed, which is what counts. I’m lighter. So it’s not the objects I work on, but the time to devote to dust bunnies and shower walls. Those used to come last, but now I have more time and can start to approach those too.

So. Yes. My romance novel. I don’t know how much I have written. Not too much. Maybe five chapters and then notes? I know the basic story, and it needs fleshing out. I keep thinking, So what? And then I add and change. There is not much to tell yet, and I don’t know that it is interesting. (I am actually more taken creatively with another piece I write, a sci-fi romance thing that might be better suited for you to read eventually, but that one is less marketable to the masses so I stop writing it and then go back to this one.) I want to write more before you would read any of it. One day I don’t doubt you’ll be getting files from me to read through.

Yes, I would like to see “The Secret Origin of Interplanetary Pup.” You know, big fan. Absurd is good. Absurd did wonderful things for Camus and Beckett. My absolute favorite absurdist piece is Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, but I might change my mind after reading yours.

I never even considered that the iPad 3 would be a win for me. When you put it that way, the case is made.

I don’t take notes when I am out, but that is a good idea. And people watching. I notice people when someone is different and I want to remember it for writing, and often people amuse me greatly, so I watch for strange interactions. I’m usually too busy taking in details of the art/artifact, though. I was paying attention to light in paintings this time, the way light was working in certain scenes. I also took note of all the silver pieces across time. I love silver, and I wonder if one day I’ll try my hand at working metal like that. So much to notice.

PB and RB. Protein and Protein. Pure energy. Maybe some trail mix on there.
At Mon Feb 20, 12:09:00 AM, Amy said…

Well … it’s very possible that you would tire of 7 Little Words. I think of you as someone whose mind is steps ahead and runs quickly, so I bet it would bore you. To describe it better, there are seven clues listed (e.g., “sell illegally 7 letters”) and there are 20 tiles on the screen bottom with two or three letters on each tile; in this case you select the three tiles that have TRA and FF and IC on them, and you enter TRAFFIC. It’s a word hunt to solve clues. Again, you may get bored.

Yes, I have followed the PGA for a very long time, since a teenager. I stream most tournaments from start to finish now that there is the Golf Channel. I don’t play. I could try it one day, probably start on the driving range. And then if I find I am not naturally decent at it, I would probably abandon it. I am that way about things like sports and hobbies: If I find that I cannot achieve a certain level of ability with a basic amount of practice and effort, I don’t keep trying seriously.

I love to watch it for many reasons: First, overall it is just damn relaxing. In spring and summer you can hear birds in the background, the greens are lush, the courses have trees and water and sand, the announcers are soothing. On a good TV, the colors are amazingly vivid. Visually it’s for me. Second, there is no team; it’s just one man (I rarely watch LPGA) and his relationship to the ball. He doesn’t rely on some other guy who partied all night or has a contract dispute or who sucks. The golfer has to get himself to that tournament and then play two days to qualify for the weekend. And it’s like that almost every time. He is responsible for himself and his level of play. And I like that.

Third, almost all the guys are just good people. Upstanding, fun, hardworking, driven, talented guys. No bitching in the locker room. No whining. There’s still an air of “the gentleman’s game” about it. Follow the rules and do the right thing. Fourth, anyone can win. It’s never a given. I’ve seen club pros who have been playing for years and years and finally make the cut and get that one shot to win, and do it. I tear up for them. You just have to go out there and get the ball in the hole with fewer shots than the others. It’s not simple like that, but it is. Something Zen about it.

There are other things, like the skill level and the amazing shots and the suspense. I like Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott and Justin Leonard and Mike Weir. Just seem like nice guys who can play.

I have tried many times across days to complete the download of “The Metro” but, although I have been charged twice, it will not come through. I then try to report a problem through iTunes, and that does not go through. Something is against me on this front. I will keep trying. In the meantime I am going to load my Willy Wonka soundtrack on the iPod from my CD. I have been in the mood to sing “I Want It Now,” which is just a great song to belt out. Can’t understand why I didn’t load it on in the first place. Love that soundtrack.

A very happy birthday to you. May you find in today all good things.
At Mon Feb 20, 01:43:00 AM, John said…

On the off chance you're still up, I wanted to rush back a note and say I had started to discuss Peter Walsh's influence on my thinking, in my previous note, but thought better of it. I was thrilled to see that you follow him. I've referred to "It's All Too Much" for years. "Imagine the life you want to live." Yes.

Thank you for your notes, Amy. It's a wonderful birthday so far.
At Mon Feb 20, 08:20:00 AM, John said…

— oops. Not "thought better of it": "Balked." I shouldn't write when I'm tired. That, or old age, see. :P
At Mon Feb 20, 11:44:00 PM, Amy said…

Did Siri wish you a happy birthday?

If not, you tell her from me that she's all fur coat and no knickers.

She'll know what that means.
At Tue Feb 21, 12:37:00 AM, John said…

Here’s a detail that might not come up in ordinary conversation: Since beginning this correspondence, I’ve come to favor Trebuchet MS over all other body copy typefaces. This is what I work in, what I write in. I love seeing it.

If you’ll indulge me, I’ll take another day before replying to your latest. I want to re-read and just have all this: your notes here, the 100W poems.

I’ve been sitting quietly with my dog for a long while tonight. He slept on me as I lay on the couch, watching Men in Black; then we walked; then he ate; now I’m sitting with him on the couch as he sleeps in his curl on a gathered blanket. Sometimes I skritch his head while snuggling him, enjoying his sleepy smell (until I hear that small soft grumf he makes, which I hear as, “Thank you, that was nice,” and then I stop); sometimes I massage a velvet ear. Sometimes I just type, and as I do we breathe contentedly.

My birthday was nice, thank you. Low key. All the right people checked in, I knocked out a lot of good work, and somebody I'm helping just by being present with her wrote to tell me "Your an amazing person."

Siri, though. You think you know a girl. I'll relay your message. :)
At Tue Feb 21, 09:53:00 AM, Amy said…

You are right, Trebuchet MS is a great font.

It was hard to leave my dog. It is so nice that you can see yours, skritch, smell. Good for the soul.
At Tue Feb 21, 10:07:00 AM, John said…

Here's to the dogs...
At Tue Feb 21, 04:19:00 PM, John said…

Before finding Walsh, I brought in a book called “House As a Mirror of Self: Exploring the Deeper Meaning of Home” by Clare Cooper Marcus. This is at the intersection of architecture and Jung. A good introduction. It helped me feel not-alone in all this.

Peter Walsh was a revelation on par with Alan Weiss. I believe in his message, and have put it to rewarding use. To talk more about this now seems to invite a wider talk about what I want and what I care about, what I’m accepting responsibility for, and how happy all this makes me feel: how grateful I am to be alive. I can leave it there for now. As you say: connections and feeling and action.

I’m glad you report you’re lighter. You mark the change at three years?

My 100W piece on cleaning: I liked it too, thanks.

A sci-fi romance! Yes, please. Do you want to see that in the market? What would it take? (The best thing is that it should appeal to you, and it sounds as though it does.)

“The Secret Origin of Interplanetary Pup” is a fun world to inhabit. Let me add a bit more to it. I’ll share it with you for sure.

This week I really should be transcribing interviews. Bleah. I’m at wit’s end with that client. He just churns out these pages and pages of matter, which I shovel, filter, skim and sieve, and bada bing he’s got a book. The hell of it is, I don’t think it’s a very cohesive book. G. is committed to his outline, but he’s all over the map. I’ve lost my sense of his ideal reader. I look at something like Walsh’s book and sigh. We coulda been that good. I shouldn’t complain about the interviews: these experts I found, who’re contributing sidebars. I’m bringing in great value there.

This is hard work. I’d rather publish my own stuff. I’m working toward that.

Thank you for mentioning me in the same paragraph with Beckett; the same sentence as Ionesco. Brecht, though: a glaring, and uncharacteristic, omission. An oversight? Payback for my review in the Times?

I would like to think of a menu for a hike. Energy, yes. And trail mix, of course. Something sweet, something savory. Time enough, I suppose. The trail is there, and the river below, changing, changeless.

I like this: “I think of you as someone whose mind is steps ahead and runs quickly, so I bet it would bore you.” I’m not so sure! :) But I appreciate that. I have a quick wit, though it’s not something that helps me strategize or solve problems.

Your thoughts on the PGA, and mine, when we return.

Siri sends her best. She didn’t know. We worked it out. We’re cool.

HEY! I just realized this comment box has a fly-out handle! Wow! That makes editing easier. It's the simple pleasures.
At Tue Feb 21, 11:04:00 PM, John said…

(Your hummingbird piece is a marvel. So glad of things.)
At Tue Feb 21, 11:46:00 PM, Amy said…

Went shopping tonight with my mom for a little while. Nice to get out. Car radio went from “Heart of the Matter” to “I Am the Walrus” (Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe) to “Down Under.” Strange hops from one thing to another. Interesting grouping.

Your last note, so clever and full of things to respond to. I don’t even know where to start, which means it would be best (although not desired) to start tomorrow. I have a headache and can’t think the way I want to. And I do not want any other oversights like Brecht. No, not like that.

Hummingbirds. I have been thinking a lot about birds. As a lass I thought to grow up to be an ornithologist. But words won out. I can make birds with words.

Today I reread much of the sci-fi romance scenes. Yes, there is something more appealing there, but really? Is there a market for that, in the real world, I mean. On the B&N shelves. More than a fan fiction base? I don’t know. So many agents etc. say NO SCI-FI. So certainly NO SCI-FI ROMANCE. I’m going to finish it because I enjoy writing it. You’ll recognize my sci-fi influences, certainly.

Hard work. Yeah. Anything worth it in the end is. Isn’t that what they say, those who know?
At Wed Feb 22, 04:45:00 PM, Amy said…

I mentioned three years as a time because that approximately corresponds to when I decided to change how I approach the objects I own and buy. When the move into this house was going to happen, I was ready and able to go through my things with a different attitude, and it was incredibly liberating. And necessary. I had been weighed down too long with so many things that did not represent who I have become. As I said, I still have work to do on my things. The time in this house has not been spent as I anticipated before living here, but this year I will be able to continue moving forward with my approach to my things and space, and I’m really excited about that.

I do follow Walsh, his shows and blog and posts and interviews, but I have not read his book (although I have wanted to), and the Marcus book looks good. I think I should read that and others like that. My relationship to objects is something on which I need to have a low-grade, constant focus.

It sounds as if the messages we’re talking about have been a real force in your life. If at some point you would like to express more on this, have the wide talk, you can certainly write to me.

When you say you would rather publish your own stuff, what would you like to see published? Are you talking about journalistic pieces or fiction or other things? The children’s project? Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a regular stream of published works that pay, that we love writing and that are appreciated by others?

I always think about Harlan Coben, this thriller/psych fiction writer who is a NJ native and always popping up on the NYT list. He lives in the next town in a large Victorian, and when I pass I think of him possibly up in a small room typing away. I should read something of his I guess, just to get a feel of it.

I used to take the zinc when I worked at LEA; a coworker used them a lot and she got me on them, and then after a little while we realized that they were the cause of our being nauseated the days we ate them. So I don’t take them. See, now you are saying, Coffee, zinc … what is up with all that? I don’t know. Certain things just, ugh. I feel pretty good today so far. It’s at night when it gets me. So then I check the net and play solitaire and all is better.

I’m proofreading a YA book that I need to wrap up in the next few days. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but now I am really enjoying it. It’s paranormal at the heart of it (so common now); the characters are very likeable, a group I would have enjoyed being part of in high school. Each person has his or her own quirks, attitude, consistency. (You would say, Shouldn’t that be true for all these YA books? Yes, but it’s not, in my experience.) The book is helping me think about how to add to my own romance, to develop additional characters. To be honest, although these projects don’t pay a great deal, this is a main reason I want to keep my fiction clients: to be connected to these authors, see what they do poorly and well.

Yes, it was really nice today. Too nice to work, but oh well. At least I made the deadline. Were you able to get out and enjoy the weather?
At Wed Feb 22, 06:28:00 PM, John said…

Thanks, maybe yes; I'll write with more. I started to think about what I meant by "a wider talk." I dunno. When I wrote that, or when I was thinking about Walsh etc., I tapped into a way that I used to feel more often, which was kind of dazzled by potentials, and eager to convert the world to my vision of responsibility for self and others: a kind of integrity I believe in, though too often fall short of.

There's nothing special I need to say about this. I'm just happy to live it, or anyway I decline to feel unhappy about it, because that was my first choice, and it didn't work out very well.

I'm moving on to, OK, what can I do with this? So far so good.

I understand about your approach to things, space, and how we spend our time. I absolutely had a different expectation of how I'd be spending time in my house. God, it's a beautiful house. I'm glad to hear this is your year for moving forward in your own way. Mine too.

I want to publish everything you mentioned. I copied this line: "Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a regular stream of published works that pay, that we love writing and that are appreciated by others?" and have it in its own textfile, for inspiration.

Oh, I 've seen Harlan Coben's books. Yeah. There's a local writer I see all the time here, his studio is just downstairs: Rob Riggan. I'm not a huge fan of his genre, but, man, he's making it work. I keep meaning to get myself invited in. He's sort of my model for what I want to be doing. (For the most part. I also want to teach, I just decided.)

Speaking of which, I've been getting lovely feedback on the workshop. Participants have begun e-mailing me. My wonderful disciples, already seeing results...

Sorry about the coffee and zinc. Avoid those at all costs. What do you think is up with your not feeling well?

I like what you're saying about studying the fiction writers. Smart thinkin'. I met Cassandra Clare and Holly Black last year. I interviewed to be their assistant. *sigh* And for what? A chance to study working writers (and provide tremendous value assisting them). In preparation, I tried to soak up as much YA as I could in two weeks. It was an experience. (I shoulda soaked up as much as I could about Quicken and Dreamweaver, apparently.)

Woo-hoo! Congrats on your deadline. I'm somewhat behind on mine for some reason. Yes, I got out, thanks. I drove my pup into the country so he could romp around at a dog farm through the weekend. We had the moonroof open, the windows down, tongues out. Then I walked around Bridge Street on errands. Bank, Realtor, lunch.

Is that the time? Whaddaya know, we're comin' up on dinner!
At Thu Feb 23, 09:29:00 AM, Amy said…

Getting positive feedback. That must feel wonderful. Tell me more about these thoughts on teaching.

Yeah, I am out of the software loop now, having been on my own for a while. If I had to head out into the office world I'd like some computer classes first. I'll have to look up Clare and Black and Riggan.

Realtor. Lots of things on the market; should be a good and varied selection. I wish you well with that.

Read PUP last night. Want to read it again. And again. First impression: yes, after the beginning it really takes off! Excellent.
At Thu Feb 23, 11:55:00 AM, John said…

Teaching, eh? Well, maybe more at motivating. I enjoyed the heck out of that workshop. I had the tables arranged in a U, and I just worked that middle space. (Occasionally landing back at a tabletop lectern at the front of the room, just to consult a note or make a point about motion or provide a transition.) It was a trusting, productive and inspiring time, and I felt this energy we’d created in the middle of our space that I could just lean into. At one point I “sat back” and watched myself perform. I was so proud of me, and us.

There was a moment, early on, when I realized they were buying it. These professionals had invested me with authority. I’d earned the right to conduct the conversation, draw out their fears and passions, and lead them to recognizing that we were already free to be at our best. Here’s what that looks like.

This wasn’t “tips and tricks,” some series of rules about speaking that would only weigh them down, add to their anxiety. This was about giving participants permission to trust themselves and their message, to create dramatic value for themselves and others. All that stuff I have in me, all that love. I was confident and funny, and doing good work.

I’d like to feel that way again, and get paid for it. As I say, reviews are positive.

Clare and Black are big wheels in urban fantasy. You should have no trouble finding them. Riggan and Archer Mayor, another local author, are solid but quiet performers who appeal to a narrow but enthusiastic readership. Westerns and mysteries. Riggan just strikes me as contented. He has his village, his work, his readers, his old dog. I overhear him at the co-op chatting with friends about foreign policy. I like him.

Hey, PUP. Cool. I’m glad you want to read it again. I have strong ideas about the piece — its logic and characters — but would welcome any input you have to offer. Yes, it’s aimless at the start, but the piece picks up, and I’d like to think it all works out. Maybe you’d like to work with me on a new beginning.
At Thu Feb 23, 11:41:00 PM, Amy said…

Listening to songs from the newest Evanescence album tonight, trying to finish editing one more article. A strong singer named Amy is never a bad thing. I have to be in a certain mood to listen to them, and I am.

Being invested with that authority is not something to be taken lightly. I’ve experienced when we as the group/audience/class did not give authority to the person in the middle space, and it’s unnerving — on both sides, I imagine. You got this trust from them, and well you should. You have the confidence to take your guiding force to places where you will have people gather, trust you, pay you. It’s just a matter of time.

Was talking to a friend recently about how I miss parts of the supervisory role: leading staff members, working as a team, teaching editing. Finances and discipline and reviews, not so much. Maybe one day the good parts will be around again. Who knows.

Black and Clare write the kinds of YA books I proofread and edit often. So many people writing that genre, you would think should be easy to do, but I am sure it is not. You are right, the two men spin off books that I also would not typically read. Having looked all of them up, I see that I will need a kick-ass website once I have my manuscript complete. Start with blogging about my experiences, then move to promoting it all.

re: the beginning. Let’s see, what kind of collaborator would I be … You have your strong ideas, and I can support that, see the direction you take. I’d be a slowpoke with development, no doubt. I think of the story I’ve been writing: still unfolding, subplots too. Creating is challenging, deliberate work. My input is welcome, you say. I’ll offer what I can.
At Fri Feb 24, 08:21:00 PM, John said…

This would be the self-titled Evanescence (2011)? I'm previewing the deluxe version. I've been clear about heartfelt yowling: I'm a big fan. This album, ah, four tracks in, is great. Grand studio sound, lush and layered; determined, ranging and plaintive lyrics.

What kind of mood works best for you and this band? I'm not saying I don't understand; I recently fell back in with The Alan Parsons Project, which requires of me the willingness to find myself back at Jackson/Ocean Cablevision, where I listened to them often.

I've played the preview to "My Heart is Broken" a few times this writing. I really dig it. Might take the plunge. $12.99, eh? You sent me a couple of their CDs, as I recall. Or if not theirs… Hm. I'm sorry. Would you remind me? The word October comes to mind. *sigh* I have your Pink Floyd "Animals" mix tape! And another! (Ah, tapes.)

I hear you about the workshop energy. I've seen this go south myself a time or two. Yeesh. Well, I'll have another chance shortly: I've been invited to address the members of a nine-town chamber of commerce. I shall go forth and walk among my flock there, and speak, and yea: we shall see what's what.

You look dazzling on LinkedIn, particularly in the supervisory stuff. Yeah, get that back if that suits you.   

re: the beginning. We'll see where it leads, if anywhere. It's a fun story so far, arguably meaningful, at least to me, and if you think there's room for your voice in there, all the better. Clearly you're putting a lot of work into your plot, your subplots. I wish you complete happiness with that piece. I'll just be out here writing.

Bought the record, incidentally.
At Sat Feb 25, 12:30:00 AM, Amy said…

Yes, the Evanescence (2011). Glad you like it. I listen to them when it’s late, when words like rapt and speculative come, when I want to jump into a movie, when I feel dangerous, when I need a voice that’s not mine, when I want to sing, when I tell myself to shut up.

I probably once sent you some music by October Project, and I think I also sent you some Mostly Autumn, both with strong women singing. Ah, Animals. My Pink Floyd is still on vinyl, so I don’t have much from them on the iPod right now. I miss hearing that album and the regular turntable will not be set up soon, so I better get that mp3 turntable and convert, convert. Tapes. My car radio has as its partner only a cassette player. I still have some tapes in case I want something nostalgic if driving longer distances. I used to have a portable CD player in the car, but the player stopped working. The radio is my friend.

Chamber of commerce. Hey, that sounds really good. Do you know I still have not written to that woman about her needs on her novel? I am terrible. Actually, I am sick and overwhelmed, but who’s counting. I did put in for another romance novel project. We will see what comes next. You don’t mind how I tell you of plot points on these projects, do you? Do the details bore you? Like the cowboy and skating, etc. Tell me if I should steer clear of that. Steer. Ha.

Gathering tax paperwork this weekend. Joy. Oh, but the Oscars on Sunday. There’s something.
At Sat Feb 25, 02:38:00 PM, Amy said…

Hey! So where is the story leading today? For me: medical articles, golf coverage (I'm nothing if not obvious), a bit of dark chocolate, a Tylenol, gray clouds, lots of wind, sharpening pencils.
At Sat Feb 25, 07:03:00 PM, John said…

Hi! This morning I was elected chair of our town delegation to the Massachusetts Democratic State Convention in June; this afternoon I attended http://podcamp.westernma.biz.

My mind is reeling. (I like the verb to reel. We need to see more people dancing such.) PodCamp was fun and largely useful, and I got to hang out with several people I know from other contexts. Tips and tricks on all manner of social media, community management and self promotion.

On the other hand, a great many of the attendees and presenters were just way too full of themselves. Too much last-wordsmanship, "me-me-me" and brassy laughter. There were several folks I recognized from Twitter, digital queen bees, and they reminded me within minutes why I don't enjoy Twitter.

Skipped the after party. Listened to Evanescence on the way home. (iPhone plugged into the stereo aux-in.)

How go the medical articles, golf coverage, (bit of) dark chocolate, Tylenol, clouds, wind and pencils? I like that list. It is that kind of day, isn't it? Sorry about the need for Tylenol. That was me the other day. Yesterday, actually. Does the chocolate help?

I haven't forgotten your thoughts on golf. I think what you said was lovely. I'm saving that for another post, apparently.

Yes, it was October Project and Mostly Autumn. Some things I kept, some things I put away. Thank you, again, for sharing music that was so personal to you.

"Sick and overwhelmed." All I can say is I hear you, kid.

Have I given you the impression I don't enjoy discussing your authors' plot point details? I'm sorry if that's the case. No, never bored. Was I asking too much of your attention in sharing the PUP piece?

"Frilly up the steers,"
J.
At Sat Feb 25, 11:29:00 PM, Amy said…

Will you forgive me if I head off to bed before commenting on your recent messages? Je suis très fatiguée, with a terrible cough. I don't think the chocolate helped. Some medicine and rest. Dreams of pencils. Shavings in the wind, carried up. Look, that's the shape of an eraser, and that one an inkwell.
At Sat Feb 25, 11:44:00 PM, John said…

You poor thing! Sleep! Feel better!
At Sun Feb 26, 11:22:00 AM, John said…

Oh, I know what it is: Oscar fever!
At Sun Feb 26, 04:05:00 PM, Amy said…

What? Democrat? And all this time I thought you were a right-wing FOX watcher.

Wow, a busy Saturday! :) I just went through the PowerPoint of training for chairs on massdems.org. Lots of detailed items. I assume you are looking forward to June, having a place in the machine. I look forward to hearing about that.

I have not been involved in local politics. Perhaps if I live in a town I care about, but not yet. I mean, I do the “save the historical sites/land” things, but that’s not boards and meetings and such.

I’m glad PodCamp was useful. “Brassy laughter” is great … I can hear it. I know some businesses that should attend and learn a better way. Some companies think that they must have a social presence but have no idea how to do the right things in using it. One publisher I follow recently posted a photo of a young male movie star and commented on his “hotness,” which insulted me (if that is the right sentiment), and I’m really not easily insulted or put off. What does that guy have to do with anything I need to know? There was no book from this place associated with his movie! I guess their social media guru is a 21-year-old girl. ugh.

No, no, you have not given any impression of not liking project details from me. In fact, you have fallen right in with it. I just thought I would check to be sure it wasn’t tedious. (Just an insecurity on my part … expressing boring details.) And no, no. I wanted to read PUP. There is not asking too much of my attention with writing. Or anything, really.

I think you are right, it is Oscar fever! Does Tylenol have a corresponding product? A glittery pill that comes with its own gift bag or something? J&J should get on that. I may feel better after watching the show. Not invested in it this year, but still, the glitz.

I’m kinda thrown off that there is an extra day in the month. “Extra.” Can we do that? Just throw time around to keep life “even,” keep the universe on a certain path?

And this loose cord at CERN. For god’s sake. Is this to become the next Dan Brown book?

Okay, I’m a bit science cranky today. And bad media post cranky. Sorry.
At Sun Feb 26, 10:58:00 PM, John said…

Heh. “FOX.” I’m not a rabid Democrat, actually. Sure, I’m progressive and sensible, but I’m not impressed with the Party. The whole system’s a scam, a sham, a baked clam. A flim flam! Damn. Anyway, so it scans to this man, ma’am.

How do you like that: I’ve been working for 12 hours straight! Guess I’ll pack it in for the night.

So hi! Oscar fever. I hope your symptoms soon abate. I don’t know anything about who’s up for what, or won. I wish them all well, every last one of my Hollywood idols and the army of wonderful people toiling behind the scenes just to make the magic happen. I literally can’t contain all the ideas in the previous sentence in my head at the same time. They’re just sliding around in my skull like too few sardines, packed in oil.

Thanks for the advance work on my delegate chairmanship duties. Just fax me the gist of it and I’ll be on my way. Springfield, yes?

I fell into the B’land Town Democratic Committee (ah, clever: I hide my tracks!) simply because the president, L., is a lovely woman in poor health, whom I regard as something of a mother figure. I just want to help her however I can, and she’s often so grateful and proud it just brings her to tears. (I can do without the tears, but she’s emotional.) L. really has no one else as patient and competent in her life. I’m so great!

Anyway, this involves me in quite a lot of Party work and computer troubleshooting. One day I’m the chair of the delegation; the next day it’ll be she can’t get her Hotmail. I don’t mind. She’s a good egg. (And she, in contrast, is a hardcore Democrat.)

What was my point? Oh! Yeah. I hope you wind up living someplace you believe in. I like where I live more and more. Did you know I have been appointed B’land’s fence viewer every year or whatever since 2002? It’s a real thing in the Massachusetts General Laws. No one has ever contacted me to settle a boundary dispute or present the selectman with a report. I filed a report once on my own initiative, but the town didn’t acknowledge it. That was that. Pfft. Government.

“Brassy laughter.” Yeah. As these pros have it, one must be Totally Plugged In All The Time To Everything, Or Else You’re Nothing. Uh huh. I get by. Though I did learn a bit about LinkedIn that’s useful, and I have a slide deck here from David Pakman (Google him) that’ll come in handy if I ever want to, ah, what’s this say… produce, promote and make money from podcasts and Web video shows.

Speaking of LinkedIn, I sent you an invitation, but if you decline it *sigh* that’s fine. No presh. “It was only business,” as Tessio says. Said.

 Here’s a consolation for the Leap Day, which has you understandably concerned about the universe: http://www.petapixel.com/2011/05/04/amateur-photographer-shoots-largest-ever-photo-of-the-night-sky/

The loose cord at CERN? I knew it was something like that. Particularly when I heard it was a 60 nanosecond discrepancy? That’s got cord written all over it, if I know my throughputs.
At Sun Feb 26, 11:05:00 PM, John said…

Selectmen. En. Agh. Stop the presses!
At Mon Feb 27, 09:23:00 AM, Amy said…

First song up this morning on iTunes: Yes: “Heart of the Sunrise”
First up on my Pandora “70s” channel: Gordon Lightfoot “If You Could Read My Mind”
First up on my Pandora “80s” channel: Split Enz “Small World”
First up on my Pandora “prog” channel: Mostly Autumn “We Come and We Go”

Thanks for the whole of the sky. Found Orion, my favorite. Made me feel better about the extra bit for the month. In all of that, so what that there’s extra??

Yes, LinkedIn. Not declining, but I don’t really use it, so perhaps waiting a bit? Tell me what you use it for. Networking? I made my profile long ago and get some interest from it a few times a year, but I don’t get what I should from it, probably.

Nice of you to help the Dems. And L. Yeah, I’m here and there politically, basically liberal; I know what I’m not. That’s as much as I can do. Yes, Springfield. Check out Max’s Tavern if you need a place to eat near the Center. Not bad.

Oscars were … boring? Okay. Only movie I saw was Midnight in Paris, which is SO an Amy movie. Writers, French, Paris, discovery. I will have to watch it again and again to get it all. Woody checked with me first, and I told him what to put into it. Glad he won for the screenplay. Did you ever see Chronicle again? Sounded like you wanted to.

Yikes! Time for some work!
At Mon Feb 27, 10:18:00 AM, Amy said…

Oh, now "Pigs" from PF's Animals. Does this surprise me? No. This is how it goes, things popping up.
At Mon Feb 27, 01:31:00 PM, John said…

You’re making much better use of Pandora than I am. I was just starting to get used to the idea of Pandora when Spotify came out in the U.S. Now I have to get used to the idea of Spotify. Meanwhile, I’m agreeing to follow people on Pinterest, and naturally I need to gather those people into circles on G+, and tweet about it on the right hashtag. (Did you know G+ accommodates hashtags?)

I seriously just want a typewriter, box of index cards and a rotary phone:

Hello, Mabel? Say, doll, put me through to CAValcade 6505, would you? I’ve got to give Jerry Reynolds the what for. She did? Ha, that’s something. I’ll be…. Yeah, I’ll take that call right now… Thanks doll… Jer? Frank, over at Amalgamated. How am I? Steamed! Yeah. Say, what’s the idea, you delivering only half those units to my Rochester plant? You know we take the 80 gross. Uh huh… Uh huh. Well it’s like that, is it? No, I’m not paying any such thing. Yeah. Yeah. Look, kid, I’ve been taking 80 gross to Rochester since September; how the hell you think we’re gonna meet our orders if your monkeys won’t unload the truck? That’s right: monkeys. Well, look, Jer, as I say, I’m good and steamed. We have a contract. Uh huh. Uh huh. Now I don’t give a good God damn if … uh huh… Uh huh. That’s right. Yes, certainly. Certainly, Jerry. But you have to look at it from my … uh huh… Uh huh. Well, I don’t know anything about that. No. That’s between you and Drysdale. Yeah. You talk to Drysdale, you sort this out, and you get me my units, the full 80 gross. Yeah. Say, how are you fixed for Premium Assorted? I can let you have 35 tons, today, half price. Yeah. No, we ordered too much, I can’t afford to keep the damn things. Ah, Tomlinson’s nephew. Yeah. We should take it outta his allowance, but you didn’t hear it from me. I’ll deny it. Yeah, you will? That’s fine. You send me my 80 gross and a P.O. on the Premium Assorted, you got yourself a deal. Yeah. OK Jerry. Say, how’s the swing? Yeah? Yeah? Ah, you’re lyin’. OK. Good catchin’ up. Give my love to Beatrice. Yeah. She did? Ha ha. Say, that’s swell. OK, Jer. Yeah.

You’re welcome for the whole of the sky. I’m glad you’re making good use of it.

Max’s, Oscars, LinkedIn, later. Where does the time go?
At Mon Feb 27, 01:50:00 PM, Amy said…

That's swell! :)

I am not on G+ because it doesn't seem swinging yet. Pinterest just started gathering people I know, but do I need to be there? Not sure. Gotta check on it. I checked Spotify once ... don't they limit the amount of free music you can listen to? I hate the word "limit." But would I ever hit that amount?? And Twitter? If I had something of interest to spread around, but not yet.

Whew. The world is too much with us. I need to hit Woolworth's for an egg cream.
At Mon Feb 27, 02:28:00 PM, John said…

I like your new blog appearance. Brisk and refreshing, like an orange creamsicle. The changes are universal on mobile; on PC only the comments area is revised.

You know, all this talk of egg creams. There is a candy store downstairs, with malts and egg creams and such. Yeah. Hm.

Your 100W poems are really swell, you know? I admire the way you build them, inhabit them. You take such care, and they flower.

See you at Woolworth's.
At Mon Feb 27, 02:40:00 PM, Amy said…

100W: Gee, thanks! Today was a free-writing thing ... words and images and ideas. Nice of you to say.

Yeah, I see this new comments look ... I didn't make any changes myself. I guess Google is updating? Just as well. It's time for a change to my blog look anyway.

Malts downstairs. You sure know how to tempt a girl, Mr. Snyder.
At Mon Feb 27, 08:31:00 PM, John said…

So I'm waiting in line to order a malt, see, when it hits me: "I’ll walk briskly by with you in mind" (February 8). So I'm supposed to, I guess, not get the malt?

Anyway, I'm in the store, and I know the owner, and suddenly we're chatting; and just to be polite I buy something. Not the full-blown malt, of course. Just a little piece of milk chocolate almond bark, to nibble on. *sigh* Mo keeps meaning to stock the peppermint bark, as that's my thing. I'll have to keep checking back and see if that's on the shelf.

(Peppermint bark: my secret shame.)
At Mon Feb 27, 09:24:00 PM, John said…

— Your most recently published haiku! Summery, delicate. What remains, what's left over. What's essential, but not the thing remembered. *sigh*
At Tue Feb 28, 01:55:00 PM, John said…

— waiting at the dentist's office. Scrapes and fluoride, a new brush.
At Tue Feb 28, 02:49:00 PM, Amy said…

I swear to you, when I read your last post I was reaching for my toothbrush. Spooky. I hope it all turns out well. I love the new toothbrush part.

Peppermint bark, huh? If I have eaten it, it's been a very long time, but now I will have to have some. But, wait. Can I have some if you can't have the malt? Or can you have the malt and I can have the bark but not the other way round? I am getting loopy.

I gotta go think of a 100W and then go get some notes I wrote about a Japanese short story writer I wanted to mention to you. And then I'll be back. And you'll have gleaming choppers.
At Tue Feb 28, 03:30:00 PM, John said…

Alas, my choppers remain caked and filmy. (Eww.) There was major construction going on in, next to and beneath the office, with jackhammering taking place in the stone directly beneath my chair, and I bailed. The noise, the vibration, the circular sawing... I rescheduled for May 31, but I expect they'll call me sooner as cancellations open.

Now you've got me confused as to who's on malts and who's on bark. I'll try both and see if that clarifies things.

Looking forward to your 100W and the notes on this short story writer.
At Tue Feb 28, 10:05:00 PM, Amy said…

Okay, yeah, try both and see … screech … hey, wait a minute …

You mean your dentist doesn’t use the new spackle whitening? Hm. Maybe it’s just mine.

In a clinical psychology article yesterday I came across a reference to a fiction writer from Japan, Haruki Murakami, and a short story he wrote (“U.F.O. in Kushire”), so I looked it up (appeared in the New Yorker) and read it on their digital archives, which was strange (reading on screen like that; not used to it); the story was interesting, and didn’t end like I anticipated, which makes it the best kind. As you know, I adore short stories, so now I have to get one of his story collections to read after the things I am reading now. Have you heard of him? I feel like I should have before this.

Ah, WKRP. Something about that show. The quips and characters. Travis and Bailey. Howard Hesseman was so great.

More work to do, so I’ll be up. Workin.
At Tue Feb 28, 10:35:00 PM, John said…

Spackle Fresh? Yeah, I've tried it. It leaves a brilliant ivory shine, but you're not supposed to close your mouth for the first nine hours, or get the compound wet. So I opt out.

Do you adore short stories? I knew you read them, of course. I didn't know you adored them. Huh. [Makes note.] I had not heard of Haruki Murakami. Tell me all.

I changed a relationship setting on Facebook the other day, and a whole column of people I never hear from has appeared, offering me love and hugs, an ear, a shoulder. I keep telling them I'm happy, and why; but they don't listen. They keep being sorry at me. It's interesting, what other people bring to things.

I was going to stay up and work. But I think I'll go home, brush and such, drink a glass of water, and curl up with Difficult Loves.
At Tue Feb 28, 11:03:00 PM, Amy said…

You're right, it is interesting. It was eye-opening in many ways for me. Nice to know these formerly distant people care for you, even if they come with their own perspectives. Good facet of social media.

Curling up sounds good. Just one more article first.
At Tue Feb 28, 11:18:00 PM, John said…

John Snyder likes this.

Illumination: The Fyrefly Jar Weblog

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

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