W.S. Merwin is reading here on campus Monday. Note to self: arrange to take off work early so I can get across campus by 5:00 for the reading. I'm not as familiar with his work as I should be, but I definitely want to go hear him.
Last night I went to a small concert in the local lefty-indie bookstore (the one where my poetry group read a couple months ago), by the singer-songwriter Pamela Means. Saturday night I'll be going to a concert by the singer-songwriter Ferron. I think we have a trend here.
I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about this week's election results, although it concerns me that so many of the Democrats who won are actually quite conservative, especially on social issues. And of course it bothers me that so many anti-gay-marriage amendments passed. Not that I'm likely to get married anytime soon (or ever), and not that the institution of government-sanctioned marriage isn't problematic to begin with, but it still really rankles. But still ... I'm not gonna miss Donald Rumsfeld one little bit, and "Madame Speaker" has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
The student newspaper on campus ran a nice article today on the "new" Plath poem. Too bad they didn't actually provide a link to Blackbird or anything, you know, helpful like that.
Word today that Hunter O'Hanian, executive director of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, is leaving to take a position with an arts center near Aspen, Colorado. I don't know enough to know whether this is a disaster or no big deal or what, but I do hope they are still on track to get their low-res MFA writing program underway. I'm getting itchy to start sending out applications. (Edited to add a link to the story on FAWC's website.)
Several airlines have some particularly excellent fare sales to Hawaii right now. I've been to Maui twice (2002 and 2004) and I sure hope I get to go again someday, either back to Maui or to one of the other islands. I spotted a fare as low as $406 from Indianapolis to Honolulu on Delta. Sigh! Too bad I don't have $406 to spare.
Two weeks from today is Thanksgiving, already. Can you believe it? Yeah, me neither. Eek! Anyone out there have any exciting plans for the holiday?
9 comments:
It's not exciting, but I am looking forward to doing cornucopias with my daughter. A few years ago I got a set of three funnel-shaped baskets, made from that heavy vine that rustic wreaths are made of. Every November, Tova and I hunt for leaves in interesting colors, striped gourds, potatoes with interesting knobs on them, apples which are rust-colored or neon green, and other fall items and we make a centerpiece for the table. It's a nice mom-and-kid activity and gives me the illusion that I'm a little Martha Stewarty, but mainly it's about the horns of plenty. I've always loved cornucopias, and I think it's more of a social justice thing than a gratitude thing. I like to be reminded that there is plenty in the world -- the global community has plenty of food, plenty of clothes, plenty of qualified teachers. It's all about the distribution, baby. If I can encourage the Scrooge McDucks of the world to let go of their scarcity fears, they'd see that if everybody puts in a little, we all can have the basics and then some. Peace out, as my daughter says.
I knew the anti-gay marriage amendment would pass here in TN but I was shocked that it did so 81% to 19%. Who are these people?
Maui. (sigh) I would love to be in Maui righ about now.
I am going to go home, listen to my step siblings brag about their spoiled rotten brat lives, the shoot them all with the turkey baster.
Jilly - I'm not sure who they are. I know they're not Dolly, though.
Hiding.
Rebecca-- come here and hide. and drink with me in the kitchen while the men watch football.. I like sports sometimes...but not football
I'm so excited for you about Blackbird (& having your poem appear alongside Plath's!) Much congrats!
Garbo: That sounds really nice! And I think gratitude & social justice are more closely related than most people realize. Not "I have a lot of stuff and isn't that special" gratitude but real gratitude.
Jilly: I don't know who those people are, but we've got a lot of 'em around here too. Sigh. I just don't get it...
Suzanne: You and me both.
MM: Dolly loves us! :) She rocks.
Rebecca: Okay, but come out in time for pumpkin pie! Or pecan, if that's your druthers.
L'fire (hee, I made you an abbreviation): Sometimes I have football on my TV because it sounds like autumn. I hardly ever actually pay attention, though, and I don't understand the game for anything.
Amanda: Thanks! :)
I'm cautious about the "new" Democratic majority Congress too, for the reasons you talked about, too many conservative Democrats. I'm watching but not holding my breath.
I live in the congressional district in Minnesota that elected Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress -- he ran on an anti-war position, and is pretty good on social and economic issues. "Excited" would be putting it too strongly, but I'm maybe cautiously hopeful for now. It won't take long to find out if he's for real.
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