27 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS

     Ok, decorations are up and cards are mailed – I even wrapped a couple of presents (a rotten task standing on the basement floor with my icky hip/back!!).  The weather has  even turned a little colder – but I can really wait for snow for a while. If I try really hard, I may even be able to slip in some writing soon – why is that the first thing that gets sidelined? Maybe because you  can’t get rejected if you don’t write anything to send out!

     The girls decided our Christmas letter is depressing – I did not mean for it to be – even used two fonts to show the manic/depressive way this year has gone. It really is amazing that when I think about the last 12 months – it is the wonderful ups I think of.  And it is almost Christmas – the TV is filled with the soppiest Christmas movies – that I watch over and over even when they are repeated every other night.  Do you know how many different ways “A Christmas Carol” can be presented?  Never counted them – but do watch them all and cry every time Scrooge yells out that window to the boy who gets the goose.  Ok – I admit it – I am a Christmas NUT!!

PHOTOS

     Check the web site (edisonliteraryreview.org) for photos of the reading. Tony Gruenewald took them – great job!

ELR READING AND CHRISTMAS

     Reading at the South Brunswick Library last Sunday for the Edison LIterary Review was great!!! Many thanks to Hank Kalut, the Library and the South Brunswick Arts Commission for the opportunity.  Tony, John and I were featured – then 8 of the contributors to Volume 8 read their work. Thanks to  Davis Crews, John McDermott, Dorothy McLaughlin, Marilyn Mohr, Bruce Niedt, Nancy Scott, Maddie Tiger and Ann Timmins for sharing with us!

      Went to a Memorial Service for Jack Wiler tonight. Many of his friends and fellow poets read Jack’s work and shared their memories of him. I met Jack at the Frost Place in New Hampshire many years ago. When I was hesitant to start to write some (for me) “different” poems – Jack offered to help me – and did for several years. When you share your new and untested work with someone and ask for feedback – I think  you become very vulnerable – Jack was invaluable in helping me to be more comfortable with the new direction my work seemed to want to take. I am most grateful to him and will miss him.

     It is almost  Christmas – and yes I know not everyone agrees with me here – but it is time for nutcrackers and sparkle and snowmen and bows – so I have started to make my house Christmasy!! How fun!! And so the book will have to wait another week or two before I actually face putting the poems in some order.

AND SO IT GOES; SEEKING HELP FOR PUTTING BOOK TOGETHER

     Okay – no one said it would be easy – BUT it is time for a breath break! John is home and doing well – still not back to normal, but getting there. Car will probably be fixed on Monday and meanwhile we have a loaner.

     I am actually putting together a book (not for the first time) and I still find this a crazy ride – I am never sure of  theme (or lack thereof) so it is often a surprise when it eventually comes together – much like a poem, I suppose. Haven’t gotten to the surprise yet – so all is still up for grabs.  This makes for an interestingly icky feeling. That last is a poetic term for who the heck knows; so bite the bullet and go for it.  Anyone who has hints, suggestions, helps for pulling a manuscript together – PLEASE share them with me.

     Meanwhile great readings continue. If you are not on Peter Murphy’s email list of readings – or NJ Poetry Calendar – or one of  the other sources of information - check them out (I know I have not listed even most of them – if you know of others please let me know!!).

 

 

 

AND SO IT GOES

     If you have the same weird sense of  humor that we have – or have been forced to have – you will laugh and not be surprised that I spent the beginning of September in the hospital (where else?). Had congestive heart failure – sounds worse than it is, but it did have all the assorted doctors running around and keeping me in ICU and CCU for a week. Now I have lost 20 pounds (YEA!!!) and am in Physical Therapy for lower back and hip. Just so the health world can continue to spin – John will be going in on the 26th for the gallbladder surgery. We will be very glad to see 2010!!!

     This has been a great month for poetry (check the web site for info on upcoming readings – edisonliteraryreview.org). Linda Radice, Jessica deKoninck, Gloria Healy, Lois Harrod – were all great; Q and D poets reading – as usual full of wonderful poems; ELR reading at South Brunswick Library coming up in Nov. as well as readings by BJ Ward, Laura Boss, Tony Gruenewald, Tammy Paolino and Laurie Granieri all coming up in the next few weeks!!! – a real poetic feast.

     Edison Literary Review Volume 8 is  now available – see web site  to order – or come to the reading November 15th at 2PM in South Brunswick Library. We are now reading for Volume 9 -  the submission guidelines can be found – where else – on the web site..

WOW OF A CRUISE

      Got home from the cruise to Bermuda yesterday. Missed the hurricane – thank God – did have some rough seas the last day. The whole family was there 13 of us, 8 adults and 5 kids ranging from almost 8 to almost 17. Good weather, little rain but since they spent most of their time in the pool or hot tubs they didn’t really care. Posted pix on facebook if you are connected.  It was the first cruise for most of them – and all agreed they will try one again.

     The cabin was all decorated for our anniversary – thanks to Priscilla and John Leo and one night we returned to the cabin to find it strewn with rose petals!!  Okay!!!

     This has been one GREAT Anniversary! And I have dragged it out for almost a year.

     ELR will be in the mail by next week – it looks really good and there are some wonderful poems it this issue.

STILL IT RAINS

     I guess I am not totally bummed – there has been some “sorta”  sun between showers.  My flowers will not bloom without sun – 2 petunias and lots of geranium leaves – if you look hard one bud, definitely not blooming!

     Grandsons here last night (ages eleven and almost eight) for a sleepover – told stories on the porch in the candle light and their stories were really good! They have one foot in the “what’s in my head comes out of my mouth”  stage and the other in the other in that filter induced stage we seem hell bent to instill in kids with our current education system.  Somehow they were able to share their imaginations and the only filter was one of  correcting grammar.  Wow! – Quite a night! (Would that I got this level of creativity in some of the submissions we get!)

JULY ALMOST GONE

     It has been a great summer of poetry so far – checkout Barron’s Poets’ Wednesday, Middletown Public Library’s Last Thursday and a new reading at Frank’s Cafe in Red Bank.  Also, Tony Greuenewald’s new book “The Secret History of New Jersey” is out – available on Amazon.

     John’s surgery will be after we get back from the Cruise.  Whole family (13 of us) are off to Bermuda on a 5 day cruise – we are all excited from the youngest to oldest. It should really be a great time!!!!! Angel will fly in from SF the Sunday before and spend the week with us and her cousins – feels like a long time since we saw her.

     I swear the ELR will be at the printer before we go – gave the final corrections to Tony this afternoon.  Even have most of the backlog of submissions up to date – I am happy!

SUMMER – OH YEAH?

     It has been really too wet and all this gray makes me sad and lethargic.  And it has been wet!  Every time I think the yard cannot get soggier – it does get soggier.  So, I put all my summer stuff out in the house -turquoise and shells and tea lights in sand. Maybe that will work.

     John will go in for the gall bladder stuff  the end of July (leaving about 2 weeks to recuperate before the cruise) if we can get all the doctors together and happy – I am looking  forward to the time when all this gets to be funny.

     Poetry is winding down for the summer and has been really good of  late – good features and the opens have brought out some fine, young, new voices. Dave Roscos and Tom O were at Barron’s last night – a real blast from the past .  If you are old enough to remember the Melody Bar in the 80’s where it was smoked filled, LOUD, no mike so you had to shout and you were good or out – BUT if someone remembered the title of what you read or a line (even a word or two) of your poem – it was a poetic ego high for days. Dave and Tom started the reading there.

     Tuesday at Carriage House reading in Fanwood – Joe Weil and BJ Ward  are featured.  Again, two of  the  wonderful poets who were (and are)  so generous with their time and help to so many young poets and were so instrumental to my growth as a writer.  Come out and hear them!!!

     It feels great to be writing again – which I am – so hearing all these great poet voices who meant so  much to me is quite a thrill!!

LOTS OF POETRY

     Diane is a GEM!!  The festival on the 17th was quite wonderful. Stacey Balkun and Zach Lichtmann, reading for ELR, were wonderful – new voices for many of the people there.  It is great when we are exposed to the young and fresh new writers, and these two did a good job of bringing their new voices to us.  Thanks to both of you! There are pictures of the event posted on my face book page.

     Diane’s Poetry Party on Sunday at the Huddle Inn – lots of fun. There were many poets there I had never heard before and that  always makes for a fun time.  Stayed for dinner afterward at the Inn –   had a great hamburger and much good conversation.

     The humor reading at Middletown Library last Thursday – with John, Tony Greunewald, Bob McKenty and Bob Rosenbloom – was very funny!! What more can you ask of a Humor Night!?!

     Don’t miss the Carriage House Reading this month (June 16) – B J Ward and Joe Weil – ok this is a WOW reading.

     On the personal front – we see the surgeon tomorrow and will find out then when John will have the surgery to have the gall bladder removed.  As of now, he is doing very well, feels great and just can’t wait for this to all be over – boy, do I second that!!!