Literary Aztec

The Aztec culture boasted fine music and literature. I'll have the opportunity to learn about their culture as I go to Mexico. My job is sending me there for a few weeks. I'll be there to work on a new MAKE ART/STOP AIDS exhibition that will be part of the International AIDS Conference. Mexico!!! WooHoo!!!!!

Literary Closet

I've always been a closet poet. I've written plays, novels, short stories. All of these take forever to finish. I've had stories waiting to be finished for over ten years!

I want some closure. I think poems can help me achieve this. So, here's a poem. No workshops, no revisiting. It's finished.

On Being 40

I am in the middle.
I am half
More full, than empty.

Literary Laureate

It was noted that Kay Ryan was named the new US Poet Laureate. She has a slew of awards, including ones from the NEA and the Guggenheim. She's spoken highly of and congrats goes to her!

And she's a LESBIAN!!!

I love it when queer people get sh*t like this. It gives me hope that the WORK, not the sexual orientation is most important.

Literary Baseball

I went to a Dodger game. I would have never gone if the tickets weren't a gift from a friend. The last time I went was well over 25 years ago when I was twelve. I saw Fernando Valenzuela hit a home run.

My basebll story would have ended there...until now! I was there for all of 3 minutes when I got into the spirit of the game. I was cheering, hootin' and hollerin'! I couldn't believe how much fun I had! I got caught up in the culture of the stadium, standing up to participate in The Wave, singing "Take me out to the baseball"--I knew all the words--and hoping the Dodger would win (they lost to the Marlins).

On the giant TV, I was shot back to my childhood when they showed that Fernando Valenzuela was in the stadium watching the game also. Whoa.

I kept kicking myself because baseball is such the American past time and The Dodgers are such an icon of Los Angeles. I consider myself a Los Angeles writer (above other labels like gay writer or Asian American writer) that I couldn't believe that I allowed myself to be deprived of such a Los Angeles cultural event. Hmmmm. I wonder if I can get Laker tickets.

Literary Music

I love this idea of artists inspiring other artists. What gets me to write the most is when I am exposed to a great movie, an incredible painting, an amazng performance. Check this video of songs that were inspired by literature. Who knew George Orwell inspired so many?!?!?

Literary Worley Wind Tour

I highly recommend this story by Cole Ynda about the Joanne Worley no one ever knew. See here.

Literary Caricature

I hate narcissistic blogs where all you see are pics of the author, but I had to show this. I've never been a caricature before. It was done by Rama Hughes (http://www.ramahughes.com/) for Skylight Books. See other Skylight staff drawn like this here.

Literary Cut

At my old job, it took me fifteen minutes to get to work and fiteen minutes to get back, maybe 25 in traffic. With my new job, it takes on average an hour to get to work and an hour to get back. That's two hours out of my day driving and not writing.

I needed more writing time. One way of doing this was to cut my grooming time. My hair actually takes a bit to prepare. With the drying time, gel or pomading time, combing and styling time, I lose about 20 minutes. So, I decided to cut off my tresses. This is the shortest my hair has ever been. I like it. It takes me three minutes to prepare it now.