Thursday, December 30, 2010

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Limbo Week Day 4

So I lost Day 3 on the highway. I've been writing and planning my future self. How to survive the grind of daily living. How to imagine myself sitting calmly in a little red car, listening to some great tunes on the radio; ignoring the heavy equipment.
Do you really think this will stop me? I know how dangerous I am. I'm a gambler. But does the heavy equipment know? I don't think so. . .

Who else is along for the ride?

Monday, December 27, 2010

Limbo Week Day 2

Good Morning World!

So quiet & cold outside. We're suppose to have high winds, which will make the mercury disappear.

Snow is falling everywhere, but here. ( I have no idea how we've escaped this weather system, but I'm relieved.) Thunder snowstorm in NYC. The city must be paralyzed with all that snowfall.

It's true, I've always welcomed the day or days of being snowbound. The pot of soup simmering on the stove, the hours upon hours of solitude-- reading, writing, drawing-- cozy in fleece and slippers.

The stunning breath of air when we venture out for a walk to see all that has happened. Such a contrast of busyness. But we're not going to get any snow, per say. Some bluster, I guess. But nothing that will add up.

So, because nothing will add up, I think the day will have its diverting tensions. The most distracting thing on my desk this morning is a large bar of Lavender soap. It smells glorious.

My granddaughter bought it for me. It's perfect.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Week-Long Limbo, from One Year into the Next


Our Christmas Tree glows with the light of the past, present, future. Something comforting in this tree of life. Late on Christmas Eve, after all the feasting and gifting and enjoying each other's company, my youngest grandson (2 years old) took a deep interest in the tree and its ornaments and began asking questions about each one. My daughter Meghan, who was sitting on the rug near the tree, answered him, but
pushed the conversation along, and we all listened in. I loved the way George Emmett and Meghan were looking up into the tree and counting the ornaments. I guess I have a lot of Santa and angel ornaments (both= good fortune). Georgie took one of the Santa ornaments home for his tree. He declared: "I don't want to leave Grandpa's house. I want to stay here." But near midnight, his family packed up all their loot and headed home. Georgie looked back, and said, "Good Bye, Christmas Tree." Oh my, he just melts my heart.

Christmas Day was blissful. Reading, napping, napping, reading. (You get the pattern here).
The well-deserved rest. Nick's girlfriend arrived from Germany last night. So good to see her, and both of them so happy. Will be making a big meal today to celebrate her arrival.

This upcoming week is a week of limbo. Looking back-looking forward. I have so many things I want to do, need to do, plan to do. So far, so good. Boxing Day is a good day to start.

** Remember to plan your New Year's Day carefully. Everything you do on New Year's, you'll do all year long. Choose wisely!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Chirstmas Eve

Black-footed Albatross
Photo by Forest and Kim Starr


The Conservation Council for Hawai’i.
has this lil' darling as spokes 'bird' for keeping
its wildlife, wild places and native plants safe for the past 60 years, and onward!

But it's not just Hawai'i, it's our back yards too.
Let's keep our Good Nature~

Merry Christmas Eve, Everyone!


Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Bookends

Simon and Garfunkel: "Bookends"

Time it was, and what a time it was, it was
A time of innocence, a time of confidences
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you.


Humming this tune this morning, while putting small gifts together.

Marathon grading, over. Grades turned in ahead of time. A sense of peace before all that needs to be pulled together for this weekend's festivities. Two of my adult children are a year older. Birthdays on 18th & 21 st. Both are standing on thresholds. New beginnings await them.

Had some very wild dreams Sunday night, which inspired a lot of writing on Monday morning.
It felt good to unleash it all. Wish I could go away for a few days. A retreat, of any kind, would suit me just fine.

Today, I will be making my fabulous holiday fudge . . . fudge , so rich, so creamy, so chockful of walnuts, that with each tender morsel, you know you've entered heaven. This is my 38th year! Yes, today I will be in the sugar coma zone!

New Sign in Town:

Holiday Party: DJ Kevin with Snacks!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Publishing News &

My essay "A Bowlful of Cherries" appears in this issue of The Northville Review. You can see the essay online.

This is finals week! Raise the checkered flag! We're off!

Yesterday, I collected portfolios and papers. Today, I'm giving a final and collecting portfolios. Tomorrow, I'm collecting more portfolios. Grading, grading, grading while it's snowing, snowing snowing double negatives outside. In this flurry, I will be tying up all the loose ends.
Hope to get everything done by Friday. Still have meetings and workshops and editing to do too.
Ah me, what a wonderful life!


As soon as everything is finished I have to figure out the holidays. I really want to go away.
I'm longing for a Christmas in Quebec.

Will be back in a bit.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Update: From the Tunnel of Papers into the Light

My weeks of silence here. Sorry about that. I was stunned to see the date of my last post. This semester I had 120 students -- all writing, writing , writing. I've read a lot of papers all semester, including revised work. This week is dedicated to grading ( I have one final), then onto holiday cheer. I see the light!

Our tree is up and trimmed and looks lovely. Playing Christmas music to keep the season bright in my head. We're suppose to get a lot of snow in the early part of this week, which makes our traveling, from here to there, quite challenging, and this is the one week where timing is everything. Maybe it won't be as bad as they're predicting. Our weather channels make weather the news.


One of my colleagues at St. John Fisher sent the following in an email :

A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect, so it is extremely
popular among comedians and satirists. Examples:


Ø The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.

Ø Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Ø If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.

Ø We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

Ø War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

Ø Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Ø The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Ø Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening', and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.

Ø To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

Ø A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

Ø How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Ø Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Ø I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted pay checks.

Ø A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don't need it.

Ø Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "If an emergency, notify:" I put "DOCTOR".

Ø I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

Ø I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it...so I said "Implants?"

Ø Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Ø Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

Ø Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America ?

Ø Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.

Ø A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

Ø You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

Ø Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won't expect it back.

Ø Hospitality: making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were.

Ø Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go.

Ø I always take life with a grain of salt, plus a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila.

Ø When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.

Ø You're never too old to learn something stupid.

Ø To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

Ø Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

Ø Some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever.

Ø Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

______________

Enjoy!



Coming on Christmas

River

It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on

But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green
I'm going to make a lot of money
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I made my baby cry

He tried hard to help me
You know, he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I'm so hard to handle
I'm selfish and I'm sad
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
I wish I had a river I could skate away on

Oh, I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby say goodbye

It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river I could skate away on


© 1970; Joni Mitchell