Followers

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Major Improvement

In the last 48 hours there has been remarkable improvement in the paralyses in my face from the Bell's Palsy. I would estimate that there is perhaps an 80% recovery in the facial features so far. This is really good news to me and while I still have some pain in my dead behind the ear on the affected side, my spirits are much improved.

I'm feeling much better about reading in public on Saturday.

STOP THE PRESSES!

STOP THE PRESSES! McCain: U.S. can win Iraq war within 4 years
  • And he assumes we believe this?
  • And he assumes we are willing to drain another $500- 600 billion (of unbudgeted $) there?
  • And he assumes we all feel safer because of this?
  • And he assumes we have the military personnel to maintain that kind of presence?
  • And are willing to lose another two to five Americas every day X 1460 days?

GREAT - FOUR MORE YEARS OF A MORON IN THE WHITE HOUSE!

Monday, May 12, 2008

DNA POETRY

I finally felt like I turned a corner yesterday with the stagnate writing. Turned out a draft that has some promise. This of course is helpful to my overall mood. Things otherwise are about the same.


There is something weird that must go on in Edinburgh because it seems to have quite a connection to poetry. I am always seeing it in the news in one way or the other with poetry. The latest is Gillian Ferguson. Gillian who had already authored two poetry books, received a Creative Scotland Award to fund her research into the subject of genetic science and shape her findings into poetry. Her fascination with the subject seems hardly containable. In a Sunday Times Online piece I found the following discourse to support this... “We have 99% genetic similarity with mice, which is fantastical,” she says. “Worms have the same muscle propulsion genes. We could make a tail if the gene wasn't switched off, or wings. Even people, there's a 0.01% difference in the genome of every person on earth.”

The results of her marriage of creative & scientific efforts can be found here: The Human Genome: Poems on the Book of Life

Sunday, May 11, 2008

I will write today and I will be happy for it...

The wind was wickedly gusty when we left the house this morning to drive to Bob Evans for breakfast. A continuation of the overnight angry storm. It has quited a bit now to a plesant breese that moves the tree branches in little flutters and not the swaying prwer struggle between tree and the raw power of nature.

This weekend has been somewhat depressing in that I'm starting the second week with little change in the facial paralysis. I know it can take weeks and sometimes up to three months for the return to normal, it just gets difficult to put that into perspective when you get up each day and see no chsnge. It sort of challenges your ability to believe normal will ever look like it once did.

Working on some new poetry today. I'm planning to write a hour without distraction. I'll see after that.



The sound of the mandolin is a very curious sound because it's cheerful and
melancholy at the same time, and I think it comes from that shadow string, the
double strings. ~Rita Dove

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Though for the Day

If language did not affect behavior, it could have no meaning. ~Kenneth L. Pike

Friday, May 09, 2008

Friday Midday - checking in

No posts for a few days now. I have to be honest, I've really felt drained of creativity at this point. I had a day off yesterday and I took our car to be detailed. Tried writing in the waiting area. Tried writing at home. I suppose the trying is worth something, but the results were uninspiring. I thought perhaps I just needed to focus on the visual and for a brief time last night I worked with charcoal on paper and wasn't happy there either.

Moving on, today is the birthday of Denise Low, poet laureate from neighboring Kansas. There was a nice interview on the local NPR station of Ms. Low this morning. Angela Elam with New Letters on the Air conducted it. You can Listen here.

That's about it for now... weekend can't get here too soon.

Monday, May 05, 2008

The power of reason

Reason transformed into prejudice is the worst form of prejudice,
because reason is the only instrument for liberation from prejudice.
~ Allan Bloom