Wordle - On my mind this week

Wordle - On my mind this week: ""

Unconscious Mutterings Week 371

You say, I think....

• 1.Detective :: dick
• 2.Bangs :: hair
• 3.Consultant :: PR
• 4.Puzzle :: mania
• 5.Learn :: curious
• 6.Necklace :: pendent
• 7.184 ::  even numbers
• 8.Stimulation :: sims
• 9.Layered :: cakes
• 10.Police :: department

Get your own starer list

Scoring Daily

For several weeks now I’ve had a widget on my sidebar for a site called joesgoals.com. I suppose it’s kind of confusing when you look at it because at first glance one might say why are Joe’s goals on Michael’s blog? On further look, you will find my name on it too below the graph.



The point of this post is to talk about goals. The Capricorn in me is almost a widget addict. It’s all about trying (emphasis on trying) to stay organized and effective. I think this is what all Capricorns want but we have built-in traits that tend to sabotage us.


The Joe’s Goals widget has actually been helpful because I can be as narrow or broadly focused as I want to. In my case, there were several things that were important to me. Things that are writing related and things that are health related. I decided I wanted a balanced view of what my days / weeks are like. Plus I can print out a category list by week or month to see how well I’m doing in the more specific areas.


You can give weighted points to the items. For example, I expect myself to write daily and most of the time do. I give myself 1 point for doing this. Same for journaling, and reading. Submitting poetry has become a chore to me. It’s honestly worth twice as much as say a writing session. A rejection letter gets negative points as well, and is an incentive to right away get back on the bike again so to speak after the fall. And an Artist Date is another challenge for me to take the time and energy to plan out and follow through on, hence it’s worth three points. For health I’ve factored in both positive points and negative where I’ve fallen down. I like that it keeps me focusing on the present and the future.


This little system may not be for everyone, but it’s a good fit for this Capracorn.

Limitations Be Gone!

Art does imitate life, it has to come from somewhere. To put boundaries and limitations on it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. ~ Christian Slater

Missouri's New Poet Laureate

Missouri has it's second poet laureate and it's 55 year old David Clewell of Webster Groves, Missouri. The announcement came this morning when he was presented by the state’s First Lady Georganne Nixon. I’m not personally familure with Mr. Clewell, he was not someone on my radar as a possibility.

Clewell is director of the creative writing program at Webster University. His online bio at the University website indicates that he has published seven poetry books, his most recent, The Low End of Higher Things. His noted awards include Pollak Poetry Prize (for Now We're Getting Somewhere as well as the Lavan Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets. His Blessings in Disguise was a winner in the National Poetry Series.  He will replace the state's first poet laureate Walter Bargen.

Just to get a bit of a taste of Clewell's work, I found these links:

The Difference A Day Makes Part 1

Vegeterian Physics

The Arts - State and Local Government See Taxing Potential

With the economic downturn this past year individuals and families are not alone in their financial discomfort. Many state and local governments are suffering as well as tax revenues shrink. Workers in some instances have been laid off and positions consolidated in order to cut government expenses. There of course are limits as to how deeply government services can be cut. Because of this, I suppose it’s not surprising that local and state governments are looking for innovative sources of tax revenues.


The reason I bring this us is because there are so many not-for –profit organizations that provide vital funding for many art programs and grants for artists and in some instances these charitable organizations may be the target of legislators looking for new tax revenue sources. This concern is not just conjecture but actually happening in some instances. A few examples of this:

In Hawaii a bill would require charities to pay a 1 percent tax.Neighboring state of Kansas would subject charities to sales tax; would remove property tax exemptions from non-profits and Pennsylvania would remove property tax exemptions from non-profits.

Artists need to be alert to such possibilities in their own states and municipalities and not allow their state and local governments to move in this direction without expressing their concerns. Yes, these are difficult times. Charitable Foundations that support the arts/artists are feeling the pinch like everyone else.

Source

Confession Tuesday

Dear reader-


It seems to be that time again, time to traipse into the confessional and unburden myself. This past week seems to be a series of highs and lows. I have lots to confess so let’s get started.


The winter Olympic Games are now over. This is both good and bad. I confess am a winter Olympic addict. I can tell you that the Olympics did not help my writing. This weekend was a particularly bad weekend for writing. Quantity and quality were both casualties. I could feel the withdrawal pains as the closing celebration began. It’s a sadness I get that is not at all unlike that of the end of baseball season.


I actually have mixed feelings about these Olympic Games. I’m not going to blame it on Canada that the weather was let’s say schizophrenic on the slopes. I’m sure if the country could have willed better cooperation from Mother Nature it would have been perfect. But for all the troubles they had, it seemed they were a gracious host nation. I confess I was disappointed with the coverage. It just isn’t what it used to be going back to Sarajevo in ‘84 (one of my favorite) the ’76 games in Innsbruck, Austria and the Lake Placid games in 1980. Coverage during those years was awesome.


I confess that Friday night when we went to the Sprint Center to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert that I felt at lest 20 years younger. I confess my body wanted to dance and sway and do all kinds of things that I’m sure would have been painful come Saturday morning. I confess I did none of those things – and was moderately reserved though not comatose in my seat. Still, I don’t believe I embarrassed any of my family members in attendance.


I also confess that this past week I argued, debated, whatever you wish to call it, health care and politics at a public place with another family member. It was a heated or passionate exchange and I’m sure everyone felt uncomfortable about it. In the end, even I was. I’m not happy that it went to the level it did, but it was probably inevitable from the outset. I am indeed a product of the 1960’s. I am indelibly shaped by the events of those turbulent years. I am someone who feels a heavy burden to be a part of the fix of the screw-up of those who preceded us and those of my own generation that continue to repeat so many of those same mistakes. I accepted then and continue to believe in a calling to public service. It is that very reason that I spent so many years – often long hours involved in political campaigns and various issues. It informed how I spent a good portion of my life, including decisions that continue to shape my future. I suspect many who know me simply consider that I am obstinate. I may be guilty of such, but that will not suffice to explain my hardball approach to politics. I confess I am far more complex than to be defined in those terms. I also confess that none of this changes that I regret the conversation.




Photo Credit: Concert Photo at top - Q (yes that's what we call her)