Our Modern Culture

"I think that one possible definition of our modern culture is that it is one in which nine-tenths of our intellectuals can't read any poetry." ~ Randall Jarrell

Late for Confession Tuesday

Dear reader:  It's late, I know. But I'm here just the same. It's been a week and a day since my last confession. I'll be very up front with you, I'm a little testy as I've been to both the dentist and an ENT specialist. You know the scope thingy down the nasal passage? Not so fun.

I confess that I had not been to the dentist in quite a while.  I will be making another trip back in May. {Sigh}

I confess that I started reading a new book today. Remembering Randall ...  a memoir of poet Randall Jarrell. Yes, that would be the same Mr. Jarrell who's quote resides up just under the blog title. I'll let you know what I think of it when I finish it.

I confess there seem to be more birds in and around our yard lately. Did someone tell them I was bird watching this spring as ask them to drop by? It's like they are hosting a Meet Up! right here. I confess this is kinda enjoyable.  If I have to start cleaning white wash off my car windshields soon I may rethink that.

One of our dogs brought  a cousin of Alvin to our back door this past week. I refuse to accept that it was more then a very distant relation of the famed Chipmunk. I confess this is not viewed on the same level of the many birds.

Well that's the best this cranky man can do for today.  Have a great week!

Good Time for creative endeavors

Based upon my bio-rhythms for today:

You are in good shape. This period is favorable for creative endeavors. Rest and idleness should not be indulged, as this is a good time to start a new business, expand your sphere of influence, or make new acquaintances. You have a positive influence on people and situations. You'll be able to prove yourself easily. Use this time productively.

Physical state: Positive

Emotional state: Positive

Intellectual state: Positive

Intuitive state: Negative

The Economics of Art

Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen write anthems about the travails of the working man; we line up for the revival of “Death of a Salesman.” John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson hold festivals and fundraisers when farmers suffer. Taxpayers bail out the auto industry and Wall Street and the banks. There’s a sense that manufacturing, or the agrarian economy, is what this country is really about. But culture was, for a while, what America did best: We produce and export creativity around the world. So why aren’t we lamenting the plight of its practitioners? Bureau of Labor Statistics confirm that creative industries have been some of the hardest hit during the Bush years and the Great Recession.

When reading an article on Salon by SCOTT TIMBERG I was struck particularly by the above paragraph.  I know it's easy to look at artists (in their many forms) and pooh-pooh the notion that they are importantly contributing to society.  But let's explore a list of some that represent art in society.  Yes, there are painters and sculptors, but also musicians, writers (of all types). Producers, photographers, camera men, people in a variety of film and stage productions working in lighting, set design are all artists as wells as architects, actors, entertainers of all kinds. Publishers, dancers and choreographers. I could go on and on but you start to see that without these people life as we know it would get rather dull. No pictures, no movies, no theater or television. No music to listen to in drive time. Soon it would simply be be eat sleep and work... repeat.  No libraries to visit. No books of any kind  to read. Seriously folks, I'm getting pretty depressed just thinking about a world without these people.

So how bad is it for artists?  How many are we talking about? For the answer to this I turn to the Artists In The Workforce Study -  the first look at 21st century labor trends among working artists.

Some interesting facts:

• Artists represent almost 2 million people. One of the largest segments of the workforce... only slightly less then active duty military that are at 2.2 million and comprise about 1.4 % of the total workforce.
• Artists earn an aggregate income of about $70 billion annually. 
• Between 1970 and 1990 the number of artists nearly doubled.
• Between 1990 and 2005 the number slowed to a growth of about 16% which was comparable with the rest of the workforce.

• Some gender figures as they relate to the artist workforce - Men outnumber women in architecture, announcing, music, production and photography while women outnumber men in the fields of dance, design and writing. Yes, women outnumber men in writing. 
• Artists are entrepreneurial. 3.5 times more likely to be self employed.
• Artists tend to be underemployed and only work part of the year.
• Artists tend to earn less then workers with similar levels of education. In 2005 the median income from all sources was $34,800 only slightly more then the $30,100 median income for the total labor force but less then the $43,200 median for all professionals. 
• Artists are twice as likely to have a college degree then the rest of the work force. 

Perhaps if more people were aware of some of these factors there would be less of the "oh he/she is just a writer" mentality at work when people think about artists.

Lazy Saturday Afternoon

I realized today that the Iris on the south side of our home are in bloom. I loved the way Iris flowers look. The frail yet complexity they display.  The color here is simply amazing!  They've probably been open a few days now. Hate that I didn't see them till today because they don't last terribly long. Where they come up I don't necessarily see the spot every day so it's easy to miss them.

I read last night at Crossroads Coffee House. Good sized crowd last night. Speaking of visuals, while we read last night a painter stood on the side of the riser and started with a white canvass and by the time the night of reading was over had created a strikingly picture a a woman that was titled "futility." I wish I could tell you the artists name but sadly I got off without it.

You might think the act of painting while people are reading would be distracting but I didn't find it to take anything away from the readings and rather enjoyed the two together.

Located some hard copy of some stuff I wrote in that past that I no longer had computer files for so I need some time trying to refine some of the poems, several of them were keepers so I'm glad I rand across the hard copies. So looks like I'll be working on some rewrites over the next few weeks.

A couple of notable items from BLOGLAND for poets and other writers:

Check out Kelli Agodon's  How I Prepare for a Weeklong Writing Residency... Kelli has one of the most insightful blogs and if it's not on your routine reading list then I recommend that you add it right now. 


Another blog I recommend in general is Writing Our Way Home. A lot of positive vibe and advice for writers or people in general. Often good interviews.

Thought for the day

"The bully believes he has an unquestionable right to enforce compliance upon others."  - Clayton T Grassant

Confession Tuesday

It's that time again...

Dear Reader:  It's been one week ago since my last confession.

I confess that I'm working on my laptop that is not plugged in and have one eye on the battery indicator as I type this. I confess this may be rushed.

My fantasy baseball team is preforming slightly under my expectation but I confess that I'm not sweating about it. It is starting off this week's series doing better but overall it remains competitive and that's all I can ask for now. I can tweak things as the season wears on.

I'm just about to fill up another journal and I have another brand-spanking new one awaiting in the wings. I confess that I get a rush as I start another new one that is without chicken scratching and sloppy handwriting from writing in the car when someone else is driving. Let me make it clear, I DO NOT JOURNAL and DRIVE.

I confess that I have been in a funk these past few weeks and I'm still in one. I'm not happy about it but it's the product of some external things that I don't have control over.

This week I hope to get to the library. I confess that I see lots of reading in my immediate future.