90% of Writing...

“Writing is 90 percent procrastination: reading magazines, eating cereal out of the box, watching infomercials.”—Paul Rudnick

The Light, The Dark, And The Inbetween

Sometimes it is hard to remember that our lives revolve around darkness and light.  We can sometimes feel darkness overtaking us, even in the light of day. 

Poets are often accused of living in a dark persona and there are many who spend a fair amount of time in the darker realm. But not all poets do, and if they do, it is not always an ongoing condition. 

I do think poets can actually tend to be melancholy or downright depressed at times.  Today, I am experiencing a darker side, myself. Also a loss of optimism. These things happen and I find it best to monitor them because it is important not to take up residence for too long in your day-to-day life. 

Currently, I am feeling pessimistic, as well as down. It would be nice to salvage some joy from this day. I'm open to a better disposition, but I am wrangled up in anxiety, and concern for another person. These are things that I do not really have control over, but they are significant and they are real

The extremes of light and darkness have a catchment area in between in which shades of grayscale can occupy. 

I'm trying not to be too overwhelmed by all this, and there is a chance it could dissipate overnight, Or I could awake to it worse in the morning. 

#light #dark #poetmoods  Mode presently: worried, sad, anxious, alone

 

CONFESSION TUESDAY - 50th CLASS REUNION SOUTHWEST HIGH - KC, MO

Well friends, another Confession Tuesday.  This one covers my 50th High School Reunion. Friday, Saturday and Sunday classmates from the 1972 Southwest High School gathered and celebrated the high 50.

I had not attended any of my other reunions and there is a story or two behind that, but that is for another day.  Admittedly, I was a bit nervous coming into this whole thing.  On the right, I am joined in this photo with Paula Lyon. Paula was another band member in our class.  Paula was busy Friday night at Charlie Hoopers sticking name tags on us as we showed up to kick off the weekend. A big thank you to her for making me feel at home and like this was maybe going to be okay after all. Robin Scott was another who made me feel right at home and wanted to know if I was going to be at the next day's event.

Southwest High in those days was the premier public High School in the School District. Our School was located on Wornall Rd. just south of the 63rd & Brookside area.

Rival Schools referred to us as the "Cake Eaters"

Below right are a couple of the many. students that worked hard to make this event memorable and enjoyable.

Above was a memorial table for all the students that are no longer with us. Sadly that number is presently 67.  They are 

missed but not forgotten. 

To the right, I am in a selfie with Elizabeth Wall.  This was definitely the biggest surprise and will be the most memorable part of the Reunion.  At one point Elizabeth (who told me she had been asking around if anyone knew if I was there and someone pointed out where I was.  She came and pulled up a chair next to me and said, "I don't know if you remember me, but we dated in High School" The answer was - Of Course!  I recounted where the apartment was that she lived in, etc. We talked a bit longer about mostly what I had been up to, and it was quite loud and I wish before we parted I had asked about what was going on in her life. 

I confess, I often have wondered how many if even any classmates ever think about me and wonder what has happened to me over the years.  Elizabeth answered that at least one had,  I did acknowledge wondering about her from time to time. 

Here are a couple more shots. 

I have posted a lot more on Facebook in a SW High Class of 72 group.

The food was good, Music was awesome, (Those were some pretty good years for music.)

There were quite a few that did not age much or at least aged very well. 

It was amazing the number of attendees that were band and orchestra members.  I don't believe I saw that many jocks from the class. I'm not sure what that says, but admittedly we did have a large band and orchestra. 

I must confess it was something I will forever be happy that I attended. Wish I had been at others, but this one definitely rocked. 
 

Some Days This Seems Ridiculously True

"The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast."  ~Oscar Wilde

Confession Tuesday: Where Has August Gone Edition

 

Dear Reader / Friend or both...

It's Tuesday night and it has been 28 days, One Truman Gala, On 35th Legislative Dist. Organizational Meeting, One full Democratic Committee Meeting, a 9the Election To The Democratic Committee, several rejection letters, 27 new poem drafts, 3 gas tank fill-ups (I think), and untold days of frustration since my last Confession.

I have gone from sceptical that the Democrats can hold onto the Senate in the fall elections to feeling relatively optimistic that we can gain 2 to 3 seats. I confess this is based on my general assessment of a variety of polls and not just wishful thinking.

I confess that I am at a loss for understanding how impotent the Republican Party has become so quickly in this country. 

I confess that I have fallen off my schedule of working on my poetry manuscript. It is perhaps a combination of coming out of the Primary elections and starting back to school.

I am taking two classes this semester. I confess one is really interesting, the other I could teach. with both hands tied behind my back.

I confess that I have absolutely no idea where August has gone to.

I confess that Madison, my long-haired Dachshund had probably the best day of his life and I missed it. I am told he found a snake in the back yard and it became his favourite toy. Having missed it personally, I feel kind of like being told you weren't home and missed your son or daughter's first steps.

Mood Tonight: a mixture of #sadness, #frustration and #empathy 

Salman Rushdie Attack

 The attack on Salman Rushdie this week is both sad and Ironic. 

Salma Rushdie was in New York to discuss the plight of writers and journalists who face dangerous conditions because of their work.  Before appearance for a lecture where the author was viciously attacked by a man welding a knife, Rushdie had exchanged emails with PEN America concerning the need to provide a safe haven for Ukrainian Writers. 

Confession Tuesday Aug 2 - A Win and an A Edition.

Dear Reader: 

Hurry, come with me to the confessional, let's get this done. 

Reader:  It has been two weeks since my last confession. Today is Missouri's Primary election, and I confess that I feel really weird. I'm running for reelection on the Democratic Committee. This will be my 9th term. It is also. the only time I have run unopposed.  That feels really strange. I am used to campaigning hard each time, so I don't quite know how to deal with this emotionally (insert laugh here).  I'm not complaining of course. I've often wanted to run unopposed, it just feels strange. 

It's hot here today. I mean really hot, but that's not really unusual this time of summer. I have stood at the polls all day long in 101 to 104 degrees temperatures many days. My prayers go out for all those at the polls - voters and volunteers today, but also anyone compromised by heat. The homeless, those without air conditioning and those without fans. I confess that these people are in my thoughts and I pray they have some relief from the dangerous temperatures. 

The school semester is over. I confess that I am pleased to report the one class I took for the summer session I received an A in. That's what I wanted, so I'm elated. For those who were supportive of me going back to school, thank you, thank you. 

The past week I've been up and down emotionally. This has been pretty par for the course lately. There are things that stress me and I try to deal with them as best I can. I confess I'm learning to manage this better, but it continues to be challenging 

Once again I am doing the Grind. A new poem or rewrite each day for a  month.  I've been doing this now for going on 14 months. I recommend this if you need to do lots of new work and want to get lots of writing practice. I confess it has been worth it to me. 

That's it for tonight, I will settle in to watch some election returns and write. 

Until next time,  be safe!  And if you can't write a poem, be a poem.