Friday night poetry

I went to Ash Canyon last night. As I put myself on the line with Comma Coffee about moving the ACP library there on Monday, Susan convinced me it would be a good idea to attend poetry night. I haven't been going much after the fracas over the journal. Anyway, it was nice seeing old friends and being around other lovers of the written/spoken word. Also, as I wanted to bring a poem, I rescued a page from one of my notebooks and printed it out. It was a piece I stumbled on the other day while doing something else, one of those scribbles you dash off only to promptly forget about it. Once it got on a nice, clean page however it looked respectable enough to read. I love Ash Canyon. There are damn few places or people who care about things like that.

Also, last night turned into a celebration of sorts as Ellen Hopkins, one of the old time regulars, just found out she is suddenly a "break out author" at Simon and Schuster. As she puts it, "an overnight success after fifteen years of hard work", well, not exactly an overnight success. Actually Crank is a bit of an anomaly. Apparently, most books either catch on fire right off the press or quickly smolder to death, but Crank has been out for over three years and is a grassroots, cross-over success. Look for it soon, front and center at both Barns and Noble and Borders. It's movin' up from the stacks.

As is an old Ash Canyon tradition, we went to the Fandango Casino after the meeting. The wine was flowing and Liz made a startling confession about the worst thing she's ever done. Whew! This woman has an all too rare quality, manners.

Confessions of a country woman

Liz

-------------------
Footnote: As a kid Liz and her friends watched the first nuke test from a hilltop in the Nevada desert. She died of radiation poisoning.

Juju Queen

Another anomalous moment from our New Year's day celebration. The Juju Queen spontaneously hurls herself on the floor for an impromptu snake dance.


The Juju Queen welcomes the new year


more

Surge for Bush

Current US Body Count

"Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results".

Now the Republicans have announced they are going to do what we all knew they were going to do in Iraq, repackage the same old failed same old plan ... send more and more Americans to needless injury and death. Bastards all.

Dirty talk

Note: A Different Iraq Metric

US SPENT $1 MIL FOR EVERY DEAD IRAQI - CIVILIANS INCLUDED:

Early this year the Bush administration is to ask Congress to approve an additional $100bn for the onerous task of making life intolerable for the Iraqis. This will bring the total spent on the White House's current obsession with war to almost $500bn - enough to have given every US citizen $1,600 each... with over half a million dead, it means that the world's greatest military superpower has spent a million dollars for every Iraqi killed...
[THE GUARDIAN]

surge Bush Iraq poetry kinky roleplay sex

Walkabout and dirt bath party

I was in Carson City twice in the last couple of days running errands and naturally brought my camera with me so it ended up being a photo walkabout as well.



I also stopped by Comma Coffee to talk with June about relocating a portion of Bill Cowee's poetry collection there. Sadly Bill, Godfather of Ash Canyon Poets, is in failing health and is in the process of moving into a care facility. One of his primary concerns is to find a home for his vast, wonderful collection of poetry books, journals, little magazines and obscure, single run chap books. He has an amazing collection. Ash Canyon poets get the first pick. After that, the majority of the books will be donated to public and school libraries.

The remainder, six book shelves worth (shelves included), will go to Comma Coffee. This is the lovely little library that Bill used to house at Carson City's Brewery Arts Center where Ash Canyon Poets have met every Friday night for many years, that is until recently when the center rate hikes forced Ash Canyon to seek a new home. For the last several months the Brewery Arts books have been tucked away in Terry Breedon's basement. Today I was hoping to make the final arrangements with June to move them to the cafe but she was too busy to discuss it. I stayed for a while anyay, had coffee and read. I am finally in the last thrilling pages of volume 4 of the Otherland series. Good read.

It was a blue sky day in Nevada. The quail were certainly enjoying it, especially as just a few days ago they were scurrying around in a blizzard looking for whatever frozen seed they could scratch up. To celebrate the warm weather, they had a dirt bath party in my back yard.

Dirt bath party

01:03

New Year resolutions and troupe members

I am very impressed with Roy's decision to post every day this year. Never mind he's been under the weather and already missed a day. That just makes him human, for which I am grateful. I am inspired by his resolve. It's a good way to insure that one writes every day so I secretly decided to try doing it myself but, after switching to one of Blogger's new templates this morning and fiddling with it all day, I decided to abandon the goal. This is the best I can do at this late hour, and once the bloom of the new year fades, I know it won't get any better. Once again I resort to photos to fluff things up. She hasn't revealed her name yet but Wolfie recognized her the minute she arrived, and has been at her side ever since. As you can see, he's very protective of her so I've been leaving them to themselves. Seems they have some catching up to do.

Ryan

M. Lee turned me on to this documentary by Ryan Larkin and Chris Landreth. It won an Academy Award in 2004 for Best Animated Short which is kind of sweet, given the story. More on Larkin here.

Ryan

Ryan Larkin animation Ryan Chris Landreth Bingo

Nevada at night

It's (finally) snowing ... big, fat flakes ... just why now when I have to go to town? I hate driving in weather like this but gotta go. Wish me luck.

Masks for the New Year

A couple of friends and I had a New Year/Winter Solstice, vegetarian feast, mask making, I Ching party on the 1st. Naturally, I took a bunch of photos and videos. The masks aren't painted yet but here is a video of Susan wearing hers, playing around with homegrown mudras and a set of japa mala. Happy New Year!

Mask & Mala

00:50

New Year's day masks mudras

WPIX yule log

Snowy morning

We finally got a little snow on the valley floor yesterday, not a lot but it's nice and powdery. On Friday the birds ate about three times their normal amount so I wasn't surprised when the snow came. I wish I had built a little warming hut for the quail. I think they would appreciate it.

I did put out a Marvel Meal buffet this morning however.
It was a big hit all around.
Breakfast in the snow
(YouTube 02:02)