Earth hour at the telescope at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort

Last night we spent Earth Hour showing guests of the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort in Aventura the planets, moon and Orion Nebula through the telescope as part of their Earth Hour celebration:


"the Earth Hour celebration will culminate with an outdoor presentation from astronomer Dr. James Webb, director of the SARA Observatory at Florida International University. A telescope will be available for guests to explore the night sky."

It was a lot of fun, people of all ages stopped by between 8 and 11 pm and viewed the objects and asked Jim questions. He gave a short presentation to the ones who lingered, wanting more information. We finally had to wrap up when clouds started coming in, but the evening had been beautiful up to that point and the viewing excellent, despite being in a pool area surrounded by buildings.

Duotrope's Digest pays for itself this month! Warrior Champion finds a home.

My $2 a month contribution to Duotrope just paid for itself because I've had another poem accepted for publication, this time by The Lorelei Signal.

Duotrope's search engine helped me find the right market for my poem "The Warrior Champion" which will appear in Lorelei Signal's July 2010 online edition and their August 2010 print edition entitled Mystic Signals. They pay $2 for the poem, plus a percentage of royalties.

The Lorelei Signal,a fantasy magazine devoted to stories and poems about strong female characters, is named for the animated Star Trek movie where Lt. Uhura has to take command and rescue the crew.

Panhala and Mary Oliver's Messenger

I came across a neat poetry site, Panhala that combines a beautiful picture, a poem and some music. If you sign up for email from Panhala the music is optional.

They feature many of my favorite poets like Mary Oliver, Richard Wilbur, Wislawa Szymborska, W.S. Merwin, Rainer Maria Rilke, Antonio Machado, etc., with archives going back to 2002.

Mary Oliver's poem, "Messenger", a new favorite:

Messenger

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird —
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.


~ Mary Oliver ~

Verse Wisconsin acceptance!

Thanks to Duotrope, a wonderfully useful writer's tool, I've been submitting poetry lately. (Also thanks to Jane Banning, whose works I was searching for when I came across both Verse Wisconsin and Duotrope!) So far 14 poems to five different journals and out of three I've heard back from, one acceptance! Not bad for my first try in years! Verse Wisconsin is a print and online magazine that's been around since 1998, under the title Free Verse, they had to change it when they went online because another ezine had that name already. My poem was accepted for the Spring 2010 online version, which is themed "alternate realities"---who could resist that? Like I told them, my whole life is an alternate reality!

On that note, let me share with you Rainer Maria Rilke's incredible poem You who never arrived, which has to do with my poem; mine refers to the awful possibility that I had not met Jim....now if I could only express myself like Rilke..


You Who Never Arrived
by Rainer Maria Rilke

You who never arrived
in my arms, Beloved, who were lost
from the start
I don't even know what songs
would please you. I have given up trying
to recognize you in the surging wave of the next
moment. All the immense
images in me--the far-off, deeply-felt landscape,
cities, towers, and bridges, and un-
suspected turns in the path,
and those powerful lands that were once
pulsing with the life of the gods--
all rise within me to mean
you, who forever elude me.
You, Beloved, who are all
the gardens I have ever gazed at,
longing. An open window
in a country house--, and you almost
stepped out, pensive, to meet me. Streets
that I chanced upon,--
you had just walked down them and vanished.
And sometimes, in a shop, the mirrors
were still dizzy with your presence and,
startled, gave back
my too-sudden image. Who knows? perhaps
the same
bird echoed through both of us
yesterday, separate, in the evening...

from Theory.com.

Farewell to Kage Baker 1952-2010

I just found out writer Kage Baker passed away on Jan 31st. I am so sad I never got a chance to meet her; I've admired her work since her debut novel _In the Garden of Iden_ came out in 1997. I think I ran across it serendipitously at a bookstore, intrigued by the beautiful cover art and it led to a major Kage Baker addiction. The main character, the botanist Mendoza, remains one of my favorite female characters in science-fiction literature. All her books have been original, surprising, affecting, top-notch, never disappointing.
I will miss her...

Report on Carlos Ruiz Zafon's talk about his new book

I spent a blissful weekend immersed in Miami Book Fair International events, not the least of which was an evening listening to Carlos Ruiz Zafon talk about his new book, El Juego del Angel (The Angel's Game in English--I'm not sure if it's been released in English yet so the title may vary when it is).

Ruiz Zafon is the phenom Spanish author of the international bestseller The Shadow of the wind (La Sombra del Viento) which has been translated into 30 languages so far. He's currently the most widely read Spanish author in the world. According to him, he now has reached the circulation levels of Miguel Cervantes!

He gave an interesting talk about how these two novels are part of a planned quartet of novels, all taking place in a magical-realism Barcelona and interrelated but independent. He wants each one to be like a different entrance to the same labyrinth. This idea of fashioning the novels like pieces of a Chinese puzzle box sounds fascinating.

He also reported that he won't be selling the film rights to The Shadow of the Wind anytime soon; he says the best film of a novel is the one made in the mind of the reader (a statement that was approved with applause by the audience). But he does live part-time in L.A. now, so it could be he's planning to write an independent screenplay; he didn't say and no one asked him. (Can anyone be living in LA and NOT be working on a screenplay? I don't think so!)

I read the first five chapters of his new book in Spanish and I'm not sensing the same beauty of language that I did in his first, which I read in English. It's too early to tell if this is due to a different approach/voice or maybe he had a genius translator!

Miami Book Fair International coming to town!

The Miami Book Fair International is coming to town Nov. 9-16th.

I'm excited that two of my favorite writers, novelist Carlos Ruiz Zafon author of Shadow of the Wind and now El Juego del Angel, and former poet Laureate Mark Strand, are both participating. Of course, with my luck they are both going to be there at the same time on the same evening! Choices, choices!

Mindful Money in Miami

I've created a new blog to post finance and frugality-related news/items:

Mindful Money in Miami.

Archives of Book Buzz blog

Recently, my Book Buzz blog reviewing personal finance and frugality blogs was updated.
However, the old url will take you to the archives, where there are some excellent books on the subject reviewed:

Book Buzz Archive

Review of Easy Money by Liz Pulliam Weston

My review of MSN Money's "Money Talk" columnist Liz Pulliam Weston's book, Easy Money is now posted on my Book Buzz blog.

Weston's book was hard to get a handle on to review, but easy and enjoyable to read.

Private Persuasions of Poetry: "Ideal Audience" by Kay Ryan

Kay Ryan is the newly named Poet Laureate of the U.S.
This poem succinctly sums up how I feel about writing, reading and being read:

Ideal Audience

Not scattered legions,
not a dozen from
a single region
for whom accent
matters, not a seven-
member coven,
not five shirttail
cousins; just
one free citizen--
maybe not alive
now even--who
will know with
exquisite gloom
that only we two
ever found this room.

from the collection The Niagara River, Grove Press, 2005.

I love Ryan's sly, sparse style: her economy of words reminds me of Mark Strand's work; he's one of my favorite poets of all time.

This poem, referring to the imaginary meeting of minds that occurs when reader and writer connect, out of time, out of physical space, sums it up so perfectly that I can add nothing. It epitomizes what Ryan calls the "private persuasions of poetry."

Most of the writers I've loved were long dead when I was born and I've felt that "exquisite gloom" when I discovered them. It's out of reality yet it's the most authentic feeling I've ever had.

Kage Baker Q & A

Kage Baker the author of In the Garden of Iden, and a subsequent series of novels called the Company series, answered questions from readers in Joseph Mallozzi's blog.

Baker is a rare find these days: an author who can combine science fiction, historical accuracy and humor into a complex and fun time-travel adventure/romance. Her heroine, Mendoza, a botanist cyborg rescued as a child from the dungeons of the Spanish Inquisition, is very much in the tradition of Joanna Russ' time traveling adventuress Alyx. Her humor reminds one of Connie Willis' humorous novels and stories and she also does a good job of capturing the poignancy behind the humor, just as Willis does.

Can't Stop the Serenity

I just attended a special screening of the film Serenity for Equality Now, a charity devoted to helping women around the world achieve equality and justice.


Can't Stop the Serenity

Serenity is a science fiction/western based on the short-lived t.v. series Firefly, which has won a cult following since its cancellation.

Its creator, Joss Whedon of Buffy and Angel fame, favors this charity so a group of devoted fans decided to host screenings of the film around the country and donate the proceeds to his favorite charity.

We fans call ourselves Browncoats and there are fan clubs around the world:

Claudia Recinos is the organizer of the South Florida Browncoats.

The screening took place at a venue in Ft. Lauderdale, a wonderful historical theater, Cinema Paradiso.

It is hosting the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival:


I can't explain the appeal of the show Firefly even to myself: I've liked other science fiction shows like Star Trek, Farscape, Stargate, etc, but Firefly has somethng unique and special that goes beyond just a show. I think I'm as close to being a fanatic as I can come, though probably my level of fanaticism is mild, compared to some.

As for the movie, it was great seeing it on a big screen again. Cinema Paradiso is delightful; it was the best movie-going experience I've had in a long, long time.

Many thanks to Claudia Recinos for organizing this event!

New review posted on Book Buzz blog

I just posted a review of Work Less, Live More by Bob Clyatt on my Book Buzz blog, which has
a new look now.

The Book Buzz

This book espouses a transition to semi-retirement before quitting altogether as a way of avoiding job burnout and adding enjoyment to your life. I've been "semi-retired" since 1996, more or less, and I can vouch for its advantages. It's not for everyone but some people can choose it if they budget carefully.

"Work Less, Save More" is my motto!

Rainy Days...

Watching the falling rain

One of my fondest memories of college days, pre-Jim that is, is of rainy days at the Campus Lodge (now demolished). This was 1980-81, pre-cellphones, pre-laptops, pre-personal internet, even. When it rained, it seemed all of us would gravitate toward the door at the end of the building where there was an overhang that provided shelter from the rain and hang out, just watching the rain.

Some people would stop on their way out, waiting for the rain to be over. Some would be coming in from the Eckerd’s across the street or McDonalds, or they might be returning from a class. Sometimes people from other buildings would take temporary refuge with us. Some of us would just wander down the hall, bored, and maybe the rooms got stuffy when it rained, I don’t remember.

All I know is that somehow a crowd of us would congregate and we’d have the best, long, desultory conversations. This is how I met many people who lived in the building.

When the rain stopped, we’d all go into motion again, as if the rain had held us in a trance. Everyone would wander back to their rooms or run late to class or cross the street to get something to eat. And the spell would be broken.

I’m sure no one in that group remembers these moments as fondly as I do—their best memories probably involve parties, football games, or trips to the beach. But I’ve always loved the simplest moments best. And Campus Lodge, stinky, moldy old Campus Lodge is where I became a free adult for the first time. I was lonely, until I met Jim, anyway, but I was free.

LibraryThing.com

It took me a while, but I finally have started to catalog my books. I'm beginning with the free 200 LibraryThing.com allows, but I'm afraid I'll have to become a lifetime member, because I have at least 1000+ books at home. What riches!

"Loved"

There I was on a perfect spring day, high up on a hill shaded by magnificent oaks draped with Spanish moss, reading gravestones. This cemetery had a nice mixture of recent and historical graves, mostly plain, just the name and dates, but some of them had poignant messages:

A baby, age 1
"God took him"

Mattie S.
wife of E.M. Griffin,
1873-1909

"Twas hard to give thee up
But Thy will O God be done"

The Wade family didn't involve God:

Charlie Wade
(no date)
"Gone but not forgot"
"At Rest"

And nearby, a smaller, more recent grave:

Charlie Mae Wade
9-12-31 to 9-2-66

said simply:

"Loved"

That one really brought tears to my eyes, because that one word says it all, doesn't it?
The laconic Wade family knew what really matters in this world and beyond.

Ghosts of childhood

Everyone has a favorite childhood book that you never forget despite the intervening years and which, once you see the cover again, brings back ineluctable memories. One of mine was Peggy Bacon's The Ghost of Opalina. I read this book in 3rd or 4th grade, at a time when I would read anything with the word "mystery" "ghost" or "witch" in the title.
(Another favorite from that time: The Witch of Blackbird Pond.)

I recently went on a personal quest to find this book at one of the few places it is still available to read: a university library. Turns out the book only had one printing, which was sold exclusively to school libraries, and now it's on sold on the web for anywhere from $80 for a ratty copy to hundreds of dollars for a copy in pristine condition. Many copies have been lost or stolen from libraries, so I was afraid I wouldn't find it at this small Georgia university town library, but there it was! What a thrill it was to see it again!

This particular title was part of a personal collection that had been donated to the library. Most of universities' childrens literature collections are donated, lovingly collected by private visionaries (sometimes school teachers or librarians) who saw the value of children's books when no one else did and went to the trouble of preserving what were considered throwaways.

It was just as funny and entertaining as I remember! Which just goes to show that the truly great stories of childhood should just as enjoyably be read by adults.

I don't believe in age-demarcations for reading--some books may be better encountered at a certain time in your life but most good books are timeless and ageless. My parents never censored my reading and once I began to read I read everything within my reach. This omnivorous reading habit has continued, though I must say there have been some exceptions. I've never liked the Harry Potter novels, for example. But then again, I never was a big fantasy-lover, with a few remarkable standouts like Ghost of Opalina! I fell in love with science fiction at around age 10 and that took the place of old fantasy favorites such as the novels of Madeleine L'Engle (The Young Unicorns, A Wrinkle in Time series), Eleanor Cameron (The Court of Stone Children) and Philippa Pearce (Tom's Midnight Garden.)

UPDATE 2014:
The Ghost of Opalina
IS NOW AVAILABLE AS A FREE PDF!! 

Pushing Fifty, gratefully

I turn 47 this year. As I tick up the right-hand side of the happiness curve (which bottoms out at 44--see previous post, Forties Slump,) the major emotion I feel is gratitude. After 45, you take nothing for granted.

Already peers are dying from breast cancer and heart attacks, predeceasing their elderly parents in some cases, so you become aware that it can happen and if it does, no one will stand by your graveside murmuring how young you were and how you died before your time.

So you feel grateful for every good night's sleep, for every meal that doesn't give you indigestion, for every pain-free movement, for every moment of inspiration. Sometimes you forget you're not twenty any more, but you never forget to be grateful.

But most of all you're grateful that you're no longer that young, unaware, ungrateful version of yourself, and that you can never be that way again, now.

Farewell to Gary Gygax--co-inventor of Dungeons & Dragons

If you've never played D & D, you've missed a fun (and frugal!) activity which went beyond a game and became a social club (and an obsession to some!). I owe Gary Gygax a big favor in that I met my husband through D&D in college. I had played a few games with friends in high school and when I heard through my astronomy lab instructor (Greg Fitzgibbons--I owe you, too!) that the astronomy grad students were starting a dungeon, I joined at their invitation.

My husband was one of the players and I quickly learned of his true-blue character through the game: he played a lawful good ranger because he really couldn't play anything other than lawful good. (I was a chaotic good thief.) With a skilled dungeon master (Clint Priestwood), we had a great game which gave long hours of entertainment every Saturday night for no cost (except for the beers we drank afterwards at a local pub) and which gave us enormous insight into each other's characters and imagination.

We dropped out eventually but I've heard via the web that the dungeon master still directs a game in DC and this game, which began with different players in the 70s, is one of the longest-running D&D games recorded!

They say Gary Gygax was still holding games at his home as late as January of this year!

Go in peace, Gary, and I hope you find some great games in the afterlife, if there is one!