A person of my acquaintance recently told me, "You know, I gave up buying books for you years ago." My immediate reaction to this proclamation was "I'm sorry, but have you met me? I am the one who wanted a Ph.D. in literature. I am that person who, when she lived alone, had stacks of books in every corner, because the shelves were bursting with them. I am the person who cannot leave a book shop empty handed. To me, Powell's is more than just a bookstore, it is Mecca. How can you seriously stand here and tell me that you don't think a book makes an appropriate gift for me?" Once my literary outrage had subsided, the friend in me kicked in and I became concerned that he had perhaps been hit in the head with a blunt object -- say maybe a BOOK.So, as you might imagine, it is no understatement to say that I loves me some books. Paperback, hardback, old, new, literature, trash. It doesn't matter to me. It's all like crack to a junkie, and I guess you could say the Multnomah County Library is my dealer. Books are, however, one addiction that is okay. I'm going to have to come clean and admit that it was a kind of slow reading year for me. Nonetheless, there are a number that stood out for me. So, in no particular order beyond that in which they were read, here are my Top 10 favorite reads of the past year.
Edward Marston, The Queen's Head.
The Queen's Head is the first book in Marston's venerable Nicholas Bracewell series, which is centered on the theater in Elizabethan London. While I read a number of books from the series this year, I chose The Queen's Head, because it is the first. Marston is delightfully deft at blending humor and suspense, while managing to keep the surroundings era appropriate. Recurring characters, like Barnaby Gill (the fussy clown), Lawrence Firethorn (melodramatic leader of Westfield's men) and Edmund Hoode (the forever lovelorn playwright) lend the series not only comedic relief, but thread of familiarity that runs through it. The funny thing about the Marston books is that even though I already owned two of them (.75 Title Wave purchases!), it took a trip to the library for me to actually discover and read the series!
Chuck Palahniuk, Fugitives & Refugees: A Walk Through Portland Oregon.
Chuck Palahniuk is probably most widely known (at least to me) for Fight Club. While I'm sure it's a good book and a good movie, I never really thought it would be my thing, so I have to admit to not paying much attention to Palahniuk until looking at someone else's copy of Fugitives & Refugees during a break while on jury duty last January. As it turns out, I love his tribute to city that "the most cracked of the crackpots" call home. It's a thin volume, but highly entertaining (especially if you live in, have visited or intend to visit Portland). If you don't believe me, you can read an excerpt here. I liked it enough that I'd even be willing to revisit the possibility of reading some of his other work. As an example, I believe based on reading an interview with Palahniuk on Powell's website that I could like Choke just based on the following description from the interview: "It tells the story of Victor Mancini, a recovering sex-addict whose resolve to overcome his illness is less than convincing. In fact, he continues to attend his recovery meetings only because they are such a great place to pick up chicks." You have to like anyone who can come up with a premise like that.
James Reese, The Book of Shadows.
James Reese's Book of Shadows appeared to mixed reviews in December of 2002. Fashionably late as usual, I didn't get around to hearing about (or reading it) until over two years later. If it weren't for Powell's Daily Dose, I might never have heard of it at all. The book is not flawless. It is very long (which is not a flaw in itself) and sometimes not unjustly criticized as being too unfocused. There were also some sections that just weren't my cup of tea (but perhaps that is unavoidable in a novel of this length). That said, Reese has also created a multilayered Gothic story that is generally engaging while at the same time playing with deeper themes like Good and Evil, gender (a particular interest of mine), sexuality, religion and history. While I am not a huge Anne Rice fan, his writing reminds me of some of the aspects I do like about her writing. I've read a lot of reviews from readers who were put off by the complexity of Reese's novel, all in all, I found it to be a fun read -- more so than, say Rice's Interview with a Vampire, which was recommended to me by many people, but just left me cold. It's one of the handful of books that I've started in my lifetime and abandoned without finishing. But back to Reese. The level of historical detail and obvious research entailed in cultivating the mood and atmosphere of the story, speak to my own sensibilities. I can see in this writer someone who gets excited about his project and delves head first into all that surrounds creating an ambiance. I like that. In fact, I get the feeling that I like Reese himself. In interviews and on his website, he gives off the vibe of someone who is amiable and very willing to talk about his writing and the process behind it.
Marc Acito, How I Paid for College.
Speaking of amiable authors, Marc Acito has to be one of the nicest ones I have ever met. A few months ago, I requested a signed book plate via his website. Not only did he quickly mail me the book plate I'd requested for Jen's birthday, but he also included one for me. In addition to that, he took the time to e-mail me to thank ME and let me know when it had been sent. He was also very gracious, encouraging and open with advice when I took the opportunity to ask him some writing questions. But it's not all about being a nice guy. He happens to be a nice guy who wrote a very funny book. His publisher describes it as "a farcical coming-of-age story, as if Catcher in the Rye were performed by the kids from Fame." That sums it up about as well as anything. Interestingly enough, Acito cites Joe Keenan (who wrote the side splittingly funny Blue Heaven in addition to being a writer for Frasier) as not only one of his favorite authors, but also the person whose work inspired him to write his own novel. Although I've never read any comparisons of Acito to Keenan (but maybe I am just too sheltered), I've always thought that there was a similarity in the sense of humor.
Wilbur Smith, The Seventh Scroll.
I picked up this book at Goodwill a number of months ago. As is not atypical, I got it home and put it on my bookshelf, where it was promptly lost in a sea of other books. After allowing it to acclimate to its surroundings (most immediately a Barbara Michaels and Harry Mulisch), I finally picked it up after almost a year. As it turns out, it was one of the most entertaining novels I've read in a long time. It has everything to recommend it as a vacation read -- travel through Egypt, Ethiopia, England, antiquities, archeology and intrigue. The best I can describe the novel is Elizabeth Peters meets Indiana Jones meets Dan Brown meets Arturo Perez-Reverte. While I could have lived without one or two of the bad guy torture scenes, over all, the book was great fun, and I'll definitely read it again one day.
Truman Capote, In Cold Blood.
What does one say about an American classic? Despite being considered Capote's masterpiece, I don't think I would have ever read the book, if it weren't for a coworker. While I knew that Capote's foray into the nonfiction novel was more than just some cheap true crime offering, I never thought it would be the sort of book I would enjoy. As it turns out, it kept me riveted. Part of this is due to Capote's voice, which flows so effortlessly. It was only after reading it, that I realized that Perry Smith and Dick Hickock were featured in a book on the death penalty in the U.S. that was part of the required reading for a German literature course I once took on Literary Executions. Interestingly enough, I finished In Cold Blood just a few days before another hotly debated execution -- that of Stanley Tookie Williams in California just before Christmas. Funny how short our attention spans are. For days Tookie was all over the news, then, as soon as he had been killed, nothing. But that has nothing to do with books (at least not the ones I'm talking about here), and today is not the day I want to get into my views about the death penalty.
Neil Gaiman, Ananzi Boys.
Over the years, Neil Gaiman has emerged as one of my favorite modern authors. Everything about his humor and his love of language appeals to me. So it is no surprise to me that Ananzi Boys was an absolute delight to read. If I had to pick the one book that I enjoyed the most this year, this would have to be it. While it's tough to pick, I think this may be my favorite of Gaiman's novels (though that is perhaps due to having read it most recently). Either way, I highly recommend it!
Cornelia Funke, The Thief Lord.
There are times when it can be a lovely escape to read a kid's book. Books like The Thief Lord are just perfect for such times. It's the sort of book I would have loved as a child, and I very much enjoyed it now. Set in Venice, The Thief Lord is the story of Prosper and Bo, two orphans who run away to Italy rather than be separated by their evil aunt, who wants to keep the young Bo for herself and send Prosper off to boarding school. In it, Funke has written a sweet, endearing story of loyalty between brothers, while at the same time creating a world that sweeps the reader away into a Venice of fantasy, filling them with a burning desire to make carnival masks and go for gondola rides. Best of all, it provides the purely escapist kind of pleasure that only a good book can give.
Kate Ross, Cut to the Quick.
It has been a long time since I have developed a book crush, but I think I have one on amateur sleuth, Julian Kestrel. This was one of those mysteries that I just couldn't put down. It filled me with a desire for more that I haven't known since first discovering Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters. It's the sort of thing that I love to read to escape from the stress of the every day. It's light (but not stupid) and is well written enough that a person is just drawn into the story without thinking of much else. My introduction to Kate Ross' series is, alas, somewhat bittersweet. While it is exciting to know that I have three more books to look forward to, it's saddening to think that Ross died so young. I'm sure she would have had a long, successful career ahead of her. Well, at least no one can say she did not make the most of her talent in the time she
had.
Honorable mention:
Suzie McKee Charnas - Short Stories (honorable, because I already wrote about it back in January of '05)
Elizabeth Peters - Summer of the Dragon (honorable, because it is not the first time I've read it)
Lydia Millet - George Bush*, Dark Prince of Love (honorable, because there wasn't quite room for it on the Top 10, but was still really funny and well worth the .75 cents I shelled out, because the cover cracked me up. As it turns out the content [ex-con becomes smitten with GB during his inaugural address, and embarks on a zany campaign to attract his attention and woo him away from his wife] was just as witty.
*George Bush I, not George II
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Monday, January 02, 2006
Blogiversary
A year ago today, I made my first post to this blog. Because I'm not feeling particularly wordy, I'm not sure what to say about it. It does, however, seem like the sort of occasion that should be marked, especially since it turns out that writing something that someone else might read did not end up an end to existence as we know it. My head didn't even explode. So, here's to another year of road trips, books, dreams about magic busses, and whatever else might inspire unchecked rambling on my part.
Perhaps this will be the year when I move from straight journaling to other sorts of things, but I make no promises. Better to just wait and see what develops. Either way, though, happy New Year to You & Happy Blogiversary to me!
Perhaps this will be the year when I move from straight journaling to other sorts of things, but I make no promises. Better to just wait and see what develops. Either way, though, happy New Year to You & Happy Blogiversary to me!
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Party Hats & the New Year
What better picture for New Year's Eve than a party hat? The delightful thing about this hat is that it was made by a very talented someone I know. She recently had a birthday party, and each of her guests got to take home a similar piece of headgear (mine was peacocky and blue, but I had to preserve this one for posterity, because it was my 2nd favorite).
Her birthday party was really lovely. There was great food, a hat for every guest (each of whom was great company, I might add!), and a fun little gift bag for each attendee (even though the birthday girl had insisted on no presents for herself).
Coupled with Christmas that event made me realize that I really do need to attempt to be at least marginally social and "do more stuff", which has become one of my resolutions for the new year. It is sort of a sister resolution to Jen's more snazzily named "Just Say Yes!" campaign. I suppose I could call mine "More stuff in '06", but that would be awfully derivative of the "More stuff in '05" campaign, which really did fall kind of flat once the summer was over. Anyway, the '06 version is more nuanced in that it also involves the caveat that said stuff must be done with people I actually enjoy as I've been having some serious thoughts about the sorts of friends I have, which involves how and why I choose my friends, what we have in common, etc. (For any of you who've been around since my early 20's or before, don't worry, you're not under scrutiny.)
Anyway, I know that some people are adverse to actual "resolutions", but the truth is that the only problem I have with New Year's resolutions is that I don't think one should wait until the New Year. What if I realize in June that my nose hairs really need to be plucked (or braided), and I wait until January? Then I've wasted 7 months without an appropriate nose coiff.
While nasal coiffure is not among them, I do have many resolutions (though I prefer to think of them as plans, since some of them actually do involve steps and goal setting, which makes them seem more palpabable than "Oh yeah, I'm totally going to lose weight this year"):
- There is the lose weight/get in shape plan, for which I really DO have a plan. I know the diet I want to follow and have a basic gym schedule in mind, and once the weather is nicer, I want to integrate going on some hikes on the weekends. The trick really is going to be driving myself to stick to it for long enough to reach my considerable goal.
- There is the redecorate my bedroom plan, which is actually already in phase one (The Thinnening), which involves getting rid of crap that I don't need in preparation for the more fun Phase II of painting, putting down new carpet, which makes the way for Phase III (also known as The Roomening - correct me, if I'm wrong), which involves the ultra fun period of decorating.
- There is the finish the write something every day/finish the first draft of my Nano project by my birthday, which is actually the time of Persian New Year AND, this year, the Vernal Equinox, either of which lend themselves nicely to birthday festivities. Go spring!
- Lastly (well, probably not lastly since I am a bit of a fixer-upper and it's the last thing of which I can think at the moment), I really do want to continue to do more creative projects. This year I started my blog, started taking more pictures, re-embraced playing piano, and worked more on writing. In 2006, I'd like to continue on this road, because I think it's good for a person (especially when she has a lame job that could be filled by a lame, blind monkey).
So, there we have my thoughts for the new year. If I have time, perhaps I will recap some of the more fruitful things I did with the old, but if I don't, that's okay too, because 2006 is going to be the year of "It's all good!"
Her birthday party was really lovely. There was great food, a hat for every guest (each of whom was great company, I might add!), and a fun little gift bag for each attendee (even though the birthday girl had insisted on no presents for herself).
Coupled with Christmas that event made me realize that I really do need to attempt to be at least marginally social and "do more stuff", which has become one of my resolutions for the new year. It is sort of a sister resolution to Jen's more snazzily named "Just Say Yes!" campaign. I suppose I could call mine "More stuff in '06", but that would be awfully derivative of the "More stuff in '05" campaign, which really did fall kind of flat once the summer was over. Anyway, the '06 version is more nuanced in that it also involves the caveat that said stuff must be done with people I actually enjoy as I've been having some serious thoughts about the sorts of friends I have, which involves how and why I choose my friends, what we have in common, etc. (For any of you who've been around since my early 20's or before, don't worry, you're not under scrutiny.)
Anyway, I know that some people are adverse to actual "resolutions", but the truth is that the only problem I have with New Year's resolutions is that I don't think one should wait until the New Year. What if I realize in June that my nose hairs really need to be plucked (or braided), and I wait until January? Then I've wasted 7 months without an appropriate nose coiff.
While nasal coiffure is not among them, I do have many resolutions (though I prefer to think of them as plans, since some of them actually do involve steps and goal setting, which makes them seem more palpabable than "Oh yeah, I'm totally going to lose weight this year"):
- There is the lose weight/get in shape plan, for which I really DO have a plan. I know the diet I want to follow and have a basic gym schedule in mind, and once the weather is nicer, I want to integrate going on some hikes on the weekends. The trick really is going to be driving myself to stick to it for long enough to reach my considerable goal.
- There is the redecorate my bedroom plan, which is actually already in phase one (The Thinnening), which involves getting rid of crap that I don't need in preparation for the more fun Phase II of painting, putting down new carpet, which makes the way for Phase III (also known as The Roomening - correct me, if I'm wrong), which involves the ultra fun period of decorating.
- There is the finish the write something every day/finish the first draft of my Nano project by my birthday, which is actually the time of Persian New Year AND, this year, the Vernal Equinox, either of which lend themselves nicely to birthday festivities. Go spring!
- Lastly (well, probably not lastly since I am a bit of a fixer-upper and it's the last thing of which I can think at the moment), I really do want to continue to do more creative projects. This year I started my blog, started taking more pictures, re-embraced playing piano, and worked more on writing. In 2006, I'd like to continue on this road, because I think it's good for a person (especially when she has a lame job that could be filled by a lame, blind monkey).
So, there we have my thoughts for the new year. If I have time, perhaps I will recap some of the more fruitful things I did with the old, but if I don't, that's okay too, because 2006 is going to be the year of "It's all good!"
Monday, December 26, 2005
Happy Baxmas!
Today is Baxter's birthday. He is three, and celebrating by being bad. He already tore the stuffing out of his birthday present two days ago when he yoinked it out of a bag that had been momentarily left on the floor. He has only been awake for a few hours, but he has already chased a cat, taken a nap, and barked at my mother. He does this so she'll sit differently, thereby allowing him to hop into the wingback chair with her and shuffle his furry little ass in next to her.
But don't misunderstand. Baxter is not all bad. He marked Christmas dinner by being an almost perfect gentleman who didn't bark at anyone. He even wagged his tail at guests and allowed them to look at him without incident. He semi-successfully performed his cache of tricks - sit, shake, lay down, and roll over in order of lessening success (roll over being the death defying stunt at which he failed completely). He then capped off the evening proceeeding to adorably fall asleep in the middle of a pile of used wrapping paper. Perhaps year 3 is the year that Baxter Wigglesworth loses his shyness toward people who don't live in my house. I can feel it in my bones. It is the dawning of the age of a new, more relaxed Wigglesworth.
Baxter is even more sweet when we are alone, like when he puts his paw on my knee and leans in for hugs and kisses. (Spoiled you say. Whatever gave you that idea?) The best part of when he does this is that if you stop too early, he leans in closer for more. It's almost as good as the level of wiggly excitement that is engendered when I do something as unspectacular as waking up or coming home from work. Bottom line, my rotten little dog makes me smile more than he infuriates me (whch is a lot). So, really, adopting him has been totally worth it.
Happy Birthday, Baxie!
But don't misunderstand. Baxter is not all bad. He marked Christmas dinner by being an almost perfect gentleman who didn't bark at anyone. He even wagged his tail at guests and allowed them to look at him without incident. He semi-successfully performed his cache of tricks - sit, shake, lay down, and roll over in order of lessening success (roll over being the death defying stunt at which he failed completely). He then capped off the evening proceeeding to adorably fall asleep in the middle of a pile of used wrapping paper. Perhaps year 3 is the year that Baxter Wigglesworth loses his shyness toward people who don't live in my house. I can feel it in my bones. It is the dawning of the age of a new, more relaxed Wigglesworth.
Baxter is even more sweet when we are alone, like when he puts his paw on my knee and leans in for hugs and kisses. (Spoiled you say. Whatever gave you that idea?) The best part of when he does this is that if you stop too early, he leans in closer for more. It's almost as good as the level of wiggly excitement that is engendered when I do something as unspectacular as waking up or coming home from work. Bottom line, my rotten little dog makes me smile more than he infuriates me (whch is a lot). So, really, adopting him has been totally worth it.
Happy Birthday, Baxie!
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Happy Christmas!
ILLUMINATION
Ground lapis for the sky, and scrolls of gold,
Before which the shepherds kneel, gazing aloft
At visiting angels clothed in egg-yolk gowns,
Celestial tinctures smuggled from the East,
From sunlit Eden, the palmed and plotted banks
Of sun-tanned Aden. Brought home in fragile grails,
Planted in England, rising at Eastertide,
Their petals cup stamens of topaz dust,
The powdery stuff of cooks and cosmeticians
But to the camels-hair tip of the finest brush
Of Brother Anselm, it is the light of dawn,
Gilding the hems, the sleeves, the fluted pleats
Of the antiphonal archangelic choirs
Singing their melismatic pax in terram.
The child lies cribbed below, in bestial dark,
Pale as the tiny tips of crocuses
That will find their way to the light through drifts of snow.
- Anthony Hecht
Here it is already December 24th, the day when most of my family (at least the non-hillbilly contingent abroad*) will be celebrating Christmas. The hillbillies are probably bedecking the Camaro (on blocks) with lights and boughs of holly and toasting each other with supersize cans of Coors Light as I type. For our part, we will do the last of our baking for the festivities tomorrow, wrap some presents, go to a candlelight service to sing Christmas carols, and perhaps go look at Christmas lights once it's dark enough. It is already shaping up to be a nice holiday weekend. The great thing about being a half "We celebrate the holiday on December 24th" and half "Fools! Everyone knows Christmas is on the 25th!" is that we get to celebrate TWICE. Add to that that my dog's birthday is December 26th, and it's one long Festivus weekend!
Tomorrow we will have guests for dinner. As usual, I am very much looking forward to it and have had great fun planning the menu (my favorite component of which is presently prosciutto wrapped figs stuffed with roquefort, then roasted and drizzled with honey and a bit of fresh, cracked pepper). I made a couple of test figs yesterady to make sure the recipe wasn't going to be completely jive and ruin Christmas with its gackitude. As it turns out, the combination of flavors is delicious! I would reveal the rest of the menu now, but then it wouldn't be a surprise for our guests, whom I enjoy taunting. So, I'll move on.
In honor of the holiday and my discovery of having been linked (when did she do that???), I've borrowed a picture from my friend MQ, who takes some beautiful photos. This one was taken on a trip downtown last year. Even if I didn't take it myself, I was there, which means I was probably her artistic muse, which means that she owes its success all to me, which means that it's probably okay that I borrow the photo for my blog, right? You wouldn't sue me on Christmas, would you, MQ? This shouldn't be construed as a bribe (unless it helps for it to be one!), but I do have presents for you, even if it may not REALLY be Jesus' birthday. Even if it's not, there's good food, fine company AND presents, so I am there!
So, in the spirit of the holiday (and so nobody is brought down by the birthday revelation), Merry Christmas! Here are some holiday stories and links for your enjoyment:
La Befana
The Gift of the Magi
A Child's Christmas in Wales
If I think of any more, I will add them.
Have a Happy Holiday!
M'Tonia
*N.b. Before any Americans-are-better-than-ANYONE reader gets their panties in a wad* (doubtful, since none of the 3 people who read this are that way!) and tells me to back to where I came from (aka North Dakota) if I think it 's so great, the above comments are not to say that all Americans are hillbillies, just that the majority of my father's bloodline is a bit earthy.
Ground lapis for the sky, and scrolls of gold,
Before which the shepherds kneel, gazing aloft
At visiting angels clothed in egg-yolk gowns,
Celestial tinctures smuggled from the East,
From sunlit Eden, the palmed and plotted banks
Of sun-tanned Aden. Brought home in fragile grails,
Planted in England, rising at Eastertide,
Their petals cup stamens of topaz dust,
The powdery stuff of cooks and cosmeticians
But to the camels-hair tip of the finest brush
Of Brother Anselm, it is the light of dawn,
Gilding the hems, the sleeves, the fluted pleats
Of the antiphonal archangelic choirs
Singing their melismatic pax in terram.
The child lies cribbed below, in bestial dark,
Pale as the tiny tips of crocuses
That will find their way to the light through drifts of snow.
- Anthony Hecht
Here it is already December 24th, the day when most of my family (at least the non-hillbilly contingent abroad*) will be celebrating Christmas. The hillbillies are probably bedecking the Camaro (on blocks) with lights and boughs of holly and toasting each other with supersize cans of Coors Light as I type. For our part, we will do the last of our baking for the festivities tomorrow, wrap some presents, go to a candlelight service to sing Christmas carols, and perhaps go look at Christmas lights once it's dark enough. It is already shaping up to be a nice holiday weekend. The great thing about being a half "We celebrate the holiday on December 24th" and half "Fools! Everyone knows Christmas is on the 25th!" is that we get to celebrate TWICE. Add to that that my dog's birthday is December 26th, and it's one long Festivus weekend!
Tomorrow we will have guests for dinner. As usual, I am very much looking forward to it and have had great fun planning the menu (my favorite component of which is presently prosciutto wrapped figs stuffed with roquefort, then roasted and drizzled with honey and a bit of fresh, cracked pepper). I made a couple of test figs yesterady to make sure the recipe wasn't going to be completely jive and ruin Christmas with its gackitude. As it turns out, the combination of flavors is delicious! I would reveal the rest of the menu now, but then it wouldn't be a surprise for our guests, whom I enjoy taunting. So, I'll move on.
In honor of the holiday and my discovery of having been linked (when did she do that???), I've borrowed a picture from my friend MQ, who takes some beautiful photos. This one was taken on a trip downtown last year. Even if I didn't take it myself, I was there, which means I was probably her artistic muse, which means that she owes its success all to me, which means that it's probably okay that I borrow the photo for my blog, right? You wouldn't sue me on Christmas, would you, MQ? This shouldn't be construed as a bribe (unless it helps for it to be one!), but I do have presents for you, even if it may not REALLY be Jesus' birthday. Even if it's not, there's good food, fine company AND presents, so I am there!
So, in the spirit of the holiday (and so nobody is brought down by the birthday revelation), Merry Christmas! Here are some holiday stories and links for your enjoyment:
La Befana
The Gift of the Magi
A Child's Christmas in Wales
If I think of any more, I will add them.
Have a Happy Holiday!
M'Tonia
*N.b. Before any Americans-are-better-than-ANYONE reader gets their panties in a wad* (doubtful, since none of the 3 people who read this are that way!) and tells me to back to where I came from (aka North Dakota) if I think it 's so great, the above comments are not to say that all Americans are hillbillies, just that the majority of my father's bloodline is a bit earthy.
Friday, December 23, 2005
A Poem for Christmas Eve Eve
Earth grown old, yet still so green,
Deep beneath her crust of cold
Nurses fire unfelt, unseen:
Earth grown old
We who live are quickly told:
Millions more lie hid between
Inner swathings of her fold.
When will fire break up her screen?
When will life burst thro' her mould?
Earth, earth, earth, thy cold is keen,
Earth grown old.
- Christina Rossetti
Deep beneath her crust of cold
Nurses fire unfelt, unseen:
Earth grown old
We who live are quickly told:
Millions more lie hid between
Inner swathings of her fold.
When will fire break up her screen?
When will life burst thro' her mould?
Earth, earth, earth, thy cold is keen,
Earth grown old.
- Christina Rossetti
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Make it better
When a person attempts to keep abreast of what is going on in the world, it can be all too easy at times to become disheartened by politics, current events and (at this time of year) the blatant consumerism of the holiday season. This weekend I had the opportunity to visit Bridgeport UCC's
annual Mindful Gifts Bazaar and also organize and participate in a local Amnesty International's 2005 Global Write-a-Thon event.
There are people who tend to look at volunteerism as something one does to benefit others. The truth is that it benefits the volunteer as much as it does the cause. As Pollyanaish as it might sound, being around other people who are trying in their own small way to do and be good is inspiring. It reminds a person that no matter how much ugliness and selfishness one sees in the news and in popular culture, there is a significant amount of good in the world.
One of the great things about Mindful Gifts is that it concentrates about 30 non-profits that do a lot of good in our community into one building. Even if a person doesn't want to buy a Guatamalan poncho (or some really lovely photography, handmade soaps, pet supplies, jewelry, books, cds or donation certificates), it is a great places to find out about some of the organizations that work in our community.
For someone like myself, who is a nomadic volunteer in search of an opportunity, it provided a wealth of information on the types of agencies that are out there. As it turns out, there are some really great organizations in the Portland area (and beyond). Organizations that participated in Mindful Gifts included Living Earth, The Pangea Project, POPPA, Wild Cat Haven, and Cat Adoption Team among others including my current favorite Portland area 501(c)(3):
p:ear (program education art recreation), which is an organization that "builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives." One of the really great things that p:ear does is to display the artistic achievements of program participants in the p:ear gallery at First Thursday in The Pearl.
In short, I am really glad that I got to go to the bazaar. It was second in my weekend only to my mother's dramatic debut as Mary in the Bridgeport Build Your Own Christmas Pageant. Watch out Marlene Dietrich, Citizen R is in town!
annual Mindful Gifts Bazaar and also organize and participate in a local Amnesty International's 2005 Global Write-a-Thon event.
There are people who tend to look at volunteerism as something one does to benefit others. The truth is that it benefits the volunteer as much as it does the cause. As Pollyanaish as it might sound, being around other people who are trying in their own small way to do and be good is inspiring. It reminds a person that no matter how much ugliness and selfishness one sees in the news and in popular culture, there is a significant amount of good in the world.
One of the great things about Mindful Gifts is that it concentrates about 30 non-profits that do a lot of good in our community into one building. Even if a person doesn't want to buy a Guatamalan poncho (or some really lovely photography, handmade soaps, pet supplies, jewelry, books, cds or donation certificates), it is a great places to find out about some of the organizations that work in our community.
For someone like myself, who is a nomadic volunteer in search of an opportunity, it provided a wealth of information on the types of agencies that are out there. As it turns out, there are some really great organizations in the Portland area (and beyond). Organizations that participated in Mindful Gifts included Living Earth, The Pangea Project, POPPA, Wild Cat Haven, and Cat Adoption Team among others including my current favorite Portland area 501(c)(3):
p:ear (program education art recreation), which is an organization that "builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives." One of the really great things that p:ear does is to display the artistic achievements of program participants in the p:ear gallery at First Thursday in The Pearl.
In short, I am really glad that I got to go to the bazaar. It was second in my weekend only to my mother's dramatic debut as Mary in the Bridgeport Build Your Own Christmas Pageant. Watch out Marlene Dietrich, Citizen R is in town!
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