Some Quick Press:

So, Lucas Farrell, of alice blue numero 9, & alice blue books (see The Blue-Collar Sun) was selected for inclusion in

Dzanc Books Best of the Web!

Yay. Congratulations Lucas!

I went for a walk to put some time between the long stretches of misery & the other long stretches of misery in working an 8 hour shift and landed myself in Boise's Rose Garden, in Julia Davis Park, and it brought me to more lovelies to add to my "I'M GONNA MISS YOU BOISE" list...

ENTRY 9: The Rose Garden-- even fascinating in winter when there are no petals, just twiggy frames. And the sculpture of the old lady giving the little girl an apple-- both of them in bonnets. And the sculpture garden on the other side.

ENTRY 10: The geese that live in Julia Davis Park year round. It's totally weird to see geese traipsing about in the snow, but they do, they do, they do.

Birthday Festivities

The day of, sure, I had work, then teaching, then a meeting for my thesis, then class. But Friday, it will be epic. Bowling, Thai Food, & Karaoke.

Which brings me to Entry #7: Crickets Karaoke night... even though I haven't been there in several months.

Entry #8: How almost nothing is more than 15 minutes away by bicycle.


...

*Sidenote: Things to look foward to on a return to Washington here. I'm kinda geekin' out about it.

More Strings, Binding

Entry#3: Cheap Movie Tuesday (where I most recently saw MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS for $2)
Entry#4: Harry's (aka Hyde Park Pub, aka Football Sunday, aka ESPN Classic=Creative Breaking championships from 1978-- or some other era where the mullet was popular in martial arts competitions)

Entry#5: Friends. This should go without saying. But, then I realized maybe I just sound like a dick. Hell, even coming in at #5 makes me sorta seem like a dick.

Entry#6: Riding my bike on flat land. (I will still ride my bike when I move back... but all those hills...eegads!)

Things You Realize When--

I just got back from the BAM (Boise Art Museum), where I sometimes take breaks from work. Sitting in a dim log cabin all day often leads to headaches or boredom, so I'll walk across the street & take in some art, & on days like this, sunshine.

But it got me thinking. It hasn't been all bad here, which I already knew but hadn't fully realized. I'm going to miss it, working across the street from the museum. Being able to take 20 minutes out of my work day to go to the museum.

It inspired me to start a list. Things I'm going to miss about Boise.


Entry#1: Working across the street from the art museum.

Entry#2: Blue skies & hard air. It's true, here & now I miss Seattle gray & rain, & that soft wet smell. But, I'm sure there will be days in Seattle when I miss Boise's blue skies.

Things That Happen Internally When You Are Nearing Graduation

It's true. I have several months before I graduate. But, still. I'm strangely unmotivated to do work of any kind, be it classwork, or teaching, or my job.

I probably shouldn't say that but it's true. Right now, I can see in a not too blurry distance, a version of my future & it's very little involved with what is going on in my life right now.

The things I want to do, instead of anything involved with school, includes:

1) reading for pleasure
2) eating &/or cooking
3) going to see movies in the theater
or
4) watching movies at home
5) play board games with friends
6) dance!
7) make lists on blogger
8) ride my bike
9) or go to yoga
10)play with my cat frankie
11) write poems
12) travel (where are the funds!?!)
13) etc


And because I'm procrastination girl today: AMBER

Vampire Diaries

In my netflix, yesterday, I received the film Thirst, a Korean vampire flick from director Chan-Wook Park-- the man who brought us the Vengeance Trilogy (see Oldboy, his most famous, but also Lady Vengeance & Sympathy for Mr. Revenge).

Oldboy is probably the film most notorious for freaking me the fuck out. It was brilliant. Beautifully directed. Incredible performances. Poignant storyline. You know... the kind of film that actually makes you question certain values, or consider where they may be problematized.


So yesterday, I probably should have focused my energies on doing the dishes, or reading student poems, or even reading for my own classes... but I couldn't muster the mental energy after 8 hours in an office answering phones & writing emails. Especially since I had to leave in 2 hours for a blues dancing class. So, I decided to dig my heels in a freaky vampire world...

People who know me may know that I love movies, good or bad, & so watch a lot of them. But, honestly, it had been a while since I'd watched a movie that, from the first hint of song, delicate flutes over a black screen, the first frame of a white wall, its door, the shadow of a barren tree silhouetted, I knew was going to be stunning.

And the movie did not disappoint. The only downfall is the gross-out factor. I don't scare, but I "ew"-- and spewing bloody vomit over & over does leave it's mark. Perfect for the film, & I wish it wouldn't bug me as much as it does, alas...

When the movie was over I went to a blues dancing class. Think Dirty Dancing-- meaning hip to hip with strangers. Some people were fine, with others, less comfortable. Especially when 20 something boys, with a fine layer of sweat, emanating a sweet-rancid stench, start talking about how it's so hard to meet single ladies in Boise. Gag me. Just don't put your slimy mitts on my bra strap again.



***

In other news, I made a randy ginger fried rice last night. It was slammin'...

I've also read the following:

Gilian Conoley, PROFANE HALO
Travis Nichols, IOWA
Shannon Compton, FOR GIRLS & OTHERS


***

But I'm still, as yet, uncompelled to write anything.

But C. McCallister Williams' chap, WILLIAM SHATNER, is in progress. And it's going to be beautiful.