Poetry Prayer #10

I was just idly thinking that a rebirth poem would be good on Easter. I don't know a lot about May Sarton except that she is beloved of people in my homeland. This one....seemed to fit the bill.

The Phoenix again

by May Sarton

 On the ashes of this nest
Love wove with deathly fire
The phoenix takes its rest
Forgetting all desire.

After the flame, a pause,
After the pain, rebirth.
Obeying nature’s laws
The phoenix goes to earth.

You cannot call it old
You cannot call it young.
No phoenix can be told,
This is the end of the song.

It struggles now alone
Against death and self-doubt,
But underneath the bone
The wings are pushing out.

And one cold starry night
Whatever your belief
The phoenix will take flight
Over the seas of grief

To sing her thrilling song
To stars and waves and sky
For neither old nor young
The phoenix does not die.

Tell Me That You Love Me, Yeah!

It's Good Friday. So tell me something good, will you please?

Here, I'll start. Last night I helped a dog be his best self. I was at a friend's birthday cake party and his family dog, about 80 lbs of hound mix, gets super excited when people come over and has a mortal hatred/jealousy of hugging. Using treats and nearly my full attention I was able to get him to come when called, sit, even lie down in the center of the action and wait calmly while we all ate and sang and laughed. Even better than that, when grilled by the grandmothers of the dog I was able to explain why I was doing it, how it worked, and what sort of ongoing results could be expected. Feels like I've actually been able to apply all my learning!

OK, now you go.

While My Dog Yells At Us

Nothing wrong with some random thoughts is there?

* Today I ran into one of our occasional weekend dog walkers. It was the first time we'd talked since he'd last walked Ed. Had to apologize to him. Apparently he showed up and Ed was so happy to see him he went running around on top of all the furniture like a mad man. We had the following embarrassing conversation:

"I thought, 'he's going to bite me.'"

"Did he bring you a bone while he was running?"

"Yeah."

"That's his fail safe. He used to bite me on the hand when I came home and I'd give him a toy to protect myself. So he's trained himself to bring the toy first." [big pause] "So, yeah. Sorry. He was going to bite you." [bigger pause] "But he didn't!"

* Do you like pretty pictures of happy people? Check out Amber's post about why she supports marriage equality. It'll warm your cockles.

* Have you checked out my post about gun regulation lately? We're getting some info and I've learned a lot so far.

* Feministing did a nice translation of SCOTUS thoughts on marriage equality. Yet somehow they manage to end on an up note.

* Karen Walrond took a photography class and her review of it made me fall deeply in love with photographer Brooke Shaden. I can't find prices for Brooke's work. I fear this means I can't afford any of it. I really want a lot of her pieces.

* Here's an important quote from NFL player, Don McPherson. He's talking about the lack of a call for accountability from the Steubenville rapists but he's pointing out that it's part and parcel of an entirely sexist culture. It was similar to something I said a long time ago.

* Speaking of Steubenville, Jane Doe has asked people to come together to support a shelter for female victims of violence. It's going well but we can always do more.

* And, you know, while we're on the subject let's note that a hacker got 41 months for stealing emails. That is significantly longer than the Steubenville rapists were sentenced to. It might be the time to ask ourselves why. Is money more important than people...if those people have vaginas?

* One more on this subject. From personal experience I want to urge you to assume that when you talk about this rape, or any rape, that at least 3 people in your acquaintance will have been through something similar. They may not want to talk about it but they are there. Keep them in your heart when you form your opinions on the subject.

*Here, let's talk about something else. Look at this amazing paper art. I sort of wish I had the patience for that sort of work.

* I'm not hard core selling the Listen To Your Mother thing because people keep mistaking the date as March instead of MAY. In April I'll begin my stronger pitch. Tickets are on sale, though. You could buy tickets if you wanted...for May 12th at 5pm at Symphony Space. They're cheaper if you buy them before the day of. If you're not close enough to come to the one I'm reading in you might be close to another production. You should go to that one. You'll be glad you did.

Photo Challenge: FORTUNE

This prompt was hard. I'll admit that. Look at how cool the results are, though! (Please comment, please check out our Flickr Pool, please scroll down for the next prompt!)

Perhaps it's on the nose but this shot by Our Janet made me feel as though I'd chosen the right prompt.

Yeah, sometimes tweens can be a little much but when you love them (as I love this one) they're hilarious! (Note: We need to practice our bowling more often.)

Our Ana uses some special magic to make this shot feel delicious. Maybe she'll teach me her ways.

I think that Our Cindy creates good fortune wherever she goes. In this case it was a multi-birthday family outing. They're all lucky to have her.

Is it the Wizard of Oz thing that makes a young girl in red shoes seem like she has the whole world rolling out in front of her, ready for conquering? Maybe Our Bethany knows.

Our Lisa thought this prompt was especially hard then she came up with this capture of Bacchus. Perfection, right?

So often I explain how the prompts come to me. I feel like I owe you that. Sometimes it's utterly inexplicable, though. Next prompt is BASK/TASK. Go to town on it!

Please enter by 9am Tuesday April 9th for posting on April 10th. Tag your photos with PHOTO CHALLENGE and BASK/TASK. Check out the wonderful work in our Flickr Pool for inspiration. Also, let me know if you have questions.

**********

The New York City Listen To Your Mother Show is happening on May 12, 2013 at 5pm at Symphony Space. Ticket and venue information can be found here. I hope to see you there! If you aren't close to this show please check this site to see if there is a LTYM show near you.

The Time To Treat Has Come

If you've been reading along you know that it's been a veterinarily heavy couple of weeks over here. Last night I walked over to pick up the complete records for all the pets and say a subtle but clear goodbye to the receptionist at my old vet, who is the only person from that building I'll miss. He was, as usual, perfectly polite and nice about the whole thing. I left feeling, of all things, lucky. I'm really lucky. I have enough money to pay for the care my pets have needed thus far (who cares if I may have to do some creative financial footwork to get my bifocals). I was able to find a new vet who makes me feel comfortable. I have a plan of action now that actually paints a picture of Elvis as more healthy than I've thought he would ever be. Traditionally after these annual visits I feel ramped up, inspired to redouble my efforts to give this cat one more decent year before his inevitable tumble into the grave. There are usually tears. This year is so different. He will likely gain some weight back. He will likely be calmer and less confrontational. He will likely feel better all around and that is all I've ever truly wanted for him.

Some folks have not been so lucky this week.

So today I wanted to do a Treats for Everyone post for them. I don't have pictures of the pets I'm going to tell you about so I'll substitute some others. I'm sure you'll understand.

Last night my friend, L, in New Mexico made the impossible choice and let go of her dog, Deoge. He put in 13 years of service to her family but his body was breaking down and he wasn't enjoying life any more. They made a decision for him, not for themselves, and it sucked donkey balls. (She hasn't said that in so many words yet but I feel comfortable anticipating her reaction.) She has a few other furry tyrants to console her but the whole machine of their home is changed now. Godspeed Deoge, thanks for everything.

Blogger Rita Arens lost a beloved long time cat a few months ago. Shortly after that she went to a shelter with her daughter to adopt another cat and came home with two. Yesterday, after an agonizing couple of weeks with astronomical levels of veterinary intervention, her family came to the conclusion that they were not going to be able to save one of these new additions, Sir Charles Buttonsworth. She is, predictably, devastated. There's too soon and then there's holy shit too fucking soon! This scenario is definitely the latter. Safe travels, Buttonsworth, thank you for using the time you had so wisely.

If you're new here you may not know of our tradition. When a pet dies we can't soften that blow. Instead we have a specific way of paying things forward. We give our remaining pets a lot of treats just for being there. "Good napping." "Nice begging." "Thank you for breathing your stinking fish breath up my nose." Tonight we distribute treats. For everyone. Please join us.

Many Hands, Light Work, Go Boom

During the first burst of post-Newtown gun regulation chatter I got into a conversation with my one vocal pro-gun (not sure that's a perfect description but I do think it's accurate) reader, Our Laura (aka Falnfenix). She linked a few articles for me, which she does on occasion, and I wound up asking about gun registration laws. I felt as though I needed to have a better handle on what the registration rules were in order to continue speaking intelligently on the topic. Our Laura then made what might have seemed like an offhand promise that turned out to be the work of a dissertation, she said she'd pull together that information and get it to me.

To be clear, gun registration is regulated by the states so "that information" is 50 states worth of research. She checks in with me periodically, promising to keep going. Last night she sent me the laws for MD (I'll paste them in below) and I, finally, had a good idea.

This is a lot of work for one person to do if they aren't doing it as a full time job. It's a lot of work for a few people to do. However, if we didn't ask for help that would be stupid, right? So I'm asking here (and Our Laura will ask in her places) if anyone would be willing to look into the laws in their own state. I'll do NY and I may do MI for good measure, since I did live there once and I don't know that I have any readers from that state, and if I get on a roll I may do more. If you can distill what you learn into a paragraph like Laura's (below) then I'll put up a post with all our paragraphs. You can give us the heads up that you're doing a state by saying so in comments below. I believe we can get this information on the internet and without too much difficulty.

We probably won't get information on all 50 states but if we got half or even a third of them that feels like a good enough cross section for discussion to me. I don't know about any of the rest of you but, while I have a well formed opinion of what I think gun regulation should look like, I am not well enough informed about what the regulations look like now and the one isn't as useful as it could be without the other.

Thank you, Laura, for getting this ball rolling. Thank you, everyone else, in advance for your enthusiasm and assistance!

Our Laura on MD:

"The AR15 is considered a restricted firearm, and as such it requires at least a NICS check before it's sold to a buyer.  a NICS check is an instant check with the FBI.  there is paperwork associated with this, and a quick background check.  some states require more information than that - Maryland is one of them.  we have an 8-10 day minimum wait while our state police perform a full background check (this goes for all pistol transfers, as well).  the rules about second-hand sales are muddy, though.  each state is different.  some allow face-to-face sales, others require a transfer be performed by the state police or an FFL holder.  Maryland is a state that requires all transfers of restricted firearms go through the Maryland police.  transfers from out-of-state must go through an FFL.  Maryland residents may not go out-of-state for pistol and other restricted firearm purchases.  we may go out of state for other rifles and shotguns.  i don't know anyone who will sell a long gun to a stranger, as they want to cover their posteriors."

Poetry Prayer #9

Yesterday Scalzi tweeted that the following poem and set of lyrics put him in the same place emotionally. I'm not sure they do that for me but I'd never read the cummings and I love the lyrics and I can see a connection. I thought you'd like to see them together.

anyone lived in a pretty how town
by e.e. cummings

anyone lived in a pretty how town

(with up so floating many bells down)

spring summer autumn winter

he sang his didn’t he danced his did.

Women and men(both little and small)

cared for anyone not at all

they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same

sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few

and down they forgot as up they grew

autumn winter spring summer)

that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf

she laughed his joy she cried his grief

bird by snow and stir by still

anyone’s any was all to her

someones married their everyones

laughed their cryings and did their dance

(sleep wake hope and then)they

said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon

(and only the snow can begin to explain

how children are apt to forget to remember

with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess

(and noone stooped to kiss his face)

busy folk buried them side by side

little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep

and more by more they dream their sleep

noone and anyone earth by april

wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)

summer autumn winter spring

reaped their sowing and went their came

sun moon stars rain

 

Fields of Gold

by Sting

 

    You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold

So she took her love
For to gaze awhile
Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me, will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold

See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
Among the fields of gold
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold 

 **********

The New York City Listen To Your Mother Show is happening on May 12, 2013 at 5pm at Symphony Space. Ticket and venue information can be found here. I hope to see you there! If you aren't close to this show please check this site to see if there is a LTYM show near you. 

anyone lived in a pretty how town (with up so floating many bells down) spring summer autumn winter he sang his didn't he danced his did Women and men(both little and small) cared for anyone not at all they sowed their isn't they reaped their same sun moon stars rain children guessed(but only a few and down they forgot as up they grew autumn winter spring summer) that noone loved him more by more when by now and tree by leaf she laughed his joy she cried his grief bird by snow and stir by still anyone's any was all to her someones married their everyones laughed their cryings and did their dance (sleep wake hope and then)they said their nevers they slept their dream stars rain sun moon (and only the snow can begin to explain how children are apt to forget to remember with up so floating many bells down) one day anyone died i guess (and noone stooped to kiss his face) busy folk buried them side by side little by little and was by was all by all and deep by deep and more by more they dream their sleep noone and anyone earth by april wish by spirit and if by yes. Women and men(both dong and ding) summer autumn winter spring reaped their sowing and went their came sun moon stars rain - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15403#sthash.UCM0FZnq.dpuf

anyone lived in a pretty how town (with up so floating many bells down) spring summer autumn winter he sang his didn't he danced his did Women and men(both little and small) cared for anyone not at all they sowed their isn't they reaped their same sun moon stars rain children guessed(but only a few and down they forgot as up they grew autumn winter spring summer) that noone loved him more by more when by now and tree by leaf she laughed his joy she cried his grief bird by snow and stir by still anyone's any was all to her someones married their everyones laughed their cryings and did their dance (sleep wake hope and then)they said their nevers they slept their dream stars rain sun moon (and only the snow can begin to explain how children are apt to forget to remember with up so floating many bells down) one day anyone died i guess (and noone stooped to kiss his face) busy folk buried them side by side little by little and was by was all by all and deep by deep and more by more they dream their sleep noone and anyone earth by april wish by spirit and if by yes. Women and men(both dong and ding) summer autumn winter spring reaped their sowing and went their came sun moon stars rain - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15403#sthash.UCM0FZnq.dpuf

anyone lived in a pretty how town

  by E. E. Cummings

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15403#sthash.UCM0FZnq.dpuf

anyone lived in a pretty how town

  by E. E. Cummings

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15403#sthash.UCM0FZnq.dpuf

anyone lived in a pretty how town

  by E. E. Cummings

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15403#sthash.UCM0FZnq.dpuf

anyone lived in a pretty how town

  by E. E. Cummings

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15403#sthash.UCM0FZnq.dpuf

This Is The Definition Of A Saga

To all of you who are shepherding health challenged family members (including yourselves) through the world I want to say, bless you. I don't know how you do it. I have been at the vet all freaking day. I just put in a load of laundry but that is, truly, the only other thing of worth I've managed. For posterity, here's the rundown.

Tuesday I had a conversation with the receptionist at the Old Vet (hereafter OV) and requested that a. Elvis's records be sent to the Veterinary Cardiac Specialist (VCS) for our Friday appointment and b. he make a copy of our records so I could have them for my files. He was going to be out on Wednesday but would have them ready for me to pick up on Thursday evening.

Thursday evening I arrived at 6:25pm and the place was closed, the gates were down, and no one was there. I was angry. Too angry, in fact, to even call and leave a message.

This morning at 9:45 I went to OV, saw a different receptionist who had clearly been briefed that I would arrive, however, the records had not been copied. I waited for copies. They reassured me that everything had been sent to the VCS. I resolved never to bring an animal back to them.

At 10:15 I surprised the cat and crammed him into his carrier and met my neighbor in the courtyard and she dropped me off at the VCS. My first question for VCS was who she recommended as a primary vet because we were changing vets. She did an exam and an EKG for Elvis. Normal resting heart rate for cats is around 140 beats per minute, stressed is around 180. He's around 240. So she prescribe Atenelol to reduce his heart rate. She then said to go to regular vet and get the thyroid under control, once that's done we'll wean him off this med. He should not take his current medication any more. In fact, the benefits of that med are only theoretical, he probably would have been just fine all this while without it. (GAH!) We talked about regular vets and, while she cannot officially give me a recommendation, when I asked about a vet I was interested in she lit up and said she worked with him often. So, while I was waiting for my bill I called and made an appointment with New Old Vet (NOV) for 4pm.

Took a car service home. Great guy. Cheap rates. Came when he said. It's called Express 11. Love them!

3:20 I was peeing and the cat came in and investigated his carrier. I tried to take advantage of the situation and sneak him in there and slam the door but, seated with pants around my ankles left me at a disadvantage (go on, laugh, it was hilarious) and I lost the battle. I did a lot of wandering around the house pretending I wasn't paying attention but he wasn't fooled. I wound up chasing him down and barely corralling him on top of the love seat. That sounds like a brilliant approach to an animal with a stressed heart, doesn't it? Went out to meet a different kindly neighbor who drove us to NOV.

NOV office is sort of shabby home-like. Receptionist was lovely. Vet tech also. I had to call OV because when they copied the records they didn't include a. any of Elvis's records before this year or b. his rabies proof. I was stern but polite and I didn't say in so many words I was firing them. If they can't figure it out by now they're dumber than I thought and that is....let's just say terrifying. Had them fax rabies proof and asked to have a copy of the rest of Elvis's records ready for me to pick up tomorrow.  Such a fucking relief to see NOV. He is as fantabulous as I remember if not more so. Why didn't  I go back sooner? Gave him my spiel. He talked me through a medical intervention for Elvis's thyroid. I asked about the radiation cure and we talked about that but found that the medication was probably more time and cost effective given Elvis's lifestyle. So off we went with new meds, new vet, and a sort of spring in our step.

Second neighbor had kindly agreed to drive me home, too, so that was awesome. And she brought donuts!

In a month Elvis goes back to NOV to have his thyroid levels checked. Once his thyroid levels stabilize (normal is 0.4-0.8, his are 5.9, we're working to get them down below 2.5) we call the VCS and she helps us wean him off the heart medication. In 6 months he goes back to VCS for another EKG to be sure his heart isn't more damaged and is responding as we suspect. He lives a life with once a day meds and with every expectation of being perfectly fine. He may even gain back some of his weight and he'll surely feel better.

So, end result is that I actually feel better about his health now than I have in years. None of this is a death sentence, just an annoyance. Everybody likes him and thinks he's in a good place.

Whew?

**********

The New York City Listen To Your Mother Show is happening on May 12, 2013 at 5pm at Symphony Space. Ticket and venue information can be found here. I hope to see you there! If you aren't close to this show please check this site to see if there is a LTYM show near you.

Somewhere Out There

Today I wrote over at Kizz & Tell about tactile issues. If you're new around here or there please be advised that Kizz & Tell is a site about sex and sexuality. If you're uncomfortable with knowing about me in relation to those things then it's best for you not to read it. Otherwise, though, come sit by me and start a conversation!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Drama

These photos are a dramatic re-enactment of my and Steph's childhood. I don't know if it's legal or not but there are some fields a short distance from the Bee's house where people let their dogs run off leash. One way to get to them is to walk through the playground of a very old and popular pre-school. I went there, that's how old it is. Steph went there, too, many years after I did. In front of the school are sturdy little benches and that's where you sat while you waited for someone to pick you up when the day was done. I logged a lot of time on those benches because my mother had a rep for being late. Really late.

The day after Christmas Steph and I took a walk in the fields so Eddie could be off leash for a bit. On our way back to the car we decided to recreate our pre-school waiting time with our dogs. I think Charlie and Eddie look hilarious. I also think our moms would get a laugh out of the whole ridiculous project.

Go To Your Happy Place

Given the day...given the times...given my heart...

10 Things That Are Good

1. These fabulous photos of older people wearing vegetation. I want Lily Pad Lady to be my grandmother. It's a toss up whether Rhubarb Lady or Twig Lady is my favorite.

2. Grumpy Cat is apparently not a fan of The Big Bang Theory.

3. A woman stopped me on the street today to ask about my dog. She insists that Eddie looks exactly like a dog she rescued when her son was three. She took a picture of Ed to text to her now 19-year-old son at college.

4. The dream sequence from Fiddler on the Roof can cure a lot of ills.

5. One of my favorite Carol Burnett Show sketches. The noise Conway makes when he imitates the siamese elephant never fails to destroy me.

6. Photos of Valerie Harper.

7. Eddie Izzard on cake (or death).

8. The book Vaclav and Lena is an absolute delight. It won't take you long to read it.

9. The art that people have submitted for Neil Gaiman's Blackberry Keep Moving project is soothing to the soul. I especially like the ones for July because there are a lot of books.

10. While out walking with Sara this evening I stumbled upon a fancy candy store within walking distance of my house. Suddenly I have a reason to walk all the way to Franklin Avenue. Mmmm, candy.

A Day To Remember

We had expected a party at a local business but things hadn't seemed to come together. Exhausted from our dog costuming adventures (100 contestants! Hundreds of dollars worth of prizes! Fun for everyone!) we simply didn't have it in us to adjourn to another venue so we plopped onto the steps of the school across the street. Five adults, two kids, two dogs, a few beers, some snacks, and a bellyful of camaraderie.

We didn't do anything special or exciting. Alex punished Eddie for barking at him by taking him on a short bike ride that they both seemed to enjoy. The kids ate pizza. Eddie shoved Becky over so he could fall asleep on her coat. Kath served cheese and crackers and chips with pineapple salsa. Alex balanced his phone on Bobby's head and Alita filmed it. No doubt at some point MAB talked in funny voices. We made some jokes and talked about some stuff and sipped our beers. When someone coined the phrase "hang out" they had this in mind.

 It was glorious. For weeks I kept thinking back on it as such a nice time. Then recently I finally made my way up to these pictures in my processing and I fell in love with the memory all over again. When I look back on this neighborhood and this time in my life it's this kind of afternoon that will stick with me. Man, I hope it will, because it was perfect.

Today there's a lot of chatter on the internet about the verdict in the Steubenville rape case. There should be, it's important. Without delving very far into the controversy you'll find people villifying both sides.

The sentence that keeps getting the neon light chaser in my mind, though, is, "We've failed." We really have, as a society, completely failed if a room full of kids can feel comfortable saying things like, "I didn't realize it was rape." when they're watching an unconscious person stripped naked, digitally penetrated, photographed, and threatened. We created a place for them where it is plausible that they are fully ignorant of what rape is and that they are in no way compelled to step in and help the person being abused. That's such a colossal failure I'm having some trouble grasping the work ahead to make sure this never happens again.

I keep going back to these pictures and the memories of this day because it was a day when, in my little corner of the world at least, we succeeded. We modeled responsible drinking, respectful discourse, and good, clean fun. We instagrammed and tweeted photos that didn't endanger or embarrass anyone. We encouraged the kids to create their own art and trusted them to make good decisions about that. Granted those kids are younger than the ones we're talking about in Steubenville but a stitch in time saves nine and all.

 I feel confident that these particular kids will know what rape is when they see it. I feel confident that they will not grow up to rape. I hope that they will grow up to be brave and strong enough to intervene and get help when they see someone being harmed in any way. I hope against hope that they will never have a misstep of their own exploited to the extent that Jane Doe's was. There is, of course, only one way to find out. We'll have to keep spending days with them, keep listening, keep watching, keep talking, and hope that it's enough.

Is it ever enough?

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The New York City Listen To Your Mother Show is happening on May 12, 2013 at 5pm at Symphony Space. Ticket and venue information can be found here. I hope to see you there! If you aren't close to this show please check this site to see if there is a LTYM show near you.

Poetry Prayer #8

It's St. Patrick's Day but it's also the anniversary of my maternal grandfather's birthday. He was Scottish. So today there are 2 poems. One by James Joyce and one by Robert Burns. I think they go pretty well together.

Lightly Come or Lightly Go

by James Joyce

Lightly come or lightly go:
Though thy heart presage thee woe,
Vales and many a wasted sun,
Oread let thy laughter run,
Till the irreverent mountain air
Ripple all thy flying hair.

Lightly, lightly -- - ever so:
Clouds that wrap the vales below
At the hour of evenstar
Lowliest attendants are;
Love and laughter song-confessed
When the heart is heaviest. 

Epitaph on William Muir
by Robert Burns


An HONEST man here lies at rest,
As e'er God with his image blest; 
the friend of man, the friend of truth,
The friend of age, and guide of youth:
Few hearts like his, with virtue warm'd,
Few heads with knowledge so informed;
If there is another world, he lives in bliss;
If there is none, he made the best of this.

For The Record, Pets Are Expensive

I am always amazed by how wonderful it is to have a blog as a place to record things that you think you might need to look up later. This is one of those things. I'll make it as funny as possible but it's a pretty regular kind of thing.

Today I took all three pets to the vet. The funniest thing about that is this picture. The last time I did that I strapped the cats in their carrier to a set of luggage wheels and, within steps of the apartment, dumped them off the side of it where they rolled over a couple of times on the pavement. Not ideal. So this year I borrowed a Little Red Wagon. It worked out really nicely and made me the weird thing everyone in my neighborhood saw this morning that gave them a good giggle. (Man: "You have a dog and a cat?" Me: "No. I have a dog and two cats." and then my dog started barking at him.) The dog did not ride the whole way, he walked and then I got him to jump in briefly while we waited for the joint to open.

After all was said and done it turns out that I didn't bring Anna last year. I'm really surprised by that. I was certain but there are no records in their system or mine so I have to believe it. This time everyone got the once over.

We did senior blood work on both cats which is regular blood work plus thyroid. Anna got 3 in 1 vaccine and a 3 year rabies. The possible kidney abnormality that they thought she might have last time wasn't corroborated. Aside from her teeth she seems to be in great health. Her teeth aren't even in a bad enough place to chip the tartar off. She ought to have a cleaning but, given Pinto's untimely death and Elvis's heart condition, I'm not comfortable having her sedated.

Eddie got a 3 year rabies (finally!), 4 in 1 vaccine, and blood work. He's gained a pound which I'm surprised by and not thrilled by but it's not a huge deal. He really hated everything about the visit. We were at least able to avoid having him taken in the back for any of the testing or blood taking since I think that contributes to his freaking out. I was advised that he probably ought to get bordatella and the canine flu vaccines but I'm not convinced. Anyone have any opinions on those? His heartworm test came back negative and we have a year's worth of that. I have some literature to look at but I haven't gotten to it yet. He was also given a portable water bowls to avoid the contamination of public ones and a light for his collar.

Elvis got the 3 in 1. His rabies is good through 2015. They took urine from him. He seems in decent health for the most part. She was going to chip the tartar off his teeth but I forgot to check. She didn't do it in front of me. He's not a candidate for a "professional" cleaning because his heart and sedation are a bad match. The big attraction for this visit, of course, was the aforementioned heart. Sadly his ultrasound wasn't good. His heart is showing some thickening compared to last year. The doctor found his heart beat to be high for a cat who wasn't struggling (I'm skeptical of that since he had been well freaked out by then and might have just gone limp in the face of too much terror). He also heard more than one instance of arhythmia. This will mean a confirming echocardiogram (I'm going to guess approximately $400) in another visit (what? $55?) at a different place (additional costs?) because the place down the road doesn't do this kind of thing. Once we have those results his medication will likely change.

On Monday (or Tuesday, she warned) the vet will call me with blood results on everyone, fecal results on Ed, and the info on next steps for Elvis.

So, you know, let's just say that it's a good thing I refinanced my mortgage, 'cause I'm going to need all the money I can get to pay for this.

Oh Starred File, I Will Miss You

Google announced on Wednesday that, as of July 1st, they will discontinue their RSS Reader with no product to replace it. That may just be a bunch of English words that don't mean anything to some of you. It's kind of a pain in the patoot for me because that's a way I learn a lot of the stuff that's important to me and that I pass on to you. There are alternatives in the works, I'm told, but I'm going to wait a while to make any changes so I can hear some researched reviews. We've got until July 1st so, while we wait, I thought a starred file post was in order.

If you don't look at Advanced Style very often you should go check in. This woman from yesterday's entry is delightful. I won't even spoil the punchline of her story so you can go read it.

You wouldn't think that floor plans of fictional places would be so fascinating but look at these for some classic TV shows. I pored over them like I was about to take out a mortgage!

In the middle of this Gothamist post is a "quick and easy" way to fix your credit score. Might as well try it!

I am not surprised in the least that this sign is on a German Shepherd. I am, however, a little surprised that this dog, who is blind, got this sign.

Here is some eye candy for the man and dog lovers amongst you!

This is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. I may already have mentioned it. Our Janet wrote a post about it that and, since she's a survivor, you might want to heed her advice.

Did you hear about the game designer dad whose daughter wanted to be a princess and kill the bad guy?

The fact that Michael Vick had to cancel his book signing tour is not of that much interest. The fact that we, as a society, are in a place where there's a viable financial reason to publish a book by this...guy is interesting. Mostly because I want to figure out how to fix it!

I could be sharing this other Advanced Style entry because I want to learn to dress like this woman but I'm not. I'm sharing it because of the story of how he got the picture. Read the description and then ask yourself, am I both that patient and that brave? I am not. I want to be.

Here is a post about how South Dakota is extending its already 72-hour waiting period for an abortion (I wish I had the relevant stats on the state's gun purchase waiting law, if any, to put up beside this). I'm posting it on the day it was announced that North Dakota is making abortions after 6 weeks (well before many women know they're pregnant) illegal. Lizz Winstead explains, "This is all happening because in the Casey v Planned Parenthood ruling, the Supreme court allowed states to chip away at Roe as long as there was no "Undue Burden" on the woman. You tell me what defines undue burden. It is astounding. If people organized and should their state legislators, who are far more threatened by constituents that if they continue this shitwitterey they will be tossed out, they will take notice. ORGANIZE LOCALLY FOLKS! Educate yourselves on the laws being passed in your state, who is pushing for them and target your focus. Part of the A IS FOR mission is to create and keep current a one stop map so you can go there and get answers as to what laws are being passed in your state and by whom as well as who is organizing so you can join the fight. PLEASE help us help all of you take this on locally. It is where we will win!! DONATE A is For"

I am not a weekend home kind of person. I am not above temptation, though. These little spots on an old Catskills resort for under $12,000 (some well under) took me away like Calgon.  


I'm having a lot of trouble reading anything about the Steubenville rape case. I am so glad it's deepening the conversation on what sort of anti rape education we should be working on . (Hint: teaching girls how not to be raped = bad, teaching boys how not to rape = good) Here are some of the early words of Zerlina Maxwell, a rape survivor, who has been featured prominently in the coverage of the case. The response to her words is as disturbing as the fact that she has to say them. 

There is so much to feel about this tattoo. I am feeling all of it. 

In that same vein, if you haven't seen this short clip (I'm actually linking to a series of GIFs rather than the clip but you get the idea) of a long, interesting art/performance piece you should gift the time to yourself. You deserve it. There's a lot in it to think about. 

And finally, some TV stuff to end with because I love TV. If you love Parenthood you will love this. If you love Friday Night Lights you will love this. If you love both you will fall over dead from a glut of love in your system and you will never be revived but you will go to a heaven where Sara Braverman finally marries Tim Riggins and Mrs. Coach serves canapes to Grampa Zeke at the reception.

Eliminate The Negative

I do better with my dog when we're in training. You'd think we would just train all the time. I have some skills and I could put them to use, say, 6 days a week in the comfort of our own environs. As with a lot of things the accountability is important for me. Even if I take a class once a month, the fact that I have to show results helps with my consistency. When you're training a dog you can't just cram all the work into the night before. There are not enough colored pens in the world to fake this particular homework journal. No matter what kind of class I take I usually learn one over-arching lesson about my work in the process along with the specific lessons we're there to take in. That's the part that's priceless. We took six classes last month and I worried about how much money that cost, even though I knew it was good for Eddie. I wondered if I shouldn't have spread that money out over a longer period so we'd always be accountable. I didn't, though, so what's done is done and what that intense work got for me was an interesting lesson.

I told you about finding out that Eddie could catch in the last session of our recent tricks class. Though we didn't wind up exactly needing her the exercise called for two handlers per dog. Once the dog understood that the treat was going to be awesome and that someone would be giving them a pretty unlimited amount of that awesome the trick was not to let them get a treat unless they caught it. No letting it land on the ground and then hoovering it up. One person to toss and the other person to use the leash to keep the dog from scarfing up something that was dropped. The idea here is to highlight and reward only the right choice by the dog. You just don't let them do the thing that's the wrong choice and, eventually (usually), they make an independent decision to do the thing you're hoping for.

Meanwhile back at home I've been trying to get Ed to jump up on a chair in the entryway to get his leash and clothing on or off when we go out. He's short, I'm bundled up, it's a pain to bend all the way over and scramble on the ground and he's a good jumper so it's not physically a problem for him. For a while he did it but he doesn't love leaving the house and he hates having all the clothing on as much as he hates being cold and the training was going poorly. I'd tried really good treats and waiting him out but after a few sessions of sweltering in my own outerwear while standing stock still next to a chair I gave up. I got sick of tromping across my (not at all) clean floors in my dirty winter foot gear to take off Ed's layers so for a while now, I wish I could tell you how long but I don't know, it might be measured in months but probably weeks, I've just held on to the leash while I lock the door so he can't get far and then I heave him up into the chair so I don't have to crouch down in my own seventeen layers to disrobe him. It was kind of a blow to me because I was so proud of the fact that I'd trained him to sit at the door and wait for me to unlock and open it before going in and I had to give up proving my winnery on that front every day but it was better than the fucking Amazing Chase all the time. Eventually, bored of waiting for me and unable to go elsewhere to make trouble, Ed would jump into the chair and be there waiting for me when I was ready. (You probably know where this is going now but I, of course, did not.)

Coming home from that last tricks class (and our first teeters class as well) that night I noticed that the leash didn't go taut before he jumped into the chair. Over the course of about a week I've kept an eye out and it never does. He's choosing, of his own accord, to get into the chair and wait until I get his stuff off and reward him lavishly for the privilege. Yesterday I was even bold enough to drop the leash as we came in. I dropped it gingerly and silently and with great trepidation but I did it and he came through!

The light bulb finally went off for me. The other half of offering the right choice is eliminating the wrong one. Why would I be surprised that he doesn't do something I need him to do if I know he's not a fan and I'm allowing him the opportunity to do something else? Why would it ever be a good idea to set him up to, in essence, fail?

I really think this is going to make me better at this game. Eventually I'm going to win more of these than he does.

Eventually.

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The New York City Listen To Your Mother Show is happening on May 12, 2013 at 5pm at Symphony Space. Ticket and venue information can be found here. I hope to see you there! If you aren't close to this show please check this site to see if there is a LTYM show near you.

Photo Challenge: LION/LAMB

This one was tough. Tougher to choose what to use than to find photos that fit. That was a surprise. We've got some goodies. Scroll down for new prompt and please, please, please love on these contributors.

This is from Our Cindy's visit to New York City last summer. The moment I saw it I missed her acutely.

Earlier this year Our Lisa live tweeted a run where she accidentally dressed inappropriately and nearly got frostbite. This photo makes me think that her excursions are getting safer.

Please welcome our newest member Summer Haze aka Ana! I have known her since she was a baby and I'm so glad to have her here. You should check out her Flickr stream.

I felt like this one, of Alex, was a nice complement to Our Cindy's library lion. Pretty sure he wasn't actually annoyed, just yanking my chain.

UPDATED: So you can see how strict I am about deadlines and stuff.

We didn't have a lamb represented so when Our Janet entered this one this morning I thought, what the hey, I'm flexible, right? Yes I am! Oh shut it.

There are many reasons I didn't become an elementary school teacher. One of them is that I'd be freaking baffled by coming up with a new bulletin board theme every couple of weeks. I went down a slightly windy St. Patrick's Day road to come up with our next prompt. It's FORTUNE. Can't wait to see what you all come up with for that!

Please enter by 9am Tuesday March 26th for posting on March 27th. Tag your photos with PHOTO CHALLENGE and FORTUNE. Check out the wonderful work in our Flickr Pool for inspiration. Also, let me know if you have questions.

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The New York City Listen To Your Mother Show is happening on May 12, 2013 at 5pm at Symphony Space. Ticket and venue information can be found here. I hope to see you there! If you aren't close to this show please check this site to see if there is a LTYM show near you.

A Casual Greeting

I bought the gift card on Sunday. Felt pretty good about that. Wished I'd done it on Thursday but, what can you do? Just your best! I planned to mail the card yesterday. It would be late but not too late. I could live with it. I forgot to bring the card to work and by evening I was caught up in other things, it just didn't happen. This morning I remembered to put the card in my bag and, at the last second, remembered to use my walk to the train for a phone call.

It's my mom's birthday today. She's 37. If you're dyslexic.

When I gave her an enthusiastic "Happy Birthday!" she was a little off. She'd forgotten entirely that it's her birthday. They have a lot of March birthdays in her workplace and they're celebrating them at one big party next Monday so it wasn't on her radar. She thought I was calling to tell her something horrible about a family friend who is having surgery next week.

Once we got that cleared up she told me she's planning to live to 150. She doesn't actually want to live to 150 but she can't take thinking of life in terms of a decade so she's going to plan on 150 and just take one day at a time toward that goal. It's just so crazy is might work!

Happy birthday mom! Don't be mad when I don't call next Monday.

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The New York City Listen To Your Mother Show is happening on May 12, 2013 at 5pm at Symphony Space. Ticket and venue information can be found here. I hope to see you there! If you aren't close to this show please check this site to see if there is a LTYM show near you.

And I Liked Cats!

Some time back in the 80s SNL did a sketch that was a parody of a commercial for a Broadway show. I believe it includes the line, "I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats! I'd see it again and again." Well, that sketch was based on, as far as I can deduce, two separate commercials. One had several people talking and they actually said the things in the sketch but weren't all spoken by one person. The other one was a straight shot of a fabulous older lady (think the Where's the Beef? lady but more New York) coming out of a showing of the revival of Grand Hotel (RIP Michael Jeter) and saying that it was so good she'd see it twice more. Twice more! She was very specific.

The phrase, "I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats!" is now used by a lot of people to describe things they love, especially theatreish things. Since I had recently moved to NYC when the commercial aired and was never a loyal SNL watcher I was hoping that, with the help of crowd sourcing, I could find it on You Tube or something as a funny tag to my post about our first Listen To Your Mother rehearsal. It turns out that almost everyone I know knows what I'm talking about but the internet will not cough up the original commercial so you're not getting a very funny old video today, sorry.

You will get at least that level of excitement, though.

I was really glad that the first rehearsal for LTYM was so close to the casting announcement. It felt like keeping up some kind of momentum after the anxiety of auditioning and the thrill of getting the phone call. Whittled down from around 80 hopefuls we are now a group of just over 20. What a group it is, too.

This one woman does her piece like....wait, I don't want to give that away.

OK, I was sitting next to a woman who wrote about taking her ki.....nope, that's too spoilery, too.

There was a funny one, though, where the one guy...you know what?  No. I can't.

What we did yesterday was sit in a big circle and introduce ourselves without saying anything about the piece we'd been chosen to read. Then we read our stories in the tentative order arranged by Amy. She didn't want us to give anything away because she wanted each story to be fresh for the room as it will be for our public audience. It was such a profound experience to never know what sort of door each voice was going to open that I want that for all of you, too.

On the other hand I want to say something to entice you to come, don't I? The best way I can say it without giving away the milk for free is to talk about style. It's not a huge group of people but there were such a wide variety of styles in that small, nervous room I was amazed. Styles of dress, of speaking, of writing, of interacting, of creating families, of owning space in the world. It feels really lucky to have a seat in that circle and maybe like it's a lot to live up to. I can do it but I'm going to need to bring my A game to honor the bravery of this collection of human beings, for sure.

The other thing that I want to tell you is that we're not in the theatre I thought we were in. Last year the performance was in a lecture hall that seats about 250 people and they sold out before they even had a chance to encourage people to come. I'm pretty sure I only got a ticket because when they had a few cancellations closer to the performance date I was buying a single ticket. After that experience I was somewhat shy about encouraging my people to come because I figured the other readers had family in town or kids who would want to hear about themselves or mothers to honor and I'd be ok giving up that space. However, in hopes of having enough room for everyone who wants to come this year the LTYM-NYC production team decided to move to the big time, the Peter Jay Sharp Theater, which seats over 700 people.

Which is to say, there will be room for you. I hope you'll come because this show? I've seen it and, I tell you, I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats!

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The New York City Listen To Your Mother Show is happening on May 12, 2013 at 5pm at Symphony Space. Ticket and venue information can be found here. I hope to see you there! If you aren't close to this show please check this site to see if there is a LTYM show near you.

Poetry Prayer #7

I went to a birthday party yesterday for a fabulous 10-year-old. She had a muppet theme and the whole thing was spectacular. From a puppet making station to Piiiiiiiiiigs in Spaaaaaaaaaace (Blankets) every detail was perfect. So in her honor I give you this for our poetry today.


Theme to The Muppet Show

It's time to play the music
It's time to light the lights
It's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight.

It's time to put on makeup
It's time to dress up right
It's time to raise the curtain on the Muppet Show tonight.

Why do we always come here
I guess we'll never know
It's like a kind of torture
To have to watch the show

And now let's get things started
Why don't you get things started
It's time to get things started
On the most sensational inspirational celebrational Muppetational
This is what we call the Muppet Show!

(Gonzo blows his trumpet)

International Wallowing Day

It's International Women's Day. I watched Makers: Women Who Made America yesterday so you'd think I'd have something intricate and clever and borderline brilliant to say about it. All I seem to come up with is "look at my cool friends" "reproductive rights are the cornerstone of equality" and "did Phyllis Schlafly know that she was proving the point of all her critics?"

The thing that keeps coming up for me, though, is how amazed I am that we're still fighting these battles. That, despite having made such strides toward equality, we can't even get a majority of voting people to affirm the basic humanity of women. It is still deemed acceptable to teach women to avoid rape but no one is making a big national deal about teaching men not to rape and making men accountable. The law of the land makes it possible to humiliate and violate a woman seeking basic reproductive health care but we still aren't getting paid the same amount as men so we have to pay more while getting less.

The most galling part is that a lot of the people ensuring these inequalities (on purpose) are women.

I'm seeing a lot of wonderful, uplifting, pro-women posts around the internet. I'm glad for them and hope you'll seek them out. I hate to be a party pooper but today, it seems, I'm wallowing a bit in the despair of a long war still unwon.

Tomorrow we we fight!

But tonight I'm going to drown my sorrows in ice cream and wine.

Public Is Better

Today I must publicly apologize to my dog. For all this time I have told people he's a terrible catch, might be partially blind, don't waste the effort on him.

Last night in our final tricks class one of the skills we worked on was catch. I laughed and said he was terrible at it and prepared to have a little fun even if it was going to be at my dog's expense.

I started with the highest value treat in my arsenal, cheese, because I wanted him to have as good a chance as possible even though he was definitely going to fail. One of the trainers, Christina, held his leash and I tossed a piece of cheese...SNAG! We all celebrated and laughed at how he was so lucky on his first try. Second piece...SNAG! And on it went. He leapt, he dove, he scooped. I hear the Mets could use some help in the outfield. If they can work out a way to use balls made of cheese I might have someone for them. Seriously, in ten minutes or so of tossing cheese to him he missed maybe five times. Then we switched to a squirrel toy and he was equally adept at that. (Note to the Mets: If you can play with a stuffed toy that might also work.)

Then and there I vowed to correct my ongoing slander (it's slander, right, libel is in writing, damn, I probably need to correct the libel, too). So here is a video (you know I'm serious, I'm using video) in which my dog proves that he's a great catch...as long as he likes what you're throwing. Don't throw him some nasty dry biscuit, that's not worth the effort. Shown here: Scooter Snacks courtesy of the fabulous Michelle.



*I seem to be able to embed the video but not center it. Sorry.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: J.O.B.

Some days I get to go to work and dress up like this and eat free sandwiches and cavort around scaring the citizens of New York. To collect a paycheck for that is one of my greatest joys.

Other days I have to put on a nice sweater and carry a duffle bag in from home so I can transport a malfunctioning printer to the Geek Squad so my boss can print emails herself, poor lady. Frankly, I'd rather be back in Brooklyn having a delicious meaty lunch with Sara to celebrate her 2nd Gluten-free-aversary. Go on over and congratulate her, will you?

Hope you're enjoying your work today!

I Don't Know Where These Came From

It's 10 Things Tuesday and lord knows I've got 10 Things going on in my head at all times but which to share......

1. I thought I'd be doing the cabaret show again this month or next. Due to a big, necessary shake up in Daryl's schedule we're having to postpone until summer. I'm ok with this. It might be a good thing.

2. I'm working on some new music now which puts me in a very different, you'll pardon the expression, headspace. October Project and Carole King are figuring prominently. I have no idea what the next show will look like. (That's ok, I shouldn't know yet.)

3. 15 minutes of writing a day is seeming both huge and tiny. It's too much and not enough. I'm only 12 pages into this (probably) long project and I've been working on it for weeks. A couple of weeks anyway. At this rate it'll take years to finish. I need to work out how to encourage myself to spend a little more time writing every day without having that encouragement throw a wrench in my current, successful every day writing habit.

4. I'm deciding about whether or not to take a course to become a dog trainer. It only happens once a year. It's 10 weeks of theory starting the first week in April and 10 weeks of practical training starting the week of May 12. The idea of it right now seems like TOO MUCH TOO MUCH but with the change in the cabaret plan maybe that's not so crazy. I'm having trouble looking at the idea objectively and just making a decision. This is not brain surgery, no one is going to die over this!

5. May 12th is Mothers' Day and the day of Listen To Your Mother. So there could be a small but possibly surmountable scheduling issue. Did I mention you can already purchase your tickets for that?

6. I'll also be re-scheduling our regular Mothers' Day brunch due to the show. They could have gone on without me but I would have been sad to miss it. I think everyone will understand.

7. Last night I went to a 10-year-old's birthday. Saturday I'm going to another 10-year-old's birthday. One is human, one is canine. I just think that's funny.

8. I bought one of the birthday girls a boxed set of Choose Your Own Adventure books. I really hope she likes them! I wasn't sure they were still in print and I'm so glad they are.

9. I feel as though I'm struggling with training my dog lately. It's possible that I went too far putting him in two classes on the same night even though it's only one night a week. It's possible that I'm panicking and not being patient enough for him to show me what he knows. It's possible that, because he loves training, my laziness in training him for a few months is making it hard to rein him in to a learning place. A lot of things are possible. What's a true fact, though, is that I'm having a hard time not being at the head of the class. I am prideful and it's not a good feeling.

10. It is both Women's History Month and Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. This means it's Our Janet's Month twice over! Please let her know how happy we are to still have her around (also check out the sweet video of her grand kid making eggs, that kid is glorious). 

Do You Know Why I'm Calling?

My phone was buried in my coat pocket for much of Saturday afternoon and evening. The coat was hung in a communications dead spot in the apartment. When I finally retrieved it I had two notifications waiting regarding performing. It turned out I'd missed my chance for a recurrence of my role as Tooth Fairy to give hope to a child who had lost a tooth on Friday and woken Saturday to no reward. Everything worked out without me but dang, I like being her!

The voice mail, which I almost didn't listen to because I am letting myself get phone-phobic, was from Shari, one of the women putting together the New York City version* of Listen To Your Mother. We texted back and forth a bit and she told me to give her a call.

"Hi Shari, it's Kizz."

"Hi there! So, you know why I'm calling..."

"Well, I hope so."

"Congratulations!"

Participants were asked to keep this information off social media until the formal announcement was made which is why I didn't immediately broadcast the news. This morning, though, Holly, Amy, Varda, and Shari posted their cast list and I'm on it!

The show will be on May 12th, Mother's Day, at 5pm (tickets are $25 pre-sale, $30 on the day). I'm sure I'll be reminding you of that plenty between now and then. A huge thank you to everyone who helped me write something this year, it wound up being a lot harder than last year for reasons I don't yet understand but am working on. This enormous sense of relief and accomplishment is due in part to you!

OK, tell me something that happened to you this weekend?

*Our Misti is one of the folks organizing the Oklahoma City version.