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Monday, January 30, 2012

Great cover art

Hayden Ferry review - Premier issue has an animal being hugged but the overlapping area missing. Another was the back of a human torso on a chair. Although one migh think that in this pose, the missing bent head of thinking man adds the energy to the pose, just the torso has enough raw energy to evoke response.

Beckian Goldberg's poems - Salvation, Birth.

William Olsen - eighteen species of hummingbirds

Candace Greenburg- 'waiting for the days of grace' poem recreates a day with her 'Maybe it was a day like this:' with multiple attempts to get a whole picture of it.

Contents
American Wasteland

Author's site
Ritalin gets a black box warning and then loses it.

Regulation of therapeutic goods

Worry wart

when baby is in too long
or out too late

Its like
waiting for the only
exam which is 5 days away
and then you are off home.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

On the road

Author Howard Frank Mosher in The Great Northern Express, writes of not just his journey in an OldsMobile to a 100 cities on his book tour but also of his life and the people in it - his wife, uncle Reg and students he taught.
His memoir has the simplicity of Jose Saramago's 'small Memories' as well as a story structure in each chapter. Some chapters have a neat ending to a story started in previous chapters, making a story happen over chapters.
Uncle Reg's and other characters phantom appearance and dialogue reads like a Prairie House Companion session.
In one of the chapters, 'Prof told us' and 'Prof said that' got annoying. Made me wonder if that chapter should have been with Prof as the narrator.
Author not minding being referred to as 'Harold' and his humorous way of looking at his cancer experience in trimesters and his big trip a big grant tour, maintains his light hearted tone even while trying to make a difference in the life of his students steering them away from mill jobs. Its an effortless one sitting book read.
The author asks 'But who would write the stories we were hearing everyday right here in the Kingdom?'. He has captured them well, the funny stories of hunting, representing the culture of the place.
If I had read any of the author's previous work, I could get more attached to the memoir.

I will compare this with Queen of the Road

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Shadows

show us a broken world

canopy on a wall

Cant complain

The kid above my roof
jumps like a baby in the womb
The other day I saw him
at the door upstairs
He's so little.

Overcoming Dyslexia

After a spate of books by parents on rearing disabled children - The Boy In the Moon, All I can handle, The Anti Romantic Child (yet to read), My Dyslexia too has the same reason for existence, only this parent too has faced the problem as his child.
Author Philip Schultz understood very late in life that he suffered from dyslexia when his son was diagnosed with it. In this book, he explains how his lack of understanding of his situation isolated him socially and thus the solitary conditions were ripe for his becoming a writer.
It is ironic that even though the author is not a good follower of his religion, his insecurity and complicated relation with it in writing lets others find a great spiritual meaning for other readers.
The author makes an interesting comparision between being a dyslrxic and a writer.
May be we can expect something like Just like someone without mental illness only more so from Eli Schultz.

Young scientist challenge

Picking books

I have to chose two books in Immortal bird, What to look for in winter, Why be happy when you could be normal?, The great Northern express.

Being a sucker for travel writing, I will go with The Great Northern express. Have been reading lately a lot on children with problems growing. Will rest that feeling for a while. My Dyslexia is Philip Schultz's life with dyslexia. Immortal Bird is a double blow with a child having to surmount great challenges twice. I will be on the lookout for Why be happy when you could be normal?.
I have chosen What to expect in Winter. It seems a bit related to Fiction ruined my family.

A dream

A small hand raises
out at the top
of my uterus.
the palm smaller
than my little finger.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Organic poetry

In the foreword of On Poetry and Craft, Ted's views on how to revise poetry makes one look at a poem like an organic whole.

Carolyn Kizer refers to her poem The Great Blue heron revised by Roethke.

Poets Roethke admired - Louise Bogan, Leonie Adams, Ruth pitter

In The Heron, I like
The wide wings flap but once to lift him up, at once taking away the power from the heron described till now.
Does the society have a responsibility towards artists? An artist knows the value of his/her work. But the process of evaluating an art work is not science.
An artist is created by the society.
The Animal Connection

Cutmarks
Locard's exchange
Thermoluminescence dating
Grammar from lexicon
Bates Goodman paper.
expressive language at 200 words and grammar at 400.
Theory of mind


*********
Another breed - Lhasa Apso from a colleague.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Twenty first amendment

A while ago I learnt that one of the restaurants could not serve alcohol as they didnt have the license. I wondered if it was an industrial area and the law didnt want workers intoxicating themselves. From Beverage control law, I figure, maybe that municipality has already used up its number of licenses in other restaurants.
Author Jay wexler in The Odd clause, explains the twenty first amendment and Original package doctrine in its relation.

How kids eat cupcakes

Today I learnt of Madhubani art.

A plate with two soft
white bread rounds
what sweet is this?
Something exotic like
rasmalai
A white chocolate cupcake
cut in two
with the colourful topping
devoured by the kid.

He made dragon with cups. I mistook it for a caterpillar.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Pandora's seed
Constitution cafe
Whateverland
Rock the casbah
Between expectations
The tanning of America
Forbidden lessons in a Kabul guesthouse

Opposite of dyslexia

The Anti Romantic Child

Astrophil and Stella

Nutting by Wordsworth.

The book is filled with Wordsworth's lines of poetry. For every instance, the author finds a way of introducing us to lines of WW. Its like old Indian movies which had characters go into singing verses. Enter son. He too quotes lines from poems. While searching for one of the stories 'Time of wonder' on the net, I came across hyperlexia and just brushed it off as a smart word engineered by a parent for their child's babbliness. Having just read 'My Dyslexia' by Philip schultz, I wasnt ready for another special needs.
Little did I realise that the book I was reading was on it. The readers realise that the kid has been playing back what he is been told, at the same time as the mom. Once she is informed with the reasons as to why her son is unable to do certain things because of his condition, readers too are eased into the situation at hand.
This book is so different from the ones that I have read recently on the subject of parents and their experiences with a special needs child. Author Gilman's search all the way through to help her son in interacting with his peers is out there for the reader to a close detail of how she had instructions everyday for her kid to suit his structured brain which like rituals yet modifying it everyday to introduce him to the dynamic of real life. She acknowledges the effort of all the teachers, therapists and other parents who understood her kids needs. Its this element that is different from the other books.
Towards the end, the author talks about how hyperlexia is viewed as opposite of dyslexia. This chimes with dyslexics having a creative edge in My Dyslexia. This is like the opposites in Unbreakable movie.
At many points, she finds that her professional English professor life and her personal life meet due to the presence of poetry in both as a bedrock for her son's growth as well as her own.
The author never betrays a sense of 'why me or why my child', she's long won that battle. She gets positive enforcement from everyone around that her child brings joy into their life added with the confidence that they think she can care well for her child. All that emailing to convince people when she might be seen as not helping the case by chosing to put her son off medication. Of why ADD drugs were not the best course for her child. Congress involved in capping drugs.
I went into this case thinking that there is no media coverage like the autism-vaccine thing. A law helps make a conscious choice of sticking to cognitive therapy and shun medication.


Reading too soon
Out of sync child
Swinger of birches

Free man in Haiti

Haiti after the earthquake
Mythology

Some myths have common thread through them . Like duryodhana and Achilles story.
I thought that Draupadi and Helen were seen as the cause of wars was the only other similarity in myths.
One day I will write about this place is a descriptive memoir.
The book cover is reminiscent of Kany west's video of 'Love Lockdown'. A tall figure.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tot tales

On the way to Srisailam
a pilgrimage
I pick a thin, broken muruku
and point to it
being a
question mark

********

My sister counts
our 4 years younger
brothers
fingers
1,2,3...

Non metric

The Odd clauses: Understanding the constitution through ten of its most curious provisions

Author Jay wexler relates the current events of the nation like health bill reform to explain the workings of the constitution to the readers. To clarify the clauses that he has chosen, he provides examples from the present members of the congress, grounding the material in our times and still making us see the origins of them in history and when the constitution was made.
Recently to understand Environmental law for 'Wild Law' book, I began to listen to a UCB lecture. The professor said that agencies make environmental laws. When the author questioned if its constitutional that these agencies like EPA and others make laws, it pulled me into the book with so much relevance.
When I read of 'vaccine court' in Kim stagliano's 'All I can handle', I was piqued enough to find out about it but not enough about its 'office of the Special masters'. Wexler not only explains who 'special masters' are but when they are needed. He uses a modular approach so that related sections dont become too long and are an interesting read in themselves.
I found the later part of 'Recess-Appointments' clause bit too wordy.

Matrix flexibility

Bank Heavy press has a theme 'Avoid Ninja stars'

St Anthony's Day

Looking at this Puffin stuffing itself with fish, I was reminded of a dog catching socks video that I watched on NBC recently. Its interesting to know of animals being blessed and horses taking part in bonfires on St Anthony's Day in Spain.

Honey Dipper

Rcently I had seen honey dipper and wondered about what it was. In an article on how it is not safe for kids under 1yr to have honey.

Strawberry seeds

Today while eating strawberries, I felt that it seemed very unnatural that there were no seeds inside. The whole fruit itself was in the shape of a purse, which added to its artificiality. I was reminded of figs and kiwi, which have their seeds inside.

Of dogs

A colleague was talking about his dogs. I learnt of Bichon,Chow Lab and Parvo. He said that he will never own a pure breed dog again for their intellect and resilience. I was reminded of selective breeding of dogs puts them at risk news.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Environmental law

I want to compare Wild law with Natural resources courses. But there is not enough time for that.

Back to the future

With terms like 'homosphere', author Cormac Cullinan shows the lop sided view that we the humans and our legislative systems have of our biosphere. The author begins with how we have come to view ourselves seperate from the nature and the discord that resulted in the way we regulate our societies with that view. He explains how the nature falls out of the scope of current law and a need for our reintegration with nature.
The author talks about some of the communities that have lived peacefully with nature - Amazonians, Tukanos, When he talks of learning from the indigenous people, I was reminded of the whale conservation and the rituals in 'Demon Fish' by Juliet Elperin. Erdmann's efforts talked of in that book show hope for wild life.
The author works in his background, work and interests to make the reader see why he is passioante about puting the framework of 'Earth jurisprudence' in front of them.
For most people where the question and answer of todays status of earth ends at 'climate change', this book is a step forward in realigning our thinking with all life as one with nature.

Muffins and Mayhem reading guide

1. Do you agree with Suzanne’s belief that clothes can, in a sense, make
the person? Have you ever had a similar experience where your outward appearance
caused an inner metamorphosis?


I have always liked short hair. It always fills me with enthusiasm to exercise and stay fit.

Recently my boss wore better fitting pants and a cool jacket, he looked so much younger than in his sloppy pants.

2.Is adopting some of our parents’ idiosyncrasies inevitable? Why
or why not?


3.Would you consider her unsuccessful
endeavors failures? Why or why not? How do you define failure? Did any of
Suzanne ’s stories make you reconsider the value of some of the failures in your own
life?


4.Have you ever experienced a similar situation? Was it comical like Suzanne’s, or
more embarrassing?


5.When describing her own quirky personality, Suzanne quotes Leonard Cohen’s
“There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” How do you think Suzanne’s
embracing of her individuality and pride in being “a little strange” (page 74)
has affected the way she interacts with others? How can embracing one’s uniqueness
help overcome life ’s obstacles?


6.Do you think her “love the illness” strategy
could help others suffering from chronic conditions? Have you ever experienced a
similar situation? If so, how did you learn to live with your condition?


7.In talking about the meaning of life, Suzanne writes, “I’ve always thought my job,
my purpose here on earth, certainly must be something more dramatic than simply
loving and taking care of the people around me. So I’ve strived to be clever, artistic,
and talented in business. But . . . I realize I’ve been looking at life all wrong. It’s not
complicated, there ’s nothing to prove. My mother was right. It’s really very simple.
What’s really important is love.” Do you agree? Why or why not?


8.Of all the values Suzanne carries, why do you think maintaining a
sense of humor is so important? Are there any special pick-me-up tokens or rituals in
your life that you use to help you through rough patches?


9.How important is tradition
in your family? Did you experience a similar “passing of the torch” when you
became an adult?


10. What does going home mean to you? Has it been an easy journey or, like Suzanne,
have you had to find a way to give yourself the home you never had when you were
growing up?


11.Was she going to accept and acknowledge her writing talent, or let
self-doubt continue to steal it away? The words in an old folk song proclaim, “This
little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” Have you been able to freely acknowledge
the talents you’ve been blessed with, or do you hide your light under a bushel?


12.So many of her projects required her to trust her instincts
and take a chance. For example, when she took it upon herself to essentially create
her own job description at Sunny Hill Nursing Home. Have you ever found yourself
in situations where you had an opportunity to take similar chances, and how did you
react? Do you regret your decision?


The conversation with the author of Muffins and Mayhem in the reading guide is interesting.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

A dream

On a mud bank
with water on both sides
My sister did something
the water from the right bank
overflowed into the left
and receded
I still held to the bank

during the wash
I saw skeletons
A previous tsunami maybe

Today's news of a toppled ship

Long voyage ahead

In The Cat's table, the narrator is a 11yr old boy asks 'What had there been before such a ship in my life?' about the life forming and changing experiences on the 'Oronsay' from Colombo bound to England. The narrator thinks that 'he reinvented himself in this seemingly imaginary world'.
Even though most of the book is on the ship and the various characters - a literary guy, a plants & herbs expert- on it, theres a foreshadowing of his future and references of the influences of the experiences of the ship by an adult self.
The narrator and his friends escape to the lifeboat and learn of many secret activities that are clarified towards the end of the novel. The later half of it deals with the narator's emotional geography and its formation.
The novel tiptoes on the edge of fiction and sparse style of non-fiction. The parts of the novel in letters in the voice of other characters have the fiction tone to them but rest of it is in a 'as is' style which made it hard for putting coals to my imagination machine.
Rope incense burning is new to me.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Like a mirror

To reset the modem and
router
I was in a dog pose
On the left wall
I could correct the
shadow

Monday, January 9, 2012

Funny essays

I totally meant to do that in I was told there'd be cakes style.
I find neat jumps from topics in an essay like say from her playing a undercover fashion products cop to her thespian skills or lack of it.

More Jane books

Beter than the NPR review of it

New

Lakshminarayanan Mahadevan and Natural philosophy. His how flags furl theory

7R genes and novelty

NPR interview

The author uses examples from recent past winners of Mac Arthur Genius award.

Tot tales

To strain starch from hot rice
mom put my sister
in a corner of the room
so she would be done
by the time my sis
crawled to her.

At six months,
I histed myself out of
a cradle using the ropes
connecting it to the ceiling.
That was the last of
suspended living.
I learnt of Faux painting from a friend yesterday. She also introduced me to Warli painting.

How to vagabond

Vagabonding
Links

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Mommity

I pick the car key from the table
At the door I realise its a battery
that needs to be recycled

I remove milk from the microwave
after adding sugar, I put the
plastic jar in to the microwave.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

The fantastic rainy day book
Pictures and poetry

Colorful illustrations

Most stories in A Treasury of Favorite tales are new to me.
'How the Camel Got his Hump', 'How the Leopard Got his spots', 'The Elephant's Child', 'The cat that walked by Himself' are collected from Rudyard Kipling's Just so stories. I would have liked this mentioned. 'The Golden Goose' is from 'The Grimm Fairy tales'. The rest are from 'Aesops fables'.

Even the known one like 'The Hare and the Tortoise', 'The Fox and the Stork' are interesting with their makeover look. Imagine the stork with a pearl necklace.

The text embeds so well into the picture that it seems like a picture book than a text book. The amount of text in a line is like a free verse poem, making the reading smooth.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Pilgrimage
Understanding our need for novelty and change
What makes your brain happy and why you should do the opposite

I want to compare this book with 'The geography of bliss'.

The writing style is so 20 years ago, that it is hard to read. This book needs a makeover as ' new non fiction'.

Dog moon, Radio moon, Poetry moon

The book of men

In Learning to drive, I liked the ending

to let me go it alone. his back pressed

against all that emptiness



I liked Mine own Phil Levine for its 'to wait, to hold true/ to my vision, to speak in my own voice' and 'to be yourself in your own time, to stand up/ that poetry was precision, raw precision/ Truth and compassion: genius'.

I liked The rising of a pregnant mare too. Author Dorianne Laux's interview on the poem and the book.

I liked the Dog moon poem too. There's a bit on it in the above interview link. his poem can be used as a poetry exercise too with its 'dog moon, radio moon, panic moon....'

Another interview of the author.
Money shot

Too much sci-fi to continue

Distrust that particular flavor

Crystal radio
Since 1948 - How the author william Gibson became science fiction writer.
Broetry
Testify