Wanted to put a plug in for the International Wildlife Film Festival. Films may be viewed virtually at: Wildlife Films. Today and tomorrow are the last days. Many of the films can be viewed for free and donations are always appreciated.
Octopus: Making Contact , I look forward to viewing this film about Heidi, the octopus and her evolving relationship with a marine biologist and his teenage daughter. It is available on Friday, April 25th.
Happy viewing.
Our intimate group from Marc Moss’s online storytelling workshop took some time yesterday to share some of the projects we’ve been working on during quarantine time. Katie asked for podcast recommendations, an exchange of “offerings” as her friends call it. You recommend your latest, favorite podcast, book or movie and I’ll offer you my latest.
Here I offer the list of podcasts that came out of our exchange:
Dolly Parton’s America – with Jad Abumrad, number one for the one I want to listen to. She has the gift of bringing people of all philosophies and lifestyles together enjoying themselves in-spite of their differences.
The Way I Heard It– with Mike Rowe, short mysteries for the curious mind with a short attention span.
Story Story Night– story telling podcast based in Boise, Idaho.
Snap Judegement – Mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, and dramatic radio. Hosted by Glynn Washington
The Story Collider – True personal stories about science. Liz Neeley, executive director.
Radio Lab – investigating a strange world, making science accessible to broad audiences, with Jad Abumrad.
The Memory Palace – with Nate DiMeo – “The Memory Palace podcast is among the most potent pieces of audio being produced today; the show’s short tales are so emotionally concentrated that, upon listening, they bloom in the space between one’s ears, like a single drop of dye propagating through an entire glass of water. Nate DiMeo, the show’s sole creative force, often seems to be operating on a level wholly separate from that of other podcasts”
Everything Is Alive – Jennifer Mills produces Everything is Alive by looking all over the world for objects that are willing to speak. “Poignant, touching and at times laugh-out-loud funny examinations of the human condition…prepare to think deeply about yourself, to laugh and at times, cry.”
–BBC
This American Life – with Ira Glass. This American Life is a weekly public radio program and podcast. Each week we choose a theme and put together different kinds of stories on that theme.
In The Dark – An investigative podcast, hosted by Madeleine Baran, that has examined the cases of Jacob Wetterling and Curtis Flowers. Now reporting on the effects of COVID-19 in the Mississippi Delta.
Happy listening everyone.
Contemplative collage: Age of Innocence
For A and P
Excited! Now there is a word I have not used or heard much, as of the last few weeks, much less felt it.
I haven’t been excited we are in a pandemic, that people are suffering and grieving in more ways than one.
I’m not excited that I am unable to get together with friends; that the Prince themed birthday party my birthday twin, Jen, and I have been planning for June 7th will not be happening. She, Prince and I were all born on June 7th.
Today, I am excited about a couple of things. First, I took part in Marc Moss’s first virtual Tell Us Something storytelling workshop this morning. He will probably do more workshops. If it appeals to you, I highly recommend it. What a wonderful way to connect and ignite storytelling during this time.
Also, I signed up for When we all vote couch party this afternoon. Michelle Obama will be hosting. I can wait to see and hear her. It will be a breath of fresh air.
Join our #CouchParty 2.0 to come together with the When We All Vote community and our Co-Chair Michelle Obama to talk about how we can continue to make a difference to help safely register and turn out our communities to vote.
Resilience is knowing the wrongs you have done and taking responsibility for them.
resilience is wanting to call someone you know you shouldn’t, and not calling them.
it’s calling a friend instead
It’s giving space, it’s loving from afar.
It’s finding a need someone has and fulfilling that need.
It’s creating something beautiful in spite of, or because of the pain.
Sometimes, it’s just taking a nap.
It’s the emotional strength it takes to carry on, using tools you didn’t realize you had.
It’s trying something new, not being afraid even though you are shaking inside.
It’s accepting what is.
It’s changing what needs to be changed.
It’s fighting for this thing called life.
Frances Scott
Some days, we just have one of those days. Today is one of those days. Not sure what to do with myself, shedding a few tears, eating, bathing, sitting out in the sun, tearing pages from National Geographic , looking forward to nightfall and my new favorite BBC series, Scott & Bailey .
Meantime, I’ll share a poem that resonated:
Personal by Tony Hoagland
Don’t take it personal, they said:
but I did, I took it quite personal—-
the breeze and the river and the color of the fields :
the price of grapefruit and stamps,
the wet hair of women in the rain—
And I cursed what hurt me
and I praised what gave me joy,
the most simple-minded of possible responses.
The government reminded me of my father,
with it’s deafness and its laws,
and the weather reminded me of my mom,
with her tropical squalls.
Enjoy it while you can, they said of Happiness
Think first, they said of Talk
Get over it, they said
at the School of Broken Hearts
but I couldn’t and I didn’t and I don’t
believe in the clean break;
I believe in the compound fracture
served with a sauce of dirty regret,
I believe in saying it all
and taking it all back
and saying it again for good measure
while the air fills up with I’m-Sorries
like wheeling birds
and the trees look seasick in the wind.
Oh life! Can you blame me
for making a scene?
You were the yellow caboose, the moon
disappearing over a ridge of a cloud.
I was the dog, chained in some fool’s backyard;
barking and barking:
trying to convince everything else
to take it personal too.
Wendy’s daughter was getting married. We were all invited, all three of us plus the new one. We had all touched her daughter’s life and she wanted us gathered around, outside in beautiful Montana, along with her fun loving friends.
Since we had all been married to her father at different times, he would witness our connection. Three good choices, that ended due to his soon to follow bad choices.
The ceremony was beautiful. We all got to hear her father go on too long about his beautiful, bright daughter, making it all about himself.
Guests dispersed to sitting tables, bathrooms, food and drink tables. The brides grandmother, my ex mother in-law spotted me, grabbed me and insisted I find the other two for a photo opp. Forget that she has once sided with her son (I was the first) during our divorce. The two who followed me became similar characters in the story of the cheating husband. His mother, then saw her son for the playwright that he was.
Dedicated to my sisters, Wendy and Suzy.
I have a couple of Southern women friends, up in Montana. We bonded over our Southernness and since have shared good times, giggles, floats on the river, food, grief and beauty. We call ourselves, the Hellgate Junior League. Hellgate Canyon runs through Missoula, MT and of course the junior league is an identifier for most upstanding Southern women.
Julie Rae has a style that don’t stop. Hardly ever have I seen her without the perfect hat, or lip color. For our Southern picnic in the park, she brought fine china, cloth napkins and peach pie. If it’s not done in style, it’s not worth doing.
Caroline Keys can strum a guitar, or banjo and sing a song that makes you feel dreamy. I first heard her band, Stellarondo, named for an Eudora Welty character. Strawberry Cake is my most requested song. She is a prolific musician. In addition, Caroline teaches poetry to children on the Flathead Reservation.
She shared her class assignment with us. Write a tetractys: a 10 line poem, numbered 1,2,3,4, 10,10, 4,3,2,1. Each number is the number of syllables in each line.
Here’s my tetractys:
I
prefer
sunshine to
grey clouds above
go play outside today and tomorrow
flowers will bloom and people will heal soon
don’t be alone
you are loved
me too
y’all
Creating contemplative collage – As I stared at this one last night, I kept singing Dianna Ross’s song, Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand).
I’m trying to write. I write lots of stories in my head when I walk, when I wake. Putting them on paper is the struggle for me. This morning, I’m sharing a piece of writing from the prompt, why I write.
I write to be heard, to hear myself
I write to be understood, to understand
I write to remember, to forget
I write to forgive myself, to forgive others
I write to be surprised
I write to be delighted
I write to bring hope and joy
I write to grieve, to mourn
I write to move forward with what I have
I write to be disciplined
I write to honor stories, mine and others
I write to not feel alone, connect
I write for perspective, maybe a new one
I write to prove I can!
I write to reveal, show
I write to laugh, even at myself
I write because others say, “you should write”
I write because I have good stories to tell
I write because I have some of those good Southern tales, better than fiction
I write to be published
I write not to be published
I write now because I should have been all along
I write to remember loved ones
I write because I am only a speck in this universe, what have I got to lose
I write because our stories matter
Fscottwrites 