January 23, 2013

This one is for Dan Pritchett, who sent me a positive encouragement shout out, yesterday, about the writing that I do on this page. Thanks Dan.

Joan always starts her day with a cup of coffee, and some fruit, which she consumes in front of the television, watching the day’s weather report. This morning she reported that the news reported that, on Thursday, it will be 30 degrees all day with a strong chance of rain.

I hate cold rainy days, and told Joan that I would prefer snow, which I am not a big fan of either, since I spent 17 years in it in Connecticut, as a kid. When you live in snow you learn to live in it, but having not lived in it for so long I do not miss it.

The best part of the snow, up North, was that many of my neighbors paid me to shovel their walkways and driveway. I think I got five bucks a house. Add that to raking leaves in the fall, cutting lawns in the summer, and delivering the Hartford Times year round and I always had money for soda pops and new basketball shoes.

When my kids were younger they used to go crazy when it snowed here in Atlanta. They loved watching it fall, and they loved going outside and playing in it. I loved their enthusiasm but I watched them frolic from behind a window from inside a warm house.Snow ball fights are fun, but they are not my thing, anymore.

I started taking Tai Chi, recently. I found the second to last class that I took very frustrating, and questioned whether I would continue, but I went back yesterday and was glad I did. The moves are starting to make sense to me, the moves are starting to come to me. It’s funny Tai Chi seems so mellow in a sense, like you are not really working out at all, but when I get home I find that my muscles are exhausted. I also find that I have that peace and calm that an hour and a half Iyengar Yoga class gives me.

The old saying, “Don’t quit before the miracle,” which I think may be derived from Grateful Deadheads referring to the miracle ticket that they sought when they showed up at a show without a ticket, applies to many areas of my life. It applies to publication of my writing; it applies to my pursuit of the guitar; it applies to my Yoga, and it applies to my Tai Chi. Let it apply to you, won’t you?!

I am applying to Kennesaw State College for a Masters level certification program in memoir. Vermont State, when they rejected me from their Low Residency MFA Program in Poetry and Memoir suggested that I take writing classes elsewhere before reapplying. I am going to take their suggestion. There is a $60 application fee. If you believe in my writing and have any spare change, please drop it in The K Tip Jar. I will give you a couple of my poetry books E Style in return. Thanks so much.