Books, Graduation, and More

BOOKLIFENOW

That woman is blathering about writing again:

http://www.booklifenow.com/2010/06/where-the-stories-start-music-2/

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The other day I had lunch with Jeremy Jones, who runs the Booklife website and "Shared Worlds" at Wofford. What fun!

HAPPY

GRADUATION

FUNNY HATS: Rebecca with her friend and classmate Kim, daughter of novelist Peg Leon (who has a new book!)

I have survived graduation, despite the downpour halfway through, and my beautiful Rebecca is the possessor of a Regents diploma with Honors and Advanced Designation (I know, I know, you already read it on Facebook, and if you are a writer, maybe even expressed your comical dismay at the breeding of more writers!), a Clark scholarship, and the Janet Kerr Scholarship for "love of the language, the ability to enjoy great literature, a thirst for knowledge that cannot be quenched, and an attitude that shows a desire to learn and to expand personal horizons."

UPDATERY

Despite prom, baccalaureate, company, graduation, and more, I have been cranking my way through Hollins M. F. A. stories and only have three more to go...

ON THE FENIMORE MUSEUM STAIRS, ABOVE THE LAWN AND GLIMMERGLASS:

Just a few of many beloved friends--Molly, Emily, Evan, Pat, Vigi, Kim, Amy, Bugga, Tiffany, Hannah P, Connor. I also have pictures taken After the Downpour!

Q-looniness, Grad-looniness

I'm starting to like online publication more and more--the readership is so much better than print magazines. Mezzo Cammin has just picked up an 11-page blank verse poem called "The Throne of Psyche," out in their next issue. And today I have some q-looniness in place: http://qarrtsiluni.com/2008/07/07/a-may-flower/. Dave Bonta says that this is one of only two formal poems in this issue--the other also being by a former editor, Brent Goodman. I'm pleased to follow one of Laura Frankstone's sea images. And if you want to see more than one poem, try http://qarrtsiluni.com/tag/marly-youmans/.

B received his genuine Regents diploma last Sunday, and so can be released into the stream of the world. I don't use names or pictures of children online, but now that he is a certified semi-adult with paperwork to prove it, I'll memorialize The Graduation of B with a few pictures. SEE BELOW.

WATER CREDIT: The image of Onomea Bay above is from the water-loving brush of Laura Frankstone of http://www.laurelines.com/. It's not, however, the one that precedes that poem in qarrtsiluni. Laura must have some mer in her ancestry...

Happy graduation, B--

Seniors above the Fenimore Museum's double staircase leading to the lawn above Otsego Lake.

October 2007, senior year

At the start of prom night, June 14, 2008

Things That Should Not Happen

Here are some handy guidelines for the nearest committee about to committ the error of a Middle School graduation ceremony.

1. Principals should not--never, no time, no how--be allowed to choose a poem to read at a graduation ceremony, particularly if they once served in the classroom not as English teachers but as P. E. teachers.

2. If Principals do get away with choosing a p-o-e-m by some awful happenstance, particularly chuckly little poems by Anonymous, they should not be allowed to read it to our Youth.

3. Principals should not invite their friends who manage local sports centers to speak to said Youth.

4. Principals should not invite people who will talk too much about themselves. Overheard conversation between two locals: “Why’d they ask X to speak? He just talked about himself!” Reply: “That’s all he ever talks about!”

5. People who cannot write their way out of the Proverbial Paper Bag should be muzzled shortly after approaching the podium. It is impossible to stifle too many of these guileless souls who clutch the podium with unwonted, beamful enthusiasm and burble forth to our Youth, and to us, who have neither the Youth nor the stamina nor the helpful swaths of innocence to help us endure.

6. Let’s all vote for a bit less of this freedom-of-speech stuff at the podium, a small but dangerous place, clearly booby-trapped.

7. Phrases that fill the minds of young people and their unfortunate families and friends with a subtle ache and a dense white batting, somewhat approaching the nature of cotton candy, should not be allowed.

8. Phrases that, with a little polishing, would feel comfy and meet and right in the mouth of Polonius (the guy standing there behind the arras, with the blood and so on) should not be suffered to live.

9. Anything that smacks of "The Lion King" must be booted toward the moon with cruel boots tipped with steel and hobnails galore. No more of this circle of life crap!

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I could add a picture of graduating 8th-graders, looking remarkably adult. I could add a peaceful picture of a classroom after hours. I could add a picture of a big yellow bus on monster wheels. All this I could do, if only Blogger would be sweet and not so recalcitrant about the posting of pictures! Later, maybe. Update: Later, afraid not. More suggestions for graduation frolics in the Comments...