Monday, June 28, 2010

Monday Mutterings...

So. Been unexpectedly quiet around here -- having to pick up a wi-fi signal in the library parking lot tends to cramp one's blogging. My MIL doesn't have internet (she does have cable, though - whew!), so we've been wonderfully tech-free for a few days while mixing business with pleasure here in balmy Boston. We drove 7 hours from Baltimore last Wednesday, kids and cat in tow, to visit my husband's family (lots and lots of siblings, cousins, fun), then I trekked up to the AcademyHealth conference to present my research on chronic disease and medication use in Medicare beneficiaries and to soak up other cool research methods and findings. And network, of course. Which is fun and often involves liquids with a decent alcohol content, most excellent food, and ice cream. So.

Missed #fridayflash -- had a piece but couldn't load it. If so inclined, take a look at SECOND-HAND VIDEO-CAM and check out all the other fine responses. Theme this week -- 'broken camera'.

Also this week my hint fiction piece LIFEGUARD OFF DUTY is out in BLINK-INK. Quite a few wondrous ditties by talented folks like Robin stratton, Kristin Fouquet, Walt Conley, Sal Buttaci, Michael J. Solender, among others, edited by the awesome duo Lynn Alexander and Doug Mathewson.

PURE is about three scenes from a completed first draft. Feels good to be so close. Not that I've had much time to write this past week.

Just finished reading... The Hours by Michael Cunningham. Wow. the opening, envisioning Virginia Wolf loading her pockets with stones, dragging herself into the river. Wow. A must read. And... White Oleander by Janet Fitch. What a voice in the narrator -- so precocious, so hurt. Also a must read.

Now that summer's here -- whatchya reading?

Peace, Linda

10 comments:

  1. you have been busy, like how you worked alcohol and ice cream into the same sentence, glad to see priorities in alignment with mine..

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  2. goodness gracious. it's most likely a good thing you have been away from tech.

    has anyone mentioned to you that rest can be a good thing along with laughing and looking at the kids being kids

    you so need a bit of a break

    reading a poetry book I got from the society, sorry forget the name but I like very much :-)

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  3. I'm starting to really like your Monday Mutterings. It's got style, baby, and you're always doing way cool things.
    What am I reading... I've just launched into Five People You Meet in Heaven and I've got Shannon Esposito's new book on deck.
    Haven't read The Hours but the movie was phenomenal.

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  4. OMG I love, love, LOVE White Oleander. Sometimes I think of Astrid as my literary soul-mate, LOL. I've read that book a few times, and it's one of the only books where I've put stickies on favorite passages. There were three in particular and I could probably recite them (more or less) from memory. LOVE IT and so glad to see you post about it!

    AND WOW! Three scenes away from the end of Pure, AMAZING! You so totally rock.

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  5. Hi Linda ... I also enjoy these mutterings. As far my reading list ... Hmmmm. The stack is way too big. I'm one of those dopes who starts 10 books at once. ;)

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  6. Just finished "The Irregulars", continuing "Guns, Germs and Steel", about to start some Harry Turtledove sci-fi and dig into the rest of the stack that's been waiting patiently.

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  7. I'm like Anthony - have a slew of books going at once. But Blanchot's The Writing of the Disaster has blown my mind, I just finished Paul Auster's novel Invisible (recommended), and I'm deep into the Stevens/Swan biography of de Kooning - that bio is Amazing!

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  8. Busy, busy Linda. I'm so excited to hear that the Pure first draft is almost finished. That means I'm closer to holding my autographed copy.

    I like your book recommendations. I read White Oleander and also highly recommend it. I will have to check out The Hours now.

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  9. Ooh, quite a few books to add to my pile. Just started Franzen's THE CORRECTIONS which I have been woefully starting, then not finishing (it IS fabu writing, but stuff happens).

    Chrys, I bought White O at a yardsale for 25 cents because i remember you saying it was your favoritest book ever a few years ago. Well worth the read.

    I have multiples on my pile as well. The new Marg Atwood, Olive Kitteredge, and a few others. A book for every room...

    Good to be back in Baltimore though I have another cold. Off to get groceries, McD's for Will's birthday lunch, then a little putt-putt.

    Paige, I do not rest. This is why I get sick all the time. Peace...

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