Monthly Archives: September 2009

the empty armchair

Posted on September 28, 2009 by

My story, “The Empty Armchair,” which is loosely based on my first novel, The Painting Story, appears in the fall issue of Contrary Magazine. Here’s the beginning: Being sick has taken away the busy surface of my life.  Gone are … Continue reading →

Posted in art, Contrary, my writing, stories | Tagged | 12 Comments

yellow letters from a shoebox on a rainy pm

Posted on September 25, 2009 by

So many things left unmentioned: David Foster Wallace’s skilled use of the French language: “Les Assassins des Fauteuils Rolants” (719) and hilarious translations from English to French:  demi-maison (730) and from French to English: see Marathe below. The way Tavis … Continue reading →

Posted in character | Tagged | 8 Comments

The library, and step on it

Posted on September 24, 2009 by

David Foster Wallace in Infinite Jest… On Humor: This book is often laugh-out-loud funny. Hal: “I do things like get in a taxi and say, ‘The library, and step on it.’” (12) Hal: “I’m an O.E.D. man, Doctor.” (29) The … Continue reading →

Posted in details, dialogue, life, time, truth | Tagged | 4 Comments

the germ of everything

Posted on September 23, 2009 by

Following from yesterday’s Shakespeare quote, it’s interesting to note that the first two words of Hamlet are “Who’s there?” and the first two words of Infinite Jest are “I am”. I didn’t catch this. I read it on the Infinite … Continue reading →

Posted in craft of writing, details, dialogue | Tagged , | 5 Comments

infinite autumn

Posted on September 22, 2009 by

So for those of you who are still reading–and not that there’s anything wrong with that–Infinite Summer has crossed infinite boundaries to become Infinite Autumn…(thanks for the title to Kim in a comment to yesterday’s post). And for those of … Continue reading →

Posted in journeys, truth | Tagged | 4 Comments

finished

Posted on September 21, 2009 by

Well, today, Monday, September 21, 2009, is the official date on which page 981, the last page, of Infinite Jest is to be read. And I have finished. It is the end of Infinite Summer. I am shocked at how … Continue reading →

Posted in truth | Tagged , | 11 Comments

from creede

Posted on September 18, 2009 by

It’s writing group week. At this time of the year, we’re at Pam Houston‘s ranch in Creede, Colorado. There are nine of us here, two who couldn’t make it. Saturday night we arrived to a dinner of salmon, fresh corn … Continue reading →

Posted in catching moments, journeys, Pam Houston, place, poetry, writing group | Tagged | 11 Comments

the splitting sound

Posted on September 14, 2009 by

My story, “The Splitting Sound,” appears in the fall issue of Clapboard House. Here’s the first paragraph: Across the street, I leaned against the yellow rental car. The house was smaller than I remembered, but that’s what everyone always said.  … Continue reading →

Posted in my writing, stories | Tagged | 9 Comments

wage peace

Posted on September 11, 2009 by

In remembrance of September 11th, 2001, this poem by Judyth Hill: WAGE PEACE Wage peace with your breath. Breathe in firemen and rubble, breathe out whole buildings and flocks of red wing blackbirds. Breathe in terrorists and breathe out sleeping … Continue reading →

Posted in poetry, the day | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

those were the days

Posted on September 8, 2009 by

It’s been a year. Yes, it has. To celebrate–we’re going to have music. Enjoy listening to the 10, 000 Maniacs as you read, and I’d like to thank Natalie for her congratulations at the end of the song! I’d been … Continue reading →

Posted in accumulation, journeys, my writing | Tagged | 18 Comments