Some not all of what I’m up to lately as time continues to whizz by and here are some notes in a stream flowing out and through here …
I’m taking out the trash from the apartment, things we don’t want to live with anymore, walking it up just 40 yards or so (as I am remembering football fields to give me some perspective) and it’s hurting these days just to do that due to old man back issues but it’s all been checked out and it’s ‘just’ “arthritis and DEGENERATION” of what’s there, which reads like falling apart and things starting to erase that are important in between vertebrae don’t worry I’m doing all I can to take care and live long and not take pain meds beyond the usual medicine chest stuff from over the counter and trying to get back to ‘normal’ so I can restart my 2+ mile walks I take 5 days a week not 7 because rest is also enriching and reinvigorating…also taking pains to throw out the trash accumulating in my emails where everybody and their cousin wants to sell me something convince me of something send cash somewhere and then send more and buy this or that and point something out I just NEED TO KNOW RIGHT NOW!!! I don’t write many people….it’s more email to me and occasionally family and ‘taking care of business’ with landlord and doctors etc. but Twitter is like an addiction only it isn’t because I CAN put it down and not even look for a while and not have withdrawal just some curiosity which is in my blood and can’t shut off and I never want it to anyway and I only follow people of fairly like mind with a few outliers just to keep me aware….no nuts or Trumpers to raise my blood pressure or further break my heart no ranting and ravers just news people and pundits and philosophers and protesters and preachers and politicians and poets all the P’s I guess and a lot of pretty and rhythmic alliteration and all of my persuasion all ‘resisters’ pretty much even the more level headed military people I also follow some artists and writers and actors and musicians because amidst all the staying on top of news I also thrive on creativity and staying up on what’s out there in the world in the way of all kinds of art keeps me balanced. I learn things every day and that does as much to keep me alive as anything. So I have a real mix of people I follow — a few thousand. ..one learns to read fast…and I respond to a lot of stuff — so my time on Twitter is mainly read and reply scan quickly and spit out something that may be funny or nice I don’t swear or ‘shout’ ever I’m way too calm to the core for that way too ‘civilized’…you learn to do both pretty fast reading and responding that is and then move on. When I become aware of news stuff I can get it in depth then on MSNBC TV or reading some publication. On Facebook I pretty much try to stay up on what’s happening in some dear people’s lives and heads and hearts ….not too many friends there but I post a big mix of things there…mainly though trying to sound the alarm about what’s real and going on in our country right now as it approaches its most important election also posting art stuff and hahaha moments and images. Also watching Billy Collins the Poetry Broadcast that started from his Florida !!! home during the pandemic about 4-5 days per week on Facebook and it’s peaceful although he can be grumpy and opinionated but he likes to teach and I and many others still like to learn no matter the age and his poems and those of others he reads make us think and sometimes snicker or cry a tear or two and even inspire me to write myself. He reads his own works, talks about them, and turns us on to writers he has enjoyed. In a few interviews he has said that the way to ‘become’ a better poet is to read 10,000 poems or so by ‘quality’ poets…. to observe and absorb all that they do and try to figure out how they’re doing it, picking what most moves you, and modeling what you do on some of their work…using it as a guide but not a straitjacket. He also is turning viewers onto classic jazz and I’m making playlists of that, along with a ton of other playlists I have on Spotify and YouTube, to use as background and spark for my own creative juices to ignite yes they’re flammable so I need to be careful hammering this out while thinking (as if under pressure) about all the other stuff I need to write and read and listen to and watch and interactions with some few humans mainly my wife for no one else comes into our humble abode and then dog duties too which can come when you least wish they would. Fall seems to be here and the Pacific Northwest rains are commencing which I like and I don’t mind the gentle cool and the gray skies. Never have. Also sipping tea and as the jazz plays because I am a neophyte I can’t identify who’s who yet but that will come with time and exposure. So I’m and we’re happy despite comparatively minor health issues and keeping clear of other humans and germs washing hands wearing and frequently washing masks and groceries and anything else we touch for COVID is truly dangerous despite all the fools out there who think it’s an old wives’ tale or hoax or joke or plot to take away their freedom all of which are ridiculous and our country is full of fools, the willfully ignorant, despicable racists, the corrupt, the liars, and other vermin we could so do without. Counting our blessings, however, on a daily basis and trying to be good hearted, kind, honorable, and worthy citizens of the country and the world. Not forgetting to stretch and breathe deeply and see what beauty and art is everywhere. God has been generous. Today and every day.