April flowers

I have a friend that is a master gardener (actually I have a few who are master gardeners) and every year they have an open house for everyone to see their yard/garden at its best. Since I just saw it last Saturday, I told him that I would not be coming to his open house because I needed to stay home and work on my yard :-). As all of you who own a home know, there is always plenty to do to and around the house. Hopefully this weekend I can make a dent in my many "home improvement" projects, not to mention mowing the yard. In fact, I hope to spend most weekends this Spring and Summer working on things around the house. We'll see how that works out. I could put a list down of things I want to do so you could mark off my progress, but that would be just too much pressure. The good thing is I really like working on the house and yard. Of course I like working at UT too so there you go. Hard to set priorities when it is all so much fun. I took a picture or Tom's and Vicki's pool (fish and iris, not people), but it is on my camera, not my phone, so I will try to upload it this weekend.

I have been singing with an a Capella group for about 4 months now on Thursday evenings and I am really glad I joined it. I am not as aggressive as I might should be, but I'm getting there. It has been a while since I have sung complicated harmonies, but it is starting to come back to me. One of my fellow singers seems to always be able to get the harmonies quickly (in fact we rely on her), but I found out last night that is because when we get a new piece, she goes home and works it out on the piano for hours until she has it down pat. We laugh because she really can follow the harmonies well, but she often goes flat and then has to listen to me to see what the pitch should be (not that I am good at pitch, but I stay pretty close). We do a variety of music - African songs, Jewish songs, spirituals, a little pop music, even a couple from a Wicca group - just because we like the tunes, not because we want to start a practice :-). Next Thursday we are going to the Austin hike and bike trail to sing because the City of Austin has put pianos out on the trail for a month as part of a performance art thing. That should be amusing.

A birthday of sorts...

For those who can read between the lines o f the word anonymous, this is my tenth birthday and in a way my resurrection for a past. This morning I awoke to the knowledge on radio that it was Tennessee Williams' birthday too.

In 2000 I applied to three colleges Lynchburg College, Mississippi College for Women (admitting Men since 1972) and Pan American University. I was offered a job at all three: three for three... I took or chose the Lynchburg position. That is where I crashed and rose in sobriety starting this day. I often wonder why I rejected Columbia, Mississippi.. and it came to me today listening to the tribute to Tennessee Williams.. . I knew I would,have crashed and burned and never risen in Columbia... the air was too thick and the mud too sticky. .. and the nights seemed there so silently wild.
My anniversary poem of sorts..

Morning Light on another birthday

The light enters here .
Tennessee William's birthday celebrated on the radio,
a square light slowly rises in four window panes in my bedroom. The cd alarm
has been playing Greensleeves

a sunless sky filling with morning light
waiting for the king
to arrive.

I am up too-- with coffee, hot on the palate
now a story about Joe di Maggio. I remember I was interviewing in
Tennessee William's home town, Columbia, Mississippi,
the year before this birthday.

I can't imagine now how I thought it was too decedent for me.
I would have blended in to oblivion there maybe.
Ritualizing my bourbon and scotch to ferment
into the Mississippi emptiness.

But now I awake clear headed,
cool skies,
time to wash and rise.

Cultural Heritage

I just sent an email, but what is your/our cultural heritage? As much as I study culture, I don't think about this regarding myself very much. Maybe that is why I study cultures.

Pictures of my tile

Back at work

SXSW is over for the year and I enjoyed my little stint as a volunteer. Jack went to a lot of Interactive presentations and really enjoyed it. He especially enjoyed Bruce Sterling and I can't wait for his talk to go up on Youtube so I can watch it.

We went to see Jack's Dad this weekend and the weather was perfect for convertible driving! Jack's dad is doing well and has been helping Jack's brother clear some land that he just bought in East Texas.

I got to do a little tile work yesterday when we got home - grouted some border stones I made a couple of weeks ago with black grout. I will take a picture tonight when I get home and share. I think they are great.

And Matilda, my little black mazda pickup that served me so well for so many trips to Austin, went to a new owner on Friday. I know she will serve him well as well.

Pictures tomorrow.

For the record...Tsunami

Today, Friday, March 11 a giant earthquake and subsequent tsunami raced towards the Oregon coast as Jeff raced back from Mardi Gras. Of course he will be OK but am connected to this one in a different way than from other tsunami/earthquakes.

Maybe a PTSD reaction from Katrinaita/ Gustauv... or something.

I just wanted to note this day. It felt important to me.

Phil

SXSW

Looks like I will be a volunteer for SXSW this year. As it has expanded to cover more media, I think they are having trouble getting enough volunteers, so one of the well placed volunteer leaders (Trevor) asked if I would help this year. Should be interesting. I will let you know what it is like. So basically I will be tied up March 9-13 and March 15. Well, not literally tied up. I hope.