Jogging for Jesus?
We live on the street along the back gate of my children's school. On the best of mornings--post our usual in-house haste of getting dressed, combing hair, brushing teeth, and gobbling pancakes and fruit--I open the front door and watch my children mosey/walk/jog/sprint (depending on the time) the short distance across the street, through the jogging trail, across the yard and into the school.
This morning, as with most mornings, there is a couple jogging on the track. When my son crosses the woman's path, her husband half a track behind or ahead of her, she hands him something that he reads to slow his gait. Before he can make it into the school door, my shoes are on and I've sprinted across the street to see what she gave him.
Worry #1... that he actually accepted the small comic strip from the woman
As I left my son, stomping back across the yard and onto the track, I stand in the woman's path as she approaches. "I have no problem with you offering this to me but do not approach my children or any other children without their parents' permission." She replies with a vigorous nod of her head, as if she doesn't care to listen, "Jesus loves you!"
Was that ever in question?
As she jogs on, I contain my desire to shake her. I think of the words I will give my children when I pick them up this afternoon about remembering not to talk to strangers nor to accept ANYTHING from them.
The front office of the school promises that the Principal will confront the woman and remove them from the grounds that we all take for granted are safe. And not that the woman necessarily meant harm. But, it was her entitlement that incensed me; that she thought she had the right to approach my son and impose her literature on him. Or that what his parents are giving him needed a supplement that she felt she COULD... no, that she NEEDED to give directly to him without my/our knowledge or consent. What is that? Because I am BEYOND CERTAIN that if I had chosen, upon my morning exercise, to offer her child or any other some colorfully animated leaflet that said, "Are you a good person? Allah thinks so," I'd be more than excused from the school track.
shia
(also posted on www.myspace.com/groovenbuttafly)
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
this is an excellent life.
i am grateful for all of the opportunities to witness/participate/journey and find that it's all love anyway
admittedly, i've been running from this space like a debtor from a lender. so much time has passed since my last entry that this coming to the keyboard feels more like a confessional than entry. (forgive me blogger, for i have sinned. it has been nearly 2 months since my last entry.) suffice it to say i need to be writing more... here, anyway. the good news about that is that (1) i HAVE actually been writing more-just not here-and (2) maybe i am just busy living life than writing about it. but i have missed coming here with all of my sweet somethings and rantings; with that "y'all know what i did last week?" excitement in ever keystroke. ah, the rush!
so what's been going on? or what hasn't been going on? thanks to denea's and ahmad's generosity, last thursday thru saturday (EARLY) i was in atlanta for the 2007 AWP conference. (i am hoping manda-manda and frank x and dante and remika and others with cameras will forward pix soon. dam, i need a digi-camera!) anyhoo, it was really an amazing couple of days, topped off by the fact that we stayed at my old college brotha-from-anotha-motha's house. before then, i hadn't seen ted since i graduated from "Skegee" in 1993. THAT, my friends, is the magic of myspace. don't have an account? GET ONE!) but i digress... is it enough to say that we had a CC reading on thursday night at the art gallery in the cosby center at spelman college? i was full from the gate! THEN, i sent 2 nights eating GLADYS KNIGHT & RON WINANS CHICKEN AND WAFFLES (grits and buckwheat waffles, man!). i did FINALLY actually make it to conference stuff, and attended some EXCELLENT panels. the best part was getting loved up by my favorite writer-peoples. (after writing a list and deleting it, i decided i will not mention names. you know who you are cuz you can feel me thinking about you all in the telling.) i am PARTICULARLY grateful to a few PARTICULAR people for thinking of me and including me and the huggings and kissing my cheeks and talking to me and breaking bread with me, for making my people your people and not making me out to be a liar about what amazing people you are. you all made my trip so much more memorable. overall, the atl was the isht!
sekou sundiata was in town performing in his show "51st dream state" at the hogg auditorium on ut's campus on the 29th of feb. AMAZING!!! i took the kids with me. it was too much for them on a school night. but i am glad they had the exposure, if nothing else. they were troopers. (did i mention that sekou is a genius?!) his poems. the muses/singers. the dancer filmed and projected on the large fabrics behind the full band. important work! it was beautiful!
the week before atl were the SAAW events in austin. that weekend was amazing but i was PRAYING all the way through it. roger bonair agard brought his show, masquerade: poems of calypso and home. (just when you thought he couldn't get any more amazing, he does a one-man poetry concert.) that was thursday, feb 22nd. friday, ana lara, curtis crisler and roger read and signed books at follett's intellectual property. i hear that went well. (my son was VERY sick that weekend so i was actually unable to make it to that one. but it was hosted in excellence by dr. joni jones/omi oshun olomo, as it was in conjunction with a conference and reception through the CAAAS.)
PHEW!!! see... this is why i run. my fingers are cramping and my mind is scrambling for the next remembering...
OH!!! that would be my trip to cali! i went to cali february 13-18. orchestrated a surprise birthday party for sweetiebubu that went off swimmingly! california was too good to me, i tell you. he had no idea i was coming, which was the first surprise. then, when i bamboozled him to coming to dinner, only to find out there were 25 other people at the table waiting on him... THAT was priceless! but being with my dad and my brother too. i didn't realize how much loving masculine energy i have been REALLY missing in my life.
oh! and my bestest friend, charla, came to visit just in time for my daughter's 10th birthday party sleepover. she and i proclaimed ourselves "bestest" friends nearly at the same age my daughter is now. we have been up, down and through it, and i STILL feel like we are learning so much about each other. my son's birthday is this friday. he'll be 8. GOSH they are growing up so fast. both will have topped my height, i am certain, by the ends of their fifth grade years. compassion, sensitivity, creativity, feet, chins and dance ability... they might have gotten from me but height!? it's all "they daddy." anyway, charla will be back later this month. we are going to do something fun with the kids and hopefully laugh until our guts hit the floor like we did last time. THAT was priceless.
other than all of that... i've been actively engaged in understanding "intention," as per my intention coach (props to sheree ross) and doing things around "the secret." if you don't know, where have you been? life-changing stuff y'all. (also check out "what the bleep do we know" on DVD.) all of that is to say that these days i have been busy espousing to the universe what i intend so that it can deliver. it really is amazing how the law of attraction works. i have been balancing that with prayer/meditation and reading. right now it's bell hooks's "all about love." life work is so necessary y'all.
funny thing is, even with all that i have written here, there is so much more going on. good things simmering beneath each word. but no real words to articulate it all. i am looking forward to lots of things to come. the international women's day readings at resistencia bookstore (7-9pm), though that is also my son's sleepover night so... here we go again. sharon bridgforth is hosting SEXY SUNDAYS at cafe mundi once a month (next one is March 24th). if you just want to go have a good ole time, i HIGHLY recommend this event. good people, good music (thanks to DJ Wu).
that felt like diarrhea! (you know how it all just starts coming out and on the other side of it you feel slightly nauseated but a little better because you got it all out?) forgive me y'all. this is what your similes turn into when you've been away so long. i will REALLY try to write more often so i don't have to subject you to foul-smelling similes anymore.
you KNOW i love you. and that's it.
shia SHABAZZ (fa-evah-evah!)
i am grateful for all of the opportunities to witness/participate/journey and find that it's all love anyway
admittedly, i've been running from this space like a debtor from a lender. so much time has passed since my last entry that this coming to the keyboard feels more like a confessional than entry. (forgive me blogger, for i have sinned. it has been nearly 2 months since my last entry.) suffice it to say i need to be writing more... here, anyway. the good news about that is that (1) i HAVE actually been writing more-just not here-and (2) maybe i am just busy living life than writing about it. but i have missed coming here with all of my sweet somethings and rantings; with that "y'all know what i did last week?" excitement in ever keystroke. ah, the rush!
so what's been going on? or what hasn't been going on? thanks to denea's and ahmad's generosity, last thursday thru saturday (EARLY) i was in atlanta for the 2007 AWP conference. (i am hoping manda-manda and frank x and dante and remika and others with cameras will forward pix soon. dam, i need a digi-camera!) anyhoo, it was really an amazing couple of days, topped off by the fact that we stayed at my old college brotha-from-anotha-motha's house. before then, i hadn't seen ted since i graduated from "Skegee" in 1993. THAT, my friends, is the magic of myspace. don't have an account? GET ONE!) but i digress... is it enough to say that we had a CC reading on thursday night at the art gallery in the cosby center at spelman college? i was full from the gate! THEN, i sent 2 nights eating GLADYS KNIGHT & RON WINANS CHICKEN AND WAFFLES (grits and buckwheat waffles, man!). i did FINALLY actually make it to conference stuff, and attended some EXCELLENT panels. the best part was getting loved up by my favorite writer-peoples. (after writing a list and deleting it, i decided i will not mention names. you know who you are cuz you can feel me thinking about you all in the telling.) i am PARTICULARLY grateful to a few PARTICULAR people for thinking of me and including me and the huggings and kissing my cheeks and talking to me and breaking bread with me, for making my people your people and not making me out to be a liar about what amazing people you are. you all made my trip so much more memorable. overall, the atl was the isht!
sekou sundiata was in town performing in his show "51st dream state" at the hogg auditorium on ut's campus on the 29th of feb. AMAZING!!! i took the kids with me. it was too much for them on a school night. but i am glad they had the exposure, if nothing else. they were troopers. (did i mention that sekou is a genius?!) his poems. the muses/singers. the dancer filmed and projected on the large fabrics behind the full band. important work! it was beautiful!
the week before atl were the SAAW events in austin. that weekend was amazing but i was PRAYING all the way through it. roger bonair agard brought his show, masquerade: poems of calypso and home. (just when you thought he couldn't get any more amazing, he does a one-man poetry concert.) that was thursday, feb 22nd. friday, ana lara, curtis crisler and roger read and signed books at follett's intellectual property. i hear that went well. (my son was VERY sick that weekend so i was actually unable to make it to that one. but it was hosted in excellence by dr. joni jones/omi oshun olomo, as it was in conjunction with a conference and reception through the CAAAS.)
PHEW!!! see... this is why i run. my fingers are cramping and my mind is scrambling for the next remembering...
OH!!! that would be my trip to cali! i went to cali february 13-18. orchestrated a surprise birthday party for sweetiebubu that went off swimmingly! california was too good to me, i tell you. he had no idea i was coming, which was the first surprise. then, when i bamboozled him to coming to dinner, only to find out there were 25 other people at the table waiting on him... THAT was priceless! but being with my dad and my brother too. i didn't realize how much loving masculine energy i have been REALLY missing in my life.
oh! and my bestest friend, charla, came to visit just in time for my daughter's 10th birthday party sleepover. she and i proclaimed ourselves "bestest" friends nearly at the same age my daughter is now. we have been up, down and through it, and i STILL feel like we are learning so much about each other. my son's birthday is this friday. he'll be 8. GOSH they are growing up so fast. both will have topped my height, i am certain, by the ends of their fifth grade years. compassion, sensitivity, creativity, feet, chins and dance ability... they might have gotten from me but height!? it's all "they daddy." anyway, charla will be back later this month. we are going to do something fun with the kids and hopefully laugh until our guts hit the floor like we did last time. THAT was priceless.
other than all of that... i've been actively engaged in understanding "intention," as per my intention coach (props to sheree ross) and doing things around "the secret." if you don't know, where have you been? life-changing stuff y'all. (also check out "what the bleep do we know" on DVD.) all of that is to say that these days i have been busy espousing to the universe what i intend so that it can deliver. it really is amazing how the law of attraction works. i have been balancing that with prayer/meditation and reading. right now it's bell hooks's "all about love." life work is so necessary y'all.
funny thing is, even with all that i have written here, there is so much more going on. good things simmering beneath each word. but no real words to articulate it all. i am looking forward to lots of things to come. the international women's day readings at resistencia bookstore (7-9pm), though that is also my son's sleepover night so... here we go again. sharon bridgforth is hosting SEXY SUNDAYS at cafe mundi once a month (next one is March 24th). if you just want to go have a good ole time, i HIGHLY recommend this event. good people, good music (thanks to DJ Wu).
that felt like diarrhea! (you know how it all just starts coming out and on the other side of it you feel slightly nauseated but a little better because you got it all out?) forgive me y'all. this is what your similes turn into when you've been away so long. i will REALLY try to write more often so i don't have to subject you to foul-smelling similes anymore.
you KNOW i love you. and that's it.
shia SHABAZZ (fa-evah-evah!)
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
INCOG-NEGRO
hopefully not outta sight, outta mind. i've been myspacing mostly these days. not long-winded blogging much. but i am here because the following info needs a stage and what better place, right? if you can manage, these are EXCELLENT classes and events to attend. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
ciao for now...
shia
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: Class sizes are limited to 20. For more information and details, go to... http://www.writersleague.org/workshops.htm
POETRY WORKSHOP: WRITING A PATH TO TRUTH with Amanda Johnston
Saturday, February 10
10 AM - 4 PM
@ WLT Office (1501 W. 5th Street, Suite E-2)
REGISTRATION ENDS: FEBRUARY 2, 2007
Why do we write what we write? Is there something missing from your poem, something hinted at but not quite captured? "Writing a Path to Truth" is a workshop where participants explore the gray areas in their poetry, the parts unspoken or left undefined. Writing exercises used in this workshop are designed to create balance between the poet's personal truths and the technical aspects of their poetry. Participants may bring previously written poems to workshop; however, new work will be created and discussed.
Cave Canem Fellow and Affrilachian Poet, Amanda Johnston has performed across the country for various causes and events. Honors include a 2003 and 2004 Artists Enrichment grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women and the 2005 Austin International Poetry Festival's Christina Sergeyevna Award for best poem in their anthology, di-verse-city. Currently, Johnston serves on the board of directors for the National Women's Alliance and the African-American Arts Technical Resource Center of Austin, is a member of The Austin Project, a co-founder of The Gibbous Moon Collective, and is the founding editor of Torch: poetry, prose, and short stories by African American Women. www.torchpoetry.org.
Cost: $89 members / $139 nonmembers To register, email or call 512.499.8914.
WRITING / FROM THE BONES with Sharon Bridgforth
Saturday, February 17
10 AM -1 PM
@ WLT Office (1501 W. 5th Street, Suite E-2)
REGISTRATION ENDS: FEBRUARY 9, 2007
During this session, Bridgforth will employ a creative writing facilitation method that she has developed called "finding voice." The finding voice method helps participants use: identity-culture-memory-family histories-dreams to articulate and examine the spaces between and connecting autobiography and mythology/memory. This method uses guided journaling, movement, writing exercises and dialogue as a way for participants to manifest opportunities to move through and beyond blocks/issues that stifle full belly writing/Dreaming.
Sharon Bridgforth has developed an innovative style of teaching creative writing that she calls Finding Voice. The Finding Voice method walks participants through the process of using the personal: identity-culture-memory-family histories-dreams to articulate and examine the socio-political realities of their lives in a form that is based in oral history. Bridgforth has facilitated the Finding Voice Method as part of long term residency programming for companies and institutions around the country including: Hamiliton College~Clinton, NY; and The Austin Project (sponsored by The Center For African and African American Studies, University of Texas at Austin). Bridgforth is Executive Producer of the Finding Voice Radio Show, which is funded by the Funding Exchange/The Paul Robeson Fund for Independent Media. You can listen to the Finding Voice Radio Show at www.findingvoice.org. Bridgforth's work is available in many anthologies. For more information go to: www.sharonbridgforth.com.
Cost: $49 members / $89 nonmembers To register, email or call 512.499.8914.
TELLIN' LIES - A FICTION WORKSHOP with Ana-Maurine Lara
Saturday, February 24
10 AM -4 PM
@ WLT Office (1501 W. 5th Street, Suite E-2)
REGISTRATION ENDS: FEBRUARY 16, 2007
This workshop is for fiction writers interested in exploring the craft of fiction as an aspect of oral storytelling. We will explore narrative voice, character development and plot as key elements in the craft of writing. This workshop is designed to be used both with writing exercises and/or as working sessions on participants' own work. "Tellin' Lies" is geared to emerging - mid career writers who are interested in looking at craft in a different way. Participants should submit up to 10 pages of work at least 2 weeks prior to the workshop so that the course material can be matched to the level/needs of the participants. (You can email work samples to wlt@writersleague.org, or submit hard copy to the Writers' League office.)
Ana-Maurine Lara is an AfroDominican American writer and organizer. She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in East Africa and Mount Vernon, NY. She received her BA from Harvard University. Ana-Maurine's poetry and short fiction has appeared in several literary journals including Tongues Magazine and Blithe House Quarterly, among others. She has received awards from the Puffin Foundation, the Brooklyn Arts Council and PEN Northwest (the Margery Davis Boyden Wilderness Writing Residency). She is co-author of bustingbinaries.com: a website dedicated to addressing binary thinking in U.S. based social justice movements.
Cost: $89 members / $139 nonmembers To register, email or call 512.499.8914.
hopefully not outta sight, outta mind. i've been myspacing mostly these days. not long-winded blogging much. but i am here because the following info needs a stage and what better place, right? if you can manage, these are EXCELLENT classes and events to attend. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
ciao for now...
shia
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: Class sizes are limited to 20. For more information and details, go to... http://www.writersleague.org/workshops.htm
POETRY WORKSHOP: WRITING A PATH TO TRUTH with Amanda Johnston
Saturday, February 10
10 AM - 4 PM
@ WLT Office (1501 W. 5th Street, Suite E-2)
REGISTRATION ENDS: FEBRUARY 2, 2007
Why do we write what we write? Is there something missing from your poem, something hinted at but not quite captured? "Writing a Path to Truth" is a workshop where participants explore the gray areas in their poetry, the parts unspoken or left undefined. Writing exercises used in this workshop are designed to create balance between the poet's personal truths and the technical aspects of their poetry. Participants may bring previously written poems to workshop; however, new work will be created and discussed.
Cave Canem Fellow and Affrilachian Poet, Amanda Johnston has performed across the country for various causes and events. Honors include a 2003 and 2004 Artists Enrichment grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women and the 2005 Austin International Poetry Festival's Christina Sergeyevna Award for best poem in their anthology, di-verse-city. Currently, Johnston serves on the board of directors for the National Women's Alliance and the African-American Arts Technical Resource Center of Austin, is a member of The Austin Project, a co-founder of The Gibbous Moon Collective, and is the founding editor of Torch: poetry, prose, and short stories by African American Women. www.torchpoetry.org.
Cost: $89 members / $139 nonmembers To register, email or call 512.499.8914.
WRITING / FROM THE BONES with Sharon Bridgforth
Saturday, February 17
10 AM -1 PM
@ WLT Office (1501 W. 5th Street, Suite E-2)
REGISTRATION ENDS: FEBRUARY 9, 2007
During this session, Bridgforth will employ a creative writing facilitation method that she has developed called "finding voice." The finding voice method helps participants use: identity-culture-memory-family histories-dreams to articulate and examine the spaces between and connecting autobiography and mythology/memory. This method uses guided journaling, movement, writing exercises and dialogue as a way for participants to manifest opportunities to move through and beyond blocks/issues that stifle full belly writing/Dreaming.
Sharon Bridgforth has developed an innovative style of teaching creative writing that she calls Finding Voice. The Finding Voice method walks participants through the process of using the personal: identity-culture-memory-family histories-dreams to articulate and examine the socio-political realities of their lives in a form that is based in oral history. Bridgforth has facilitated the Finding Voice Method as part of long term residency programming for companies and institutions around the country including: Hamiliton College~Clinton, NY; and The Austin Project (sponsored by The Center For African and African American Studies, University of Texas at Austin). Bridgforth is Executive Producer of the Finding Voice Radio Show, which is funded by the Funding Exchange/The Paul Robeson Fund for Independent Media. You can listen to the Finding Voice Radio Show at www.findingvoice.org. Bridgforth's work is available in many anthologies. For more information go to: www.sharonbridgforth.com.
Cost: $49 members / $89 nonmembers To register, email or call 512.499.8914.
TELLIN' LIES - A FICTION WORKSHOP with Ana-Maurine Lara
Saturday, February 24
10 AM -4 PM
@ WLT Office (1501 W. 5th Street, Suite E-2)
REGISTRATION ENDS: FEBRUARY 16, 2007
This workshop is for fiction writers interested in exploring the craft of fiction as an aspect of oral storytelling. We will explore narrative voice, character development and plot as key elements in the craft of writing. This workshop is designed to be used both with writing exercises and/or as working sessions on participants' own work. "Tellin' Lies" is geared to emerging - mid career writers who are interested in looking at craft in a different way. Participants should submit up to 10 pages of work at least 2 weeks prior to the workshop so that the course material can be matched to the level/needs of the participants. (You can email work samples to wlt@writersleague.org, or submit hard copy to the Writers' League office.)
Ana-Maurine Lara is an AfroDominican American writer and organizer. She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in East Africa and Mount Vernon, NY. She received her BA from Harvard University. Ana-Maurine's poetry and short fiction has appeared in several literary journals including Tongues Magazine and Blithe House Quarterly, among others. She has received awards from the Puffin Foundation, the Brooklyn Arts Council and PEN Northwest (the Margery Davis Boyden Wilderness Writing Residency). She is co-author of bustingbinaries.com: a website dedicated to addressing binary thinking in U.S. based social justice movements.
Cost: $89 members / $139 nonmembers To register, email or call 512.499.8914.
Monday, December 11, 2006
gettn bizzier and bizzier...
you may notice... my aging and tired eyes forced me to resort to using the larger font for this entry and, most likely, those to come.) the lettering looks so much clumsier, large like this. argh! i hope you'll get used to it. (hell, i hope i can get used to it.) anyway...
few weeks have been as busy as this one promises to be. we're just outta monday and i'm taking a deep breath for tuesday. i think i may have said yes too many times this week because, on top of all of the end-of-the-semester holiday celebratory hubub, my project and social calendars are brimming with appointments. (and even the "social" is more work oriented because so much of being a writer/artist-person has to do with being "social." but anyway… don't get me wrong... busy is good. i just pray this ain't the kind of busy that forms ulcers or inspires hair loss.
a couple of things, though, that you, dear reader, should know about...
Tuesday-Wednesday, December 12-13, 8pm. Hyde Park Theatre (511 W. 43rd) will present seven plays – "What Do You See?," "Jaywalking," "Learning English," "Hippy," "1000 S. Kelly," "Probably Not a Play," and "Tree" – with an excellent cast under the direction of Ken Webster. It's a part of 365 DAYS/365 PLAYS. Background: The acclaimed playwright Suzan-Lori Parks wrote a play a day for an entire year, back in 2002. Now, in 2006, every single one of those plays is going to be staged at various venues all across the U.S.: New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, and so on. But Austin is where this yearlong cycle will begin, so get set for 10 weeks of theatre – with short plays of only 10 minutes, perhaps, and longer ones of 20 or more – as only Suzan-Lori Parks can write it.
Thursday, December 14th, 10:30am – noon at BookPeople. former President (and my birthdate mate) Jimmy Carter will be signing his book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. you have to purchase a voucher, which also buys you the book at $27+ but it am CERTAIN it's worth it.
Thursday, December 14th, 6pm. CARVER BRANCH FREEDOM BOOK CLUB spirits up Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, 472-8954. Led by Austin Project's own Courtney Morris!!!
Saturday, December 16th (Dinner at 6pm; Readings at 7pm) at The Rhizome Collective, 300 allen street t 5th, austin (78702)
Areyto: a gathering of Caribbean artists featuring readings by Ana Maurine Lara, Carole Metellus, Courtney Morris, Leo Guevara, Rebeca Castellanos. Musical performance by Cuban Hip Hop group Las Krudas.
Delicious Caribbean Menu includes: Dominican (vegetarian) Pastel en Hoja, Haitian Chicken, Cuban Rice and Beans and more!
Cost: $5.00 suggested donation (no one turned away) Donation includes copy of program book with work by featured artists! For more information contact MC Wura: wuraola@gmail.com or call 512.448.2429
Sunday, December 17th, SLEEP… Oops! Sorry… that was a mental note.
see you all about town!
Love and Truth,
shia
you may notice... my aging and tired eyes forced me to resort to using the larger font for this entry and, most likely, those to come.) the lettering looks so much clumsier, large like this. argh! i hope you'll get used to it. (hell, i hope i can get used to it.) anyway...
few weeks have been as busy as this one promises to be. we're just outta monday and i'm taking a deep breath for tuesday. i think i may have said yes too many times this week because, on top of all of the end-of-the-semester holiday celebratory hubub, my project and social calendars are brimming with appointments. (and even the "social" is more work oriented because so much of being a writer/artist-person has to do with being "social." but anyway… don't get me wrong... busy is good. i just pray this ain't the kind of busy that forms ulcers or inspires hair loss.
a couple of things, though, that you, dear reader, should know about...
Tuesday-Wednesday, December 12-13, 8pm. Hyde Park Theatre (511 W. 43rd) will present seven plays – "What Do You See?," "Jaywalking," "Learning English," "Hippy," "1000 S. Kelly," "Probably Not a Play," and "Tree" – with an excellent cast under the direction of Ken Webster. It's a part of 365 DAYS/365 PLAYS. Background: The acclaimed playwright Suzan-Lori Parks wrote a play a day for an entire year, back in 2002. Now, in 2006, every single one of those plays is going to be staged at various venues all across the U.S.: New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, and so on. But Austin is where this yearlong cycle will begin, so get set for 10 weeks of theatre – with short plays of only 10 minutes, perhaps, and longer ones of 20 or more – as only Suzan-Lori Parks can write it.
Thursday, December 14th, 10:30am – noon at BookPeople. former President (and my birthdate mate) Jimmy Carter will be signing his book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. you have to purchase a voucher, which also buys you the book at $27+ but it am CERTAIN it's worth it.
Thursday, December 14th, 6pm. CARVER BRANCH FREEDOM BOOK CLUB spirits up Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, 472-8954. Led by Austin Project's own Courtney Morris!!!
Saturday, December 16th (Dinner at 6pm; Readings at 7pm) at The Rhizome Collective, 300 allen street t 5th, austin (78702)
Areyto: a gathering of Caribbean artists featuring readings by Ana Maurine Lara, Carole Metellus, Courtney Morris, Leo Guevara, Rebeca Castellanos. Musical performance by Cuban Hip Hop group Las Krudas.
Delicious Caribbean Menu includes: Dominican (vegetarian) Pastel en Hoja, Haitian Chicken, Cuban Rice and Beans and more!
Cost: $5.00 suggested donation (no one turned away) Donation includes copy of program book with work by featured artists! For more information contact MC Wura: wuraola@gmail.com or call 512.448.2429
Sunday, December 17th, SLEEP… Oops! Sorry… that was a mental note.
see you all about town!
Love and Truth,
shia
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Am I really in AUSTIN?!?!
pinch me... i must be dreaming...
first, let me say that i know i need to invest in a digital camera. (donations are accepted.) it's hard to capture all of the goings on without pictorial representations but i will beg/bum/borrow/steal what i can, where i can for you, dear reader; so that your journey with me in this recounting of experiences is as technicolor as possible.
so this past week has been a bit of an out-of-austin experience. or maybe it was an absolutely austin experience. i haven't figured it out yet. but there were moments that made me feel like the landscape was shaping itself into something beautiful and amazing and worth staying for, even despite the horrid heat of spring, summer, fall and part of winter. (yes, i still threaten to move when the mercury rises. it's ritual.)
it started last tuesday when i had the privilege to participate in a "poetry circle" with sekou sundiata and several other completely brilliant members of austin's poetry community. (for pics, see www.amandajohnston.blogspot.com) this was the second "stage" i've shared with sekou and again i am changed. the man is doing necessary, amazing activism and artistry that i am blessed that the universe finds me worthy to witness and take part in. the conversation was a part of his work "the 51st dream state" which critically examines the poet's post 911 awakenings as... an american.
on friday, my children and i filed and piled into resistencia bookstore with hoards of other folks to hear poet, activist and all-around bad ass writer ana-maurine lara read from her newly released novel, ERZULIE'S SKIRT. she was accompanied by the drumming of tonya lyles who is amazing by all accounts. it is worth mentioning that the art on the cover of the book was done by a wonderfully talented friend/sister artist, wura.
friday was also the release of the inaugural issue of TORCH. check out www.torchpoetry.com to view it. TORCH is the brainchild of super-woman amanda johnston. again, i am blessed to bear witness and be a part.
saturday, international singer/theatre artist helga davis gave a free show at the ut. where else in the world could you experience helga davis FOR FREE?!!?!?! she was spellbinding! BREATH TAKING! adequate words fail me, really, so i will simply direct you to krissy's website for a few pics. (they don't show the performance at all but they capture at least some element of the joy in the evening.) Enjoy... http://www.dykeumentary.com/helga/helga.htm
saturday night was a full exhale, complete with a party at "the treehouse" in imani's honor before she leaves us for singapore shortly (sniff, sniff), followed by plenty of kahlua, erica's birthday and red ruffled panties (don't ask), a limo ride, salsa dancing, reggae, telling the village idiot that he was full of shit and beef bacon from katz's. (sounds like a perfect night, right?) needless to say i spent most of today recovering. i'm just glad i have so many pictures to engage the memories.
that's it for now, y'all. i'm tired. i have a feeling it's going to be a busy week.
pinch me... i must be dreaming...
first, let me say that i know i need to invest in a digital camera. (donations are accepted.) it's hard to capture all of the goings on without pictorial representations but i will beg/bum/borrow/steal what i can, where i can for you, dear reader; so that your journey with me in this recounting of experiences is as technicolor as possible.
so this past week has been a bit of an out-of-austin experience. or maybe it was an absolutely austin experience. i haven't figured it out yet. but there were moments that made me feel like the landscape was shaping itself into something beautiful and amazing and worth staying for, even despite the horrid heat of spring, summer, fall and part of winter. (yes, i still threaten to move when the mercury rises. it's ritual.)
it started last tuesday when i had the privilege to participate in a "poetry circle" with sekou sundiata and several other completely brilliant members of austin's poetry community. (for pics, see www.amandajohnston.blogspot.com) this was the second "stage" i've shared with sekou and again i am changed. the man is doing necessary, amazing activism and artistry that i am blessed that the universe finds me worthy to witness and take part in. the conversation was a part of his work "the 51st dream state" which critically examines the poet's post 911 awakenings as... an american.
on friday, my children and i filed and piled into resistencia bookstore with hoards of other folks to hear poet, activist and all-around bad ass writer ana-maurine lara read from her newly released novel, ERZULIE'S SKIRT. she was accompanied by the drumming of tonya lyles who is amazing by all accounts. it is worth mentioning that the art on the cover of the book was done by a wonderfully talented friend/sister artist, wura.
friday was also the release of the inaugural issue of TORCH. check out www.torchpoetry.com to view it. TORCH is the brainchild of super-woman amanda johnston. again, i am blessed to bear witness and be a part.
saturday, international singer/theatre artist helga davis gave a free show at the ut. where else in the world could you experience helga davis FOR FREE?!!?!?! she was spellbinding! BREATH TAKING! adequate words fail me, really, so i will simply direct you to krissy's website for a few pics. (they don't show the performance at all but they capture at least some element of the joy in the evening.) Enjoy... http://www.dykeumentary.com/helga/helga.htm
saturday night was a full exhale, complete with a party at "the treehouse" in imani's honor before she leaves us for singapore shortly (sniff, sniff), followed by plenty of kahlua, erica's birthday and red ruffled panties (don't ask), a limo ride, salsa dancing, reggae, telling the village idiot that he was full of shit and beef bacon from katz's. (sounds like a perfect night, right?) needless to say i spent most of today recovering. i'm just glad i have so many pictures to engage the memories.
that's it for now, y'all. i'm tired. i have a feeling it's going to be a busy week.
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