"Madeleine Albright, the first female US secretary of state and who helped steer Western foreign policy in the aftermath of the Cold War, has died. She was 84 years old. The cause was cancer, Albright's family said in a statement Wednesday. "Albright was a central figure in President Bill Clinton's administration, first serving as US ambassador to the United Nations before becoming the nation's top diplomat in his second term. She championed the expansion of NATO, pushed for the alliance to intervene in the Balkans to stop genocide and ethnic cleansing, sought to reduce the spread of nuclear weapons, and championed human rights and democracy across the globe." (CNN) Albright's funeral was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. yesterday where family, friends and colleagues from around the globe who gathered member her. I was especially taken by Hillary Clinton's remembrances. Clinton, who also served as secretary of state, shared very personal memories with … [Read more...]
Getting back into the writing groove
Our Grand Canyon adventure and my husband's healing process have taken me far afield from my writing life. Everything just seemed to stop on November 16. Interesting that I had carefully packed some paper and a pen so I could write a journal entry after my walk down the Grand Canyon that day. Unfortunately I never used them after hearing the news of my husband's injuries and the challenge I faced in getting back to the rim and to the Flagstaff Medical Center to be with him. However, in this past week I've sat myself down at my writing desk and managed to write a couple of poems in response to Robert Lee Brewer's poem a day challenge that ended on November 30. And it felt good to poem (as Brewer likes to say) again. I am also putting together a new chapbook that I'll submit for the Frost Place contest that's due on January 1. Though I'm not back to my writing in full force yet as you can see from how long it's been since I wrote my last post here, I'm getting back … [Read more...]
Where we can help
I worked the phones and entered data for several hours over at the Heart of LA for Hillary headquarters, and spent a day in Las Vegas registering voters. Since the election of Donald Trump people who worked hard and voted for Hillary need to find a way to quell their anger and find a way to direct their pent-up energy in a positive way. I know I do. Giving back is a great way to start. The Heart of LA for Hillary group has assembled, below, a list of some of their favorite organizations that need our help in the coming years. They also sent out a second-round list, also below, in advance of Giving Tuesday (November 29 - TOMORROW!). Here are the Heart of LA for Hillary lists. EMILY's List: Supporting pro-choice Democratic women running for Congress and governor. Latino Victory Project: a movement that builds power in the Latino community so the voices and values of Latinos are reflected at every level of government and in the policies that drive our country … [Read more...]
Election day thoughts
Maybe Robert Lee Brewer meant to give us prompts associated with the election of Donald Trump on Tuesday. But whether he did or not, I turned yesterday's and today's November 2016 Poem A Day challenge prompts into poems about the election results. I'm still in mourning. I'm still in shock. And I feel it's a poet's role to put our thoughts down on the page - especially at times like this. As a poetry friend wrote me yesterday: 'Regardless of how you feel about the election results, I think it is important to remember we need POETS now more than ever. That poetry is both power and peace. It is up to poets to build a citizen of something new.' The prompts for November 9 and 10, respectively are: Take the phrase Call Me (blank), replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then write the poem. Possible titles include: Call Me Al, Call Me Crazy, Call Me Batman, Call Me at 3 O'clock in the Morning, etc. Call Me Sad There … [Read more...]
Not a lot of writing going on now
For the last couple of weeks I've been really caught up in the election. I couldn't take my eyes and ears off of the conventions, nor can I stop reading about it in the newspapers and online. I'm also glued to the news shows every evening. Therefore not a lot of writing is going on in my life right now. In the last election I refused to post anything either here or any of my other social media networks about politics or my views about politics. I didn't want to offend any of my memoir customers who had different political views than mine. This election is too crucial for me to keep silent. And already I'm sure you can tell I'm with Hillary. There is no way I would vote for a person like Donald Trump. But this is not to say I feel she is the lesser of two evils. I've felt all along that she has the most experience for the job of president of the United States, and she has respectful relationships worldwide that she can call upon when needed in our dealings with … [Read more...]
Meet artists and authors, Alice and Richard Matzkin
We spent a wonderful weekend with our friends Alice and Richard Matzkin at their home and art studio in Ojai, California. I always feel like I'm at an idyllic retreat when I'm there. It is so quiet, so lush with greenery and interesting things to look at, so filled with beautiful art, and the conversations are endless. Alice was my first friend when I moved to Los Angeles in 1961. We went to art classes together for quite a few years. Needless to say, she stayed with her painting. I found another creative outlet. Around the Matzkin yard We went up Friday night in time to hear Richard drumming with his jazz trio at a local Ojai restaurant. Besides being a drummer he's a sculptor, mostly of aging men. Alice, a painter, has her work at the Smithsonian portrait gallery. Her commissioned painting of Chelsea Clinton once hung in the White House private residence. Our portrait by Alice hangs prominently in our home. Alice, Chelsea, and Hillary, 1997 Madeline and Bob, … [Read more...]
