a stream

.

Very generous in its number of pages and prompts (40+), language concepts shared, writing techniques and tricks, and activities. These would of course be good teacher or librarian-led activities, but I feel like the book is written in a way that a kid could totally pick it up and try these things on their own if they are interested. It gives plenty of information and examples, and doesn’t get too technical about how the poems need to be. In fact, there is a refreshing refrain throughout of “do it however you want, this is for fun.”

There are a lot of typos and missing words in the text.

None of the prompts address rhythm or meter other than syllabic count for haiku, etc.

Feels weird that it gets to the 41st prompt and just ends. There is no conclusion, glossary, “Further Reading and Resources,” boring small print note for teachers, or anything like that. Not even “Visit my website,” “Follow us on Instagram,” “share your poems with the hashtag,” etc. I guess the intended audience is legally too young for all of that, so they are being responsible.

This one is on that poetry longlist so I need to rate it there. 4 or 5, I’m not sure. I will know better once I’ve read more of the books, maybe…

Past Log Updates

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Poetry Prompts

I’m trying to actually do this “Homegrown National Park” thing in my yard, so I have a lot of notes, but I’m not ready to share them. (Today I’m just trying to get my 2024 reading log filled out and updated.)

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Nature's Best Hope (Young Readers' Edition)

Tearjerker.

This was presented to me as a “novel in verse” but it feels like it barely qualifies. It is definitely lyrical and spare writing, and has some line breaks here and there, but I really wonder about the whole “novel in verse” distinction the more I read of them. If this is a novel in verse (as prose poems) then probably almost every Kate DiCamillo book could be called a novel in verse, or perhaps a “novel in prose poems”, and a lot of other pared down, well written books…Need to explore this idea more.

Past Log Updates

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Telephone of the Tree

This is more listening than reading, but it is formatted as an actual book with probably 40+ pages of liner notes and essays to go along with 5 compilation discs to listen to. Since I did sit down and read it like a book, I’m listing it as reading as well. I’m not marking it as completed yet because I haven’t finished listening to all of the songs, nor my various side quest deep dives into individual albums and artists associated with this compilation and era.

I happened upon this in the Salt Lake City Public Library catalog while I was searching for something else, and I’m so glad I did get the physical copy. Having all the essays and band biographies there at hand was so helpful, and I think this is much more thorough than some random “Shoegaze and Dream Pop” playlist one could get from the streaming platforms. Also, though this comp is offered on the streaming platforms, the physical version is much more generous, with more than double the tracks of the streaming version, including many from the most notable artists. No My Bloody Valentine though. (It’s okay, I already have their stuff.)

Past Log Updates

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Still in a Dream - A Story of Shoegaze 1988-1995

Past Log Updates

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Modern Poetry

Extremely depressing. Debilitating levels of chronic cringe. Possibly the most self-aware book ever. Life-affirming empathy machine. Absolutely hilarious. 5 out of 5, would read again. BOTY?

Past Log Updates

DATE : 2024-12-02 (later)

This was perfect for reading in my car parked at the far end of the rec center parking lot like some total creep by the light of the empty pickleball courts while I waited for my daughter’s volleyball practice to finish.

DATE : 2024-12-02

I started reading Rejection last night and had weird dreams about it and woke up this morning feeling really fucked up and depressed like the people in the book. It really got into me I guess, it is easy to internalize feeling like a “loser” - absolutely going read the rest of it; so awful I can’t look away.

Resources

“The Rejection Plot” by Tony Tulathimutte | The Paris Review

Author Tony Tulathimutte on adapting to distraction and uncertainty | The Creative Independent

Standalone post link: Reading Log: Rejection

Read this again, this time aloud with my son. So great.

Past Log Updates: Reading Log: Moonbound

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Moonbound

I will definitely get back to this one soon.

Past Log Updates

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Something in the Woods Loves You

Took so many notes and quotes from this today, which I always think I am going to do with books like this but rarely ever do. Learning to be more deliberate and thorough about my reading and writing, I hope.

Having a lot of thoughts from this book in regards to writing: why and what I should write, and the intersection of her framing of writing as a way of life or a spiritual practice with me feeling a push to get back into blogging here on this website or get involved with social media again. Her framing of writing as a life practice feels right to me, it is a religious practice I could join; so then the question becomes not whether to write but whether to share my writing, and where, when, and why. Hopefully I can sort it all out through writing soon, and I might share it here, depending on how it turns out?

The first key is that I need to be patient with myself and do it all on my own time, not get caught up in the need to generate “consistent content” or such nonsense. Not publish the first words that come over the keyboard onto the screen, though I am doing that right now.

Past Log Updates

DATE : 2024-11-07

Started reading Body Work by Melissa Febos. Read the first essay, in defense of navel-gazing…great arguments for personal writing, that it is actually political writing, that it is belittled and suppressed for real reasons, speaking truth to power, bearing witness, etc.

Resources

Standalone post link: Reading Log: Body Work

Genre: dreampop indie rock? I don’t know what, was expecting something dubsteppy James Blake-y and this was honestly better than I thought it would be

metablogging sidenote: I think I’m going to make the genre field show up in my posts…

Past Log Updates

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Standalone post link: Listening Log: The Sunset Violent