changes

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Modern Poetry

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.

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Telephone of the Tree

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)

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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…

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Poetry Prompts

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Meh. The idea is cool. Some of the illustrations were cool, some of the ten-word tales were cool. Would be good for a classroom writing activity. This reminds of The Mysteries of Harris Burdick but doesn’t quite add up to that. When they are this brief and this few, every single one needs to be phenomenal. Or maybe I want it weirder. Or maybe I’m just jealous.

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Ten-Word Tiny Tales

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“Narrative, you say, is just one way of navigating time.

And those perceptions culled
by the restraints of narrative
become available to other trajectories.

Meanwhile, the future blows toward us without handholds. It is a gaping. An already. A maw.

What happens when the mind is no longer a place of duration?

If you want to resuscitate your destiny, you joked early in our relationship, start with the present…”

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Standalone post link: Reading Log: Mojave Ghost

Decided to start posting again and push my updates to micro.blog and then to a bluesky account I set up. Thinking about pushing to Threads as well, but not pulling the trigger on that yet.

Now to see whether it works like I hope it will, wether I stick with it or get scared, whether I actually want anyone in the world to be aware of my weird little website.

Edit: spent too much time today playing around with this. I don’t know why some of the posts work and some look funky, and I’m not entirely sure why I’m doing this actually. I should just read stuff and email people or whatever?

Standalone post link: on posting updates again, and pushing to some social media sites

I’ve forgotten and failed everything meta I meant to do. I’m afraid to look at this website, I’m afraid to look at my notes, I’m afraid to look at the stacks of books on and around my desk, I’m afraid to look back at all my open tabs.

Just keep stacking it on, I guess? Open more tabs. Continue to live my life occasionally and a little bit, with no commentary or performance.

Except this, I guess.

Standalone post link: Open More Tabs

Robin Sloan’s mini-site around Moonbound is so great.

Welcome to the Dragon Moon

This afternoon, after I finished reading Moonbound, I read pretty much everything that is posted there so far (looks like there is more to come.)

I’m excited to see where he goes with this series next, and his virtual book tour broke my heart a little bit when he talked about his book not becoming a bestseller despite his hustle, because I recognized that though I have a parasocial connection with this author, following his newsletter for years and feeling like I know him, I didn’t even come through with a pre-order on this book for him. Some kind of parasocial imaginary friend I am.

I’m relieved he seems to be proceeding with this series, despite our collective neglect. I hope his publisher feels the same way, and I hope he’s right that it will be a slowly percolating success.

I intend to re-read it with my son if he’ll let me, as soon as we’re finished with The Wild Robot Protects.

P.S. My son for his own “challenge” read for school is starting in on that very massive Earthsea omnibus which Sloan shows in a post about Le Guin on the site.

Standalone post link: Moonbound MIni-Site, and the Failures of Even My Parasocial Connections

I made two syrups this afternoon - chocolate and lavender

(I guess technically they are chocolate-vanilla and lavender-vanilla syrups)

Went by these recipes (two-recipe split view, since I did them at the same time in two different sauce pans)

• Easy Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe
• Lavender Syrup Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (but I added a tablespoon of vanilla)

Standalone post link: Two Syrups