Post Secret Blog

I like the posts on the blog by people who thought a phrase was saying something else. I especially like the person who thought the phrase was "Wayne in a manger." I thought these were hilarious and would like to be able to refer to something like this throughout the day at work after hours of working on sewerage contract issues. I think it is important to somehow find something hilarious in each day to keep a person from going insane in the mundane details and annoyances of the workplace. Granted, I am certain that many surrounding co-workers would be (and are) at annoyed and outbursts of laughter and non-work related discussion of issues such as the items on Post Secret but I question the stability of the mental health of some of the "annoyed people" at times.

"Killing Yourself to Live"

I really liked this book because I could relate to the writer. We were born the same year and alot of the music he followed through his lifetime was the same or similar to the music progression that I followed and I could related to it. Many of the stories he discussed regarding the bands and the individual musicians I was already familiar with and could see how he related to them to his life.

The other aspect of the book that I found interesting was his analysis of his relationship with women. It is always interesting to hear the relationship incites of me of my generation. It is an unusual thing to see in writing since most of them don't publicly discuss "relationships." Not that I myself enjoy relationship analysis, all the same it was really funny in some instances and entertaining.

Spider

I Bid You a Good Evening Spider

By Beth Kudla

The inspiration for my poem was the large, furry spider that was sitting next to my work bag at last Tuesday's Novi Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting when I was picking my things up to leave. I have a lot of spiders around my house because I live near the water. Rather than screaming and running away from it. I just picked up my bag and moved on wondering whether it had come from my house and gotten out of my bag or whether it was coming from the Civic Center and trying to hitch a ride with me. Oh, well because it lives in Novi now.

It was difficult trying to get the words in an order that made logical sense and were able to be followed while at the same time trying to get them to form the spider. I overcame the challenge by working with it for a few hours and adding a few words to lengthen the spider's leg.

A History of Drowning, 2

Carrie Olivia Adams

Why does it move so?
Why does it break or ask to be broken?

Her fingers stay tied. She is sitting on her hands to save them.

What if this too were to flower?
What color might it be in the dark?
Or with his back turned?

Carrie Olivia Adams



I liked this poem. I think it was about trouble with a relationship and consideration of having an affair. It is the second poem in a series of 5 poems by this author that all appear to be about problems in the speakers life. Possibly the same speaker with problems leading up to a possible suicide in the last poem.

I reviewed an interview with Carrie Olivia Adams and she is considering "the sense of lonliness that defines the human condition" in her writing. Though this perspective may seem very negative to many people, including my mother, who would like everyone to "look at the positive side" of everything. That is just not how life is. There is no positive side to many things that occur everyday. As unfortunate and negative as this may seem to some people, it is a reality for others.

In an interview, the author notes that even when her dream of publication came true, she realized that she would still have to keep her day job, wait for the bus and ride to work on a sticky seat. Though some people cannot appreciate noticing these types of things everyday, this perspective and the viewpoints in the poems, are something that I can relate to. It is not necessarily a bad thing to be able to focus on the negatives. Recognizing them is the only way that they can be either accepted for what they are or changed if they need to be.

The interview with Carrie Olivia Adams can be found at http://robmclennan.blogspot.com/2009/06/12-or-20-questions-with-carrie-olivia.html.

Sleeping Beauty as Told by the Handsome Prince

By now Rose had been asleep for 32-years. In that time Josiah had seen sadness and tragedy. As promised by the Twelfth Wise Woman, the spell he begged to be cast upon him came with sacrifices and tragedies that must be endured, After all, nothing in this life came without strings attached.

Josiah was there when the Thirteenth Wise Woman promised little Rose’s death would befall her on her fifteenth birthday. A nasty thng to promise at a child’s christening. In her defense, she was a woman scorned. The whole town knew that the King had broken his promise to marry her when his kingdom fell into hardship and he’d married the Dutch princess to bring great wealth back to the kingdom and the surrounding villagers. Senselessly, the Thirteenth Wise Woman promised that death would befall Rose upon the prick of her finger on a spinning wheel near the time of her fifteenth year. But the Twelfth Wise Woman, a kindly soul, could not allow this to occur. It was quite excessive to sentence the child to such a short life because a difficult political decision had had to be made. She stepped forward and diluted the spell for death to a mere spell for sleep, though a long sleep it would be.

Josiah had been 5-years old at the time but remembered it as it had been yesterday. The Thirteen Wise Woman had cast the spell and immediately disappeared in a puff of black smoke, not to be seen again by the Kingdom in her human form. It was at that time, Josiah decided that the terrible tragedy could not occur. Josiah was the second son of the King’s cousin from France. Josiah’s parents had died leaving him in the care of his cousin’s kingdom where he was raised by the same nannies as Rose. There was not a school day that past or a holiday that was celebrated in the next 14-years that Rose and Josiah did not spend together. They were the best of friends and each one would do anything for the other. Though the King had long ago destroyed all of the spinning wheels in the Kingdom, choosing instead to import all fabric from surrounding areas, nevertheless, Josiah was always on the lookout, and would do anything to prevent the prophesy from coming true.

On the 357th day of Rose’s 14th year, Josiah was taken ill. Because cholera had been rampant in nearby kingdoms he was forced into isolation in a small cottage outside the Village with his nanny until his fever had passed. Though it had not been cholera, it had been nearly fatal illness and he had lost consciousness for seven days. By the time he woke from the fever, the tragedy had already befallen Rose. Not only she, but the entire kingdom were in a deep sleep and a briar patch over 100-feet tall and 100-feet thick had surrounded the Kingdom.

Josiah was devastated. He turned to the Twelfth Wise Woman for advice. She confirmed that Rose would sleep for no less than 100-years and that the briar wall was impenetrable to keep invaders from plundering the kingdom. Josiah begged the Twelfth Wise Woman, “Please, give me the same fate, put me to sleep.” The Twelfth Wise Woman had refused but instead agreed to another spell for unending youth. That way, Josiah could live his life and wait until the time the spell over Rose came to its end.

For the past 32-years, Josiah had done just this. Lived his life and waited. He returned to his Kingdom in France and managed the village at the behest of his elder brother, the King. Josiah did not marry looking forward only to the day that Rose would wake up. Though he did not age, no one lived long enough to notice. The town was virtually wiped out many times over by the plague and cholera.

Over the next 50-years Josiah continued to work. From time to time he heard great tales of the “sleeping beauty” across the sea and the princes of other kingdoms who were unable to penetrate the great briar wall to awaken her. He did not fear for their success however, because he knew that only time would awaken her. By the time his brother, the King was 86 and on death’s bed, Josiah determined to begin his journey back to Rose. 81-years had now passed.

Josiah arrived in the small town of the great briar wall. He settled in as a mason having learned many trades in his great lifetime. There he worked diligently and patiently for the next 19-years, no one having known him but the Twelfth Wise Woman, who herself was still youthful. Though he appeared to be a young man in his mid twenties, Josiah was nearly 115. He had seen a lot of tragedy and was not the same boy he had been. He and the Twelfth Wise Woman passed the time talking of the old days.

On the eve of the 364th day of the 99th year of Rose’s sleep, Josiah stood outside the briar wall waiting for its imminent collapse. Men appeared from time to time to try to scale the great briar wall, still none having been successful, most having died in their quest. As the moon rose, a young man rode in on a grey mare and jumped off the horse. Josiah, identified himself and asked the young man who he was and what was his intent. The young man replied that he had come from France, the great grandson of the King and he had come to scale the wall. Josiah, knowing this was his great nephew, who had been raised properly and would some day be a great man, told the boy, “wait until morning.”

The next morning, both awoke and the briar wall was gone. Josiah considered the past century. He was no longer the boy he had been when the spell was cast upon him. He had run kingdoms; he had seen birth and he had also seen death. It was time for him to spend some quiet time and leave the learning to the young. Josiah sent his nephew into Rose’s chamber to awaken her and he returned to the Twelfth Wise Woman and they lived out their days together, happily.

This is a lighthouse in North Carolina. I have not been to this lighthouse, but if I could leave everything here I would live near a lighthouse on the southern Atlantic Coast.

Assignment

A Patient Friend

By now Sara had been asleep for 32-years. In that time Josiah had seen sadness and tragedy. As promised by the Twelfth Wise Woman, the spell he begged to be cast upon him came with sacrifices and tragedies that must be endured, After all, nothing in this life came without strings attached.

Josiah had been there when the Thirteenth Wise Woman apparently scorned and embarrassed by the King’s refusal to invite her to his daughter’s christening promised little Sara’s death on her fifteenth birthday. After all, why would he invite her. The whole town knew that he’d broken his promise to marry her when his kingdom fell into hardship and he’d married the Dutch princess to bring great wealth back to the kingdom and the surrounding villagers. Senselessly, the Thirteenth Wise Woman promised that death would befall Sara upon the prick of her finger on a spinning wheel near the time of her fifteenth year. But the Twelfth Wise Woman could not allow this to occur. It was quite excessive to sentence the child to such a short life because a difficult political decision had had to be made. She stepped forward and diluted the spell for death to a mere spell for sleep, though a long sleep it would be.

Josiah had been 5-years old at the time but remembered it as it had been yesterday. The Thirteen Wise Woman had eventually disappeared in a puff of black smoke, not to be seen again in her human form by again by the kingdom and faithful villagers. It was at that time, Josiah decided that the terrible tragedy could not occur. Josiah was the second son of the King’s cousin from France. Josiah’s parents had died leaving him in the care of his cousin’s kingdom. Josiah was raised by the same nannies as Sara. There was not a school day that past or a holiday that was celebrated in the next 14-years that Sara and Josiah did not spend together. They were the best of friends and each one would do anything for the other. Though the King had long ago destroyed all of the spinning wheels in the Kingdom, choosing instead to import all fabric from surrounding areas, nevertheless, Josiah was always on the lookout, and would do anything to prevent the prophesy from coming true.

On the 357th day of Sara’s 14th year, Josiah was taken ill. Because cholera had been rampant in nearby kingdom’s he was forced into isolation in small cottage outside the Village with his nanny until his fever had passed. Though it had not been cholera, it had been nearly fatal illness and he had lost consciousness for seven days. By the time he woke from the fever, the tragedy had already befallen Sara. Not only she, but the entire kingdom were in a deep sleep and a briar patch over 100-feet tall and 100-feet thick had surrounded the Kingdom.

Josiah was devastated. He turned to the Twelfth Wise Woman for advice. She confirmed that Sara would sleep for no less than 100-years and that the briar wall was impenetrable to keep invaders from plundering the kingdom. Josiah begged the Twelfth Wise Woman, “Please, give me the same fate, put me to sleep.” The Twelfth Wise Woman had refused but instead agreed to another spell for unending youth. That way, Josiah could live his life and wait until the time the spell over Sara came to its end.

For the past 32-years, Josiah had done just this. Lived his life and waited. He returned to his Kingdom in France and managed the village at the behest of his elder brother, the King. Josiah did not marry looking forward only to the day that Sara would wake up. Though he did not age, no one lived long enough to notice. The town was virtually wiped out many times over by the plague and cholera.

Over the next 50-years Josiah continued to work. From time to time he heard great tales of the “sleeping beauty” across the sea and the princes of other kingdom’s who were unable to penetrate the great briar wall to awaken her. He did not fear for their success however, because he knew that only time would awaken her. By the time his brother, the King was 86 and on death’s bed, Josiah determined to begin his journey back to Sara. 81-years had now passed.

Josiah arrived in the small town of the great briar wall. He settled in as a mason having learned many trades in his great lifetime. There he worked diligently and patiently for the next 19-years, no one having known him but the Twelfth Wise Woman, who herself was still youthful. Though he appeared to be a young man in his mid twenties, Josiah was nearly 115. He had seen a lot of tragedy and was not the same boy he had been. He and the Twelfth Wise Woman passed the time talking of the old days.

On the eve of the 364th day of the 99th year of Sara’s sleep, Josiah stood outside the briar wall waiting for its imminent collapse. Men appeared from time to time to try to scale the great briar wall, still none having been successful, most having died in their quest. As the moon rose, a young man rode in on a grey mare and jumped off the horse. Josiah, identified himself and asked the young man who he was and what was his intent. The man replied that he had come from France, the great grandson of the King and he had come to scale the wall. Josiah, knowing this was his great nephew told the boy, “wait until morning.”

The next morning, both awoke and the briar wall was gone, Josiah sent his nephew into Sara’s chamber to awaken her and he returned to the Twelfth Wise Woman and they lived out their days together, happily.