1. I've been reading quite a lot of poetry lately. For grown-up poems, I've been reading that new Neruda book I blogged about as well as re-reading Ted Kooser's Valentines. In the kidlit arena, I've been reading the finalists for the CYBILS awards, since I'm one of the judges for the poetry category. Very good stuff on the short list this year.
2. The Airborne Toxic Event has a new single, "Changing", which has a major hook to it. "I am a gentlemen" is STUCK IN MY BRAINRADIO. I've heard it once in concert and once on the radio and now I'm hooked - can't believe I can't buy it until February, but it was kind of the band to post the track on YouTube!
3. I backed my computer files up today. I mention it in case it's something you need to do too - it can be so easy to let these things slide, somehow, isn't it?
4. On Tuesday, my friend Lisa and I are to see & hear author Brad Meltzer speak at the Free Library of Philadelphia. I'm looking forward to it - and it will make my second theatre-like cultural event this month, so I'm exceeding that particular well-filling goal!
5. January 19th marked the occasion of Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday. Blogger Jef Otte came up with "Five weird ways to celebrate", which is presented in countdown format. Number five, entitled "Creeping", is:
In Tell-Tale Heart, perhaps the most famous of Poe's stories, the narrator spends all night slowly creeping toward his neighbor, who is lying asleep in his bed, intent upon murdering him. Today, try spending a couple of hours creeping toward the guy in the cubicle next to you on your rolly chair. If he says anything, shine a penlight in his vulture eye.I happen to find #1 ("The cask") hilarious, despite it being very, very wrong: "Invite a friend over. Get him drunk. Bury him alive in your basement."
me, p