answers (part two) and a little gratitude
A few more answers to the questions you asked last weekend.
michelle asked: Who are your favorite poets and/or writers?
Well, I love William Stafford. And the funny things is, a few months ago I hadn't even heard of him. Now, reading his words continually takes my breath away. If I could only read one writer/poet for the rest of my life it would be him. (And as I listen to the song “Virginia Woolf” for about the thirtieth time today, if I could only listen to one song for the rest of my life, it would be this one. Of course, that was not your question…)
I also enjoy May Sarton, Natalie Goldberg, Barbara Kingsolver, Joanne Harris, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Thomas Merton, Kathleen Norris…so many. I have a serious, deep relationship with books and the people who write them, and I am going to write more about this soon.
la vie en rose asked: If you could have tea with 5 poets (living or dead) who would they be?
William Stafford, Marge Piercy, Robert Frost, Hafiz, and May Sarton
(but that is just for today's tea. tomorrow i want to invite Dorothy Parker, Carl Sandburg, Ursula LeGuin, Rumi, and Pablo Neruda.)
Cate asked: Because we all love words so much, I feel like we focus a lot on reading and writing. In a different vein, which visual artists (not sure if that's the right word) inspire you the most? Do you prefer abstract art, photography, sculpture, fabric art, etc?
I am drawn to many different kinds of art. Most of all, I am drawn to the beauty of the world around us and to stories.
Some artists I have loved for years now:
Georgia O’Keefe
Leroy Neiman
Ken Jenkins
Brian Andreas
Some more recent favs:
Nina Bagley
Kellyrae
Christine Miller
Misty Mawn
Lynne Perrella
Laini Taylor
(and how the list goes on and on)
This had made me think about putting a list of links to artist's sites on my sidebar. I will do that soon.
Cate also asked: And maybe you've posted about this and I missed it, but how did you meet your husband?
Jon and I both worked at a boarding school back in Indiana. I was a dorm counselor there and he taught physics. My good friend Josh (who was my neighbor across the hall) insisted we have a “game night” and invite Jon and some other colleagues over. We did. Jon and I were partners at Trivial Pursuit and cracked each other up in our super-nervous geeky ways. Then two weeks later I invited him on a date because he was simply too shy to ask me. When he gave me a gift (the book Winter’s Tale) for our first month anniversary (and I hadn’t even remembered or thought to get him anything), I knew he was going to stick around for a little while.
(Susannah dear, your answer is coming. It is a work in progress at the moment.)
A little gratitude:
My grandpa is doing better. Thank you all for your kind words and wishes for him. Earlier this week we had some really scary moments after his surgery. His body did not react well to the anesthesia and we thought we were going to lose him. This forced me to really have some clarity about the realization that we cannot control when another person passes away. Another reminder about how the death of someone else is not about us. Our reaction to it is all about us though. But, he is doing better. Even well enough to call me on my birthday and sing happy birthday to me. He hasn't missed one yet.
Even though I was sick, sick, sick on my birthday, Jon made the day extra special for me. He came home to fix me my favorite lunch (grilled cheese and tomato soup), and he baked me a cake (and even bought a big 3 and a big 0 to put on the cake. seeing that lit 3-0 almost put me over the edge though. hee, hee). He also gave me an iPod nano, using the birthday money my father had given him. As you may recall, his parents gave him an iPod for his birthday and he fought with it for almost the entire Memorial Day weekend. After it started working, he fell in love with it. He didn't want me to miss out on the fun. I love it!
I am feeling a little better...so I will be going to the last weekend of my yoga training (the two-year program). Not sure how I could miss it really; it is like graduation. We are going on a retreat to Breitenbush Hot Springs. Hoping the sauna and hot springs might knock some more of this stuff from my body and help get rid of my wheezing. Though I may spend each yoga practice in savasana.
And I have lived for 30 years. And this feels good, good, good. Thank you for your happy birthday comments and emails! I can't wait to see what happens next...
this is me
Reader Comments (19)
oh, happy BIRTHDAY!!!! i'm sorry i missed it on wednesday....30 is just the beginning!!!!
winter's tale: is that mark helprin's winter's tale? (loved that)
Liz, I'm sorry I missed wishing you well on the big event. And I'm particularly sorry you weren't feeling well enough to truly celebrate. That just means you have to make up for it when you are feeling better! Because 30, as eeekat says, is truly just the beginning, dear heart. The best is yet to come! Enjoy every precious moment.
and i can't wait to see what happens next for you either, my love. i'm so glad your grandpa is doing okay - i love that he sang you happy birthday - that brought a tear to my eye actually ... :-)
love to you bunny
Sx
happy belated birthday, liz...hope the hot springs work out the last bits of your sickness...
Happy belated birthday my dear!! I'm so sorry to hear you were sick, but so glad to hear you were so well taken care of. We have so much to catch up on and I can't wait to go read through your previous blogs that I've missed out on. Your blog looks beautiful by the way! As do you, as you always do. I'm so glad to be back here and able to read your thoughts. You've made my Friday! THANK YOU!!! xoxo
I'm so glad you Grandpa is doing better. You're birthday sounded delicious, even with the flu. What a sweet husband. So glad you had a good day and 30 is good!
Hi there! sorry to hear you've been feeling so sick, glad to know your grandpa is doing better, & so tickled by Jon's thoughtfulness on your birthday. What a good one he is! Also, your answers are so interesting again -- I'm going to have to read some William Stafford. And thanks for mentioning me in your artist list! Shucks...
hello honey - your sweetie is just that. sweet. grilled cheese and tomato soup. so simple yet perfect (my fav, too). glad to hear grandpa is ok and that you may be over the hump with feeling ill. have a great time at breitenbush. i've heard great things about it!
mmmm-hot springs are my favorite. i'm sending you deep healing wishes and long bits of rest, liz. take good care of you inside and out...xoxoxo p happy happy thirty years-its a good one.
Oh, hugs to you. I truly related to this post as my own father is in the hospital just trying to hang in there. Sending strength and love and joy to your family, especially Grandpa...
I'm going to google William Safford as I have not yet heard of him. He must be incredible if you would push away all others if you had to choose.
Happy Birthday, love, and enjoy that iPod. I'll send you a copy of "We Are The World" to make your playlist extra special!
Sweet pea!
I just love these answers. I too have to look him up. I love learning so much about new authors and poets. You rock.
I am sad that you felt crappy on your birthday, but oh so very happy that you got a nice cozy loving lunch, a Happy Birthday sung by your grandpa, and an iPod. I got my iPod for my birthday this year too. I love it, but have to admit I haven't added as many songs as i would like.
Hope the hot springs aid in your recovery.
Much love to you, you 30 year old angel.
****I am singing you Happy Birthday in my head as I write this****
hhmmm.
i'm starting to feel like i am crazy.
i KNOW i posted a comment here last
night, but now its gone...
why does blogger keep eating my comments?
anyhow...what i meant to say
was that i am happy that your
grandfather is feeling better,
and glad to hear that you are on
the mend...
and most importantly,
i loved the description of the
"super nervous geeky ways"
heeheehee
(so something i can relate to!)
I hope that you had a wonderful weekend & are feeling refreshed and excited to get on with the rest of the week! Thank you for the list of writers to look for!! I'll be llink-folowing when I get a minute!!! I'm so glad you are loving the Indigo Girls. Have you heard the live version of Virginia Woolf?? (Off of 1200 curfews?) It's AMAZING. AND have you got much of their other stuff? (This could have been put in an email I suppose...) Cuz I think I could hook you up :)
love to you!!
Thank you for answering my questions! And thank you for sharing all of this wonderful information about yourself--it was like flipping through a book and discovering rich or delightful passages!
Happy Belated Birthday!! I'm sorry you were sick but it sounds like you had a great one just the same. You'll LOVE your I-pod, it makes music so great!
can i come to tea with you and marge piercy? pretty please? :)
Oh I'm sorry I missed your birthday, belated greetings on a milestone ... and I'm so glad to hear your grandfather is doing better. Several of the older people in our family have been through this and there are no two for whom the proceedure comes out the same. Thankful Thankful he is doing well.
I love this story of you and Jon, espcially the way you connected it to the way he made your birthday special. Hugs, smiles and a lovely spot of tea ... I wish we lived close enough to actually share these three in person! Looking forward to hearing about graduation!
what a fabulous tea party...i think i just might have to unexpectedly drop by...
so glad to her your grandfather is doing better. sounds like you had a scary time there.
Hi - just a quick 'hello' and thanks for your blog - I've just discovered May Sarton through Keri Smith's blog (Wish Jar Journal - do you know it?) and am very much enjoying her - have just ordered House by the Sea. Glad you're a recent poetry convert - I can really recommend the Bloodaxe 'Being Alive' and 'Staying Alive' if you haven't already come across them. Thanks. Fiona