off kilter

I don't know what's wrong with me today, but I'm being the ultimate klutz. Class was a moderate disaster this morning, even though I had prepared last night. I suppose we all have days like this.

I'm reacting emotionally to a lot of things too. Like no email in my inbox at 9:30. Stuff that wouldn't bother me at all if I wasn't feeling so off-balance already.

Eh, if I put one foot in front of the other and do the next indicated thing, it'll be okay, and I'll get back on track eventually. In that spirit, I'm off to Latin class.

a day to write

Apparently that's what I need to do today.

It's been quite some time since I've updated regularly here, or at my blog for that matter. School has been, well, school, and thoroughly adept at getting in the way of my usual verbal regurgitation.

Today, however, the writing is more important that just about everything else.

Of course, my emotional state (unstable) has a great deal to do with that. I need a mental break, in a way, or a release, and the necessary medium is my beloved (type-)written word. I am completely incapable of expressing myself truly or accurately in the realm of the spoken, but the written is an inviting canvas, instead of the daunting blank page that inspires only speaker's [sic] block.

Even though it's mixed, the metaphor is applicable. Today I am a true romantic - painting with words, feeling sounds, hearing colors. Synesthesia aside, words pour into my mind like ink on a brush, and the swirling tinctures illustrate themselves through simple letters and symbols.

There will be more; perhaps less poetic, more mundane, but this is a day for writing. This urge will neither be deterred nor ignored.

brushes with fame -- a plug

I was almost on the radio this morning.

I got on the 7:50 edition of the number 6, as usual, and just one stop later, three more passengers boarded. One was an older gentleman (he talked about a newborn great-grandchild, I can say that) who was apparently interviewing the two others that boarded with him about the Lawrence bus system. It was the 25th anniversary of the company, so public transit was both free and news.

After the first radio spot (transmitted live via cell phone) he asked the rest of us on the bus how long we'd been riding, etc. I was apparently the most experienced aboard (strange, that!) and when I mentioned I'd lived in Germany and gotten used to the transit there, he looked all interested, and wanted to chat with me for the next spot.

Unfortunately, the next spot was due up about 1 minute after I had to depart the No. 6 to transfer to the No. 8.

Bummer. I laughed about and half-regretted not being able to participate just because I had a class to teach at 8:30.

Along these lines is ranked hanging out with Joel. We went to coffee last night, and within 15 minutes two people had talked to him, the first about an article he wrote, and the second was a personal acquaintance who just happened to run into us. I can't imagine what it must be like to be stopped on the street and be told what a good job you're doing, or that someone enjoyed a piece you wrote. It's not fame per se, but it is recognition (and public visibility) of a sort.

A familiar experience, in a way: it hearkens back to our days in Mississippi, where I was known only as "the new music minister's daughter". It wasn't through my own merits that I 'achieved' this recognition. It was simply by virtue of being the new girl in a small town. It brings up some interesting memories, which are more positive than I expected, considering the tumultuousness of our stay in that southern state.

I am missing out on hearing a famous person tonight as well -- author Salman Rushdie is giving a talk at the Lied Center tonight, and I was too slow in getting tickets. It has been 'sold out' (the tickets were free) since September 30. (Joel, however, managed to score one randomly last week -- I'll be getting the full report from an actual reporter. *g*)

I missed out on both James Brown and Bobby McFerrin while I was in Stuttgart (due to low fundage, as usual). The last (and only) person of any widespread reputation that I heard was Sherman Alexie, author and screenwriter (remember the movie Smoke Signals? That's his stuff.) I went with Becca (another Lied Center event) and it was delightful. I truly enjoy getting to hear people whose works I've either read or listened to... to get a glimpse of the human being.

Okay, so I did get to hear the King's Singers in Heidelberg in November. One individual, and one group.

The best part of that was sitting in on rehearsal pre-concert. It was refreshing to hear a professional music group practicing, spot-checking in much the same manner as we did for college choir quartet exams.

finally, the plug: Kit (bluecanarykit) has been working on the rewrite of Blue Canary, creating history and storyline, changing the format (from daily strip to graphic novel) and I got to see the first 11 pages! Other than Ken, I'm the only person who's gotten to see more than the related sketches and sneak peeks that she has posted to the LJ already.

It's coming along nicely, folks. I'm looking forward to this.