Morning themed poem by Mary Oliver

Why I Wake Early

Hello, sun in my face.
Hello, you who made the morning
and spread it over the fields
and into the faces of the tulips
and the nodding morning glories,
and into the windows of, even, the
miserable and the crotchety –

best preacher that ever was,
dear star, that just happens
to be where you are in the universe
to keep us from ever-darkness,
to ease us with warm touching,
to hold us in the great hands of light –
good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day
in happiness, in kindness.


I thought this poem was fitting for my continuing (and, at day 2, still successful) quest to rise at 6:15 each morning. I have to say, while I enjoy this poem, this post is not in any way an endorsement of Mary Oliver. I really enjoy her collection American Primitive, and some of her nature writing, but overall I think she's shallow and a bit of an air-head. A lot of people would disagree with me, but I guess those are the poeple who think writing six-plus poems about a little dog named Percy (and titling each poem "Percy" and numbering it) is an entertaining subject.

In summary: mixed feelings on Mary Oliver, enjoy this poem.

Rising Early, 1

I've always liked New Year's resolutions, and try not to let the cheesy factor (or the fact that some people make the same resolutions and then abandon them year after year) bother me. I've always said and believed that change is important--as long as you're struggling (even if you're failing), you're doing something right. Anyway. I was planning on blogging about getting up in the morning, not writing a sermon, so I'm going to stop there.
One of my resolutions was to wake up at 6:15 in the morning Monday through Friday, so that I can pull more out of my weekdays. The only days I actually need to be up semi-early are Tuesday and Thursday, when I teach my English 112 (theme: Travel Writing) class from 8:00-9:15. Wednesday I don't have to be at class until 10:00, and Monday and Friday I don't have any classes. So, I could sleep in until fairly late, if I so desired.
I thought I could use the extra morning time to read, write, eat a bigger breakfast, and jog.
Today was the first day my alarm/cellphone actually went off at 6:15. I reach out and turned it off so it wouldn't wake Angela up, and then I just laid on my stomach with my head lifted up for a moment, trying to decide if I wanted to go back to sleep. Not surprisingly, I did want to-- but I wasn't sure if I was actually tired. My body felt heavy, my mind was groggy, and I felt slightly (and inexplicably) angry, but I wasn't exactly sleepy.
I began to use the power of logic against myself.
"What," I reasoned, "Am I getting up this early for? I know I could get up if I wanted to. But why would I?" It was dark out, and I wouldn't be able to jog for another hour and a half. I could read at any point in the day. All signs began to point for me to reset my alarm for seven (an admirable time to rise!), and fall back asleep.
But on that precipice between bed and beakfast, I overcame my own neo-serphent rhetoric and decided that rolling out of bed because I said I was going to was good enough. I think there's something to be said for mornings (just as there is something to be said about staying up late), and being a "morning person," and I didn't want to miss out on some of the benefits they offer. Such as time, and silence, and a certain kind of beauty that's absent at other times of the day.
So I got up quietly, made my way out into the hall, and switched on the light as I closed the bedroom door. I went downstairs and made a pot of coffee, then read my bible while I drank. I looked outside. Dark. I went upstairs, checked my email, and read about the Golden Globes. I finished, checked cnn.com, and looked outside again. Still dark.
Now, at 7:41, the dark outside my window is beginning to gray, and I can see footprints in the snow behind our building. Soon, I suppose, the sun will come up.

Blue-Collar Anniversary

Another year, another unromantic anniversary. Two years ago today, Angela and I married. Here is a picture of us, exactly one year ago.

We were visiting a water-treatment plant that powered Bongolo Hospital in southern Gabon. Here we are today, helping my dad paint the living room.

We did go out to dinner afterwards. Cheers.

Holiday Life, Pt. II (Accomplishment)

Merry Christmas.

Although I haven't been writing much over this holiday break (I mean writing in general, not posting on this blog), I'm not worried. I think it's beneficial to take a break once in a while, so I don't burn myself out like some short-lived roman candle-- and also, I've had other worthy accomplishments.

Below, you are going to witness a photo of what is more than likely, the best gift an uncle has ever given a niece-- a realistic, stuffed guinea pig. Upon presentation of said guinea, there was some confusion:




But it wasn't long before uncertainty gave way to love.

Love, however, was short lived, as evidenced by this 1:41 video clip. You'll have to forgive my vaugely homosexual-sounding commentary, I guess it's a combination of How I Really Sound and How I Talk To Little Kids-- also, I keep referring the the guinea as a gerbil.

And, finally, a movie update:

Slumdog Millonaire and Marley & Me have both been knocked down. Both were excellent films. I was pleasantly surprised with Anniston, and thought she was at her best in the post-partum scene(s). Angela made the solid point that the latter film did a nice job of not glorifying either owning a dog, or having kids. And I agree.

Tonight at 9:30, I'm crossing off Benjamin Button. Maybe I'll actually see all the films on my list before the 12th...

Finally, here is a photo of Ang. and I in line for Marley & Me.

Holiday Life, Pt. 1

Angela and I are in Toledo, OH, for the first part of our Christmas Break (I am aware that at some point, adults are no longer supposed to have a lengthy Christmas Break-- but I'm still a student, and Ang. is a substitute teacher), and today was the day we had planned to drive up to my parents in Michigan.

The weather, however, intervened. I'm sure others already know what I'm talking about, as this storm is affecting many areas of the mid-west.

In other news, I began reading Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian today. I need to take a break from poetry (both writing and reading), and read some fiction.

Here are some pictures from the Kalb's house in Toledo, post-ice-storm.

The Holidays and Film

If anyone has any extra time over the Holidays, there are a slew of potentially solid movies that will be finding wide (a couple of these have already been released in LA/NY) release in the next couple of weeks. Here is a short list of what I will be seeking out in the theater before January 12. (The day second semester begins.)

1. Gran Torino Some are trying to intellectualize this film-- themes of aging and racism, Clint Eastwood's final acting role, a tribute to what he's done before as The Man with No Name and Dirty Harry--but I'm going to call a spade a spade. Clint Eastwood will be old, he will be beating an awful lot of ass, and I'm going to enjoy it. A lot.

2. Slumdog Millionaire Danny Boyle directing, it's already won numerous prizes-- and I usually end up being a fan of any movie that "celebrates life." Blame it on my sentimental side. And, I'm always a fan of unusual plotlines-- a poor young Indian man, on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" is intriguing. I've heard the movie grows pretty dark at times (I think I read something about torture...), but I lalso like dark.

3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Brad Pitt. Thank you for Legends of the Fall. Keep your new mustache.

4. Marley and Me A role that will be great for Owen Wilson, and is not written by Wes Anderson. Those, I think, are few between. Angela and I both read the book, and we both really enjoyed it. Heart-warming, and based on a true story.

5. The Wrestler I, personally, am very excited about this. I think Mickey Rourke's sort of hit-or-miss, but the combination of him with Marisa Tomei (I think she's great) and director Darren Aronofsky will be exciting (as will Aronofsky's departure from movies with awsome yet strangely unsettling soundtracks). Also, this movie has that "celebration of life" potential. And the underdog-redemption-factor. Maybe I'm being misguided by reviews and trailers, but this could be one of the most solid films being released.

6. Frost/Nixon I don't think this will change anybody's life, but the dialogue should be snappy, and by all acounts, the acting is top-notch (Both Sheen and Langela were recruited from the Broadway play). Is Kevin Bacon playing a sleaze-ball in this? I can't tell.

7. Doubt Angela saw the trailer for this and said, "Ew, we're not seeing that," but I disagree. Again, the snappy dialogue, and as for the acting, well...the older generation may be quick to name Meryl Streep, but she's had her low moments. Now Philip Seymour Hoffman...I can't think of a single role-gone-wrong. Seriously. (And I've heard Viola Davis as the boy-in-question's mother is unbelievable.)

Up in the air...

6. Seven Pounds Really, this could go either way. I unashamedly enjoy Will Smith, although I don't think he's the most subtle of actors. But what, exactly, is the movie about? He changes seven stranger's lives? Boooorrrriiinnnnng. Hopefully there's more to it than that.

7. Revolutionary Road Leonardo DiCaprio is great, but how much can you do with "A young couple raising a family in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s look to break free from their frustratingly mediocre lives." This has been done--many times-- before. Also, this isn't going to resound with people as much as it might have when the film was in production. Maybe if the family was from the 30's, and going through the great depression...

Thoughts? I'd be curious if anyone has already seen any of these. Cheers.

When a man loves a woman. . .

Happy Anniversary


30 years and counting!

Publication and Brief Update

I recently had a poem accepted in the literary magazine Cold Mountain Review. It's forthcoming in their Fall issue, which will be released in January.

I'd post it, but I'm not sure if that's considered "publishing" it or not, so you'll have to wait until after January if you're interested. I'm excited.

In other news, Angela and I are driving to Indianapolis for a Halloween party tomorrow, and then on to IWU for a Sunday visit. We are not sure what we're going to dress up as-- she wasn't too keen on my idea for her to dress up as Dwight from The Office, and me to dress up as Angela.

Cheers.

. . . the greatest of these is love

Congratulations Larisa and Cameron. . .



YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED!!

we love you.

Life in Oxford, Pt. 2

This is where Angela and I were last night. For those of you not in the area, there was an uncommonly strong windstorm Sunday, and the whole area lost power from Sunday until around 6 o'clock Tuesday morning (no street lights, no restaraunts...you know there's trouble when Wal-Mart has to close). It was unique looking at the moon in-town, without street lights to dim its brightness, yet disheartening that all our food was going to inevitably spoil. Ah well.

School was cancelled on Monday, but that night back-up generators were running at the University. Angela and I were studying/snacking at Shriver Center when those went out, and word spread that there was going to be a "protest" at the President's house. Angela and I went over to see what, exactly, there was to protest. There were about 1,000 (literally) other students who beat us there, as well as a large amount of police. It turns out the student body had one demand. They didn't want to go to class- again.

Some of them got their wish, not because class was cancelled, but because they were arrested. I understand they were just having fun, but I give my class three unexcused absences...and they're paying a lot of money to protest what they're paying for....I don't know, maybe I'm getting old. I do think it's too bad that many of them couldn't mobilize and get rowdy about, oh man, I don't know-- war, abortion, injustice in general.

Here's a short clip someone took. It's difficult to hear some of the more inspired chants, from "CAN-CEL CLASS," to "HOW CAN WE STU-DY, IF WE CAN'T SEE?," but you get the point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nszdvWjereo