Haiku of Prayer

On youtube is a short film by a friend Gray Bowen; I contributed a little to it, in the form of teaching him about haikus, and collaborating on some of them.
It is under Haiku of Prayer. Check it out!

garageband, phd programs, heart attacks and bedroom eyes

2007, the year of Sylva. It really sort of was. I swam in Sylva rivers, Sylva partying, Sylva friends, Sylva bands, Sylva dance, Sylva men...
Apparently, I also, almost drowned in the men, as usual.
But I am swimming still!

My attempts at getting into a PhD program are moving along. I started working on a project to record my manuscript on my computer. This computer is so amazing, though I don't have internet at home.

Luckily my parents have wireless...yes! I'm recording my manuscript on garageband. This program, once I figured it out anyway (which took an online tutorial and a few hours of playing), is ridiculously awesome!

My dad had another heart attack this year...the first in about 10 years. Scared me silly, as usual, but he is doing well now. I love my daddy. He giggles and acts silly like me. We sang Elvis Christmas songs in the car going to Wal Mart. hehe.

Also, I recently put up a pic of myself on my myspace. Somehow, it must be sexy or something. I have had many people compliment me on it (in various ways--"Are you topless in that pic?" "I want to pee on your leg!" "lookin good girl!"), so I figured I must have on my bedroom eyes in that one...funny.

long time no blog...

So I have a blog on my myspace, which I have used a little, but not much either. I have just been busy,and I go through phases where I'm not sure if I want people to know my thoughts out loud. I'm telling people too often as it is.
Got into Future Scholars Visitation Program at U Georgia. This is most definitely good news. The next step will be getting into the Ph.D. program.
Been thinking a lot about wanting a baby.
This decision to go back for my Ph.D. means probably 4 or 5 more years without that in my life.
That is okay, I'm sure; somewhere in my faithful heart, I believe I can't make it happen, not my responsibility. And I'm on my period again. It seems like every other week! I keep telling myself at least it means I'm still of birthing age.
That's lame.

NEW POOTER!!!!!

Mkay, so I got a MACBOOK PRO!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!

Devil's Den and Wolfgang Laib

I am finally finished with this semester. WOW> talk about a learning experience...it was really intense. I had 3 students who got their girlfriends pregnant, 3 girls who were pregnant, one bipolar girl, one schizophrenic guy, one guy with other depression/anxiety problems. Oh my. I had two people turn on me in very strange ways, one student and one person I work near, but not with. They, in my opinion, were redirecting their anger onto me for no apparent reason. It is now over. I'm going to Arizona, Cali, Oregon, Wash, and Vancouver, Canada in a week or so. YAY!!!!!
Okay, so, I've been "going down memory lane" as my mom just said to me.
I was remembering my first couple of years of college, when I went to MTSU. SO, I found a website from the cave where I had my first official dive, to become certified. It was called Devil's Den. The pics on the website do NOT do it justice.
Also, I was remembering going to the Smithsonian a few years ago (I think in 99 or 2000). I remember an artist whose medium was pollen and beeswax. I found his name online. It's Wolfgang Laib. WOW. Again, looking at pictures of his work is not enough. It's the sensory experience of smelling and touching the beeswax, and the different shades of BRIGHT yellow of the different pollens. WOW>

raw liver and coffee

Did you know that's what Boss Hogg likes for dinner? hehe.
Anyway, I started a new semester today. Holy Geez. It's been an interesting day. I will have to be more organized than ever before because I have 5 classes back-to-back on MWF, with only 10 min in between each one. I have, because I'm working all at the Jackson campus (the bigger campus) about 100 students (which will drop some; we'll see how much). 100!!! I have to take breaks from organizing and planning, and Heroes and the Dukes of Hazzard have been the television options. Boy, I have a life, don't I?

my name is Christmas

my name is Christmas,
and I don't care what people think
I know I am about love

my name is Christmas, and
I am alive and will always be
alive in this world

my name is Christmas,
and I am family;
new babies, and grandparents
and parents and brothers and sisters

my name is Christmas,
and I am not things,
but I am Dr. Seussian
thoughts, dreams, and hopes

my name is Christmas,
and I am icicle lights,
and color, and joy to the
world
and
peace on earth

my name is Christmas,
and I am forgiveness
and inclusion, not exclusion
my name is Christmas,
and I am Jesus

my name is lung

This is a fun writing exercise that I created from a student's cut-up poem. All you do is start out with "my name is," and add a tangible object into the blank. Go from there in whatever way you'd like. Here are some of mine:

My name is lung,
and I breathe all names in the
same way, hoping for a fresh fruit
to cut open with my lips.

My name is rain,
and I soak all parts of your body
with my newness
hoping for a chance
to come open like a cloud.

My name is metal, and I
resonate with your tap
(click click).

My name is paint,
and I saturate the canvas
with my watercolor sadness,
waiting for a cue from the brush
to find my way into the day.

My name is bean,
and I sprout for you in
the shallow soil when I
should be digging deep
for myself.

new lit journals

I guess since I am publishing in two Issue I publications, I can give myself as well as them, a little plug. Wordletting is one publication. Its website is not yet ready, but you can find info about it under a google search for "Colorado Poetry Publications." The Lyre is the other one. It is a publication out of Wisconsin. It doesn't have a website yet either. I am excited to say I have been working hard submitting, and it is starting to pay off. I appreciate any literary endeavor, and am glad to be a part of two new ones. Appalachian love to you all! Holly

thebigboxofcolors

My wonderful friend, Mariam has created a website to benefit needy kids through art. You can send kids the big 64 box of Crayolas for the holidays, or any time of the year.
The website is called www.thebigboxofcolors.org
It is a really unique and beautiful idea.
I actually just got a poem published that was written for Mariam. Also, she recently married a poet. This makes me very happy. His website is www.ccapoet.com
They live in Seattle with Lydia, an amazing young lady who is also a creative genius.

an excerpt from the poem, Mariam,:

Heart suck
pull, mince into
tiny squares
thick Asian pears
for biting in the sun.

...

You dance with color inside your
winter coat.