June 30, 2009

Suburban Sustainability – Part Two – Take Care Tuesday

This morning I am sitting in Springfield, VA, a D.C. suburb, at Dave’s house, and I’ve been thinking about how to live “green,” so to speak, in an environment that is entirely suburban. Here, everyone drives everywhere, or at least it seems that way to me. The landscape seems largely made up of pavement and concrete, and the entire organism of life in this area is based around convenience.

Yet, even here, the green world peeks through. A few days ago, Dave and I took a walk through this little park just down from his house. The park managers have set up barbecue grills and picnic tables so that people can go out and relax under trees and, presumably, escape the heat of a D.C. summer intensified by asphalt. Or I can look out the window where I sit now and see Dave’s huge flowering cherry tree and the dogwood across the lot or look out the back window to see the green, unlandscaped strip between Dave’s townhouse and the ranch houses behind him. It is almost an oasis of trees here, and I take breath in that.

Last night, we weeded and mulched Dave’s yard and worked on “cleaning it up.” Just laying down that pine bark calmed my spirit in the midst of so much movement – the smell of it, the texture of it, the way it crunched beneath my bare feet – all of that natural sensation. As we drove out to get vanilla extract for the buttercream frosting we made for angel food cupcakes, I saw people walking in the evenings – they seemed to be “fitness” walkers, but still, here they were outside in a summer night enjoying something that doesn’t cost them anything but a little time.

I am learning to see how to live my life in this environment where it seems that so much if hidden behind the ever human quest to do more and have more. I am not immune to this quest, but I try to resist; I try to fight this consuming nature. And I do it in small ways – with six bags of mulch and some cupcake frosting made from scratch. Simple things to keep the air fresh in the midst of pavement.

* Filed by Andi at 5:42 am under Uncategorized
* 1 Comment

Suburban Sustainability 2 – Take Care Tuesday

This morning I am sitting in Springfield, VA, a D.C. suburb, at Dave’s house, and I’ve been thinking about how to live “green,” so to speak, in an environment that is entirely suburban. Here, everyone drives everywhere, or at least it seems that way to me. The landscape seems largely made up of pavement and concrete, and the entire organism of life in this area is based around convenience.

Yet, even here, the green world peeks through. A few days ago, Dave and I took a walk through this little park just down from his house. The park managers have set up barbecue grills and picnic tables so that people can go out and relax under trees and, presumably, escape the heat of a D.C. summer intensified by asphalt. Or I can look out the window where I sit now and see Dave’s huge flowering cherry tree and the dogwood across the lot or look out the back window to see the green, unlandscaped strip between Dave’s townhouse and the ranch houses behind him. It is almost an oasis of trees here, and I take breath in that.

Last night, we weeded and mulched Dave’s yard and worked on “cleaning it up.” Just laying down that pine bark calmed my spirit in the midst of so much movement – the smell of it, the texture of it, the way it crunched beneath my bare feet – all of that natural sensation. As we drove out to get vanilla extract for the buttercream frosting we made for angel food cupcakes, I saw people walking in the evenings – they seemed to be “fitness” walkers, but still, here they were outside in a summer night enjoying something that doesn’t cost them anything but a little time.

I am learning to see how to live my life in this environment where it seems that so much if hidden behind the ever human quest to do more and have more. I am not immune to this quest, but I try to resist; I try to fight this consuming nature. And I do it in small ways – with six bags of mulch and some cupcake frosting made from scratch. Simple things to keep the air fresh in the midst of pavement.

* Filed by Andi at 5:42 am under Uncategorized
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June 28, 2009

Don’t Call Me a Crook by Bob Moore – A Review by Father of Andilit

My dad is a very avid reader (actually both my parents are), and he’s got a very different taste in books than I do – his Westerns to my literary novels. So when this book hit my mailbox with its description of “a tribute to one man’s triumph over the police, morals, and sobriety,” I thought it sounded a good fit for my dad’s love of strong male characters and adventure. I think I was wrong; here’s what Father of Andilit had to say:

The book held my interest for its presentation of life on the edge in another time and style of living. This lasted for three or four chapters after which it became tiresome. One should not write an autobiography unless there are interesting aspects to one’s life. Each chapter reads the same: opportunity exists, trouble comes, advantage is taken of someone, writer lands on his feet. Bob Moore’s life may have interested him, but it didn’t me.

So there you have it folks, an honest review from an honest man, my father. No mincing words, no pulling punches – my dad is the kind of man he reads about in his adventure stories – tough, wise, and above all, truthful.

Cover of Don't Call Me a Crook – Don’t Call Me a Crook: A Scotsman’s Tale of World Travel, Whisky, and Crime by Bob Moore

* Filed by Andi at 5:21 am under Uncategorized, music reviews
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June 25, 2009

Goneaway Into the Land by Jeffrey Allen – A Review

Part fairy tale, part drama, Jeffrey Allen’s Goneaway into the Land tells the story of John, a boy whose father is so abusive that John calls him “The Beast.” And a beast this man is – when John’s father physically carries away John’s little sister, Marny, John is launched into a mythical investigation to find her and on a journey that will weave his path with the fate of another place – the Land.

The concept of this novel engaged me from the minute I heard about it – I love when fantasy and reality intertwine on the page, probably because I see most of life working that way. Plus, I know that most kids, myself included, often wanted to escape into another world when life got too hard while we also wanted to solve the problems around us and become heroes of great stories. Allen has pulled all these ideas into one novel, and he’s done so with some prowess. In fact, the book reminds me a little of LeGuin’s story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” one of my favorite stories of distopia.

In particular, the opening scenes with the Beast and the Beast’s family are harrowing. After I read them, I dreamed horrible dreams of abuse and assault, of the monsters that come after us partially because we have chosen them.

However, I have to admit that I did not get that far into the book before my interest started to wane and I started to grow frustrated. First, the fantastical element of the story is slow to develop; even as the Land and it’s inhabitants are introduced, it’s hard to become invested in THEIR story because so little of it is revealed. Instead, we are given lots of character development in short snatches of scene. More plot in that element of the story would have been helpful.

Secondly, and here my job as a teacher curses me again, Allen does not use commas well. His writing is full of run-on sentences or non-restrictive clauses that aren’t set off with commas. Honestly, a good editor should have caught these mistakes, but he/she didn’t, so the reader is left to deal with them. [Amendment to Original Review - Allen just contacted me to let me know - see comment below - that my version is a Galley copy - now, all is clear. Please don't let this comment keep you from reading what is quite a delightful book and one that will, apparently, be getting a much-deserved wider release.]

Overall, Allen’s book concept is engaging, but the execution lacks luster. The novel could have used a good tightening up and editing. I applaud Allen for his success and wish him all the best – including a stronger editor – on his next book.

Cover of Goneaway into the Land by Jeffrey Allen – Goneaway into the Land by Jeffrey B. Allen

* Filed by Andi at 4:43 am under Book Recommendations
* 1 Comment

June 24, 2009

When the Desire to Write Comes on Strong

Today, this morning in fact, I suddenly felt ready to write again. I’ve been busy with life – a new relationship, work, adjusting to a new schedule, baking (cherry pie this afternoon) – and I have been content. In fact, I was starting to wonder if I was going to write again. And honestly, I was okay if I didn’t – I’m really trying to get past the idea of needing to force experiences on myself

Yet, now, in this moment, I am ready to write again. I am ready to put words down on paper. I am ready to enter that space where I disappear into myself. I feel amazing about that.

I’m not sure what prompted this change – maybe it’s simply because things seem to be going well; maybe it’s a change in schedule and plan that is coming up; maybe it’s simply that’s it’s time. Whatever it is, I’m grateful for it – for the return to words.

What I’ll write is still unclear to me – I want to revise the draft of a memoir I’ve been working on. I would like to pursue some journalistic opportunities. Maybe I”ll enter a few contests.

But really, all that matters now is that I’m back to this – black ink, white paper, the scratching sound of a pen – words and the energy behind them.

* Filed by Andi at 11:38 am under Uncategorized
* 1 Comment

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