Here at Brittany's Blog, I write and share poetry through #napowrimo & #the100dayproject
You can follow my 100 day project on my Instagram handle @bone_to_ash
I look forward to hearing from everyone.
It’s been a looong while since I posted here, but since April
is National Poetry Month, I couldn’t resist having a series of posts in honor
of all of the poets out there, alive or dead. I will post poems ranging from
centuries old to recently released; along with my reactions. In addition, I
will post some of my own poems as well as posts about poetry news, videos, writing
prompts, writing tips, as well as links to great podcasts and recordings. To learn more about National Poetry Month or to get a free NPM poster, you can visit the official NPM website.
And as the April tradition of NaPoWriMo, I will link my blog
to the official National Poetry Writing Month website and hope to meet a
community of fellow poets and poetry enthusiasts. On the official website, they list all participating websites as well as post poetry writing prompts each day. If you’re unfamiliar with
NaPoWriMo, it began with a woman who wanted the poetry equivalent of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).
If you want to participate, the goal is to write one poem a
day starting on April 1st and ending on April 30th. You
can post it on your own blog, or I invite you to use the comments section of
this blog. I would love to share and read everyone’s work and I look forward to
this month of poetic awesomeness. See everyone bright and early tomorrow!
Hey east coasters, you've surprised me again. Around every corner
of this coast, every nook and cranny are surprises.
Maybe I'm just noticing
everything because for me it's new new new! But I digress, people here are rude.
Especially when I'm either driving or walking. And just yesterday I realized even east coasters think other east coasters are rude.
It happened like this.
While I waited at Firestone for an oil change, the lady
mechanic noticed my Oregon license plate (I still haven't changed it). And the
conversation started out like this...
Mechanic: "So are you from the west coast?"
Me: “Yeah, born and raised in southern Washington."
"My ex-boyfriend was from Oregon."
"Oh cool."
"Yeah, he always said people were so rude over here and it's
true. People are crazy drivers.”
"Haha, you know, since I’ve moved here, the east coast
reminds me of a milder version of India."
Laughing ensued from the other two mechanics, "Wow, never
heard that one before."
Well readers, it's true. If you're an east coaster reading this and
shaking your head in anger, think about this. When was the last time you
stopped at a crosswalk for someone and actually waited for them to cross? Not
the crosswalks that have the flashing lights that make you stop if someone
presses the button. No. The ones that only have white stripes. Stopping at a
crosswalk is a common and courteous occurrence in Oregon and Washington, Idaho
and Nevada, (California is a different manner...), but not here. Oh, by the way, it’s illegal not
to stop for pedestrians waiting at a crosswalk. Still, no one stops.
I remember the first time I tried to walk across the street at a
marked crosswalk. I had been living in Connecticut for two weeks and I wanted
to walk to the Stop and Shop down the street.
I waited.
And waited.
Oh, yeah, and I waited some more.
I
clearly wanted to cross, but no one stopped. When there was a break in the cars,
I began walking, but I wasn't fast enough to cross before a car started coming
my way. He began to slow down, but he didn't stop. As I continued walking, he
started revving his engine and inched up closer and closer and I was afraid he
was going to run me over. When I made it to the other side, he honked at me.
HE
HONKED AT ME!!!
I wanted to smack him so hard. And I certainly called him
some wonderful and colorful names. Don’t worry, he saw the backside of my
middle finger, too.
But that wasn't what tipped me over the edge...
One weekend, I
went on a walk with my husband and in-laws. Near the end of our street, the
sidewalk ends and then you have to cross the street at a marked crosswalk. No
cars stopped. I literally stood in the middle of the crosswalk frantically making
a stopping motion with my hands. But no one cared, cars flew right past me on
both sides. And I caught myself screaming, "I'm walkin' here. I'm walkin' here." And I couldn't believe how much I sounded like Dustin Hoffman at that moment...
All the while, my husband and in-laws waited on the corner hoping someone would
stop. You see, my father-in-law went through brain surgery eight months ago and
he walks with a slow limp. No one stopped for him even though it’s clear that
he needs more time to walk across the street.
And the problems do not end at the crosswalk and though I have met
wonderful people on this side of the US, all of the rude and thoughtless
drivers here have ruined it for me. Well...seeing the orange and pink Dunkin’ Donuts signs around every corner can be a real downer sometimes, too…
But I must be strong and carry on! Because one day I'll be back in Portland, OR sipping my Burgerville strawberry milkshake and crossing the street without fear of spilling my precious oh so precious shake.
I made this extra-large for a reason.
Who wouldn't move to Oregon for that?
Below are five photographs of my 3D cardboard sculptures. These sculptures are made up of strips of cardboard that I cut with a box knife. I then tightly curl the strips and use a hot glue gun to arrange the strips into patterns and sculptures. I have provided names and descriptions for each piece.
For all of those writers out there, I recently discovered a new site called 750words.com. Buster Benson of Seattle created this site to encourage himself and others to write everyday. It's completely anonymous and it doesn't matter what you write. You can use the site as a journal or as a means of expressing your creativity. You can write stories, poetry, outlines, etc. It doesn't matter as long as you write at least 750 words a day. After you sign up and write your first 750 words, the site breaks your writing down into metadata. For me, the past two days have been busy and hectic and it shows through in how I write. The metadata below is a collection of graphs that show the emotions in my writing compared to the emotions in other people's writing:
That is only one example. There are other ways that the site breaks down information. It also compares your emotions, concerns, word average, word usage, and mindset. So fascinating!
This site is a great place to vent or to set professional writing goals. I joined with the hopes that daily writing will become second nature for me. Fortunately, the site lets you sign up to receive daily reminder emails, and every month a challenge is held. I joined October's writing challenge and signed the mini-contract that says if I write everyday of the month, then I'll treat myself to a chocolate mousse cake. Yum! Also, on the site, my name will be put on the "Wall of Awesomeness." How cool is that?
However, if I don't write everyday, my punishment will be no new clothes for the whole month of November. Not even on Black Friday! And my name will be put on the "Wall of Shame." But I'm confident I can rise to the challenge. Can you? Of course you can. Come and check out the website and see if it's for you. I'm sure you'll love it!
If you're interested in what else Buster Benson is cooking up, look at his other website called Health Month.
I
was lying down on a lounge swing staring up into the night sky about two weeks
ago. That day it had been 102 degrees in the Pacific Northwest and the night
seemed to remember the heat. Not one breeze came to ruffle my hair. Not one.
And the air seemed to vibrate with a dusky, warm energy and it smelled of dust
and pine needles with a hint of blackberry. Every once in a while a mosquito
would buzz by my ear.
It
was a perfect time to sing. So I did. I hummed just as the warmth hummed on my
skin. I hummed as the stars winked at me. The song that came from my mouth was
none other than the French ballad La Vie En Rose by Edith Piaf. I didn’t even
think about it. The notes found me and the music fit that moment. Perfectly
lazy and warm, buzzing with emotion. If that song could have a smell it would
smell like that night.
La
Vie En Rose…La Vie is “the life” and En Rose is “in pink.” The life in pink. A
change in how you see your life. A way of living your life and viewing the world
with rose colored glasses…
Music,
especially good music, often brings back memories that I’ve forgotten. Memories
that I never thought I held until they surface to be relived in rhythm to a
song. The memories are always small insignificant moments, but they always hold
the most meaning, the most beauty, the most humanity. They are detailed, but
simple things. I remember every sensation being awoken. The smell, the feel,
the sight, the hearing, the taste. Everything comes into sharp focus. That
night I made another memory. The feel of the rocking and the stars streaking as
my body sways with the swing. The sound of my cat pawing through the dried grass.
The taste of dust and smoke in the air and the feel of my dry throat hitting
the notes of the song. There is beauty in those moments. For it is those small
moments that allow us time to be in our own minds. They hold the most reality.
I felt so alive, so apart of everything. I felt present with no past,
no future, just the now.
Make
your own memory and listen to La Vie En Rose…Dance…Sing…Look at the stars…
I was on YouTube the other day listening to some of my
favorite tunes when I clicked on Big Jet
Plane by Angus and Julia Stone…The song didn’t play instantly. Instead I
was subjected to a 30 second ad, but this wasn’t like most ads. This was a
Victoria’s Secret ad with a lot of skinny models in skimpy underwear flaunting
themselves to some music. Sounds generic, right? However, I had heard the music
before, but I couldn’t place it right away.I listened and then it hit me. Settle
Down by Kimbra. About six or seven months ago not too many people had heard
of Kimbra. Being a New Zealander with a flair for jazzy kind of tunes doesn’t
make you too popular in the current music scene…But now most people have heard
her voice at least in one song. A song that has now been overplayed on every
pop radio station in the US. I’m sure you’ve hear Somebody I Used to Know by Goetye featuring Kimbra. It’s a catchy
tune and it paints a nice story. If you haven’t seen the music video…well…it’s
memorable since both singers are butt naked while being covered in body
paint…I’ll add the video just for the heck of it…The style of the song is
similar to Kimbra’s own personal music style. Quirky, odd, and unique.
When I first watched this video about
six months ago, I became curious about this chick that sings really well and
sounds like a better version of Katy Perry. And me being me, I checked out all
of her videos and became obsessed. Back then, her more popular video, Settle Down, only had about a million
hits. Now that same song has 18 million hits which is crazy, but I’m happy that
more people are enjoying her music.
Most of her own music is peculiar with bold messages and themes. One of those songs is Cameo
Lover which reflects her unique and girly style while still being a cheerful
mix between 1950s pop, soul, hip hop and Broadway. The song could even be
described as too precious. However, it’s such an upbeat song and the video is
so happy go lucky with so much color and energy that it puts a smile on my face
every time I listen. I find it a little strange that all of her background dancers
are young girls ages nine to sixteen. A few of them even show up in her video
for Settle Down as well. I suppose
using young girls in this video encourages the feel of youthful energy and the
ability to let go of your inhibitions and have fun. Or in Kimbra’s own words
“open up your heart.” As adults, we often forget to find joy in the little
things or to laugh at ourselves or to see the world with child-like wonderment.
I think this video and song acts as a reminder to everyone not to forget to
enjoy life and to open yourself up to the beauty of the world.
The next song I would like to show you is Good Intent; a seductive romp akin to a
dramatic tango. The video is slower and more relaxed which fits the feel and
rhythm of the song. There is also a use of color that shows the multiple
faucets of Kimbra’s personality, red, black and white. Throughout the video
Kimbra suceeds at pulling off the subtleness needed for acting like three
different women who symbolize all that those colors represent. Red as
seductive. Black as naughty. White as innocent. Her haunting, throaty voice and
the dancing really adds a 1940’s Broadway feel to the whole song. Also, the
dramatic angles and the use of shadow remind me of film noir as well. In all, the
whole piece was put together well and whoever directed the video really
understood the nuance to the song.
Now onto Settle Down
which is my favorite song by Kimbra. Both the song and video has attitude and
drips with sarcasm. The song starts out with Kimbra creating the beat and
harmony. Slowly, more layers of harmony and rhythm are added to create a catchy,
jazzy tune. The beginning lyrics set up what message this song is trying to
portray. “I wanna settle down/I wanna settle down/Won’t you settle down with
me?/Settle down.” The way Kimbra sings this in the video is almost robotic. She
doesn’t move her body and only her mouth is moving and her gaze is fixed on
something beyond our line of sight. The lack of emotion on her face really adds
a creepy element to the meaning of the lyrics. She appears brainwashed and
doll-like. Dolls are a big thing in this video. The young girls in the video play
at being grownups and play at marriage with a life sized man doll. These girls
are idealizing what married life is like and what it is like to settle down.
However, the video and the song points out that the idea of being happy and
settling down is an illusion. Girls from a young age often play with the idea
of settling down and think only true happiness can be obtained by becoming
dependent on another person. Individuality is sacrificed and we become
doll-like, mass produced copies. Our striving to be just like everyone else
makes us lose our sense of self and our ability to accept ourselves and others
as we truly are.
I love the message of that song, but I do find it ironic
that Victoria’s Secret used part of it in their ad campaign.
The whole song is against idealizing perfection. But in the commercial, the
women are thin and perfect…The message in the ad is “Love your body,” but
really they want you to love and idealize these women’s bodies so that you’ll buy their
product. They don’t want you to accept yourself;
otherwise everyone would realize they don’t need to buy sexy panties and a bra
to be happy. The messages of the song and the commercial were so dissimilar,
I was floored and I found it a bit funny! At least, Kimbra’s song added attitude to an otherwise mundane commercial…but I expect no less from
Kimbra who is so good at breaking genre and making music that doesn’t conform
to anyone’s standards.
Before I leave you, I must ask, what do you think of Kimbra’s
music? Have you heard this music before? Does she remind you of another
musician? What do you think of Victoria’s Secret using Settle Down in their commercial? Which song is your favorite or did
you hate all three? As always, I look forward to reading your comments and if
you have any suggestions or you are dying to tell me about some new music you’ve
heard, I am eager to hear from you. Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.
I'm sure you've heard of Etsy.com. I search the site to gawk at all of the amazing works of art. My favorite things to search for are jewelry, art and fiber art (crochet and knits). The innovation of some of these people never ceases to amaze me. Anyway, I wanted to share with everyone on here a few pieces from Ogopogogal. She makes her own jewelry, sets her own stones, and does the occasional up-cycle. To check out or purchase her products, please visit her Etsy page here.
For the necklace featured below, I like its simplicity and the use of the pearls. They catch the light like little mirrors.
My favorite is this butterfly ring. It is a work of art! It is like a silhouette during a sunset. Simple and beautiful.
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