Thirteen Thursday: Let It All Hang Out
1. My sister has been doing a week long series of “100 Things About Me,” featuring many of our family members. You can check it out HERE.
2. My hands frequently slip on the keyboard while typing, and things ensue that I have no control over. Periodically, I have to abandon a word document and start over because I don’t know how to stop the red from underlining everything.
3. The mean in me: yesterday I squished two Japanese beetles that were mating on one of my dahlia flowers, and announced loudly as I did it, “THE HONEYMOON IS OVER!”
4. Best line from a wedding toast, heard recently: I’m going to tell you a story … but you know, I’m not very good with the accuracy of stories … I’m a Republican by the way. (He really is.)
5. I underlined the first line of the first paragraph in the introduction of Barbara Kingsolver’s book, “Small Wonder” and felt like she wrote it for me: I learned a surprising thing in writing this book. It is possible to move away from a vast, unbearable pain by delving into it deeper and deeper – by “diving into the wreck,” to borrow the perfect words of Adrienne Rich. You can look at all the parts of a terrible thing until you see that they are assemblies of smaller parts, all of which you can name, and some of which you can heal or alter, and finally the terror that seemed unbearable becomes manageable. I suppose what I am describing is the process of grief.
6. In the past, I frequently traveled to Blacksburg (50 minutes away) to attend talks by inspiring speakers, such as Kurt Vonnegut, William Coffin Sloane, and Helen Caldecott on the Virginia Tech campus. More recently, I’ve become more discerning about what events I’ll attend and how far I’m willing to travel to attend them. I’ve frequently heard myself say, half jokingly “I’ll wait till they come to Floyd,” when a big name who I’m interested in is scheduled to talk somewhere nearby. In the case of best selling author, Barbara Kingsolver, my plan worked. She came to Floyd!
7. I noticed while surveying the packed high school auditorium last Saturday night when she spoke that people from Blacksburg had come to Floyd for a high profile event for a change.
8. It took her coming for me to realize that she’s a hero of mine, both as a writer and as a human being. Barbara is a longtime environmental, peace and justice activist. Considering my interest in names as our assignments, what do you think her last name “Kingsolver” implies?
9. I’m still working on a post about her recent talk here in Floyd in which she read from her yet-to-be on the bookstands new book. Do you think I’ll need a Barbara Kingsolver category on my sidebar soon?
10. Here’s a great line from another writer I admire, seen in the blogsphere this week: Toby and Ralph got naked and drove the van off the cliff. The Seventh Day Adventists already called the cops. You can read the rest of this literal cliffhanger HERE.
11. And yet another from a writer of songs: John Mellencamp: Man in the straw house … Sure don’t know what he’s talkin’ about … Don’t leave me standing … On the front porch baby … Makes me feel like I’m selling something … Ask me in – Let it all Hang Out.
12. As a girl, doing laundry was one of my main family chores. I hung it, folded it, and put it away in family members’ drawers. Back then, I used to pretend that our house caught on fire and that the clothes on my back and the ones I was hanging were all that was saved. Oddly, to this day doing laundry is the household chore I least mind doing.
13. Zen proverb quote goes like this: After enlightenment, the laundry.
Thursday headquarters is here. My other 13’s are here. View more 13 Thursday’s here.
September 21st, 2006 9:18 am
as a uva grad, I can assure you there is no need to ever go into blacksburg. 😉 I’m glad your plan to wait until they came to Floyd paid off. 🙂
September 21st, 2006 9:34 am
Oh MY! I will have to read Small Wonder. She wrote that for me, too. I have been doing the job of going into the pain and coming out the other side better than before. But, I have also been thinking about it. How we in our Collective do not want to go near the pain and cause so much more anguish by doing anything but.
I think King Solver says it all.
I missed you this week!
September 21st, 2006 9:43 am
I have come to really enjoy your Thursday 13.
I LOVE doing laundry. I have been culminating a post about how much I love to do laundry. There is just something wonderful about it.
September 21st, 2006 9:48 am
Love the Zen saying!
Happy TT!
September 21st, 2006 10:24 am
Number 3 and 13 made me laugh! Wonderful list 🙂
Happy Thursday!
September 21st, 2006 10:27 am
I went to visit your sister- thanks. It was inspiring. I agree with Carmen and I too need to get Small Wonder. Everytime I think I am through it a new pain arises that wants stroked and loved. Be blessed today- I wish you M&MS but only if you like to walk-ha!
September 21st, 2006 11:05 am
LOL at the beetles! Happy TT!!!!!!
September 21st, 2006 11:38 am
Gotta love JCM…John Cougar…John Cougar Mellencamp…John Mellencamp…
One of the best songwriters in my book!
😉
September 21st, 2006 11:47 am
LOL at #3. That made me laugh alot.
Liked #13 as well. I do my laundry once a week…one advantage of living at home and not in a dorm…you don’t have to pay for laundry (ok, my mom does: water and electric bill).
Happy TT. Mine’s up, if you’re interested.
September 21st, 2006 11:51 am
I loved the Zen saying! I don’t mind doing laundry. But I’d rather blog than clean the house, lol! We often have the company laptop when we travel, but the international connections are sooooo expensive I have to refrain from blogging while we are away from home, those are the only times I don’t turn the pc early in the morning! thanks for your nice comment on my (almost) blogiversary! Enjoyed your TT, as always. Have a happy thursday!
September 21st, 2006 12:34 pm
I enjoy your Thursday posts so much. I, too, do not mind the chore of doing laundry. It relaxes me, oddly enough.
You might be interested to know my baby sister was once in a John Mellancamp video and my mother in law is a friend of his first wife – all live in the Indiana community from where he originates.
My sister in law is a huge Kingsolver fan and would love to hear her speak.
September 21st, 2006 12:41 pm
I don’t get #4… Are you implying that Republicans are dishonest? Does that mean “I did not inhale” or “I did not have sex with that woman” is a reflection on all Democrats?
September 21st, 2006 12:56 pm
Sometimes smashing bugs is just too much fun.
And there is just nothing like the smell of sun dried clothes fresh from the line…. with sheets it does help that they had Downy or softener first.
September 21st, 2006 1:12 pm
3 & 4 cracked me the hell UP!
September 21st, 2006 1:21 pm
Thanks for making me smile.
Great list. Happy TT. Mine is up.
September 21st, 2006 1:55 pm
Two comments: I’m sometimes convinced that spirits are trying to use my fingers to type a message, but it’s in a code no one knows.
Secondly: In killing the bugs, you created another chapter in the dahlia murder!
September 21st, 2006 2:21 pm
Funny, Mr. Bird talks to insects before he kills them too. Hmmm.
Laundry. Hate it. My whites are never white and you might as well consider my laundry baskets our drawers. Mr. Bird HATES that.
Great list!
Happy Thursday!
September 21st, 2006 3:51 pm
This TT really scared me… Because my favorite were “THE HONEYMOON IS OVER”…..
I mean I’m mean.
September 21st, 2006 4:02 pm
“After enlightenment, the laundry.” Ahhh, I am feeling enlightened!
I, too, had the laundry chore as a teen, but nowadays, I really dislike doing the laundry! (Ironing, too.) I guess it had a different effect on me! Enjoyed your 13!
September 21st, 2006 4:35 pm
Nice list. Can’t say I like doing laundry as much as you do though. Thanks for sharing.
September 21st, 2006 6:33 pm
There is something “cathartically cleansing” about doing your laundry….maybe you feel it’s “lightening your load” a little! HA!
I miss my long outdoor line….at least then I knew where all the socks were!!!
(Where does the dryer always put ONE of them anyway?!!)
September 21st, 2006 7:34 pm
Kingsolver? Somehow it implies the bird (the Kingfisher)…hovering and regal.
September 21st, 2006 7:43 pm
Loved 3 and 4.
The laundry is a chore that I have to keep up or it drives me insane…. It is a chore that isn’t so bad!
September 21st, 2006 8:22 pm
Your #3 was too funny!
September 21st, 2006 10:22 pm
Nice to see that Jim is back.
Kurt Vonnegut, wow, I’m jealous. He’s an old favorite.
September 21st, 2006 11:05 pm
Great TT
September 22nd, 2006 12:10 am
I’m finally here after a busy day (got my TT up late).
I loved yours – especially #1. LOL. I wonder why?
I also loved #8. I noticed what’s hiding in the name Kingsolver and mentioned it a few posts back.
And to #12; I recall playing the same game when it was my turn to hang it, fold it and out it away, I don’t mind doing laundry today either…must be because we made it fun.
Nice Zen quote too!
September 22nd, 2006 2:14 am
Wow–I’m so impressed with #6. I wonder if that would work for me. 🙂
Nice to meet you! Thanks for stopping by my TT.
September 22nd, 2006 12:42 pm
I love your list this week! I especially loved your comment to the bugs “The Honeymoon is over”. LOL.
My TT is up.
September 23rd, 2006 5:41 am
As usual Colleen..another rich, funny and touching TT!
I love you telling those bugs…”The Honeymoon Is Over!”….LOL
September 26th, 2006 6:00 pm
Great Thursday 13, as always. But I especially loved #3 and your comment.
September 28th, 2006 9:23 pm
Dead bugs make good compost. 🙂
I have Rich’s “Diving Into the Wreck” here someplace. Now to see if I can actually find it….