Sunday, June 17, 2007

sunday afternoon lethargy

I think when I have far too much to do, there’s some short in my brain and I can do absolutely nothing but loaf around, surf the net, and take naps. It may just be over tiredness from yesterday—the Brookfield trip, five hours of walking in hot weather. Also, the GIANT and swarm-like cicadas I was dodging and trying not to freak out about (though I swear some were as big as a small child.) It maybe that I’m getting sick, a little feverish and my throat hurts on one side. Or maybe I’m just really lazy with the heat and humidity. While yesterday morning before we left I was buzzing, printing covers & chaps, making collages and folding laundry, today….nothing. I managed to get up, make iced tea, eat eggs for breakfast, check e-mail, read a little of Larissa Szporluk’s new Embryos & Idiots (am loving it.), then fell asleep for two hours with the fan on me and only got up because I’m expecting my groceries to be delivered at some point this evening. Am trying to focus long enough to look at poems in the second section of in the bird museum in the meantime, but not having much success. No progress on assembling Alluviums or andromedas. Hopefully, I’ll get a second wind tonight.

Th zoo was fun, despite the unofficial wildlife. Got to see a dolphin show and fondle a stinggray. Also spent about twenty minutes watching the new baby polar bear play with its mother. Also watched said mother bear jump half out of the water and trap a black bird, cat-like, that landed on the rocks beneath her paw. I was amazed how fast she moved, lumbering as she was. While I thought I might see a little unwanted carnage, the bird flew away when she moved her foot and disappeared into the mote. I never, however, saw it fly out.

The zoo always reminds me of fifth grade field trips and makes me happy that way, though I like the selection of animals better at the Lincoln Park one. Brookfield has a bigger, better habitat for the primates and the aforementioned dolphins (one of whom has been there as long as I’ve been alive), but LP has more big cats and a bigger, better more eco-friendly habitat for the bears as well as underwater viewing. The worst zoo, but also the best in this regard, is the Madison zoo, where you are practically on top of the animals, but you know that’s not nearly enough room for them. Last time, there were four lion cubs, and despite a big fence and a good five feet, you were right there next to them.

4 comments:

Talia Reed said...

I went to the Brookfield Zoo a few years ago (I live 2 hours from Chicago) and it was also a hot day, and I was a bit disappointed about all of the walking. I'm really not lazy (not too much) but I'm used to the smaller zoos with less "acerage" and cheaper tickets. We have a decent one here in South Bend, which I visit often in the summer.

Juliet Blood Pudding said...

'I tend to try litmags (at least ones with e-mail subs) at least twice. I think some of the ones it took longest to get into were three or four times..'

Thanks for sharing. I love hearing about what other writers do.

I also read this interesting blurb on karyna mcglyn's blog a few days back about the possibility that some magazines purposely do not accept one's work on one's first try because they're hoping you'll send better stuff on your second try.

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I, too, seem to have a fuse that short circuits in my brain when I get overwhelmed with too much to do or information overload or suchlike.

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On a different note, just wanted to mention that I really admire your creative productivity. I had ordered 'Alluvium' the other day and had been browsing the dgp catalog a bit--and I got to thinking about how more often than not, you are putting out a new writer's chapbook EVERY MONTH-- in addition to 'wicked alice' and your own poetry (which which you've had much success in recent years)! Plus school and work!

I just think it is awesome that in addition to your own creative work, you have so substantially contributed to the publication of so many other poets.

kristy bowen said...

Thank you! It's little nuts this year, since it is a chap a month (I'm only thinking six next year)..

Juliet Blood Pudding said...

Well, six is still a very substantial number!

Blargh, I can't access my xanga site for some reason...