There is this little incident I’m dying to share with someone so I will do so with you. I opened the door wide enough to pop my head into Mother’s room. I find her sitting on her bed looking through some papers. She doesn’t look up:

Me: (Whispering softly with my head through the doorway) Surprise!
Mother: (Looking up attentively with curiosity) Mi ni? (What?)
Me: (Whispering a little loudly) Surprise!
Mother: (Looking more interested and curious) Mi ni,  je e nŋɛ? (What, where is the surprise?)
Me: (Pointing to myself with a big smile.)
Mother: (Face changing to an expression of mild annoyance, yells) O be hewami! Ya la nitsumi! (You are mad! Go find a job!)

I am yet to stop laughing. It’s the way she said it, it was so funny.

And I like to share with you an excellent news! Inspired by one of my favorite human beings––I shalln’t name them, least I embarrass them––I have self-published The Spews of Seasons, a colorful (the cover, that is) chapbook of some old and new poems on…this and that. Several of the poems in The Spews of Seasons have already appeared here on the blog, but in the book, many of them have been edited and read more beautifully. And you, dear AWESOME-WONDERFUL-BEAUTIFUL reader, (no, I’m not addressing you in this manner because I hope you will buy the book!) can get a copy via Amazon. It is only $8.60. So far, through some very shameless self-promotion, I have managed to sell five copies (YES!): I bought the first copy (one must support oneself!), successfully guilt-tripped one brother into buying a copy (while the other refused. Some family!), then this really cool person I used to knit with bought one, and an awesome colleague from my last job also bought one. But I don’t know who bought the fifth copy. Was it you? ^_^ If not I’d appreciate it loads if you are able to support me by purchasing a copy. Thanks in advance!

The other thing is I started a YouTube channel. I have always wanted to start a YouTube channel but could find neither the guts nor the subject on which to record. Along with the same source of inspiration for my book, I must thank John Clare, for it was his poem, “I Am,” that reminded me about my enthusiasm and enjoyment of reading poems out loud. Here’s how I went about it: I learned how to make and edit movies with iMovie through Lynda.com (if you have an NYPL account you can access that amazing website for free). Now I am learning to improve my poetry reading skills, and I have changed my status from consumer of videos to and contributor, too! Aha! The most difficulty I am having at present is working up the courage to record my readings as I really like to read them without choking on the feeling of foolishness that is adamant in its efforts to overwhelm me. My first videos were horrible because I was really shy about the whole thing. So I have deleted them and started over. I feel I am making some progress now. 

One more thing, I am going to disappear for a bit. I hope to be back in September. But one never knows where the seconds would lead one so please do not wait for me.

May our days teach us of our beauty and fill us with the courage to live thoroughly and lovingly!
Jane