gratitude

Poetry-hiding was so much fun. With my IMAGE/Flannery O'Connor bag slung over a shoulder and coffee in hand, I hid ten broadsides; Johnny browsed the expanse of Barnes & Noble. I blocked out the Christmas music and decorations. I, at least, am still excited about Thanksgiving. I may be pondering a few Christmas decorations for our house, but they are not going up until well after Thanksgiving! I watched a few employees shelve books, and I could feel the pain on their faces. Oh, how I remember my previous retail jobs + too-early repetitive Christmas music. And not the good Christmas music, but the wretched. Shudder.

Anyway, I consulted the Guerilla Poetics Project's preferred author list. I placed poems inside of books by William Faulkner, Harper Lee, Sylvia Plath, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Octavio Paz, Pablo Neruda, Rumi, Leonard Cohen, and Graham Greene. I chose books with the most vintage-inspired covers, or Harper Perennial P.S. editions. I tucked the poetry between pages 32 & 33 so you will know it's from me, and because I sit between those two ages this month.

After hiding broadsides, I camped out in the poetry section. I found myself straightening books. This is a common result of working in a bookstore at any point in your life. I made myself quit that. I spied a must-have - an Everyman's Library Pocket Poets Sylvia Plath collection. I picked it up. I admired the perfect size for a purse or bag - a Godsend in, let's say, a boring doctor's waiting room. I fell in love with the simple design and elegant typeface. I put it back on the shelf. I thought, I do not need another book right now. Then Johnny made me swoon when he not only suggested we buy the Sylvia Plath book, but also I Am America (and So Can You) by Stephen Colbert!









Stephen Colbert is one very funny man.

Upon arriving home, we checked the mail to find yet another fantastic mail day. Camilla Engman's stunning 2008 calendar, and she enclosed an adorable postcard that will be magnetized to our fridge right under the trailer. The little brown fox and stamps (from Sweden) adhered to Camilla's envelope shall go on my inspiration board soon.





But that's not all. "My Breakfast" set arrived in charming wrapping. I suspect the coffee/tea cup on graph paper will be pinned to a winter wire. And thanks to Shari of the glass doorknob, I found Swans Island Blankets. The catalog itself is cozy enough until I can afford one of their summer blankets in "white with brown stripes" (that's all you need for a Houston winter).



I confess today is not one of the good days, not at all, but I feel deep gratitude. To my husband who knows that beautiful (and humorous) books give me great comfort, and more so, that I need his shoulder to lean (or cry) on. He's the best, I'm telling you. To my parents - they are the best, too. To all who pray for me. To Burt and his bees for making such great-smelling shampoo & conditioner. To the nurse who listened, and my doctor who called after hours to give advice.

And I'm grateful for the likes of Camilla Engman, Jen of simply photo & breakfast, Shari's glass doorknob, k.c.k.'s hoping for happy accidents, Lori's Inspiration Boards, Gracia + Louise, Maria's port2port, Lotta Jansdotter, Nicole's habit of being, my talented friends, and countless others who through their art, blogs, and Etsy & flickr sites, inspire me to no end every day. If I feel well, their work widens my smile and stirs me to resume writing. If I feel crummy, their creativity reminds me of the wonders of simplicity, beauty, food & drink, the great outdoors, color, light, poetry, warmth, comfort, and so on. Thanks, y'all.