Poem for Saturday

Welcome
By Stephen Dunn

if you believe nothing is always what's left
after a while, as I did,
If you believe you have this collection
of ungiven gifts, as I do (right here
behind the silence and the averted eyes)
If you believe an afternoon can collapse
into strange privacies-
how in your backyard, for example,
the shyness of flowers can be suddenly
overwhelming, and in the distance
the clear goddamn of thunder
personal, like a voice,
If you believe there's no correct response
to death, as I do; that even in grief
(where I've sat making plans)
there are small corners of joy
If your body sometimes is a light switch
in a house of insomniacs
If you can feel yourself straining
to be yourself every waking minute
If, as I am, you are almost smiling...

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I would have had a frustrating day stuck at home, but and came and rescued me and took me out for excellent local Italian food! I am very sad that is leaving for London for several months, although very happy for her, as this means that I will not see her and have fun times yakking about fandom and the internet and nerdish things. *G* We had dinner with my parents so I ate very well all day today...after managing not to gain weight over the holidays, watch me blow it in January! Speaking of diet...

: Food
1. What is the most adventurous food you've ever tried? Probably some kind of sushi. I get really nervous around uncooked fish, having known two people who had major intestinal parasites, and now I know someone who had a heart parasite as well, so I no longer eat any of it.
2. What is the most adventurous food you'd be willing to try? Like I said, I'm pretty chicken these days. I'll try any degree of spice, though.
3. Would you have a problem eating dog meat and why or why not? I can't imagine ever doing it unless I were near starvation. I don't eat meat from mammals in general so I'd have to be in dire straits.
4. For the most part, do you consider your diet to be balanced? Hell no! Way too much refined sugar, way too few raw vegetables.
5. Which is more appealing -- being a vegetarian for the rest of your life or being a strict carnivore for the rest of your life? The former. Though I would eat like crap, because vegetarian food is both expensive and difficult to prepare well, so I'd be eating a lot of cheese and nuts and fattening things. I am not sure I could ever be a vegan, though...I'd rather eat only seafood.

: Tardy
1. Are you timely or always late? More often late than timely since I have had children!
2. Do you wear a watch? When I am out of the house, almost always, unless I know I will be checking my cell phone which also tells the time.
3. What is the most important event you have been late for? My period? *g* The ones that come to mind are going to pick people up and being stuck in traffic, keeping the kids waiting, and once when I was going to see a very old friend whom I adored and who had very little time and we got lost.
4. What kind of system you have for keeping track of your bills? does it with spreadsheets on the computer.
5. What is your favorite time of day? The fifteen minutes right after the kids go to sleep!

Otherwise I reviewed "Mirror, Mirror", waited to see how older son was after first day back at school and discovered that he had a field trip to Medieval Times that we had both thought was next week...he went from lying on his back to jousting and roast chicken! He was exhausted and a little queasy tonight, which is totally understandable...I don't know whether to feel badly that I sent him to school unawares, or be glad that I did not deprive him of the experience as he seems to have enjoyed it despite crashing tonight.


The base of the Washington Monument on the last day of 2005, with the cement barriers finally down, surrounded by the flags of the 50 states. I liked the dark shapes of the trees in this.

Tomorrow I am hoping to go see since I have not been able to for the past few days, and in the afternoon, the Redskins are playing the Seahawks, so we will all be clustered around the television!