I have begun learning the ukulele and looking for favorite folk songs to translate to the uke. One of my favorites to try right now is Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." Also Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." Okay that one is not a folk song. Well or arguably it is.
As another odd person, I absolutely loved this essay - at 65, I've also been studying museum collections management for costume and textiles this year, knowing that it may not result in a job but I might be a highly qualified volunteer. Maybe a docent! And a few months ago I discovered poet Joseph Fasano's daily poetry threads on Twitter, where he names a theme and people contribute poems (theirs or others, famous or not, contemporary or not) that match the theme. To save the ones that I especially liked, I started taking screenshots and then transcribing them into a Google doc. I have a huge backlog of wonderful poems to add, and I've discovered so many amazing writers (and good Twitter people). And you're absolutely right, the transcribing is the thing, it's pretty wonderful and helps you experience the poem in a deeper way. Wishing you enormous success with Summer of Fall. And as someone who walks daily, I love your beautiful photos of Baltimore's Inner Harbor that you post from your morning walks. Thank you!
Right with you on so many points! Master of the unfinished project is my official title at home. My son is used to the different hobbies I pick up. He was unprepared for the hold mosaic art would take over me. I need a workshop. We were in Baltimore last weekend for my nephews wedding. I grew up there but relocated to Texas in the mid-nineties. We had lunch at Bertha's, walked Fell's Point enjoying the mosaics and record shop. My must was to show him the VAM. It is one of my favorite museums in the world. I love that you are doing tours. It made me so happy to see my son absorbed in Esther Krinitz's Holocaust survival story embroidery. The mosaics inspired me to be less controlled in my own work. While I hop around in some things photography and horses have been constants for many years. Thanks for your writing and the Twitter pics on the harbor. I thought about you as I looked at the Domino glow from our hotel this weekend.
So that's where all my new subs are coming from! (You and...Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper.) Thank you, Laura, for your support; I hope you know how meaningful it is to me that you're enjoying HNTFUYF. Seriously, it keeps me going! xo
Oh, Lippman! Where were you all my life? How is it possible we’ve had the same hobbies, ditching the same ones, keeping the same ones? Thinking the same things about ditching what we ditch, our kids rolling their eyes in that particular ways about what we’re most proud. What otherworldly connection unites us, a blonde lady from Baltimore, and a brunette in braids from Puerto Rico? I don’t know, of course. And I don’t care. You’re in my life for good. And I love this blog! 🤗👍🏽🌷💪🏽🥂
love this. I have a poem memorizing habit and like to rewrite them by hand. dream of the day someone will say, hey, anyone know a poem by heart and want to recite?
this is very true. I still remember the Shakespeare sonnet my grade 11 teacher made us memorize 'in faith I do not love thee with mine eyes...' might inflict poem memorization scheme on kid so he may one day thank me. or despise me.
So true about old memorized-stuff sticking! I fear when I'm old I'll lose all the good memories and be left with useless crap, like excerpts from Nixon's resignation speech. Weirdly, we had to memorize that in 8th grade — 1988.
By the way, there’s a great poem-a-day site that publishes women, edited by some fantastic poets, including Caridad Moro-Gronlier. It’s on Substack, free, and called SWWIM EVERY DAY. 🥰
I was once obsessed with someone and decided to write a sonnet a day about him. Yes, a sonnet. Every day. Sometimes Petrarchan, sometimes Shakespearean. I thought this exercise would help me purge him from my system. Alas, it didn't; it only made me think about him even more. But it was a good exercise. I think that imposing some limits, some restrictions, on writing poetry -- as of course the sonnet form does -- forces one to be more creative.
I also love memorizing poetry. John Donne is a favorite.
As for dilettantism, hey, Leonardo da Vinci was the greatest!
I think obsessive hobbies for adults are like friendships: valuable, sometimes lifesaving, but sometimes perceived by others as vaguely frivolous and unserious. I’m a serial obsessive, especially in sports, and now in my 40s I’m playing beach volleyball 15 hours per week. It’s my part-time job, I sometimes sheepishly say. But then I think of all the amazing, badass women I play with, all of whom have committed to joyful competition, to getting better at something that doesn’t matter. On the weekends, we play in tournaments against teenagers, whose obsession with the sport is seen as wholesome, healthy, possibly scholarship-creating. And sometimes we lose. But sometimes we kick their butts, and we’re sweaty and exhausted and cheering, and their moms, our age, say “I could never do that,” and we want to tell them yes, yes you could.
I'm a training/adult learning guy. Studies have show that taking notes in class increases learning just by the act of writing things down. You have to pay closer attention and sort the wheat from the chaff.
I love this, too! I am going to steal the poetry idea, though I’ll hand write them. In 8th grade, a VERY long time ago, my teacher was very odd and had us memorize many poems, write them on notebook paper and illustrate the page based on the poem. Then we had to recite the poem to the class with feeling. It was a hated assignment for most, but I secretly loved it.
I have many poems I want to revisit, and your idea really appeals to me on so many levels. I’m going to write a short story about that teacher, too. She was so odd, a real character.
I have begun learning the ukulele and looking for favorite folk songs to translate to the uke. One of my favorites to try right now is Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." Also Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." Okay that one is not a folk song. Well or arguably it is.
What's not to love? This is amazing.
As another odd person, I absolutely loved this essay - at 65, I've also been studying museum collections management for costume and textiles this year, knowing that it may not result in a job but I might be a highly qualified volunteer. Maybe a docent! And a few months ago I discovered poet Joseph Fasano's daily poetry threads on Twitter, where he names a theme and people contribute poems (theirs or others, famous or not, contemporary or not) that match the theme. To save the ones that I especially liked, I started taking screenshots and then transcribing them into a Google doc. I have a huge backlog of wonderful poems to add, and I've discovered so many amazing writers (and good Twitter people). And you're absolutely right, the transcribing is the thing, it's pretty wonderful and helps you experience the poem in a deeper way. Wishing you enormous success with Summer of Fall. And as someone who walks daily, I love your beautiful photos of Baltimore's Inner Harbor that you post from your morning walks. Thank you!
Thank you. I'm beginning to feel as if I have so much company on my morning walks.
Right with you on so many points! Master of the unfinished project is my official title at home. My son is used to the different hobbies I pick up. He was unprepared for the hold mosaic art would take over me. I need a workshop. We were in Baltimore last weekend for my nephews wedding. I grew up there but relocated to Texas in the mid-nineties. We had lunch at Bertha's, walked Fell's Point enjoying the mosaics and record shop. My must was to show him the VAM. It is one of my favorite museums in the world. I love that you are doing tours. It made me so happy to see my son absorbed in Esther Krinitz's Holocaust survival story embroidery. The mosaics inspired me to be less controlled in my own work. While I hop around in some things photography and horses have been constants for many years. Thanks for your writing and the Twitter pics on the harbor. I thought about you as I looked at the Domino glow from our hotel this weekend.
So many gorgeous, inspiring mosaics at AVAM!
I can't wait to read Prom Mom! (Which I'll buy at my local independent bookstore.) But also: Ann Hood? I know Ann Hood! Did I already mention this? xo
I don't think so, but I'm not surprised -- so many people know (and love) Ann.
BTW, I recommend your Substack ALL THE TIME.
So that's where all my new subs are coming from! (You and...Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper.) Thank you, Laura, for your support; I hope you know how meaningful it is to me that you're enjoying HNTFUYF. Seriously, it keeps me going! xo
Oh, Lippman! Where were you all my life? How is it possible we’ve had the same hobbies, ditching the same ones, keeping the same ones? Thinking the same things about ditching what we ditch, our kids rolling their eyes in that particular ways about what we’re most proud. What otherworldly connection unites us, a blonde lady from Baltimore, and a brunette in braids from Puerto Rico? I don’t know, of course. And I don’t care. You’re in my life for good. And I love this blog! 🤗👍🏽🌷💪🏽🥂
love this. I have a poem memorizing habit and like to rewrite them by hand. dream of the day someone will say, hey, anyone know a poem by heart and want to recite?
I think I needed to learn more poetry when young, because I can still chant parts of that poem about Columbus: "Behind him lay the gray Azores . . . "
this is very true. I still remember the Shakespeare sonnet my grade 11 teacher made us memorize 'in faith I do not love thee with mine eyes...' might inflict poem memorization scheme on kid so he may one day thank me. or despise me.
So true about old memorized-stuff sticking! I fear when I'm old I'll lose all the good memories and be left with useless crap, like excerpts from Nixon's resignation speech. Weirdly, we had to memorize that in 8th grade — 1988.
By the way, there’s a great poem-a-day site that publishes women, edited by some fantastic poets, including Caridad Moro-Gronlier. It’s on Substack, free, and called SWWIM EVERY DAY. 🥰
I was once obsessed with someone and decided to write a sonnet a day about him. Yes, a sonnet. Every day. Sometimes Petrarchan, sometimes Shakespearean. I thought this exercise would help me purge him from my system. Alas, it didn't; it only made me think about him even more. But it was a good exercise. I think that imposing some limits, some restrictions, on writing poetry -- as of course the sonnet form does -- forces one to be more creative.
I also love memorizing poetry. John Donne is a favorite.
As for dilettantism, hey, Leonardo da Vinci was the greatest!
I think obsessive hobbies for adults are like friendships: valuable, sometimes lifesaving, but sometimes perceived by others as vaguely frivolous and unserious. I’m a serial obsessive, especially in sports, and now in my 40s I’m playing beach volleyball 15 hours per week. It’s my part-time job, I sometimes sheepishly say. But then I think of all the amazing, badass women I play with, all of whom have committed to joyful competition, to getting better at something that doesn’t matter. On the weekends, we play in tournaments against teenagers, whose obsession with the sport is seen as wholesome, healthy, possibly scholarship-creating. And sometimes we lose. But sometimes we kick their butts, and we’re sweaty and exhausted and cheering, and their moms, our age, say “I could never do that,” and we want to tell them yes, yes you could.
ok so I see The Summer of The Fall when I go to sign up for the free trial on scribd, but once i'm in there I cannot find it! any insight?? thanks!
It publishes tomorrow, at noon EDT (I think. Might be noon PDT.) Thank you for being interested!
can't wait!! thanks so much
I'm a training/adult learning guy. Studies have show that taking notes in class increases learning just by the act of writing things down. You have to pay closer attention and sort the wheat from the chaff.
Also, encourage your daughter to look into the Cornell method of note taking.
I love this, too! I am going to steal the poetry idea, though I’ll hand write them. In 8th grade, a VERY long time ago, my teacher was very odd and had us memorize many poems, write them on notebook paper and illustrate the page based on the poem. Then we had to recite the poem to the class with feeling. It was a hated assignment for most, but I secretly loved it.
I have many poems I want to revisit, and your idea really appeals to me on so many levels. I’m going to write a short story about that teacher, too. She was so odd, a real character.