Taos Guilt

I'm suffering from a new diagnosis that's called "Taos Guilt". It has to do with how many events/experiences are scheduled each weekend in Taos and how many I manage to get to. Sometimes it's about the cost and sometimes, even if it's free I don't manage to make it. For example, this past weekend, Andrew Harvey was giving a talk on Sacred Activism and his new book, "Hope". One of my closest friends is reading "Hope" and several acquaintances have spoken highly of Harvey's speaking abilities when he was in town this past summer for a week long intensive. I even received a personal email invitation to attend. But by the time Friday evening rolled around, I felt tired, and wanted to vegge at home. I hemmed and hawed for 30 minutes and by the next time I looked at the clock it was 6:55 p.m. and even if I had gone to it at that point I would have been late. And now I have the aftermath - several folks have told me about the evening (of course, it was great, inspirational, passionate, etc)and I definitely feel guilty. It's like when you want to eat a hot fudge sundae, it feels good at the time and then afterwards you regret it. I was reminded by someone, 'thanks!', that "who knows when he'll be back in town...." Oh well, I guess the only solution is to not read the "Tempo" section of the Taos news on Thursday and not open any suspicious emails that could contain invitations.

And that was just one of things that was going on last weekend. Not to mention artist openings, musicians playing, including a free Chamber concert on Sunday afternoon at the Harwood, a movie at the TCA (my boss told me "Departures" was not to be missed), the farmer's market on Saturday and Sunday and various other entertaining events(and a new play opening at the Metta theatre). So I feel bad Monday, it slips into Tuesday regrets, then I have Wednesday when I've almost forgotten to feel guilty but oops then comes Thursday when the cycle starts all over again!

And there's still so many places I haven't made it to in Taos yet - true confessions: any of the museums(I don't think using the restroom at Hacienda Hartinez counts!), the Pueblo, most of the art galleries, many of the restaurants, except for the less than $15 an entree variety, a temple service, any of the sangha's, on and on. I don't think I'll ever feel there's nothing to do in this little town!

It's a Blur

Since I returned from NY on the Reiki Master retreat life has been a blur. When I stopped off at the SOMOS office to look thru their used books and talk about a book club I also ended up agreeing to be the volunteer coordinator for the upcoming StoryTelling Festival on the weekend of 10/16 -10/17. Additionally, I got an offer to consider being the curator for the winter writer's series in January and February, 2010. This involves selecting local and nationally known writers who live in the Southwest (or visit)to read on 8 consecutive Friday p.m. from 1/8 - 2/26/10. Contacting them, organizing a venue, writing press releases, arranging book signings and radio interviews, etc. Alot of work and a modest stipend to go with it. And I did say yes, feeling that it would be a great opportunity to meet other writers and get a 'birds eye' view of writer's lives. So figuring that there will be many that are either not available or uninterested I'm working on a potential slate of 25-30 writers for the SOMOS board to review on 11/10. The approved writers will get sent contracts and they will send on publicity materials: bio, pictures and publication history. Whew! I'm getting tired already.

And there have already been some percs with the job. I was invited to the pre-Fest party (for the Story Telling Festival) at Allegra Houston's and Cisco Guevera's house last night replete with some Taos notables from radio, newspaper, and the arts (musicians, writers, artists)community. I noticed how some of the affluent do 'low-key' really well. It was casual, relaxed, no fancy clothes or food, actually potluck with many new mexican and native dishes including posole, and red chile sauce over mashed potatoes. I was informed that that's the way the natives like it and it was really tasty - after that first mouthful when my taste buds had to get used to the spicy red chile!

My novel is coming along. I aim to get five typed pages/week completed for writing group on thursday a.m.'s and even with my new schedule with SOMOS I've made it a priority. Except working out at the gym hasn't been.... There's always next week.

I was treated to a performance by one of the writers in the group who is also an exceptionally talented musician (plays trombone, piano, alp horn, among others - and sings opera)at her home a few weeks ago. She and her husband stay in Taos for a few months in the summer and teach at a German Conservatory of Music from October to July each year. Abbie performed a long operetta, accompanied by some of her trombone playing. They offered it for free but it could easily have been a high price ticketed performance.

Tonight beginns the Story Telling Festival with storytellers from all over America - including one from San Francisco who grew up in Blue Hill, ME and one from Decatur, Georgia who grew up in Cuba. I'm looking forward to - after I get the volunteers all squared away with their responsibilities - which should be a neat trick since I'm not exactly sure what that entails....

Reiki Retreat

Just back from a lovely week long Reiki Retreat on Pyramid Lake in upstate NY. A whole week of daily Reiki treatments, walks, boating, tarot card readings, evening discussions, great food - what could be better. Had a chance to see Howard from England, Sarah and Jan from Scotland, Winthrop from Grenada, Annie from NH and Florida, Carol and Penelope from NY. The only glitch was that we passed a cold from one to another as the week progressed. Just think how sick we might have been if we hadn't been doing daily Reiki? Next retreat won't be for 2 years and we're aiming for either Spain or the south of France. The place we stayed at is a catholic camp and retreat center complete with a family of loons, canoes, kayaks, rowboats and some sailboats. A bit of foliage was beginning and the apples were delicious.

I am meeting with someone from SOMOS (SW writer's organization)tomorrow to begin plans for a book group for writers on a monthly basis. I think for October - Dec we'll read authors who have written about the Southwest and then Jan - May we'll focus on memoirs. My intent is to discuss the books with a writer's eye, analyzing style, tone, plot, dialogue, etc.

Today in water color class we visited the famous St. Francis D'Assisi church in Ranchos de Taos and painted it. It's the most photographed church in all of New Mexico. Constructed from traditional bale straw and adobe it's been a functioning church for over 150 years. My piece actually looked like the church, a bit, so I guess I can say I'm showing some improvement. What I'm really liking is working with color and seeing it splashed across the paper with water and brushes.

Summer of Love II

Last Friday night was the last SOMOS reading of the series and featured prolific writer John Nichols (The Sterile Cuckoo, The Milagro Beanfield Wars, The Wizard of Loneliness - all three of which have been made into movies), Phaedra Greenwood and Enrequieta Vasquez. Enrequieta published a radical feminist newspaper in the 60's about the plight of Mexicans immigrating to New Mexico. Phaedra read from her unpublished novel, "On the Bus" - her true adventures with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters at Woodstock in 1969. John finished off with reading a selection from the "Milagro Bean Field Wars" which was hilarious.

I've yet to have a sighting of some other famous movie stars who live in or nearby to Taos but hope to someday. Julia Roberts was seen at the local health food store not too long ago. Dennis Hopper and Dean Stockwell have been in attendance at the Harwood Museum for various functions - mostly expensive $150/ticket affairs. I guess there still is a segment of the very wealthy who live in Taos.

I've been invited to organize a book club at SOMOS for writers beginning next month. I'm so excited but don't know if I'll remain so when other people throw in their opinion on book choices. I'm even pickier about that than food. Some genres just won't do - like mystery, romance, science fiction. I guess since I'm in charge I'll say it's limited to fiction - maybe take our clue from the Oprah Book Club - she usually picks some really good books.

Now I'm reading another Anne book - Annie Dillard's, "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" which is about her observations and experiences of nature over four seasons in the Roanoke Valley in Virginia. Heady stuff. She must have been an entymologist in a former life because she really slings those insectoid names around like nobody's business. It's like reading philosophy, you have to stop and really think about what you're reading and not just plow through the page. Her powers of observation are phenomenal. Her descriptions sublime. I've never read anyone describe sunsets the way she does. Or the gloaming. Or the pools of bugs, tadpoles and amoeba in the creek by her home. Can't say it's my favorite but it's really giving my brain a workout!

The Anne's have it

I've been in a period of intense reading for the past several months. In hopes that some of the genius genes of the authors will rub off on me, I suppose. And of course I've always been a reader and go through phases of more or less intensity. I currently have 10 books sprawled out on my coffee table and end table to pick up at a moment's notice. I notice that I'm reading alot books by authors who start with the name "Anne" - just to mention a few: Anne Tyler, "Breathing Lessons"; Annie Proulx, alot of her short stories; Anne Lamott, "Bird by Bird" and "Blue Shoe"; and in the past I've read the diary of Anne Frank(who hasn't), poems of Anne Sexton, Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Return from the Sea" and of course all the Anne of Green Gables series - which doesn't really count since that's not the name of the author - but since it's written in first person you almost feel like it is. I've never ventured into Anne Rice's Vampire series and don't think I ever will.

Don't even get me started on the Anne's or Ann's in my life because there are plenty - to include my grandmother Anna, my other grandmother Annie and my mother, Ann.

I had a fantasy when I was in 3rd or 4th grade when I really began to notice libraries that before I died I would read all the fiction books in the stacks, going chronologically from A to Z. As all good fantasizes go that one vanished soon enough - especially as the school years progressed and I had to spend more and more of my time reading nonfiction in order to study for tests and write papers. Surely there must be less novels by people of the same name vs last name - what a minute what am I thinking - it wouldn't make any difference - it would still be the same number of books. Math was never my long suit....

I've also recently joined a "Paperback Book Swap" Club (it also includes hardbacks)online. You can list books that you want to give away as well as books you want to receive and the club matches you with fellow readers from all over the US. It's been fun to screen my small library(currently due to the move)to chose which books I'm willing to part with and then indulge in a wish list for new ones. I've started seriously haunting the used book section of the library, thrift stores with a books section and book sales of all types - choosing books I can list to give away - but they also must be books I want to eventually read so if no one wants them I won't feel stuck with them.

Yesterday I scored at the gym because someone had left three hardback new books in the lost and found. After two weeks there're up for grabs and boy are they good ones, "Beach Music" by Pat Conroy; "Pigs in Heaven" by Barbara Kingsolver and one by Patricia Cornwall that I can't remember the name of. But the problem is that Pat Conroy and Barbara Kingsolver are two of my favorite authors and I don't have those two books - even though I've read them. I might just have to keep them for my ever increasing library.

Summer of Love

This week marks the forty year anniversary of Woodstock in August, 1969. Taos has been celebrating all season with a marketing promotion dubbed the "Summer of Love". This trendy theme has been used in various venues - from the library's open readings, to restaurant menus, art gallery openings featuring Dennis Hoffman and Robert Dean Stockwell, and readings at Somos. Taos is well know for being a "hippie" enclave during the late 60's and 70's. There were quite a few communes here in Talpa and New Buffalo as well as Lama Foundation featuring guru Ram Dass. Even Natalie Goldberg was a quasi-member of a commune in Talpa and wrote a novel from that period, "Banana Rose."

This week at Somos there were two scheduled readers: Mark Rudd, former leader of SDS (the radical Students for a Democratic Society) who has recently published a memoir from that time, "Notes from the Underground". Unfortunately his wife had to have emergency surgery so he was unable to attend. In his place was Kyra Ryan who grew the child of hippie parents in the 70's and is writing a memoir, "Wild Child" that she read from. Coincidentally her godmother, Iris Keltz, was the second reader who wrote the locally well-known book, "Scrapbook from a Taos Hippie" but who on Friday night read from the prequel, "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down" about her marriage to a Palestinian during the six day war in 1967 and subsequent years. America tends to be so pro-Israel that it was quite interesting to hear about some of the same events from a Palestinian point of view - especially as told from the point of view of an American Jew growing up in Brooklyn living in Palestine during that time.

I've ventured off in new directions and signed up for a college course in beginning watercolors which begins in a week. My daughter bought me a set of watercolor paints for last Xmas which have until now sat unopened. I have never taken an art studio class in my life and feel somewhat intimidated by the prospect. Especially at two classes, 2 1/2 hrs/week each. The instructor, who I know from the gym, said that we'll be doing alot of painting outside and taking scenic trips around Taos.

Summer Time Summer Time

I know I shouldn't brag but the summer weather in Taos has been awesome. Sun shining everyday; morning temps about 55-60 until 9 am and then it warms up to about 85-90 but no humidity. Later in the afternoon the temps go down again; sometimes there's a brief thunderstorm lasting about 30-45 mins with refreshing rain. When the sun goes down the temp goes down, too, so it's never too hot to sleep at night. A girl could get spoiled.... Only thing that's missing is the pure clear lakes of NE - oh, well, can't have everything.

My writing group is having a "literary" potluck party the end of this month in Arroyo Hondo beside the river and we've been invited to bring our inner tubes to float down the river - which is supposed to be icy cold. We'll see. We've all been invited to bring a piece of our best writing lasting about ten minutes.

Last night was another writer's reading night at SOMOS. Poet Renee Gregorio who lives in El Rito read from her latest book of poems, "Drenched", a musical group from Santa Fe named Duo Guadaloupe played and the evening ended with Rick Collignon who has written four mystery novels. Next week begins the "Summer of Love" specials reflecting on the glory days of the hippies in Taos in the late 60's and early 70's. Mark Rudd, founder of the SDS (students for a Democratic Society) will read from his memoir. Oh those radical peace protest, burn-the-bra days... Taos is a really eclectic mix of ex-hippies, native americans, and hispanic cultures. Somehow they all seem to get along. Although the whites are definitely in the minority.

The apartment is almost all decorated, now working on some minor touches. I have dubbed it my "writer's studio" - it makes it feel even more cozy. It's amazing how you can get used to living in smaller spaces. It makes me think about how some people live in their car - no that I would ever want to go that far - although last summer traveling across country for two and half months I sure felt like it...

Domestication

The theme this week has been centered on decorating my new apartment - realizing that having my furniture, wall art and "things" around me has made a big difference in feeling cozy at the new admittedly small and somewhat dark space. I made kitchen curtains over the weekend and this week I'm working on drapes for the livingroom/bedroom window. Grateful to have a friend to borrow a sewing machine from and bought a cheap iron from Walmart. I may even try my hand at quilting - I saw a navajo wall hanging pattern in the local quilt shop that really intriqued me.

I've noticed that my color choices are strikingly different than ones I've chosen before. Always a blue and white kitchen in New England - now it's orange and reds - most likely the Southwest influence - as many things are painted in vibrant colors here - to distinguish from the everpresent adobe and desert earth. Taos is famous for its turquoise painted window shutters and doors. Someday I'll have to take pics and share them.

This Friday Natalie Goldberg is doing a reading at SOMOS (Society of the Muse of the Southwest) - it will be fun to hear her read some of her work because in the memoir class she focused on other people's writing rather than her own.... and now back to my own writing....