Microdosing Monday: Libraries and Literature
weekly writer's newsletter
Good morning and happy day. Glad we all made it here another week to count sunsets together.
Last week was long and tough with unenjoyable appointments, so I took advantage of the forays out and about and stopped in to visit two libraries, and I spent a lot of late nights working on writing projects and some fun collage stuff.
I got asked to do two blurbs for two different but good poetry books, and I buried myself into that task for a few evenings. I’ve been trying to edit a short story collection to get it ready to submit for publishing, and next I need to edit a novel that I recently finished. It will be rough draft number three, which means it’s getting closer to submission, too. Plus, I’m still waiting on one more blurb for my forthcoming, and very first poetry collection. Fight Songs for the Underdogs is coming soon from Luchador Press, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.
I recorded a bit with my friend and podcasting comrade, the musician and poet Ted Jackins. We’re working on a second episode of our YouTube show “Just Another Way To Waste 60 Minutes.” We hope to release that in late August.
Basically I’m in survival mode at the moment, so I stick my head in the creative sand and look for any healthy distraction from reality, and hey, the writing has never been better.
Wondering what I’ve been reading? Shit-fire, I thought you’d never ask. I’m taking it light and fun for a few weeks in my reading. I’m reading a novel by one of my favorite modern writers, Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen. Hiaasen is a Florida writer and all of his books are set in South Florida and include the most over-the-top characters, including several recurring ones. Amongst those, one of my favorite fictional characters is in several of his novels. A man named Skink that lives in the jungle of the Everglades and is somewhat of a faulty vigilante for litter bugs and climate abusers. I’m a third of the way into this one, and it’s par for the calamity and hilarity that weave themselves through Hiaasen’s novels. If you need fun reads, you should check his books out.
And when I dropped into the Williams County Library Systems anchor branch in Bryan, OH the other day, I had to grab Shel Siverstein’s biography. I’ve read it, but it’s been a few years. Shel Silverstein is not only one of my biggest creative heroes in life, I would argue that he’s also the single most influential poet of the last 50 years. How many poets, myself included, fell in love with poetry because of Shel Silverstein? Beyond his legendary children’s poetry collections, Silverstein also wrote and drew cartoons for Playboy Magazine and even had his own suite in Hugh Heffner’s Chicago mansion. He also wrote several hit songs. His biggest, A Boy Named Sue, was of course covered by Johnny Cash, a longtime friend of Shel’s. This biography is a pretty good study into a wildly creative and slightly mad artist’s life. A should read for most artists.
Ok. Where were we? Weed time? It’s always weed time. Cannabis is a lifesaving medication for me and so many others. It’s the safest way me and my doctors have found to treat my anxiety and mute some of the fist clenching side effects of my PTSD. Lately, we’ve been smoking Biscotti, a strain that I like. The strain is a potent indica dominant hybrid that is used to treat stress, anxiety and depression. Its effects are relaxed, creative and buzzy. Sign me the fuck up. Ours is just over 30% THC, and it’ll dry your eyes out and make you forget where you’re at for a bit. Good stuff. Thanks to First Class Camden in Camden, MI for continuing to hook me up.
Alright…Happy hippie blue collar Buddha-esque affirmation time, as is tradition. And I tell you, I’ve had to go back old school to a lot of years ago when I first quit drinking. A wise man told me then that when I have a grudge against someone, legitimate or not, that the way to get rid of it was to pray for that person everyday until you felt better. And not just pray for them, but pray that they would get good things and happiness in life. And never mind if you believe in God or anything else. Just pray for them. After all these years I’ve learned to just start praying instead of picking up the grudge. I hope that miserable person I encountered last week finds all the happiness and joy they could ever want in life.
This seriously works by the way, and I’m not exactly sure why, and does that even matter? Try it. If someone gets under your skin wish them good and happy. Do it everyday and see if it doesn’t make you feel better.
Keep your feet down and your head up. Stay safe out there.
Love,
Dan
Back in the 70's Ray Patrick was driving a cab in Key West and got to know Silverstein quite well. He gave him a copy of an early copy of my chapbook, "I'm Not Your Sweet Baboo". and Silverstein said, "That's real poetry" and said that his writing wasn't real poetry. A very self-effacing and modest guy. I'll always remember that story and those kind words.
Shel is a legend… https://youtu.be/ohFHsOBuLc4?si=CrOHFClzEBA7WhYL