1. It turns out that we who love martinis have another reason to be grateful for this simple, elegant drink -- in addition to how drinking a dry martini is like sipping Paul Desmond playing the alto sax. Six months ago, on March 22nd, Billy Collins' 79th birthday, under the influence of martinis, Billy Collins gave in and agreed to try out his wife Suzannah's recommendation that he read poetry live on Facebook.
So, Billy Collins' first appearance was on March 23rd and today marked the six month anniversary of what is now known as the Billy Collins Poetry Broadcast.
I started tuning into this broadcast around July 20. Since then Billy Collins has introduced me to new poets and many poems of his that I'd never read; he's helped significantly expand my experience with jazz, not only with the music he plays, but with his commentary, inspiring me to dig deeper into the history of jazz through reading and watching programs on my television; he's also broadened and deepened my appreciation and knowledge of poets/poetry I was already familiar with and he's inspired me to listen to podcasts and some streaming programming online, further enhancing my enjoyment of poetry.
When I retired from teaching, I wanted to reintroduce myself to poetry and stories and plays, see if I could experience them as works to be enjoyed, not so much as works to be taught, that is, as sources for student essays and exams or as content on a course syllabus.
I've succeeded, on my own, in experiencing literature this way. In addition, Billy Collins' poetry broadcasts help me each day to experience poems as source of love and enjoyment unattached to my former work as a community college instructor.
By the way, Bill Davie has had the same impact on me. He takes a poetry break during each of his Tree House Concerts and has helped expand my world of poems significantly -- and, reminded me of my love of some longtime favorites. Bill Davie's love of poetry and Billy Collins' love of poetry is a good contagion!
2. I found an acorn squash that has come on in the back corner of the yard. It's about the size of a softball. It's green, without variegation. I consulted with Debbie. We agree. It needs more vine time.
3. Since I know pasta dishes like lasagna can be frozen and reheated, I had no hesitation about freezing the helping or two of buffalo chicken pasta that remained from Sunday's family dinner.
I also had two quarts of the tabouli style rice salad left over. I decided I'd put one quart of it in the freezer and find out if such a salad freezes well.
I've never seen the movie Frozen.
A limerick by Stu:
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