The ‘work in progress’ is …progressing and some reading thoughts

canadian blog awards

Winner in the GLBT category

Hello you all,

rainy day here,

in my beautiful ugly.

Please don’t think,

I’m complaining,

I’m not,

give me rain over,

sticky dank heat,

any day.

My work in progress,

is progressing,

more and more notes,

adding up,

a memory stick full of pictures,

hell,

I even created a twitter account,

check it out,

join me,

https://twitter.com/bookishbutch

Austin Kleon’s book,

Show your work,

suggested it was,

the favorite social media,

of writers.

Early days,

but,

I can see enjoying it,

and,

it will help with impulse control,

“gotta’ control yourself,

or those 140 words,

can get you in trouble

🙂

I just finished reading,

Gender Failure,

by Ivan E. Coyote and Rae Spoon,

a must read people,

will give you much to ponder,

and,

make you laugh and cry,

lots of emotion,

lots of thought,

two astute minds,

collaborating to serve up,

a truly excellent book.

I think you all know,

the love and respect I have for Ivan,

a butch idol of mine,

respect brother.

Rae Spoon,

I am less familiar with,

but,

equally impressed with,

the journey and grit that lead to this,

place,

yes,

impressive.

It brought forth  many questions,

I never realized,

I had about the trans experience,

if I can put it this way, but, actually that kind of, a ridiculous way of putting, because the experience is different for everyone,

all part of the vast,

human experience.

It made me think,

and,

feel,

and that is what I value,

above all else,

in a book.

I saw their show,

Ivan and Rae’s,

Gender Failure,

last year with my friend, Francoys,

and so looked forward to reading,

and discussing it with him.

(:

Don’t think for a moment,

“well, I saw the show, I know what the book is about”

it is a very different ‘creature’

both are excellent and complimentary in my opinion.

The show left a lasting impression,

I have discussed it with people,

and,

pondered on it,

many times,

since.

The book opened up a door,

Fran Lebowitz,

one of my all time favourite writers and speakers,

discusses this concept in a talk on Jane Austen,

A book should not be a mirror but a door.

By this she means it shouldn’t be about you,

or recognizing yourself,

but, a door to another world,

another world view,

a glimpse into someone else’s,

human experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujjJlT9cCts

I have read all of Ivan’s work,

’tis love,

and,

now I want to explore,

more of Rae’s,

they appeal to me,

very much,

and,

force me,

in a joyful way,

to explore my thoughts,

confront my acquired ideas.

That rocks

🙂

Austin Kleon in his,

Steal Like An Artist,

and,

Share Your Work,

advises you to learn everything,

there is to know about artists who you love,

learn all their work.

I’ve been doing this for years, but, it is nice to see it articulated, I guess.

Ivan is right up at the top of artists and work I love.

A worthy book.

and this morning,

I came upon this,

on upworthy via face book

proof there isn’t only crap on fb

It added to my thoughts,

once you start,

chewing, marinating and pondering,

on a subject,

stuff turns up,

nice that,

so here is the link

http://www.upworthy.com/the-thing-your-first-grade-english-teacher-missed-that-you-should-definitely-know?g=2&c

Let me know what you all think,

about all this,

I’m off to steal and share.

Be well.

Later girls,

BB

 

 

 

Author: Bookish Butch

I am a bookish butch in my mid early fifties. I live in Montréal and always have. I used to run a small used bookstore. Reading keeps me sane. My latest jiggie is photography, book project in the works, living the dream

4 thoughts on “The ‘work in progress’ is …progressing and some reading thoughts”

  1. You sound good BB. Your vibrant energy about your new work runs through this post. I’m excited for you. Thanks also for introduction to the door/mirror analogy – very astute. I remember when you went to see Gender Failure with Francoys – so sorry he is not here in the flesh to discuss the book. I know you’re talking to him in your head, and his commentary is still valuable. I’ll add the book to my list. I was wondering what you’d think. … Last but not least, the linguist’s video is nicely done.

  2. Thanks, Dee, I am pretty good, this new work- especially the photography aspect is really exciting, much learning and thought to do, yeah, exciting:-) I think if you watch Fran Lebowitz on art and life you come away with many astute observations, the door/mirror one seemed particular a propos and the linguist well, he blew my mind, gave texture to my thoughts. I hope you are doing well, as well, my friend

  3. I am well. The exciting/daunting thing in my life is swimming. I swam as a kid, but never competitively. I taught swimming and lifeguarded through high school & college, and then completely stopped swimming for exercise – and only occasionally swam for recreation. 9 months ago I joined an LGBT swim team here. The Gay Games will be in CLE 8/9-16 and I’m competing.

    It turns out that I’m a highly competitive person. And I’m SLOW! (Last practice one of the guys who was warming up with the water polo team that was going to take over the pool after our team practice told me “Your way too flat on your backstroke – you’re like a barge moving through the water”. Ha! It was great to get some feedback, and discouraging at the same time – you see, I’d been working on my rotation & thought I was coming along nicely! ;-/

    In any event, I love my teammates, and am enjoying the activity as well as the learning process. Plus swimming is very solitary & isolating – in the end it’s just you with your head moving your body through the water … it suits my introverted/intellectual self.

  4. That’s great! I used to love to swim when I was a kid, haven’t in years, for a really stupid reason too, self conscious in a bathing suit. So the swimming combines the solitary and isolating and the social of your teammates, great. We need new things to challenge us, keep us sharp, keep us reaching and things that bring joy to our souls and bodies. Keep at it my friend and much joy and success with it. Big hug

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