O.P.'s Poems

O.P.'s Poems: starting with CP Cavafy. Please post your favorite O.P.'s poems as comments to this post

I first met CP back in 1961 - indirectly through Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet. Durrel quotes him throughout, referring to him as the "poet of the city." Year later I reread the Quartet while living in Alexandria. A serious kick & reading high let me tell you. But it was not until UC Davis researching representations of the city in literature for a Humanities Institute research grant and then for my dissertation that CP & I developed a closer than second hand relationship.

Cavafy, one of the most prominent Greek poets, was born on April 29, 1863 and died on the same date in 1933 in Alexandria (Egypt). Here's a short biographical note by the poet himself:

I am from Constantinople by descent, but I was born in Alexandria -- at a house on Seriph Street; I left very young, and spent much of my childhood in England. Subsequently I visited this country as an adult, but for a short period of time. I have also lived in France. During my adolescence I lived over two years in Constantinople. It has been many years since I last visited Greece.

My last employment was as a clerk at a government office under the Ministry of Public Works of Egypt. I know English, French, and a little Italian.

Cavafy pages

• Constantine P. Cavafy
• C.P. Cavafy - The Official Website of The Cavafy Archive
• Ithaka, CyberTribute to CPCavafy. A Tribute to one of Greece's most prominent poets, Konstantinos Kavafis. Includes poems, in english and greek, biography,

I was going to start with "The City" because that was my first Cavafy, the one I lived inside out, the one that closed both Hunanities Institute presentation and dissertation. Now it seems too much a downer to open with though - or maybe being older makes lines like, "do not hope -- there is no ship for you, there is no road," less bearable because more believable. So I'll save it for another time and go with "Waiting for the Barbarians," which is, in its way, as much about change as about barbarians.

Waiting for the Barbarians

What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum?

The barbarians are to arrive today.

Why such inaction in the Senate?
Why do the Senators sit and pass no laws?

Because the barbarians are to arrive today.
What laws can the Senators pass any more?
When the barbarians come they will make the laws.

Why did our emperor wake up so early,
and sits at the greatest gate of the city,
on the throne, solemn, wearing the crown?

Because the barbarians are to arrive today.
And the emperor waits to receive
their chief. Indeed he has prepared
to give him a scroll. Therein he inscribed
many titles and names of honor.

Why have our two consuls and the praetors come out
today in their red, embroidered togas;
why do they wear amethyst-studded bracelets,
and rings with brilliant, glittering emeralds;
why are they carrying costly canes today,
wonderfully carved with silver and gold?

Because the barbarians are to arrive today,
and such things dazzle the barbarians.

Why don't the worthy orators come as always
to make their speeches, to have their say?

Because the barbarians are to arrive today;
and they get bored with eloquence and orations.

Why all of a sudden this unrest
and confusion. (How solemn the faces have become).
Why are the streets and squares clearing quickly,
and all return to their homes, so deep in thought?

Because night is here but the barbarians have not come.
And some people arrived from the borders,
and said that there are no longer any barbarians.

And now what shall become of us without any barbarians?
Those people were some kind of solution.

Constantine P. Cavafy (1904)

OK - your turn now. Let the pomes run like new wine.

Poetry: OPP, state society (?), correspondent's report

OPP, aka Other People's Poetry, kicks off either tonight or tomorrow, so pull out those dog eared anthologies and paperback volumes of your favorite poet and start combing through them for your OPP contribution. If you don't mind, why not add a few words about the poem means to you and why - tell us a bit about the poet too.

I'll kick off with a C.P. Cavafy poem, probably "The City," but that could change between now and then. Picking a fave Cavafy is always a hard call.

The other day at the Laundrymat, I noticed an out of date flyer for a meeting of the "Estancia Valley Poets," a branch of the NM State Poetry Society, at the Estancia Library. For more about the Estancia Valley Poets, Bobbi Baker, 384-1858. Went a-googling for more on NM State Poetry Society but did not find much. I have to admit up front that "state poetry" has unfortunate connations, but that could be way off base here. Can any of our readers offer enlightenment?

and now from our poetry correspondent, Dale Harris, January 25, 2007

[Ed. note: this report is also published online in its entirety, albeit sans links. In the interest of efficiency & saving time, future reports here may consist of the link alone]

Greetings from chilly Albuquerrrrque, the city that nearly forgot what winter was like. Some good poetry happening that warms all our hearts. If you read through to the end of the listings, there's a poem waiting.

Sunday, Jan. 28, 3 pm, Acequia Booksellers, Todd Moore will read from his recent poems on Billy the Kid. 4019 4th St. NW at the corner of Cherokee between Candelaria and Griego, 890-5365. Admission free.

Thursday, Feb. 1, 7 pm, Central Avenue Poetry Magazine monthly reading at Winnings Coffee Co, 111 Harvard SE, Albuquerque, 1/2 block so. of Central in the University area. Open mic, free admission. Central Avenue Poetry Magazine Issue for the month is released at the reading, free to contributors who are featured that month or $3. per issue.

Special feature 8:30 pm following open mic, Albuquerque's Prodigal Poet "Murph" Aaron Trumm, world ranked slam poet, 2 alternative hip-hop CDs under the name "M.C. Murph" and BBC raves for techno/ classical/ poetry fusion act Third Option.

Saturday, Feb. 3 at 7 pm, featured readers Lisa Gill and Molly Beer at Page One Books, introduce a new quarterly The Donkey Journal, plus an open mic. Juan Tabo & Montgomery in Albuquerque's NE Heights, 294-2026. This initiates a new series of 1st Sat. poetry readings at Page One and is preceded by a Local Author Fair at the store in the afternoon - authors and poets have a chance to promote their work. Contact Angela Williams for more info angela@page1book.com or 294-2026.

Friday, February 9th at 7 p.m. publication reading for John Knoll's latest book Elevator Music for the Dead. (Las Vegas: Long Road/La Cantera Press,2007) Gerald Peters Gallery, 1011 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Refreshments will be served. Book copies, $10. Hosted by John Macker. 505-954-5757.

Saturday, Feb. 10, 2 pm, POETRY AT PAUL and Therese's in Chupadera NM features Judyth Hill & Art Goodtimes. Music, pot luck, open mic. 505-988-1082

Finally, here's the poem, a recent one I wrote at a moon-writing day at Rockmirth with the marvellous Judyth Hill:

CALL ME HOME

Call me back to you, Beloved
when this time between the years is complete.
Call me to you
with indigo breath, bone rattle, wood burl drum.

This Ice Moon, Snow Moon
follows me through a countryside
I have no map for but your voice.
If I remember you, I remember myself.

The fierce goddess who lives behind the North Wind
swears me to her for a season,
initiates me into her ways of paradox,
teaches me prophecy.
Since I am old, no reason to refuse.

In her realm are arches, gateways,
doors into the future and the past,
so easy to become lost.
Your voice is my key.
Speak loud.

Moon of the Terrible, Silent Moon.
The Mother of Ghosts stands ready

to reckon all who process before her.
Young women, pregnant and hopeful,
offer her rice.

I remember years ago
I hid my stunning daughters from her,
put out dolls of straw instead.
Of course she knew.

I ran the streets in her honor then.
Fleet and strong,
I was bare breasted, my hair loose.

Wandering Moon, Pathfinder Moon.
I learn to walk easily in the dark,
a certain skill for tracking.

Moon of Wild Animals, Wolf and Bear.
She teaches me to hunt with a silver knife,
counsels deceit.

Never tell your prey your own name
but say another's when you kill them for food.

Moon When Snow Drifts into the Tents of The People,
I return to you with empty heart, full hands,
carry warm meat, skins.

Our hearth is cold.
I bring new fire from the City of my Mother.
We rekindle our love.

Wandering Moon, Pathfinder Moon.
I will tell you everything I see.
Do not stay silent!
Call me home.

Friday byts & bytes

Chamber Meeting, Tuesday February 13, has been rescheduled for the Shaffer, lunch provided for members, resvp to Dorothy Cole or e-mail mcc@mountainairchamber.com if you intend to to join the chamber and want to attend this important meeting that signals a new (& possibly overdue) direction for the Mountainair Chamber of Commerce.

This Saturday is SHARE pick-up day. Groceries arrive around 8:30 am. Come help box groceries and pick up flyer/form for next month's order. SHARE Program: cooperative food purchasing and community network. Sponsored by Grace Ministries, Mountainair. Call for ordering information and dates, and delivery dates and times. 847-0114, 847-9750. E-mail Shirley Jones at shobomntnr@aol.com but be sure to write "SHARE ordering" or something equally identifying in the subject line.

Around town... Valentine's decorations in the windows and gifty items on the shelves. Meds & More has in quite a selection of traditional Valentine's Day items. Treasures of the Gypsy has yet another memorable piece of display art underway. The Shaffer's Valentine's Wine Tasting is off the schedule, but the restaurant could be open by then....

There will be a Senior Citizens Valentine's Banquet, at the Baptist Church at noon (no late & wild nights out for us geezers) on February 12. RSVP by Feb 1: call Patsy at the church at 847-2394 and leave message, or call either Alma 847-2722 at or Carolyn at 847-2728

Not Valentine's Day or even remotely romantic... Uncle Walter's has (among other items too numerous to list here) 200,000 shoelaces - perfect for crafts - make offer. Kenneth Aguilar, Uncle's avatar in this dimension, is back in the used biz - furniture and other items, on display in the space formerly occupied by the Kowboy Kafe.

The first Cibola show of 2007 March Mudness - March 3 - April 29. I wonder if they will call it something else in April or would having a March show in April be just another example of being on Mountainair Time? How could my free-ranging curiosity not but wonder & wander - not just about shoelace crafts and mud art but also about how one might use shoelaces in mud art. (Yo Cibolistas - get thee to Uncle Walter's forthwith and snag some shoelacess!) Yes indeed, lo & behold, there is such a thing as mud art. I googled it on a whim & came up with enough to for its very own post - more anon. Authentic mud painting, however, is a Louisiana thing though - as I shoulda known...

Oak Alley, mud painting by Henry Neubig

Art Tour & MMAC update - the tour is just May 19 - 1 day only. Both co-chairs have experience & their own studios, speaking well for the 2007 tour's prospects as well for sane studio & other policies. Meeting this past Sunday set dates for events & meeting & appointed co-chairs & even some committee members for Arts Tour & Sunflower. Intriguing sunflower quilt doings afoot too... stay tuned for updates...

Sunflower Digital ATC

A note to art surfers, co-chair Celeste Simon's page, Mixed Media Arts, is dead & gone, gone to the great web page graveyard in the ether. However, Celeste is now one of the "Cibola Group" and presumably, will have space on the Cibola page, although not yet. The Cibola page tends to the grievously out of date - to wit still listing The (nonexistent) Art Center of Mountainair site but not listing blogelicious us on its "community" page! I'm not quite sure just when Cibola morphed from Artists Cooperative into Gallery Group or what that even means but it has. It's like when people you know get married and change their names... you still think of them as going by the original name but periodically make an effort to use the new name...

Empty Wallet Theatre director Spring Horton reports that the troupe's winter production of The Wizard of Oz was a hit, good turnout, popular with audience and players. There will be a spring play, tentatively scheduled for a May performance, tentatively at the campground auditorium. (Hey, Arts Tour - jump on this one like white on rice) Auditions will start the second week of February. Please remember that a community theater involves more than actors - costumes, scenery, carpentry, painting, publicists, gofers & other general schleppers

Not directly Mountainair news but Judy Mowris sent link to Lobo article about the closing of Irysh Mac's, her daughter's coffee shop (why Irysh & not Yrish or even Yrysh?)

Daily Lobo, Jan 2006

We also have a poetry report & TGIT poem from poetry correspondent Dale Harris + other poetry notes... but all for a separate poetry post as this one is running long side.

More cheerful today?

oAre you feeling more cheerful today than you were yesterday?

Yesterday, January 23rd, was supposed to be the worst & gloomiest day of the year, according to Cliff Arnall, a health psychologist at the University of Cardiff in Wales. It figures when you think about it - winter weather, SAD from overcast days, holiday bills coming in, falling off the resolution wagon, and so on.

On paper, the formula looks like this:

W + (D-d) x TQ

———————————

M x NA

The variables are (W)eather, (D)ebt, (d) monthly salary, (T)ime since Christmas, time since failure to (Q)uit a bad habit, low (M)otivational levels and (NA), the need to take action.

The formula supposedly holds true for the United States as well as Britain, except perhaps in places where better weather could help lift the day's depressing mood.

So what to do to alleviate the day's effects? Why not write resolutions at a different time of the year and resolve to make those life changes in a different month, such as March or April? Then you wouldn't have fallen off the resolution wagon in late January. Besides, spring is, after all, the traditional season of rebirth and renewal. See, I just covered myself for not having gotten to the promised resolutions post. I should apply the same argument to the as yet unwritten annual letter.

Good news though: It's only six months until what Arnall figures will be the happiest day of 2006 — June 23.

Maybe these snippets of news or what might pass for it will cheer you up. No closings or disasters in this list - I promise.

Good news and correcting a most unfortunate rumor: Granny's Sweet Shop, on US 80 across from Chuckwagon, is NOT closed. It is open weekdays, mid-morning until dark. So if you drive by late or on a week-end, of course it won't be open! Call 847-1850 to check times or place an order. In addition to sweets, Granny's serves sandwiches, tacos, and burritos. A bit brrrrrr these days for ice cream confections. but not for homemade cakes, pies, biscotti & other baked goodies. More about Granny's in the next 'fine dining in Mountainair' column.

Arts Council in brief - Arts Tour and Sunflower chairs (co-chairs actually...misery loves company & no one wants to be stuck holding the bag) have been named. Kristine Lauretsin and Celeste Simon are Tour co-chairs for 2007. The other good news: the 2007 tour will be only one day! Yours truly, la blogista ne plus ultra, is neither an mmac member nor on the tour committee but will once more into the breach be blogging nascent and blooming touriana as it emerges. In the meantime, send your comments and suggestions about the 2007. What would your "ideal arts tour" feature? BTW that includes letting us know what you are actually willing to do...

Insight New Mexico, the new radio talk show about local politics hosted by Eric Griego and produced by Suzanne Prescott, 3:00 to 4:00 PM on Progressive Talk Radio, 1350AM. Check out the show's website and blog.

Performances: UNM Chamber Orchestra - Albuquerque, Wed, Jan 24 '07, 7:30pm, Keller Hall. 505-277-2126. With Stephanie Akau, clarinet, UNM Concerto winner. Music includes the Lutoslawski-Five Dances Preludes for clarinet and string orchestra. Tickets $3-$7. UNM Music Department

More at Wingspread Collector's Guide Calendar

FYI Art 101 Learn about different types of artwork.

And now... just for fun, to make you smile (the best gloom antidote) - a formula for art appreciation...

from Dr. Rodney Chang's Model of Aesthetics and Transformative Philosophy

snow day miscellany

Happy 1st birthday to Mountainair Arts...

I didn't get anything special up for Saturday as promised. Snow distractions... happily, despite interesting moments driving out the alley, I am not snowed in.

Snowy trees, koat winter slide show

Snow day bytes -
In case you don't get to see enough snow looking out your window - or are a firm believer in "misery loves company," check out the KOAT winter slide show .

2007 Poets & Writers Picnic: August is so far enough off that summer thoughts cannot but be alien to our snow blown minds, but the 2007 Poets & Writers Picnic page is up. In the interest of speedy updating & timely dissemination, the page will not be so continually updated, with the blog taking over page that end and links to relevant blog pieces periodically added to the page.

The page includes pictures and report from 2006 picnic and poetry writing workshop. Dale & I wanted to get the word out early this for a couple of reasons - the primary one being that 2007 marks PWP's 10th birthday/anniversary. Consequently, plans for great doings & birthday bash are afoot. The other is that the successful workshop, now entering its third year, will be expanded to three days. This year, let's see more local participation in the workshop. This is a splendid opportunity for fledgling writers to hone skills close to home and expensively than most writing workshops. For more details on workshop, registration, etc, contact Dale Harris

A call for help - last summer a third musician joined Gereard Bezzeg & Frank Melcori. A good jammin' time was had by all. Unfortunately, neither Gerard nor Frank caught the third man's name. Can you help us identify him?

PWP 2006 musicmakers, l-r: Gerard Bezzeg (Albuquerque
folk singer & songwriter, unidentified local musician,
Frank Melcori (UNM, drama dept)

Next Chamber of Commerce meeting -
For really obvious reasons, the Mountainair Chamber of Commerce won't be meeting at the Firehouse Restaurant on the 2nd Tuesday in February. I don't know where the meeting will be. If you plan to attend, you'd better get in touch with someone chamberly and find out where. Either mcc@mountainairchamber.com or tracking down Dorothy Cole would be logical starting points. It won't be on the page because there is no 2007 maintenance agreement yet.

Coming soon... fine dining in Mountainair, part II

Firehouse Farewell

Today (Sunday, January 21, 2997) is the Firehouse Restaurant’s last day of doing business in Mountainair. Nancy asked me to put out the word and, on her and Rick’s behalf, to thank all the Firehouse patrons for having shared the experience with them For anyone either newly arrived, extremely forgetful, reading this from elsewhere, or who might have been living under a rock, here are a few words memorializing the Firehouse.

Firehouse, pre-facelift

The Firehouse, owned by Rick and Nancy Townson and run by Rick (although one often saw Nancy at work in the kitchen after wrapping up a long hair day at Hair Enchantment) is the most recent in a handful of eateries at the same location next to Hair Enchantment behind the Laundrymat, both Mountainair institutions and Townson businesses. The restaurant has been popular with long term locals, newcomers, and visitors. Between Shaffer restaurants, it picked up hotel business. The menu offered more variety than other local restaurants. Rick and Nancy are, without a doubt, the most welcoming and congenial of restaurant hosts.

Nancy in the Firehouse kitchen

Most recently the restaurant received a most remarkable series of facelifts. First came Wray and Shirley Simmon’s mural (sponsored by MMAC), which will ever be associated with the Townsons and their Broadway / Ripley complex. The mural did not include the Firehouse but did run right up to the restaurant, tying it in thematically and incorporating the restaurant into the “bigger picture.”

Then the restaurant itself took on a much brighter aspect when Ruth Ballen took it as her annual beautification project and, with the help of Jan and Cindy, transformed the longstanding natural wood color to, what else, “fire engine red.”

All in all, the Firehouse’s success and continuation seemed assured.

Such was not to be. After thoughtful consideration and weighing all factors, Rick and Nancy made the hard decision to close the Firehouse. It and their memorable tour as restauranteurs will be sorely missed.

Firehouse Dining Room

Before the Firehouse was the Brickhouse, serving pizza and a limited selection of other Italian, in the same location, same kitchen arrangement, but with décor mildly evocative of more eastern motifs – drums, belly dancing sessions (lessons offered during slow periods). Before that, there was another pizza place, accounting for the special oven. Does another pizzeria slink towards Mountainair waiting to be born?

The Firehouse closing is not unique in town annals and reminds us that running a restaurant is more work for less return than most realize. Elves do not come in the night to clean and do prep for the next day. To succeed, restaurants must open nights, on week-ends, even for holidays, although such is rarely the case in Mountainair. The fate of one restaurant belongs to larger patterns in Mountainair dining, the comings and goings of restaurants as part of the town gestalt.

More about that another time - I never thought I'd be doing a Mountainair food column ...

Nancy and Rick at the Firehouse

Until then farewell Firehouse... fare thee well Rick and Nancy... you'll still be here but we'll surely miss visiting with you over lunch or dinner at the Firehouse

Upcoming Art in Albuquerque

In addition to Michael Godey's and Megan Lemcke's "mystery show" at Nahalat Shalom Temple, located in Albuquerque’s historic North Valley, at 3606 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Wingspread Collectors Guide (artnews@collectorsguide.com) reports a number of Albuquerque art events and exhibits.

Naturally, we hope you will support local artists by checking out the "mystery show" before hitting other art venues. I'd say bug Michael about exhibit hours - after all, he's the curator, but you'll probalby find out sooner & with less frustration by contacting the Nahalat Shalom Temple directly: call (505) 343-8227 or email info@nahalatshalom.org to find out what hours the temple will be open and the exhibit available for viewing. I've seen a number of the paintings that Megan is exhibiting. My take: don't miss them.

ArtCrawl is all about art in downtown Albuquerque Friday night, 5-9pm. Most of the ArtCrawl venues will still welcome you even if you don't show up until Saturday after seeing Megan's and Michael's exhibit...

• The Harwood Art Center (between downtown and Albuquerque's Old Town): opening - social commentary artwork show "Politic," Joe Forrest Sackett, opening Friday 5pm, Harwood Art Center, 7th and Mountain Road.
• North Fourth Art Center opening - "Fragile", Christina Clarimón Alinder, reception Friday 6-8pm, VSA North Fourth Art Center, 4904 4th Street NW, Albuquerque.
• Albuquerque Arts Alliance Valentine benefit to help support the work of the Arts Alliance: silent art auction, "For the Love of Art" - original artwork in the form of paintings, photographs, weavings, sculpture and sweet constructions. The silent auction starts this week and continues through January 26th ... to bid, visit The Arts Alliance Gallery, Courtyard at 1100 San Mateo NE at Lomas.
• Wright's Indian Art in the lower level of the Courtyard celebrates its centenary of supporting and promoting Indian artists - generations of creative weavers, potters, sculptors and the finest Native American jewelers - in the lower level of the Courtyard at 1100 San Mateo in Albuquerque.
• Albuquerque Museum Opening - two photography shows: "Descansos: the Sacred Landscape of New Mexico", an exhibition of photographs depicting descansos -- roadside memorials which are seen along every road in New Mexico -- by photographer Joan Alessi; and "Extraordinary Bodies," photographs combining works by contemporary photographers in juxtaposition with powerful images from the historical medical photography collection of the Mütter Museum, some slightly macabre but stunning images. "Descansos" and "Extraordinary Bodies" opens to the public on Sunday, January 21st. There will be an opening day lecture on Sunday at 1pm by Laura Lindgren, the exhibition curator. The Albuquerque Museum is in Old Town at 2000 Mountain Road NW
• MoRo Gallery near Old Town opens "Big Paintings by Angus Macpherson", 806 Mountain Road NW.
• DSG Fine Art, formerly Dartmouth Street Gallery in Nob Hill - Open House featuring new works by Nancy Kozikowsi, paintings by Fremont Ellis, Willard Nash and Andrew Dasburg. Look for the blue gate on 14th Street between Lead and Silver.
• Sumner & Dene Creations in Art, in the heart of downtown - opening of new space, contemporary landscapes by Jeannie Sellmer, hand-wrought tin framed mirror by Drew Coduti and Kevin Burgess, silent auction of eight sculptures to benefit Cuidando Los Ninos. 517 Central NW.
• 516 ARTS (across the street from Sumner) - new contemporary art venue, open house for "Green", inaugural exhibition of 23 New Mexico artists including Larry Bell, Joel-Peter Witkin, Delilah Montoya and up-and-coming artists. 516 Central SW.
• Artspace 116: exhibiting hand-built clay vessels by Sharon Brush. "Emergence", the exhibit feature ornate clay vessels inspired by botanical forms, ancient Chinese bronzes, Middle Eastern architecture and African sculpture. The exhibit opens Friday at Artspace 116, with a second opening reception Saturday, noon to 4pm. Upstairs at 116 Central SW, in the theater block of downtown Albuquerque.
• AIA Albuquerque opens new gallery for the "architect as artist". 202 Central Avenue SE.

Ideas for 2007

Besides the usual motley collection of local and area art news, images, announcements, opinion, poesie & belles lettres, openings, deadlines, event updates, and such, I've been thinking about what we could do on the blog this year. Come this Saturday will be year 2 of Mountainair Arts, The Blog. I don't have a party in mind but do think it appropriate and then some to introduce at least one of the new features under consideration. So we have until Saturday for you, dear readers, to put in your 2 ¢ worth. Got ideas? Let's have them...

Here's what I've been working on:

• Blogzibit - online art exhibit in blog format
• OPPP - Other People's Poetry Project
  
• Blog publishing - poems, flash fiction, essays, short scripts, narratives, etc, perhaps including elements of a Reader's Choice competition
• Virtual Slam (with collaborative elements)
• Writing Blogshop - like a workshop but blogged - but only if fac / facilitator steps up to the plate
  
• Craft Blogshop series - see previous - perhaps incorporationg Q & A
  

Admittedly the last three are rather on the ambitious side, especially given contributor track records to date. They might not be feasible, at least not this round, but let's at least think about them - and best way to implement. I've found material on Virtual Slams, so somebody somewhere has done it.

Blog publishing seems straightforward and imminently do-able... a good way to get exposure and feedback. I'd waive "no anonymous" posts rule for the writing ones. With comments still moderated, writers posting work would not have to worry about e-slashers coming after them.

Blogzibit and OPP(P) are most straighrtforward and most likely candidates for early implementation, eg being a guest of honor at Saturday's Blog Birthday Bash

Blogzibit, quite simply, is an online art exhibit - resized images with click through to larger versions, some copy, context, artist's statement & bio, etc. Each blogzibit would feature a different local artist, preferably one not already having a web page, online gallery portfolio, or other significant web presence. Each would also have its own link, remain online, and be usable as an online portfolio.

Alternately, a blogzibit could be a group show by theme or medium, posting a few representative images for each "blogzibitor" while expanding the offering via links to personal and gallery pages.

OPPP = Other People's Poetry Project (or thread). A post calls for submissions of readers' favorite poems, which would then be posted as comments to the original CFP post (in this case, "Call for Poems" rather than usual "Call for Papers")

I haven't really given much thought to blog publishing yet, but you, gentle readers, will be the first to know. We'd need to post guidelines, perhaps call for submissions by genre, and provide ample advance warning too - let writers know well ahead of time when we'd be calling for submissions.

I await your feedback....

Mountainair rodeo grounds & Jr Rodeo

from the Thursday, January 11, 2007, MountainView Telegraph

Torrance OKs bid for improving Mountainair rodeo grounds

Almost one year after gaining a grant to improve the Mountainair rodeo grounds, the Torrance County Commission approved a $92,000 construction bid on a crow's nest at Wednesday's meeting.

Jr Rodeo may not qualify in some minds as a "cultural event." It is, however, a BIG DEAL here. More visitors come for Jr Rodeo than come to arts tour. I kid you not quoth Captain Queeg. What are the benefits of this group coming to Mountainair? For starters, whoever is sawing & hammering away to complete that $92,000 construction contract is either local labor earning money, out of town labor that will have to eat and maybe sleep somewhere while the job is in progress, or a mixture of the two. All to the good, all to the good - even if not a single one buys a single work of art or facsimile thereof.

I have had 2nd hand reports, one about a non-Mountainair resident who's been around long enough to know better and another regarding a recent relocatee, both with complaints about Lodger's Tax (also known as Occupancy Tax or Room Tax) funding being allocated to the junior rodeo. Granted, the rodeo folk don't buy art, often pack at least some of their own food, and sleep in campers and horsetrailers parked at the rodeo grounds to save money. If they didn't, I'd wonder about their authenticity. Been on the state fair circuit myself and slept in tack stalls and horsetrailers.

So what? Art and tourism are not the only businesses in town. The rodeo brings major business into the grocery store - and no doubt Gustin's and Meds as well. If there are truck or tire problems, then money ends up spent at Alpine, with a local mechanic, and/or in the auto supply store.

But let's take the long term view: any visitor who has had a good experience will spread the word that Mountainair is a good place to visit - and is more likely to return on a vacation or day trips. And more - promotional copy for town events & businesses emphasize "old fashioned" qualities and Southwestern authenticity. A small town rodeo exemplifies both. When rodeo and Jubilee coincide, Jubilee attendance swells and businesses benefit.

How can we build on that?

Are there any crafters or local food vendors out at the rodeo grounds selling? Have any local artisans thought about or researched items they could create to sell? Rodeo / Western ATC? Western art? Competitive horse folk may watch their dining and lodgin dollars very closely but they spend major money on their sport - including on high end custom and specialty items.

Any time rodeo coincides with a town event, promote the rodeo as an event attraction - one more reason to come to Mountainair.

Tech & other notes on logging in and posting

The software running blooger is barely out of beta (testing) version, so occasional glitches & hiccups should not be surprising. If you do have problems logging in or posting comments, I can only guess at what the problem might be. I'm not tech support and can't really help you with it. Sorry, try again. That's always a good rule of them with computers anyway. Re-reading directions, checking Help and FAQ sections are also excellent strategies, probably better than asking me. If you think e-mailing me a rant will make you feel better, go right ahead, but you might get one back (see comment above).

1. You don't have to log in to post comments. Anyone can comment. Don't worry about offensive, inappropriate, or spam in comments because comments, except from contrtibutors, require my approval.

2. You do have to be an adminstrator (that's me) or a guest contributor to blog original posts rather than just commenting on posts. Becoming a contributor is by invitation only. That means I send you an invitation through the blogger system. If you want to accept, then you need to register with google to get a login that blogger will recognize and accept. Just read the directions and follow the steps on the invitation. If you don't become a contributor, you don't need to give this part another thought.

3. My best GUESSES (and that is all they are) as to why you might have a problem:

• it's just a temporary hickup in the system - try again;
• Blogger asked about logging in. You didn't really need to but tried anyway (maybe because you are conditioned to take orders from machines? That's another issue...) and got the message about needing a login in & password, which you don't have
  
• you're just not used to blogs. Not to worry, you'll get there. In the meantime, go back to the blogger main page, take their tour, read the FAQ, etc;
• you went to blogger.com instead of mountainairarts.blogspot.com, saw the log in thingie at the top of the page and tried to log in when you didn't need to (see previous);
• you registered with google but not with the e-mail address you you used to register with blogger;
• the moon was in the wrong phase (OK so I threw that one in just to see if you were still reading);
• technology hates you and is out to get you.

URLs4u:

• Help
• I can't log in. What should I do?

4. Guest contributors have not been contributing, although some comment occasionally. The idea was for contributors to contribute. Being a contributor just to comment is not necessary & seems rather besides the point, so I am dropping guest contributors for now. I've notice that many blogs, excepting collaborative projects, don't have them anyway and most blog hosts prefer the editorial control of being the sole poster.

I'm still interested in contributors thogh: if you would like to be an active, regular contributor, please e-mail me nd I will send you an invitation. I'd really like to see contributors (correspondents) from a representative cross section of Mountainair groups, say, from the arts council, Cibola Arts, the Chamber (not art but they foot the bill for most art event advertising & promotion), the Town; or any other interested group. Likewise, contributos from different art disciplines themselves - music, other performance arts, visual art, letters, etc.

If you would like to contribute but don't want to commit to a regular gig, you can send it to me by e-mail to post for you. The same goes for representatives (designated or self-appointed) of groups or disciplines, This is what Dale does and it's been working fine. Judy, Linda, and Kathleed did that back in pre-tour period. I copy/paste your piece and head it note indicating who it's from. You get full credit, expert proofreading/copy-editing, and maybe even added links if I am in the mood - all without having to deal with any tech but familiar e-mail

5. if you subscibe to e-mail updates, then the email messages will have a link and snippet of the post (presumably enough for you to decide whether or not to click over). That should side step the whole login issue

a deadline, an art show & 2 meetings

SHARE Program, deadline for January orders is Friday (tomorrow!) January 12. The program is a cooperative food purchasing and community network sponsored by Grace Ministries, Mountainair. Call for ordering information and dates, and delivery dates and times. 847-0114, 847-9750

Monday’s Chamber meeting was another no-quorum, postponing the election meeting yet again, this time to a midday lunch meeting the second Tuesday in February at the Firehouse Restaurant. Canvassing meeting ducking members and potential members revealed that most would be likelier to attend midday meetings than evening ones. Respondents further claimed a rarely seen level of enthusiasm for and interest in our Chamber of Commerce. We’ll see – or rather, they’ll see. No quorum & no meeting also mean the agenda not seeing the light of day. The fate of the Chamber web page remains in limbo.

Art News – Michael Godey and Megan Lemcke have a show in Albuquerque this coming week. I’ve been tracking it with an eye to blogging by asking Megan to get information from Michael so I could blog,. This after all is meaningful art news about local artists. Michael has been less than forthcoming. I don’t know why but am chalking it up to space cadet syndrome until further notice.

So off I went a-googling on the barest of clues: that the show would be in a progressive temple in Albuquerque. I'm pretty sure Megan and Michael will be showing at Nahalat Shalom. Given reliable transportation and sufficiently dried paintings, they will be setting up Monday, January 15, showing either Wednesday the 17th or Saturday the 20th, depending on...well, we don't rightly know.

The information on the Nahalat Shalom site pretty much lets the cat out of the bag:

NAHALAT SHALOM ART GALLERY NEWS

Current Show in the Art Gallery: Mikki Roth and other members of the Rio Rancho Art Association will be showing art in the gallery Nov. 15 through the beginning of January. Reception TBA. Meet some of the artists at Chanukah. Michael Godey's show goes down on Nov. 14th. For more info, contact Michael at lifetree@lobo.net.

Nahalat Shalom is looking for additional artists to show in gallery. Email Michael Godey at lifetree@lobo.net.

If you are interested in attending and would like more information (hey, who wouldn’t?), e-mail Michael or contact Nahalat Shalom. The temple is located in Albuquerque’s historic North Valley, at 3606 Rio Grande Blvd NW. You can call them at (505) 343-8227 -- or email info@nahalatshalom.org

Blogzibit anyone?
You've all seen Michael's work - online at Yessy, at the 2006 arts tour, and the tour poster. But Megan hasn't exhibited locally, other than the Sunflower Life Studies she was working on at the Shaffer Pavilion during Sunflower. All the more reason then to bug Michael or call Nahalat Shalom

Sunflower Life Study II

If you can't make the show, we'll blogzibit, after clearing with Megan of course. Maybe we can even winkle an artist's statement out of her. An online exhibit right here on the blog. It could be the start of a new Mountainair Arts feature: blogzibiting local artists.

Just Cashews, a local organization, is developing a "sustainability" coalition as a city-wide project to make Albuquerque a sustainable city. Sure, it’s not Mountainair, so you might be wondering, “What’s it got to do with us?” Ideas we could use here for one thing. In addition to promoting the principle of fair trade, the organization would like support other aspects such as buying local, solar and wind energy, and "green" issues in general. Here is a brief description of the organization.

Just Cashews has planned a series of weekly meetings to plan the coalition’s direction. The first meeting is Friday, Jan. 12, at PeaceCraft, 3215 Central Ave. NE, at 4:45 P.M. If you are interested in participating but can’t attend, please drop a note to Stacey Pfeiffer.

From our Poetry Correspondent

From our "Poetry Correspondent," Dale Harris
January 10, 2007

Happy New Year, if we haven't already exchanged greetings. My prediction is that 2007 will be filled with great poetry, a sure thing because it's starting off with a bang. Is one of your resolutions to write a poem a day, a week? More fun if you share with other poets so my weekly poem is included.

Thursday, Jan. 11, 7 pm Fickle Muses at Winning Coffee Co, 111 Harvard SE, introducing an online journal of myth and legend. Bob Reeves emcees an open mic for mythic poetry and fiction to celebrate the debut issue. The website, curated by Sari Krosinski, features a weekly single-author selection of poetry or fiction and also publishes book reviews, essays and art. For more information, visit http://www.ficklemuses.com

Friday, Jan. 12, 8 pm Blue Dragon Poetry Slam features Jamie Kilstein from NYC, one of New York's top slam poets, touring internationally. The Blue Dragon Coffeehouse, 1517 Girard NE, off Indian School. Free event.

Sunday, Jan. 14, 5:30 pm Ho Anumpoli! presents Endangered Languages Poetry Reading at Harwood Art Center, 1114 Seventh St. NW north of downtown Albuquerque, corner of Mountain & 7th, 242-6367. Hear Alan Hudson (Irish), Nora Yazzie (Navajo), Colleen Gorman (Navajo), Camilla Dodson (Sesotho), Hoku Duran (Hawaiian), Sanae Wright (Okinawan), Luis & Paula Garcia (Nahuatl). Donations accepted at the door.

Wednesday, Jan. 17, 8 pm MAS Poetry at Winnings Coffee, 111 Harvard SE, a second chance to hear Jamie Kilstein and to participate in a slam. Free event.

Saturday, Jan. 20, 1 to 4:30 pm, 8th Quarterly Poetry Open House at Billy Brown & Sandi Blanton's, 2909 Monterey Ave SE, 3 streets south of Coal, east of Girard. Bring poems, yours or O.P.'s, to share and optional snacks. RSVP or more info 268-0933.

Sunday, Jan 21, 3 pm, Duende Poetry Series of Placitas, Poetic Tribute to Spanish Poet Federico Garcia Lorca at Anasazi Fields Winery featuring Gary Mex Glazner, Joan Logghe, Leo Romero, and Gary L. Brower with flamenco guitarist Nino David and dancer Susana Garrett. Directions to Anasazi Fields Winery: I 25 Exit 242 Bernalillo/Placitas east on Hwy. 165 to old village of Placitas, turn left onto Camino del Los Pueblitos, follow road to the end through 2 stop signs to the winery. Free event and wine tasting. Books by the poets for sale

Sunday, Jan. 28, 3 pm, Acequia Booksellers, Todd Moore will read from his recent poems on Billy the Kid. Acequia Booksellers is located at 4019 4th St. NW at the corner of Cherokee between Candelaria and Griego, 890-5365. Admission is free.

And now here's the poem:

SNOW DAY

All yesterday, through the night,
today, snow!
a cold treasure here in the high desert
where any gift of water is welcome.

No discernible wind,
this still, silent snow undisturbed
yet there₼s a sky current somewhere
bending its fall, see
it comes at an angle, not straight down.
Or it is the drift of the earth itself.

These snow clouds hang low
a solid opaque white.
We are inside a pearl.
The moon tonight will glow us,
bright reflections from without and within.

The birds, other usual yard animals
aren't in sight, not even a track.
They ride out the storm in whatever shelter
they can find.

We are more than privileged.
Our house is snug, well provisioned,
gas heated, electric power on.
We live in a fortunate part of town.

No work today, the city stops
except for public services
like snow plow and utility repair.
We have soft jobs though,
tasks that people can do without.

Like happy children, we stay home,
reprieved, cheerfully snowbound.
I remember the same feelings when I was ten,
no school, the bus not coming,
a holiday from dull routines.

My husband surprises me.
He suits up, parka and boots,
takes snow shovel and broom
outdoors before even the first cup of coffee.

His mission is to save our trees
from the burden of snow on branches
that bends, might cause them to break.
He is the good gardener even on this winter day.

The roof is next, then sidewalks.
Later he will cook a hearty soup, eat,
then drowse to sleep on the couch.
Today I won't begrudge him that.

From television comes news
a tyrant is hanged, far across the world.
My husband swept the snow from the satellite dish,
so reception is restored.
You should have left the snow alone, I joke
then turn TV off.

Quietly I pray for an end to murder,
an end to cruelty, all and any of it,
his, theirs, ours, everybody's.

Still it snows.

Submitted by Dale Harris, January 10, 2007

Touriana

Links to last year's tour

http://mountainairarts.blogspot.com/2006/05/some-tour-highlights.html
http://mountainairarts.blogspot.com/2006/05/closer-look-at-broadway.html
http://mountainairarts.blogspot.com/2006/05/off-broadway-art-touring-studios.html

Chamber Music

The draft title was "Resolutions & Chamber Music." That was until I got curious about other small town chambers and started looking. My (negative) resolution was to avoid oxygen thieves, but I'm committed to attending tomorrow's meeting as the chamber page is on the agenda.. Oh well, scratch that resolution. It's just not always possible to avoid oxygen thieves, not that everyone in attendance is one. There are pluses - if so inclined, I can hand deliver the much coveted Golden Road Apple Award (see Mountainair Monties) and (long overdue) a Fulfer (even if not the same one) will be in attendance.

Monday, January 8, 2007: Chamber of Commerce Election meeting, 5:30 pm, Ancient Cities Banquet Room.

I'd tell you the slate but no one told me, not even when I asked. This could be because there is not yet a complete one and the "Executive Committee" did not have confirmation of willingness from tentative nominees at that time. Hopefully they will by tomorrow evening...

Got questions about procedure? Review the Chamber By-Laws at the Chamber of Commerce web site. Reading the By-Laws may even put you one up on most members. The short version:

• Membership. Theoretically, members must be approved by the Executive Commitee. In practice, show them the money and. likety-split, you'll be a member in good standing. Ready to vote, run for office, etc. You may need to run - and fast - if you don't want to hold office.
  
• Objective. Current Mission Statement. Mission Statement for 2000 Chamber
  
• According to Article XXIV, meetings follow Roberts Rules of Order, a standard by-laws feature in organizations, although most word the relevant article to the effect that anything not covered in the by-laws follows / is covered by Roberts.
• Dues. The real kick-butt deal is for Seniors, $5/year. Article V, however, should specify that the reduced membership is an associate membership without the same full voting rights as held by business, organization, and individual membership but fails to do so. In the absence of being so stated in the by-laws, $5 Senior members have the same voting rights as $40 business members. Can't beat that deal with a stick...

So, what is a Chamber of Commerce anyway? And what do they do? What does this one do? What could it do? For that matter, how would small town Chambers differ from large city ones?

Some chambers have joined state, national, and even international bodies (such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Worldchambers). In the majority of countries, the use of the term "chamber of commerce" is regulated by federal law. Currently, there are about 13,000 Chambers registered in the official Worldchambers Network registry, and the Chamber of Commerce network is the largest business network globally.

Currently, the Mountainair Chamber is not affiliated with a national association or international association, although it has been affiliated with the national association in the past. It is, however, listed with the NM Chambers of Commerce and on other chamber directory sites, right along with Paris and Wigan Pier. Official paid affiliation is too expensive (no vale la pena). Benefits would be of limited value to a small town without an extensive manufacturing or mercantile base. By AACE standards, small Chambers of Commerce are ones with assets under $200,000. I don't think they even have a category for ones our size.

It's not just the well-documented and frequently unsavory lobbying pracitices of the US Chamber - we don't have much in common with the mega-chambers in its flock. Looking at larger, richer chambers serving more developed business communities cannot tell us much about what ours can or even should be doing, let alone what the make up should be. Common sense - what's in a name, eh? - tells us that any NGO with commerce in its name has to be more about business than, say, pot throwing or pedagogy. Yet those reflect the make up of this chamber as much as and more visibly than local business because members of the arts community and school district employees are more likely to attend meetings more regularly than many business members.

The less "business" makeup frequently leads business members to wonder where's the "commerce" in the Chamber of Commerce. They have a point. Even a non-business person out of sympathy with US Chamber goals can see the imbalance. On the other hand, nothing - nothing but their own inertia and meeting aversion, that is - prevents business members and potential members from attending meetings and taking back their chamber, (which somehow reminds me of the Rodney Dangerfield routine..."take my wife....PLEASE.)

Anyway, back to the subject of small town chambers of commerce, Jackson MO and Ft Jackson VA are examples from elsewhere in the US. Small towns anywhere have more in common with one another than with more urban areas - even over time. Small towns described by Balzac and Baroja are not so different from contemporary counterparts. Often towns in Mountainair's size range "share" a county or regional chamber. For chamber sharing to work, collaborating towns and villages need to interests, have compatible or, as in the case of Brookings and Harbor OR, complementary demographics, and - above all - be on even footing. Any or all could be why Mountainair chambers on alone rather than as part of the East Mountain Chamber

The Jackson MO Chamber of Commerce is a broad-based, member-supported organization which was formed to promote and protect the business and civic interests of the community of Jackson.

Jackson's "Why Join?" page suggests that the same questions arise there as do here.

Committees: Education; Retail; Community Betterment; Agriculture; Events; Non-profit alliance; Tourism. Community Betterment Subcommittees to plan specific projects: Beautification, Historic District, Industrial Relations. Each committee and subcommittee has its own "objective" / mission statement.

Mount Jackson VA is even closer to Mountainair in size, with a pop. 1,664. The chamber there has compatible objectives - preserving heritage, encouraging tourism, etc.

The objective of the Mount Jackson Chamber is to preserve the heritage of the town's history, encourage tourists to visit our bountiful attractions, and promote growth for our businesses and town with new ideas, seasonal activities, and community involvement.

There were others... and ideas for our chamber page along with them. Overall, what they do have in common is more emphasis on community involvement, quality of life, education, neighborhood, etc. In a small town even business is never just about business...

Seasonal Genres

I collected material for a New Year's Day blog but didn't get to it. Now that I think of it, not unlike the local New Year's celebrations that didn't quite make it (one canceled then uncanceled but not quite the last word in bon vivantary and the other not offically canceled in but locked behind doors shutting out the four people who actually did show up). At least my default did involve not misleading anyone into trotting through the snow drifts, rapidly cooling covered dish in hand.

Sidney Bay, Australia:
3,000 kilos of fireworks;
also celebrating 75th anniversary of bridge over the bay

More pictures of New Year's Eve celebrations around the world (for those of us who missed them here):

• Eiffel Tower, more than 400,000 gathered at iconic locations such as the Eiffel Tower and L’Arc de Triomphe
• Las Vegas
• Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro
  
• Puerta del Sol, Madrid
• Red Square, Moscow
• New Year's traditions in both Glasgow and Rome involve getting up close and personal with local waterways. Jumping into the Tiber is not quite as chilling a prospect as dunking in Scotland.
  

My material also keeps without refrigeration even if a more appropriate tack by now might be to put it away with the tree. However, according to at least one source, I am not 100% behind: the entire 1st week of January is New Year's Resolution Writing Week. That still leaves the Christmas letter I haven't started yet (renamed 1st "Annual Holiday Letter" and next just "Annual Letter" since it looks as though I'm going to miss "Three Kings" as well).

But we are still in that retrospective mode, summing up and then looking forward mode. Perhaps being snowed in stretched out the process.

Seasonal Genres (greeting card doggerel excepted) are a very Janus array:

• Annual Christmas Letter (if you actually write it at Christmas, otherwise it is a holiday letter. If you defer the writing as long as I do, then it is just an annual letter – and more often than not a bi- or tri-annual letter.
• 10 Best (or Worst) Lists. The Monties cover the Mountainair 10 Best List. What are your nominations for the “Mountainair 10 Worst List”?
• Year in Review Retrospectives – related to 10 lists but with more copy and not numbered.
• New Year Forecasts
• New Year’s Resolutions

Holiday letter: links collected because I assigned that hoary writing chestnut to my online ESL class.... my entry in the misery loves company category. Besides. it's a change from Resolutions, which is what we did last year.

• Start a new tradition with a Christmas letter
• Examples of holiday letters
• Ideas for holiday letters
• Tips for writing holiday letters

2006 in Review

• Todos colgados (a personal favorite from my favorite newspaper, El Pais, Madrid. If you can't read Spanish then make that one of your New Year's resolutions): Es el signo de los tiempos: todo cuelga. Diarios personales, fotos, vídeos, canciones. Los que supieron entenderlo son los nuevos triunfadores de la era del Web 2.0, en la que la norma es participar, compartir y crear contenidos. Doce meses de cambios en nuestro modo de ver el futuro. Por Javier MARTÍN, 31/12/2006
• Infoplease Year in Review
• Yahoo News Year in Review
  
• Reuters Year in Review (for a less provincial perspective)
• International Herald Tribune (IHT) Year in Pictures slideshow
  

2007 Forecasts

• The Anderson Forecast (technology)
• Wharton School of Business Surveys the Globe
• Chinese Astrology Forecast (2007 is the Year of the Pig)
• Global economy faces a dangerous year (Asia Times)
• El Pais:LO QUE NOS TRAE 2007 Guerra civil árabe, menos EE UU y más Europa, y lucha por la energía, por ANDRÉS ORTEGA, 1/12/2006. En fin, un año en el que seguimos con la maldición china: nos ha tocado vivir tiempos interesantes.

Resolutions... defering for the nonce, along with "Top 10 Ten Lists," and premiering the concept of "negative resolutions" as perhaps being more keepable...

So, what do you categorically refuse to do in 2007? What are your nominations for a Mountainair Top 10 List (somewhat covered by the Monties) ... or for "Worst 10"?