Bye, Bye Blogger

I'm fickle, I know it. I've liked blogger, but it's over. Don't make a scene, be grown up about it. I've found a new blog site, and it's nothing personal, but Wordpress will just be better for my aims.

I do hope all two of you following my blog here will mosey on over to Sue Campbell Writes and check it out. I don't have all my planned pages fleshed out yet, but I believe I can make this into a multipurpose site as well as a blog. I've migrated my blogger posts over, and have started adding blog content.

It has a feed, or is feedable(?) You can subscribe, but of course I hope you will click trhough and see it in situ, because I'll be posting work in progress there.

Not to beg, but please, please leave me a comment! I don't even mind if it's a snarky one! I just want to know I'm not alone in the wilderness of blogdom.

America's Most Literate Cities?

A study done by the Connecticut State University shows the list of the most literate cities (over 250K pop.) Topping the list:
1. Minneapolis, MN
2. Seattle, WA
3. St. Paul, MN
4. Denver, CO
5. Washington, DC

A variety of criteria was used. Educational attainment, numbers of booksellers, library circulation, etc.
Lower rankings:
7. San Francisco, CA
10. Boston, MA
28. New York, NY
30. Colorado Springs, CO
40. Chicago, IL
43. Las Vegas, NV
53. Los Angeles, CA

Perhaps those long cold winters in Minnesota make for good reading weather. Though nearby Milwaukee, WI, ranks only 34.5. (Too much beer and football?) I would have thought that these other lower ranked cities would have done better, Boston, home of Harvard? New York, heart of the publishing industry itself?

For the rest of the list and the methodology visit: CCSU-America's Most Literate Cities

A Series of Coincidental Events...or is it His Dark Materials?

Author clones? Doppelgangers? Or just bizarre coincidence? Your double is out there somewhere, maybe being famous in your stead!

Have look at this: http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/660000266/post/150031615.html

People often remarked on my dimples when I was a child, comparing me to Shirley Temple despite that fact that I had no tap dancing talents, or golden ringlets. It wasn't a comparison I discouraged.

What would you do if ...

You suddenly had the means to support yourself without going to that pesky job? Not like lottery winnings, we could all fantasize about how our lives would change with immense wealth. But enough to maintain your current style of life (or maybe a smidge better). What would you do with the time to do what you want?

Would you work anyway, save and invest in making your life more materially successful? Would you travel, and see and do things others only dream of? Would you change your social life--maybe make it more, or less, active? Or find a new circle of friends?

Would you go back to school, learn something you've always been interested in, but never pursued, something say impractical like . . . archeology? Would you write the great American novel? Create art? Laze around in a hammock with a Corona? What?

I've often said that given no time constraints, and no other distractions, I'd write, and art, and maybe do some hammock time. And travel some—but not maniacally—slowly, savoring the places, peoples, culture, and foods.

Last night, I didn't sleep. Yet another story idea badgered me all night long. I don't know why they bother—I've never enough uninterrupted time to devote to finishing one. So I guess that's what I'd do—finish some of these darn stories, and get some sleep.

What would YOU do?

Politics as usual...

If you're a geek for statistics like I am, this site is REALLY interesting. Not only is there a whole lot of information there that we should be aware of, there are also all kinds of statistics with interactive visual charts, graphs, maps and stuff that are fun to look at. Click on Presidential Election and go through the maps, money web etc. It's very enlightening.
http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php

Poetry Jam

So for the first time in my life I went to a "Poetry Jam" at a coffee house here in Podunk. Huh. Who knew? I enjoyed myself and heard some surprisingly good stuff. I don't know why it should surprise me that poets might live in Podunk. I mean... I do, but I don't claim to be a poet. I read a couple of my poems, and prefaced them with "I'm not a poet." But they were kind to me, and even applauded, a little bit. So I am encouraged to read again. They said short stories were OK, so maybe I'll do one of those. Or maybe a flash piece, cuz short stories are longer than poems. Anyway here are the poems I shared:

Thistle Sock
by Sue Campbell (2007)

Tiny seeds teased from mesh
with practiced pincers.
Precious protein in the false
fecundity of Spring.

Fuel encased in hard shells
both outer
and inner.

What secret life therein
she hides, while gorging
on a banquet
in a sock.

In the darkness, hiding
a family yet to come
along for the ride,

swings gently on the breeze.
A sock in a tree.
A chick in an egg.

Thistle seed.

A baby in a belly,
hungry Spring.


Poetry Anarchy
by Sue Campbell (2007)

What are the rules for poetry?
Who knows about voice, and meter and timing?
Oh, and nevermind rhyming.

That, I could never do.
Sure, it’s pretty simple
to find a rhyme for blue.

But what about orange, or purple?
Does it matter
when words don’t want to patter?
Instead preferring to shuffle, or plod, or slink.

The picture is the thing
that makes poetry sing.
Words are paint, to be slathered,
stippled, babbled and dribbled.

But I, since I’m clueless, and ruleless
am free to sling words with abandon,
seeing what sticks,
and what runs down the page.

Smearing in embarrassment, at being used
and abused by one who knows no rules.

Inspiration

Here's some inspiration for the days when you say, "oh I can't do that..." A blind woman is circling ther globe on a motorcycle. And her sister gives a testimony of hope against the odds. Warning, as the radio host says, "Hankies at the ready."
http://www.worldtour.org.uk/Video%20clips/Annie%20on%20Radio%204%2019-01-08.mp3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUVNl0yHszk