Thoreau/Twain: Brothers on the River

For the first evening of this 2019 Edition of the Annual Gathering of Thoreauvian Appreciators my play, THOREAU/TWAIN: Brothers of The River will be performed.

I am immensely proud to be presenting my work to such an excellent group of scholars, enthusiasts, teachers, environmentalists, historians, professors-AND this year's focus will be encouraging the ENGINEERS to come out in full force.

Therefore, not ONLY am I excited to be able to do research on both Thoreau and Twain, but also to focus on the parts of their lives which reflect their interest in innovation, technology and how things get put together.

Hint: This will involve HDT's work on developing a new formula for a graphite pencil, AND Twain's enthusiasm for a printing machine known as the Paige Compositor. Which will survive the ultimate test of engineering?

Frozen Pond

The temperature in NYC today was 3 degrees. Not counting windchill, not counting ice or snow on the ground-and Boston has more snow and ice, AND worse temperatures.

Today, I saw a photo of The Pond, and it looked like someone had taken it away. The expanse of water had disappeared under a blanket of snow. The cold had turned it into ground. Just another place to walk, no immensity to dive right into-just more solid stuff to crash into.

Combining Stories

What if Invisible Magic brought together The Swimming AND Greenpoint Ghost Story??

NaNo again

The picture still holds up after all these years!

I LOVE looking at it

Was I the evil one?

Even when we were young, I felt like I was always trying to encourage him.

I had such a crush.  He was like my brother, I wanted to open all my doors to him. I wanted to be NICE.

We would go for walks in the woods. 

Sure, you can take your camera.  You should!

And sometimes, I'd get into the water.

There was a great shot of me, pulling my hair out of the water with a great snap of my neck, a reverse rainbow-a wheel of water in an arc. My long hair a paintbrush into the sky.

He liked the way I looked in the water.

And I wanted to make him smile.

But I swear he never touched me.  I know because I wanted him to.

When they took him away, I ran alongside the van and he wouldn't even look at me.

I hoped there was a LOT of stuff I didn't know about.  But I was never sure.

He could have been a murderer.  He could have tried to hurt or kill himself, or threaten something or someone.  My parents never told me why he had to go. But it must've been something horrible.

In the 28 years, I still haven't guessed.

How do you imagine evil coming from the person you love.  The FIRST person you loved. If we had been able to talk, to discuss it, I might have gotten over him.  But I've never wanted to reach for another man (or woman).  And I never told our secrets.

But I keep swimming.  Because he liked it when I swam.  And maybe someday, he'll be on the shore when I get out.  There's a song "I walk a little faster", and I always sing "I swim a little faster".  Because the faster I swim, the sooner I'll get to him.

Sept 17 Swimming

My most recent (and hopefully not LAST) swim of the summer was Sept 17, although I was at the shore on another beautiful, sunny day, when the water was STILL warmer than the air (9/26).

The water is always the best, silkiest and most amazing in the world!

Swimsuits Going Out of Business

My favorite swimsuit company is going out of business.

https://shop.sorellaswim.com/cart

They had models known as the Marilyn, Lana and also Ginger.  Carried in all shapes and sizes, at least my size. Beautiful and glamorous. Finally I was comfortable in a swimsuit. I laugh at what I used to consider decent-I was glad I spent most of my time in the water with them.

I wish I had needed to order suits more often.