Anne Tyler Lord

The Writer’s Life: Beatnik Party: Final #WriterlbsOff

Like Cra-a-a-a-zy Man!

Our final party for #WriterlbsOff is a wild, crazy, cool party traveling back to the 1950s to jive with the Beats and those pretending to be Beatniks in the campy movies.

We are really cool, hip writers and we have earned our rebellion.

We have a lot of reading to do on Fridays, so our Beatnik party is all about the music, audio/video poetry, videos and movies of the Beat Generation and all their cra-a-a-a-zy antics. I am providing you with a veritable feast to pick and choose your fun (yeah, I posted way too many videos, couldn’t help it). Come back often throughout the weekend to watch more, and keep up with the happenings in the comments.

Enjoy the party… Be cool, Daddy-O.

The Classics

Let’s get in the mood by paying homage to the leaders of the Beat Generation and listen to some of their seminal work. Here are Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs. These videos are for the hard core Beat fans who don’t want any nonsense (like the nonsense I have below).

Jack Kerouac reads from On The Road ( interview by Steve Allen in 1959.)  Steve Allen plays jazz piano while Jack is reading.

I like this dramatic reading done by John Tuturro of Howl by Allen Ginsberg. The music and city setting add to the emotion.

This is a rare audio CD of William S. Burroughs Reading Junky. (There is music at the beginning, just fast forward to the reading.)

Open Mic Poetry Readings

Now, for everyone who likes nonsense, let’s get campy and have some wild fun!

We are hosting this way-out party in a basement coffeehouse in Greenwich Village called The Jagged Pen. Have a cup of Espresso, smoke anything you like. In honor National Poetry Month in April, we will have a poetry reading open mic night. I have chosen a few kitchy classics to remember the Beatniks how they never were.  And, although not kitchy (in my own mind), I had to include Johnny Depp reading Jack Kerouac. A double dose of cooooool.

Join in the poetry reading. Share some of  your coolest, strangest or most depressing poetry. Write it in the comments or link to poetry on your website. It’s hip, man. *snap**snap*

A crazy poetry reading clip from the 1958 teen B movie High School Confidential.

Tomorrow is dragsville,? cats
Tomorrow is king-sized drag.

Tool a fast short
Swing with a gassy chick
Turn on to a 1000 joys
Smile on what happened, or check whats gonna happen
You’ll miss what’s happening
Turn your eyes inside and DIG the vacuum
Tomorrow Draaaaaaaag (snap)

Vampira recites a beatnik poem with a rat on her shoulder in the Albert Zugsmith production The Beat Generation (1959). (Watch out – smarmy pretty boy at the door is a serial rapist.)

While you’re digging “Monk’s” crazy beatnik poem “Diagnosis” from the June 19, 1962 episode (The Big Kick) of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, keep in mind that it was written by Robert Bloch, the novelist who wrote Psycho (1959).

Of course your stomach hurts, you swallowed too many dreams, too many hopes, and turned them into one gigantic ulcer

Excerpt of Kerouac’s work, recited by Jonny Depp. Cool meets cool!

Beatnik Dance & Music

I must include this dance sequence by Audrey Hepburn from Funny Face. One of my favorite scenes from a fun movie. But, I think they could have come up with a better leading man for Audrey, Fred Astaire is great, but not the heart-throb that Audrey needs.

Peter Gunn visits his pal Wilbur the Beatnik who spouts some way out hipster-talk about art and women. A cool Jazz combo with flute grooves in the background while the audience snaps their fingers in approval. All the Beatnik stereotypes rolled into one scene! The episode is “Image of Sally” from season one of Peter Gunn, 1958. Dig it.

Late Night B-Movie Beatnik Film Festival

For everyone staying at The Jagged Pen into the wee hours of the morning, enjoy a B-Movie Beatnik Film Festival. These are the perfect movies to watch after the poetry reading and having a few too many…well…of anything that we are serving (it will all do you in after a few hours).

Enjoy the angst, the drama, the defiant rebellion and the violence of the bad boys and bad girls of the 1950’s.

The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film. It is remembered for Marlon Brando’s portrayal of the gang leader Johnny Stabler as a juvenile delinquent, dressed in a leather jacket and driving a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird 6T. Acting opposite of Brando was Lee Marvin as a rival gang leader. This low-budget production had Brando playing a rebel without a cause two years before James Dean.

High School Confidential (1958). Director Jack Arnold explores the influence of drugs and rock ‘n’ roll on young minds in this campy 1958 classic.

The Beatniks (1960). To a world emerging from the Eisenhower era, bohemian artists and beat-generation poets were seen as little more than socially maladjusted misfits in the same category as junkies, Commies, and teenage hoodlums.

This is the final party for #WriterlbsOff on Twitter. It has been four months since New Year’s Eve. Can you believe it has been that long? How have your New Year’s Resolutions held up? Have you been able to change a few things to improve your health, creativity, work, emotional health? Are you having more fun in your life? Let us know how this experience has been for you in the comments.

What’s Next?

It’s #Writers_Life and @Writers_Life (Twitter Account link-  @Writers_Life )

I hope you will keep a Twitter column up to follow my Tweets and have further chats about the writer’s life. I will tweet about the personal, emotional, spiritual and psychological experiences of our creativity and writing. I hope to take this endeavor to the next level as I delve into the psychology of creativity and begin interviewing writers about their creative process. And, I hope you will feel free to use the new hashtag for chats, discussion, tweets on these topics and just plain fun. Of course, the parties must continue!

Since the last time I researched the available hashtags, my first choice has been taken, so I will have to use –  #Writers_Life. I also have a new Twitter Account I hope you will follow called @Writers_Life at  @Writers_Life.

I want to thank everyone who participated in the #WriterlbsOff Twitter group. I had so much fun with many wonderful writers in the first four months of 2010. I hope you had a good time and were able to make positive changes in your life.

Laura @lauraeno
A Shift in Dimensions

Marisa @marisabirns
Out of Order Alice

Deanna @deannaschrayer
The Other Side of Deanna

Tony @TonyNoland
Landless

Mariana @mariblaser
Mariblaser’s Randomities

Maria @mazzz_in_Leeds
Mazzz in Leeds

Olivia @SimplyOlivia
Away with Words

Nishi @CafeNirvana
Nydiessi

Alison @alisonwells
Head Above Water

P.J. @doublelattemama
Inspired by Real Life

Cynthia @cswriter59
The Heart of Writing

Angie @techtigger
Techtigger’s Soapbox

Sam @FutureNostalgic
Future; Nostalgic

Candace @cheshirescribe
A Writer in Wonderland

Shon @chicklitgurrl
Shon Bacon: A True Wordsmith

Louise @WeezelWords
What Scares You

Julie @Okami0731
Whatever

Betsy @wildthyme
Wild Thyme Creative

Kelly @KBSagert
Kelly Boyer Sagert

Ruth @ruthdemitroff
Reconnecting

C.L. Dyck @lifeledlearning
Scita Scienda

Tomara @2maraA
2Mara.com

Pauline @aspiringmama
Aspiring Mama

Deb @debs1
Shining Garden

Juliette @jterzieff
Juliette Terzieff.com

Gail @radlady
Gailforcewriting.com

Looking Back at Four Great Months

I have created an archive of all the posts for #WriterlbsOff on a separate page. I hope you will take a look and see how far we have come. If you want to visit (or re-visit) any of our wild parties or check out a post you missed, just swing on by and have a look. I love the fact the the comment section is an interesting extension of each post. We had so many wonderful conversation. I think we all went through many ups and downs and major life events. Through it all we got closer and became a good support for each other.

I’m curious, what was your favorite post, what did you like most about #WriterlbsOff, what would you change if it was done again?

Do you have any suggestions for the new #Writers_Life? I would love your feedback. And, I am always interested to hear suggestions for topics you would like for me to write about!


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63 responses to “The Writer’s Life: Beatnik Party: Final #WriterlbsOff”

  1. Jodi MacArthur

    My goodness this place is poppin with sparks and fun. What a COOL idea to post Eric Beetner poetry reading vids.

    1951 reading, Alfred Hitchcock, And Johnny dep’s were all awesome.

    Subjects I’d be interested in: One of my greatest challenges as a writer is when I sit down to write, sometimes ME overwhelms the STORIES in my head. This is one of the reasons I listen to music. It strips my mind clear and allows creativity to flow through. I wonder if this a challenge to other writers and how they overcome it.

    My favorite posts were how sexuality and creativity are linked. The right and left brain differences, and I loved your post about peace.

    Yay for Anne, and writer’s lbs and all of you who participated! What a neat thing you’ve done and continue to do, Anne. <3

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Hi Jodi,

      I’m glad you liked my videos. I watched two of the movies this weekend – High School Confidential and The Wild One – both are “cautionary” tales from the 50s about what evil may befall you if you let these rebellious teens loose.

      Those are great topics, and I will try to come up with ideas – sounds like you came up with a good one listening to music – that really helps us get out of the “thinking” self and into the “feeling” intuitive self where the characters come out to play.

      Thanks for all your support! And I still get music from your site when I visit – fun!

  2. Dan Holloway

    The problem is Dennis who runs the store is so laid back and Beatnik that he hasn’t got round to doing a website, which is nuts for a shop with the specialist stuff he has – I’ve already blown many budgets on Ginsberg & Bukowski & Nin (he has THE hugest collection of Miller & Nin). There’s some photos at:
    http://yearzerowriters.wordpress.com/our-gigs/the-first-year-zero-book-launch/pictures-of-the-launch-3/

    the shelves behind me are pretty much all Kerouac & Burroughs. The last time I did a reading there was the day after I’d been to see Patti Simth – that was a pretty special week.

    I should say that in the time you’ve been doing your wonderful #writerlbs off I’ve managed to gain more than 20lbs! Oops. BIG oops. Next time you run it, I’ll sign up and join in!

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Oh so cool, I love those photos. I wondered why I couldn’t find their website, but only other people who had been there. Too bad, they need on – maybe even sell some of their rare stuff on it.

      wow, you really had a Beat retrospective week!

      Easy to do in the winter season with such great menus you guys have – please share some more with us on Twitter! I’m sure with warm weather it will all be fine!

      Thanks again.

  3. Marisa Birns

    Ever since I “met” Dan, I have been in awe of him and his talent (including cooking), and his Wonderspouseness!

    Just love the poem and am so honored that you’ve shared it here with us all.

    *she feels silly yapping about Johnny when a brilliant poet is visiting and speaking about life*

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      I hear ya’ – I too have always been in awe of Dan – we are honored to have to up at the mic today!

      I’ve been reading up on the Albion Beatnik – wow!

      http://www.oxonianreview.org/wp/the-albion-beatnik-bookstore/

      http://beedrunken.blogspot.com/2009/06/oxford-bookstore-fantasies.html

      http://the-beat.co.uk/ – Hey, Year Zero is mentioned here

      Wish we all could come over to your place for the meet-up and listen to a reading at this place

    2. Dan Holloway

      It’s the cooking that got me into the trouble outlined in my previous comment 🙂 It’s an equal pleasure & inspiration knowing you, as I know my W/S also feels.

      And Johnny isa great choice for Kerouac – it sounds like it’d be kitsch, but then there’s the whole Ed Wood side of him – that was one of the most perfect films I’ve ever seen.

  4. Dan Holloway

    What a fantastic assemblage, Anne! I’m crazy crazy crazy for all things Beat (and so lucky to have a local store in Oxford, the Albion Beatnik, that not only specialises in this amazing suff but lets us hang out & do readings there). Here’s one of my efforts at a Beat-style poem. It’s called AWAKE

    I woke up to a sweating sick-stained sun, locked in a lunacy of suited normals clacketing blackberries hum thrum hangover drum, happy transparent heads.

    I woke up sodden, frozen, crusted with tears from dreams of desert spaces, neon electric amphetamine places, haunted keening faces, ant-crawling into undergrowth decaying nests flinging formic burial dance ejaculations at their dying queen.

    I woke up homeless, skin grotesqued on John Lewis glass, caged in beige and cursed and coughed and incantated and deflated and scoffed and stoned and slashing, smashing crashing at the window for my outside home.

    I woke up on the office floor sodomised by spreadsheet slutting gang-rape jargon-happy whores in shirts and ties and CK1 and stripped and mocked by flights of office angels careening heavenward-career kicks to my crotch.

    I woke up staring at the eyes of Martin Luther King, the gaze of Kurt Cobain, the glaze of Janis, Jimi, Jack, the drug-drawn, the persecuted, spat on, the unvoiced, the bony-fingered, track-marked, the unwritten gospels, cracked canvas and dried-up colour-wombs.

    I woke up staring at the billion unaccounted reasons not to die, slapped welts to make my cheeks too raw to turn away and cry and cursed the mornings spooling out towards the sunset, and the daily pill the act of will required to make the choice to live.

    There is no more tomorrow

    There is only an endless today strung out like a thousand junkies coming down the mountain cradling tablets carved with promises from their gods.

    We woke up you and me, undreaming dreamers we bark out our caffeine chorus at the midnight sun

    We run, fucked-up and spectacular, into the dervish hills singing flail-body ballads at the sky.

    Heavy-legged triumphant we outrun the sunset,
    slash our sinful eyelids,
    fix on the skimming morning star horizon,
    empty our birthing wail into the dawn
    and wait and run and wail and wake and wait

    and flash and fill with sheeting screams and answers build and burst and brightness comet-summoning shaman mummers flame the heavens burning relentless the dreaming drabness suits and skirts and office-dark nights and towerblock evening grey and paypacket veins and expectation gym kit briefcase jumpsuit duvet madness

    and in the warm the wake they give we take the fireball dawn

    we are awake.

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Dan!

      OMG, that is Out of this World its, like, the MOST!

      You are truly an incarnation of one of the Beat poets (hmmm, lets see, who died before you were born?).

      That is an amazing poem and a true tribute to the Beats – Wow, wow, wow – I love it! *claps* *bows to the master*

      We have now crowned you our King of the Beats – you are real cool, Daddy-O

      You are so lucky to have that local store in Oxford – you can probably buy things that aren’t available anywhere else – soooooo jealous. I am a very BIG fan of all things Beat, too -whether goofy, straight or twisted!

  5. Sam

    Hi All,

    I’ve been trying to post here since yesterday morning, but anytime I tried, my PC’s CPU usage shot up to 100% and Firefox fell over. 🙁

    Dunno how long it’s gonna last today so I’ll be quick…

    Thanks to Anne and everyone for the support through the last few months. The only resolution I made was to write more (I think, someone want to check back for me, the memory’s not what it was!), and I think I’ve just about kept up with that, apart from the last couple of weeks.

    Fingers crossed it’ll stick.

    BTW, yes, I’ll be the designated driver if anyone’s over-indulged and needs a ride home. 😉

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Hi Sam,

      Glad you are doing well.l

      But, we won’t let you drive if you end up under the table again!

  6. Nishi

    ROFLMAO!!!

    I can’t comment ‘cos I am laughing so hard at those videos!!

    Somebody stop me!!

    😀

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      *slap* *slap*

      Well, I tried…

      Guess my laughing made it ineffective

      Laugh it up, glad you are having a great time!

  7. Marisa Birns

    Well after a good night’s sleep, I’ve come over for the coffee.

    So sad that I can’t remember Johnny being here (what WAS in those drinks) but there are more fish in the sea!

    Oooh. Now I remember Captain Jack Sparrow. So, no, there’s only Johnny.

    Of course, knowing that the dormouse came to the party reminds me of the Mad Hatter (JOHNNY!) so guess that’s there’s a theme going on.

    Thank you, Anne, for all that you’ve done in getting us together in such fun and creative venues!

    Wish that, one day, we can all meet in real life (ack, what’s that!) and continue the party because I know that the affection and kinship I feel for you all would make that a really happy thing.

    1. Mariana N. Blaser

      We will meet in person Mari-girl, I’m sure we will. 🙂

    2. Anne Tyler Lord

      Oh man, I’m really feelin’ that kick – We gotta get us enough bread and make that happen!

  8. Nishi

    “Hic!” Dormouse? What dormouse? *giggle* This pink juice is great – now where is that boy Johnny, he has my poetry book…

    *stumbles off in general direction of punch bowl*

    “hic”

    1. Mariana N. Blaser

      Johnny is gone Nishi. We had to hurry him out the back door before Jezebel woke from her pink trance. Gladly there were the akitas to keep her busy.

      The other Mari-girl has no memory of this, even of Johnny (poor girl!) and we’re in the bar drowning our sorrow for our failed private reading. *snifs* I’m sorry but I don’t think you’ll get your book back…

      Well, not until Laura gets it back for you, since she went out the back door after Johnny, leaving us to deal with Jezebel on our own.

      Your akitas saved our lives Julie!

      1. Anne Tyler Lord

        Oh no, I wake up and you’ve lost Johnny? Laura, bring him back, the weekend is just starting. We can’t lose him now.

        Ah, I think I heard him say something about an interview, go check over at the Actor’s Studio

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt0eqVAwhP8

        If he is already done with that interview, check the David Letterman Show

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0cmBAXXM5U&feature=related

        I know we could get him out of there if we take Jezebel – David has a tentacle phobia

        1. Anne Tyler Lord

          I found the other Mari-girl this morning singing:

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDfIYNlorrU&feature=related

        2. Anne Tyler Lord

          We finally found him, but quick, somebody make more party punch, and for god’s sake, put in some RUM!!!! Johnny is going mad:

          Why is the Rum Gone!

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JImcvtJzIK8&feature=related

          1. Laura Eno

            What a great video! (Why is the Rum Gone)
            Ok, so Jezebel has decided to let you all have Johnny now – she’s done with him. If he seems a bit skittish…well, nothing can be done about that.

          2. Anne Tyler Lord

            We know how to calm Johnny down, no harm, no foul (or fowl). Heehee!

  9. PJ Kaiser

    Anne – You are awesome – although i haven’t been able to keep up with all the goings-on of the group, it’s always at least in the back of my mind and i like being held accountable – especially when i decide to do something that i know is good not only for me, but for my family. A happy mommy means everybody’s happy!

    I’ve had some trouble sticking to my two workouts each week because my 2yo rebelled against the nursery about a month ago. I have, however, for the very first time, hired a babysitter (MAJOR step for me) and i hope to get comfortable enough to leave my dd with her while i go to the gym twice a week.

    In terms of writing, I have been writing like mad. I’ve only missed a couple of fridayflash weeks, I have started a nonfiction ebook about infertility and i am working on a historical serial that may turn into a novella.

    Balance and priorities continue to be a struggle for me, but i think i’m much closer to a good balance than i was when this all started. Part of the key for me is maintaining my passion for what i’m working on in spite of not having the time i’d like to work on it. My time comes in drib and drabs and i’ve gotten better at being content with that.

    Thanks for doing this, Anne, and I look forward to our continued chats on #writers_life!

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Hi PJ,

      Thanks. Sounds like you are doing wonderfully! Congrats! I am impressed that you can write at all with a 2 yr. old! A babysitter is a big step! I wish I had done that more often, yrs 2-3 were exhausting for me.

      Wow, a historical series – now you’ve got everyone’s curiosity up – what time period is it set in?

  10. Julie (Okami)

    uh, Nishi, I’m sorry about your dormouse, but Akita’s are hunting dogs.

    Deanna, sorry about the mess

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      that’s what I was afraid of…

      Haven’t seen Jezebel, have you?

    2. Laura Eno

      If Julie doesn’t mind, Jezebel would love to watch the Akitas! She’d take good care of them (she likes dogs) Then Nishi wouldn’t have to worry about her dormouse anymore! 😀

  11. Laura Eno

    I’m finally here! I kept breaking the tip of the kohl pencil while trying to line my eyes. I didn’t want Johnny Depp to outdo me in the make-up dept!

    Mr Fluffy is bouncing out his unique beat on the bongos over by the bar. I think Tony is trying to sing to it.

    Jezebel has the Mari girls and Deanna over in the corner with a water pipe…uh, oh. Do you see what colors her tentacles are turning? I hope the girls will be all right.

    Where is Sam? If he brings Pogmorton and Swazzle, they might be able to control Jezebel. She likes them. I don’t want to ride anywhere with Sam driving though. He literally drinks himself under the table. Remember the last party?

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Ah hah, there you are!

      Mr. Fluffy is really outdoing himself tonight! I had no idea he was so good at playing the bongos! Tony, don’t get too close, his eyes are turning red, I think you gave him too much of your punch!

      Jezebel, eeek.. I don’t think I have ever seen that shade of purple! Get out of the punch bowl, that is Tony’s recipe! Mari and Mari, run…get Johnny out of here, I don’t like the look in Jezebel’s eyes – Johnny is for us….let go….Sam, where are you, hurry up and get P & S to help!!

      Oh, that’s right, maybe Sam should drive, I forgot that we lost him in at least two parties (or more) under the table – Definitely don’t let him try Tony’s punch!

      1. Mariana N. Blaser

        Oh no! Jezebel destroyed our private reading! We had to hurry Johnny out through the back door before she comes our of her pink trance and realizes he’s gone.

        Laura, please, please! get someone to control her afterwards? If she’s angry at us I don’t think there will be even memory of two women called Mari-girls… O_O

        *searching frantically a place to hide and hoping that she the akitas are enough to make her forget of our existence*

  12. Julie (Okami)

    My busy season starts Jan 1 and ends April 15, the busiest part anywyay (care to guess? LOL) – so I have April 15 resolutions and now I can begin trying to get back into shape!

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Julie,

      Ah yes, nice to see you with your nose out of the taxes now! Welcome back! Our resolutions continue throughout the entire year, so April is a fine time to refocus. I hope you enjoy the party!

      But, I think your dogs should have stayed home, they are now chasing Nishi’s dormouse.

  13. Nishi

    Eeee, party!!! I haven’t been here in a long time but it is good to see everyone again! I’ve got tea and Turkish delight, a bunch of Go-go Dancers and the dormouse from Wonderland along for the party. (reflects my state of mind at the moment – sleepy and excited and craving sweet stuff.)

    Mind if I cut in for a minute, Mari? Hello Johnny! How you doing? ; )

    Oooh, I almost forgot about my resolutions. I haven’t fallen awfully ill except a bad episode of the migraine a month ago, so yay! But have not put on any weight (Not sure if I should be happy or sad at that since it seems to be wedding season here and I will fit into all the good dresses!) Writing sporadic – lots of short stories, lots of great ideas and lots of poems. I can do much better though, will work on it.. Job front nothing good so far but I am working on it 🙂

    Congrats on the job and on losing weight Anne! Good luck to everyone – as Mariana says we still have the rest of the year to catch up! Thanks for this great project Anne, if nothing else, it helped me focus my goals and also gave me lots of comfort and inspiration to hold on. (The post on depression & lack of motivation especially) Keep up the great work and I am glad for all the friends I found here!

    Peace and rock on! \m/ >_< \m/

    – Nishi

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Nishi,

      Thanks. I’m so excited to see you! Sounds like you are doing quite well! Congrats! You will make it and just compare your life to where you were last year and you will really see the progress!

      I see you are another fan of Johnny. We may need to get a larger room for his private poetry readings!

      I am looking forward to seeing some of that writing up on your new website!

      And, thanks for bring so many fun things to the party – the dormouse is in the punch again!

    2. Mariana N. Blaser

      Hya Nishi! Great seeing you here!

      *grabs the surprised woman by the arm, and leads her towards Johnny’s direction*

      *kindly shoves a glass of something alcoholic in her hands* — whatever it is, it must be sweet, heh

      *whispers*

      Hey, I convinced our “friend” to do a private reading for us. Go fetch the other Anne. I’ll find the other Mari-girl. 😉

  14. Cynthia Schuerr

    Well Anne, I really dislike endings of any kind, but in reality #writerlbsoff ended for me mid-February, when all hell broke loose and the proverbial s–t hit the fan. Until that point I looked forward to every get together every Friday with all of my friends here. You did a wonderful job of bringing us all together and building a community for us. And while, I didn’t fulfill all of my goals, I think I made major progress on the important ones.

    Thank you so much and look forward to seeing you on Writers_Life:-)

    This is a fabulous party with a quirky theme. What fun! My favorite movie from the beatnik era was “The Wild One”, was so in lust with Brando. LOL! Enjoyed seeing it here.

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Cynthia sweety,

      I know you had a rough time and I am so glad you could stop by and say, Hi! It is great to see you! Life throws us curves and we do the best we can. I think that making it through crisis and hard times are our greatest accomplishments – so you are definitely in as a big – WIN!

  15. Tony Noland

    Hmmm, let’s take a look at my resolutions for 2010, shall we?

    I’ve got some hernia repair surgery to get through in the first part of 2010. Recovery from that will preclude exercise for a while. After that, though, I’ll work on flexibility, strength and aerobic capacity.

    FAIL. Recovery is taking longer than expected. I still get stabbing pains when I overdo it, even though the bar is set pretty low.

    I imagine I’ll feel less stressed when I’m not in pain all the time.

    WIN. Not in constant pain anymore, and I’m generally less stressed.

    I’ll try to talk less, listen more, and not take myself so seriously.

    WIN. What, you mean you can’t tell?

    I’d like to lose 20 pounds, but I’ll settle for 15.

    FAIL. I weigh the same now as in January.

    I want to have perfect attendance at FridayFlash.

    WIN. Perfect so far, and I’ve even started a little sci-fi noir serial to boot.

    Finishing the revisions on the older of my two NaNoWriMo novels…

    EPIC FAIL. They are untouched.

    … and writing more short stories will round out the “creativity” slot.

    WIN. Wrote a story for the Chinese Whisperings anthology, and started the aforementioned serial.

    This calls for a mimosa!

    1. Mariana N. Blaser

      Hey Tony, it seems that you have way more wins than fails, and the year has still half way to go. Sounds promising, yes?

      Whatever it is this mimosa, let’s meet our glasses to celebrate your achievements? 🙂

      1. Tony Noland

        I’m hip, girlchick. The truth lies in the journey, not the destination, for every arrival is the other side of a departure.

        Dig?

        1. Mariana N. Blaser

          I dig it, yes, and I agree, but I don’t know how to say it in a stylish way as you do. Ha!

          *snorts to self in the most foreign way possible* 😛

    2. C.L. Dyck

      I hear ya, Tony. I’m in much the same shoes. I may have lost 10 lbs, sort of, I think…I never really got back into my routine from a couple of years ago, spent Jan-Feb chronically ill with one bug after another and Mar-Apr scrambling on writing projects that came up, trying to decide how to allot my time with that and family.

      I think summer will be better, physical health-wise. But mostly, what I’m remembering is that in order to maintain the routine I used to have, I had to give up all writing and blogging for a year. I’m not cool with that anymore, so it’s a growth curve in refiguring how I want to balance myself.

      And the kids are two years older, and wow, that changes everything. The Fab Four are unschooling (life-led/child-led learning) wunderkind, but they’re underfoot and so hugely active ALL the time. One is a musical prodigy, another’s a constant baker, the third is thinking her way through socializing herself the way she wants — how can you have a plan for that when you’re 10? But she does — and the last is a budding mechanical brain. He writes his music from a theory basis, builds working blenders out of Lego, and heaven help the house if he gets his 8-year-old paws on any tools of disassembly, because he must know how everything works.

      They stun me. And can we keep up with them? Oh, wow.

      Right now, learning to keep our marriage nurtured is THE WIN. And since that’s happening, (yay!!!!) I’m content to say the rest will have its own time.

      1. Anne Tyler Lord

        Wow! You have quite a bunch of curious, busy kids on your hands. A working LEGO blender? Awesome, please send me instructions or pictures, my son will be all over that project!

        So sorry you had so much illness, most of us can relate to needing time to recover from illness, it takes us down and we must submit. And, I can really understand the whole balancing life between blogging/writing/living/parenting/schooling if only we could make clones of ourselves with one shared consciousness.

        Hey, if the marriage is nurtured, that is a major win! Congrats!

        It is great hearing from you, and stay in touch!

        1. C.L. Dyck

          I wish I *had* gotten pictures of it. However, I found him with the measuring cup and a variety of condiments out of the fridge, testing it kind of all over my kitchen, so it was more about discussing the washing and care of the Lego when he was done…speaking of parties! 😀 He’s going to be an interesting teen. No mimosas for you, son: you don’t need ’em.

    3. Anne Tyler Lord

      Hey man, that is some cool progress for the first 4 months of 2010!

      I agree with the surgery recovery – takes much longer than expected – took 4-5 months after mine to stop the stabbing pain when I overdo.

      You are definitely getting your groove on Daddy-O.

      I gotta check out your serial, I got behind on my reading somewhere in April, now I am getting back on track.

      Mimosa sounds great? What kind? Peach? Strawberry? Hell, lets just throw everything into a punch bowl and celebrate in a big way.

      Everyone into the punch *hiccup* bowl *hiccup*

      1. Tony Noland

        Let’s say peach. A big bowl of peach juice and crushed pineapple, floated with a block of ice, some slices of lime and 3 quarts of grain alcohol.

        Mmmm…. just like momma used to make.

        1. Anne Tyler Lord

          Oh Wow, you have some Momma!

          That is an amazing recipe – 3 quarts of grain alcohol? Geez, you are from the midwest, aren’t you – I was thinking Champagne, but looks like you are going for the hard stuff.

          We will pay for this tomorrow!

  16. Anne Tyler Lord

    Hi Everyone,

    I hope you are enjoying the party. I think this is one of my favorite themes, could do it every week, but I won’t.

    These last four months have been amazing for me. Just posting once a week is a miracle, but also writing fiction & poetry more regularly has been the best thing for my creativity in a long time. My connections to this online community have been the greatest motivator and so much fun!

    I am finally getting to a point after surgery to take on a few more things – I am going back to work by joining a private practice a few days a week. I’m glad I spent the time online to build this world first.

    I lost a few lbs, around 10, but that is good for me. It is a long term project.

    Now everybody back to the party, lots to watch and enjoy over the weekend. Just let us know if you need a ride. Maybe we can convince Sam to drive again.

    We can’t have a party without Jezebel & Mr. Fluffy, where are they? I really liked Laura’s poems that she read with Jezebel on her shoulder – very Beat!

    Deanna has been smoking something, she is walking a little wobbly.

    Marianna has been chasing Johnny Depp after drinking all those Manhattans. Uh Oh, Marisa caught him. This is gonna get ugly.

    Tony started singing when he got up to recite poetry. “Don’t Fence Me In…” No Tony, wrong party! “Like…chill man…” Tony, have you been smoking something with Deanna?

    1. Mariana N. Blaser

      Hey Deanna, have a drink to go with your smoke?

      Where’s Mari-girl? I bet she’d like to chase Depp too. Maybe we can get him to recite in privet to us?

      Oh, did I just write this down? lol

      1. Anne Tyler Lord

        make sure I know when this private…reading… is going on – I wanna join

    2. Deanna Schrayer

      You sure did. 🙂 And I’m ready! 🙂

  17. Deanna Schrayer

    We can smoke anything we want? Woo-hoo, where’s the pipe? 🙂
    Whenever I hear the word beatnik I think of Bob Denver, (Gilligan). I don’t know why I wouldn’t associate Johnny Depp with beatnik – he’s such a perfect example, and I love that video of him reading Kerouac.

    Mari’s right Anne, you really know how to throw a party! Since I’m [supposed to be] working I’ll have to wait a while for my drink, martini it will probably be, and I guess that smoke – dang it.

    Though I didn’t do so hot with my new year’s resolutions, I at least didn’t throw them out altogether. I guess we’ll say I did all right and be done with it.
    Will be thinking of ideas for #writers_life posts and get back to you.

    Party on craaaazy people!

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Hi Deanna,

      You are so funny! Bob Denver? But, you are really not that far off, he did play a comedic Beatnik on the show, The Many Loves of Doby Gillis – 1959 – 1963, and played the role of Maynard G. Krebs

      Dobie’s best friend was Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver), a beatnik who shuttered at the word “work.” He makes an appearance in this intro video:

      http://www.fiftiesweb.com/tv/dobie-gillis.htm

      I’m glad to hear your resolutions went just fine!
      We will save a martini for you after work, come on back and join in the fun!

    2. Louise Dragon

      Bob Denver played Maynard G. Krebbs on an old sit com called “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” Maynard G. Krebs was a beatnik!

      Oh, I see somebody else was old enough to remember this!

      Great Party!

      1. Anne Tyler Lord

        Ho Louise,

        Yeah man! I’m not old enough to remember, but I am a fan of old 50s and 60s TV shows. I can’t remember how I ran into a few episodes of this show, but the fact that “Gilligan” was in the cast made me remember it. I tried to rent these shows from NetFlix, but they don’t carry it. I see that the website I referenced is the only place, and you have to buy them, boohoo.

  18. Mariana N. Blaser

    Swell!

    I’m having a Manhattan as I re-watch the coolest of the the cool, Johnny Depp, reading good poetry. I’ll watch some more readings, but in a bit I think I’m shaking this party up.

    Anyone care to dance? ;P

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Mari,

      I put in the Johnny Depp video for you too, I knew you would love it. A Manhattan, how lovely, those taste so good but get you drunk really fast without realizing it. We will have to watch out for you later.

      *sneak her glass while she’s not looking and drinks it*

      Oh yeah, I’m ready for some dancing. I almost forgot, I invited some other bad boys in bad eyeliner to join us to perform. They are playing a song dedicating to the Beats right now:

      Boulevard of Broken Dreams

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kpHmtA7LOk

      1. Mariana N. Blaser

        *humming along with Greenday boys*

        “I walk along, I walk alon– Wait, where’s my glass?”

        Ok Anne, I’ll take it that you were looking out for me on this one. No one wants to see the pitiful scene of one of the Mari-girls drooling on the table, eh? heh

        I suppose I’m allowed to drool over Johnny Depp, since you were *very* thoughtful in inviting him to the party? (thanks! 😀 )

  19. GP Ching

    Fun post. You know how to throw a party! One of my favorite movies is “So, I married an ax murderer”. Some great modern beatnik scenes in that one.

    1. Anne Tyler Lord

      Thanks Gen,

      I haven’t seen that one, but I have heard about it. I will have to add it to my NetFlix queue – found a lot of strange movies to add researching this post.

    2. C.L. Dyck

      Oh, so true! All the classic Mike Myers moves, plus that crazy jazz poetry. 🙂 There must be something timeless about that. My 14yo son now recites, “You must believe/she is a thief/she stole my heart/and/my/CAT.”

      1. Anne Tyler Lord

        LOL! That is great! So many of us that weren’t alive (or out of diapers) at those times are drawn to it – so much fun and drama!

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