Make ART, Not WARCRAFT
Aug. 3rd, 2010 01:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greygirlbeastToday is the fifteenth anniversary of Elizabeth's suicide. She would be almost forty, had she lived. Yeah, it's a grim way to begin an entry, but it was a grim way to begin a day, and to go to bed last night, and I at least try to tell the truth here. It seems impossible, utterly impossible, that time can have swallowed so much distance between me and that day in 1995. Between me and her. But it has. And I have gone on to have this life. I spent seven years or so doing very little but grieving. And then I found Kathryn, and I began to heal. There will always be a hole where Elizabeth once was. But life continues. Until it doesn't anymore.
---
Yesterday was a good day off. Even if it did begin by having to take Spooky's laptop to the Geek Squad at Best Buy in Warwick (and, so, having to delay a visit by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sovay). It'll be two weeks before she gets it back. Neither of us are happy about that, but there you go. Anyway, we figured that as long as we'd driven to Warwick, we might as well drive on to South County. First, we stopped by Spooky's parents' place. Her dad was out, but her mom was home. We picked apples. We missed picking the blueberries this year. Spooky's mother also gave us yellow tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, blueberries, and eggs. Vegetables fresh from the garden, apples fresh from the trees, blueberries fresh from the bushes, and eggs fresh from the butts of the chickens. We visited with Spider the Enormous Cat.
And then we headed farther south, to Moonstone Beach. As I was getting out of the van, four swans (Cygnus sp.) flew by low overhead, honking loudly. I'd never seen flying swans up close before. They were amazing. We walked over the dunes to the beach. There were a few people, but not so many we couldn't find a quiet spot. I sat and watched the waves, wrote in my notebook, and took a few photos. The sun was still high and hot, but the wind was chilly. Spooky spotted an osprey in among the gulls and cormorants, and saw it swoop down to snatch a fish from the sea. About six p.m., we walked back to the van, and headed to Narragansett for dinner.
Unfortunately, there were so many tourists crowding Iggy's, that we had to settle for George's, over in Galilee. Still not bad. We ate fish sandwiches and watched the Block Island Ferry coming and going. Then we headed back to Spooky's parents, to pick up our produce and eggs (which we'd not taken with us to the beach, because we didn't have the cooler). Her dad was home. I wanted to stay the night, there in the cool and quiet, among the trees and chirping insects. But we'd left my meds at home, so back we drove. It must have been close to nine p.m. by the time we got home.
There are photos below, behind the cut.
I had some good rp in Insilico (thank you, Joah), while Spooky painted. Later, we watched three more eps from Season Two of Nip/Tuck. Before bed, I started reading "Madonna Littoralis." I pretty much never read my own stuff after it's in print. But I've been reading The Ammonite Violin & Others (which is now officially almost sold out, by the way), and enjoying it. It's good to see a book in print, and have so few regrets.
And that was yesterday. I get one more day off, today, and then it's back to the word mines. This afternoon, I'll finish a painting, wash my hair, do a little house cleaning, stuff like that.
Please have a look at the eBay auctions. Thanks.
Here are the photos from yesterday:
Writing by the water (view to the west).
Sandy Spooky (she'd been lying in the sand; view to the southeast).
Still experimenting with taking photographs at sand level (view to the south).
View to the west.
The view overhead. A few cirrus clouds.
Spooky's Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
A clump of knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) on the cobbles and pebbles.
We found a dog collar in the dunes, minus Maggie, its Wisconsinian dog.
All photographs Copyright © 2010 by Caitlín R. Kiernan and Kathryn A. Pollnac
---
Yesterday was a good day off. Even if it did begin by having to take Spooky's laptop to the Geek Squad at Best Buy in Warwick (and, so, having to delay a visit by
sovay). It'll be two weeks before she gets it back. Neither of us are happy about that, but there you go. Anyway, we figured that as long as we'd driven to Warwick, we might as well drive on to South County. First, we stopped by Spooky's parents' place. Her dad was out, but her mom was home. We picked apples. We missed picking the blueberries this year. Spooky's mother also gave us yellow tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, blueberries, and eggs. Vegetables fresh from the garden, apples fresh from the trees, blueberries fresh from the bushes, and eggs fresh from the butts of the chickens. We visited with Spider the Enormous Cat.And then we headed farther south, to Moonstone Beach. As I was getting out of the van, four swans (Cygnus sp.) flew by low overhead, honking loudly. I'd never seen flying swans up close before. They were amazing. We walked over the dunes to the beach. There were a few people, but not so many we couldn't find a quiet spot. I sat and watched the waves, wrote in my notebook, and took a few photos. The sun was still high and hot, but the wind was chilly. Spooky spotted an osprey in among the gulls and cormorants, and saw it swoop down to snatch a fish from the sea. About six p.m., we walked back to the van, and headed to Narragansett for dinner.
Unfortunately, there were so many tourists crowding Iggy's, that we had to settle for George's, over in Galilee. Still not bad. We ate fish sandwiches and watched the Block Island Ferry coming and going. Then we headed back to Spooky's parents, to pick up our produce and eggs (which we'd not taken with us to the beach, because we didn't have the cooler). Her dad was home. I wanted to stay the night, there in the cool and quiet, among the trees and chirping insects. But we'd left my meds at home, so back we drove. It must have been close to nine p.m. by the time we got home.
There are photos below, behind the cut.
I had some good rp in Insilico (thank you, Joah), while Spooky painted. Later, we watched three more eps from Season Two of Nip/Tuck. Before bed, I started reading "Madonna Littoralis." I pretty much never read my own stuff after it's in print. But I've been reading The Ammonite Violin & Others (which is now officially almost sold out, by the way), and enjoying it. It's good to see a book in print, and have so few regrets.
And that was yesterday. I get one more day off, today, and then it's back to the word mines. This afternoon, I'll finish a painting, wash my hair, do a little house cleaning, stuff like that.
Please have a look at the eBay auctions. Thanks.
Here are the photos from yesterday:
Writing by the water (view to the west).
Sandy Spooky (she'd been lying in the sand; view to the southeast).
Still experimenting with taking photographs at sand level (view to the south).
View to the west.
The view overhead. A few cirrus clouds.
Spooky's Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
A clump of knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) on the cobbles and pebbles.
We found a dog collar in the dunes, minus Maggie, its Wisconsinian dog.
All photographs Copyright © 2010 by Caitlín R. Kiernan and Kathryn A. Pollnac
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 05:15 pm (UTC)Thank you for sharing the significance with us.
How is your painting coming?
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 05:21 pm (UTC)Along.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 05:52 pm (UTC)I hope Monsieur Bumblefoot is doing better?
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 05:55 pm (UTC)I hope Monsieur Bumblefoot is doing better?
He is, much so.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 07:01 pm (UTC)Have recently finished the latest Digest. Loved C, G, I and J. J was my favorite, I think. It would make a gorgeous painting. And C would make a wonderful Vince Locke drawing.
I decided immediately that A was set in the same steampunk world you occasionally write about, whether you meant it to be or not.
I'm glad you left I in...and maybe one day you will share what you think it ought to have been (Iphis).
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 07:19 pm (UTC)I decided immediately that A was set in the same steampunk world you occasionally write about, whether you meant it to be or not.
That's interesting. Cherry Creek.
I sort of saw it as the world of the unwritten Joey Lafaye.
J was my favorite, I think.
It was one of mine, too.
Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 05:53 pm (UTC)Also, very interesting to read what would have been the start of The Wolf Who Cried Girl. Thank you for sharing it. I think it's a novel I would have enjoyed reading, and was immediately drawn into the voice and the feeling of sitting at the edge of something that would've grown much bigger. The final line gave me shivers (in a good way).
I've never commented on the Digest before, because I am not a 'reviewer' and don't have those skills. But I always enjoy it - thanks.
Re: Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 05:56 pm (UTC)Thank you for saying so. I is the letter I almost rewrote, when I realized I is for Iphis. So, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Far too few people comment on the digest, and I appreciate the feedback.
Re: Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 06:07 pm (UTC)It's well worth the money; consistently high quality month in, month out. Even when I've struggled financially and thought to unsubscribe for a while, I immediately changed my mind. It's something I look forward to.
Re: Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 06:21 pm (UTC)Do you have a lot of subscribers in total?
That number is a somewhat guarded secret.
You're icon puts me in mind of "An Ode to Edvard Munch."
Re: Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 06:29 pm (UTC)I thought it probably was. Sorry, wasn't meaning to be rude/nosy. I guess I'm just curious. (Which is hopefully a bit different!)
I love "An Ode to Edvard Munch" but I hadn't even thought of that... That's true, it certainly evokes something from that story. I also smile every time I think of that tale in the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, because of how well it confounds reader expectations. ;)
Re: Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 06:39 pm (UTC)I think "Untitled 12" confounded expectations even more.
Re: Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 06:48 pm (UTC)Re: Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 07:16 pm (UTC)Re: Sirenia Digest 56
Date: 2010-08-03 07:21 pm (UTC)http://pretextagency.blogspot.com/
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 08:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 08:14 pm (UTC)Sorry if I missed any backstory -- but is there a particular effect or use of them that you're looking for?
Not really. I'm wanting to see what I can do in terms of picking up granulation in the sand, things like that.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 10:36 pm (UTC)All the same, I'd be OK if you don't extend the same approach to the butt-fresh eggs. As awesome as an ad jingle waiting to happen as that is.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 09:48 pm (UTC)That last picture is begging for a story.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 09:53 pm (UTC)I was so tempted to take the collar home with us and try to contact the owner...
...but it seemed sort of silly,
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 09:59 pm (UTC)I think it was left as a sort of tombstone for Maggie, by her owners, though. That's the thought that immediately came to mind anyway.
ETA: Not a tombstone. A memorial.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 10:03 pm (UTC)I think it was left as a sort of tombstone for Maggie, by her owners, though. That's the thought that immediately came to mind anyway.
Nah. Dog's run on the beach and get in the surf and slips their collars. This was a spot on the fence where people hang lost shoes, flip flops, etc.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-03 10:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-04 12:55 pm (UTC)When i first read The Red Tree, i was hit by your honesty and sincerity, the personal truth you were letting out, and i immediately thought of it as being about you and Elizabeth, a sort of letter to her, a letter to yourself(i might be completely wrong with all this, but it was my feeling, and still is now, maybe even more). You often said you don't want/cannot share personal things on lj etc, but you shared The Red Tree with us.. thank you for that, and for this.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-06 07:35 am (UTC)Black Swan- Aronofsky