Monday, November 29, 2010

Want to do a reading with another poet?

Poet Wendy Brown-Baez has a chapbook called transparencies of light forthcoming by Finishing Line Press, but they can't start the print run until she has advance sales. She thought up the idea of a poetry salon, like a jewelry party or Tupperware party but with poetry. She is happy to do this in tandem with another poet.

Her book is mainly persona poems of women telling their stories, and she would love to organize readings in the spring with a male poet, so the two voices would be a contrast or interweave with each other. She is happy to do everything she can to set up readings in cafes, bookstores, etc. (wherever it is free).

If interested, contact Wendy Brown-Baez at poetaluna@yahoo.com or call 612-437-3355.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Winter Wassail: Possibly the coolest event ever December 12th

Meet at "The Magnolia"
2101 Randolph Ave
St. Paul, MN 
Sunday, December 12 
4:00-7:00 PM

Join us for the first-ever West Egg "Winter Wassail"--- a twist on the usual end-of-semester reading and social.

Originally derived from the Old Norse term ves heill meaning "be well" or "be in good health," wassailing is the tradition of wishing good fortune on one's neighbors by paying them a visit (Oloffson 1). By the 19th century, wassailing evolved into the singing of Christmas carols on the doorsteps of neighbors and friends, with the hope that a singer would receive a gift in return ("figgy pudding," anyone?).

To celebrate the end of the semester, we are going to do some wassailing of our own:

We will begin at The Magnolia (home of a couple of MFA students) then visit a handful of homes in the Mac-Groveland/Highland Park area in St. Paul. Instead of singing carols, will read 2-3 poems or prose excerpts from our own work. We hope that having a mobile reading like this will help us share literature in a new way and engage with a community beyond ourselves. (Walking in a winter wonderland could be pretty fun, too.)

The stops on our wassailing route will be established ahead of time. We will know some of the patrons we visit, but others will be neighbors who simply volunteered to have a bunch of writers stop by and share some meaningful work.  Be sure to dress appropriately for spending time outside.

As usual, all GLS students, alumnae/i, and friends of West Egg are welcome. Snacks and hot beverages will be provided, so please RSVP so we know how much/many goodies to prepare. When you RSVP, let us know if you plan to read.


Work Cited

Oloffson, Kristi. "Christmas Caroling." Time. Time Inc., 21 Dec. 2009. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1949049,00.html#ixzz14uS7pHDj


This is such an awesome idea that I hope it's really well-attended.  Bring your literature and your holiday cheer!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Collage with Deborah Keenan November 14th

As if that weekend couldn't get any more packed with great opportunities to connect with GLS folks!
Collage Afternoon with Deborah Keenan
November 14th
GLS House (1500 Englewood Avenue)
12:30 - 4:00PM

Dear Students and Alums, 

We hope you will join us for the fifth annual Collage Afternoon.  Please bring
  • the scissors you most love that let you be the most accurate with your cutting.
  • a glue stick.
  • any preferred backings to anchor your images.
  • at least a couple of visions for the afternoon. 
  • images that are small enough that they feel private to you (I want all of us to work on collages that are personal, almost enclosed in our own reveries about our own imagined and real life and spirit). 
  • images that feel bold, generic, large (in some way, size or meaning), so that you can, the same afternoon, be working toward a collage that could become a public work of art by 4 p.m. that day.
  • some thinking about color. 
  • three written portraits of three different colors that you are willing to share with our group.
I look forward to seeing many of you on November 14th at 12:30.  If you would like to bring something calm and non-messy to eat and drink and to share, that would be great. We will have a table set up for food and drinks to keep us going through the afternoon.

- from an invitation by Deborah Keenan (find the full text on Facebook)

You need more Dhoom in your Minnesota November

It's your lucky day!  

Saturday, November 13
5:00 pm
GLC 100E

After what is sure to be a stimulating event that is Colloquium, come to GLC 100E for a casual movie night where we will be watching and often laughing at the fabulously entertaining Bollywood Movie Dhoom 2.  The film stars Bollywood's superstar dancer Hrithik Roshan and one-time Miss World Champion Aishwarya Rai. 

If you have never seen a Bollywood movie before, this is where you want to start, as this will be the most fun culture shock you ever experience. The word 'Dhoom' itself can mean anything from 'get your freak on' to 'rejoice and make merry.' Whatever the true definition, Dhoom 2 is appropriately named.

Dhoom 2 comes with high endorsement from Hamline writers of all genres (and my film buff friend who has been telling me I must see it), so it offers something for everybody because everybody, no matter the genre, likes to--that's right--DHOOM.  Hamline students, professors, and alumni are all invited to bring friends and loved ones to the show. 

There will also be popcorn!  What more could you ask for?!

More info can be found on Facebook.

See you there!

Fall Colloquium Saturday, November 13th

Fall Colloquium
1:00 – 4:00 pm
Saturday, November 13th

The annual GLS Colloquium is in the Kay Fredericks Room of the Klas Center.  The afternoon program will showcase award-winning MALS and MFA capstones projects, illustrating the breadth of interest and disciplines, and artistic excellence of our graduates.

This year’s presenters are:
  • Jerilyn Jackson, Proseminar Essay: Undermining American Political Compassion
  • Deborah Meissner, Synthesis: Elasticity of Faith: Making Peace with Religion as Culture
  • Joshua Wodarz, Fiction Thesis: The Tug of Water
  • Didi Koka, Poetry Thesis: Lost Breath Sung
  • Vanessa Ramos, Creative Nonfiction Thesis: The Rooster and the Crow: Cuentos y Casos
This event is free and open to the public, but we ask that you RSVP.   Please send RSVPs to Anika at aeide02@hamline.edu.  Be sure to include your name and your school/program affiliation if you have one (ie. MFA Student, MALS Student, GLS Faculty, MALS/MFA Alum, etc.).

Great readers and fun times here again!  Don't miss it!