Caroline Gerardo's Blog, page 54

Wade Alan Steele

Wade Alan Steele's short stories have dark patches of nature and mystic sunlight. I found him accidentaly, as is the best writing discovery.

Awakening

photograph Caroline Gerardo Copyright 2011
MISSINGCaroline Gerardo Copyright March 2011
Pain exists on my lips. I do not feel it. The upper is not cracked or bleeding, the scar tissue is from the grief. I cut my finger with new Fiscar gardening shears. I see bones. I stitched it myself.
How long must I pull thorns from my mouth? Is there a measurement when I will no longer miss you?

Did my father die yesterday or in the Devonian Period? In dreams, he is a young man telling me penance things.
I awaken. I write down the words on a yellow stained notepad next to my bed. After little rest, in the morning I cannot read the language. The words are in ancient Panjabi, not Farsi. The handwriting is poor from not wearing glasses. I drink clouded moonlight. What did he say?
Tasbeeh phiree par dil ni phiriya Kee lena tasbeeh phair kay Hu- Throw the rosary beads away if your prayers remain unanswered. When the cross on my necklace meets the clasp I recite the whole rosary. This happens several times a day. It is beginning to suck up my waking hours.
I started sleeping with the blinds wide open. This allows peeking reflections off the swimming pool. A snow goose hit the mirrored surface. No, it was an owl. He has a pearly wingspan. A soothsayer who purposely hides the truth from those he loves.
I left the door open to the surf. I wake up at two and three and four. I look over on your pillow. You are not there with your hands on your chest. I believe I prefer the earlier trick of just going back to dream and seeing you in my head wound.
Awakening: A Sufi Experience

Some Girls Like it Hot, some like something else

It is controversial,  mostly for women I know. I bought it with a twinge of guilt, but read it as fast as a thriller. The Prince part is, well - a little dull to me; however her motivations were the nut inside the shell I wanted to understand. I am left a little without an answer.  Perhaps she does not know? It was not the presents. There certainly is an allure of glamour. The repression and community that exist were missed.  
An interview in person, yes some time in my lifetime is ahead.

Narrative Magazine's Friday Feature: Skip Horack's 'Borderlands'

Read Skip Horack's story
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Wonder What They Feel Like The Day After?

 

Caroline Gerardo copyright 2011

I love the gentleman on the right as he views the teenagers on St Patty's Day. Do New York High Schools give them the day off?

Back to the Routine from New York

Toxic Assets (Bank)


I am back from New York.  Sticking to my military orders, up at five and because of the time difference it is easy to be up with the waning moon.
For a break I'm sharing a couple photographs. I do not have them all organized.
That is a weekend job.
I need to take photos of the sweet peas taking over and spilling into the pool. I have not stopped to garden. I think the flowers do no mind.
"Don't be fooled by the men out front of the Empire State Building- they do not speed up the line and the movie is boring." my children posing for picture number one million and two. See how happy they appear.
This one is better we are up top.
Hand cranked elevator...
The viewCaroline Gerardo copyright 2011
keep writing every day you have 2000 more words to create wonderful sentences today kid. I would love to live in New York. Get back to work.

Queen's English Verses Mine?

 

I have sent the rough draft to my editor. He is so funny. He has decided to use all British accent edits. The main ones I am familiar with after living there  some many years ago. The ones I don't care for are how they handle quotation marks. I think it is confusing. My novel has much dialogue, as did the last one. I also have dialogue broken within a sentence.

 

I will post some examples later.

He told me that he also fell in love with my psycho character. Then I tortured my fictional guy until the end. Editor is not half way yet and continues sending me text messages.

Example: " why is s. baby head near dying?"  "

"Dude there is no baby dead head"

I have reverted to calling my editor, a young and dashing version of s Prince with good teeth, Dude just to push him on.

"Carry on old boy."

I am a terrible at text messaging. Ask my children how many typos I will make in a sentence. Forgive me, I can't see the screen – or I was driving.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral Sending A Message

photograph Copyright Caroline Gerardo March 2011
see the lower left corner candle holder that popped and the fuzzy color image above, I swear it was focused by a leprechaun fixed it.

Saint Patrick's cathedral on the walk to MOMA. We walked in to say a prayer for his holiday tomorrow. The church looks lovely. Men were buslting about with flower arrangements. Carson and Blair wandered from me and I found myself in front of St. Pat's painting and a tiny relic of him in a Waterford cross. I am pretty tiny, but a lady half my size and wearing a beret stood close smiling.


"He's looking wonderful today. I think he's smiling at you."

"Oh not at me, I said a prayer for the police officers outside for a peaceful day tomorrow."

"Our beautiful Patrick." The woman is clearly a regular parishioner.

At the same second the one of the green glass offering candles pops. Neither of us stood near the rack of candles. Pieces of green fall like music on the marble floor.

"See he sent you a spiritual message."

"I think he heard me."

She squeezed my hand and brushed the broken pieces under the rack. Before I could ask her name, she disappeared. I turned around to see both my teenagers holding arm and arm across the pews. The church is quiet, only the bustle of the workers with the flowers, a few viewers and a sprinkling of sleeping homeless are breathing softly protected from the rain.

It was my little miracle today. It is not green beer. I will not be me with glowing green lights on a headdress tomorrow. We may watch a little on 5th Avenue but Saint Patty he gave me a little special treat today. I hope he will bring you some too.

Saint Anthony, Saint Patrick and Alfredo Sauce

http://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder?ss=92651&storetype=1&radius=100&storelimit=30#ISFMap

link above to bookstores near my home

"Calming Holy Water"photgraph copyright caroline gerardo march 2011

We have a man in our home we fondly refer to as Alfredo Sauce. He is the subject of all blame and missing things. When my favorite coffee mug (the one I imported some sacred meaning and sign of peace to creativity and Major Dickason's coffee black) was found without a handle we blamed Alfredo. When the side gate cracked ajar and Honey our golden retriever lets everyone out for a romp, I know where to point my finger. If life was simple, we could pass judgment upon a fictional character among the cracks in the mortar. You would need not jolt to anger. One would never feel frustration. All I need to do is call upon Saint Anthony and he delivers.

"Saint Anthony Saint Anthony please come around. Something is lost and it must be found. If you find it please bring it to me, and oh how happy I shall be. Just keep repeating with me kids, and the car keys will be delivered so we may make it to the airport for our flight to JFK."

Forgot we will be in New York on Saint Patrick's Day.

"Will need to buy something green for each of us to sport in Greenwich Village."

Carson pipes in, "Mom I packed my shamrock underwear from last year."

"Thank Heaven something on you still fits twelve months later."

Cars has grown six inches taller, a whole shoe size larger in the past three months, but his green drawers will still fit.

"Cannot wait to see the Frick, to walk my legs off and I will be avoiding green beer."

"Keep praying Mom."

"I found them. Get in the car!"

Roger sends me a letter

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Dear Roger:
Players risk their health and safety which everyone now knows can be life altering to have a brain injury. Owners make the millions because of the players. You can't just go get new players and expect America to still cheer.

Good luck.

C G







Date: Friday, March 11, 2011 8:13 PM

From: Roger Goodell



To: caroline.xxxxx@xxxxxxx



Subject: Letter from Roger Goodell



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Dear NFL Fan,



When I wrote to you last on behalf of the NFL, we promised you that we would work tirelessly to find a collectively bargained solution to our differences with the players' union. Subsequent to that letter to you, we agreed that the fastest way to a fair agreement was for everyone to work together through a mediation process. For the last three weeks I have personally attended every session of mediation, which is a process our clubs sincerely believe in.



Unfortunately, I have to tell you that earlier today the players' union walked away from mediation and collective bargaining and has initiated litigation against the clubs. In an effort to get a fair agreement now, our clubs offered a deal today that was, among other things, designed to have no adverse financial impact on veteran players in the early years, and would have met the players' financial demands in the latter years of the agreement.



The proposal we made included an offer to narrow the player compensation gap that existed in the negotiations by splitting the difference; guarantee a reallocation of savings from first-round rookies to veterans and retirees without negatively affecting compensation for rounds 2-7; no compensation reduction for veterans; implement new year-round health and safety rules; retain the current 16-4 season format for at least two years with any subsequent changes subject to the approval of the league and union; and establish a new legacy fund for retired players ($82 million contributed by the owners over the next two years).



It was a deal that offered compromise, and would have ensured the well-being of our players and guaranteed the long-term future for the fans of the great game we all love so much. It was a deal where everyone would prosper.



We remain committed to collective bargaining and the federal mediation process until an agreement is reached, and call on the union to return to negotiations immediately. NFL players, clubs, and fans want an agreement. The only place it can be reached is at the bargaining table.



While we are disappointed with the union's actions, we remain steadfastly committed to reaching an agreement that serves the best interest of NFL players, clubs and fans, and thank you for your continued support of our League. First and foremost it is your passion for the game that drives us all, and we will not lose sight of this as we continue to work for a deal that works for everyone.







Yours,

Roger Goodell









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