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Light Waves

• “Don’t Let Democracy Die” March
  On the 100-year anniversary of finally acquiring the vote, we the women, we the people, all the people, must not let our democracy die.
• The Zoom Room
  Looking for the link to join the Conversation with Friends? We’ve got you covered! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85289574109?pwd=N3grL3hkRDdsYVo3cUE1R241alFWZz09
• Arms Filled with Bittersweet
  We are offering the eBook version of Arms Filled With Bittersweet for just 99 cents!
• Book Launch of Words That Dance
  A reading of some poems from Words That Dance, filmed at the West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on September 11, 2021. (VIDEO)
• Inaugural Reading of Arms Filled With Bittersweet
  Inaugural reading of some poems from Arms Filled with Bittersweet, filmed at the West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on May 21, 2022. (VIDEO)
• Dangerous Times Call for Dangerous Women
  TED Talks: Pat Mitchell has nothing left to prove and much less to lose – she’s become a “dangerous woman.”
• Writing a Better Story, by Carrie Newcomer
  When I discovered this inspirational recording, I knew I had found my theme song for Arms Filled With Bittersweet. Maybe yours too.
• Nosdrovyea! (maybe) 
  What?  In a week where enormously horrible stuff is happening in the world, it’s borscht that gets a spot on the U.N. protection list?
• Ruth Bader Ginsberg
  What’s the difference between a bookkeeper in the garment district and a Supreme Court Justice? One generation. – RIP, Notorious RBG
• Speaking of Hope
  Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. (Rebecca Solnit)
• Older Ladies
  If you need a little lift today, “Older Ladies” just might be your ticket.
• Ann Staley Tribute at the Milwaukie Poetry Series
  Poet Sulima Malzin joins the Ann Staley tribute at the Milwaukie Poetry Series: Season 15 Episode 11, filmed July 13, 2022. (VIDEO)
• Behind a Wall That Needs Tearing Down
  “Everything we need to know sits behind a wall that needs tearing down.” – Maya Stein
• Bold, Blunt Language
  “During a time when lies are invading the land of truth, let us know hope is just an idea if it doesn’t lace its boots.” –Andrea Gibson, they/them
• Only in Oregon ….
  Hunter Noack, IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild is an outdoor concert series where America’s most stunning landscapes replace the traditional concert hall.
• Always Looking for Acts of Kindness
  When so much of the “news” that makes its way to our screens and inboxes is about violence & meanness, I am always looking for acts of kindness.
• Wednesday Words
  Once-a-week in your mailbox: a summary of recent postings, links to items of interest, and reminders of upcoming events from this website. This week’s reminder is about…
• Africa House Open House & Volunteer Appreciation
  The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization invite you to celebrate the long-awaited unveiling of the new Africa House! Friday, September 9 from 5:30–7:30PM.
• Put a Woman in Charge
  When Enough is Enough is Enough, Keb Mo & Roseanne Cash have the answer …
• Reflections on The Supreme Court v American Democracy and more
  Reflections on The Supreme Court v American Democracy, Ursula K. Le Guin on abortion, and Michael Moore on the Roevember Elections.
• Event: Calendar House Senior Center
  If you happen to be anywhere near Sulima’s hometown of Southington, Connecticut the last week of September, you might want to check this out!
• This I Believe About Writing
  When asked why I write and what I believe about writing, my answers will depend entirely on the day and time the question is asked. These questions have a multitude of answers and these are the ones that I have for today.
• Summertime Poems – Two Readings
  “Summertime & the livin’ is easy …” As August draws to a close, listen to two readings by two poets.
• Denise Busch and DanceAbility
  INTRODUCING …. one of my favorite creative rascals …. long-time friend and Raging Granny Sister, Denise Busch. “DanceAbility” is her latest endeavor.
• “Rage On!” A Raging Grannies Documentary
  “We don’t know what you’ve been told, but we get strong as we get old. Rage On, Portland Raging Grannies, Rage On!” A sweet, short documentary ….
• Can We Have a Little Chat About…
  In the news this week, ‘Esteemed Vogue photographer Annie Leibovitz is under fire again for her latest portraits of a Black woman.’ What’s your take?
• Reverence for Ordinary Moments
  I visit this site when I need to tune back in to holding reverence for ordinary moments and deep appreciation for life, regardless of what is going on in my world.
• Today’s Pick-Me-Up
  Today’s Pick-Me-Up is “CHOCOLATE” … a very fun singalong that was a feature of the annual “Chocolate Communion Service” at my church … a service devoted to “pleasure activism.”
• September Elegy … on the subject of Special Needs & Special Gifts
  This is one of those stories that practically wrote itself. The time was right, the words were there and meant to be shared.
• Conversation With Friends: Paul Susi
  It’s time for our first CONVERSATION WITH FRIENDS, Sunday, September 18, 4pm (PT). Please consider joining as we visit with Paul Susi, Portland theater artist, writer, and community activist.
• The Slowdown
  If you’re not already familiar with The Slowdown, curated by the current Poet Laureate Ada Limon, today’s poem is a great introduction.
• Are You Voting This Time?
  The Portland Raging Grannies are part of an international gathering of Aging Rascals who thrive on helping to raise human consciousness. We sing, we dance, we march, we show up!
• Southington CT Book Tour
  This week, I leave for my long-awaited ‘little book tour’ beginning in my hometown of Southington, Connecticut just in time for the start of the town’s “Apple Harvest Festival.” Stay tuned for more!
• Watch: Our First “Conversation With Friends”
  Our first “Conversation With Friends” featured Paul Susi. It was a spirited discussion about his blistering performance of The Fever. Catch up here!
• On the Road
  Sulima is “on the road” this week in her native Connecticut, her arms (literally) filled with Bittersweet and Words That Dance. She will return next week with stories to share.
• Poignancy & Progress at the Apple Harvest Festival
  Highlights from Sulima’s 2022 book signing trip through Connecticut.
• October in All Its Glory
  Hispanic Heritage in full bloom, State Fairs winding down …. breathing space between the summer that has been and the winter that is coming.
• Practice the Privilege
  I want to emphasize what it means to practice the privilege we still have as Americans …  to Vote.
• Reviewing Summer
  I like what we’ve done and I hope you do too, from comic relief to deep philosophical reflections.
• November … Heading into the Season of Cold & Long
  A busy month full of events and poetry and conversation. Which of these will you join?
• Ring the Bells That Still Can Ring
  Our Democracy is still intact … for the moment. And yet, of course we all know that anything can still happen. We’re not done yet, but we are here.
• Auction: Live Performance by Paul Susi, “The Fever”
  Get tickets now for “The Fever” live theater performance by Paul Susi, November 19th 7-9pm on WHUUF’s Sanctuary stage.
• Get your Heart in the Game
  There is still plenty for us to do. Life, after all, is not meant to be a Spectator Sport.
• Thanks & Giving
  It seems like just yesterday that I commented on All Souls Day and the busy month of November ahead of us. And yet here we are …
• All In The Soup Together … An Invitation
  I’ve heard it said that people all over the world are made the same … only the soups are different. I like to believe this is true.
• Soup, Strike, & Sing
  To my principle of balance being best achieved when sharing both philosophical reflections and comic relief, here are two for your consideration.
• Songs, Dances, Poems & Gifts of December
  Sunday’s “Group Soup Book Launch” is taking a lot of my time this week, but it’s not the only thing happening.
• If Poetry is Meaningful to You…
  …Please Buy Poetry Books. A PSA from the poet, Ellen Bass.
• Group Soup & Book Launch
  What a turnout for the launch of ‘All In The Soup Together … Four Seasons Of Recipes & Reflections’!
• But We’re Not Quite There Yet
  These days we walk a fine line. We know that very soon the light will be returning … but we’re not quite there yet.
• Winter Solstice is Upon Us
  Last week I said  “…. but we’re not quite there yet …. “ and now we are!
• Here Again in That Inbetween Place
  We find ourselves somewhere between the Milky Way and the Mountains, caught between what we meant to do and what we did.
• Remembered Women
  “When will we learn from a woman like this – with her incredible gentleness, the light that fills where she is, that love is a form of intelligence.”
• First Russian Christmas Open House Since 2020
  On Sunday afternoon amidst sudden showers & splashes of sunshine, my home began filling with friends, neighbors and family.
• Baring and Bearing
  In the Great State of Missouri, known as the “show me” state, it seems that “baring arms” is what most needed immediate legislation.
• Conversation With Friends: Cindy Williams Gutierrez
  Our second “Conversation With Friends” features Cindy Williams Gutierrez, Portland poet and dramatist of ‘In The Name of Forgotten Women.’
• There Is Always a Light
  Reaching consensus can be messy, disruptive, and time consuming. With so much else on our plates, do we really have time for that kind of deep listening?
• Too Much News from Too Many Directions
  Wait! What? Isn’t it March that’s supposed to come in like a Lion? It feels like the whole pride is here early!
• We can’t begin to know what next week will bring. But we can   b  r  e  a  t  h  e.
  Here we go, then, with a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Here and there a poem, maybe a song.  Wade through it all or …
• One Child, One Teacher, One Book, One Pen Can Change the World
  “I always loved English because whatever human beings are, we are storytellers. It is our stories that give a light to the future.”
• Happy Snow Days
  It’s time to replenish the hummingbird’s sugar water and refill the bird feeder (again). These little guys need all the help they can get.
• Conversation With Friends: Chelsea King
  Take a look & listen to our latest “Conversations” guest, Oregon dynamo Chelsea King and her new Oregon Health & Education Collaborative. Then …
• Share Some of your Favorite Historical Women
  Let’s hear it for your female heroes!  Who were they and what did they do to influence who you’ve become?
• International Women’s Day
  International Women’s Day only happens once a year and I couldn’t let this one go by uncelebrated.
• Everything in Between
  This week marks a couple of life-changing personal anniversaries for me which I’ve decided to share with you. Why? Why not.
• New Plantings Take Root
  That last little snowstorm was just a test of faith. The old cherry tree outside my window is showing off its tiny pink nubs yet again. Hope springs eternal.
• It’s National Poetry Month
  “There is too much beauty in this world to give up on it yet.”
• Writing Lab: Where Our Writing Takes Us
  It’s time to restart my “Where Our Writing Takes Us” writing lab. If you’re in the Portland/King City area, read on.
• In the midst of Nat’l Poetry Month
  … isn’t this where we should be?
• Springboards and Rascality
  I don’t know about you, but I desperately needed a break.
• Conversation With Friends: Paulann Petersen
  So much happened this week. Let’s begin by replaying the Conversation with Paulann Petersen.
• Celebrating Our Elders
  … we and the world are alive again today, and this is the world’s birthday. And even though we’ll never be young again, we also know we’re still right here.
• Making America Beautiful Again
  I remind myself of the good that is happening everywhere, thanks to the everyday people who have chosen to neither stand back nor stand by.
• It’s the Merry Month of Motherhood …
   … or maybe not.
• Signs of Celebration
  Finally … the place I knew would be home from then on … and so it has been.
• Memorial Day Weekend
  …when under the guise of remembering our fallen heroes ….
• Stand Against Book Banning
  Join a Banned Book Club and resist the erosion of our literary freedoms.
• Celebrating Summer
  A special edition offering first & foremost …
• Words about PRIDE
  In time for Father’s Day, Summer Solstice, and PRIDE, I’m offering a little bite of this & a little bite of that.
• Today It Is “Officially” Summer … Celebrations Are In Order!
  In the end, I would really like to be counted among the Joyful Ones … all of us together.
• Best & Highest Use
  … what is ours?
• Localopolis 2023
  A beautiful day in the neighborhood ….
• Sometimes It Can Only Be Poetry
  On the days when I find it just too much to bear, I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and ask for a poem.
• And Sometimes It Just Has to Be a Song
  I love to think of us all making beautiful noise and getting into good trouble together … for a long, long time.
• Back on the Banned Books Bandwagon
  “… whatever human beings are, we are storytellers. It is our stories that give a light to the future.” –Nikki Giovanni
• Conversation With Friends: Devon Ervin
  Our fifth Conversation with Friends featured author and friend Devon Ervin.
• This week I’m writing about Devon, Yvonne, and Barbie
  … unwrapped & out of their pretty pink boxes!
• Some Things Move Us More Than We Can Say
  Little blessings that don’t always come packaged the way we expected.
• Tousled & Dismantled
  a Being that can continually be remade.
• So it has arrived at last. You knew it would.
  Summer can’t last forever. Nothing does.
• Time to Tear off the Roof & Take a Peek
  … make a bid for “higher” Education, add a touch of Feral Feminism & just for good measure … a dash of Irreverence.
• Vocal Activism
  What do we have time for? What do we make time for? And how do we use our voices in service to a greater good?
• Fall Foliage is Ablaze with Color … and the World is on Fire!
  The world is on fire.
• I Know the World is Bruised and Bleeding
  and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence … Toni Morrison
• Thanksgiving 2023
  … when it comes to holding Heartbreak & Hope in the same hand, sometimes Poetry & Music helps – sometimes not.
• Light Waves Special Edition
  Expanding Our Conversation on Israel-Palestine on December 5
• Small Kindnesses & Pockets of Joy Reflected in December’s Dark Mirror
  … And an invitation to turn the page in a “Release & Renewal Conversation With Friends”.
• ‘Release & Renewal Conversation With Friends’ Reminder
  I hope you will join us. Your presence will surely enrich the conversation.
• EPIPHANIES … Timely Definitions for January 6th & Beyond
  Commemorating the sacred, the profane, and the birthday of Kahlil Gibran, accompanied by a couple of poems & a song.
• ‘Round the Bend … Almost.
  What happened to January & what comes next?
• Late Winter Greetings
  Where will we find enough shovels to dig small graves among the olive trees?
• March!
  almost Spring, almost warm, and suddenly … there is more light, and suddenly daffodils and robins and the smell of damp earth yearning for fresh seeds. Suddenly it’s March again. Women’s History Month … In like a lion, out like a lamb? We’ll see about that.
• April is National Poetry Month
  and the days are flying by …
• Walk This Way
  It’s May with Its Matriarchal Energy.
• Halfway Through the Year
  It’s Time for Lightmaking …
• ON THE FENCE … and coming out of the fog
  So much hanging in the balance and the fence so fragile.
• … And Off We Go!
  What a difference a month makes.
• What Cannot Be Said Will Be Wept (Sappho)
  In times like these, we cry out for poetry.