Confession Tuesday

If it's Tuesday, it must be Confession Tuesday! This is a place for saints and sinners. Share a bit about yourself that you wouldn't normally share. Maybe you can use it creatively. Maybe you need to unburden yourself. Whatever the reason, we are all ears … eh … eyes! If you're joining in, drop me a note so we can read about your transgressions.

**********************Go Celts!*********************

It's June, and my brain has turned to mush. Or sun block. Like most of us experiencing summer in the U.S., I won't be blogging or reading posts as regularly because I must take advantage of the warm weather while it's here. This is New England, so summer lasts about two months and then straight to winter. (OK, that's an exaggeration but not too far from the truth!)

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Had a great time visiting my folks in Virginia last week. We came back on Wednesday, relaxed for a few days, and then on Sunday had the best, unexpected gift ever. My best friend, Kristi (aka Goodnight Mom), and her family stopped in for an overnight visit. They were in western Massachusetts from Texas for a high school reunion but came by and stayed with us.

Our kids are about the same ages so there was lots of joyful noise, shall we say, in the House of O'Neil. Needless to say, they wore us out! I wish we lived closer to each other, because our kids would definitely grow up together. But I'm thankful we had the chance to spend 24 hours together. Not sure when we'll get to Dallas with airfares at an all-time high. I had to work on Monday, so my visit was cut short. But the kids spent the morning together, which wore them out for the rest if the day!

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Like a knucklehead I didn't get any pictures with Kristi. Drat!

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Since Tim's Father's Day consisted of housecleaning and visiting with houseguests, I told him he could have a Father's Day do-over!

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And now, a true admission. I mailed my dad's Father's Day gift on Monday and sent it two-day express. So not only did I visit him for a week prior and not give him his gift, I mailed it late and was too cheap to pay for next-day delivery. Yeah, I'm going to Hell someday. *Sigh.*

Sorry Dad.

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And in poetry news: Last night, it was my great privilege to hear poetry students from across the state read their work through a program run by Salem State College called The Salem Poetry Seminar. Also, program coordinator and poet J.D. Scrimgeour and musician/composer Phil Swanson performed poetry set to music. J.D. read one of his long narrative poems with Phil's musical accompaniment. It was fantastic!

Because I live in a cave, it has never occurred to me to collaborate with another artist in another medium. And what they did was take two separate art forms to create something new. The experience sparked that creative energy I've been lacking over the past few weeks—you know, as my brain has been turning to sun block.

Just one more example of how important it is for writers to take advantage of the resources within the local community.

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What I'm reading: Philip Schultz's Failure, this year's co-winner for the Pulitzer Prize in poetry.

(Thanks Jo Jo!)