catherineldf | Catching up... (Reply)

Since I posted last...

I went on a quick trip to my family-of-choice aunt's funeral in NYC. It was sad, but necessary, and I got to see many people I haven't seen in a long time and to give her a short tribute.
I came back in time for surgery prep and my presentation at the U. of MN on "Depictions of Aging in Speculative Fiction." This went well - engaged adult education class, interesting discussion and my presentation was well-received.
Then, surgery. This took longer than anyone originally thought it would, so immediate recovery was a bear. Amongst other things, I didn't get much sleep for about 8 nights. I'm doing better now, though still sore. I think I'll be pretty happy with the results when I heal, though. Guessing that's about 2 more weeks out.
Several days after my surgery, our friend, poet extraordinaire John Calvin Rezmerski, passed away. It wasn't a surprise like Pat was, as he'd been ill for awhile, but his is a loss that cannot easily be filled. Rez was the officiant at our wedding in Iowa in 2009. Insisted on it, in fact, and took his duties very seriously. We could not have asked for a better officiant or friend. He could be relied upon to be a fine dinner companion and discussion participant at each WisCon and Diversicon, as well as sundry other events. His poetry ranged from the comic (his performances of the oeuvre of Grace Lord Stoke as a member of Lady Poetesses from Hell are to be treasured) to the deeply moving. There will be a memorial at DreamHaven Books in Minneapolis, December 7th at 6:30 PM. Bring your favorite Rez anecdotes and poems. We'll be reading excerpts of his work and celebrating his memory.
And then there was the fucking election...I'll comment about this separately. I have many thoughts. In the meantime, support queer and diverse and refugee and POC and environmental and prochoice and antidomestic violence and feminist groups, as well as anybody else likely to be immediate targets of the new regime. Donate. Volunteer. Recruit your friends. Go to or host benefits. Bring in speakers. Protest. Sign petitions. Talk to your representatives. Spend time with people you care about and take care of yourselves.
"If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately." Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, on the signing of the Declaration of Independence, subsequently printed by Mistress Mary Katherine Goddard (printer, publisher, postmistress, bookseller - a woman who blazed some serious trails)

And on that, I have donations to deliver and a second collection of short fiction to edit and format and get out the door.