Everyday I get closer to beauty.

Everyday I get closer to truth.

(from chorus of a new song: Breakup, Breakdown)

Image and lyric c Joy Harjo Mekko Productions Inc 2010

Breaking Stones, some notes for a play

Yesterday I was in a prison quarry, breaking stones.

It was the quarry inside.

I had a talkative lunch, walked a few miles, photographed and found startling images that may turn into some large pieces. Watched some stand up comedy--all this with a beautiful illusion, a man with a beating heart, shining eyes, kindness, and a muscular, kinetic presence.

Because I am in the thinking/dreaming/inventing phase of my next play, I Think I Love You, An All Night Round Dance, about romantic love, I keep scanning people in restaurants, cars, airports, to notice the shape of romantic love in their consciousness. You can see it in the body, where it lives and how it works. Some have dismissed it. Others are in the throes of it. Some are nearly broken.

Then there I was, in it, I had become my own experiment. I had built a love story. I was the only one in it. I had to break the stones of illusion so that I would not linger there. And as I walked through the day I continued to lift the hammer and break stones. I continued to break stones way past sundown.

This morning the stones are broken. There is only sunrise.

More UNM Trouble

UNM appealed the Board of New Mexico's Workforce Solution decision. The board decided in my favor. They backed me up in my difficult decision to quit UNM because of an untenable workplace situation in which I could not protect my students.

Now I may have to go to court. Now I may have to pay back $12,000 because of my decision.

As they say in Hawai'i, this is "junk".

Note: This is Still My Blog

I have a another, a joint blog with Tashi Grady Powers, an amazing astrologer. Hence, the two names. Will probably move the other blog.

Thanks.

Computer Hell

Everyone with a computer knows this place. Your computer is fine when you log off. You log back off and suddenly there's nothing on the screen, or there's blinking, or, or....

Yesterday my main computer, everything began running excruciatingly slow. The night before it had been zippy, responsive. So, I go to my little travel laptop. I get the message "hard disk full, make more space". So I get rid of my whole iPhoto library, add tons of space. Still, within a few hours of using the computer, all the GB's that had show have dwindled to nothing. I get the same message again. There's a leak of GB's somewhere.

The Apple Store certifies both computers as fine. I'm told that the laptop just does that---

No, it doesn't. There's a RAM leak.

Right now I am on an online chat with a MobileMe tech because my iCalendar on which is listed all of my dates, appointments for the next two years is suddenly strange. Events are doubled, quadrupled. My whole to do list has disappeared.

In the skies Mars and Mercury are hanging out together. Mars energizes Mercury. Mercury rules computers. And around this time Mercury's about to go into what's called a "shadow" period. Steps back awhile for introspection. We have to double check and redo anything Mercurial. So I've been on the phone to the Motor Vehicle Department, etc etc. It hits some worse than others. Depends on your energy.

This is a bad one. I need a Mercury Whisperer.

November 1 – 3 Noon-11 pm


CYRANO’S PLAYHOUSE
413 D Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 274.2599


Watch ANHC’s website (www.alaskanative.net) for an announcement of reading times and details. Admission is free.

The first three days of November, the Alaska Native Heritage Center will celebrate a landmark in Native Theatre, when it presents to the public ten new plays written by Alaska Native playwrights. These plays developed during the inaugural year of ANHC’s Alaska Native Playwrights Project will receive their first staged readings at Cyrano’s Playhouse, November 1, 2 and 3, 2010. Each reading will be followed by a discussion, led by project staff and invited guests.

The goal of the project, is to “identify fifteen new Alaska Native playwrights (ten adults and five youth) who wish to tell stories as plays. They are provided mentors who are noted professional North American Native theater artists.

Writers received instruction on the fundamentals of writing for the stage from Native theatre professionals (playwrights, dramaturges, directors) from across the country including: Joy Harjo (Muskogee Creek). For the next seven months, the playwrights were guided by these Teaching Artists through the process of writing a one-act or full-length play on a subject of their own choice.

Hearing Voices

A few days ago, in the thick of obligation I realized that I was being led by an inner voice that is harsh, a task maker and unforgiving. I had to tell that voice to go--it had helped me through stacks of work, but there are other ways. I invited another voice in--one who is compassionate, kind, funny and doesn't take everything so seriously. It allows flow--Mvto to the wise teacher who lives in all of us.

For A Girl Becoming Wins Moonbeam Children's Book Award!

I'm happy to announce that

For a Girl Becoming earned a Silver Medal in the 2010 Moonbeam Children's Book Award in the Multicultural Picture Book category.

BUY a copy

The Moonbeam Awards, sponsored by the Independent Publishers Association, are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children's books and their creators, and to celebrate children's books and life-long reading. Each year's entries are judged by expert panels of youth educators, librarians, booksellers, and book reviewers of all ages. This year's awards attracted more than 800 entries. Medals were awarded to a diverse group of authors, illustrators, and publishers from 34 U.S. states, 5 Canadian provinces, and 2 countries overseas. Many of the award-winning books encourage children to be generous and compassionate, to stand up to bullies, and to believe in fulfilling their dreams. The diversity of the winning publishers proves that promoting childhood literacy knows no boundaries.

For more information and to see a complete list of winners, visit http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1386

Joy Harjo & Larry Mitchell perform as part of the 3rd Annual Maxwell Silver Hammer Reading

Thursday, October 21
7 -10 pm
The 3rd Annual Maxwell Silver Hammer Reading
Joy Harjo & Larry Mitchell perform songs from her latest CD— Red Dreams, A Trail Beyond Tears
Hear the music
Free and Open to the Public
Reception and Book Signing to Follow

Location: Fort Lewis College Ballroom/Sun 212 Ballroom
Fort Lewis College: 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301
http://www.fortlewis.edu
*For more information: uschuk_p@fortlewis.edu

Sponsored by the Maxwell Silver Fund of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation, Southwest Writers Institute, Fort Lewis College English Department, and Cutthroat Journal of the Arts

Fundraising for New Play

I'm on the last push to raise the final $1695 to meet my goal for funds for my upcoming project, I THINK I LOVE YOU, AN ALL NIGHT ROUND DANCE. If I don't raise the whole amount I will not receive any of the approximately $8000 I've raised so far. Please help. And thanks to all who have assisted!! We're going to have a good time as this moves forward. You can also send checks. See my Website for more information http://www.joyharjo.com/TheaterFilm.html

and Donate at: http://projectsite.unitedstatesartists.org/project/i_think_i_love_you_an_all_night_round_dance

ChazSkins http://www.chazskins.com has donated a beautiful hand crafted leather coat to raise funds for the new play. There is video of photos on YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/mekkopoet#p/a/u/0/cIkjTza3AA0

You can bid on this coat on EBAY:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200524724937