Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Aliens Savor Us

This anagram finder is awesome! (Found on Brooklyn's blog.)

They claim that "anagrams never lie."

Anyway, here are a few of mine:

Aura Loves Sins

Arouses Veins

A Visual Sensor

Sensual Savior

Avails Runes So

This first amuses me! (Twelve years of Catholic School and all...Sixteen years if you count college...)

And I am handy with a set of runes, as well.

Melissa, Missy...You must give this a go! Post your anagrams and reveal your true selves...

Sunday, April 27, 2008

A brief update:

Hello all!

Just wanted to pop in and post a reminder that there are only a few days left to submit for the summer 08 issue! We'll be reviewing the rest of the submissions after May 1st...so if you haven't heard back yet, you will within the next two weeks or so! (I hope to have the final lineup selected by May 7, so I can start on the proofs...)

* Also: a new call for submissions *

For fall of 08, we'd like to feature a few digital (hypertext) chapbooks by women poets. We'll likely start taking subs for these in June...For the most part, topics are wide open, but we'd like to see some kind of unifying theme connecting the poems. Digital chaps should probably be on the shorter side (perhaps 12 or 15 poems). Expect a formal, detailed call for submissions around the time the summer issue goes live.

Stay tuned. More details are forthcoming!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

I couldn't let the day pass by without this:



Happy 18th, Z.

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I wanted to do something extra-embarrassing, like post a baby picture, too. Alas, my scanner is acting wonky. I suspect sabotage.

***

Speaking of parenting stuff (sort-of) this freaks me out!

Does anyone else find the messages in this "children's book" a bit disturbing? And the barbie-doll mom? Good Goddess!

The messages about the mommy being "prettier" after plastic surgery (in terms of specific body parts, no less--like her nose or belly button) are extra-creepy. Plastic surgery is a billion dollar industry folks...and it looks as if this particular book is intended to plant the seeds of insecurity and want in the heads of young girls. Apparently, women are supposed to be beautiful. Being a mommy makes you less so, and thus your body is in need of repair. A thinner tummy, a better nose, bigger breasts...you get the idea.

It also suggests that "prettiness" is a prerequisite to happiness.

So-called "prettiness" is clearly defined as a certain--and very specific--type of body and face. A thinly veiled attempt at marketing this sh*t to younger and younger customers? I think so.

This book ranks right up there in the world of evil marketing next to Joe the Camel cigarette ads.

Seriously.
I've been getting a few emails lately inquiring about the length maximum for blossombones fiction or creative non-fiction pieces, and I wanted to let all of you know that the word max is just a general suggestion - by all means, if you have a longer piece that you think would fit well in blossombones, send it!

Well, I'm off to go DVD shopping.....even though I totally shouldn't! Do you ever have those days where you just need to buy yourself a little present? I've been having plenty of those lately :)

Besides, I need to buy this, as it just came out on DVD today!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Hello all!

Not much is going on in Melissaland currently. Tis a boring start to spring, for the most part. I've spent the past week sort of redoing my room at home, which I suppose is the most interesting revelation. We ripped out the ancient carpet only to discover the nasty condition of the floor beneath, and we painted my room an odd yet shocking shade of YELLOW that makes it kind of difficult to fall asleep (yes, that's how jarring the yellow is!). We're still in the process of moving all of my stuff back in here, so maybe once all that is in place it'll seem more like my room.

In other recent news, I've recently gotten back on the horse and started writing on a regular basis again. It had been far too long. And really, for all you writers or writing enthusiasts out there, isn't it just depressing when you're in a funk and all you seem to be able to write is the literary equivalent of skim milk? Sure it might be easier to digest, but in the end it's all watery and really has no substance. Weird metaphor, perhaps, but it makes sense to me :)

Okay, in an effort to further pad my blog entry, I figured I'd make a shortlist of things I'm currently really into!:

1) Buffy the Vampire Slayer - I recently splurged and bought this AMAZING 40 disc collector's set and I seriously can't stop watching it! I'm knee-deep into the 3rd season and it's really bringing me back....I mean I was in junior high for the most part when I watched the show regularly with my mom. It was a favorite then and I can appreciate it even more now! I'm excited to get through to the later seasons, which I didn't really watch as consistently. I pretty much got lost once Buffy all of a sudden had this random sister. Hmmm.

2) Pandora Radio - This music website is a more recent discovery made by my sister Chimmy, and when she told me about it I had to check it out. The site is affiliated with the Music Genome Project, which is exactly what it sounds like! You can create your own personalized radio station by identifying a few of the artists you like, and through the Music Genome Project, Pandora plays music by artists you may or may not have heard of. It's a great way to discover new bands!

3) ADELE - Speaking of new music, I downloaded Adele's new album on a whim and HOLY CRAP was I impressed. I have a soft spot for British singers, and Adele's voice is just ridiculous.

4) The Pineapple Express restricted trailer - While I LOVED Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which I saw with a friend yesterday (so good!), I think the highlight of the afternoon was the long-awaited trailer for Pineapple Express. I hope the movie lives up to the hilarity of the trailer, which seriously made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe. Plus, though he looks like a crazy stoner bum in this movie, I'm a sucker for James Franco. Yum.

5) Petfinder.com - After our dog of almost 13 years passed away a couple of months ago, our house is lacking in that happy feeling that only a dog can produce. My sisters and I spend a lot of our freetime on Petfinder browsing through the available dogs in our area - not to replace Hershey, of course, since dogs as badass as her are a rare find, but just so we can get our cute puppy fix :)

In blossombones news, I'm currently going through our prose submissions, so anyone who's submitted a piece to us recently should be hearing back from me within the next week! We are taking subs for our next issue through May 1st, so send your stuff our way!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

NaWriPoMo

Yeah, I started off the month with the best of intentions, but the last three days have been a wash. I feel hopelessly behind in all things poetic...I shall try and do a bit of writing this week. Perhaps I can still play catch-up...Anybody else finding the momentum beginning to fade?

***

Currently reading the very sexy Harlot by Jill Alexander Essbaum. So far, it's awesome!

Yeah, that's a literary term.

(And do click the link above and check out that cover art. Holy cow!)


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Also, I have a very cool announcement to make! We hope to add a special fall issue in which we will feature a hypertext/digital chapbook (or two)... Details are forthcoming!

Love, Peace & Poetry,

Susan :)

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

More bad B.E.C. news--

Big Evil Corporation, that is.

This business with Amazon is really upsetting.

If that's how they do business, I will have to order all my stuff from Barnes & Noble, from now on.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Happy April!



Everything seems to be back on track with the email...more or less...

Let's hope it stays that way :)

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Only one month left to submit for the summer issue!