Posts
Mine is a brilliant one, no less!
http://www.ezratranslation.com/Fall_2008.html
I'm inspired to write more :)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Books and Books
I'm doing alright. If I'm lucky, I might finish two, even three books tonight. Plus, visit a gallery and another bookstore in Miami. I went to one yesterday, Books and Books in Coral Gables. It was a busy place with a lovely cafe in the courtyard. When I was leaving, they had two reading groups starting at the same time in two wings of the building, one in English, one in Spanish. There's a university nearby, that must help things.
Also, the South Beach. I drove into South Beach yesterday. It took me an hour to find parking: apparently, the city owns garage buildings that charge a dollar an hour. The city obviously tries to keep them a secret from tourists, because there are no signs whatsoever. When I walked out on Ocean Drive, I felt homesick for San Francisco. But then I drove to Books and Books and that was perfectly lovely. I've been looking for Mary Gaitskill's stories everywhere, but so far no luck.
Also, the South Beach. I drove into South Beach yesterday. It took me an hour to find parking: apparently, the city owns garage buildings that charge a dollar an hour. The city obviously tries to keep them a secret from tourists, because there are no signs whatsoever. When I walked out on Ocean Drive, I felt homesick for San Francisco. But then I drove to Books and Books and that was perfectly lovely. I've been looking for Mary Gaitskill's stories everywhere, but so far no luck.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Driving in Miami
I rented a car to get around Miami -- and I am slightly regretting that decision. I passed six pile ups in ten miles on my way from the airport to the hotel last night. I'm not a confident driver to start with, and didn't receive a surge in confidence from the sight. I don't feel the slightest temptation to make fun of Florida drivers. The hotel charges $30 to keep the car overnight, as I found out at the registration desk. My mistake for not thinking of that sooner. And now it's already 2 pm local time and I'm still at the hotel, having accomplished maybe 5% of the planned reading for the day. I should stay here and keep reading, but instead I feel obligated to take the car out for a ride. I can already imagine the parking charges I'm going to pay in the tourist hot spots.
Last night, shaken up from the drive to the hotel, I took a walk to the nearest walkable destination: the mall. A mall is a mall is mall, but this had Argentine grill at the food court and five different ice cream shops. Everyone seems a little confused around here, as if they were all me, not sure what they are doing here and severely shaken up on the way. I talked to a woman at the checkout line at Publix, the local supermarket, who had blueberry muffins on her shopping list, but didn't know what they were. I tried to explain, but she just waved her hand, "Oh, it's too complicated." I said, "But they are right there!" and tried to point her to the bakery section, but she just folded her list and stuffed it in her pocket. "I'll just let it go," she said. I bought a bag of organic Gala apples for $4.95 and a chocolate chip cookie for 72 cents. The apples are very watery and not quite ripe, but I am not complaining.
Last night, shaken up from the drive to the hotel, I took a walk to the nearest walkable destination: the mall. A mall is a mall is mall, but this had Argentine grill at the food court and five different ice cream shops. Everyone seems a little confused around here, as if they were all me, not sure what they are doing here and severely shaken up on the way. I talked to a woman at the checkout line at Publix, the local supermarket, who had blueberry muffins on her shopping list, but didn't know what they were. I tried to explain, but she just waved her hand, "Oh, it's too complicated." I said, "But they are right there!" and tried to point her to the bakery section, but she just folded her list and stuffed it in her pocket. "I'll just let it go," she said. I bought a bag of organic Gala apples for $4.95 and a chocolate chip cookie for 72 cents. The apples are very watery and not quite ripe, but I am not complaining.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Keys to the Lost House
Or "Key Moments," my story in The Writer's Eye magazine:
"I FEEL NOTHING," Aisha thought, letting go of the ropes as her swing approached its maximum height. “I touch nothing.”
But she didn’t launch into flight. She didn’t even fall to the ground. Instead, she remained firmly attached to the wooden board as it swung backwards between the two pine trees and over the patch of wildflowers, dandelions and forget-me-nots. Holding her arms straight into the air outside of the ropes, her legs tightly tucked underneath the board and bare feet touching the rough wood, Aisha closed her eyes until she swung upwards again.
(continue)
"I FEEL NOTHING," Aisha thought, letting go of the ropes as her swing approached its maximum height. “I touch nothing.”
But she didn’t launch into flight. She didn’t even fall to the ground. Instead, she remained firmly attached to the wooden board as it swung backwards between the two pine trees and over the patch of wildflowers, dandelions and forget-me-nots. Holding her arms straight into the air outside of the ropes, her legs tightly tucked underneath the board and bare feet touching the rough wood, Aisha closed her eyes until she swung upwards again.
(continue)
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