Tag: magnetic poetry

Magnetic Poetry 365:345

In October 2001, Tom and I joined Tim, Timmy, Jim, and many friends in New York for the release of the first Timothy James Beck novel, It Had to Be You. It was a strange time in Manhattan, but traversing the island together in support of the book, having dinner with our editor, and doing a few tourist things helped keep our moods mostly positive.

One place we went was Keith Haring’s Pop Shop, a boutique providing public accessibility to Haring’s art, as well as clothing and gift items bearing images of some of his most iconic drawings. (The shop was closed to the public in 2005; the link above is its online site, where merchandise continues to be available.) While we were there, I sneakily bought Tom a couple of Keith Haring ties that I later gave him for his birthday and Christmas. He liked them so much that a couple of years later, I ordered him another one. Among them, he had a favorite.

On Saturday, he came inside from doing some work around The Compound grounds to five happy dogs (Tim’s and ours). None of those dogs had silk hanging from their mouths or necktie-icide in their eyes. But Tom’s favorite Keith Haring tie must have slipped off the rack and been visible under his closet door, because Pixie and/or Penny someone had left it in the middle of the living room. And it looked like this:

I texted Tim, who agreed that the tie carnage sucked, but then he said, “Though maybe now a Barbie might get a Keith Haring skirt.”

Hmmm. But my Barbies are all packed away until after the holidays.

Except apparently Santa has a secret stash in the house, because here’s a new Model Muse, who I’ve named Shannon after a character in one of my early (never published) novels. And she’s got a fancy new silk dress and jacket.

Magnetic Poetry 365:341

I’ve told you before that I love the photography and creatures on the site Plastic Animal A Day. A couple of times she’s shot animals through her window. It made me want to do the same, but her photography skills are way better than mine. She asked me to give it a shot, though, so now I have. Of course, Ram is leading the parade.

Only in Plastic Animal World is a hamster as big as a raccoon, or a unicorn and a wolf the same size. Check out her site for the good stuff; I am but a fan-girl.

Magnetic Poetry 365:340

I often think of a student I taught who could never be convinced that “more better” wasn’t correct. Each class, she’d crack me up with a new example: “This milk shake tastes better than an Orange Julius but more better than a Coke,” or “I like this poem better than the one by Emily Dickinson but more better than the one by Matthew Arnold.” As I recall, she made a good grade in my class (naturally, she never used “more better” in any of her essays).

I was trying to think the other day if I could remember any student I actively disliked, and I can’t. I’m sure there must have been some; teachers are only human, and some students are disruptive or lazy or manipulative. But I seem to remember only the bright, funny, and diligent ones.

And the plagiarist. Can’t forget her.