Or so quipped one of my friends when I came home from the hospital after back surgery. I had, as I like to call it, a back-lift. Much swankier than a face-lift, more long-lasting and more conducive to a youthful middle age.
One of the benefits of undergoing back surgery is that you have a long recuperation period. Months, actually. That’s a golden ticket to a lot of time. I am actually encouraged to spend my surplus energy (whatever’s not needed by that internal knitting bee that’s incessantly creating a newly fused vertebra where two used to be) in reading, writing and a little gentle blogging. Really, anything recreational.
So today I surfed and made a discovery: Didi Menendez’s marvelous American Poet Portraits. Ever wondered what your favorite poet really looks like, that is, when not posing in that oh-so-studious head shot for the back cover? Didi’s portraits have the spontaneity of people about to say something interesting. They don’t look like they’re taken from the posed studio shots. I wonder where Didi finds the photos to work from — or does she work from actual life? In which case she has met more poets than I could dream of. A multi-talent.
And not only are there fascinating pictures, but a great soundtrack. Check it out.
Glenn, Did, Pris & Karen —
Thanks for stopping by and giving your well wishes. It all goes into the healing pot!
Pris — I saw your portrait! Nice. We do have some friends in common.
Didi — My pleasure to bring attention to your wonderful blog. Keep up the excellent work. Fascinating.
I'm rationing my time online, as I have to get back to work part-time on Monday, but it's fun to spend time here in the meantime and inbetween walks and naps, which are a big part of the healing process for this kind of surgery. People tell me the napping things goes on for months. Heavens! Maybe I can learn to blog lying down.
Rachel
Happy reading — but hope you are up on your feet, feeling better soon.
I got your blog link from didi. Happy healing from me, too. Looking at your links, I can see we know some of the same people. I’m the portrait on an earlier blog and on her wall ‘talking with my hands’.
Fee better soon and thanks for the mention….
Didi Menendez
Happy healing!