Book Conventions?

Has anyone ever been to a book convention or conference?  Do they exist?  Well, I did a Google search and found one called the BookExpo America 2006 in Washington D.C., which is touted as the largest book publishing event in the United States.  I know there are regional events were publishers and authors sell their books to the public.  The reason I ask, is that I am planning on two vacations in the coming year.  For me, because of the way my job is funded, from grant sources, our fiscal year starts July 1, 2006 and ends June 30, 2007, so I am planning two vacations next year.  One will be to Las Vegas but the other I am thinking I would like to go to a book related event.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Books I Am Currently Reading

Here is a list of the books that I am currently reading. The list is varied with books that I am reading for pleasure, books that I am reading to learn something, and books that I read to blow off steam, sort of like vegging out but with a book!

The Garden Angel, by Mindy Friddle
The New American Bible
Reinventing the Enemies Language, edited by Joy Harjo
In the Hand of Dante, by Nick Tosches
A HIstory of the Popes, by Charles Coulombe (I have been reading a lot lately about popes, the vatican, history of the church, church related mysteries)
We Were the Mulvaneys, by Joyce Carol Oates
Murder in Vegas, edited by Michael Connelly

HBO’s Big Love and the Idea of Plural Marriage

I have watched all the episodes so far of HBO's "Big Love" and find the show funny and the issues it brings up as important. Although the idea of Plural Marriage is something that is interesting to me, I can not afford one wife, let alone three!

I would say though, that for my tribe, plural marriage was historically something that was encouraged. If you could imagine a time when our societies were not growing or growing very slowly and men died fighting wars as well as fighting animals for their food. This left a shortage of men and an abundance of widowed women. It was an honor to take another mans wife and children, to take care of them.

Im thinking about writing a story set in modern times using this idea, the idea of plural marriage, natives, on a reservation, maybe set here in Wyoming.

What Goes On In Wyoming, Stays In Wyoming

I have lived in Wyoming since November 2004, almost a year and a half.  I love it here, its pretty, no traffic jams, and people pretty much leave you alone.  I am originally from California, born and raised, with a stop for about two years in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but now I consider myself a Wyomingite.  

I have thought that people in Wyoming are pretty laid back and what goes on here is tame compared to other places I have lived, for instance San Francisco.  My whole view changed after reading "Brokeback Mountain" in the New Yorker early this year and seeing the movie.  I did not get to see the movie here in town, which is Riverton, WY, if you have seen the movie, is the town where Heath Ledger's character settles down with his family.  I was very upset when the movie did not come to town.  This is probably the only time Riverton, WY is mentioned in a movie, since it was not actually filmed in Wyoming, so I think it should have played here.  After seeing the DVD's sell out at the local Walmart in town, I know it would have been a hit here.

Even though it is fiction, the idea of Cowboy's in love intrigues me.  There are people in this state who swear up and down that there are no "real" gay cowboys in Wyoming.  But you got to wonder what cowboys throughout history have done on cold nights out on the range, with nothing but time on their hands.   

My Dark Secrets Laid Out For All To See

As I was writing my last post, I was tempted to mention my deepest darkest secrets. I did not want to scare away any people from reading my Blog, so I didn't do it, but better judgement just left the building, so here I am.

I will admit it now, so I don't burst later on this afternoon. I am a huge fan of Star Trek TNG, The Sopranos, X-Files, Millenium, Law & Order, Six Feet Under, and the wildly popular new HBO show Big Love.

Also Seinfeld, Frasier, and I have to catch reruns of Sanford & Son daily. Honestly, TV does not control my life, and I barely watch it, but I do have a TV in my office at work.

My addiction…..What addiction? Come on now, I havent named my first born Fox or my cats name isnt Jean-Luc, I havent stalked any of the cast members,

I sometimes just like mindless entertainment, instead of gambling my paycheck or life savings, I like to indulge in……Thats for another post.

I’m Not a Tobacco Nazi

Hello!

I am glad that someone besides my mom, I havent invited her yet, is reading my posts.  I'm just getting the hang of posting and remembering to post!  My posts will be a hodgepodge of things, but mostly about books, music, some about tobacco, and art, depending on my mood.

I don't want to offend anyone on my views about tobacco and commercial tobacco abuse.  It is my job to help people quit or to not start using tobacco, but I don't want to sound preachy.  I am not perfect.  If you are a smoker. Welcome!  I have many friends who smoke and I still enjoy going to bars and lounges, anywhere where I am not 86'd! 

I love Morrissey!  You will probably read a lot about Morrissey on this Blog.  If you don't know who Morrissey is, you are not alone, but you can redeem yourself and learn more about him here.   

Secondhand Smoke Even Less Sweet

My day job is as a Tobacco Prevention Manager on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Central Wyoming.  I just saw this article this morning after my cat woke me up and I just had to check email and surf the web.  As you know secondhand smoke is dangerous, but here is another reason for quiting or not starting in the first place!

Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991)

Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991) is my favorite artist and has been since shortly after his death in 1991. I had the opportunity to purchase several lithographs of Tamayo's for a very good price from an art dealer in Palm Springs, CA. I didnt have the money then and the value of those lithographs today, would be about three times what I was offered. I kick myself everyday for not making the deal. I still enjoy Tamayo and his work. You can see a sample of his work at the Museo Tamayo in Mexico City, Mexico.

An Irish Airman foresees his Death, By William Butler Yeats

I have not thought of this poem for years, until tonight. I am a big fan of W.B. Yeats, althought I read him with much interest in high school and in college. I am not of Irish descent, my heritage is Native American. I do feel close to the Irish people though. I wasn’t Irish in a previous life, but I feel as though I can relate to what Yeats says in many of his poems. For centuries, Ireland was under the yoke of England, and N. Ireland is still not free. I have studied Irish history and the movement for Irish independence. Although not the same, the Irish struggle and the struggle of Native Americans is similar. This poem to me, talks about a people struggling and the hopelessness that we sometimes feel about our situation personally, and the situation of our people.

An Irish Airman foresees his Death

I KNOW that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross, 5
My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public man, nor cheering crowds, 10
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind 15
In balance with this life, this death.

W.B. Yeats

Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexie is probably my favorite author of all time. Its hard to choose my favorite author becuase I relate to Alexie's work so much as well as that of John Steinbeck, who was my favorite author before I found Alexie's work over ten years ago. Alexie who is most famous for "Smoke Signals" the movie based on several stories in his collection of short stories "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven", has written several books, notably "Indian Killer", and "Reservation Blues", as well as several books of poetry.