Tuesday, April 15, 2014

30/30 NaPoWriMo Seven

you know, I never got to tell you

that when you let me fall in love with you
with no intention of opening your heart to me
yeah, that sucked
it was straight up selfish, yo
and userish
and so NOT cool --
quite the opposite of what you were going for
by trying to hook me with all your other fish
so you look like >da man<, so cool!

and if my worst fault is falling in love too soon too fast
so be it
at least i don't use a person's heart
as an egoistic play thing

(and well, that fault is now repaired, anyway)

... ... ... ... ...

you know, I never got to tell you

that when you said no to my love
straight up

i loved you even more
 but in a new way
withouth the yearning (eventually)

So, thank you.

... ... ... ... ...

you know, I never got to tell you

that our moments we spent
loving each other
in all the ways that we did
are what keeps me believing in love
now
even when it seems like it's not there
and even though our time is done.

So, thank you.

30/30 NaPoWriMo Six. Haiku from the p.o.v. of an animal

throw the ball again!
i love to run and chase it:
excessive slobber

Tuesday, April 08, 2014

30/30 NaPoWriMo 2014: Five Us via You

(prompt: write of a break up in the point of view of the other)

You called me a player
"No, I'm not!" I denied
"Not a player if it didn't work out," I cried
even though every time I told you I loved you
I lied

because all I can do is twist lie upon lie
and all the desiring of you I expressed
and all of the dreaming of future togetherness
and all the ways I exploited your weakness
and led you deeper and deeper
into the delusions of my consciousness

it was all my own twisted longings
for my own sense of self
and using you as a patsy
to take the blame for my lack of self-worth

and I prodded you and I pierced you
causing you to cry out in pain
and I used your moments of weakness
for my fragile ego's own gain

and spit you out mercilessly
as a pit caught in my tooth
because I am incapable of loving
and cannot handle the truth

30/30 NaPoWriMo: Four Pendulum Toy

when you've gone to the edge
of all that could be
and you've looked far and wide
as you can possibly see

and the stretching you've stretched
starts to be nothing but pain
and you release to the pendulum pull
and spring back from whence you came

flipping and flopping and free-falling through space
and twisting and turning you lose all sense of place
spun round like a dervish
escaping from time
eventually slowing down
while your spun-about self
eventually slowly unwinds

and what remains of you
is but the clothes on your back
and the little bit of lingering connection
with immeasurable slack

once the twitter birds and stars
cease buzzing round your head
and the kinetic motion
and the frenzied fly frazzle
has become stillness instead

will you still be you?
will you know who you are?
will you feel even moreso
like some lost fallen star?

will you land perfectly perfect
among golden grasses of Light?
will Love be the magnet
that guided your flight?

will everything that is nothing
that is both being and not
have landed you exactly, precisely
in the right spot
where your bestest boldest blooming
can take root and take hold
grasping desirously to Gaia
while reaching deliciously above
sending intoxicating fragrace
of goodness and joy?

or will a that end of it, the very last bit of it all
will you only find out
you are just the Universe's toy?

30/30 NaPoWriMo 2014: Three

and in the end of it all
will it prove to be true
that you ever loved me at all
or will it be only a dream?

(prompt:  four line poem without using the letter 's')

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

30/30 NaPoWriMo 2014 Two: Purr

scratch my head
all over
don't miss a spot

caress under my neck
and run your hand down my spine

give my that fish
fresh and succulent

tease me with a feather
call me with your whispers
and sweet special nicknames

put your arm around my belly
and spoon me as we sleep

i will nudge you with my love
so you can't ignore my loving you
i will purr and purr and purr
when you touch me right
i will keep your warm
with my softness
and be your familiar

won't you take me in?


(prompt: write from the perspective of an animal)

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

NaPoWriMo 2014 One: Romance

Romance seems to have left me for reality
Took the last train to Clarksville
leaving me at the station

I listen for her in the song of the morning birds
the mourning doves cooing their wistful longings
the mockingbird trying every song in his repertoire
to woo his loved one to his wing
the rooster waking me before dawn
causing me to stretch and yawn
little ones twittering and tweeting
making love to the spring buds on trees
dancing between their leaves

I no longer know what song to sing
to bring a beloved near
all the 'unrequited love' songs seems so bland
the 'i-love-you-so' songs so trite
the 'she done me wrong and is gone' songs
not quite right
after these many years of solitude

So I listen
to the birds sing
to the wind blow
to the ocean tumble and roar
and maybe eventually
romance will return
to my heart's shore

Death of a Dream

What I've learned, especially as I have come to really understand narcissism, and the realization of just how many people I have had in my life with some serious narcissistic characteristics, is that sometimes the appearance of something is misleading. And often, in my good-hearted nature, wanting to believe the best of everyone and everything, always seeing the good and the potential... I am either misled, manipulated, or simply don't see the reality for what it is. And sometimes you don't know, until you know.

The wonderful living situation turned out to be a 'make it work for now' situation. I won't go into all the details because there are good people involved, let's just say it's not the right fit for me. It became apparent to me within a month of living at the house, that this was to be a short term temporary solution, and not a long term one. This was highly disappointing and disillusioning, after believing their was so much potential. The benefit I've been able to glean from this living situation is lowered monthly expense enabling me to buy medical insurance through my employer, a small bedroom of my own, and the apple orchards to let my dog run in (Lezzie and I are official now). All the extras that I was idealistic about, aren't quite coming to pass. And furthermore, more unforeseen circumstances took place.

 Just as I was starting to try and get settled in a bit, and before I had accumulated any kind of money in the bank from the revised budget, my car died on the way to work. Turns out it was the timing belt, at least a $1200 job, and I had no money to fix it.

I was already really struggling with the fresh disappointment of the realization that I had given up my sweet beach cottage that I loved, to live somewhere I thought would meet many of my needs and desires for a home, to realize that this was not to be the case. (of course, I was still recovering from the disappointment and disillusionment of yet another failed attempt at love, one in which the love professed to me was a lie and a manipulation, because narcissistic abuse takes a while to get out of your system, no joke.). Add to that the overall disappointment of realizing that my dream of living in California was just.not.working: what I was trying to build, just kept crumbling. 

I didn't realize that when I took the opportunity to move to Santa Cruz, that the wages were so low in the area, and the job pickings so slim, while the cost of living being so so high. I took the first job that would hire me after five months of looking and running through all my funds. I got hired through a temp agency, and eventually hired permanent, but at a low wage: half of what I was earning in Seattle. Turns out, the wage I was hired at is about what the going rate is for the area. Around here, there are job ads for the executive assistant to a CEO, something I'm qualified to do, that pay $12/hour. No joke. ~Are you freaking kidding me?  Do you know how much work that is?~ I kept applying for other jobs, sending out resumes ad naseum. In over a year and half of looking, I got one interview. One. They called me back, but I wasn't hired, which turns out to be a good thing, because one of my current co-workers previously worked at that company and said it was a horrible place to work. 

Plus, the housing costs are so high, to even find a room to rent in a house or apartment for under $800/month in this area is a stretch. I had a tiny cottage to myself for that much, and that was miraculous, little did I know. And I gave it up, because at that rent plus utilities, on my low wage, I had $150 to live on after my bills were paid. That is how much I had to live on for food, gas to work, and every other thing you need each month. Since gas to work cost me $120/month, I was barely surviving.

So I kept looking, to no avail. Things got dire financially. How many months in a row can you live on direct deposit advances on your paycheck before it all catches up with you? I lasted over a year like that, bolstered occasionally with a quarterly bonus, or a gift from a friend, until things came crashing down financially in September. Thankfully, my loved ones caught me and shored me up for the moment at that point. Then I found the room to rent, and made that move, in the nick of financial time. Then I realized this was not going to work for me. Then my car died, leaving me stranded at a house I felt uncomfortable and awkward and emotionally unsafe being at, out in the countryside without good public transportation access, unable to visit my friends in town, take care of my errands, go to doctor and therapy appointments, go food shopping, take myself and my dog to the beach.

Needless to say, I hit a new low. How much fucking disappointment can one gal take? I broke up with the Universe. I gave up. I was miserable and lonely and disappointed and grieving and angry and somewhat panicked. I tossed in the towel on this whole 'California Dreamin' bullshit. #Done. This ain't working. Need yet another game plan. Again. But i was too exhausted to think of one, battling my body's intense menstrual cycle, everything on hold and slow-mo. Physically, mentally, emotionally exhausted. Mercury Retrogedden.

Even though I broke up with the Universe, she didn't break up with me.

Sweet co-workers rallied to provide me rides to work. One of my housemates turned out to be an excellent mechanic and fixed my car, although it now needs a new starter, and still needs a few things. Some friends encouraged me to do a GoFundMe campaign, which I did, raising enough money to get my car fixed, pay off some past due bills and get a little money in the bank. I started to plan my hysterectomy, plan for my recovery, plan for leaving the house I'm in, plan for leaving California. Plan for yet another 'start all over'.


I'm still exhausted in so many many ways. I'm still disappointed in so many many ways. I'm still doing some deep internal healing in so many many ways. And soon I will get the surgery that I hope will provide me with some physical healing and relief.

Miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep.











Tuesday, December 10, 2013

California Dreamin

          

        For over two decades, I dreamed of living in California. I had the idea that I wanted to live in the Bay Area for awhile, because I knew that San Francisco needed a chapter in my Big Gay Life. I longed for a beach-side life. I believed that there had to be somewhere along the coast between the Bay Area and L.A. that I could live close to the Ocean. I also longed for the California Cowgirl life, living somewhere on a piece of land where I could garden, maybe have chickens and goats, ride horses. I have always wanted a rose garden, to commune with horses, and to learn to fly a plane. I figured all of those things could be possible with a California countryside life. Perhaps all of this could coalesce into One Wonderful Life: Bay Area, Ocean, Countryside.

            I didn't know much about Santa Cruz. Now, I do. At the change over from 2011 to 2012, the beginning of the last year of the Mayan Calender, I left the Seattle area after 14 years, and moved to California. I tried to find work and aliving situation in San Francisco or Oakland, but nothing was falling into place despite best efforts. Then all of a sudden, through the Sisterhood network, I was led to Santa Cruz (a mere 60 miles from SanFran), a beach cottage that was available to rent, and the Sisterhood hand-over. Skip the city and head straight to the beach, the Divine Beloved said. As so, I did.
It’s hard to believe that as this year closes, I’ve been in California for two years now. These past two years have been a time of huge transition, as one would imagine.  It is said that Santa Cruz is one of those places that people come to heal. For me, being in Santa Cruz, aka ‘Paradise’ has brought me to a more healed, whole, healthy, mature, clear, strong and centered place than ever before. Maybe it’s the consistent sunny days. Maybe it’s the negative ions from the salt water and air. Maybe it’s the sand between my toes. Maybe it was a horrific romantic heartbreak resulting from a narcissisticly abusive involvement. Or maybe, I was just ready to go there: emotionally and spiritually purge self and soul down to the core, as I had to do materially to prepare to leave the Seattle area after so long. Whatever the factors involved, this transition has changed me forever, for the good.  I will never be the same. I have moved out of victim consciousness to never return.

            Dreams continue to come true, now that my dream of living in California, near the Bay Area, has been achieved. I have been living in my dream beach cottage two blocks from the sea, and growing a small vegetable and herb garden on the patio. In the Spring I camped in Yosemite National Park for the first time, and I plan to go back again and again. I have visited Big Sur many times, a place my maternal grandfather loved. I am participating regularly in a community jazz workshop, and I have my Etsy shop up and running. I now have what I would consider a ‘grown-up’s car’: a completely reliable ’96 Toyota Camry 4-door sedan.

          It hasn’t been easy. There have been many dark nights of the soul: the narcissistic abuse I suffered,  the slow-going of making new friends in this tight-knit small town community, the death of my aunt, who my mother was estranged from for decades, my need to take an intentional break from my mother for awhile, deep intensive therapy and soul searching instigated by the narcissistic abuse and continued by my empassioned desire for emotional wellness and freedom from negative beliefs and childhood trauma. Deep, hard, powerful, transformational healing work, guided by an excellent therapist. It's been painful and exhausting. And deeply rewarding. 

       Also, It’s expensive to live in California, while the wages in the Santa Cruz area are low. It’s been a difficult financial struggle; at times I have wondered how I would make it, and not wind up living in my car.  Add to that, my reproductive health issues have reached a turning point, requiring some serious consideration and intervention, and I haven’t been able to afford health care to address the issues. I was barely making it with about $150 to spend on food and fuel for the month, after my minimal bills were paid. I looked in vain for higher-paying work, or a less expensive place to live. I thought that maybe I wouldn't make it in California after all. 

           In the midst of this struggle, a friend needed to re-home one of her dogs, a deer-point Chihuahua named Lezzie. Yes, Lezzie. I haven't been able yet to bring myself to get a new cat, even though my dear Bobby died two years ago. But I am not a person who lasts long without a pet, I adore animals too much. And animals love me automatically. They take easily to my empathic nature, and my healing touch. So Lezzie came to stay with me on a trial basis. We haven't made it official yet, but it's been three months, and she's staying with me. She's super sweet, and then also territorial and protective. It's kind of nice to have someone other critter take some of the responsibility of protecting me. I've been on my own for so long, self-preservation is a full-time occupation, and it can get exhausting and awful lonely. A little dog helps mediate all that. Me, with a Chihuahua! Hilarious! Would have never thought that would happen. I would love to have a German Shepherd. And a Yorkie. Lol. 

       So, with my efforts to find other work and/or other living situations failing again and again, I sort of gave up looking. A bunch of wonderful Sister-friends generously helped me when things got very dire financially, and I was able to get caught up on bills and get some food in my cabinet, and gas in my car. I decided to just survive as best I could on what little I had coming in. Anemic due to my menorrhagia , and unable to get the much needed help of a gynecologist with no health insurance, I got to the point where there was nothing else I could do to solve my conundrums on my own, and I just turned it all over to my Higher Power, or the Divine Beloved as I like to refer to Her these days.  And wow, did She deliver!

       I went to a Halloween party that my co-worker friend was throwing. While there, I hit it off immediately with one of her longest, closest friends. Turns out, this new friend had a room to rent in her family house out in the countryside, for considerably less rent than I was paying for my beach cottage studio apartment and utilities. As the house was only five miles from work, I could also save a considerable amount of money on fuel. And in lowering my overhead by a few hundred dollars a month, I could now afford to purchase the health insurance through my employer. So despite not knowing this woman or the others living at the house barely at all, I jumped. I took a leap of blind faith. Sisterhood is powerful, and again the Divine Beloved provided the perfect solution through the Sisterhood network. 

       And with this move, there are so many interesting details. The house is a beautiful old Victorian style countryside house with a barn in back (can you say dream house?). It is surrounded by apple orchards, and down the road a piece from the strawberry fields. There is a lots of space, space for me to set up a arts and crafts station, a functional vegetable garden already in place, fenced dog-friendly backyard with several other sweet dogs, a rose garden with over 50 rose bushes on the property. My coworker friend is a pilot. Her friend, the one whose house it is, owns a horse and rides horses and knows lots of horse-women. Living in an apartments in the barn are two guys that are musicians who play piano and guitar, with a piano and music studio set up in the barn, just what a singer needs. There is a big eat-in kitchen, and my new friend is an excellent cook. So much that I have wanted and needed in one fell swoop.




               There is more work for me to do. I will be pursuing options to deal with my
menorrhagia and may consider having a hysterectomy, which entails a six week recovery and time off of work. I am just barely above anemic. The health crisis has taken my toll on my body, my energy, my weight, my skin. I still have belongings in storage in Seattle that need to be retrieved (an eliminate that bill). My car needs front brakes and a CV joint, which I have not yet been able to afford. My budget is in transition from the old 'barely making' it level, to the new 'i might make it' level. I have a pile of late bills to pay. My Etsy shop is up and running, but I'm lucky to get one sale per month. My website needs a rebuild. I need to find an outlet for vocal performance, not just musical workshop. There are million places I want to explore in California. I have a few friends now, and still no real, good romantic partnership. I need a cat.

     But, I have this feeling that there is much yet to come from this next chapter. That this move and transition will provide for many blessings, and journey me down the road of my life in really positive ways that I yet cannot see. I hope to have more time with horses, time with airplanes, time with good women who have been born and raised in the Central California Coast area, who are rooted in the Land and the Sisterhood network that exists here, strong, underground, close to the earth, sweet, kind and reliable.

It's a new world and new life, and I'm feeling good.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Revisted

An avalanche of heartbroken
revisted
in but a moment
whenever i see you

shattered dreams
tarnished memories
are all that stand true the test of time
since last i heard you say
'i love you'

used wrecklessly
as a skirmish of your twitsted games

you were careless with my heart

for this, i cannot forgive you
beloved

this life
wasn't meant
for Us

our love out of time
that spans so many lives
brought only lessons this time
a glimpse of Us
a hint of Us
that i could only long for
and you mercilessly destroyed

forgiveness is not possible
without acknowledgemt of truth
and you are a pathological liar
my darling

Next life
come to me ready
AFTer disarmament

there will never again
be an opportunity
for you to devastate my
heart and soul again
so,
this life may be the end
of Us

Your delusions of grandeur
too toxic
twisted you are
my love
my enemy
my destruction
my beloved

Next life
This
will not be
revisted

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

November Writing Challenge: Coffee

5:30 am, Ann starts stacking the coffee-filled filters to prepare for the morning breakfast rush at the diner her play uncle owns. Blowing gently on the top of the pile of white filters in her hand, she pulls off the top one her breathe set free, and sets in on the counter. As she rips open the pre-measured foil coffee packet of Farmer's Brothers, her mind wonders if that interesting customer will come in today: that woman who looks sort of like a boy in her cap and man's pants, who sits with the owner's nephew and friends in the back corner. She is kind of curt and gruff, and laughs at the dirty jokes the guys tell, and occasionally tosses a greedy-eyed look in the direction of Ann and her breasts that pop out of her black and white waitress uniform. That look always gives Ann a rush of adrenaline, a strange warmth comes over her body head to toe in an instant. She wishes her boyfriend's kisses gave her that kind of feeling. She squeezes her thighs together until the memory-induced arousal fades. The foil packet emptied in the filter, she sprinkles a little salt on top to cut the bitter, then blows apart another white filter, adds to the top of the pile and repeats this process until there are at least ten pots of coffee prepped, while the three brew on the hot plates: two regular, one decaf. It will be ten years until she realizes why that boyish-woman's glances give her such a rush. And once Ann figures it out, there will be no turning back.

November Writing Challenge: a story in five sentences.



One time, after the rains started, everyone ran outside in glee. Suddenly, clothes were being stripped off and tossed into the puddles. Drain pipe cracks burst open, creating outdoor shower spouts that poured onto the lawn. The people brought out their shampoos and soap, and lathered up. Bubbles and laughter mixed and mingled, as dirty feet and clean bodies brought joy to the entire block.