Performing on Zoom

I had a very successful ZOOM reading with Reconstructionist synagogue Or Hadash [new light] last Saturday evening.  They filled the hundred participants and then set up a way to stream for the overflow.  It felt very good to have a reading after so long holed up. I was worried about ZOOM as it’s sometimes very clunky, but the evening went smoothly.

Speaking of clunky, am I the only person NETFLIX drives crazy? It’s hard to find anything. They are always trying to get me to watch things I’m not interested in. When you’re watching a series, they try to get you to jump ahead.  I could spend a lifetime watching stuff on NETFLIX but I’d probably end up kicking the TV or tossing the ROKU wand out the window.  It’s especially frustrating now as there’s almost nothing on TV.  Movies I’e already seen or have no interest in seeing. Stupid game shows that sadists probably enjoy.  I watch the news, a couple of programs on HBO and PBS and stakes races that interest me [horses].  Nothing else. It’s all repeats or stupid reality shows.

NETFLIX has lots of series and some movies I enjoy, but every time I go into it I have to go back out two or three times before I can get it to do what I want.

We had a lovely stretch of weather that only ended today in a return to oppressive heat and oppressive humidity.  It was a pleasure to work outside. I harvested a lot of beets [still some left growing], froze beet greens, yellow squash and patty-pans, mulberries and red and black currants.  This is some banner year for bush fruits.  I hadn’t harvested red currant in twenty years.  I intend to make a red currant cake when next we have actual company who are not afraid to eat our food.  I am making black currant cordial and also froze a bunch black currants. The old grapevine has grapes on it although I don’t know if they’ll ripen before they get fungus.  I wish we still had raspberries. I had a wonderful raspberry patch for 25 years and then it gave out. I had to move it and the new patch didn’t work.

The first beans came in this week. We always grow pole beans.  Bush beans aren’t worth the bother for us – they make almost all at once.  Pole beans take longer to begin to produce, but then they make beans for a couple of months at least, often well into fall.

I have been writing poems regularly, at last three a week and then revisions of older ones. I’m back to Ali Smith’s WINTER.  I had just begun it when Woody finished his interview with Elizabeth Marshall Thomas on aging and I wanted to read that at once.  I have Alicia Ostriker’s new collection THE VOLCANO AND AFTER, DUE OUT, I believe, about two or three weeks before my new one.  I’m to review it for MOMENT. They’re strong and interesting poems so far but the type face is idiotic.  There are a number of poems about aging – a subject that mostly interests the aged.  But the type face is extremely small and seems to be in italics, making it hard to read.  I have to put very strong light on the page and sometimes just use a magnifying glass.

I still miss Xena every day. She and I could communicate with a look or one word.  Schwartzie is studying to be a good writer’s cat.  He has a ways to go but he’s learning.  Willow has mastered being a good bed cat. She has learned when to ask to be petted and when not.  Mingus, who used to sleep with Xena every night, now has glommed onto Willow, who permits it. The stretch of cool weather, ending today, made sleeping much easier and enabled us the leave the air conditioners off for a wonderful stretch of cool days and nights. I’ll do a minimum outside this morning and then work on things indoors and even take some time this afternoon for a bit of Shabbat.

Marge PiercyComment