Since I’ve been looking for an excuse to post a photo of myself rubbing noses (ok, cheeks) with the novelist, Colm Toibin, I will use the excuse of not having the birthday photos developed for that reason today. The truth is that I bought myself a new laptop for my birthday, and I don’t have saved photos to post (& I mean to make this blog a visual paradise), so I went through my email box ‘ahuntin for a photo. Jonathan Harper (also pictured – sweet, sweet boy) sent this one to me. It is related to poetry-after-the-fact. Colm sang the praises of Tomaz Salamun to me in person. I later googled Mr. Toibin, and along with being amazed at how prolific he is, I found a wonderful article he wrote on Salamun. That article is now missing. I thought it was in the London Review of Books. If anyone can find the link, I will send them a poem of gratitude. Or a box of cheap chocolates. [Emily Lloyd found the article – thanks!]

In other news, I have received a couple of emails inquiring about possible belated birthday gifts. I am a cd and book fiend. You will always make me shiver with such gifts. Two things I am sorely anticipating, in characteristic un-pc fashion, are the releases of Kanye West’s new cd and Lil Kim’s too. Please give them to me. I am going to get Shelby Lynn’s new album later today for my road trip to Baltimore tomorrow. This uninhibited request leads me to my next blog tidbit: I will be in Baltimore for the next few days. I’d like to see some Baltimorons. I want to eat crabs. Hang out in backyards. Drink a beer or three. Please call or write. I love you and must leave this cafe now. More soon tomorrow or tonight.

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