Jane Brody - speaking at Central Library - Tuesday, October 6th, 7pm

kiya@evpl — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:59:00 GMT

Most folks recognize Jane Brody as an advocate of healthful living. Her early books were all about good diets, healthy foods, and maintaining a good relationship with your doctor. But even healthy lives come to an end. Brody explains in the preface of her new book, Jane Brody's Guide to the Great Beyond, that when we are fully prepared for the end of life, we are in a much better position to fully enjoy the time we have left.

Brody, the Personal Health columnist for the New York Times, provides clear practical help on recognizing the things we can do NOW to help make things easier when the end comes, whether it is sooner or later. She looks specifically at issues like:

What is a "good death"? Figure out what you want.
Planning ahead for a funeral or memorial service.
Uncertain Future: when you are living with a bad prognosis
Coma
Caregiving: tending someone at the end of life
Hospice and Palliative Care
Spiritual Care
When a Child is Dying - surviving the nightmare
What to Say: conversations at the end of life
Grief: it's not a disease
Organ and Body donations
Lasting Legacies: leaving memories and life lessons

Brody is resprectful of the people she writes about, but she also knows how and when to inject some humor into the discussion. While these issues are not fun to read about and sometimes hard to consider, Brody's book makes it easier. Highly recommended.

Don't miss your chance to hear Jane Brody in person, discussing these issues and her book. She will be this year's Lottes Lecturer at Central Library on Tuesday, October 6^th, at 7pm in the Browning Room. The program is free, and open to the public. More information available here.

I never saw a purple cow. I never hope to see one. But I can tell you anyhow, I'd rather see than be one.

kiya@evpl — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:44:00 GMT

That poem by Frank G. Burgess might be the first one I ever learned, and I got a lot of enjoyment out of it. At least until I turned 8 or so.

I don't think of myself as much interested in poetry, and certainly don't write any. (Well, except for when I write new words for familiar tunes and drive my kids crazy with them. But that's hereditary. My mom used to do that to me.) Every now and then, though, some poem or poet really catches my interest, and for a little while, I'm really into poetry, or that poet, or performance poetry. And then I forget until next time.

So while I'm thinking about it - here are some of the poets, poetry, and links that have caught my fancy in the last couple of years.

1. Bryan Owen, who will be here, in Evansville, at Central Library, on Sunday, March 8^th. He will be presenting a poetry workshop at no charge to the participants. More info here! Below is one of his poems that I really like:

She said I'm like an onion -
I had so many hidden layers.
I told her that
if she stopped peeling
she wouldn't cry so much.

"Onions" was recently published in chicago writer Sean Chercover's novel Trigger City in which Bryan's collection Blue daffodils and other poems becomes part of the plot.

2. Taylor Mali writes and performs poems. For many years, he also taught school, and while I enjoy nearly all of his poems, the school poems are really terrific.

"Like Lilly Like Wilson", about a recovering "like" addict, was the poem that brought Mali to my attention.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

"Labeling Keys" is funny and poignant.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

"How To Write A Political Poem" is just one of Mali's poems that you can read on his website. I had a hard time choosing one to post...

3. The power of Audre Lorde's poetry always resonates with me.

4. Ted Kooser and Billy Collins, both former poet-laureates, intrigue me.

I had a teacher who made us memorize Robert Frost's poem, "Nothing Gold Can Stay," swearing it would come to mind each and every spring for the rest of our lives. She was right. I wish now I had memorized more poetry when I was younger, and could learn it easier. I guess it's not too late.

What's your favorite poem?

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Jane Brody - speaking at Central Library - Tuesday, October 6th, 7pm

I never saw a purple cow. I never hope to see one. But I can tell you anyhow, I'd rather see than be one.