California was good. Saw friends. Did shows (book readings backed by bands). Sat behind a table of my books. Swam in the ocean every day. Back in Kansas and it’s jungle-hot. Snakes in the grass, cicadas, ragweed as tall as trees. The wind blows all day then at night it’s thunderstorms. (At night—fireflies, frog noise, crickets. I recorded some writing using the noise of the frog pond as background for Andrew’s new thing. Came out surprisingly well. I’m a pessimist. It’s good to be proven wrong.) The 4th of July was of course an absolute nightmare but everyone here survived. I’m so sick of guns. I grew up having guns around the house. Hunting with friends and family. Shooting out in the desert and in the Imperial Valley. Now I’d rather hear anything else than gunshots at night or see anything else than gun ads, gun stores, gun racks. Heading back to California in two weeks to finish my book. So much to do between now and then. Almost all of it good. Marina tells me I should read Lispector’s Chronicles so I’m going in to the city to get a copy today. There’s your life update. Haven’t done one in a while, or posted at all. (“Daily” is kept in loose restraints here.)
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I love that you got a good recording of the nature sounds around you. I’ve been collecting outdoor sounds for over a decade now, and some of them have turned out great (but most of them don’t capture the true delightful cacophony that I’m privy to).
I also like that daily is a loose term.
I just got your box of books and am excited to read them in the order you laid out! I forgot to get Your Friends Will Carry You Home, so I’ll be ordering that one soon.
Thanks for the addition of White Teeth and Mrs. Dalloway! I’ve been meaning to read them both!