So that happened. Which blows me away. And I won't feign being too cool to be geekishly happy about it. I mean, I'll never be cool. I've chosen geekdom. Geekdom is my metaphoric sad-ironic-cardigan-sweater-closed-with-a-safety-pin-and-worn-out-of-season and I wear it for easy identification. So relative giddiness is appropriate.
I'm also mystified, since The Trouble With Poet started just two months ago and has had about 3 readers since. I never expected it to go beyond that. Poetry/literary/artsy-sneeze blogs are the pariahs of the internet...worse than child pornographers. Getting a nod is warm and fuzzy and exciting, like finger-painting with the reckless abandon of a hyperactive child who knows they won't have to clean up their mess. Or splitting open the perforated entrance to a fresh box of Crayola 64-color crayons (with the sharpener in the back) while eyeing a pile of blank coloring books. Warm. Fuzzy. Happy.
Thank you to Blogger for reading a non-traditional blog full of creative allergy symptoms and weird little poems and drops of fiction.
First, to answer a repeat question:
There is more about our SEO Septuagenarian Lovers on the very, very near horizon. Saul and Pippah are spotlight hogs. They're loving the attention. I think Saul bought a new fedora in honor of the occasion. Pippah is more sensible--she had an old dress tailored to fit better in case anyone drops by to congratulate her and is now wearing mascara with semi-regularity, but that's about it.
Second, two real-life characters need thanking:
1. My dear friend Ramon Lopez II, who is a brilliant graphic designer and brand specialist who did my logo design. If anyone wants to snag him for logos, branding and/or identity stuff, I cannot give him a higher recommendation...the kid works for major brands like Levi's by day, so know he's legit. You can track him down at ramonlopezpr@gmail.com.
2. Another person won the hearts of Blog of Note notable Hannah Miet and myself by going above and beyond the call of heterosexual duty: literal rock star Michael, who filmed us at Bowery Poetry for this post. Michael sat through an afternoon of dive-bar poetry instead of watching the NFL play-offs that afternoon just to film the reading, and that is a generous sacrifice to make.
Finally:
I've gotten a dozen comments and emails about Saul and Pippah reminding them of their own love-letter days, or how they miss pen pals. So, I offer this: send me your own love letters--to friends, lovers, exes, family members, it does not matter--via emailed PDF, jpeg or good old fashioned snail mail and I'll post them here, with links to your own blog if you're so inclined. I'll do my part and respond. We need to resurrect the lost art of letter writing. If you're looking for a mailing address to become a snail-mail pen-pal, email me directly. I'll respond to everything from turnips to poems on post-it notes to grocery lists and beyond. It's nice to come home to something other than bills.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for following. Thank you for making your own words happen.
