the problem with self-crucifixion ...

... is: how do you get the last nail in?

sure, you could always get the romans to do it.
but where are they when you need them? and roman booking agencies are few and far between in this day and age.

john s., dominik n. & michi will no doubt present solutions soon (the heat'll help), at a forum near you.


song of the day: ochrasy by mando diao.

waaaaahh!!!

i have a blister on my bottom lip because i burned myself there two days ago. disfiguration charm instead of transfiguration, i suppose.

i cut myself yesterday AND the day before.

i had a bit of a breakdown (read: major crisis) last night. because of ... um, everything, i guess. just exhausted.

trillium magazine keeps postponing their first issue.

i'm missing someone.

there's no chocolate in the house.

and i should be in bed.

song of the day: what's a girl to do? by bat for lashes.

10:10

finished my fourth round of 10 days - 10 poems today. these are the titles:

01. how not to melt in vienna
02. how not to melt in vienna ii
03. otherwise
04. how not to melt in vienna iii
05. this is my poem for you
06. amethystos
07. how not to melt in vienna iv
08. threnoidia
09. katharsis
10. agonia


song of the day: friends of mine by adam green.

no?

song of the day: summer in the city by the lovin' spoonful.

like ice in the sun ...

... i melt away. yes. it is still hot. yesterday, temperatures went up to 39.5C (103.1F) in one place in eastern austria, the second highest temperature on record (the highest being 39.7C or 103.5F, 1983 in a village near my hometown). it got muggy, too, which really did not agree with me at all.

* * * * *
yesterday evening i went to see this


at augarten park where they have "kino unter sternen" ("cinema under the stars") every year, showing classics, avantgarde, and new films for nearly seven weeks each year, against the backdrop of one of the park's flak (anti-aircraft) towers.


always a wonderful film to watch.
speaking of watching - one of my favourite quotes from casablanca:

Mr. Leuchtag: Liebchen - sweetnessheart, what watch?
Mrs. Leuchtag: Ten watch.
Mr. Leuchtag: Such much?

* * * * *
the new harry potter book was delivered this morning - even though it is saturday, and there is no regular mail on saturdays here. soooo ... i guess i will be spending some time reading this weekend. and no matter what one thinks of the novel / the series, i think it is a good thing to see that people can still go crazy over and be passionate about a book.

* * * * *
i am on day 7 of my 10:10. here's today's:

loose fists
drip ice water
until skin turns, aching,
to braille, until the night itself
shivers

* * * * *
this is not a good day to dye one's hair.
*she says, dripping henna*

song of the day: ice in the sun by status quo.

hot! hot! hot!

we're melting here in vienna - 38C (100.4F) today, and no end to the heatwave in sight. unfortunately i will have to venture outside tomorrow, as i am teaching one english summer conversation class at 9. if anyone is actually in the mood for education in this weather. *s*

i am keeping myself alive by drinking 5 litres per day and thinking of this:



my computer classes finished yesterday, and i have a month off now, yay!

the muse has very successfully tricked me into writing, and before i knew what was happening, i ended up clicking on "new topic" at the 10:10 forum, and i'm on day 3 today, already working on tomorrow's poem, with ideas for a couple more. it still feels like a struggle, like i am a little rusty, but at least i am writing.

i finished jasper fforde's latest thursday next adventure, first among sequels, on the weekend, and am now reading the first ever discworld novel (terry pratchett) - the color of magic, as well as poetry by kristy bowen and steve mueske.


song of the day: meltdown by slobberbone.

heat wave

thirsty mouths
crave watermelon slices
pink as lips


song of the day: hot in the city by billy idol.

"you alley cat licking tin cans cutting your tongue"

... is a line from my poem you nude girl folding your arms which is now up at juked. on the page, you'll find a link to the schiele painting that inspired it.

trillium has accepted one poem (Niobium (Nb) - Niobe's Loss) for their inaugural issue which is due out in 2 weeks.

and i have not written anything new in ages. i am beginning to miss it. really miss it.

i'm sick, had a fever since sunday, baaaaaad sore throat, head the size of a soccer stadium. a padded one. had to drag myself to work. bleargh. teaching 8 hours is exhausting at the best of times, in my current state it is ... what's the word? madness? suicide?


donaukanal (danube canal), vienna

song of the day: yellow by coldplay.

eclectica, lily, and a surprise

the new issue of eclectica is online, with two of my recent poems: paradeisos, and carbon (c) - adamant. it's always a pleasure to be part of eclectica, and the editors are a joy to work with.

and there's not only one of my poems, after the rift, in the wonderful july issue of lily, but also a photo taken at st marx cemetery, which i am really happy about; that's a first!

* * * * *
after i've replaced all my credit cards, cash card, travel cards, i was more than surprised yesterday when i received a letter from the 10th district's lost & found office, telling me that my purse had been dropped off on monday. the letter lists some items found in the purse, but i won't know more about the content until i pick up the purse, which i cannot do before 17th july, because i can't make their office hours while i am still teaching from 8 to 5. of course, how the purse was lost/stolen, still remains a mystery. i never thought i'd see it again!

* * * * *
work's going well, both groups are okay, some students are particularly nice. time flies, because there is always lots to do. two weeks to go.

my ex-roomie alex was in vienna last weekend, and we spent sunday afternoon and evening with a few friends, at schoenbrunn park, and a rooftop restaurant.





song of the day: can't get you off my mind by lenny kravitz.