Support the movement: Washington State Poet Laureate

Recent Poetry News...

TO:       WA Poets Association Members, Friends, and Subscribers
SUBJECT:  Poet Laureate bill clears first hurdle!
 
Following much planning and energy by the partnering bill pushers, Substitute
House Bill 1279, establishing a poet larueate position for Washington State,
has passed out of the House State Government and Tribal Affairs committee
with 8 ayes.   
 
The House committee heard testimony from three state Representatives: prime 
sponsor Mary Skinner, Lynn Kessler, and Pat Lantz.  Representing the partnership 
was Kris Tucker (WA State Arts Commission), Karen Bonaudi and Ed Stover (WA
Poets Association), and Ted Lord (Humanities Washington).  Additional testimony
was heard from Michael Weigers (Copper Canyon Press), Jeffrey Youde (Quilcene
HS) and Paul Nelson (WPA).
 
This is as far as a poet laureate bill has gotten (in the last 10 years at least), and
our eyes now turn to the Senate, where the companion bill SB 5649 was dropped
(i.e. birthed) Jan. 26.  That bill needs to pass out of its committee of origin,
Government Operations and Elections, by Feb. 28 to stay alive. We are hoping it
will happen a lot sooner than that.  Passing legislation is a huge, timed
steeplechase, where you have to clear certain hurdles within certain times or the
bill dies.  Companion bills give you two horses in the race in case one stumbles.
 
We are hoping the poet laureate effort will present a do-good opportunity for the
legislature, where they can do something positive with bi-partisan accord--and do it
quickly before the pressures of heavy issues start to pile up.  The $30,000 we are
asking in start-up funds will not break the budget.

Below are the Representatives and Senators who sponsored the respective bills. 
If any of them are from your district or you know them personally, shoot them an
email thanking them for their support. We'll keep you posted.

Representatives Skinner, Kessler, Lantz, Hasegawa, Dickerson, Haler, McIntire,
Conway, Newhouse, Kenney

Senators Tom, Honeyford, Kohl-Welles, Hatfield, Pridemore, Clements, 
Jacobsen, Kline

--by Karen Bonaudi

Tiffany, Tim and other public school teachers (bless your dear souls!)

Teachers' Deduction - Take note of this tax break!

Spokane and girls in short, sparkly skirts

Spokane is a busy place right now.

Intriguing passage with a key quote from an ice skater: (bold emphasis is mine)
[Johnny] Weir had a high-collared black coat and a fuzzy wrap around his waist. Weir recently posed for photos in BlackBook Magazine in provocative, shirtless poses and wearing high heels.

Weir, 22, has always been unapologetic about his personality. And he said that he and Lysacek do get along, outside of events like this.

“At competitions, we’re not friends,” Weir said. “I have my objective and he has his objective and that’s healthy. I wouldn’t want to have a friend sitting next to me in the locker room talking about American Idol and curling each other’s hair.”

I think "WTF" is an apt response from any reader.

Rather than watch the thrilling long program Saturday night, I'm going to see the funniest comedian in Spokane! Here's a sneak peek. And more proof how funny Dan Cummins is...his Starbucks jokes! (We heard him on New Year's Eve for the first time..HA-larious!)

TAP your brakes!!!

Idiots.

Most drivers in Spokane, however, do okay. Especially my husband! (and me, although with some trepidation.)

Most interesting news story I've read today

Key quote: "Sakinah Booker, who had been attending Bates College with the hope of running a Starbucks store one day, said she and her boys have lived a somewhat nomadic life. She said Semaj is clever and suspects he learned to drive by playing video games."

9-year-old caught flights back to Texas because "he hated it here"

THIS...is sad (but still has a "happy" ending)

A 12th Dallas Convict Is Exonerated by DNA

By RALPH BLUMENTHAL

Published: January 18, 2007

The 12 overturned convictions in Dallas County are more than have occurred anywhere else except the entire states of New York and Illinois.

My cool skier husband (@ Schweitzer Mt.)

Willow Springs latest issue

So I'm a bit slow in realizing the debut of the fall issue, but now I know that Sherman and Jess are in it...cool.


Currently reading:
Fiction - Citizen Vince by Jess Walter
Poetry - The Best American Poetry 2006 edition (a Christmas gift from my father-in-law!)
Magazine - Poets & Writers Magazine, Jan/Feb 2007 issue

My metaphorical flavor of Frappuccino...and you?

White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino

One of a kind and forward looking, you're the first to introduce a wacky new trend to your friends. And even if your ideas seem weird, they get adopted pretty quickly.

What Flavor Frappuccino Are You?