Blog – Top of JC’s Mind

One-Liner Wednesday: NO to stupid name changes

It’s still the Gulf of Mexico.
*****
Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesday! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/02/12/one-liner-wednesday-i-dont-learn/

“Two-Hour Delay” by Abby E. Murray

Last Sunday, I shared Rattle Poets Respond offering “The Skaters” by Dante Di Stefano.

This Sunday, editor Timothy Green has chosen “Two-Hour Delay” by Abby E. Murray, which, to me, expresses perfectly the state of mind of these harrowing times in the US. (Link will open in a new tab, so you can read it right now or listen to the audio clip of Abby reading it. Make sure to also read Abby’s note that accompanies the poem.)

The opening lines are:

It’s February                                 and already
I’ve overspent my budgeted bewilderment

for the year, most of it on deep & constant
sorrow…

It’s true.

Interestingly, both Abby’s poem this Sunday and Dante’s poem last Sunday feature the counterpoint of a young daughter, enjoying the wonderment of winter, playing against the hard reality of current events.

It is my privilege to know both Abby and Dante, who each earned PhDs from Binghamton University. When I first joined the Binghamton Poetry Project, a community outreach program founded by Nicole Santalucia, Abby was our director. I was honored when Abby agreed to write a blurb for my chapbook, Hearts. It is so beautiful that I still tear up when I read it.

Mid-poem, Abby writes:

Belief is the new disbelief. Grief, not shock,

is this year’s renewable resource, and baby,
the harvest looks plentiful.

I’m really feeling it.

Thank you, Abby, for giving voice to what it is to be dealing with our present times.

Reblog: Poem by Deborah Marshall

I had to share this heart-breaking poem from fellow Boiler House Poets Collective member Deborah Marshall in the Silver Birch Press ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER series. Anyone who has been a care-giver for a loved one with dementia will likely find resonance with this achingly real scene.

Day 15, Bed 201B, Granger 2 by Deborah Marshall (ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER Series)


This has been one of the longest-running series for Silver Birch Press. You can find my post about my own entry here.

One-Liner Wednesday: resistance

Vote for Democracy #33

In the midst of the vindictive, mean, immoral, unconstitutional, illegal under both national and international law, threatening, and insane beginning of the Trump administration, millions of Americans have mobilized to oppose Trump and his actions and, we hope, to limit the damage to people in the United States and everywhere in the world; we appreciate the support from all our friends and allies and I personally want to thank my Canadian friends who have reached to me in solidarity.

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesday! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/02/05/one-liner-wednesday-i-dont-understand/

“The Skaters” by Dante Di Stefano

I had planned to not post today, taking a rest after the long streak due to Just Jot It January, but had to share this new poem, “The Skaters” by Dante Di Stefano, which is this week’s choice for Rattle Poets Respond, an ongoing series in which poets submit work written in response to something that is currently happening in the news.

Dante Di Stefano often blends elements of his family life into his work, as he does here. I experience this poem as both heart-breaking and comforting, as it expresses so intimately what it is to be a parent. I am also amazed by Dante Di Stefano’s ability to quickly craft something beautiful. Due to the nature of Rattle Poets Respond, poets submit work anonymously that has been written in response to something that happens from Friday to Friday, so there is not a lot of time to ruminate and edit. Di Stefano’s poems have been chosen for this series multiple times, attesting to his talent.

It is my privilege to know Dante, who did his PhD at Binghamton University and lives, writes, and teaches locally. He facilitates the reading series at the Tioga Arts Council where his spouse, Christina Di Stefano, is Executive Director. He has been unfailingly kind and generous to me as I make my way as a “late-blooming” poet.

If you would like, you can hear his voice reading “The Skaters” at the link above.

Thank you, Dante, for sharing your heart with us once again.

SoCS: when a spoonful of sugar is not enough…

The movie version of Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews came out when I was very young, so I grew up with the songs from it.

“…a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down…”

There is not enough sugar in the world to help those of us in the US cope with the beginning of this second Trump term.

It’s bitter however you experience it.

Those of us who read or read commentary on Project 2025 feared this was coming and tried to prepare but that doesn’t stop it from being awful and hurting lots of people.

Various lawsuits and public pressure and government employees and elected officials demanding their rights have blunted a few things – and caused the administration to back down on a couple of pronouncements – but the efforts to rest all power in the president – well, this president – and a handful of billionaires is underway on a lot of fronts.

I can’t possibly stream of consciousness the whole picture, but will illustrate the meanness, callousness, and vengefulness of Donald Trump by referencing his reaction to the horrible plane/helicopter crash at Reagan National Airport.

The loved ones of the people killed and the grieving public needed condolences and reassurance that there will be a thorough investigation to avoid this kind of accident in the future.

Trump railed against DEI, Presidents Obama and Biden, Biden’s Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and others, totally without cause.

Of course, he didn’t acknowledge that he had forced resignations or fired the top leaders with the FAA and other entities that deal with such accidents.

It’s a bitter spill to swallow.

We’re not looking for a spoonful of sugar.

We are going to do everything we can to help protect and console those in need, each in whatever way is available to them.

This is my little sliver of that effort this morning.
*****
Linda’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday this week is “spoonful.” Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/31/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-1-2025/

end of #JusJoJan

Just Jot It January is ending with a whimper for me.

I had to visit the urgent clinic yesterday evening and barely managed not having to report to the emergency department at the hospital. I need to follow up with my primary care first thing this morning, though, so I’m getting this post out just in case I do wind up needing further treatment in the light of day.

Thanks for all the well wishes, thoughts, and prayers you have been sending my way.

Joanne

To join in on this last day of Linda’s Just Jot It January, visit here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/31/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-31st-2025/

getting there…

I’m slow to recover from my angiogram on Monday. I will, though, be heading to physical therapy early this morning, which will be the first time I’ve left the house. Later in the day, I have a phone appointment with my insurer, who may finally have account numbers for me. Fingers crossed!
*****
There’s still time left to join in Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/30/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-30th-2025/

One-Liner Wednesday: following the US Constitution

Vote for Democracy #32

Under the United States Constitution and laws, Congress appropriates funds and the president and executive branch spends those funds as Congress has directed – and Trump and his administration need to do this or resign because they are breaking their oaths to uphold the Constitution.
*****
Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays and/or Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/29/one-liner-wednesday-jusjojan25-the-29th-snowy-walk/

angiogram update

Yesterday, I had a bilateral cerebral CT angiogram.

It went…okay-ish?

There were some less-than-optimal parts, like needing three attempts to get an IV started in the right location, getting twice the usual dose of sedation meds and still not really being sedated enough, and having a bizarre side effect afterward that involved seeing brightly-colored geometric shapes in my peripheral vision that weren’t there.

The doctors performing the procedure said they didn’t find anything abnormal, which was upsetting when I thought I was finally going to get an explanation for what has been going on for almost a year now. I realized today, though, that I don’t have the full results yet because those will come from the radiologist who has to review all the CT images.

So, maybe, tomorrow or later this week, there will be some answers?

Here’s hoping…

Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/28/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-28th-2025/