Poetry, Spirituality and Me


 

  In a dream, I’m running through a green meadow with my dog  when she turns to me and says “you must be yourself.”   My message in a bottle that floats from the invisible sea of mystery I call the unconscious. It might be the voice of God or as close as I can get to it.  My dreams often give this advice or I hear it from others.  But what does it mean to be myself?   My strong belief tells me I have a soul and that soul has a purpose, a … Continue reading Poetry, Spirituality and Me

It Can Be New Every Time


 

I have a shelf at home where, up until recently, I kept the books I hadn’t yet read. It was three shelves, actually, stacked with the volumes I hadn’t had the time or chance to peruse. Many of the books have been there for quite a while, because I have a bad habit that, if you’re a serious reader, you may be familiar with: I reread books. Yes, it’s a bad habit. I’ll finish a book, look over my choices for the next one, and go back to an old favorite, one I’ve read before … Continue reading It Can Be New Every Time

Write Locally


 

Charlottesville’s own WriterHouse just celebrated its fifth anniversary. For any organization, five years is a nice healthy stretch of time. In a virtually all-volunteer one, it’s exemplary.   I say this with a certain amount of pride, because I’ve been an active member of WriterHouse almost from the very beginning. That is, it was founded in May and my membership dates from August of the same year. I’ve taken classes, attended readings, heard from visiting authors, and for the past couple years, volunteered with a group that helps keep the building open for use during … Continue reading Write Locally

Pretty cute for a 19th century assassin


 

I recently read a critique in New York magazine by Jerry Saltz about a current MoMA exhibit, “Photography and The American Civil War.” The piece mentioned Alexander Gardner, a Scottish-born war photographer famous for his Civil War coverage and portraits of Lincoln. When I read about a particular photo of his, Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, I went a-Googling. Scrolling through Gardner’s images, one particular portrait stopped me –– but for all the wrong reasons. It was a young gentleman, clean-shaven, out of uniform, staring starkly at the camera. Let’s put it this way: I could imagine … Continue reading Pretty cute for a 19th century assassin

Streetlight is looking for an intern.


 

StreetlightMag.com –– a locally grown and growing arts journal in Charlottesville, VA –– seeks a committed intern looking to gain experience in digital publishing and marketing in a non-profit journal environment. Creative and detail-oriented applicants should have technical knowledge of and proficiency in social media, WordPress/blogging proficiency, (web design experience ideal but not required.) Other responsibilities will include managing publishing schedules, some proofing/copy editing. Position is unpaid and would begin immediately. Contact: Susan Shafarzek sshafarzek@yahoo.com Follow us!