Poetry That Doesn't Suck

Poetry That Doesn't Suck

Check out this article on HubPages about how to write better poetry.

Tirz

Reply to Breast Cancer Article

In response to the article claiming the the bra strap messages and the purse messages used for Breast Cancer awareness was disrespectful the empowerment of women.



ARTICLE: http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/07/facebook-wants-to-know-where-i-like-my-purse-heres-where-they/

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REPLY:

As far as I know, almost every one is aware of breast cancer.

I lost my brother, nephew, uncles, aunts to different cancers, most of them with names longer than a politician's speech. I don't see any campaigns to raise awareness of those cancers. And there wouldn't be much point, since most of them are a death sentence.

As a woman, I dont see breast cancer awareness as a woman issue but a health issue. It effects women, daughters, mothers, children, fathers, brothers and sons. It's a people issue. What gives women the right to make it just their issue? Was my father less crushed by brother's death than my mother? No.


Breast cancer and breast cancer marketing isn't about empowering women. It's about making people at least think about a topic they don't pay attention to anymore. You get so many pink boxes of cookies and touching tributes, you tune it out with your internal media filter. It gets the same attention as one of the environmental diatribes that pops up now and then. Just more refuse on the internet super highway.



Most people, if it doesn't effect them directly, just don't care or don't have enough interest to care about cancer. There are just to many

tragedies to choose from. Disaster relief, animal rescue, starving children...and breast cancer. BC competes for the attention of society and their money for research.


Hence the purse and bra straps to raise awareness.

Is it a little tacky? Yes. Does it work? To a certain extent.

So unless you can think of something better, here we are. If you have a solution for raising awareness for the overwhelmed public that will actually make them pause and think about breast cancer, let us know what it is. If not, then be quiet. You aren't helping.

And as for sitting next to a friend with cancer, I've spent years at hospices, dark bedrooms and hospitals waiting for people I loved to die. In some cases, hoping they would so they wouldn't hurt anymore. I resent anyone telling me I'm not doing enough to help people with cancer.


What do they know about my life?


Let them put their purses on their status. It doesn't hurt anyone and it might even help. It gives people something concrete to do that doesn't make them want to walk out into traffic so they don't have wait for someone's DNR to take effect.

If you want to empower women, become a big sister to a girl without good role models. She needs your help more than most.


As for my purse, I don't own one but if I did, it'd be next to me, just like the memories of those I lost.

Book Notes About My Life

1. Favorite childhood book?

White Fang. I read that book probably two dozen times between the ages of nine and twelve. I found this book at a yardsale with the cover half ripped off and paid a quarter for it. It was the best quarter I ever read. Before nine, I really don't remember. I know I liked Dr. Seuss.

I almost forgot---The Secret Garden. Loved the book.


2. What are you reading right now?

How embarrassing. I just finished The Neighbor (suspense) but I found myself editing it in my head. Parts of the book were quite good but the parts with the female detective drove me mad. Its horrible when you root for the supposed bad guy because the detective gets on your nerves so bad. I did like it well enough to finish it. I then read Glitter Girls, a cheesy romance.


4. Bad book habit?

Never letting any book go. I have books stuffed in every drawer, cabinet, basket and shelf. It bothers me to sell or give away any of my books. I usually end up missing the book so bad, I buy another copy. If I can't find a book in my book mess, I buy a new one. Some books, I have three or four copies of.


5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?

Nothing. Since the library in my neighborhood seems to have not bought a new book since the 80's unless it involved politics or was on the current bestseller list, I'm just not interested. Plus my library is always full of homeless and unsupervised children. I just don't go anymore.


6. Do you have an e-reader?

I want one but do I really need it? I mean I spend too much time online now. But I'm still in lust with the idea of a Kindle.



7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

I read really fast. So an 800 page book is a night's entertainment. Maybe two days if I start late. I'll read non-stop if I have a good book. So I read one at a time but I read several in a weekend.



8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

I have less time to read. But I'm looking at books more out of my comfort zone.


9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)


I can't really remember. If I didn't like it, I forgot about it. I wasn't fond of Love in the Time of Cholera but I read that last year.


10. Favorite book you've read this year?

I haven't gotten to read much finished literature this year. Mostly reading works in progress. But I liked 'The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake'. Its not what I usually read but I did enjoy it even if its a bit bittersweet.


11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

Oh I'll read almost anything usually. I'm not fond of political books, historically heavy books or fantasy. I still usually read one of those a year but not happily.



12. What is your reading comfort zone?

I love suspense, romance, chick lit if its happy, thrillers. I love being on the edge of my seat and I love a happy ending. Life is too sad on its own to read sad fiction too.


13. Can you read on the bus?

Well I don't want to be robbed, peed on or engaged so no I don't read on a public bus. I also get motion sickness. So no go there.


14. Favorite place to read?

In my car. On my couch. Both are great.


15. What is your policy on book lending?

I hate it. If I lend you a book, return it. Do not put Dorito prints in it. Do not dog ear the pages. Don't bring in back smelling of crotch. I usually only loan out books I don't like so if they don't bring it back, I'm not to sad.



16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

Never.


17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
No.


18. Not even with text books?

Textbooks don't count...they are like workbooks, you are suppose to write in them, unlike fiction.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?

English.



20. What makes you love a book?

Striking characters, suspense, great turns of phrase.


21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I finish reading it and wish that I was just starting it rather than finishing it.

22. Favorite genre?

Thriller.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)

I should say epic fantasy but I don't want to read it. Hah. LOTR is my idea of a nightmare. I don't mind some urban fantasy but if it has a magical quest, a sword or elves---I'm probably not interested.

I do wish I read more biographies.

24. Favorite biography?
None in particular.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
I received gifts of The Secret and the Purpose Driven Life but I couldn't get into either. Secrets is like bumper stickers for the soul, just annoying.

26. Favorite cookbook?

Don't read them.


27. Most inspirational book you've read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

Nothing.



28. Favorite reading snack?

I'm either reading or eating, never both at the same time.



29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

Hype effects movies more than books, I think.



30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

I rarely read what the critics write. Usually only if I'm looking for a non-traditional read.


31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

You should never lie. I believe in constructive criticism.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?

Spanish.

33. Most intimidating book you've ever read?
The Fountainhead

34. Most intimidating book you're too nervous to begin?
I guess any classic I haven't read.

35. Favorite Poet?

Anne Sexton. I like Frost too but he's an asshole so I can't make him my favorite.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
When I use to go, 10 at a time but none lately.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?

Never.

38. Favorite fictional character?

Huck Finn

39. Favorite fictional villain??

I know there have been some great ones but I just can't think of one. I do like in Darkest series that Demon of Hope is considered evil because false hope is considered more awful than lies, lust, or wrath.



40. Books I'm most likely to bring on vacation?

Fluffy, light books. Who wants depth on vacation?

41. The longest I've gone without reading.

Six months. I'll read dozens of books in a week and then not read again for months.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
The Life of Pi.

43. What distracts you easily when you're reading?

Very little.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
I hate when they make movies of books I like. They almost always ruin it.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

White Fang. That movie was evil.

46. The most money I've ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
90 bucks for non-textbooks.


47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Almost always if I don't know the author.


48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
If I'm bored or if they so something so idiotic, I lose my belief in the story.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
No.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you've read them?

Keep. Keep. Keep.

51. Are there any books you've been avoiding?
Most anything on the best seller list.

52. Name a book that made you angry.

Twilight because it was so poorly written. Stephanie did something right but I can't figure it out. The book is just poorly written and every new writer will be copying the horrid style.

53. A book you didn't expect to like but did?

Can't think of one.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn't?
The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

Campy action romances with a sense of humor.

Covers for jessica, jenn & Huniie

Jessica's Cover


















Jenn's Cover
























Huniie's Cover






















And before you think I found these pictures in perfect form, I didn't. I edited them.

Not in the Mood to Write

I'm just not in the mood to write. I don't want to create, blog, edit or in anyway engage my writing gear. I want to veg out, turn off my 8 million thoughts and just be.

Only I suck at being zen. Yep, really suck at it.

I always have what ifs and oh no's swimming around in my head, bouncing off the the concrete and landing like a metal sliver in the back of my eye.

I worry. I wonder.

I get IBS and spend the weekend in the bathroom.

Normally, I write out my anxieties, my hopes but I'm just not interested. Not even if you smeared it with chocolate frosting and stuck hundred dollar bills in its g-string.

That's life.

My muse will wake up and stretch sometime soon but then, I may not be publishing much here or other wise.

It's summer.

It's hot.

I'm chubby.

Chubby girls should try not to sweat in July.

That's my excuse anyway.

LOL.

Tirz

New Doggie

Here is my new doggie, LOLLY!
She's a puppy mill rescue. She's five years old, not housebroken and very mild.

She likes squeaky toys. She's afraid of grass and daylight. She likes people but doesn't trust them.

Tirz

New ebook, STRANGE HUNGERS

Click Here--MY NEW FREE EBOOK

Download my new free book off Smashwords.

My new ebook is called 'Strange Hungers: Love, Bombs & Cannibals'. It contains strange tales filled with food, danger, love and life.

You can read it on your Kindle, your e-reader, your Nook or your computer.

My other ebook is also available called "Monsters You Know".

Thanks!

Tirz