HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

There's a bit of a double-meaning for Wednesday, Nov. 4th....It was the 35th Birthday Celebration for Charis Books and More, AND it was my own birthday(and I'm not saying which one it was for me).
I was honored to get to Emcee the event for Featured Poets for the kick-off to AQLF(Atlanta Queer Literature Festival).
The visionary Franklin Abbott, incredibly dedicated Megan Volpert and Collin Kelley(co-directors of AQLF) and many others created a festival that is already surpassing previous festivals.
Reading on Wednesday night were, in order:Your host(me),Malika, Kristyl Dawn Tift, Alice Teeter, Louisa Merchant, Maudelle Driskoll(who was generous in giving us her time, after Sharon Sanders had to cancel), Charlene Ball, Libby Ware.
I ended the evening with a few newer poems of my own, and to round out the evening, Ken J. Martin, who treated us to some soulful music and his warm voice.
We had a very attentive audience, and approximately 50 total present, which is super!
Special thanks to all the performers, and to Charis Books and More, for sharing their celebration, and space with us(AQLF).And big hugs to Dan Morrison, who kindly filmed the entire event, and snapped a few pictures of some of us.
Afterwards, several of us landed at Brewhouse Cafe', a British pub, for decidely un-British food(wings, Greek salad, gyros, burgers)and quite a round of conversation--politics, the defeat for LGBT in Maine, and what-do-we-feel-about-President-Obama.(Me? I'm in the please-give-him-time-camp)
Thursday night(only a few hours ago, as I type this), a wonderful mix of styles at Outwrite Books' presentation of "My Diva: 65 Gay Men On The Women Who Inspire Them", a landmark piece of literature incorporating essays(some quite poetic!)by gay men recounting the influence or mentorship of a certain woman(icons, all!) in their lives.
Well-known poets Cleo Creech and Collin Kelley were featured contributors, along with the dynamo who launched this collection, Michael Montlack, as well as featured contributors Reggie Cabeco, and Jim Elledge. Delightfully, wickedly funny, and deeply poignant as well, I know the book(which I immediately purchased) will be as affecting as the reading was!
Props to Philip Rafshoon, owner of "Outwrite Books", for his great space, and his full, unending support of our(LGBT)community!
Coming up? Too many events to list, but read all about them, at the official AQLF site, below!
http://www.atlqueerlitfest.com


Peace, kids.

SATURDAY AT AQLF!!!!!!!
What a richly rewarding, healing, FUN day/night!
The morning began with no folks lined up for the acting class I had planned to give, but that's okay, because it freed me up to take a breath, and attend a couple of wonderful workshops! The first, a Prose Workshop given by Judy Doenges, had us discussing character, and the way setting can influence, and inform that character.
Collin Kelley, when asked about his "Conquering Venus", detailed how viewing Wim Wenders' "Until The End Of The World" and especially, lovely actress Jeanne Moreau, literally created one of the characters in his novel."She became what I imagine Jeanne Moreau--the person--to be."
Ms. Doenges and Kate("For The May Queen") Evans were surprised by this revelation(as was I), and this fueled more discussion.
Ms. Doenges gave us a hand-out which featured a short story by Peter Cameron, a favorite of hers.
The second workshop was with Kate Bornstein. Her views on gender/race/class identity are legendary, but it's still amazing to see and hear her, in-person.
She detailed a heirarchy that rivals the one created by Eric Maslow(Maslow's Heirarchy of Human Needs)--the one all us college kids became familiar with. The difference being, this heirarchy is one that defines methodologies that attempt to control, and/or repress us.
Despite her claims of being a completely depressed, pessimistic person most of the time, her bright light shone through. I daresay if she didn't carry some hope in her heart, she would not bother to teach the rest of us. "Hello Cruel World" is her fantastic book. Get it, read it, follow the survival tips. Her main rule? "Don't Be Mean."
It was nearly 2:00 P.M., so Robin Kemp and I headed to Landmark Diner, just down from the Forsyth Street Library, for a quick bite that turned into a rather leisurely lunch(Her--Dolmades; me--Moussakka, Greek salad, french fries, mozzarella sticks). We tried to get caught up with one another--I seldom get to see Robin(the woman works continually!), and we discussed current events.The political acumen and tremendous care she exhibits for this country was humbling. I think Robin ought to run for office!
After this, I headed back to the Library, and was treated to bookmarks, "book-thongs", and candy.
I took the train to Brookhaven, where Hansoo fetched me, and we headed off to browse at Phipps Plaza(even in this upscale mall--with boutiques like Versace, and Jimmy Choo, I saw NO ONE with purchases. Everyone, even old-money-wealthy, was simply browsing). We trundled down to Candler Park by car, to hear some pre-show poetry from Yolo, and Lakara Foster.
Lakara wowed me with her takes on relationships, women-love, bad men, and body-image(by day, she's a counselor for young women). You go, woman!
Yolo is a favorite of mine--his "We Are Not The Boys We Want" is an anthem to a sometimes-hyocritical gay mens' community."Fags Are Not Responsible", a searing indictment of the bigotry and homophobia all LGBT are familiar with.
"Skin Deep", the play that won the Larry Corse Prize for Playwrighting, a $1,000.00 award, and received its' premiere as part of AQLF was fun...lots of broad comedy, and a drag queen diva, to boot!
Sunday: 3:00 P.M.--Reginald T. Jackson will direct a show he wrote, "69", just after I give "The Woman Who Called Herself Vincent" a debut. Both are "staged readings", which means they are not-quite-polished.
I'm planning to ask for feedback, as it will help me to "shape" my telling of Vincent's life.
Then Sunday night, at Eyedrum Gallery, a big night of music and craziness, to cap off the fun five days/nights we've all had!
Peace, kids.

AQLF UPDATE!!!!!!
Wednesday night--Met Kate Evans, and was wowed by her discussion of identity "We ARE, and we ARE NOT..." our protaganists, our stories(in our works of fiction, and I would add, in our poetry--even in our "confessional" poetry, lies are told at times, to get to the larger truth.
Mark Doty was brilliant--tales of his love who has since passed, and his dogs. Tales of his new love.
And Blair! He channeled the essence of Janet and Michael Jackson, and his voice--ringing in both opera, and in his spoken-word, was deeply affecting.
Many big thank you's to:
Collin Kelley, Franklin Abbott, and the irrepressible Megan Volpert, in planning this amazing event.
I was not present for Thursday of the Fest, but you can read plenty of exciting news on AQLF, at Collin Kelley's blog.
Last night (Friday) we had a great crowd at Charis(BIG THANK YOU TO KERRIE AND ALL THE STAFF!!)--enthusiastic, and very mixed--lots of gay men, lesbians, and a couple of bi's, and some parents of the poets.....
Reginald T. Jackson always delivers in his sharp, fearless work. He read several pieces, including "Jigga-Boo..", a commentary in poetic form on hip-hop.
I read in-between each poet, meshing a bit of serious poetry and finishing the evening with my two "Orgasms"(from my nearly-completed "The Orgasm Poems"). Patrique Vosges was fun, witty and shared a bit of his fear of falling-in-love--he's a fresh voice on the scene!I had Alice Teeter read last, and her work has richness to it, but it goes down like a sorbet. She is refreshing, clever, and at times--her work devastates with its informed humanity.
Afterwards, several folks commented they'll be at Downtown Library on Sunday for the 3:00 P.M. performances from Reginald T. Jackson(who will be producing and directing his edg-y "69")and me("The Woman Who Called Herself Vincent").Sounds like Reginald's is very polished, whereas mine is still "in transition". I think I'll be able to give the audience a "sense" of Edna St. Vincent Millay.
Today, it's workshops, all day!
Check it out, at:
www.atlqueerlitfest.com
Link to Charis Books and More, to the right of this column!
Peace, kids!

If you haven't been here in a while...Please read the two previous entries here at Lisa Allender Writes, for:
*updates on AQLF(Atlanta Queer Literature Fest) and
*the letter from an older white man with a son in the Marines. He is a life-long Republican who helped found the Christian-Right...and he's voting for Obama! His letter was originally published at The Huffington Post.
For today, get a quick glimpse, via this AP report, of W... the Oliver Stone film about you-know-who. I'll definitely go see this, and I'm thrilled it will be released before this Presidential election.

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Stone shows surprising restraint with Bush pic `W'
By DAVID GERMAIN, AP Movie Writer
Oliver Stone thinks George W. Bush was unqualified to be president. However, the filmmaker found him an irresistible figure for drama.
After months of speculation over whether Stone's film biography would be a hatchet job on Bush, "W." arrives as a surprisingly empathetic — though hardly sympathetic — portrait of the president.
Stone, the historical revisionist behind the presidential sagas "JFK" and "Nixon," this time plays the provocateur by not doing what's expected of him, namely, putting Bush on a pillory.
"W." does present Bush as a man unfit to lead. And while Stone cannot resist injecting that theme with moments of sharp satire, he generally casts the president as a deeply tragic figure in far over his head, whose personal demons hold consequences for everyone else on the planet.
"I don't know who George Bush is, really. But I can tell you, it feels like him from everything we read, and we did a lot of reading," Stone said in an interview. "The guy has good, bad and ugly qualities like everyone else, but I can understand that things can get out of balance if you have the power. Certain people, if they have the say-so, can really exert their uglier side, and that is what came out, I think."
Played by Josh Brolin, Bush is presented as the black sheep of a political dynasty who surprised his own family by becoming the prodigal son that made good.
"W.," in theaters Friday, follows Bush from his boozy frat-boy days at Yale through a string of failed jobs and business enterprises and an early unsuccessful stab at politics. Perpetually in the shadow of his disapproving father, the first President Bush (James Cromwell), he eventually finds two anchors, wife Laura (Elizabeth Banks) and his born-again Christian faith.
Bush gives up drinking, though not his taste for beer. He's seen throughout his later years tipping back a bottle of nonalcoholic O'Doul's.
The film focuses on Bush's private life, a loving relationship with Laura, a competitive edge with brother Jeb, a contentious air with his father and mother (Ellen Burstyn).
Stone also crafts prolonged sequences recreating meetings at which Bush and his advisers shaped their war-on-terror policies after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Bush and company bat about language to come up with their "axis of evil" trademark for terrorist states. They backpedal to justify the invasion of Iraq after intelligence on weapons of mass destruction proves false. Vice President Dick Cheney (Richard Dreyfuss) delivers a chilling monologue about the aims of American imperialism.
The key actors on "W." share Stone's liberal leanings and came to the film already convinced Bush was a bad president. They came away from it not necessarily thinking he was a bad man.
"Everybody will be surprised in one way or another, no matter how differently you see it. It's a very human depiction of this guy's life," Brolin said. "It's an interesting, very behaviorally intense, somewhat funny, somewhat satirical, somewhat sardonic story about how this flailing guy became the president of the United States. Twice. ...
"I strangely found a lot of respect for the guy in his ability to tackle his demons. The opposite side of that is him feeling maybe that his demons were exorcised, when indeed they just came out in a different form through his presidency. The opportunities he saw that may have manifested through those, war being one of them."
While Bush talks of being called by God to run for president in "W.," Stone speaks of the movie as destined to be made.
He and screenwriter Stanley Weiser had been developing a Bush film biography throughout 2007, but Stone was planning to start production on "Pinkville," a drama about the My Lai massacre that would have been the Vietnam veteran's fourth movie about that war.
"Pinkville" fell through late last year, and Stone saw an opportunity to rush "W." into production and have it out while Bush was still in office.
"I think if we don't tell it now, no one cares for the next 20 years," co-star Banks said. "Then maybe in 20 or 30 years we care again, when we're still sort of feeling the repercussions of this administration."
Contractually, Stone could have delivered the finished film in time for the inauguration in January, but he wanted it in theaters before the election. He is cynical about its potential impact, however.
"I have no hopes. I cannot affect the dialogue. I did three Vietnam movies. Believe me, I'm humbled," Stone said. "They did nothing to prevent the country from doing the same thing in the '90s in several incidents. And then above all, the `march to Iraq 2' was devastating to the psyche of responsible American veterans. Devastating. It really hurt us, hurt our soul."
Stone later added that he hoped the film would prompt some reflection among Americans before they vote.
"Perhaps we can think about what we elected, who we elected these last eight years," Stone said. "If they see the movie, they may think about who they voted for the last time and not forget it very conveniently. If they do that at least, that's pretty good. There's at least some thinking going on.
"Unless we excite the human brain, excite the human spirit, evolution will not occur. We'll become simpler and stupider, and we may revert to Stone Age behavior before long."
Stone doesn't hold back on unflattering dramatic moments, showing a drunken Bush dancing on a bar or crashing a car into his parents' trash cans and nearly coming to blows with his father in the living room.
Such scenes are balanced with tender private times between Bush and his wife and moments of humility early in Bush's born-again conversion.
"Oliver Stone is ferociously intelligent. He is never going to give a one-sided look," said Thandie Newton, who plays Condoleezza Rice, Bush's national security adviser who later became secretary of state. "It's not going for the jugular. Absolutely not, because that would be so easy. That would be lazy, lazy, lazy, lazy. This is about finding the person, and then leaving it open for an audience to judge."
Many potential viewers may skip "W." because they already have passed judgment on Bush, Dreyfuss said.
"Those few brave band of brothers who are still for Bush won't see it, and those many who are now against Bush don't have to see it," Dreyfuss said. "I do believe that this film will be a knocked-out-of-the-ballpark winner overseas. I think every country on Earth wants to see this film, because every country on Earth has been wanting to hear Americans critique George Bush."
Co-star Scott Glenn, who plays Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, marveled that such a film could even get made, no matter whether or not viewers agree with it.
"Even though we've fallen very far, it says I think some wonderful, central thing about this country," Glenn said. "Where else could this have been done? In France? I don't think so, where they have a national board that reviews films. In Russia? Give me a break. How about Iran? A film about (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad made by Iranians and released while he's still there? China? Do you really think so?
"I mean, where else could this happen? The fact that it's happened, regardless of whether you're on the right, the left or in between, just the fact it's happened I think is a cause for celebration."
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Peace, kids.

DETAILS ON THE UPCOMING ATLANTA QUEER LITERATURE FESTIVAL:
http://atlqueerlitfest.blogspot.com/
I'm truly excited to be included in this excellent, diverse array of artists, teachers, writers, thinkers, musicians, actors.....Come OUT and support the poets and novelists you often read about on this blog! I personally will be reading at Charis Books next Friday evening, and I'll be holding an Acting Workshop on Saturday morning at the downtown library. Sunday afternoon, also at that downtown library, I am thrilled to premiere a new theatre piece, my one-woman show entitled "The Woman Who Called Herself Vincent", which is my take on the life of Edna St. Vincent Millay. I am particularly honored to be featured on the same bill with the marvelously talented playwright and actor, Reginald T. Jackson, who will perform his own new show as well!
All days/times are detailed at the above link to Atlanta Queer Lit Fest.
The talents who are HEADLINING this Festival are too numerous to list, but include: Mark Doty, Kate Bornstein, Kate Evans!
Big hugs and THANK YOU's to the incredibly dedicated Committee members who are making this happen, most especially :
Megan Volpert--exemplary teacher, she's a newlywed(Congrats, Megan!), and a brilliant, witty poet; Collin Kelley- -playwright, poet,novelist,and great human being;Franklin Abbott-- activist, poet, community organizer, saint; the well-known playwright and teacher--Larry Corse(he generously awarded $1,000.00 to this years' playwrighting winner. That play, "Skin Deep" runs several nights during the fest!), Kerri she's-so-gorgeous-I-always-get-distracted-and-forget-her-last-name--- she's talented, kind, and dedicated to LGBT concerns; C. Cleo Creech--warm,but edg-y poet with an eye for art--(and artists!),Cleo is a designer of words, and images.Yolo the Poet, the cutest gay young man you'll meet at the Fest--he has a huge following, and always makes me laugh--and think--at the same time.
Big Thanks to Cal Gough from Ponce Library too!
There are many, many others who derserve mention--these are simply the ones who leapt to mind as the folks I heard from on a regular basis during their long planning of this fab event!
Peace, kids!

UPDATE ON LISA.
I've been extremely ill the past two weeks, and did not want to have to detail this, but since I am unable to respond to all the e-mails and phone calls(THANK YOU SO MUCH, btw, I DO appreciate and feel the love!) I am receiving, it makes sense to post here, about what is going on....
Some time ago, I made arrangements to have surgery at The Cleveland Clinic for dealing with the Diverticulitis that has plagued me since June, 2003. The famed Ohio hospital has the best surgeons(particularly laprascopic gastrointestinal surgeons!) in the world. The operation was scheduled for mid-September. I arranged an unpaid, medical leave from my "job-job"(my term for a non-writing, non-performance job), and planned to rest fir a few days before flying to Ohio.
Unfortunately, I became violently ill the night before my last scheduled day of work. I was so ill, I was unable to go to work at all the last day, which made me very sad. I love my "job-job", which involves working with jewelry and accessories. It's a fun, fast-paced job where I feel very appreciated, and my fellow "team-members" are as kind and as hard-working as I am. I got sicker, and sicker, and was advised by my surgeon in Cleveland to head immediately to a local ER to get a CAT-scan to identify what was wrong.
I waited 'til the next morning; I simply felt too weak.
The morning we headed to the hospital, I was so ill I could not eat even an ice-chip without it "returning"(yuck!).
The wait was short, and the nurses, uniformly efficient, and ridiculously young and attractive "Are you a real nurse or do you just play one on T.V.?" I asked of cute brunette Nurse Jennifer(5'3", blue-eyes framed with a-young-Liz-Taylor-like-lashes), who asked "Why do say that?",clearly not understanding that my vision of nurses was shaped by old 1940's and 1950's images: older ladies wearing white dresses with white hose, and little "nurses' caps" on their heads.
Nurse Jennifer, and Nurse Jessica were a cross between the women of "Scrubs", and "Grey's Anatomy". Lots of glamour. I should add that Nurse Jennifer managed to take my blood, and insert an IV on the first try, an unbelievable feat, given the amount of sticks my tiny, almost-invisible veins normally have to endure! At 23, she was already a true professional. Nurse Jessica looked like the love-child of Jessica Alba(her coloring) and Jessica Simpson(her mouth, her figure). I wound up waiting in the CDU--Critical Decision Unit with uh, folks committed to, uh, being committed. The only bed available was there, and I learned a great deal in the hours to follow, about psychiatric meds, and discovered a wealth of security guards are assigned to these areas.
I had complained of being "so thirsty" (no surprise, since I'd had no liquids in three days!) for hours. I was on IV solution for several hours, and then presented with a 42-ounce lemon-y flavored drink to suck down in order to proceed with the CAT-scan. Be careful what you wish for, I thought. God provides. Finally, I had the CAT-scan made, and was moved to a gorgeous private room with flowers and a window. The diagnosis: Colitis. A serious intestinal disease, an inflammation of not just the Diverticular area, but "the entire region". My uncle who has suffered with Crohn's Disease for years, calls Colitis, "a cousin of Crohn's disease."
I still felt the illness I suffered was a "bacteria or virus" and I repeated this, several times.
The ER doc put me on Levaquin (an antibiotic I have used with no side effects, to treat Diverticulitis, over the years).
When I spoke with my own doctor the next day, she explained my long-planned-for surgery would be delayed a bit. "If they cut you when you have colitis, the infection can go into your bloodstream, and you can die."
and: "The surgeon cnnot cut and resew the intestines, because the tissue is not healthy. It won't hold. You have to be COMPLETELY healed."
I kept saying "I dunno. This feels like when I had e-coli, back in May, 1996. It feels like a bacterial infection. Can they test for that?"
She said they could, and I'm glad I insisted.
I had Hansoo drop off a sample (I'll spare you details here) and next day, I get a call from my gastroenterologist.
"Lisa, you have pseudomonas(spell?) colitis; it's a rare and very serious bacterial infection..
"So I was right? Is it like e.coli?"
"Yes", she began, "It's in the same class of bacteria, as a matter of fact...."
She explained only two different drugs can kill it, and one of them, I'm allergic to (Flagyl). So I'm off my old favorite, Levaquin, which is ineffective against this, and on the other one that actually can kill it, and it appears to be working well.
So the colitis may have been induced by this bacteria, or at least that's the way it appears....So.....I have a delay right now, of a few more weeks, before they will agree to perform surgery on me. Sigh.
I have in the past, asked for prayers, but I would encourage you to send prayers out to all those who are far worse off than me: those who are children, those who are without health insurance, those who are suffering in great pain, or from great loss, or going through a trauma right now.
I'm going to be great. And I can't wait 'til the surgery is over, because then I can have whatever I want to eat(any nuts, berries, seeds, baklava, lemon-poppy-seed-cake, etc.)
And know I'm thinking of all of you, every day.
I'll try to post later this week: my poem I promised you(I've misplaced it!!), and a few other poetry tid-bits, and updates on the Queer Lit Fest (which I'll be participating in!!) too.
God Bless You and keep you, kids.
Now, I'm headed back to bed. Peace, kids.