Thursday, February 22, 2018

Poetry Friday Meets a Con

Take time to enjoy more of Poetry Friday with host Elizabeth Steinglass at her blog

Remember my #OLW'18 ?




I haven't been very playful lately. Snow days and testing have wrecked HAVOC on my work schedule. Trying to fit everything back in has been slightly stressful.

Volunteer work with school librarians has been suspenseful as Virginia lawmakers proposed a bill that, in effect, will result in fewer school librarians for middle and high school students. I'm heartsick politicians champion the bill as one of "choice." I'm still working on defeating it...even as I type. 

Writing...I've so enjoyed Laura Shovan's 6th Annual February Daily Poem Project. I'm using this time as a quick write, draft-sketch of poems. I love the first rush of creativity and this has me happily producing quantity  I wish for more time to turn these drafts into quality work.

Oh, and then there's the manuscript that I've been working on... again...off again. I would love time to devote to that. 

So, how am I to find time for play?

And then....and THEN....my fifteen-year-old reminds me that I promised (back in July I made this promise) a trip to Katsucon as a birthday gift. 

Oh, yeah. I did, didn't I?

For those, like me, who have no earthly idea what Katsukon is....you can find out ALL the details here: http://www.katsucon.org/

Early last Saturday morning I found myself coffee in hand, driving a happy fifteen-year-old to what I thought was going to be a day of uuuuuuuuugggggggggggggggggggggghhh!

But guess what? It was a great day of... 

I was surrounded by hundreds of people, mostly young and a few old at play. I asked my happy fifteen-year-old, "How do you define the word, play?" The answer:



While said fifteen-year-old meandered through the con looking and gaming and chatting with friends, I played too. I found a poem about cosplay -- which appeared to be the biggest method of play I could see all around me.


anticipation bubbles 
as convention dates draw near
and all my feelings muddle
my excitement, joy and fear
we’ll get our costumes ready
all my geeky friends and I
with seams and brushes steady
wielding paint and glue and dye
we toil for love of fandom
and the characters we choose
pose solo or in tandem
in so many different shoes (read the rest here)


     
The devotion to cosplay was impressive. And, I could detect respect between players for attention to detail and ingenuity in costume creation. 




I strolled through the crowds too, collecting words and images of merchants cashing-in on others play to photographers reveling in a plethora of posing cosplayers in a fantasy world.





I got home from the con and played with my pictures and words and thought, this is just what I needed! 

Thanks, fifteen-year-old....thanks, Katsucon.






16 comments:

  1. How awesome is that?? So glad you went.
    What a terrific definition of "play"!
    I feel like there is some "getting outside yourself" in playing, sort of a forgetting, if that makes any sense. :-)

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  2. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate, Linda, and I'm so glad you got away to play. Your found word poem is great! I'll have to remember that format next time I'm somewhere it might apply.

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  3. When I followed the link, I immediately thought "play!" Thank goodness life sometimes corners us!

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  4. Wow, it looks cool and perfect for your OLW and for your daughter. I love that you brought poetry along and gathered more into a poem!

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  5. I read this early this morning and did not have a chance to write back, Linda. Play is definitely a topic worth exploring, especially in our rush-rush world. I really like the collage poem. It is a fun activity to stir our responses.

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  6. It has been a stressful time for teachers and students. I'm glad you let your 15-year-old lead you to a day of play and creativity.

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  7. Thank you for the reminder to find time to play! Thank you for sharing about Katsucon, and your found poem! I love that you used photos of "found" words to create it! I'm putting this idea in my back pocket for the SOL March challenge!

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  8. I LOOOOOVE that definition of play, which focuses on it healthy benefits rather than what the play may be--for we all enjoy different play activities! Do you and your 15yo think that play is always social? Or can noodling with your wordsnips and fonts alone at your screen also be play? : )

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  9. So this is why I'll never leave Kindergarten! :-) And I think of you as being soooo playful, Linda! Every time we pick up a pen (or start tapping the keyboard) I think we are playing, right? But I do know what you mean. All work and no play makes Jack/Jane a dull boy/girl, as the saying goes. I have found the Daily Poetry Project a huge, but exhilarating challenge, Linda. So glad I signed on! -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/

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  10. So glad you were able to make some time to play, Linda! It sounds like a fun trip. I love your word play, and I wish you much more time to play around with your projects!

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  11. I have a 15 year old too - there's nothing like hanging out with your kid! Great poem!

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  12. Katsucon -- I learned something new! Enjoyed reading about your day of play, Linda.

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  13. Hadn't heard of Katsucon, I'll ask my almost 18 year old daughter about it. Sounds like you had a wonderful time, fun poem too, thanks Linda!

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  14. Count me as another who's a teeny bit smarter now that you've introduced me to Katsucon--thank you! And while writing poetry is definitely play for me, getting OUT of my office and into the world is something I need to do, too. Thanks for the reminder, Linda!

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  15. Count me in for the needed change of scene, Linda! I got it a few weeks ago when we went to a medieval faire. I'm guessing the vibe was similar. It was fun, but I'll leave the dressing up to others. ;)

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  16. Sounds fun. My kids love dressing up in cat or pikachu or totoro cosplay suits, but we've never taken it on the road. :-) Keep going with the ms!

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Friendly, positive comments and feedback are always welcome here. Please let me know I'm not just whistling in the dark!