tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46794912300703597182024-03-13T05:51:04.094-07:00allegroMaya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.comBlogger368125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-78908649934302135012014-08-09T01:28:00.000-07:002014-08-09T01:28:58.822-07:00Road trip (at least, for now)Most day-to-day reflections can be found <a href="http://www.mayaganesan.tumblr.com/">here</a>.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-20804762380411622062013-05-04T22:04:00.000-07:002013-05-04T22:04:48.738-07:00"Notes from the Backyard"<b id="docs-internal-guid-3dd57245-7312-afad-e916-22758b7af267" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-3dd57245-7312-afad-e916-22758b7af267" style="font-weight: normal;">The trees
lean in.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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The last of
the autumn leaves rustle.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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Fire clouds
drift<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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languidly<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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across the
sky. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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You lift
fallen apples,<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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gather them
in your hands<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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to gauge
their weight.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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They dangle
lazily from your fingers<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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like small
planets.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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You close
your eyes.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Around you,
the ambient hum of suburbia,<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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families
sighing into dinner,<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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garages
closing their heavy eyes,<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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and you
listen like a phantom,<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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your own
opera unspooling gently. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The air
darkens.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</b>Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-73047444607494029332013-02-20T19:48:00.000-08:002013-02-20T19:49:50.860-08:00Good ideasA while ago, I posted <a href="http://www.mayaganesan.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-power-of-quiet.html">a video of Susan Cain's RSA short for "The Power of Quiet."</a> I just love animated videos like that (and this one below), especially when they're combined with some real food for thought. It's a winning combination you can't help but love.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NugRZGDbPFU" width="460"></iframe>
Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-15742647237503728412013-02-08T20:44:00.000-08:002013-02-08T20:44:44.331-08:00Food for the Brain (and Soul)I've read so many spectacular articles lately and have wanted to write about each one. Unfortunately, that would take me way too long, so I'm sharing a few of them here in a link roundup:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/08/the-race-to-the-bottom.html">Seth Godin: The race to the bottom</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/28/maira-kalman-creative-mornings/">Maira Kalman: "To have an empty brain is a complete delight."</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/12/07/why-does-a-southern-drawl-sound-uneducated-to-some/?utm_source=Twitter%20%28%40UChicago%29&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Social%20Media">The science of vocal stereotyping</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/opinion/americas-genius-glut.html?src=rechp">America's genius glut</a></li>
<li><a href="http://literaryjukebox.brainpickings.org/post/35269576577">Wise words from Ted Hughes</a></li>
<li><a href="http://thisibelieve.org/essay/39783/">Kevin Kelly on the kindness of strangers</a></li>
</ul>
Happy reading! I hope you enjoy these just as much as I do.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-64786891465307512322013-02-01T17:10:00.001-08:002013-02-01T17:10:57.939-08:00National Poetry Month 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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National Poetry Month starts in just two months! I'm particularly excited because I have recommitted myself to participating in NaPoWriMo, so this April will hopefully be a productive one. To get yourself excited, take a look at this year's <i>beautiful </i>poster (<a href="http://www.poets.org/posterRequest.php">and order your free copy while supplies last</a>):<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yyduvHZ69Q8/UQxm2e9cHOI/AAAAAAAAE9s/DlGwtKbYl9k/s1600/npm2013_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yyduvHZ69Q8/UQxm2e9cHOI/AAAAAAAAE9s/DlGwtKbYl9k/s320/npm2013_poster.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-56280930350018191102013-01-30T13:57:00.000-08:002013-02-14T12:36:56.466-08:00On Reaching Goals"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it's just not that good. It's trying to be good, it has potential, but it's not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn't have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I've ever met. It's gonna take a while. It's normal to take a while. You've just gotta fight your way through." --Ira Glass<br />
<br />
Edit: Coincidentally, I just discovered this quote on another blog, albeit with a cool graphic. <a href="http://www.thecurtiscasa.com/2013/02/on-evolving-style.html">Take a look</a>.<br />
<br />Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-50985814935098384992013-01-27T16:50:00.004-08:002013-02-14T13:01:49.640-08:00"Froth"Beneath the dying Mexican sun,<br />
the tide carried us on its shoulders<br />
and promised us one last time<br />
that we were giants.<br />
<br />
We came out of the sea,<br />
limp weeds clinging to our water-worn ankles,<br />
dried cheeks stinging.<br />
The blue sang behind us, foaming,<br />
chasing our salt-flaked legs.<br />
<br />
<i>Come back</i>, it called.<br />
We stumbled away, blinded by the softening darkness.<br />
<br />
From behind windows,<br />
we gazed out:<br />
the moon rising like a tributary halo.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-82326410139967080862013-01-01T00:00:00.001-08:002013-02-14T13:02:08.935-08:00"Song for the New Year"The trees lean in.<br />
The last of the autumn leaves rustle.<br />
<br />
The wind crinkles<br />
and stirs the basket in your hands.<br />
<br />
Today, you are here,<br />
in the crisp cusp of morning,<br />
shivering. <br />
<br />
Somewhere, a teacher erases a blackboard.<br />
A student erases an answer.<br />
You drag your soles across patterns in the mud.<br />
Erasure, closure,<br />
beginning.<br />
<br />
You reach into your ocean heart<br />
and pull out promises,<br />
words smooth and rough, tall and small.<br />
<br />
Today we learn resilience,<br />
purpose, faith, strength.<br />
Chance, forgiveness, possibility.<br />
<br />
You close your eyes.<br />
The sky broadens and lightens.<br />
The market opens its doors.<br />
<br />
The lights flick on like tongues<br />
lapping at your heels.<br />
<br />
Forward.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-29256048627756509682012-12-19T01:17:00.000-08:002012-12-19T01:17:45.345-08:00Reinventing WorkOne of my favorite things about the end of the year is that it's a perfect opportunity to reflect on your year and start thinking about improvements you can make for the next year, in all aspects of your life. Arguably, one of the most important things that we as a society can collectively improve on is our work ethic. In 1949, William Reilly wrote a book entitled <i>How to Avoid Work</i>, which discusses the long-debated issue of passion versus conventional, "safe" careers. I find it especially apt for the time of year, because it gives me a few things to think about as we move into a brand-new year, brimming with possibility and opportunity. Here are some gems from his book.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To my mind, the world would be a much pleasanter and more civilized
place to live in, if everyone resolved to pursue whatever is closest to
his heart’s desire. We would be more creative and our productivity would
be vastly increased. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Altogether too much emphasis, I think, is being placed on what we <em>ought</em> to do, rather than what we <em>want</em> to do.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
For you, life can be a succession of glorious adventures. Or it can be a monotonous bore.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Take your choice!</blockquote>
The following snippet is perhaps my favorite because it speaks to every single one of us. I can't begin to count the number of times I've used lack of time as an excuse not to do something. I think we can all benefit from learning a little about how to use our time! <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The next time you feel that you ‘haven’t the time’ to do what you really
want to do, it may be worthwhile for you to remember that you have as
much time as anyone else — twenty-four hours a day. How you spend that
twenty-four hours is really up to you. </blockquote>
(via <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/12/14/how-to-avoid-work/">Brain Pickings</a>) Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-88985446562784470772012-12-02T13:45:00.000-08:002013-02-14T13:02:22.808-08:00"Nocturnal"Even though it's December (hooray!), I still thought it would be fun to continue posting a few more of my poems from the November PAD challenge. This one is from <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2012-november-pad-chapbook-challenge-day-29">Day 29</a>.<br />
<br />
White walls.<br />
White lights.<br />
Bleach. Disinfectant.<br />
Linoleum floors<br />
that squeal under wet shoes.<br />
Machines hum<br />
in hypnosis.<br />
This ward is a jungle.<br />
Bones wait, fluttering,<br />
curious, <br />
wings ready.<br />
You are breathless.<br />
You wrap your cold fingers <br />
around her warm ones,<br />
stare at charts and graphs<br />
like you know what they mean.<br />
Clock. Rain. Chair.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-19277699921728038292012-11-29T22:45:00.000-08:002012-11-29T22:45:31.203-08:00"Rinse and Repeat"I toss a prickly weed across the grass.<br />
Dirt sinks into my fingernails,<br />
runs itself deep between skin and keratin. <br />
I stack memories in the hole in the ground,<br />
lather them into the postwar cavity.<br />
<br />
You are easy to wash away.<br />
I dig my fingers under another thorny vine,<br />
pull apart its roots like strands of hair.<br />
The sky grays over my head.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-62013547335123653802012-11-25T18:53:00.001-08:002013-05-24T23:18:22.373-07:00"In the Heart of Winter"*taken down*Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-20079512553803459712012-11-25T08:16:00.000-08:002012-11-25T08:16:00.752-08:00"How to Listen"I really like posting these PAD poems. This one is from <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2012-november-pad-chapbook-challenge-day-17">Day 17</a>.<br />
<br />
When I was in fifth grade,<br />
my teacher taught us to listen.<br />
We had to hush impossibly<br />
while she played cassettes of Maya Angelou,<br />
Bill Cosby, even Randy Travis.<br />
She told us to pay attention to the way they sculpted language.<br />
It made me cry every time.<br />
We'd watch from our seats,<br />
carefully waiting,<br />
and when the words tumbled out<br />
like butterflies bursting from their cocoons<br />
we were quiet<br />
and we listened,<br />
silent but restless,<br />
fluttering our wings.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-70210977103471358552012-11-24T18:22:00.001-08:002012-11-24T20:22:43.491-08:00The Power of Quiet<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rUaj7rj6MI8" width="500"></iframe><br />
<br />
Those of you who know me well (or <a href="https://twitter.com/mayaganesan/status/247846663081848832">follow me on Twitter</a>) know that I'm a proud introvert and, therefore, a big fan of Susan Cain, who's done probably more work than anyone else in championing the benefits of introversion. She gave <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts.html">a highly-celebrated TED Talk</a> earlier this year, and her book "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" (long title, I know!) has been buzzed about a lot. <br />
<br />
The video above, which is an animation of <a href="http://www.thersa.org/events/video/vision-videos/quiet">Susan's RSA talk</a>, is an absolute gem. (via <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/10/23/susan-cain-molly-crabapple-rsa/">Brain Pickings</a>)Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-55023901639113492252012-11-24T17:29:00.000-08:002012-11-24T20:05:30.714-08:00"The Truth About Love"<a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2012-november-pad-chapbook-challenge-day-24">PAD Challenge Day 24</a>. <br />
<br />
What was it about her?<br />
Why not the waitress at your favorite diner<br />
or the girl you bumped into at the supermarket?<br />
I learned early on that you crave the impossible,<br />
but there you stood, eyes focused like a telescope,<br />
when you turned and said to me,<br />
<em>She's the one</em>.<br />
How did you know?<br />
<br />
Was it the way she smiled at you<br />
on the street? Was it the way she laughed<br />
till her eyes sparkled, like she'd never been allowed to laugh before?<br />
Or maybe it was the way she grabbed you by the shoulders,<br />
spun you around,<br />
and said,<br />
<em>Look at me</em>,<br />
and for the first time, you didn't hesitate. Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-39649493349378149712012-11-23T22:15:00.001-08:002012-11-24T17:15:14.788-08:00"Deep"This poem is from <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2012-november-pad-chapbook-challenge-day-23">today's PAD Challenge</a>. <br />
<br />
Did you think I could forget?<br />
The way each word slipped out<br />
like an unforgiving secret,<br />
stealing a dirty glimpse of air<br />
before dissolving into ash.<br />
The way you spoke<br />
made me think you were lost,<br />
spitting up poetry from your frothing lips<br />
as you stumbled <br />
through each thick, slow day.<br />
<br />
Time runs deep.<br />
You wrap it around your cuts<br />
like a bandaid,<br />
a savior,<br />
protecting yourself from the memory of <br />
the night you called and begged <i>Help me</i><br />
and I didn't come.<br />
I pretended I didn't know your name.<br />
Should I have told the truth?Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-40514268965792854792012-11-03T18:46:00.001-07:002012-11-03T18:46:02.843-07:00November PAD Challenge! I am so excited to be participating in the November PAD (poem-a-day) challenge. We're on day 3 already and it has been so much fun! It's not too late to join in. For daily prompts and more poetic camaraderie, visit <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/poetic-asides">Poetic Asides</a>.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-61713196709810156842012-10-26T23:23:00.000-07:002012-10-26T23:24:57.163-07:00OctoberThe long summer quickly dissolved into temperatures that stung cheeks and seeped into floorboards, the wind ripping into town like a circus. Everyone knew it had been a strange year, with strange seasons.<br />
<br />
On this particular morning, as it did every weekday, the faded school bus creaked its way along the road, sinking every now and then into potholes before lifting itself up and continuing on as if nothing had happened. You and I stood there, cracking leaves under our feet.<br />
<br />
Behind foggy windows, small faces peered out at us, at the greenness that seemed to go on forever. It was like being lost in one giant party—meeting each trunk, saying hello, and forgetting about each other in an instant.<br />
<br />
And so it unfolded in the frozenness of the morning, as we stood among the trees shedding their coats. We unzipped ours and pretended we were just another pair of them, human dendrites in a field of giants. As the groan of wheels and tired faces disappeared into exhaust, we sat in stiff leaves and lost ourselves in the bed of our fallen summer.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-8862254602582074282012-09-24T23:02:00.004-07:002012-11-24T17:15:41.167-08:00My birthday!Today was my fifteenth birthday! I can scarcely believe it myself; the time has gone by so quickly. Reflecting on the last year of my life, I'm so proud of some of the things I've been able to accomplish and I can look back on being fourteen with a great deal of pleasure. I couldn't be more excited to jump into my fifteenth year of life.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-59301235368437112692012-07-16T22:57:00.001-07:002012-11-24T17:15:56.010-08:00"Retelling"I. <br />
Four hundred and fifty eight destinations cross<br />
under glimmering neon signs<br />
and the bass that thumps through your heart<br />
<br />
II.<br />
Stumble in.<br />
We'll welcome you<br />
into our bubbly room of swaying walls<br />
and sloppy smiles.<br />
<br />
III.<br />
Look out the window.<br />
The night closes in upon us,<br />
slowly,<br />
slowly.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-48674437831497765532012-07-08T00:25:00.003-07:002012-07-08T00:25:54.645-07:00June press roundup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm just catching up with blogging, so I thought I would share some of my interviews and "press clippings" (how fancy does that make me sound!) from the past month. </div>
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For the Redmond centennial poetry project, mentioned <a href="http://mayaganesan.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-have-i-been-up-to-lately.html">here</a>, one of our local newspapers (the Redmond Patch) did a feature story! You can check out the full interview (plus a cameo from yours truly) <a href="http://redmond.patch.com/articles/centennial-poetry-reading-brings-redmond-s-100-year-history-to-life">HERE</a>!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_6eNB8GH-c/T_kzU1lvmVI/AAAAAAAAE0M/eMkcVRE7uDU/s1600/Speaker-interview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_6eNB8GH-c/T_kzU1lvmVI/AAAAAAAAE0M/eMkcVRE7uDU/s320/Speaker-interview.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The above image is a screenshot of an interview I did in preparation for the Digital Family Summit (see my recap of it <a href="http://mayaganesan.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-have-i-been-up-to-lately.html">here</a>). You can read the full piece right <a href="http://www.digitalfamilysummit.com/2012/speaker-interview-maya-ganesan/">HERE</a>. And, as I mentioned in the last couple of lines...</div>
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yes, book #2 is being written as you read this. :) </div>
<br />Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-49135979892949694032012-07-03T22:22:00.000-07:002013-02-14T14:34:50.868-08:00What have I been up to lately?I realize I've been noticeably quiet for the past few months, and therefore it's necessary for me to check in on what I've been up to. I got involved in a project celebrating Redmond's centennial through poetry, and we worked on writing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekphrasis">ekphrastic poetry</a> through April and May. We had our final culminating event on June 9th at SoulFood Books in Redmond, which was a total blast!<br />
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<i>after the event with Redmond poet laureate Rebecca Meredith</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I re-started </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/mayaganesan" style="background-color: white;">my Twitter page</a><span style="background-color: white;">, which I abandoned back in 2009. I also wrapped up my freshman year of high school, and I'm happily enjoying my summer!</span><br />
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One of the first things I did to kick off my summer was catch up on sleep. Almost immediately afterwards, I started packing, and on Thursday we flew out to Philadelphia for <a href="http://www.digitalfamilysummit.com/">Digital Family Summit</a>. It was my first time in Philly, and I absolutely loved my time there! As <a href="http://mayaganesan.blogspot.com/2012/06/digital-family-summit.html">I previously mentioned</a>, I was a part of a three-person teen panel titled "Growing Up Digital" (the subject matter is pretty self-explanatory, I think!). Being a part of this panel and meeting such an incredible variety of people was such a treat!<br />
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<i>View from our hotel room</i></div>
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<i>Walking through downtown Philadelphia</i></div>
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<i>Our wonderful panel!</i></div>
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<i>The fabulous Stephanie Schwab (one of 3 hardworking organizers!)</i></div>
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<i>The stage in the gorgeous Sheraton ballroom</i></div>
Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-12564380462377158982012-06-25T14:32:00.001-07:002012-06-27T11:12:26.075-07:00Digital Family Summit!I'm so excited to speak at the Digital Family Summit in Philadelphia this weekend! I will be part of a 3-person panel on Saturday, June 30 ("Growing Up Digital"). You can check out the full schedule at <a href="http://www.digitalfamilysummit.com/">www.digitalfamilysummit.com</a>!Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-62023765688566307352012-05-16T00:00:00.001-07:002012-05-25T16:41:52.510-07:00Collaboration 3I love doing collaborative poems, and I especially loved doing this with the fabulous Holly of <a href="http://www.tangerine-eater.com/">Eating a Tangerine</a>. We wanted to do something less structured than poetry, but still with a flow to it -- something that maybe felt more like a train of thought. Here's our attempt. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />
May Day:<br />
lights turned to heartbeats in the <br />
night-wide ceiling...<br />
<br />
inexplicable dead flower petals on the floor when I wake.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
breath of a cold memory,<br />
falling across my lips --<br />
& outside, the world slips by:<br />
broken photo frames, shattered laugh,<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
beheading<br />
dead roses and facts, a childish <br />
axe before I park my own<br />
<br />
head in some liquid<br />
state<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
the air is cold<br />
but i do not<br />
b r e a t h e<br />
<br />
i blush daydrops into the windows<br />
of cars as i pass by:<br />
destruction part deux.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
wind<br />
and all lean with lowered lids<br />
our faces into<br />
the sun<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
searching for something<br />
else behind light<br />
erasing shadows<br />
from the corners of our eyes<br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
late light running along behind the trees,<br />
behind the train's windows.<br />
"I've never ridden this train before dark before."<br />
my fingertips here under your eyes are words. I promise.<br />
(tastes something like soju,)<br />
promise me you'll listen, tired as you are.<br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
a story behind this madness.<br />
leave the glitter behind and open the window,<br />
the wind is a free child tangling our hair.<br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
evening-deep<br />
in the atlantic -- am I<br />
swallowed by the sea<br />
or wearing it?<br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
the neon lights dance,<br />
spreading into a wasteland of<br />
gold and silver.<br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
under a canopy of electric<br />
lights and<br />
skirts, reading and rereading,<br />
for the memories my eyelids carry,<br />
<em>A Prayer In Time Of Trouble</em>Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679491230070359718.post-5927461656108432762012-04-14T21:18:00.007-07:002012-11-23T22:23:02.186-08:00"Fireflies"Under the fading peach of the sky,<br />
buildings glimmer<br />
with ochre shadows:<br />
<br />
the color of late-night visits to the diner<br />
and sweet, sticky air.<br />
<br />
City falling into delirious semi-sleep,<br />
we collect fireflies in our hands<br />
and feel the rustle of wings<br />
against our fragile palms.<br />
<br />
The lady in the striped apron<br />
wipes down the counter,<br />
mopping days of grime onto her towel.<br />
<br />
Laugh.<br />
Open your hands <br />
and watch dancing lights<br />
fade into fluorescence.Maya Ganesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15981552119449526456noreply@blogger.com