Last week, I found out that Elvis Costello has a country album, Almost Blue. It came out in 1981. Which means I was only one year into my life when this genius was released to the world. And then a bonus disc was released in 1994. And then again in 2004.
The thing is that somehow, I’ve lived basically my entire life without realizing this album existed. Mostly, I want to know a) why no one ever told me b) how I could be so willfully ignorant and c) WHY LIFE IS SO HARD.
I’m happy to have discovered this album now, but I feel a deep and abiding sadness because I’ve kind of wasted 30 years of my life. I’ll be honest, my heart is bruised.
Luckily I have some other happinesses recently that aren’t tinged with sorrow. Boat loads of publications!
3 poems in Prick of the Spindle – and make sure to read CL Bledsoe’s “Reynard in Love” while you’re poking around over there. Christ, it’s good.
2 super shorts in Corium’s astoundingly impressive anniversary (Michael Kimball! Robert Lopez! Donna Vitucci! Rusty Barnes! Sean Lovelace!! It’s a party AND A HALF).
A piece up in mud luscious, sharing pages with a poem by Troy Urquhart that will make your heart stop. But only for a second. It’s not a death poem or anything.
A short story up in Dark Sky Magazine featuring sexual fantasies about Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT.
And here is where I do a good deed by urging you to read Alissa Nutting’s Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls as soon as possible if you haven’t already because its genius is on par with an Elvis Costello + Patsy Cline song baby.
No, seriously. The reason you keep hearing from everyone about how great this book is is because it’s a great fucking book. The longer you wait to read it, the more your happiness is going to be tinged with despair for waiting so long. Don’t let this be your Almost Blue. Don’t make life harder for yourself.
{ungraceful animals} 