Iowa on My Mind

Yesterday I returned from a week in Iowa City, where I attended the last session of the 21st annual Iowa Summer Writing Festival. I participated in a workshop entitled "Passionate Revision" led by a fabulous instructor named Lon Otto.

It's rare, I believe, to make new friends at my age, but that's just what I did. I spent the majority of my week bonding with amazing people who not only have a passion for writing and revision, but who have an appreciation for the writing process and compassion for fellow storytellers. What an honor and a pleasure to brainstorm, chat, converse and get to know them all.

And, after months of questioning my writing and wondering if I'm wasting my time plugging away at my novel, I received some much-needed validation, encouragement and advice from Lon. What a swell guy.

So, now I'm energized to continue with my project, knowing that I have a whole new set of friends to turn to for feedback and support. How fortuitous that I decided to go to Iowa and picked the workshop that I did. But, then again, I have the feeling that this was all in the stars for me.

Feeling a Little Restless

This is my last full week of "freedom" -- well, being as unencumbered as one can be when working 5 early-morning hours per weekday -- before I head out to the Iowa Summer Writers Festival then return to start my new full-time gig.

I'm super-cognizant of not "wasting" any of this precious time. I feel like I should be going for swims at the Santa Monica pool and going to spin class in the middle of the day or strolling random farmers markets or taking my beach cruiser out for afternoon jaunts. But, I haven't done much more than veg on the couch and watch TV (when not in front of the computer working) for the last two days.

I found out why I've been feeling restless yet unmotivated to make the most of my last hurrah.(Lunar cycles and all that jazz.) It's just as well, though. It's been seven months of this great hiatus. Of course, I didn't do everything I aspired to, but I did do a little bit of everything, so I have no regrets. It's time for me to get back on the career bandwagon...or at least focus on a solid job with good benefits for the time being.

And, though my new gig is not of the "sexy" entertainment-industry variety, I have a very good feeling about it, and about the people I'll be working with. They seem smart, capable and very decent. That may sound very basic, but given where I've come from, that's a luxury.

Best of all, after all sorts of sketchy experiences, it looks like I've finally gotten myself into a large company that isn't afraid or contemptuous of black people, evidenced by the sheer numbers. Besides my short stint at a black-owned and operated company (really, I have to pinch myself -- was that a dream?), I've found myself at companies large and small that I always gave the benefit of the doubt, although there were suspiciously low numbers of black employees, or my pay was suspiciously lower than colleagues with the same title and job responsibilities, or my title was suspiciously sub-par than that of co-workers with far less experience, educational background, job responsibilities and accomplishments.

Bygones. All those shitty job situations and bosses have made me a shrewder, stronger, sharper and smarter person. And, now that those lessons have been learned, I'm hoping this next job adventure will be a positive, wild ride with great rewards.

If not, at least the perks and the 401K plan are good!

Vive la France!

Sunday was a lovely day, so I headed to Bergamot Station with a friend to the Bastille Day celebration. It was small and quaint -- nice, but not quite worth the $5 entrance fee and the long, long walk from our faraway parking space.

Later in the evening, we hit a showing of "Ratatouille" at the Century City AMC. (It's a great theater with stadium seating, yet not so great if you have to sit in the third row. ARGH!). The movie was definitely one of my faves from the Disney/Pixar canon. It never ceases to amaze me how skilled the Pixar folks are at good old-fashioned storytelling. The score was great and the end titles were both fun and inspiring. Bravo to them!

Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart? I Doooooo!

This song has been stuck in my head since I was joking about it at "Singalong Sound of Music" two weekends ago. Of course, the part I really can't get out of my head (the end, Apu sings "I doooo") isn't translated here, but you'll get the idea.

There's a promotional Kwik-E-Mart on Venice and Sepulveda. I drove past after midnight this morning and there was *still* a line snaking outside. I hope to get in sometime before The Simpsons Movie publicity ends ... sheesh, what's the deal -- are they giving away a bag of coke to sprinkle with each box of Krusty-Os?!

Makes Me Wanna SCREAM!

COMPARE AND CONTRAST:

Utah man who had sex with girl, 13, is sentenced
From the Associated Press
July 11, 2007

WEST JORDAN, UTAH — A judge sentenced the son of an imprisoned Utah polygamist to 180 days in jail Tuesday for having sex with a 13-year-old girl he met on the Internet site MySpace.

William Green, 19, must avoid pornography, stay out of Internet chat rooms and pay a $500 fine, District Court Judge Royal Hansen said.

"He's a remorseful kid," said Green's lawyer, David Leavitt. "He's married and has full-time work. I think you'll see this is a blip on the radar screen."

Green was charged with rape but pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.

His father, Tom Green, 58, went to prison in 2001 for having sex with a 13-year-old girl when he was 37.

The girl was the first of five women he took as wives. He also was convicted of bigamy and criminal non-support for the thousands of dollars in state payments made to support his 32 children.

Green is scheduled to be released from prison Aug. 7.

Leavitt, who prosecuted Tom Green, said William Green was a victim because he grew up in an environment where there was no sensitivity to age-appropriate sex.

WITH:

Editorial
Free Genarlow Wilson Now
From The New York Times
Published: December 21, 2006

Genarlow Wilson loves reading mystery novels and can’t wait for the next Harry Potter book. The 20-year-old former high school football player and honor student works in a library, the perfect job for a young bookworm. Unfortunately, that is where the good news ends and a genuine horror story of this country’s legal system begins.

The library in Georgia where Mr. Wilson works is in prison. He is two years into a sentence for engaging in consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl at a New Year’s Eve party when he was 17. He won’t be eligible for parole until he has served 10 years, essentially sacrificing his remaining youth to an obvious miscarriage of justice.

As Shaila Dewan reported in The Times this week, Mr. Wilson has been convicted of aggravated child molestation even though he and the girl were both minors at the time. Even if he could win an early release, Mr. Wilson could not go home to his family. He would have to register as a sex offender and would be prohibited from living with his 8-year-old sister. It is all the more disgraceful because the Georgia Supreme Court last week refused to hear his appeal.

The sexual act took place during a party involving sex, marijuana and alcohol, all captured on a graphic videotape. But that does not make Mr. Wilson a child molester. When high school students engage in consensual sexual activity, that is not the same as an adult molesting a teenager or a teenager molesting a child.

What makes this case more absurd is that if Mr. Wilson and the young woman had sexual intercourse, he would have been guilty only of a misdemeanor and not required to register as a sex offender, thanks to a provision in the law meant to avoid just this type of draconian punishment for consensual youthful indiscretions, the “Romeo and Juliet” exception. And since Mr. Wilson’s conviction, the law has been changed to exempt oral sex as well. But the courts say that can’t help Mr. Wilson retroactively.

His lawyer is planning to file a habeas petition seeking his release. The courts need to grant it and expunge his record so that Mr. Wilson can return to his family and his once promising academic career. Legislators in other states should take notice and make sure that their own laws do not catch children in dragnets designed for predatory adults.

WHAT THE EFF???!!!