Will the Real Melinda Palacio Please Stand?

Melinda Palacio

???

With the new year comes a new type of identity nightmare thanks to the DMV's new Real ID rules. I spent Tuesday morning getting a real ID or Real Drivers License at the suggestion of friends who said it would be best to jump on board before the big deadline crunch of October 2020. I think my friends caused me to panic unnecessarily. But as I give more and more of my privacy and rights away to social media, DNA testing, and convenient ways, such as a thumbprint, to access my phone and other online accounts, I wonder if this isn't the beginning of the end. Perhaps, it's time to reread George Orwell's 1984. If you do make it to your local DMV for a REAL ID or REAL Drivers License, be prepared to bring a stack of files. They will require your passport, your social security card or other proof of your social security number, your current license or ID, an extra proof of residency such as a medical form, and they take your picture and thumbprint. The only thing they do not need at this time is a retinal scan and some spit or your DNA.

Melinda Palacio

I can only hope that a change in administration will come with the new year. However, I don't think it will be possible to go back to the days of anonymity and privacy being a right and a choice. In the meantime, books continue to offer a way for us to tell our stories.

A new journal in town, Santa Barbara Literary Journal 

There's a new outlet for stories, poems, and songs in Santa Barbara. Silver Webb is the editor of the Santa Barbara Literary Journal. La Bloga promises an interview with her in the near future, most likely after the holidays. My poem in the journal is titled ICE DETENTION, Tornillo Texas. The song I wrote and shared on La Bloga on October 4, 2019, All at the Border, is a companion piece to the new poem. Lately, I've been adding more songs to my poetry repertoire. The poem is in the 4th volume of the SB Lit Journal, "Stardust" and features a special interview with T.C. Boyle. The issue's guest poetry editor was Chella Courington. Three Santa Barbara poets were available to read their contributions. You do not have to be from Santa Barbara to send a submission. Submissions for volume 5 of the Santa Barbara Literary Journal open in March.

Chella Courington, Melinda Palacio, Silver Webb, Sojourner K. Rolle, and  Luna Vallejo-Howard

The poetry reading for the Santa Barbara Literary Journal took place last Sunday. I was happy to join in as I missed the big launch for the issue in November at the Santa Barbara Library. Eric Kelley, owner of the Book Den hosted the reading. Eric has been a supporter of the arts for over 40 years. Over the past decade, I've had the pleasure of having a few book signings at the Book Den. Eric bought the bookstore 40 years ago and has survived and outlasted six book stores in downtown Santa Barbara including: Tecolote, Borders, Barnes & Noble, The Earthling, and Granada Books who have all closed with the the exception of Tecolote Books that remains in nearby Montecito. The flagship Borders in Goleta also closed several years ago. The Book Den is an establishment that began in 1902 in Oakland. Chaucer's still remains in Loretto Plaza, near Harry's, but the Book Den is the last holdout downtown Santa Barbara.


On this Friday the 13th, support your local, independent bookstores. Cheers and Merry Christmas.

Melinda Palacio and Eric Kelley

Two Literary Events: Cole Cohen's Memoir and the Poetry Zone Features Juan Delgado and Carol DeCanio

Melinda Palacio

Cole Cohen

Cole Cohen has a hole in her brain. Read the memoir about how she finally learned what was missing and her resilience in overcoming the disabilities associated with having been born without a section of her brain, completing her MFA, and writing a compelling memoir: Head Case. Cole's mini book tour ended yesterday with a party at Harry's after another successful reading at Chaucer's Bookstore in Santa Barbara. She answered five questions for La Bloga. 

1.

La Bloga:

I was interested in hearing more about a question that someone asked at your UCSB reading. Specifically, how did you go from writing backwards and getting in trouble with the teacher for not conforming (at least it sounded as if the teachers were a bit judgmental and unkind about your disability) to deciding you were going to get your MFA and become a writer?

Cole Cohen:

To me, these are not incompatible! The teacher who helped me with my backwards writing was my first grade teacher, who also taught us to sound out poems by Emily Dickinson and William Blake. She also encouraged us to write our poems. I started then and never looked back, I was lucky enough to have a great teacher who made all the difference in my life early on.

2.

La Bloga: 

Your great relationship  with your boss Emily Zinn sounds great and unusual. Can you tell us more about her influence in the book and what, if anything, she did to help you along?

Cole Cohen: 

Emily Zinn, the Associate Director at the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center at UCSB, where we both work, knows that everyone who works at the IHC wears a variety of hats. I work with parents, professors, playwrites, and grad students. We all care deeply about the humanities for both personal and professional reasons. Emily is essential in creating an environment that allows me to pursue both my writing and my work at the IHC, and to see how they're connected. 

3.

La Bloga:

In addition to the diagnosis being a huge relief, you've also made a big splash with the book, including an excerpt in Vogue, interviews on NPR and a cover story in the Santa Barbara Independent. What was the moment when you realized something important and more than noteworthy was happening with your book?

Cole Cohen:

There hasn't been one moment but the book is really about connecting with people who feel different and alone, so I'm really glad that it's finding its way in the world.

Cole Cohen's memoir, Head Case (Macmillan 2015)

4.

La Bloga:

Your disability is somewhat invisible. Can you talk a little about what has been the most challenging in getting institutions such as Social Security to recognize your disability? 

And does it bother you when people without holes in their brains tell you stuff like, 'oh, I'm bad at math' or 'I can't tell my left from my right' or 'I forget things all the time'?

Cole Cohen:

I had to figure out how to work within a big system that isn't ready-made for unique conditions, so it took extra work to make it work for me. That said, I'm glad that there is support even if it's labyrinthine. It actually  helps me when when people relate, it doesn't bother me at all. 

Cole Cohen at UCSB

5.

La Bloga:

Finally, I've very impressed with you. I'm sure if you had a whole brain, you would be a genius, considering you don't go around wearing your disability on your sleeve. At least, I've known you for about a year now and I had no idea you had this gaping hole in your brain. I attributed your condition to being shy. Are you used to trying to mask your condition or tired of explaining yourself or?

Cole Cohen:

No, I'm not trying to mask or tired of explaining myself, I'm pretty open about my condition. That said, when I first meet people I don't lead with that information because it's just one facet of who I am. It always turns up organically the more time that I spend with new friends, just as I'm also learning more about who they are.

Next Saturday. Santa Barbara Poet Laureate, Sojourner Kincaid Rolle hosts The Poetry Zone, same time, new venue. 

June 13, The Poetry Zone Moves to the Book Den, 4pm, 

15 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Saturday's features are Juan Delgado and Carol DeCanio

Juan Delgado

Juan Delgado has been poet-in-residence at the University of Miami. He is a professor of creative writing, Chicano literature, and poetry at California State University, San Bernardino. Read more about him at the Poetry Foundation.

Carol DeCanio

Santa Barbara poet, Carol DeCanio is also a photographer and the recipient of an individual artist award from The Arts Fund. She was CASA Magazine's poetry columnist for 6 years and published her first poem in a Harvard newspaper in 1969. 

California Dreamers, Book Givers, and Poets

Melinda Palacio

World Book Givers Emma Trelles and Melinda Palacio

I arrived in California a week ago, amidst the buzz of poetry month in Santa Barbara. April is national poetry month in case you are wondering why your local barista is turning sonnets instead of steaming your cappuccino. The first poetry event I attended was a big ticket team of Billy Collins and Aimee Mann at UCSB's Campbell Hall. The combination of poet and rock star was superb. The two luminaries met at the White House and there was much banter and references to their having met at the President's request.

I don't begrudge them their numerous White House references. I'm sure if I ever found myself reading poetry at Obama's request, I wouldn't let anyone forget my presidential invite. Thanks to my friend Diana, I had a seat in row D with no one in front of me. The parley of poetry and musical performance felt intimate, even though Campbell Hall at UCSB is a large theater. My favorite song that Aimee Mann performed was the last one, written by Harry Nilson, "One Is the Loneliest Number." The song was made famous by Three Dog Night. Aimee Mann's haunting rendition brought out the song's sadness.

Sunday Poets: Susan Chiavelli, Katie Ingram, Sojourner K Rolle, Fran Davis, Steve Beisner, Melinda Palacio,
Toni Lorien, Alison Bailey and Marcia Meier

A few days later, I participated in the 10th annual SantaBarbara Sunday Poets read at the Book Den. The facebook invite looked pretty grim with six people going and five maybes. However, we ended up with a standing room only crowd that snaked to the door. Many of the numerous weekend book browsers stayed for our event. The Book Den is Santa Barbara's oldest bookstore, established in 1902, and Eric Kelley recently celebrated his 35th year as owner. Eric didn't have enough chairs for our poetry fans, but it was wonderful being surrounded by books and people while we read spring poems in honor of poetry month. I love it when poetry elicits such enthusiasm.

SRO Crowd for Sunday Poets at the Book Den

Last Wednesday, April 26, was World Book Night, where people around the globe give away books on Shakespeare's birthday. Poet Emma Trelles signed up to be a book giver and enlisted my help. When I arrived at the bookstore, they had an extra box of poetry books. We stopped people on the street and plied them with a free book of 100 Best-Loved Poems, edited by Phillip Smith, or a novel by Diane Ackerman, The Zookeeper's Wife.

World Book Takers and Giver

Cyclist Ryan was happy to receive free books.

This lady was on her way to the library to return a book.
She couldn't believe we were giving her  free books.

Emma is really good with talking to strangers, and talking in general. Her journalism skills are always on. Listen to her interview on the Writer's Cafe; she sort of takes over towards the end. 

Emma listening to a lecture on Andre Breton, surrealism and guitars.

When our first possible book receiver approached, I thought we would never complete our mission because Emma proceeded to listen to a lengthy discussion on Breton, surrealism, and one man's fantasy of a guitar using a keyboard. In addition to being a good talker, Emma is a good listener (the sign of a good poet). Listen to her poems on theWriters Cafe. Emma Trelles was the 2010 Andres Montoya Poetry Prize Winner. The 2014 winner is Fresno's David Campos for his collection, Pica.

We sure had a lot of fun giving away books. Of the experience, Emma Trelles said:

"My favorite part of WBN was seeing the delight in people's faces when we put books in their hands. It reminded me of the power of print and of literature. Standing outside in the sunshine and talking about reading was a pretty great way to spend an afternoon."

 Upcoming April Events

April 30, UCSB Little Theatre, 4pm

May 2, First Friday Phoenix, 6:30 pm at Obliq Gallery