Hard Times, Less Trash

I remember reading not too long ago that shoe repairmen are seeing a surge in business since the onset of the recession -- that people who once gave no thought at all to tossing slightly used shoes now take them to the local cobbler to have soles and heels replaced.

The EPA says Americans discarded 7 million tons of clothing and footwear in 2007, but with the souring of the economy came news that we were finally heeding the environmentalists' mantra to reduce, reuse, recycle and repair.

The Washington Post reported that landfill managers knew something was amiss in the economy when trash levels began dropping last year.

"The trash man is the first one to know about a recession because we see it first," said Richard S. Weber, manager of the Loudoun County, Va., landfill. "Circuit City's closing, so people aren't going there and buying those big boxes of stuff and throwing away all the Styrofoam and shrink wrap...and whatever they were replacing."

And we must have been replacing a boatload, as Americans tossed 254 million tons of unwanted stuff last year.

Now, says the Post, some landfills are reporting declines as sharp as 30 percent.

Breakfast in the Suburbs

Steve captured this female lesser goldfinch as she waited her turn at the feeder. She's sitting in a redbud tree in the back yard, watching Steve and her little finch friends, and keeping an eye on the thistle.

A Day at Crocker Art Museum

Steve and I spent a few hours this afternoon at the Crocker Art Museum in downtown Sacramento. We'd read about Mari Kloeppel's exhibit, "Animals in the Drawing Room: Portraits by Mari Kloeppel," and knew it was a show we didn't want to miss. The painting above was on display, as were pieces showcasing her knowledge of brown pelicans, peregrine falcons, horses, dogs and rabbits. A truly gifted artist.

Afterward, we toured the rest of the museum -- it's been years since we've had a chance to visit. Steve loved all of the California paintings, and my favorite was "Invasion of Persia by the Russians, 1829" by German artist Karl August Aerttinger (1803-1876). Click on the link above, and when the full illustration appears, click on the painting to enlarge, then scroll left/right for all the glorious details.

Bad Dog

Jena said, "I'm freaking home, for goodness' sake. She's not even sneaky anymore!"

Exercise in Futility

• Go to your local Borders with your 30% off coupon and look for books by Antonya Nelson, Mary Gaitskill and Donald Antrim.

• When you can't find these authors in the alphabetical listings, squint, look around for a stool and drag it over. Step on stool and feel around on top shelf to ensure you haven't missed anything. Sigh. Step down.

• Schlep to Customer Service area. Perform a search on the Borders computer system to ensure you haven't somehow overlooked the obvious.

• Note that NOT ONE of these authors has a single book in the store.

• Curse under breath.

• Go home and order from Amazon.

Antonya Nelson

Speaking of subscriptions (see yesterday's post), I also regularly receive Writers Ask, a Glimmer Train publication, wherein various writers interview other writers on topics ranging from point of view; editing; endings; publishing; and the writing life.

Andrew Scott, of Ball State University, interviewed Antonya Nelson, a professor at the University of Houston and author of several novels and short-story collections. "What do you find most difficult about teaching?" he asked. "Is there anything you find yourself stressing over...that students don't seem to grasp?"

Antonya said, "The commitment to the first draft, that's the most tiresome thing about teaching students. When they say, 'I want it to be confusing. I want it to be ungrammatical. I want it to be a big freaking mess.' Well, I don't. You get an F."

I laughed out loud over this, loving her sensibility. And because I appreciated her straightforwardness, I wanted to read her work -- something I've not done before -- so I ordered her short-story collection NOTHING RIGHT from the library. Alas, there's a waiting list, so I may run to Borders, see what's on the shelf (taking advantage of my 30% off coupon. Woo-woo!).

If you've read Antonya, let me know what you think.