Yes, it's been a long time...

Eugene, Oregon
January 20, 2023 5:52pm CST
But I'm still alive and well. Anne and I avoided Covid 19 (got all the shots offered) and she survived a year of treatment for an aggressive breast cancer in 2021. I am still in good health, but seem to be getting older all the time. I spend a lot of time reading, writing and studying poetry these days and also submitting some for publication. Besides a sheet full of rejections, I have had a few successes, most recently with five poems published in the online site called Lothlorien Poetry Journal. Other than winning contests or being published in some leading journals, there is no payment involved with poetry, but it is certainly a great feeling when there is a measure of success. Here is a link to those five if anyone is interested. By the way, I want to say again that I get no payment at all for this writing. When we read poetry, it is good to remember that the poem is not the poet, poems may be wholly fiction or even based on things that happen to other people. Anyway, I thought I'd share that news with anyone who remembers me.
Lothlorien Poetry Journal Edited by Strider Marcus Jones Poet - Publishes poetry and fiction online and in print periodically. https://lothlorienp
31 people like this
30 responses
@sallypup (61663)
• Centralia, Washington
21 Jan 23
There you are!!!! You have been on my mind a lot lately. I'm delighted to find you again. I am in the middle of arguing what I already told one of my sisters: my short stories are short stories, not journalism and fact.
6 people like this
@sallypup (61663)
• Centralia, Washington
21 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic Usual Yule Tale going out is what I did this year. I met a lady who does not mind the hour drive to Longview so we've been enjoying some literature events there once a month. I am liking the return to the west side. I am NOT missing all that snow and ice. My hubby has been sick for months now but we're hoping he is getting better. I hope you don't run off again.
4 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
@sallypup Glad you're enjoying it there and I'm sorry to hear that he is sick. Sending good wishes.
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hello Lenore! Yes, that is a difficult thing for readers to understand. How are you liking the west side by now? Are you publishing any stories?
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137678)
• United States
21 Jan 23
Welcome back! I had wondered where you wandered off to. I'm glad things are working out for you and your wife.
4 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hi DE, Thanks for reading. We are glad too.
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137678)
• United States
21 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic You're very welcome...
3 people like this
@marguicha (223841)
• Chile
21 Jan 23
One of my closest friends is a poet. She loves to write and is well known in my country. But here, as elsewhere, there´s no money involved in it. She earns some money directing literary workshops and she also earns some money helping those who want to publish with their own money. I, myself, like to write short stories. I have had lots of fun (and pain sometimes, writing them but although many books were sold it wasn´t enough to make a living with them. I, too, used to direct literary workshops and taught Literature at the University.
3 people like this
@marguicha (223841)
• Chile
22 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic Alejandra has given virtual workshops with the pandemia but she says that she doesn´t have many people. There are other kinds of work that do better online. My eldest daughter is a psychologist and was very worried when the pandemia started. But now she had even more patients.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
I had no idea that you had such a background. How nice to know. I am doing a virtual workshop for two hours each Tuesday morning and it is very good. He doesn't charge enough, I'm sure and does two or three others plus some in person work too. I have a collected volume of Pablo Neruda's poems.
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
27 Jan 23
@marguicha There are onlu 4 or 5 people in the workshop I do on Tuesdays. He only charges $10 for the 2.5 hours. Very helpful.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472087)
• Switzerland
21 Jan 23
Hello James. I am glad to know that you and Anne are well. Also my husband and I avoided Covid 19. We are still very careful, as the virus is still around. I am glad to read about your success and thank you for this link.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (472087)
• Switzerland
21 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic - We are so scared by this virus. Our niece, her 3 years old baby and her partner all had Covid and they were all vaccinated.
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Jan 23
@LadyDuck True, it is quite scary. We still wear masks when we go shopping.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hello Anna, nice to hear from you. We are still careful too.
3 people like this
@GreatMartin (23671)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
21 Jan 23
"getting older all the time."---not me--I know how to stay young!! Glad to hear your wife beat cancer!!
4 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Did I say that? I meant by the calendar. I still feel 40.
2 people like this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
21 Jan 23
It's good to see you back. I love writing poetry too. I've had some of my poetry printed in poetry magazines, I do it for the love of writing poetry, but it's exciting to see it's good enough to be accepted by poetry magazines. I like your poetry. I hope we both have many poems accepted by books and magazines.
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Thank you @RubyHawk
2 people like this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
22 Jan 23
@much2say (56122)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Jan 23
It's good to see you back! And I do remember Anne's illustrative quilts. That's wonderful you've had some successes with your poetry . . . I'm going to go read them now !
3 people like this
@kaylachan (71884)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Jan 23
Sounds fun. Glad you did something you enjoy.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (71884)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic You're welcome.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Thank you!
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80812)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Jan 23
Great to hear from you and I also saw your announcement on FB, Glad you are being creative, That is what helps most my writing and poetry, Thank you for the link. All the best to you and I hope you have a good weekend,
3 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80812)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic no I don't but I will take a look at it
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hello, nice to hear from you and thanks for the FB comment too. Do you know about Submittable.com?
3 people like this
@xFiacre (13169)
• Ireland
21 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic I wondered where you were hiding. Good to hear that Anne is doing well now. I'll check out the link you put up.
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hello again! Thanks for reading.
3 people like this
• United States
21 Jan 23
Welcome back!!! It's so good to hear you're doing well and that Anne has survived her battle with cancer Congratulations on your poems getting published. That's quite an achievement
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Thank you Marilyn. I am writing and submitting a lot. It is nice to see some published.
2 people like this
@sol_cee (38219)
• Philippines
21 Jan 23
Good to see you back here. Once upon a time, I was into poems. But my muse is gone
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Thanks, sorry to hear that. I hope she returns.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342225)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Jan 23
I certainly remember you, and the beautiful quilts that Anne was making. I hope she is still able to sew. I read your poems and enjoyed them very much. Thank you for the link - and welcome back.
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hello Judy and thank you for the compliment.
3 people like this
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
21 Jan 23
Hi James! It's great to see you here again. Congrats on getting your poetry published!
3 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hi Diana, and thank you. Nice to see you again as well.
3 people like this
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
21 Jan 23
It has been a long time since I've been here steadily. I don't write poetry, well, I did one - one in 69 years, so... not a poet. However, I do write stories and have been posting them on Archive of Our Own - not a pay site either and mostly for fan fiction.
2 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Nice! There is a site called Submittalble.com that has literally thousands of places to submit any kind of writing to both paying sites and others.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (182317)
• United States
21 Jan 23
Hi, always happy to see an old mylotter! Not old in years, but in duration on the site. Ruby Hawk on here writes poetry also. I hope she sees your post.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (182317)
• United States
22 Jan 23
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hi Snowy, thanks for the welcome. Ruby did see this.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112991)
• El Paso, Texas
21 Jan 23
Good to see you're back. I hope your endeavors work out the way you want.
3 people like this
@jstory07 (140022)
• Roseburg, Oregon
21 Jan 23
I was wondering the other day where you were. I thought you had a part in a movie and left. I will go read your poetry now.
2 people like this
@jstory07 (140022)
• Roseburg, Oregon
21 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic Those are really nice poems.
2 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
@jstory07 Thank you Judy.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hi Judy, I hope you like it. There was no acting during the Pandemic.
2 people like this
@DianneN (247184)
• United States
22 Jan 23
It’s good to see you and so glad to hear the good news, especially about Anne. I read all your poems. Each was very touching and well done, but I especially loved the one about hats. My grandmother owned a millinery shop back in the day.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
27 Jan 23
Thank you Dianne! I'm glad you liked them. That hat thing swam up in my memory recently.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247184)
• United States
28 Jan 23
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
21 Jan 23
Always good to see you. Glad you have had success with your writing. Happy for you. Such an excellent poet you are. Take care and happy you two are doing good.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Jan 23
Hi Carol, and thank you!
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
21 Jan 23
@JamesHxstatic You are very welcome.
1 person likes this