Month: January 2020

DQ? DQ.

Posted on by kevinpolman

Prancing about. A medieval Barney Fife. Very fitting.

“The poor man imagined himself already wearing the crown, won by the valor of his arm… and so it was that with these exceedingly agreeable thoughts, and carried away by the extraordinary pleasure he took in them, he hastened to put into effect what he so fervently desired.”*

And yet, I will have great fun playing Don Quixote in FWAFA’s upcoming ballet.

But I’m not wearing tights.

*Translation by Edith Grossman

https://www.fwafa.org/

PROGRESS

I’m still (slowly) proceeding with Kevin and Jack #3 and Novel #3. I predict summer 2020 for KJ3 and winter 2021 for N3.

BOOK REVIEW

HALF-TRUTHS
Jill Ciment’s Act of God is a good story that has philosophical depth and is written skillfully and poetically. (What more could a reader desire?) Her characters are people you come to care about; you want them to survive and succeed. They are trying to do what all of us long for (whether we realize it or not): to gain redemption, to find happiness, to be rescued, to be enlightened, to escape unjust judgment. A key theme that runs throughout the novel is that of holding on to half-truths — a universal human flaw — and preserving them to retain dignity and perhaps, safety. We tell these half-truths to others; we tell them to ourselves. In doing so, we achieve an inferior sustenance; we get by.

“To submit to another’s will and permit an alien soul to inhabit her body and control her expressions — all fifty-six facial muscles, and the coloration of her skin, and the tempo of her breathing, and her hair and teeth and cartilage and bones — was the deepest intimacy Vida knew. Acting gave her the only moments of respite she had from herself.”

 

FWAFA VENDOR FAIR: FOLLOW-UP

My book selling/signing at Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts in November was the best I’ve had in the years I’ve been doing this. I sold over fifty books (many of those were the new Seven Layer Cake) and met loads of interesting readers. A wonderful experience. I’m still hearing from people that came by my table.

https://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Polman/e/B01D3HWGQ2?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1579962362&sr=8-1

DVD RECOMMEND

To fans of literary horror, check out The Boat, starring Joe Azzopardi, written and directed by Winston Azzopardi. Subtle, suspenseful, a philosophical talk-piece.

TONS OF FUN

On January 17th, I performed in my second faculty talent show (titled “Another Day of Fun”) at FWAFA. This one was even more fun than the first in 2019. (FWAFA audiences are the best!) I sang an Irish song with a men’s group, solo-sang one of my own new compositions (with guitar), and… danced! My technique was subpar, but the experience delightful nonetheless, so much so that I’ve started learning hip-hop dancing (BTW: great exercise and a lot of… fun). Next time you see me, ask me to show you some of my new moves.