Ann Louise Edison, Hula Hooper

Ann Louise Edison was on the stage at the Whistlepunk Café with her hula hoop. Nobody had thought to limit open mic participants to those reading, reciting, singing, playing, or in some fashion making noise. 

I suppose it could be argued that Ann Louise was making noise. The rhythm of the shoop shoop of the BBs inside the hoop creates a beat when she abruptly changes direction.  Her hips circumnavigating the globe of her aura.  Ann Louise was an ecstatic performer if mostly silent. If nothing else, it was a dance.

Photo by David Le Clercq on Unsplash

Ann Marie gyrated and tossed her hair, those hips going round and round, first in one direction and then the other.  Periodically, she would shimmy the hoop from her hips to her ankles, stopping for a moment to concentrate on her knees.  Round and round the hoop went.  Halfway through her performance, someone offstage threw her another hula hoop.  Soon it was circumnavigating the world of her arms, her neck.  Ann Marie was blissed out, entranced, in union with the divine.  The rhythm of the BBs, the beat of the directional changes, the journey from her waist to her feet, her wrists to her shoulders, her shoulder to her neck.  Ann Marie was in motion while standing mostly still. She redoubled her effort and found strength in the kundalini of her spine.

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Early Retirement

Melissa stood at the crosswalk waiting on the light to change.  It had been long enough now that she was concerned the button wasn’t working.  When for the second time, the north-south traffic lights turned green she was certain of it. 

She wondered again where her strict adherence to rules came from.  The thought of crossing against the light without a walk sign gave her the jitters.  She was close to sweat popping out on her forehead.  She stopped, channeled her yoga instructor of thirty years earlier, and breathed three long slow inhalations and exhalations.  Elaine’s voice popped into her mind, “Three deep breaths at times of stress will almost always relax you enough to cope. “

Photo by Noah Silliman on Unsplash

Melissa needed all the coping mechanisms she could get. 

On the other side of Third Avenue, she headed right towards her office.  The sun was warm on her back and the thought of confining herself to her office on this lovely lovely birthday eve day was anathema. 

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The Secret West Virginia Writers Spring Conference

The West Virginia Writers annual conference, always in June, always at Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, WV is one of the writing world’s best-kept secrets. Where else can you see a lineup like this (including me!) for $125 for members and $150 for nonmembers. Lodging, on-site, is reasonable as is the cafeteria food plan. You can give yourself a stellar writing retreat for not much moola! Info here.

West Virginia Writers, like the people of West Virginia, are very welcoming. You needn’t worry about coming alone, you will leave with friends. Find your writing tribe in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia.