Hello again, readers! Well, in the last two years I have been on a different plane of existence, but I have returned. :)

Patty-verse (noun) – the universe according to Patty, one which is governed by the laws of authenticity, as defined by, and intricately understood by Patty and her dearest and long-suffering friends and family.

It would take too long and try your attention span for me to relate two whole years of happenings, so let’s settle for these last few weeks. Later, I may add a few tasty anecdotes from “the lost years”, haha.

The story begins with a lucky haircut and ends with a sweet joke, here goes…

Sabeth, block-print goddess, and one of the most peace-radiating people I know gave me a lovely haircut amid shared confidences, laughter, and a bottle of red lucky star wine.

Nail salon guy paints a sparkly star on my toe “For me to laugh” :) Lucky star wine – star on toe…coincidence?

Kieu and Arini send me art in the mail! One inspired by one of my favorite quotes by my birthday twin Helen Keller “One can never consent to creep, when one feels the impulse to soar”.

Going to Fabriano, Italy this summer to learn paper-making, print-making, letterpress, and bookbinding!! This is my biggest booky news, though more to come I promise!

Salmon and pickled plum (I fear this is an acquired taste) rice balls (aka onigiri) from my mechanical friend!

Went to new-ish coffee shop called Zed’s and was greeted by Zed (presumably) with the question, “Are you here to pick up the money?” I look very seriously at him and say, “Yes, yes I am.” HA! He laughs and says that I was the first person to get the joke, and for that I win a tiny, sweet, lemony, yellow-frosted cupcake!

One last thing, been watching TED talks (get on this train, if you haven’t already) and W.H. Auden was mentioned in one. Here is my favorite poem of his.

The More Loving One – W.H. Auden
Looking up at the stars, I know quite well
That, for all they care, I can go to hell,
But on earth indifference is the least
We have to dread from man or beast.

How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be,
Let the more loving one be me.

Admirer as I think I am
Of stars that do not give a damn,
I cannot, now I see them, say
I missed one terribly all day.

Were all stars to disappear or die,
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total darkness sublime,
Though this might take me a little time.

Click on the Green Dragon on my homepage for the full (finally!) Portland report!

"The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books" Longfellow

Two more days, and I am at the Portland Art and Soul Retreat for a week!!! I will be learning how to make wooden-covered books and visiting Powell's City of Books!

Fitting that today's Word of the Day is "vernissage" :)

'Cause I am designing a new book tonight! I will try to unveil it before I go. :)

Here is a running list of my "Guided Wisdom from the Universe" feature. :-)

Wait for a door to be unlocked instead of trying to break it down. - Barbara Ann Kipfer

Enjoy your eccentricities and those of other people - Barbara Ann Kipfer

Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it - Goethe

Choose to direct the course and the quality of your life - Barbara Ann Kipfer

When you come to a dead end, turn up another street - Barbara Ann Kipfer

Develop extraordinary powers of observation - Barbara Ann Kipfer

"Act consciously and intentionally" - Barbara Ann Kipfer

"Whose woods there are I think I know" - Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

This past week I was short money for a sweet drink at lunch. I do love a sweet drink! The cashier said that it was ok, that he would cover me, and then the guy behind me offered to cover me too. I was warmed by their kindness. People are nice. :)

Heather and I went to AFI today and saw "Man Push Cart". It was the opening night and the director, Ramin Bahrani, was there for Q and A afterwards. See this movie!! Then come back here and read the following cryptic comments:

Are you making decisions or are decisions making you?

Tragic Nostalgia - trying to match up to an ideal of the past and looking fruitlessly for it in reality

"I don't say action or cut, because action means 'end reality and begin acting' and cut means 'end acting and begin reality'. I prefer the reality to continue" - Ramin Bahrani

Tell me what you thought about this movie!

What a great day, thanks to all who stopped by! Special thanks to Heather for hanging out in the dragon cave for so long! :) And to Adriana and crew for manning my booth while I took a break. Dragon cave buddies! As always, it was awesome to do a show with my two arty friends Moira and Kristina. Our booths were about 3-4 booths apart and we still texted up a storm!

The first postcard came today! YAY! Ahem...one small glitch. I don't know who you are! There was no name or email. Please write me an email (bookwyrms@gmail.com) to claim your prize. I can't wait to hear from the rest of you!

Thanks for coming to my "Miniature Books" exhibit at District of Columbia Art Center! The show will stay open until August 13th 2006.

My inspiration for this book comes from my recent revelation that a liberal splash of simple pleasures can greatly improve daily life.

What is a simple pleasure? Simply, it is something that you can do with little or no money that can have the happy consequence of changing your perspective for the better.

I wish to enlist your help in the creation of a truly unique book! It will have an actual map of the all of the pleasurable locations (suggested by you!) and will include a selection of the best postcard entries.

Stop by the exhibit (www.dcartscenter.org) and pick up a postcard to join the revolution! I will also have postcards available at my table for Adams Morgan Day - Arts on Belmont.

The postcard with the most creative/interesting/mind-blowing simple pleasure will win a free book! The first entrant will get a special prize too!

What I am looking for:
A description of your savored simple pleasure and your suggestion of a simple pleasure for me! Try to stay in the DC metropolis, but I will entertain any and all of your ideas.

For those of you who can not make it to either DCAC or Adams Morgan Day, I have decided to open it up to emails entries too. Here is the list of simple pleasures...

#1 Go to the Eden Center and sample a bubble tea. www.edencenter.com
#2 Go to the Takoma Park Farmers Market. Cook lunch with fresh ingredients. www.takomaparkmarket.org
#3 Walk around Glen Echo Park...imagine the past. www.glenechopark.org
#4 Greet passersby one day with and enthusiastic "Good Morning!"
#5 Go to your local public library and borrow a favorite childhood story.
#6 Tour Forest Glen Seminary. www.operant.com/seminary/main_page.html
#7 Bake chocolate chip cookies and give half away.
#8 Catch and Release a book at www.bookcrossing.com

Feel free to write me a letter or email (bookwyrms@gmail.com), if the size of the postcard can not contain the magnitude of your thoughts. I love snail mail!

Keep checking back frequently for updates!