In the Labyrinth

Acts of Disorder: Summer in Milwaukee

 
I understand what the Sheriff's office is trying to do here with this sign -- to tone down the increasing violence that has plagued Milwaukee's lakefront during the past five years or so. But dude...really...I just found the sign hilarious instead of admonishing. Maybe if they had said "Disorderly Conduct Prohibited" -- at least that is a measurable legal term. But the big bold letters "ACTS OF DISORDER" (go ahead...define that any way you think appropriate or perhaps inappropriate) and then in smaller letters "prohibited" leaves one wondering if they really mean it. This seems to be my summer for signs (see "ELF- RAGE" below) so I think I shall be keeping my eyes open and my camera ready.

A Sign the World Needs a New Bordertown Anthology

 

No not that bordertown...the one between the Realm and the Human World. It is exciting to note that the forthcoming Bordertown anthology, edited by Ellen Kushner and Holly Black, has just about finished accepting stories from a stellar collection of next generation authors that includes Tim Pratt, Catherynne Valente, Cory Doctorow, and Chris Barzak. Of course the old guard is there too, represented by former B'towners Emma Bull, Will Shetterly, and Charles DeLint. The editors have also offered new items -- poetry and song lyrics. (Can the CD be far behind?) It's great to see this terrific shared world anthology getting a new life and a new interpretation. Working title is Welcome to Bordertown and start looking for it Summer of 2011.

See What the Sun Can Do...

It only took a few hours of morning sunlight to transform the budded cactus above into its glorious fiery self below. Isn't that amazing? I know...I am still something of a tourist in this town because I always get knocked out when the cacti begin to bloom.

And here are a few other little blossoms that showed up this afternoon as well.

The Showgirl Cactus: The Opulent Blooms of Trichocereus Grandiflorus

I awoke this morning to the blooming of my trichocereus hybrid cactus. These cacti are truly the Las Vegas showgirls of the cactus world. The flowers are huge -- about five to six inches across and the colors are absolutely neon-electric. I bought a fushia and pink version -- but I am going back to start collecting others in blazing reds and tequila sunrise shades. While most of the blooms grow from the top of an elongated cactus,  "Big Bertha" is a shorter, rotund variant that has enormous bridal white flowers edged in creamy buttermilk or pale pink. (put "trichocereus" into google images and see teh range of these remarkable cacti -- really, everybody who owns one can't resist throwing up photos of their prize beauties.)

 

The Company I Keep

Well, I am always surprised to find my name popping up in unexpected places...and usually not because I am an author so much as my Japanese name draws attention. I was named after my mother's best friend in college, and it has served me well. Especially considering that the BBC News Magazine thought it intriguing enough to write a little feature on the name in "Why Midori?".

And of course here's the best part:

"Midori crops up in Japanese placenames, and it is a relatively common girl's name. Here's where it becomes connotation-laden. Midori is a Japanese violinist, but another Midori is a "prominent human sexuality writer" and a third Midori is a porn actress. There is a Midori Snyder who writes fantasy novels, and a Midori Matsuo who is an aspirant underwear designer."

That would be me...right after the porn actress and before the aspirant underwear designer. This is why when I first started publishing, I was reluctant to let my children look up my name on the internet -- too often it brought up "Midori's House of Pain." Oy....