http://www.opwfredericks.com The musings of a nurse, man, author, and poet. Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:31:45 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Our first poet published by The Lives You Touch Publications, Christine Klocek-Lim has an interview with Didi Menendez on WordPress. The reason I wanted to publish Christine's work was because she is one of the greatest contemporary poets I have ever encountered. I can only hope that the ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/147 How to photograph the heart by Christine Klocek-Lim is now in print and available for purchase from The Lives You Touch Publications. Please visit the chapbook web page for information on ordering. O.P.W. Fredericks, Editor The Lives You Touch Publications http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/146 For me, a successful poem must tell a story so convincingly that I am transported to within its borders to feel, taste, and experience the events portrayed, as much as I must come to know the characters through the skill of the poet's pen. Such were my travels into ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/144 In September, I announced the launch of our print publication business, The Lives You Touch Publications. Today I'm pleased to announce our first poetry chapbook How to photograph the heart penned by Christine Klocek-Lim. When we discover a poet who touches us, we learn to appreciate the skill with which their poetry is crafted, ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/142 After we checked in to our hotel this afternoon, we were very hungry so we went out for lunch. The first place we found that we could both agree on - and our hunger was getting the better of us - was a Chinese restaurant called Hong Kong House ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/140 That FRIGGIN Damn is back! Damn was on the pond this morning at 6:45 when I went out to feed the fish. I yelled so loud, I think I woke up the entire neighborhood. Daniel came running out thinking I had somehow injured myself. The damn bird was perched on the ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/139 Early this afternoon, after a little over 12 hours of editing during the past two days, and after we completed the last "Final" edit - I think there were actually five of these - I printed and assembled the first 12 copies of Issue 2 of Touch: The Journal of ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/138 Daniel started his vacation today, although I think it would be more correct to say it started when he got home from work last evening. I spent this afternoon filling another order we received today for more copies of Issue 1 of Touch. I'm very pleased with the ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/137 Today we officially began our print publication business, The Lives You Touch Publications, with our first printed copy of Issue 1 of Touch: The Journal of Healing. We are printing copies for the contributors to Issue 1 as a way to thank them for helping us to get started, ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/136 Let's hope so. I haven't seen him since the 5th and there are no fish missing or new scales on the bottom of the pond or settling chamber. It's a real PIA getting to the pond to feed the fish and clean leaves off the net - yes ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/135 Over the past 48 hours, Damn, the Heron appeared less and less until finally over the past full day, I didn't see him, but... Occasionally we'd hear cars beep their horns or people whistling from their car windows as they drove up and down the street. We thought it might ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/134 Not to belabor this story... Over a 24 hour period, Damn, the Heron - I figure if I just write Damn with a capital D, as in a proper name from now on, you'll know who I'm writing about and it will require less typing, moved to a neighbors roof, then ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/133 Wow, it's been 6 months since I posted here! http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/132 Daniel and I planned to spend this afternoon reviewing the submissions we had received up 'til noon today. The afternoon progressed into evening and then nighttime with a 45 minute break for dinner, during which we continued our discussion. When the clock said 11:00 PM, we called it ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/131 Along with submissions from three new poets today - one from out of the country - we received our first graphics submissions as well. I forgot to mention that I added Hanging Moss Journal run by Steve Meador to the Literature Publications page yesterday. I've spent the last few days ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/130 I spent several hours registering Touch: The Journal of Healing at Duotrope this afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from the Duotrope staff this evening advising me the journal could now be found on their site. The information on the Duotrope Editor's page stated it ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/129 Yesterday morning I made a pot of chicken soup with what remained of the carcass from the roasted chicken from Sunday. There were a few chunks of breast and thigh meat, and I had one slice of grilled chicken breast left over from Daniel's lunches from last week. ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/128 Submissions for Touch: The Journal of Healing are slowly rolling in, and I've added a few links to poetry journals and blogs I frequent. Of note are Feel Good Lost Blog and Tilt Press Blog, and Tilt Press which publishes chapbooks, all operated by Rachel Mallino. Rachel's Tilt ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/127 It's official, spring is here! This morning I found the evidence: Our first blooms of the year. O.P.W. http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/122 This morning I began to add Amazon.com links to the home page of Touch: The Journal of Healing, but I didn't like the way the page was laid out. It was very crowded, and Daniel told me it wasn't balanced. I added the links for two reasons. ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/115 The blog attached to Touch: The Journal of Healing is now up and running. As if I didn't need another thing to keep me busy ... At least it will allow me to keep a running dialogue of what I did and when to the journal site. ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/113 I've been going though some cardboard boxes that have been packed away, some of which go back to grade school. In one of these boxes, I came across a small cedar box with brass hinges and inlays that I haven't touched in over twenty years, and that was only ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/112 Last week I checked the seven day weather forecast for this week. It said the days were going to slowly warm up into the 70's by Thursday. No such luck. We've been at or just below freezing over night and we hit only 50 degrees on Tuesday, ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/111 The software I use to create and edit Touch: The Journal of Healing allows for RSS feed in a limited capacity. One of the page types that does provide RSS is a blog which can be incorporated with the journal or as a separate site. I'm experimenting with ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/110 It's now official. Touch: The Journal of Healing seeks poetry, prose, and graphics submissions for its debut issue intended for publication May/June 2009.  Within our pages you will read works from people who have committed their lives to the vocation of caring by touching the lives of their fellow human beings, ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/109 I have no excuse for allowing over two months to pass without a single blog entry. Actually, there are many excuses I could use, but none would excuse me from taking a mere ten minutes each day to reflect on something. I've been busy with life. The Poets org ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/108 I checked back here this morning in search of my Sweet & Spicy Crock pot Pork Roast recipe, a recipe I created on the fly and couldn't locate in my cookbook or on my computer. Luckily I posted it here back in September. My brother is down from ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/107 I'd like to give a shout out to Tilt Press. Here's their catalog page. Rachel Mallino is a casual member of my poetry forum who has been busier that a one armed paper hanger lately. Rachel and her co-editor Nicole Cartwright Denison have just made their selection for their ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/106 A Pantoum - of sorts In Time for Madelyn by O.P.W. Fredericks For the times they are a-changin'. --Bob Dylan When the ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/105 Today is our anniversary. We spent a quiet day together, and I have been reflecting on how much my life has changed for the better since Daniel came into it. I have never felt such peace nor experienced so deep a love, and I have never known an ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/104 There was a tang in the air this morning, that first hint of autumn when the sugar maple in the back yard begins to lose its leaves. It's always the first to signal the change of season. The house was cold this morning, I didn't think to close ... http://www.opwfredericks.com/archives/103