“What’s your road, man? — holyboy road, madman road, rainbow road, guppy road, any road. It’s an anywhere road for anybody anyhow …” — Kerouac
If you’ve hung around Literary Kicks for a while (and, yes, it certainly has been a while), you know this website is always in the process of becoming something else. That’s probably why the site is still alive, why it’s managed for so long to remain essentially itself.
As the year 2015 begins, I sense a new pivot coming along, and like always the transformation will be gradual. I am beginning a new writing project, though I’m not quite ready to show anything yet. The main result so far has been my lack of activity here. I try to publish at least one new blog post a week, but I think the blogging schedule on this site will have to remain slow for a little while longer, until I get this new thing up and running.
As for what the new thing is: well, all I can say at this point is that the goal I have chosen will challenge me to the core. For this to succeed, I will need to write with greater intensity, frequency and consistency in 2015 than I managed to do in 2014. This challenge frankly frightens me, as do the specters of failure and discouragement, though I know I am committed to pushing through and not giving up.
A couple of teasers. It probably won’t surprise my Litkicks peeps that this new writing project will explore questions of history, politics and ethics. Or, let me put it this way: here on Litkicks, philosophy won’t be just for weekends anymore.
So this is where I’m going next, and even though I can’t say more at this point, I want to share my feeling of excitement about this coming change. I hope you will all join me on the journey that is about to begin.
This blog post is inspired by Lila Lefty Brown Stein, my beloved stepmother, who died in the final week of 2014. I know Lila lived a very happy life, though her last couple of years were made difficult by a painful illness she didn’t deserve. Lila and I always got along great, and were even bridge partners for a weekly game that occupied my Sunday evenings for 13 years (she was the only person who could put up with my, shall we say, imaginative approach to bidding, and sometimes we actually won).
Lila was always supportive of this blog, and for some reason I always remember the one time she made a point of mentioning to me that she’d really liked an article I wrote. It was this piece about William James’s theory of emotion, and while I’m not sure exactly why Lila liked this blog post, the fact that she made a point of mentioning it to me means it must be the best thing I’ve ever written. Anyway, for the final word, here’s my father’s short note about Lila.
And with that … let our next journeys begin.
12 Responses
Don’t know how to respond,
Don’t know how to respond, Levi.
Your thoughts about Lila brought tears to my eyes.
Thanks.
Dad.
Bravo, Levi! Here’s to the
Bravo, Levi! Here’s to the Next!
Sorry for your loss Levi….
Sorry for your loss Levi…..though I’ve been here these past 14 years more for the Lit I do enjoy the kick u get out of politics and philosophy. I especially like anything regarding the Civil War and history in general. Everywhere the poetry boards are in rapid decline, so it’s even more of a pain now with the absence of Action Poetry here at LitKicks……a sign of the times?….. I really do not know or venture to guess…. perhaps that platform for poetry just ran it’s course…. life is change….. looking forward to the future here…. always a friend……
Thanks, Dad. I think your
Thanks, Dad. I think your short blog post about Lila had the same effect on lots of people.
WIREMAN, I know that an interactive poetry website can work. Somebody will figure out how to do it right. It will take a lot of continuing effort, which is why I couldn’t be the one to make it happen, but somebody will.
Levi, Sorry to read about the
Levi, Sorry to read about the loss of your stepmother.
May you have success & luck with the “next thing” as plans
come to fruition.
great words about somebody
great words about somebody who obviously meant a lot to you.
i enjoy observing the evolution of this “blog” and i admire you for constantly challenging yourself as well. cheers sir!
— “Somebody will figure out
— “Somebody will figure out how to do it (an interactive poetry website) right. It will take a lot of continuing effort, which is why I couldn’t be the one to make it happen . . .”
But you did make it happen, for a number of years. And it was done right. Man, was it right! Those long strings of action poetry branching and twisting were often nothing short of mind-blowing. I’m thankful that I found LK back in ’03, and had a chance to ride that wild wave. But of course, like any other interactive forum that has existed, or ever will exist, trolls stopped by at times to take a big dump in the living room. Don’t understand that mentality. Never will. What a pain in the ass.
Really, I’m just reminiscing. Not sure if I’ve said this yet, but this site sparked me; got me to start writing. And I found it at a time when I had quit my job for awhile, and was basically “wandering the west” (mostly the desert southwest). I actually traveled to meet six of the LK “regulars.” An amazing time. And thanks . . .
Well, Mnaz, if you travel to
Well, Mnaz, if you travel to the east coast (NY or DC) I hope you let me know and make that 6 a 7 …
I’m sorry for your loss, Levi
I’m sorry for your loss, Levi. The things cared about by the ones we love become all the more special because of who loved them.
Looking forward to what comes next for LitKicks. I’m glad you never let it sit still. Cheers, friend.
A series of photos I have
A series of photos I have going on is “Clouds :: Permanence of Change”… and those last 3 words certainly applies – “Litkicks :: Permanence of Change.”
Like that comment, “you must have a clean mind, you change it so often!” you gotta keep things fresh to keep it from stinking up the place.
Keep on keeping on, Levi… you know it!
Good luck on your new writing
Good luck on your new writing project Levi! I look forward to reading it either here on the blog or in a book form.
Much sympathy to you and your
Much sympathy to you and your family for your loss. I have been here a while though I must visit more often and find time for comments. In fact, I might have been here since about 1996… when I started my degree in the UK here. x
@dizzykicks
(yes, you inspired my online persona too)