Clear Mind

Being able to attain a state of being where the mind is clear from thought is an interesting premise. It would seem that we are constantly thinking and projecting our egos onto the world. There are some people who believe that it is feasible to clear the mind and live in a higher state where we are no longer separate from the rest of the world. In my experience, the people who believe this to be true are enlightened or darned close to enlightenment. Most of the time I cannot even conceive of a time when my mind can be clear. Personally, it is helpful to read about the experiences of others and what they believe the clear mind to be. My interpretation can differ in many ways from the interpretation of wonderful poets. However, there is a certain quality in the words used that have a common ground with my idea of the clear mind....

Be a bud sitting quietly on the hedge.
Be a smile, one part of wondrous existence.
Stand here. There is no need to depart.
- Thich Nhat Hahn


To Have Done Nothing
by William Carlos Williams

No that is not it
nothing that I have done
nothing
I have done

is made up of
nothing
and the dipthong

ae

together with
the first person
singular
indicative

of the auxiliary
verb
to have

everything
I have done
is the same

if to do
is capable
of an
infinity of
combinations

involving the
moral
physical
and religious

codes

for everything
and nothing
are synonymous
when

energy in vacuo
has the power
of confusion

which only to
have done nothing
can make
perfect


Watching the moon
at dawn,
solitary, mid-sky,
I knew myself completely:
no part left out.
- Izumi Shikibu

A Coat
by William Butler Yeats

I made my song a coat
Covered with embroideries
Out of old mythologies
From heel to throat;
But the fools caught it,
Wore it in the world’s eyes
As though they’d wrought it.
Song, let them take it
For there’s more enterprise
In walking naked.

Through these words the poets express that life is limitless in its possibilities of experience. Life is open to interpretation and the answer that we seek is not always the answer that another seeks. Maybe this is the way to enlightenment. We have to experience life the way we initially see it to be. Then we change our perception and open our minds to a groundless reality where we are connected to everything and nothing all at once.

Happy reading Anthology friends!

Art

As an artist, much of my inspiration comes from books. I know many other artists who are the same way. Literature has the power to create such a vivid image in the mind of the reader, to render the mental image onto paper or canvas is almost irresistable, for me at least. An excellent example of an artist inspired by a book is the recent display at the Loveland Museum and Gallery of Salvador Dali's illustrations of Dante's The Divine Comedy. Dali illustrated every stanza of the Divine Comedy, which must have taken a considerable amount of time, whereas I usually have only one piece of art inspired for a book. Here at Anthology, we have a wealth of novels and books on many subjects sure to inspire the inner artist in anybody. Are you one of those people that are assured that they have a creativity deficiency? I personally believe that every person, whether they know it or not, has at least some untapped creative potential, albeit in the deepest part of their being. At Anthology, we have something to inspire everyone, whether you are the seasoned artist, beginner, or the creatively deficient. In our art section we have many books of collections of some of the most famous artists of all time, including Michelangelo, Rembrandt, or Picasso. Some of my favorite books on art are not the collections, but the books intended to inspire or jumpstart the creative process. "The Artist's Way", by Julia Cameron is a wonderful resource to help discover your own spiritual path to creativity. We also have "Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters" by Robert Hale, where you can learn the techniques of Da Vinci, Goya, and other master artists. For the people itching to do something creative but just don't know where to start, I recommend "Coloring Mandalas" by Susanne Fincher. In this color book, the outlines of mandalas (symmetrical, usually radial designs, used by the Buddhist tradition to support spiritual healing and well being) are already created; all you have to do is fill in the color for a potentially beautiful design of your own. We've also got some awesome books filled with the work of local artists. "Sculpture in the Rockies" showcases some of the best sculptors around, located right here in Colorado. John Fielder also has some great books in our store that highlight his impeccable talent to capture the majesty of the mountains and ranches of Colorado. Anyone interested in another local artist's work, myself, can view my artwork on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/mfredric88 under the heading "photos". Thanks for reading and have a lovley weekend!

February

There are exciting displays and events happening at Anthology during this' sweetheart' of a month!
Be sure to come in and browse the books that depict African-American authors, poets and events, in celebration of Black Awareness Month. From Alice Walker to an anthology of black poets, you will find an interesting look into the events, artists and issues that shape our American heritage.

Ready to party on Fat Tuesday? Look no further for inspiration than our Mardi Gras display in the front window! And what would Loveland be without a love-inspired book display? Browse to your heart's content. We also have the Loveland Valentine cards and cache-stamped envelopes. I served years ago as the chair of the Loveland Valentine Museum, which is now housed in the Loveland Museum and Gallery. This wonderful tradition really lends a sense of community to our little town.

Music for your Night on the Town will be provided by John Mieras, local singer/songwriter. Have a romantic dinner, stroll the DoLo streets and come in for books, coffee and song, Friday the 12th of February from 6:30 to 8 pm.

Life is good in Loveland!

Foodie? Not me

I have found that one of our most popular genres at Anthology is cooking. Ranging from french cuisine to BBQ, you would be sure to find the perfect addition to your stack of cookbooks in your kitchen. Did someone mention kitchen? It's become a place I try not to frequent these days; rather I am content to graze on nuts, yogurt, an apple, my daily V-8... well, you get the picture.

So what is up with food? From Hell's Kitchen to Iron Chef to Chopped...celebrities and chefs are all finding a way to cash in on our most vulnerable body part: the stomach. Our Winter Catalog offers several selections in cooking including The Deluxe Food Lover's Companion (Sharon Tyler Herbst $29.95), Earth to Table: Seasonal Recipes from an Organic Farm (Crump & Schormann $34.99) and Love Soup (Anna Thomas $22.95). Jamie Oliver even declares an uprising in his book, Jamie's Food Revolution ($35). If you wax poetic about food, look no further than the 'Magnetic Poetry Kit: Foodie'. We have it! "Good food fills me with happiness."

I must admit, there is comfort in browsing the cookbook stacks. I lean toward vegan and vegetarian fare, including The New Moosewood Cookbook (Katzen $19.95). Anything with fresh fish, pasta, homemade stews and soups...even on a rough day there's hope when you own a copy of 101 Things to do with Ramen Noodles (Patrick $9.99).

Stop in! Bon appetit!

A Paradigm Shift

When the Loveland newspaper did a story on local retailers and gift-buying just before Christmas, Anthology was not only highlighted but a delightful color photo of our store manager graced the page. Those of you who know Teresa will appreciate how she always provides excellent customer service with a smile, while paying close attention to the needs of those who shop here.

It was apparent that more and more people became aware of Anthology and what we have to offer over this past holiday season. Teresa stated in the article that "a lot of people we help say they are trying to support local business". Customers would remark that they wanted to buy from us, rather than head out to the chain stores. Comments and sentiments such as these certainly brought a smile, and sense of pride, to the Anthology staff.

Could there be a shift in what was once a different view of shopping? One customer remarked how nice it is to "talk with a real and caring bookseller" while I assisted her in finding a book on the shelf. Others are slowly coming around to the importance of supporting local businesses; often commenting on the lower price at one of the chain or big box stores for paperbacks or gift items. I simply smile as I hand them their purchase and thank them sincerely for shopping with us.

If we don't do what we can to protect the independent businesses in America, we will lose sight of some very important values and economic tenets. "Independent" may be defined as "higher quality, more focused and less restrictive" business practices. "Local" implies we are in touch with our region, city and state, while offering titles, services and goods that appeal to those who shop here. "Community" is a giving back; sustaining and embracing what makes a town a unique and desirable place to live, work and play.

Together, Anthology is proud to be your independent, local bookstore in Loveland. Thank you to all who make the effort to support Anthology Book Company and to shop locally.
Bridget

Poetry

Since it is a slow day here at Anthology, I feel this would be an appropriate time to write a blog. Poetry. So much can be said about poetry. Poetry comes in many forms. The sonnet, song, haiku, and prose are only a few. Poetry often contains rhyme, metaphor, or alliteration, but not always. Poetry, I think, is almost as old as language itself. Some of the oldest poetry that comes to mind is Homer's Odyssey, the Psalms of the Old Testament, or even the ancient Hindu Vedas. For me, almost nothing speaks as much to the human soul as poetry. Poetry, as is all art, is appreciated and interpreted in the eye of the beholder. It has the power to bring joy, emanate love, sadness, or any other range of emotion either intended by the author or not. But above all, I feel that poetry has the power to transform the consciousness of the reader and the author. Many poets speak of the healing and meditative effects of composing and reading poetry. From experience I have discovered that poetry can be created in a sort of automatic fashion, growing straight from the subconscious mind, to manifest thought or emotion that cannot always be expressed by the rational mind. Poems are always subject to interpretation. Poems, like dreams, can have layers of interpretation. The initial reaction of the reader is almost always different when the poem is read again, at a different pace, different time or in a different light. I find that the meaning of poems often shifts when read more than once. So the meaning of a poem is a plastic, malleable concept, limited only by the consciousness of the reader. From my perspective, poetry is a very noble and beautiful art form, limited only by the human imagination, which the collective history and experience of, has proven to be infinite. I encourage all readers, whether you consider yourself to be a poetry reader or not, to occasionally dive head first into a poem. It is a much smaller commitment than a novel, and you just never know, it may change your whole perspective of life.
To end here, I will quote one of my favorite poems:

Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering,
There is a crack in everything,
That's how the light gets in.
-Leonard Cohen

Have a wonderful weekend!

What Now? Read of course!

This December I graduated from CSU with my Bachelors degree in English. After all the hype has died down from this happy occasion and the Holiday season, I find myself thinking 'what shall I do now'? I will not be venturing on in the world of academia until this fall. That means I have more than half of a year to work at this wonderful bookstore and pursue whatever activities I find interesting. I have thought of doing numerous things with my time off, but the thing I want to do most is READ. I did read quite a bit for class, but we all know that reading for class and reading for pleasure are not the same thing. So... here is my reading list for this winter, spring and fall:

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
Cave in the Snow by Vicki MacKenzie
Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind
The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan
Wishin and Hopin by Wally Lamb
The Hour I first Believed by Wally Lamb
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

This is an extremely short list. If you have any book suggestions please leave a comment. Please remember to shop at your local, independently owned bookstore. Thank you for reading and have a Happy New Year.