Postscripts
By Clay Smith, Fri., Aug. 1, 1997
Devolving
MIRA Books and Houstonian Catherine Lanigan, author of Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile, announced a contest for "evolving women" from the Lone Star State, one of whom will be chosen September 2 out of all entrants who, in 500 words or less, exhibits the "most inspirational and compelling" testament to having "shaken off the shackles of loving Mr. Wrong." The winner will be flown to L.A. for a weekend in September to have a day-long visit with "personal transformation experts," and then "whisked" to Givenchy Hotel & Spa, where the beauty of her purported inner change will reflect favorably upon an external one. (I'm all for getting rid of Mr. or Ms. Wrong, but seriously doubt whether entrants can explain that process in less than 500 words, and question whether the awards of this contest are well-suited to its theme. It is good, though, that the winner will be honored with a donation in her name to the Star of Hope Family Shelter in Houston.) Besides, don't Texas women just kick Mr. Wrong's ass instead of going to L.A. to talk to "personal transformation experts" about the evil dude? But if you think I'm just being a killjoy and would like to enter, submit with a home or business number by August 29 to: Evolving Woman Contest, c/o Blanco & Peace Enterprises, LTD., 357 W. Chicago Ave., Suite 400, Chicago, IL, 60610.
They Self-Helped Themselves
Two locally affiliated women seem to have their own ideas about evolving: They are Dr. Maria Nemeth and Diane Dwyer, H.H.D. (Holistic Health Doctor), authors respectively of You and Money: Would It Be All Right With You If Life Got Easier? and The Golden Bridge to Freedom. Nemeth's work concerns building upon a person's relationship to money as a metaphor for that person's other relationships in life. Dwyer has a holistic health practice in town and self-published her book. Nemeth will be at BookPeople signing her book on Saturday, August 2, at 7pm, and Dwyer will sign her book on Thursday, August 7, at 7pm.
Milwood News
The huge crowd last Saturday for the opening dedication of Austin's 21st library, the Milwood branch in north Austin, included Mayor Kirk Watson, Councilmember Beverly Griffith, and Milwood NA President Gayle Opie; Austin voters approved the funding for Milwood in a 1992 bond election. The library holds 40,000 volumes, is an expandable 8, 266 square feet, and was built by Braun & Butler from a design by the Austin Group Architects. Alexis Graham, Ben Sorrels, and Pamela Bowles will be branch manager, assistant branch manager, and youth librarian respectively. Hours are 10am-9pm, Mon-Thu;10am-6pm, Fri; and 10am-5pm, Sat.
Ongoing: Be forewarned that on August 15, Don Bachardy's exhibit Confrontations, portraits of famous literary figures like Tennessee Williams, E.M. Forster, Anaïs Nin, W.H. Auden, and Lillian Hellman among others, closes. It is showing at the Leeds Gallery at the Flawn Academic Center on the UT campus; Bachardy's portraits hedge the fine line between formal and frenetic. They are clear, elegant insights into literary figures to which we readers rarely receive such benign, open access.
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