Journal

Thoughts from Last Winter

Ellen Rockne — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:59:32 +0000

My friend Jacob called on Saturday night. It wasn’t nighttime in Manila where he lies in a hospital bed, waiting, wondering how much function will return as his badly broken neck slowly heals.

The Journey

Ellen Rockne — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:05:43 +0000

I am experiencing some great and unexpected changes in my life. I just came across this poem, which I wrote some time ago, and was struck at how I could have written it this afternoon.

while I was on chemo

Ellen Rockne — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:30:48 +0000

I don't write poems often, but this one presented itself at the time.

Saving Jingles (A Children's Story)

Ellen Rockne — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:42:34 +0000

When our boys were little, they were part of a big group of kids of all ages in our town in Iowa who were homeschooled. They were all friends and they spent loads of time together. This is a true story from those times.

Music, music, music

Ellen Rockne — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:10:56 +0000

I DID end up being accepted into this summer's Cabaret Conference at Yale-and I am completely JAZZED! Here is the slightly unconventional bio I sent with my audition DVD:

Death By Another Name

Ellen Rockne — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:35:05 +0000

My cousin Jane received a breast cancer diagnosis this morning. Another cousin called to ask if I might contact her, since I have been in that place, walked down that path. I called. Things didn’t go so well. I mentioned death almost right away, cutting to what was my deep fear beneath cancer. She was reeling with her news, and there I was suggesting that fear abates when you face your death. I could have said potential death, but heck, none of us are going to potentially die. We are all goners for sure!

Best Bunnies

Ellen Rockne — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:00:00 +0000

My sister just wrote and said she is hooked on my blog, and I am jazzed! I was eight when she was born, and she was my littlest and best buddy for years. We had our own language--I will spare you the details, except to say that our word for yes was Seltz. Seltz! And in our world, we were not buddies, but bunnies.

The Stories We Tell

Ellen Rockne — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:00:00 +0000

This post is adapted from a sermon I gave last summer for the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, where we are members. I was halfway through 15 rounds of chemo at the time, and had just had the miracle of a clean PET scan. From the start, our community there supported us in countless ways, practically, emotionally and spiritually. I wanted to share something of my experience with them; I wanted to give thanks. Now, I offer it to you:

You Are Not the Boss of Me (a Children's Story)

Ellen Rockne — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:00:00 +0000

When I was small, I was really small. In fact, I was the shortest girl in my whole grade. I had a pixie haircut that stuck up in the back, and I had thick, black-framed glasses which came in handy because I loved reading books more than anything, except for maybe playing outside.

Gay Hooray for Iowa

Ellen Rockne — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:47:58 +0000

The news is so dark these days, what a JOY to read that the Iowa Supreme Court has made gay marriage legal. Someday our country will look back in disbelief that it was ever illegal in the first place. My Iowa friends and family, congratulations! Especially to Bill and Otter, who were part of the fight. I am proud to call you my friends.