1/1 All Good Things
Happy January!
THINGS HAPPENED
Moonlight Market happens at night, so I swung by on the early side to see all the vendors at the Cradle of Aviation, and it was overwhelming. Many many many local artists were selling their stuff. If you can make it to one and don’t mind going out in the dark, go for it. Also, I got to see Kenny Gordon’s film debut for Fantasy Kills, and I checked out some exhibits at the Nassau County Museum of Art, the Cooper Hewitt Museum, and the Museum of the City of New York. As always, my Fall semester came to a close right before the holidays, so half the month was a blur.
WELLNESS CORNER
Change is good. Starting January 6, I’ll be teaching Slow Flow at Sukha Studio at 7:15 PM. That’s a move from the early slot to the later slot, and a move from lots of extended chair and chaturanga pushups to no chair and no chaturanga pushups. Also, I may teach in my pajamas since the class ends at almost my bedtime (8:15—this is the time I say I’m awake and I’m half asleep wherever I may be).
As aforementioned, Meditate, Move, & Create returns online through the TLA network on January 7 at 7 PM EST.
Have you had your kitchari yet? If you don’t know what that is—it’s a mixture of mung beans, rice or riced cauliflower, in-season veggies, and a bunch of spices that all work together to make you feel all warm and cozy. If you want to know more about it or would like a recipe, drop me a line.
Also, I’ve got a wide open schedule for Reiki, meditation, yoga, and wellness endeavors throughout the month. Info here.
Finally, a yoga playlist comprised solely of monster ballads. You didn’t know you needed this, and now you know you did.
KUDOS!
Brendan McEntee’s poem “Altamont” appeared in Entrance Journal!
Tony Iovino’s collection From the Land of Sidewalks and Lawns launches this month! (details below)
Wendy Wisner’s “Tiny Fish” appears in Thimble Literary Magazine!
Lesley Wheeler’s Mycocosmic appears on CLMP’s Members’ Most Celebrated Books of 2025!
Arts Club of Washington Pride inaugurated its 2026 Poets-in-Residence: Marlena Chertock, Gregory Adams, Xochi Quetzali Cartland, Angelique Palmer, and Nico Penaranda!
Bruce AllOne and Conscious Robot released Ship Shape!
Rosaria Bazan Pepe received a 2026 Long Island Grants for the Arts-Artist Fellowship!
BOOKSHELF
Sidenote: Does anyone else need to solve puzzles before being able to sign into their Goodreads account? Is this happening on StoryGraph? Is this the year I make the switch?
I read a new favorite collection of poetry along with some dull poetry (Paterson). I also put a dent into a book about 80s hair bands as well as a book about 80s movies. I’ve clearly gone nostalgic (hence the monster ballads yoga playlist above, which I compiled before I started reading). Book club books are in the library request queue, and I’m ready to dive into a lot of reading this month.
Poetry
Firefall by Heather Lang-Cassera (wow wow wow)
Paterson by William Carlos Williams
“hunger” by Beth Bachman
“Because America Is a Place the Brain Makes” by Bruce Snider
“Ledge (ars poetica) (love poem) (true story)” by Amorak Huey
“Creatures Abandoned By Time” by Jackie Wang
“Heliocentric” by Keith S. Wilson
“You Look Up Pictures of Icelandic Ponies” by Ruth Madievsky
“Phantom” by Tomasz Rozycki
“Debt Ritual: Oysters” by Katie Naughton
Mixed Media / Cross Genre
The Rome Review’s issue of Another First Language
Internet
A rather inquisitive student got trapped by art
Drag. Queen. Rugby.
Nude cruises!
What happens in Vegas can go to jail
Music may help prevent dementia
Trish Hopkinson offers 46 international literary journals open for submissions for poetry, prose, and art.
And of course check out these:
Typewriter photographs! Erasure poems! Post card sentiments! Signed copies of How We Make Amends!
LISTEN
Two of my poems aired on Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction radio show on WUSB. “Collision” (31:53) and “Lady-like” (12:32)
I narrated “Wakizashi” by Jeffrey Thomas on Starship Sofa.
“Your Other Life” by Hiram Larew and Warwick Jones
WATCH
Physical: Asia (Netflix)
Joy Ride
Parasite (Netflix)
The 355
Ambulance
True Grit
Fortune Feimster: Crushing It (Netflix)
Ice Road: Vengeance
(I was sick and watched a lot of movies.)
Mike Photographs and Bruce AllOne Pandolfo have a chat:
These students know how to follow choreography, even when the instructor isn’t exactly dancing:
OPPORTUNITIES
Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grant, Deadline January 6
Yaddo Artist Residencies, Deadline January 6
Fellowships at Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Create Writing, Deadline January 19
NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship, Deadline January 27
PPA Annual Poetry Contest, Deadline January 31 (postmarked), (LI, Queens, & Brooklyn only) Scroll for info here.
Juniper Summer Writing Institute Independent Residency, Deadline February 5
Dance Workforce Resilience Fund, Rolling deadline to March 3
Keyholder Residency at LES Printshop, Deadline April 1
Corning Museum of Glass Residencies, applications open in 2026
Rockvale Writers’ Colony open dates
CERF+Craft Artists Emerging Grants, Rolling deadline
Foundation for Contemporary Artists Emergency Grants, Rolling deadline
The Adolph & Esther Gottleib Emergency Grants, Rolling deadline
Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grants, Rolling deadline
Oak Spring Garden Foundation Eliza Moore Fellowship, Opens Feb 2026/Closes May 2026
SUGGESTED THINGS
Staying healthy
Not going out into the world to spread your germs when you are sick
Roasted parsnips
Jackie Kashian on Bluesky.
MISCELLANY
I returned a bunch of library books, and somehow, one did not get scanned in, so I kept getting reminders to return the book, and then it became overdue, and I sent a panicked email about the situation to the library because I didn’t want to go to library jail, and they said it was fine because it would turn up eventually, and it did, but then I had a fine, and when I went to borrow another book, I had to explain the whole thing again, and then the librarian took off the 40 cent fine, and everything is right with the world again.
All good things,
Christina
**Of course, you can forward this post to those you think may have interest. If you post information publicly, please link back to me. Appreciate it.
THINGS ARE HAPPENING
My calendar is here.
Updated book club info is here.
*Here's a fun game: How many of these dates have the wrong year? . . .
Friday, January 2, 2026 at 7:30 PM 8:45 PM
Sound Journey: Sound Bath Meditation & Reiki with Andonia Fthenakis at Sukha Studio https://www.sukhastudiogc.com/events-1/the-power-of-meditation-mindfulnessmantrametta
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 7 PM EST REGISTRATION CLOSES 1/2/26
Meditate, Move, & Create with Christina M. Rau and the TLA Network
Register in advance: https://tlanetwork.org/event-6418090
Members: $30 / Nonmembers: $40
Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 2 PM
It’s Poetry Baby! featuring Christina M. Rau & TBA
Oceanside Library, NY
Free
Sunday, January 11, 2026, 1:30 - 3:30 PM
Writersroom Program Reading with Julene Tripp Weaver
Seattle Central Public Library, 1000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA, 4th Floor
Free
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 6 PM (online)
NYS Teaching Artist Mentorship Program Information Session
https://nycaieroundtable.org/events/2026-nys-mentorship-program-information-cv-session-with-caits-meissner/
Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 9:45 AM at the Sayville Theatre
Sunday Funday Book Club tentatively reading A Man Called Ove and tentatively watching A Man Called Otto
Register in advance. $15 cover. Contact me if you’d like to subsidize a cover for someone else or if you have financial hardship.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDBuGb-VPfPA3A-TiK80xTDFoaOcjyEe61eUrtPrR4zckuCg/viewform
January 30-May 3, 2026
Come Together: 3,000 Years of Stories and Storytelling at The Morgan Library https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/come-together
Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 3 PM
Yoga Prose: Yoga and Self-Discovery Memoir Writing with Kelly Massaro at Sanctuary Studio, Patchogue https://www.instagram.com/p/DSk2Q4LiWa9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 10-noon
Sunday Funday Book Club at Great South Bay Brewery reading The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston (tentative date)
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Pride Poetry Workshop: Queer Homage with Marlena Chertock and DC Pride Poets https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pride-poetry-workshop-queer-homage-tickets-1968862944066
Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 10-noon
Sunday Funday Book Club reading Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (date tentative, place TBA)
On The Regular (Always check with venues. If no contact info is listed below, google it. If your series has changed, let me know for next time. If you want to add your series, drop me a line).
One Sunday a month: Mid-Island Y JCC Poetry Series 2-4 PM
First Sundays: Poetic License, online, 4 PM
One Sunday a month: Speculative Sundays with Akua Lezli Hope, online, 7 PM EST
Later-in-the-month Sundays: Sunday Funday Book Club at Great South Bay Brewery from 10-noon
Third Sundays: Sunday Reading Series at The Hungry Brain, 6:30 PM
Every Monday: Restless Open Mic, Marché Le Woof 31-03 Vernon Boulevard Astoria. Signups at 6:30 PM
Every Monday: Phoenix Reading Series, Shades of Green 125 e 15th NY NY, 6:30 PM, $5 plus food purchase
Every Monday: The Underground Open Mic at Bar Freda (Queens/Brooklyn Border), 7:30 PM
Every Monday: Easy Paradise Open Mic at KGB Red Room, 8 PM, sign up in advance, 21+, 2 drink min
First Tuesdays: First Tuesdays Series, Espresso 77 Cafe, Jackson Heights, 6:40 Sign up, 7 PM open begins, feature follows, $5 purchase,
First Tuesdays: Poetry At Greenspace, 47 Broadway Rocky Pt, NY, 7 PM (open mic sign up 6:30), jeweliasdad@aol.com for info
First Tuesdays: Calling All Writers Spoken Word Open Mic, Urban Coffee, 101 Broadway, Greenlawn, NY, 7-8 PM, 5 minute limit, kindness required
Every Wednesday: Wednesday Night Poetry, Kollective Coffee and Tea, Hot Springs, AZ, 6:30-9 PM
First Wednesdays: The Platform, Madison Community Arts Center 10 Kings Rd Madison NH, 8 PM
Second Wednesdays: Poetry: It's a Shore Thing!, Long Beach Library (NY), 6 PM
Second Wednesdays/Thursdays: The Muse at Neirs Tavern, Queens, 7 PM
Fourth Wednesdays: Risk of Discovery at QED Astoria, 7:30-9 PM
First Thursdays: BVAC at Jack Jacks, Babylon, 7 PM
First Thursdays: Poetry Circle Open Mic, Living Room Café, Ardmore, PA, 6:30 PM
Third Thursdays: Poetry Pairs Series, Literature Repository Reading, Bohemia, 7 PM
Third Thursdays: NeuroNautic Institute Presents open mic with features, Otto’s Shrunken Head, NYC, 7-9 PM
Third Thursdays: At Brookline Booksmith, MA, 7 PM
Third Thursdays: SAFTA Reading Series, Pretentious Beer Co, Old City Knoxville, TN
Every Friday: Fridays: Seed Café Open Mic, 250 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI, 6:30 PM
First Fridays: Revolutionary Poetry Nights, Grounds Books and Coffee, Tuscon, AZ
First Fridays: Maryland Writers’ Association, 7 PM EST, online
Third Fridays: Hudson Valley Writers Center in person and online, 7 PM
Last Fridays: Northport Arts Coalition Poetry Reading, Northport and online, 7:30 PM EST
Last Fridays: Friday Night Fire, Teatro Yerbabruja Second Avenue Fire House, Bay Shore, NY, 7 PM
Last Fridays: Redmond Association of Spoken Word, Centro Cultural Mexicano Redmond, WA, 7-9 PM
Every Saturday: Astoria Music Collective Saturday Songwriters at The Local Bar, 3 PM
Every Saturday: Cultivating Voices Live, online, 3 PM EST
Biweekly Saturdays: Lip Balm, online, 5 PM EST
First Saturdays: PPA East Meadow Library, 1-3 PM, hosted by J R Turek and Margarette Wahl
Third Saturdays: PPA Levittown Town Hall, 1-3 PM, hosted by J R Turek
Various Saturdays: It’s Poetry Baby!, Oceanside Library, NY, 2 PM
Last Saturdays: Poetry Street On The Road at Riverhead Library and online, Riverhead NY, 2 – 4 PM, poetrystreetontheroad.com
Various monthly: Ludy Café and Hudson Valley Poetry, Irvington, NY, ludycafe.com
Congrats! You've made it to the end! As always, this newsletter is gratis. If you wish to at any time, you can feel free to buy me a tea (or a coffee).