every once in a while, if you are very very lucky...very lucky, a person will come into your life as you sit in confusion or fear or non-self-belief or underestimation of yourself. and this person (perhaps not of this earth) will push you and shove you and grab your ear and drag you towards your potential. you may survive. and if you do, perhaps a year later, (or maybe more if you are as stubborn as i am), you will look back for a moment and realize just how lucky, how very lucky, you are to know such a person. despite the I Love Lucy/Kramer/Seinfeld life that leads me, i must have done something very right last life around - i know a coupla people like that. now, the biggest ear-dragger is my angelfriend Georgia. she believed in me as an artist long before i even dared consider it. she'd introduce me to these incredible people as "her friend Linda who's an artist," just as casually as if she was saying i had brown(ish) hair. and i would proceed to swallow my tongue. so anyway, georgia is an incredible published poet. she hangs with the big guns - rather THEY hang with HER, if you want to know the truth. she is wonderful in every aspect and by any measure. her house is a gallery. her garden is absorbing. she is fearless and courageous in ways that would terrify me to think of for more than a moment. and she has a blog...you would love georgia. i do. and although, through her magic, i have met some of the most wonderful, dear, incredible women (like you), this post is about her tonight. and by "through her" i mean not only direct introductions, but also by her courage to become Me, Linda the artist, i have ventured into uncharted waters to meet you. so please let me introduce you to my friend, my manager, my cheerleader, my voice of reason, my kicker of my behind....Georgia Popoff, poet and friend. (her latest book, The Doom Weaver, is awesome!) xox L.