Faces of SAL: Bianca Glinskas
November 20, 2019
We are so grateful for the many volunteers who make our world go round at the SAL headquarters. Bianca Glinskas is one such volunteer, and not only does she help out in the office—she also writes for our blog! Check out her recent pieces on poet Mary Ruefle here and here.
To see what’s inspired Bianca lately, who she is super excited to see on the SAL stage, and why you should let her know the next time you’re thinking about taking a vacation, read on!
Tells us a bit about yourself…
I am part-Pacific Northwestern, part-SoCal gal. Through and through, I am a heart-strong woman, bookworm, poet, literary journalist, yogi, vegetarian, animal lover, hiker, and nature enthusiast.
What has inspired you lately?
I recently went to the Chihuly Glass Gardens Exhibit for my birthday, and wow did it blow me away (pun intended). One room features two row boats filled with a variety of bright, orb-like shapes. The plaque nearby describes the inspiration for the exhibit. When in Finland, Chihuly threw glass into the river to study how the glass interacted with water and light. The local boys used row boats to collect the various glass works he submerged beneath the rippling surface. Something about this story, the surrender and observation, the discovery and recollection, struck a heartstring. I bought a postcard with a picture of the exhibit as a souvenir.
What are you reading right now?
Too many! Last year I ambitiously took on reading James Joyce’s Ulysses, which of course means reading the reading guide that goes along with it as well (both at a snail’s pace I might add). I am reading Mary Ruefle’s Madness, Rack, and Honey, a collection of essays on Poetry as well as an anthology titled The Volta Book of Poems for a yearlong poetry workshop I am taking at Hugo House with Bill Carty. Most recently I started reading Cori Winrock’s forthcoming The Little Envelope of Earth Conditions (Alice James Books, January 2020) in preparation for an interview with Adroit Journal.
What’s your hidden talent?
I am a self-proclaimed ‘online shark’! When it comes to bargain hunting, academic research, planning trips, you name it. Wanna book a cheap flight abroad? Plan an unforgettable weekend get-away? Discover the origins of that obscure Danish catch-phrase? I can find whatever it is I am looking for, even when all I have to work with is the scent of an idea.
What SAL event are you most looking forward to?
I cannot wait to see Mary Ruefle read! (Editor’s note: Read Bianca’s recent essay, “Readers as Aliens: Reading Mary Ruefle’s Poetry,” on our blog here.)
Thank you, Bianca!