Penny Rene's Milk Memo

This Is Where The Milk Memo Archives Reside

Penny Rene — 2008-01-16T20:41:54-05:00

Hi. My name is Penny Rene and this is my website.

Once upon a time this site held my personal blog as well as the infamous Milk Memos and much of my poetry. I have since moved my personal blog to another location and will eventually move the Milk Memos as well. For now, however, feel free to browse the archives. The milk memo began in 1999 and ended in 2006. so that covers a lot of politics, traveling and general angst of my life.

If you would like to read my new blog, please write me: penny (at) pennyrene (dot) com.
If you'd like to comment on some of the writing you see here, please use the comment form. It still works.

Thanks for stopping by!

My Postcard Confession

Penny Rene — 2006-09-02T10:22:11-05:00

Yesterday I watched the full four acts of that documentary about Hurricane Katrina. For the first time, I finally felt what so many other Americans do: anger, frustration, and disillusionment with our government. It made me think that if I were going to send in a secret to Post Secret, it would be

I SUPPORTED BUSH THROUGH BOTH CAMPAIGNS. FORGIVE ME.

(artwork by Faction18)

Happy Is The New Rock

Penny Rene — 2006-06-30T10:26:41-05:00

I had a great cup of coffee this morning, Mike will be home tonight for a four day weekend and August is napping peacefully. And as my grandmother rolls over in her grave, I feel like I should tell you...

I’m quite content. I’m happy.

Here I am wondering why I haven’t written a milk memo, wondering if you think I’m boring, wondering if I have become what I feared most, wondering if I have anything left to say. All because what I feel is so new and so un-hip.

August Moon

Penny Rene — 2006-03-11T18:17:51-05:00

Last Words

Penny Rene — 2006-03-04T19:22:51-05:00

In August 2000 a Russian submarine, the Kirsk, only 100 kilometers from its nations border, sank to the bottom of the sea. Engines went off and never came on again. All 18 seamen on board perished.
Later, when three bodies were finally recovered, a letter that had been written in the last moments of life was found on one man, Captain Lieutenant Dmitri Kolesnikov. He was a newlywed and the letter was to his wife, Olga. It read:

My dearest Olga,
“It's dark here to write, but I'll try by touch. It seems like there are no chances, 10%-20%. Let's hope that at least someone will read this / Regards to everybody. No need to despair. I love you. Kolesnikov."

Where It's At

Penny Rene — 2006-01-01T11:28:17-05:00

About four years ago I went to a party for New Years at a friend of a friends house in Brentwood, TN. Her name is Jaci Valesquez and back then she was/is a popular singer signed to the Christian label, Word Entertainment. I'm guessing she was only around 18 or 19 years old at that time but her fame within the Christian realm had afforded her this new house and she invited everyone over to show it off.

Were They Acting or Reacting?

Penny Rene — 2005-11-19T22:06:00-05:00

The other day I was talking with one of the investigators where I work and she was telling me the crazy cruel things people do with their kids when they are trying to steal from department stores. There was a trend back when she worked at Sears that consisted of a parent teaching their kid to steal shopping bags from behind the register, walking the store, filling the bag up and then handing the bag to the kid as they walked out the door. When security or the police chased them, the parent would most often drive away, leaving the kid who couldn’t run fast enough.

Mountain High

Penny Rene — 2005-10-16T22:36:05-05:00

I have been making a wall collage of old albums from my past, on my bedroom wall to fill the lonely space where my art should be.

Walking Is Just Safe Falling

Penny Rene — 2005-03-03T19:15:34-05:00

When I was 12 I went to church because my sister wanted to save my soul from hell so her boyfriend would see we were a good family. He was The Pastor’s Son. I sat on a pew in the back of the room on that first morning and wished that god would’ve made getting into heaven easier than facing a room full of pimply faced, guilt ridden kids during hours meant for sleeping. Then Steve T. walks up like a tiger approaching his prey and smiles.

You Must Be The Change

Penny Rene — 2005-01-07T18:35:10-05:00

On the eve of 2000 a milk memo reader and my bestest bud, Stephanie sent me the following poem. Every January and sometimes in between these lines come to mind. Today feels like a time to pause and read it again.

Flesh Is To Bone

Penny Rene — 2004-10-04T18:30:21-05:00

This memo was written while scanning the LA skyline and listening to Faithless.

“Perfect” Men on San Diego Scene

Penny Rene — 2004-06-09T15:09:37-05:00

A couple of months ago San Diego was named the third top “dating city” in the country. Having been freed from a remarkable, albeit confusing affair in the recent past, I was relieved to hear such a report. I’ve also been noticing lately I have noticed lately that in the places I go in this city single men outnumber women.

With so many “fish in the sea” I can only guess that the fact that I had not met a wonderful single man yet has got to be my own fault for not getting out there and chatting up this vast pool of potential suitors. So, on a Saturday night when I had already been laying in bed for two hours and every inch of my body was begging for sleep, I forced myself out the door, bed head and all, to meet my friends Lane and Nicole for a night out on the town in Pacific Beach.

The Heart Grows Fonder

Penny Rene — 2004-05-11T15:07:00-05:00

The first time I left home I was 19. I went a whole 30 miles north of my parents house to attend university. This wasn’t far enough for me to experience homesickness, but I was too young to understand that. I thought I was made of steel, that I was above wanting the security of family. After that I moved around quite a bit: Tulsa, Nashville, Romania, England, Birmingham. Oklahoma City was always the pit stop in between, giving me just enough time to reacquaint myself with family before moving on to my next adventure.

It was always the plan to grow old in California, I saw myself at 50, living close to the beach, coffee, fresh fruit and granola always on hand, and a career that allowed me more travel and culture at my fingertips. I never saw myself at the age of 32 in California, missing my family, as I never have before.

Ross & Irene

Penny Rene — 2004-05-05T13:37:34-05:00

“But things just get so crazy. Livin’ life gets hard to do.
And I would gladly hit the road, get up and go if I knew
That someday it would lead me back to you.
That someday it would lead me back to you.”

- Maroon 5, Sunday Morning
from Songs About Jane

When my maternal grandmother died in 1986, I noticed the last name engraved on her burial marker was unfamiliar. Irene, or “Grandma Rene”, whom I’m named after, had apparently married twice. It was only a few years ago that I was told the story about this 2nd husband.

Me On TV

Penny Rene — 2004-04-20T14:29:38-05:00

I never thought I would say this, but there is something really wrong with not having access to television. It has been exactly one month since I have seen anything on MTV. It has been two months since I have watched local news. I am even missing the last season of Friends. The convenience of electronics that connected me to the rest of the world is too expensive for me these days because around here if you don't pay for cable, you can't pick up even local TV channels. I also don't have a radio except in my car. This was really fine when I was in Romania, when I had all these other things to do to fill my time. But being in a new city, living alone in an empty apartment without a TV can push a person over the edge.