Early bird registration is available until December 31 for International Arts Movement’s Encounter ’09, February 26-28 in downtown Manhattan. Group registration discounts are also available. The event will include featured presenters include US Poet Laureate (2001-2003) Billy Collins, philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff, jazz pianist Helen Sung, legendary dance company Limon Dance, performance painter Eva Flatscher, artist and IAM founder Makoto Fujimura, actor and writer Susan Isaacs, and journalist Alice Rhee.

. . . And Comment recommends Listen Up TV, hosted by Comment friend and author Lorna Dueck. Available online now is the Listen Up interview from this past Sunday, December 7, the first-ever television interview with Eugene Peterson, translator behind The Message.