and just like that, the computer works again.
hell if i know what's going on. but, i'm happy it's up and running.
and to celebrate, let's check out a compendium of lost words. i could go through these words for ages. i'm facinated by rare and "lost" words. some are so mellifluous and beautiful it's a wonder how they ever disappeared. others are nearly impossible to say it's surprising they were ever used.
hope you enjoy it as much as i.
01 July 2006
30 June 2006
computer problems
well, it appears the old computer finally crapped out on me. actually, it's running fine, but there seems to be an issue with it communicating with the modem. i called my ISP because i was unable to access the internet or obtain the emails on their servers. the technician said she could "ping" my modem and everything looked fine, that it was getting a signal, but my computer wasn't receiving anything. i'm still not sure if it's a modem or computer issue.
our computer is old, though, so we are going to look into getting another and i'll probably end up using this old one for writing on.
what this means, however, is that i will be unable to answer any of your emails, will only be able to access the internet from work (and in small batches of time, like right now) and will not be able to upload my Background Noise posts for Upright Against The Savage Heavens until Monday mornings. i hope to get a new computer soon and i hope even more that this is what the problem is. with this and the upcoming move, i'll probably be a bit scarce. even email-wise.
if i owe you an email, please understand my dilemma and know that i will get to it when i can.
our computer is old, though, so we are going to look into getting another and i'll probably end up using this old one for writing on.
what this means, however, is that i will be unable to answer any of your emails, will only be able to access the internet from work (and in small batches of time, like right now) and will not be able to upload my Background Noise posts for Upright Against The Savage Heavens until Monday mornings. i hope to get a new computer soon and i hope even more that this is what the problem is. with this and the upcoming move, i'll probably be a bit scarce. even email-wise.
if i owe you an email, please understand my dilemma and know that i will get to it when i can.
28 June 2006
the letter
i've edited out the sensitive parts of the letter i sent Holmes Homes and the community we are moving into (called Daybreak) back in December of 2005. you will find it posted, in its entirety, below.
but, first, some backstory and a few tidbits for clarity's purposes. Daybreak is the name of the planned community we are moving into. the land is owned by a company called Kennecott, who operates the largest open-pit copper mine in the world. anyway, the copper in the mine is not infinite and will eventually run out. Kennecott bought up land around the Oquirrh mountains (which form the western range surrounding the Salt Lake Valley, and where the copper mine sits) years ago for future use. they decided a planned community would be best. this planned community is our Daybreak. check out the Daybreak website if you're interested in more of what it's all about.
other points of clarification:
1) in the letter, i mention a place called Dugway. the Dugway Proving Grounds are to the west of the Salt Lake Valley, beyond the Oquirrh mountains and smack dab in the middle of nowhere, save desert and tumbleweed. it is where the military tests, stores and destroys chemical and biological weapons (including the ultra-deadly, and all-around nasty, VX nerve gas). there is NOTHING appealing or enjoyable about this place AT ALL.
2) Daybreak's slogan is This is getting good. i use a play on this slogan throughout my letter, so when you read this you'll understand what's going on.
that's about it. as i said, i sent this letter to both Holmes Homes and Daybreak. i never heard from Daybreak regarding it (no surprise), but i did hear from Holmes Homes. it little good as things just kept being delayed and fuck-ups kept occurring.
lastly, i will add some links within the letter that might help explain some terms that are obscure or not in common use. realize, obviously, that these links weren't present in the letter as it was a traditionally mailed letter and links don't work on paper. haw! :)
okay, so here's the letter:
Dear Holmes Homes:
My wife and I signed a contract with our real estate agent on June 28, 2005 to purchase a Sawgrass house, Elevation "B", through Holmes Homes. We were very excited to be buying a house at Daybreak, and with Holmes Homes, after having seen the model homes, the future plans for the Daybreak community and all the included amenities. So excited, in fact, that we never felt the typical buyer's remorse after signing the contract and writing a check for our earnest money. Nor did we feel this remorse after choosing our upgrades and options, and writing another check for the flooring deposit. We were excited because we were getting in on a great house, in a great neighborhood; early enough that it was affordable, but late enough to know that things were going to be great. After all, the Daybreak billboards and advertisements around town said it all: This Is Getting Good. In my opinion they were downplaying it. This Is Getting Great.
At the time we signed the contract, we were told ground was slated to be broken on our property sometime around the end of September. Add six months for construction time, and this put the completion date for our house around the end of March, give or take. With not wanting to sell our current house during the winter months, we made preparations to sell it as soon as possible; moving into a one-bedroom apartment in the meantime. We sold our house the last week of August, giving us (by the calculations we were told) around seven months to live in the tiny, one-bedroom apartment.
Well, seven months in a tiny place without most of your belonging is nothing when the end result is moving into a great, new place. September came and went. We visited Daybreak on a weekly basis; driving out there to see the progress (or lack thereof) of our lot. October blew in. No work. No word from Holmes Homes. We called our agent and she said things were are a bit behind, but to be patient. It should happen any day now. Each week construction is delayed is another week we have to suffer in this breadbox of a home. Fine. The end justifies the means. After all, This Is Getting Good. Yeah, good is about right.
October blustered into November. I'll give you one guess on the status of our house? Wrong! It was NOT yet started. I know. I know. "How can this happen?" you say. I don't have the slightest idea. We called our agent again and heard some bogus explanation of a shortage of lumber and concrete due to hurricanes. Well, maybe it's not bogus, but that's a bad excuse since it doesn't really explain the delay up to the hurricanes. Okay, fine. So there was a lumber and concrete shortage. Fine. We can't really complain about that, now, can we? Nope. We'd be selfish, heartless people. So, we remain concrete in our resolve and lumber on.
And, we waited. We kept visiting Daybreak, waiting for the lake to be filled (which, incidentally, we were told was to happen the last week of August and had yet to be done by the end of October. My guess is a shortage of water due to hurricanes. Or drought. Or something. Right?). We kept visiting with the small hope that we'd find something on our lot. So far, out of the 12 or so visits we made out there we found three new pebbles; a small, feeble thistle growing out of a mound of dirt; and, something I am really excited about, a white splotch from seagull droppings. This Is Getting Annoying.
The end-of-November festivities roll around and the wife and I take a trip to Florida to visit family. We wanted to have pictures of the construction of our new house to show them; but, instead, we settled for a picture of our seagull dropping splotch and a stylized drawing I did with crayons and construction paper. We stayed for two weeks, hoping that something exciting would happen while we were there. On the flight back we passed over Daybreak. We saw the lake had been filled (finally) and traced the roads to our lot. No dice. Nothing had changed. I swore I saw a new pebble, but I knew it was impossible to see that kind of detail from the window of a 737 at that height. The houses around ours were going up, now, though. Yet, still nothing on our lot. Who knows why ours is being delayed? Who knows? Do you?
Then, just when all hope has been dashed, we get an email from our agent letting us know that we have been assigned a liaison between construction and homeowners so that we can get better, more timely, information. Great. This Is Getting Better? We'll see.
We call this liaison and he tells us that our house is slated to break ground within 45 days. A quick mental calculation tells me that 45 days is a month an a half. It was early December when we called him, so a month and a half puts it at the end of January. And this is assuming he was telling us the truth instead of blowing smoke. We'll take his word for it. The end of January. Fine. Add six months, and it looks like our house will be done around the end of July, give or take. Ridiculous…I mean: This Is Getting Ridiculous.
This liaison also mentioned that Holmes Homes had made many unrealistic promises regarding construction dates. He also mentioned Daybreak making unrealistic promises regarding permits and other things. Fine. I understand his need to pacify the angry people he has been given. He's pointing fingers at Daybreak and himself (Holmes Homes) but it still doesn't explain how people in a situation like us are supposed to feel. We sold our house quickly, and early, based on erroneous information we were given. We moved into a tiny apartment (too small for a Christmas Tree, even. No lie.), because it was all we could afford with the steep lease-breaking and storage fees. Now, if construction is delayed any further beyond January, we will be paying this lease-breaking fee for NOTHING. How's that for things getting good? Or, we could've sold the house in the spring and had ourselves a nice, little, winter-holiday season, instead of the cramped, angry one awaiting us. This Is Getting Old.
"But," you say, "you signed a contract, Mr. Barrett. And, you are bound by this contract. Plus, if we fail to honor said contract by not building the house within a year you can get out of your contract without any loss of your money."
Well said. Yes, this is true. We DID sign a contract. The contract isn't what concerns me (more on this later, because new information has since come to light where we were given very bad information regarding our house. But, like I said, more later). We still want the house. What concerns me is that you, Holmes Homes, are also bound by this contract. You are bound by what you, and your representatives, tell your customers. We acted upon bad information, told to us by your agents. We were given a construction date off by 4 months (and this is assuming the end of January is right. That still remains to be seen.). Plus, even if we were to get out of our contract without "losing" any of our money, where does that leave us? In a tiny apartment with our belongings in storage, no house to move into, starting over on the house-buying process. Sounds great. You've got us by the short-hairs and you know it. So what if YOU break the contract. We have nearly $5,000 invested in this house that we CAN get back, but you've already made how much on the interest of that money? And, will we see any of that interest? Nope. Raw deal for us, then. Oh, but if we were to break this contract. If we were to have given you bad information month after month. Oooh, I would've loved to see what would've happened. Actually, I take that back. No, I wouldn't. I'm quite certain you guys are litigious and would've sued me for everything I own, and half of everything I don't. This Is Getting Me Very Angry.
We interrupt this letter to bring you a small moment in the life of Mr. and Mrs. Barrett, living in a thumbnail of an apartment and under contract with Holmes Homes for a house in Daybreak:
Before we were rudely interrupted, I was talking about how we received a notice that we now have a construction liaison. I also mentioned that we had received some recent news regarding our house that had angered us quite a bit.
Last week (December 13, 2005 ) we received an email from our real estate agent that included an attached letter letting us know of some corrections to information she gave us when we signed our contract. The corrections were more than just corrections, though. They were very major changes to what we were told we will be receiving regarding land/fence and landscaping. And, since our decision to purchase this house and the corner lot that came with it was contingent upon the information she supplied, this is a serious matter to us. It is a serious breach of contract, in our minds. But, again, you have us by the short-hairs, so a breach in contract is little matter to you, isn't it? You have our money and our signatures. You control everything regarding the building and sale of our house. "Move along, little peon, there's nothing to see here. We have you by the short-hairs, little man, and you'll do as I say. And, you'll like it! Or, at least you'll feign liking it!"
Anyway, this letter listed two major changes to what we thought we were getting. First, we will now be required to maintain the side and front parts of our lot. When we signed the contract to purchase this house we were told that our HOA fees (that will eventually be $70/month) would go towards maintaining our front and side lots. "What a fabulous thing," we thought. "It's almost too good to be true," we thought. Turns out it was. So, our $70 a month now goes towards what? The maintenance of the common areas? Towards the privilege of having Daybreak tell us what we can or cannot do via the CC&Rs? (It's a great thing, isn't it, to have the people in your development PAY you to tell them what to do. That's a brand of totalitarianism that Mussolini himself would find ironically sublime.) Fine. Whatever. We will take care of our front and side yards. Big deal. I don't like that I was lied to, but big deal.
But, this is the kicker. This is the one that really got our goat: we now find out that the 12+ extra feet of our corner lot, for which we paid $1,000 will no longer be fenced in. This was a major selling point for us, and the ONLY reason we sprang for the corner lot. So, now we've wasted another $1,000. It's almost a dream come true, wasting money like we were wealthy. Feels good.
But. But. Not to be outdone; we are also still responsible for the upkeep of this unfenced area. So, we buy this land, own this land, but cannot USE this land. However, we are still responsible for the upkeep of it. This land was purchased by us for an additional $1,000, yet will be utterly useless to us. It is being given over (for all intents and purposes) to Daybreak for easement and curb appeal, AND we will now have to lug our lawnmowers outside of our fences and around the corner to mow this unused, expensively-wasted strip of land. Magnificent. This Is Getting Out Of Hand.
Can we sign up for more of this kind of thing. Can we PLEASE pay you MORE money to have MORE land that we CAN'T have fenced in and will be UNABLE to use. That would be great. Is it at all possible for us to get screwed over in more ways? I don't know. Maybe.
Maybe a letter like this will be arriving sometime soon:
but, first, some backstory and a few tidbits for clarity's purposes. Daybreak is the name of the planned community we are moving into. the land is owned by a company called Kennecott, who operates the largest open-pit copper mine in the world. anyway, the copper in the mine is not infinite and will eventually run out. Kennecott bought up land around the Oquirrh mountains (which form the western range surrounding the Salt Lake Valley, and where the copper mine sits) years ago for future use. they decided a planned community would be best. this planned community is our Daybreak. check out the Daybreak website if you're interested in more of what it's all about.
other points of clarification:
1) in the letter, i mention a place called Dugway. the Dugway Proving Grounds are to the west of the Salt Lake Valley, beyond the Oquirrh mountains and smack dab in the middle of nowhere, save desert and tumbleweed. it is where the military tests, stores and destroys chemical and biological weapons (including the ultra-deadly, and all-around nasty, VX nerve gas). there is NOTHING appealing or enjoyable about this place AT ALL.
2) Daybreak's slogan is This is getting good. i use a play on this slogan throughout my letter, so when you read this you'll understand what's going on.
that's about it. as i said, i sent this letter to both Holmes Homes and Daybreak. i never heard from Daybreak regarding it (no surprise), but i did hear from Holmes Homes. it little good as things just kept being delayed and fuck-ups kept occurring.
lastly, i will add some links within the letter that might help explain some terms that are obscure or not in common use. realize, obviously, that these links weren't present in the letter as it was a traditionally mailed letter and links don't work on paper. haw! :)
okay, so here's the letter:
Dear Holmes Homes:
My wife and I signed a contract with our real estate agent on June 28, 2005 to purchase a Sawgrass house, Elevation "B", through Holmes Homes. We were very excited to be buying a house at Daybreak, and with Holmes Homes, after having seen the model homes, the future plans for the Daybreak community and all the included amenities. So excited, in fact, that we never felt the typical buyer's remorse after signing the contract and writing a check for our earnest money. Nor did we feel this remorse after choosing our upgrades and options, and writing another check for the flooring deposit. We were excited because we were getting in on a great house, in a great neighborhood; early enough that it was affordable, but late enough to know that things were going to be great. After all, the Daybreak billboards and advertisements around town said it all: This Is Getting Good. In my opinion they were downplaying it. This Is Getting Great.
At the time we signed the contract, we were told ground was slated to be broken on our property sometime around the end of September. Add six months for construction time, and this put the completion date for our house around the end of March, give or take. With not wanting to sell our current house during the winter months, we made preparations to sell it as soon as possible; moving into a one-bedroom apartment in the meantime. We sold our house the last week of August, giving us (by the calculations we were told) around seven months to live in the tiny, one-bedroom apartment.
("Why such a small apartment?" you might be asking. Good question. Well, since we were going to be living in the apartment for less than a year, it was imperative that we find a place that allowed us to break the customary one-year lease. Very few places in the Salt Lake Valley offer this. And those that do require extra money on the rent. Therefore, we could only afford a one-bedroom. Plus, all of our furniture and most of our belongings are packed in storage units until we move into our new house, so unless we got a huge three-bedroom apartment, which we definitely couldn't afford, this was the best we could do.
Well, seven months in a tiny place without most of your belonging is nothing when the end result is moving into a great, new place. September came and went. We visited Daybreak on a weekly basis; driving out there to see the progress (or lack thereof) of our lot. October blew in. No work. No word from Holmes Homes. We called our agent and she said things were are a bit behind, but to be patient. It should happen any day now. Each week construction is delayed is another week we have to suffer in this breadbox of a home. Fine. The end justifies the means. After all, This Is Getting Good. Yeah, good is about right.
October blustered into November. I'll give you one guess on the status of our house? Wrong! It was NOT yet started. I know. I know. "How can this happen?" you say. I don't have the slightest idea. We called our agent again and heard some bogus explanation of a shortage of lumber and concrete due to hurricanes. Well, maybe it's not bogus, but that's a bad excuse since it doesn't really explain the delay up to the hurricanes. Okay, fine. So there was a lumber and concrete shortage. Fine. We can't really complain about that, now, can we? Nope. We'd be selfish, heartless people. So, we remain concrete in our resolve and lumber on.
And, we waited. We kept visiting Daybreak, waiting for the lake to be filled (which, incidentally, we were told was to happen the last week of August and had yet to be done by the end of October. My guess is a shortage of water due to hurricanes. Or drought. Or something. Right?). We kept visiting with the small hope that we'd find something on our lot. So far, out of the 12 or so visits we made out there we found three new pebbles; a small, feeble thistle growing out of a mound of dirt; and, something I am really excited about, a white splotch from seagull droppings. This Is Getting Annoying.
The end-of-November festivities roll around and the wife and I take a trip to Florida to visit family. We wanted to have pictures of the construction of our new house to show them; but, instead, we settled for a picture of our seagull dropping splotch and a stylized drawing I did with crayons and construction paper. We stayed for two weeks, hoping that something exciting would happen while we were there. On the flight back we passed over Daybreak. We saw the lake had been filled (finally) and traced the roads to our lot. No dice. Nothing had changed. I swore I saw a new pebble, but I knew it was impossible to see that kind of detail from the window of a 737 at that height. The houses around ours were going up, now, though. Yet, still nothing on our lot. Who knows why ours is being delayed? Who knows? Do you?
Then, just when all hope has been dashed, we get an email from our agent letting us know that we have been assigned a liaison between construction and homeowners so that we can get better, more timely, information. Great. This Is Getting Better? We'll see.
We call this liaison and he tells us that our house is slated to break ground within 45 days. A quick mental calculation tells me that 45 days is a month an a half. It was early December when we called him, so a month and a half puts it at the end of January. And this is assuming he was telling us the truth instead of blowing smoke. We'll take his word for it. The end of January. Fine. Add six months, and it looks like our house will be done around the end of July, give or take. Ridiculous…I mean: This Is Getting Ridiculous.
This liaison also mentioned that Holmes Homes had made many unrealistic promises regarding construction dates. He also mentioned Daybreak making unrealistic promises regarding permits and other things. Fine. I understand his need to pacify the angry people he has been given. He's pointing fingers at Daybreak and himself (Holmes Homes) but it still doesn't explain how people in a situation like us are supposed to feel. We sold our house quickly, and early, based on erroneous information we were given. We moved into a tiny apartment (too small for a Christmas Tree, even. No lie.), because it was all we could afford with the steep lease-breaking and storage fees. Now, if construction is delayed any further beyond January, we will be paying this lease-breaking fee for NOTHING. How's that for things getting good? Or, we could've sold the house in the spring and had ourselves a nice, little, winter-holiday season, instead of the cramped, angry one awaiting us. This Is Getting Old.
"But," you say, "you signed a contract, Mr. Barrett. And, you are bound by this contract. Plus, if we fail to honor said contract by not building the house within a year you can get out of your contract without any loss of your money."
Well said. Yes, this is true. We DID sign a contract. The contract isn't what concerns me (more on this later, because new information has since come to light where we were given very bad information regarding our house. But, like I said, more later). We still want the house. What concerns me is that you, Holmes Homes, are also bound by this contract. You are bound by what you, and your representatives, tell your customers. We acted upon bad information, told to us by your agents. We were given a construction date off by 4 months (and this is assuming the end of January is right. That still remains to be seen.). Plus, even if we were to get out of our contract without "losing" any of our money, where does that leave us? In a tiny apartment with our belongings in storage, no house to move into, starting over on the house-buying process. Sounds great. You've got us by the short-hairs and you know it. So what if YOU break the contract. We have nearly $5,000 invested in this house that we CAN get back, but you've already made how much on the interest of that money? And, will we see any of that interest? Nope. Raw deal for us, then. Oh, but if we were to break this contract. If we were to have given you bad information month after month. Oooh, I would've loved to see what would've happened. Actually, I take that back. No, I wouldn't. I'm quite certain you guys are litigious and would've sued me for everything I own, and half of everything I don't. This Is Getting Me Very Angry.
We interrupt this letter to bring you a small moment in the life of Mr. and Mrs. Barrett, living in a thumbnail of an apartment and under contract with Holmes Homes for a house in Daybreak:
Julee: "Do you want to drive out to Daybreak today to see if there's anything new going on with our house?"
Justin: "Why? You know they haven't done anything."
Julee: "Come on. We might be surprised."
Justin: "You heard what the guy said. 45 days. We've got another month until anything is scheduled to begin. And that's IF the guy was telling us the truth."
Julee: "Is there anything we can do? This Is Getting Ridiculous."
Justin: "No. There's nothing we can do. We can forfeit the $5,000 we have put down for earnest money and deposits or we can just wait it out, hoping that someone will eventually take notice of what the hell is going on here and start do something about it. By the way, I already used the ridiculous thing earlier in the letter."
Julee: "Okay, fine. But, what about the extra money we're paying for rent so we can get out of the lease early?"
Justin: "Lost money, I'm afraid. Trust me, Holmes Homes doesn't care. Daybreak doesn't care. Hell, the reason all this is being delayed is because they are selling TOO MANY houses. Which means they are making TOO MUCH money. You think they care about us and our concerns?"
Julee: "But, don't they have to finish the house within a year of the contract date?"
Justin: "Ah. That's the tricky part. They get 365 days from the date of execution of the Earnest Money Agreement PLUS 60 days for them to finish…"
Julee: "Oh. Well, that's 14 months. Okay. 14 months, then. Still, we can rescind the contract after 14 months."
Justin: "But, here's the kicker. After that 60 days we may elect to cancel the contract and receive any consideration paid, meaning our earnest money and flooring deposits, LESS the cost of any special additions or modifications made at the request of the buyer."
Julee: "What does that mean?"
Justin: "Well, it means we can cancel the contract, get our money back (interest-free, of course), and start all over looking for a new house so that we can move out of this matchbox of an apartment. Then, we have to hope to high hell that they don't claim that we requested any special additions or modifications."
Julee: "But we haven't."
Justin: "Yes, I know. But we did request that they honor their word and actually build our house. I suppose that could be seen as a special request."
Julee: "That's absurd."
Justin: "I know. But, This Is Getting Absurd."
Julee: "Good one."
Justin: "Thanks, honey."
Before we were rudely interrupted, I was talking about how we received a notice that we now have a construction liaison. I also mentioned that we had received some recent news regarding our house that had angered us quite a bit.
Last week (
Anyway, this letter listed two major changes to what we thought we were getting. First, we will now be required to maintain the side and front parts of our lot. When we signed the contract to purchase this house we were told that our HOA fees (that will eventually be $70/month) would go towards maintaining our front and side lots. "What a fabulous thing," we thought. "It's almost too good to be true," we thought. Turns out it was. So, our $70 a month now goes towards what? The maintenance of the common areas? Towards the privilege of having Daybreak tell us what we can or cannot do via the CC&Rs? (It's a great thing, isn't it, to have the people in your development PAY you to tell them what to do. That's a brand of totalitarianism that Mussolini himself would find ironically sublime.) Fine. Whatever. We will take care of our front and side yards. Big deal. I don't like that I was lied to, but big deal.
But, this is the kicker. This is the one that really got our goat: we now find out that the 12+ extra feet of our corner lot, for which we paid $1,000 will no longer be fenced in. This was a major selling point for us, and the ONLY reason we sprang for the corner lot. So, now we've wasted another $1,000. It's almost a dream come true, wasting money like we were wealthy. Feels good.
But. But. Not to be outdone; we are also still responsible for the upkeep of this unfenced area. So, we buy this land, own this land, but cannot USE this land. However, we are still responsible for the upkeep of it. This land was purchased by us for an additional $1,000, yet will be utterly useless to us. It is being given over (for all intents and purposes) to Daybreak for easement and curb appeal, AND we will now have to lug our lawnmowers outside of our fences and around the corner to mow this unused, expensively-wasted strip of land. Magnificent. This Is Getting Out Of Hand.
Can we sign up for more of this kind of thing. Can we PLEASE pay you MORE money to have MORE land that we CAN'T have fenced in and will be UNABLE to use. That would be great. Is it at all possible for us to get screwed over in more ways? I don't know. Maybe.
Maybe a letter like this will be arriving sometime soon:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Barrett,
We regret to inform you that the lot you purchased through Holmes Homes in the Daybreak community has been moved to the other side of the
You'll be happy to know that Daybreak @ Dugway™ possesses its own supply of VX nerve gas, which will come in handy in case of an emergency.
(Disclaimer: We are not responsible should these storehouses of nerve gas or chemical weapons leak and poison you.)
We are very excited about the new Daybreak @ Dugway™ development and are confident you will feel just as at home there as you would at the original Daybreak in
Lastly, we want to inform you of the great new desert lake we have planned for Daybreak @ Dugway™. It will, of course, not be a real lake, but, instead, a lake of desert sand that will be available for use to all Daybreak @ Dugway™ residents (for a small service fee, of course).
Daybreak @ Dugway™. This Is Getting Weird.®
Yours very truly,
Holmes Homes and Daybreak
I am very angry about these recent developments. Would I be as angry about them if we hadn't been screwed around with earlier? Probably, yes. The delay of the building of our house was acceptable because, as I said earlier, the end justified the means. Now, you guys are messing with our end, and it's beginning to get a lot harder for us to justify the means with it.
"But," I can anticipate you saying, "You'll have the advantage of not having a house on both sides of your property." Good point. Yes, this is an advantage, but is it really worth $1,000? Is it really worth being given extra land that you own, but not really? Is it? I don't need to answer that because you already know my thoughts on this. This Is Getting Where It's Almost Not Worth It.
We know that we are going to be getting a great house. One we're really excited to be moving into, whenever that might actually occur. We know that the equity we will have in the house upon moving in will be insane, and even better than expected. We know that Daybreak will be an amazing community in which to grow old. We know all this. But, even all these great things can't erase the bad taste in our mouths from all the deception and delays and lies. And every single day that we lug our lawnmowers to our side yard, every single day we drive by the little sliver of easement we donated to Daybreak, will just remind us of it.
But, what recourse do we have? As I said before, we can either get screwed out of our $5,000 in deposits and earnest monies AND start all over to find a new house, or we can wait until Holmes Homes can't meet the 365 + 60 day requirement of the contract (which I'm pretty certain will happen), get our monies back (sans interest) THEN start all over. Either way, we're really losing in this proposition. Neither is an attractive alternative.
So, what do we do? A lot of it depends on you. Both Daybreak and Holmes Homes. It depends on what kind of answer I received from this letter (if any). It depends on what other spitballs you send our way. It depends on what other surprises you have in store for us as things move along. As it stands, we've had enough of the surprises. We just want to have our house started. We just want to move in. We just want it to where it's This Is Getting Good, again!
Sincerely,
Justin Barrett
Sincerely,
Justin Barrett
closure, finally
in the last "house" post, i mentioned the tile error and some other bullshit we had been dealing with on the building of this thing. i mentioned in the comments on that post that i'd decided to write another letter to the builder. the first letter i wrote to them was written in December (a full 9-page epic that i'm still very proud of, maybe i'll post it on here if people are interested in reading it. let me know.). i sent the new letter early last week and two days later received a call from the owner of Holmes Homes. he was understanding of my complaints and frustrations and even commented on the sarcasm (if it's not obvious from my blogging and poetry, i'm a very sarcastic person), and how he could appreciate it. also, he was amenable to meeting with the wife and me.
we met at our house this past Monday. we showed him the 6-inch error to the foundation, which caused our house to be 6-inches shorter (length-wise) than it should be. he said it's definitely an error, that they accept full responsibility and also, unfortunately, that it's nearly impossible to fix. we figured that. but, he was willing to compensate us for the error and for our frustration. we asked if they'd be willing to finish the first-floor half bath (which was to be merely roughed in for future finishing) and he said they would. good news.
we have come to terms with the errors and understand that these things sometimes happen. we're just happy that Holmes Homes is owned by someone who cares about his business and the work they do, and is willing to do what is right. the owner is a good guy and it was reassuring knowing that if we were to have any future issues that it will be dealt with properly.
the right tile was finally laid down and it looks great. the carpet was installed and the only thing left are the appliances and bathroom accessories (toilet, sink, etc.). we heard that our closing date should be sometime between July 7 and July 10. only a week and a half away. my god, we are so fucking ready.
because of the impending move that we will be undertaking shortly, i will probably be quite scarce on this blog. also, we still have to have Comcast come out to install our cable internet, which will probably be a nightmare in itself. i will do my best to update from work, when time and need arises, and will pick it back up again regularly once things have settled down.
in the meantime, keep and eye out for my weekly column, Background Noise, on Christopher Cunningham's fabulous blog, Upright Against The Savage Heavens. i intend to keep publishing the column every Sunday night (or Monday morning (from work) throughout this transition).
we met at our house this past Monday. we showed him the 6-inch error to the foundation, which caused our house to be 6-inches shorter (length-wise) than it should be. he said it's definitely an error, that they accept full responsibility and also, unfortunately, that it's nearly impossible to fix. we figured that. but, he was willing to compensate us for the error and for our frustration. we asked if they'd be willing to finish the first-floor half bath (which was to be merely roughed in for future finishing) and he said they would. good news.
we have come to terms with the errors and understand that these things sometimes happen. we're just happy that Holmes Homes is owned by someone who cares about his business and the work they do, and is willing to do what is right. the owner is a good guy and it was reassuring knowing that if we were to have any future issues that it will be dealt with properly.
the right tile was finally laid down and it looks great. the carpet was installed and the only thing left are the appliances and bathroom accessories (toilet, sink, etc.). we heard that our closing date should be sometime between July 7 and July 10. only a week and a half away. my god, we are so fucking ready.
because of the impending move that we will be undertaking shortly, i will probably be quite scarce on this blog. also, we still have to have Comcast come out to install our cable internet, which will probably be a nightmare in itself. i will do my best to update from work, when time and need arises, and will pick it back up again regularly once things have settled down.
in the meantime, keep and eye out for my weekly column, Background Noise, on Christopher Cunningham's fabulous blog, Upright Against The Savage Heavens. i intend to keep publishing the column every Sunday night (or Monday morning (from work) throughout this transition).
25 June 2006
Background Noise and how to write well
first, the newest installment of Background Noise is posted on Upright Against The Savage Heavens. take a gander and chime in on your opinions of print vs. online publishing. a little healthy debate can only help us in this press we call small.
second, check out this tongue-in-cheek list on how to write good (sic). funny stuff.
second, check out this tongue-in-cheek list on how to write good (sic). funny stuff.
22 June 2006
it's all about scale
think about the largest thing you've ever personally seen (other than the moon, sun, stars or planetary body). what is it? a skyscraper? maybe one of those gigantic hangars used for zeppelins? a sports stadium? a mountain?
now, compare that to the size of the earth. it's miniscule in comparison, right? i mean, the earth is humongous.
yet, we all know that the earth is dwarfed by Jupiter and Saturn and, of couse, the Sun. but, HOW dwarfed are we talking?
this should help with the scale. now, just imagine that there are stars out there that dwarf our own. and imagine the size of a galaxy. and imagine the immensities involved in a cluster of galaxies. or in a supercluster.
now, think about the size of our universe. there is no word in any language that can describe it's largeness. nothing even comes close (except MAYBE infinity, but that is a meaningless concept).
now, after all this thinking, how big do you feel? pretty damn small, huh? fairly insignificant? THIS is why art and science are necessary. both use different means towards the same end: shrinking the universe -- or at least our concept of it.
now, compare that to the size of the earth. it's miniscule in comparison, right? i mean, the earth is humongous.
yet, we all know that the earth is dwarfed by Jupiter and Saturn and, of couse, the Sun. but, HOW dwarfed are we talking?
this should help with the scale. now, just imagine that there are stars out there that dwarf our own. and imagine the size of a galaxy. and imagine the immensities involved in a cluster of galaxies. or in a supercluster.
now, think about the size of our universe. there is no word in any language that can describe it's largeness. nothing even comes close (except MAYBE infinity, but that is a meaningless concept).
now, after all this thinking, how big do you feel? pretty damn small, huh? fairly insignificant? THIS is why art and science are necessary. both use different means towards the same end: shrinking the universe -- or at least our concept of it.
21 June 2006
mail call
waiting in my inbox today was a package from Liquid Paper Press with the newest issue of Nerve Cowboy (#21). unfortunately, i didn't get a submission sent in time to potentially have made this issue, but that only makes this issue that much stronger.
featured poets include this poet's life contributors Christopher Cunningham, Kathleen Paul-Flanagan, Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal; great job guys, good work.
also included are great pieces by the likes of Henry Denander, Gerald Locklin, Karl Koweski, Rocking Chair Frank, and Nathan Graziano. all great stuff.
i've said it before and i'll say it again: Nerve Cowboy is the best poetry journal out there.
also in the package was a copy of Karl Koweski's 2nd place-finishing chapbook from the 2004 Nerve Cowboy Chapbook Contest, Casualty of the Industrial Revolution. i'm a big fan of Koweski's stuff and look forward to diving into this one.
featured poets include this poet's life contributors Christopher Cunningham, Kathleen Paul-Flanagan, Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal; great job guys, good work.
also included are great pieces by the likes of Henry Denander, Gerald Locklin, Karl Koweski, Rocking Chair Frank, and Nathan Graziano. all great stuff.
i've said it before and i'll say it again: Nerve Cowboy is the best poetry journal out there.
also in the package was a copy of Karl Koweski's 2nd place-finishing chapbook from the 2004 Nerve Cowboy Chapbook Contest, Casualty of the Industrial Revolution. i'm a big fan of Koweski's stuff and look forward to diving into this one.
20 June 2006
a site, a mag and a book
i was browsing through some sites and found this one. there are plenty of article relating to writing and grammar and spelling. good stuff. i wish more people would read these kinds of things.
i received the newest issue of remark. (issue 45) in today's mail. this issue was edited by this poet's life contributor Christopher Kornacki. i have two poems in this issue, but despite that error Mr. Kornacki did an excellent job in choosing poems for this issue (which speaks to the quality of most of the poems). other poets include Glenn W. Cooper, Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal, Michael Estabrook, S.A. Griffin, Karl Koweski, C. Allen Rearick and Amanda Oaks.
lastly, in yesterday's mail was a copy of this poet's life contributor C. Allen Rearick's first chapbook, a split-chapbook with Greg O., published by green panda press and titled from Cali to Cleve. the book consists of seven poems by Rearick and a short story by Mr. O. the short story is amusing and engaging, but it's the seven poems that grab me as the best part of the book (this is probably due more to the fact that i do not write fiction than to the ability of Mr. O.). Rearick's poetry has matured immensely in a very short time, and it shows in this collection.
the chapbook is limited to 69 issues and goes for $6. if you're interested, let me know and i can get you in contact with the author so that you may obtain a copy.
on a related note, my own press (Hemispherical Press) will be releasing a C. Allen Rearick chapbook in 2007. it'll be worth the wait, trust me.
and speaking of Hemispherical Press, it's been a long while since the last release, but the press has not folded (check out the website and contact me if you're interested in purchasing an item) but has only been on a short hiatus. when HemPress returns, we will be releasing some of the best work out there. watch for it.
i received the newest issue of remark. (issue 45) in today's mail. this issue was edited by this poet's life contributor Christopher Kornacki. i have two poems in this issue, but despite that error Mr. Kornacki did an excellent job in choosing poems for this issue (which speaks to the quality of most of the poems). other poets include Glenn W. Cooper, Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal, Michael Estabrook, S.A. Griffin, Karl Koweski, C. Allen Rearick and Amanda Oaks.
lastly, in yesterday's mail was a copy of this poet's life contributor C. Allen Rearick's first chapbook, a split-chapbook with Greg O., published by green panda press and titled from Cali to Cleve. the book consists of seven poems by Rearick and a short story by Mr. O. the short story is amusing and engaging, but it's the seven poems that grab me as the best part of the book (this is probably due more to the fact that i do not write fiction than to the ability of Mr. O.). Rearick's poetry has matured immensely in a very short time, and it shows in this collection.
the chapbook is limited to 69 issues and goes for $6. if you're interested, let me know and i can get you in contact with the author so that you may obtain a copy.
on a related note, my own press (Hemispherical Press) will be releasing a C. Allen Rearick chapbook in 2007. it'll be worth the wait, trust me.
and speaking of Hemispherical Press, it's been a long while since the last release, but the press has not folded (check out the website and contact me if you're interested in purchasing an item) but has only been on a short hiatus. when HemPress returns, we will be releasing some of the best work out there. watch for it.
19 June 2006
quantum theory of poetry
over on Upright Against The Savage Heavens, the newest installment of my weekly "column" Background Noise has been posted.
this week i make a fool of myself by coming up with a Quantum Theory of Poetry.
check it out.
this week i make a fool of myself by coming up with a Quantum Theory of Poetry.
check it out.
17 June 2006
update on the house, or just when you think something positive...
...about humanity, the walls of reality come crashing down.
first, we stopped by the house today and i took a picture of my house with my cellphone (see photo to the right). realize it's a cellphone, so it's not the best quality, but it's pretty nice for a low-quality cellphone pic.
the house was painted (first time we saw it painted) and we're happy with the color. the door isn't painted yet, but it will be red, so just try to picture that. we're to have red shutters as well.
okay, onto the continued saga of this poet's house. if you remember from last episode we had been contacted by our builder that our tile (which was a killer 13"x13" specimen) was dicontinued by the manufacturer. we received a free upgrade to a better (i.e. larger) tile due to the inconvenience. the tile we chose was 15"x15", which is allegedly a better-looking tile, aesthetically speaking. the color was a deep burgundy with greenish-brown highlights. very nice. not as nice as our original choice, mind you, but still something we could live with.
well, this was Monday. five days later (5!), today, we show up at the house and find that they've tiled our entire house with the wrong fucking tile. a 12"x12" sand-colored tile that looks NOTHING like the tile we chose. this shit is getting ridiculous. how is it that in five days they can completely fuck something up like this? how is it? what is wrong with people? i have little faith in people, but it appears i put too much faith in these dolts. my wife, the brilliant soul that she is, even said on Monday, after we chose the tile, "i bet these assholes fuck this up." i told her there was no way, we JUST chose the tile. all they have to do is truck it to the house and ta-da, it's done. well, the prescience of my wife will never cease to amaze me. she called it. those assholes fucked it up.
so, our house is five months late. they've screwed up the actual building of it (i never mentioned this, but they fucked up in constructing the house such that our living area is 4" too short and we've an extra 4" in the garage; but to further ruin it, they've had to fashion a "jog" in the back washroom area so they could fit a washer AND dryer in there. plus, the 4" is taken off the kitchen which means the island we'll have in there will be squashed up against the counter with only 8 inches of space between it and the opposite counter), they took so long that our original tile choice is no longer available, and now they tiled the house with the wrong goddamn tile.
i know Holmes Homes (our builder) works only in Utah, but if you ever find yourself in need of a builder, and you're also unfortunate enough to find yourself in Utah, i cannot recommend Holmes Homes as a builder. though, i've heard that every fucking builder in America is as bad or worse, i know from first hand the kind of shit that Holmes Homes pulls. seems they got you by the shorthairs and don't mind pulling. our only recourse is the ability to get our of our contract without losing our earnest money. BUT, we lose the home we've been worrying about and wanted, housing prices in Utah are insane so now we can't even afford another house, and we would have to start all over again with this bullshit even if we could. there's really nothing we can do but bend over and take it; and hope they use plenty of lubricant.
anyway, that's the new development on the house. assuming they'll change the tile, this pushes our move-in date even further back. we signed the contracts on this house over a year ago. it was ridiculous in March. now, it's three months beyond ridiculous.
16 June 2006
the house
i haven't posted about it in awhile, and since this is my blog and it's (ostensibly) about my life, i'll go ahead and make a post about my house.
we got a call this past Monday that the tile we originally chose (back in July of last year) was no longer being produced and that we would need to choose a new style. of course it's not in fucking production, we chose the damn thing so long ago. it's probably out of date and would look ridiculous. we wouldn't know, though, because it had been so long that we had literally forgotten what we chose, and how it looked.
we showed up at the showroom to choose our new tile and the guy meeting us brought a sample of the tile we originally chose and one that he thought might work out. it turns out the one we chose was fucking AWESOME, for lack of a better descriptor. of course it was. anyway, we haggled to get a free upgrade to a better, bigger tile and chose one that is nice but not as nice.
it was nice, too, to check out all the other options and colors (countertops, cabinets, house color) of things we chose and forgot about. apparently, we are about 30 days out. it seems we've been perpetually 30 days out.
anyway, we're going back out tomorrow to check the construction. we hope to see all the tile done, the house painted (did i mention it'll be a mustard yellow?) and hopefully some other things. we'll see.
when all is said and done, i'll eventually post pictures here. i don't have a digital camera (i know, i know...) so i'll do my best to borrow one or scan my photos.
we got a call this past Monday that the tile we originally chose (back in July of last year) was no longer being produced and that we would need to choose a new style. of course it's not in fucking production, we chose the damn thing so long ago. it's probably out of date and would look ridiculous. we wouldn't know, though, because it had been so long that we had literally forgotten what we chose, and how it looked.
we showed up at the showroom to choose our new tile and the guy meeting us brought a sample of the tile we originally chose and one that he thought might work out. it turns out the one we chose was fucking AWESOME, for lack of a better descriptor. of course it was. anyway, we haggled to get a free upgrade to a better, bigger tile and chose one that is nice but not as nice.
it was nice, too, to check out all the other options and colors (countertops, cabinets, house color) of things we chose and forgot about. apparently, we are about 30 days out. it seems we've been perpetually 30 days out.
anyway, we're going back out tomorrow to check the construction. we hope to see all the tile done, the house painted (did i mention it'll be a mustard yellow?) and hopefully some other things. we'll see.
when all is said and done, i'll eventually post pictures here. i don't have a digital camera (i know, i know...) so i'll do my best to borrow one or scan my photos.
a little irony
well, what do you know?
Bukowski always wanted to be in a library. he's written about in many of his poems and short stories. it finally happened.
good for him.
Bukowski always wanted to be in a library. he's written about in many of his poems and short stories. it finally happened.
good for him.
14 June 2006
in the mail today & musings on poet laureate
in the mail today was the new issue of small press review (Vol. 38 Nos. 5-6). a review of Naked Knuckle #6 was featured and it included quotes of poems by both Hosho McCreesh and our very own Christopher Cunningham. congrats, guys. you know my thoughts on your work, so it's just good to know others are noticing, too.
on the drive home from work today, i was ruminating about the announcement that Donald Hall will be new (and 14th) Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. there wasn't much a fucking announcement, really. just some tiny blurbs in the papers (or at least in their online facades). instead, we hear more about Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. ridiculous.
anyway, it seems to me that the announcement of a new Poet Laureate would be a big fucking deal. i think it is. or at least i think it should be. oh well.
at least there's still those of us like McCreesh and Cunningham rewriting the myths for the next generation.
on the drive home from work today, i was ruminating about the announcement that Donald Hall will be new (and 14th) Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. there wasn't much a fucking announcement, really. just some tiny blurbs in the papers (or at least in their online facades). instead, we hear more about Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. ridiculous.
anyway, it seems to me that the announcement of a new Poet Laureate would be a big fucking deal. i think it is. or at least i think it should be. oh well.
at least there's still those of us like McCreesh and Cunningham rewriting the myths for the next generation.
the ovaltine poems
for those who might have missed it, a fun series of comments have been logged in the is the cliché a cliché post. among those comments have been a bunch of poems relating to Ovaltine, the drink of choice for this poet's life contributor, editor of remark., and poette, Kat.
in the interest of ease and enjoyment, here are the poems so far (plus a new one by yours truly), with bylines below each poem:
slang
"Mary, you
are so fucking
ovaltine
it makes me like
sick
or something."
she flipped open
her cellphone
and sent a
quick text
to her list,
making sure
to tell everybody
that
Mary
is
again
off her
Myspace page.
this time for good.
Mary went home
to try and
figure out
how to be
less
ovaltine
in the future.
--Christopher Cunningham
Ovaltine
if Ovaltine were
money, i'd
be rich
but if Ovaltine
were love,
i'd still
be lonely
without you.
--justin.barrett
madness and strong drink
looking in the mirror
after no sleep for a second
night,
peeling back the corners
of red tired eyes,
sunlight oozing thru
dirty plastic slats,
mouth filled with
ugliness
and the taste of
strong drink.
mind is slipping,
mutter,
"ovaltine"
to the face
I no longer know.
--Christopher Cunningham
Untitled
I heard a fly buzz
And then it died;
Fell into my Ovaltine,
And it made me cry.
It was my favorite fly;
I named it Vincent Price;
Help me, Help me, it cried,
Oh, brother, look at
What Just just made me write.
--Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal
Gone
she used the
ovaltine jar to
stick the post-it
to
‘you boring fucker,
have a nice life.’
I’d miss her sense
of humour,
but that was
about all.
--Brian McGettrick
Untitled Ovaltine Poem
In grade school, mary
was quite
the oval teen.
By the time she
reached high school,
she developed
a bad case
of bulimia.
In between classes
she would vomit
as a means to slenderize.
All the cool kids
would make fun
of her for being
so cliche, till one day
she snapped
and ate them
all.
--C. Allen Rearick
Because it’s very delicious
"Ovaltine?"
I ask,
"Why Ovaltine?"
"Because it's very
delicious," she
says, "plus, it's
good for you."
"Whatever.
Ovaltine is so last
week, AND
it tastes like
crap. I much prefer
Nestle Quick."
"Nestle Quick?"
"Yes, Nestle
Quick.
It’s like Ovaltine
on steroids."
"On steroids?
You're such
a cliché,"
she says.
"You're a cliché,"
I retort. Then,
"Whatever.
And give me back
my steroids."
--justin.barrett
all good stuff. this only goes to show that poetry can come from anything; even something as ovaltine as Ovaltine!
AND, as if all of this weren't enough, the very same Kat who inspired these poems is working on a villanelle to top this collection off.
if any other poets out there are interested in getting in on the ovaltine fun, post your poem in the comments. don't be so ovaltine and get to it!
in the interest of ease and enjoyment, here are the poems so far (plus a new one by yours truly), with bylines below each poem:
slang
"Mary, you
are so fucking
ovaltine
it makes me like
sick
or something."
she flipped open
her cellphone
and sent a
quick text
to her list,
making sure
to tell everybody
that
Mary
is
again
off her
Myspace page.
this time for good.
Mary went home
to try and
figure out
how to be
less
ovaltine
in the future.
--Christopher Cunningham
Ovaltine
if Ovaltine were
money, i'd
be rich
but if Ovaltine
were love,
i'd still
be lonely
without you.
--justin.barrett
madness and strong drink
looking in the mirror
after no sleep for a second
night,
peeling back the corners
of red tired eyes,
sunlight oozing thru
dirty plastic slats,
mouth filled with
ugliness
and the taste of
strong drink.
mind is slipping,
mutter,
"ovaltine"
to the face
I no longer know.
--Christopher Cunningham
Untitled
I heard a fly buzz
And then it died;
Fell into my Ovaltine,
And it made me cry.
It was my favorite fly;
I named it Vincent Price;
Help me, Help me, it cried,
Oh, brother, look at
What Just just made me write.
--Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal
Gone
she used the
ovaltine jar to
stick the post-it
to
‘you boring fucker,
have a nice life.’
I’d miss her sense
of humour,
but that was
about all.
--Brian McGettrick
Untitled Ovaltine Poem
In grade school, mary
was quite
the oval teen.
By the time she
reached high school,
she developed
a bad case
of bulimia.
In between classes
she would vomit
as a means to slenderize.
All the cool kids
would make fun
of her for being
so cliche, till one day
she snapped
and ate them
all.
--C. Allen Rearick
Because it’s very delicious
"Ovaltine?"
I ask,
"Why Ovaltine?"
"Because it's very
delicious," she
says, "plus, it's
good for you."
"Whatever.
Ovaltine is so last
week, AND
it tastes like
crap. I much prefer
Nestle Quick."
"Nestle Quick?"
"Yes, Nestle
Quick.
It’s like Ovaltine
on steroids."
"On steroids?
You're such
a cliché,"
she says.
"You're a cliché,"
I retort. Then,
"Whatever.
And give me back
my steroids."
--justin.barrett
all good stuff. this only goes to show that poetry can come from anything; even something as ovaltine as Ovaltine!
AND, as if all of this weren't enough, the very same Kat who inspired these poems is working on a villanelle to top this collection off.
if any other poets out there are interested in getting in on the ovaltine fun, post your poem in the comments. don't be so ovaltine and get to it!
why wasn't i chosen?
the Library of Congress announced, today, that Donald Hall will be the 14th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.
i guess my next order of business is reading up on this Hall fella.
i guess my next order of business is reading up on this Hall fella.
Whitman's invincible city
it appears the city of Camden has decided to offer a tour of Walt Whitman's home. The tour will be away from the Waterfront of Camden (scary thought) and includes a Whitman impersonator. for $30, it's not a bad deal.
Camden isn't the nicest place around, but this little attraction certainly makes it a bit more enticing; at least to this struggling poet.
Camden isn't the nicest place around, but this little attraction certainly makes it a bit more enticing; at least to this struggling poet.
13 June 2006
a kick (err...itch) in the pants
well, isn't this just a fine how-do-you-do?!
good thing global warming isn't really happening, huh?
i'm sorry to tell you that it is, though.
good thing global warming isn't really happening, huh?
i'm sorry to tell you that it is, though.
12 June 2006
...we interrupt our regularly scheduled blog
for this announcement:
my good buddy, fellow writer in the trenches, periodic commenter to this blog, friend to the world, and all-around good guy Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal has asked that i mention that Jeff Vande Zande's new novel Into the Desperate Country has been released by March Street Press.
i've not read the novel, but Vande Zande is a poet that's been around (including in an issue of remark (#25) while i was still running the joint). his stuff is good, and i am recommending it at Luis's request.
we now rejoin our blog, already in progress...
my good buddy, fellow writer in the trenches, periodic commenter to this blog, friend to the world, and all-around good guy Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal has asked that i mention that Jeff Vande Zande's new novel Into the Desperate Country has been released by March Street Press.
i've not read the novel, but Vande Zande is a poet that's been around (including in an issue of remark (#25) while i was still running the joint). his stuff is good, and i am recommending it at Luis's request.
we now rejoin our blog, already in progress...
11 June 2006
is the word cliché a cliché?
friend of this poet's life, Kat, was kind enough to forward this article by Jenna Glatzer about clichés and avoiding them in your writing. It's a short article, but informative and enjoyable nonetheless.
is nonetheless a cliché?
what about writing a blog, is that cliché? i'm pretty damn sure that is.
oh well.
is nonetheless a cliché?
what about writing a blog, is that cliché? i'm pretty damn sure that is.
oh well.
feeble rantings
the latest installment of my seminal column, Background Noise, on Upright Against The Savage Heavens, is now posted for all to bask in. this time around i attempt to answer a question for the ages: What is poetry? i fail miserably, of course, but there's a good time to be had in laughing at my failure.
enjoy the feeble rantings and psychotic ramblings of a man on the verge of sanity.
enjoy the feeble rantings and psychotic ramblings of a man on the verge of sanity.
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