well, it appears my mailbox situation has been rectified. AND, just in time for me to receive a rejection from Cellar Roots out of Eastern Michigan University. i had appeared in three previous issues of Cellar Roots, all themed issues, but wasn't able to make this one. ah well.
it's good though that our bills and letter and even a check we were owed from the electric company were returned to sender, but a rejection gets through. fabulous!
28 October 2005
26 October 2005
chapbook o' the quarter
the last installment of Bottle of Smoke's Chapbook of the Quarter Club arrived in my mailbox this afternoon. this issue's author is none other than the venerable David Barker. David is a master of the short, witty poem. No one ever said so much using so few words.
the Chapbook of the Quarter Club is a great little thing that Bill at BOSPress started earlier this year. it is a a subscription service only, meaning he will not sell these books outside of the club. to join is just $20 and you'll receive four handsome, letterpressed chapbooks. i'm proud to say my chapbook Liquid Jesus was the club's inaugural chapbook back in the beginning of this year.
i look forward to these little chapbooks and i know you will, too. join the Club. c'mon. all the cool kids are doing it!
the Chapbook of the Quarter Club is a great little thing that Bill at BOSPress started earlier this year. it is a a subscription service only, meaning he will not sell these books outside of the club. to join is just $20 and you'll receive four handsome, letterpressed chapbooks. i'm proud to say my chapbook Liquid Jesus was the club's inaugural chapbook back in the beginning of this year.
i look forward to these little chapbooks and i know you will, too. join the Club. c'mon. all the cool kids are doing it!
25 October 2005
trespass
i got an email the other day letting me know that two of my poems, Midnight Trains and the emptiness of a moonless night, have been accepted to appear in the autumn issue (issue #2) of trespass magazine. trespass is a new literary journal with much promise, so i'm excited about this. check out their website and submit some of your own stuff.
i heard this morning that Rosa Parks died last night, at the age of 92. it's weird to think that such a little, old lady could've sparked such a momentous and historic time. i was thinking, too, that most of the people who took up the civil rights movement are now dead. i hope this is a piece of history we aren't doomed to repeat. though, i wouldn't be too damn sure with people like this in the world. eugenics is wrong on so many levels, but if i were to be in charge of implementing it, the parents of these girls certainly would be on the top of the list. as would similar people.
and, just to show i'm not some kind of fascist, #1 to be sterilized would be yours truly.
but, seriously, 50 years later and there's not much different. only we're more jaded and less compassionate and more insular.
i heard this morning that Rosa Parks died last night, at the age of 92. it's weird to think that such a little, old lady could've sparked such a momentous and historic time. i was thinking, too, that most of the people who took up the civil rights movement are now dead. i hope this is a piece of history we aren't doomed to repeat. though, i wouldn't be too damn sure with people like this in the world. eugenics is wrong on so many levels, but if i were to be in charge of implementing it, the parents of these girls certainly would be on the top of the list. as would similar people.
and, just to show i'm not some kind of fascist, #1 to be sterilized would be yours truly.
but, seriously, 50 years later and there's not much different. only we're more jaded and less compassionate and more insular.
20 October 2005
the fly that stings
i recently purchased and, today, received a copy of the latest issue (issue 2/volume two) of the stinging fly out of Dublin, Ireland. the reason i bought a copy of this journal is because my buddy, and a contributor to this blog, Brian McGettrick is the Featured Poet for this issue. this is a big time thing as the stinging fly is a major journal of literature. it's a gorgeous thing to behold, too. glossy cover, perfect bound.
congratulations, Brian. the five poems that are featured in this issue, too, are marvelous. you should be proud.
i am mentioning this because i think everyone should pick a copy up. not only to support a poet (which is something we all should do), but because the poetry in this issue is top notch.
again, congratulations, Brian. i'm sure this is the beginning of great things for you.
congratulations, Brian. the five poems that are featured in this issue, too, are marvelous. you should be proud.
i am mentioning this because i think everyone should pick a copy up. not only to support a poet (which is something we all should do), but because the poetry in this issue is top notch.
again, congratulations, Brian. i'm sure this is the beginning of great things for you.
18 October 2005
snail mail
well, we found out what the fucking problem with our mail delivery was. i turns out our moronic mailman decided that we had moved because our box was "overstuffed". apparently, he noted in our record (or in some damn thing) that our box was overstuffed for a few days and therefore we moved and all mail must be returned.
there are two issues at work here. 1) our mail was never "overstuffed". on our trip to Vegas, we were obviously unable to check our mail for a day. ONE day. so, because of this single day of neglecting to get our mail, it was stopped. what the fuck?! 2) if it was shut off and we were not living here, why the hell did we still get mail. granted, we didn't get everything (and it turns out all the important shit was returned (i.e. bills, correspondence, etc.)) but we did get some stuff. so, these dolts at the post office can't do their job AT ALL. first, they jump the gun on "overstuffed" mailboxes; choosing to return mail unnecessarily. and, second, they can't even shut the mail off correctly. if in fact we HAD moved, why the fuck did some of the mail get through. AND, didn't the shitforbrains notice that the mail he had delivered the day before suddenly disappeared the next day? this should've been proof enough that we had in fact NOT moved. jesus christ, the mental defectives are taking over the world.
anyway, our mail problem is now fixed, allegedly. my wife wants me to call the post office tomorrow morning to talk to our carrier. but, what the fuck am i going to say to this mental midget that he'll be able to understand? nothing.
so, if you've sent me something and it came back returned, please be advised that i AM alive, i DO live where you sent it and i WILL now get it if you resend it. i think.
there are two issues at work here. 1) our mail was never "overstuffed". on our trip to Vegas, we were obviously unable to check our mail for a day. ONE day. so, because of this single day of neglecting to get our mail, it was stopped. what the fuck?! 2) if it was shut off and we were not living here, why the hell did we still get mail. granted, we didn't get everything (and it turns out all the important shit was returned (i.e. bills, correspondence, etc.)) but we did get some stuff. so, these dolts at the post office can't do their job AT ALL. first, they jump the gun on "overstuffed" mailboxes; choosing to return mail unnecessarily. and, second, they can't even shut the mail off correctly. if in fact we HAD moved, why the fuck did some of the mail get through. AND, didn't the shitforbrains notice that the mail he had delivered the day before suddenly disappeared the next day? this should've been proof enough that we had in fact NOT moved. jesus christ, the mental defectives are taking over the world.
anyway, our mail problem is now fixed, allegedly. my wife wants me to call the post office tomorrow morning to talk to our carrier. but, what the fuck am i going to say to this mental midget that he'll be able to understand? nothing.
so, if you've sent me something and it came back returned, please be advised that i AM alive, i DO live where you sent it and i WILL now get it if you resend it. i think.
13 October 2005
six-pack
based on the title of this post, you'd assume it was alcohol-related (or at least -induced). neither is the case. what this title refers to is the new Bottle of Smoke Press Six-Pack release (#5). if you don't know what Six-Pack is, it is a small package of six tiny broadsides featuring six different poets. it's a fabulous idea. this installment includes poems by Christopher Cunningham, Henry Denander, Nathan Graziano, and this blog's very own C. Allen Rearick. helluva poem, Casey. helluva poem! in fact, all the poems are great.
included in the package was the new broadside by TL Kryss. a beautifully designed broadside with a nice little prose poem inside. the printing is immaculate, and set in a gorgeous typeface. well worth whatever Bill is charging.
check out Bottle of Smoke and dive into any of his offerings. you will, no doubt, find something worth the price he's asking.
again, great job Casey. always good to see your stuff!
included in the package was the new broadside by TL Kryss. a beautifully designed broadside with a nice little prose poem inside. the printing is immaculate, and set in a gorgeous typeface. well worth whatever Bill is charging.
check out Bottle of Smoke and dive into any of his offerings. you will, no doubt, find something worth the price he's asking.
again, great job Casey. always good to see your stuff!
11 October 2005
quick poetry update
i sent Eric Dejaeger, the bloke in Belgium who translated 18 of my poems into French, a copy of my 12 Gauge Press chapbook, The Magnificent Seven, and some broadsides as thanks for being so kind as to translate the poems and submit them to French-language journals. well, i just received word that Eric found three more poems that he wanted to translate (the last three in The Magnificent Seven chapbook). he sent me the new translations, and it's still a hoot to see my words in French.
anyway, nothing more going on other than that.
oh, wait. we're having issues with our mail delivery, suddenly. apparently, our mailman is rejecting mail that is properly address and sending it back as undeliverable. we called the post office and they said everything is copacetic, but they'll talk to our mailman to make sure nothing is amiss. whatever. he'll probably throw everything away, now. or contract some deadly disease so that he could cough on it, or bleed on it, or something just to spread the contagion to us. if i come down with some exotic, rare disease like Tay-Sachs or SIDS or Tourette's, we'll know who's to blame.
anyway, nothing more going on other than that.
oh, wait. we're having issues with our mail delivery, suddenly. apparently, our mailman is rejecting mail that is properly address and sending it back as undeliverable. we called the post office and they said everything is copacetic, but they'll talk to our mailman to make sure nothing is amiss. whatever. he'll probably throw everything away, now. or contract some deadly disease so that he could cough on it, or bleed on it, or something just to spread the contagion to us. if i come down with some exotic, rare disease like Tay-Sachs or SIDS or Tourette's, we'll know who's to blame.
08 October 2005
i saw the best minds of my generation...
yesterday marked the 50 year anniversary of the unveiling of Allen Ginsberg's seminal poem (which lucidly and viscereally described a generation) Howl. On October 7, 1955, Ginsberg read his poem to an audience in San Francisco. Howl (and that reading in specific) is given credit for kicking off the Beat movement in modern poetry.
anyway, Howl is still an amazing piece, meant to be heard, not read. i have a recording of Ginsberg reading this poem, and it is simply awesome (in all meaning of the word). i am not a Ginsberg nut, and frankly feel most of his poetry is overrated, but Howl remains one of the greatest poems ever written. and, anybody who can do that deserves to go down in history, and will earn my undying respect. Howl might have been a fluke for Ginsberg (depending upon your feelings of Ginsberg), but what a fluke it was.
read up on Ginsberg and his fight against censorship during the mid-50's McCarthyism. then, read the poem and revel in Ginsberg's images. enjoy the metrical timing and spacing. and celebrate a piece of poetic (and American) history.
anyway, Howl is still an amazing piece, meant to be heard, not read. i have a recording of Ginsberg reading this poem, and it is simply awesome (in all meaning of the word). i am not a Ginsberg nut, and frankly feel most of his poetry is overrated, but Howl remains one of the greatest poems ever written. and, anybody who can do that deserves to go down in history, and will earn my undying respect. Howl might have been a fluke for Ginsberg (depending upon your feelings of Ginsberg), but what a fluke it was.
read up on Ginsberg and his fight against censorship during the mid-50's McCarthyism. then, read the poem and revel in Ginsberg's images. enjoy the metrical timing and spacing. and celebrate a piece of poetic (and American) history.
06 October 2005
the penultimate issue
i received my subscriber's copy of the penultimate issue of Chiron Review today (issue #80). if you are unaware Chiron Review has been at it for some 23 years. they've published just about everyone, and consistently put out powerful issues. the next issue will be their last, and it's a sad day indeed. hundreds upon thousands of small press magazines have spawned and died in the 23 year run that Chiron Review has enjoyed. hundreds upon thousands more will strive to fill its place (though, no doubt, ultimately failing).
Chiron will be missed.
oh, in this issue is a great interview with Edward Field (and another, surreally done by Michael Basinski, with Nathan Graziano), and poetry by A.D. Winans, john sweet, Charles Rammelkamp and a bunch of others.
Chiron will be missed.
oh, in this issue is a great interview with Edward Field (and another, surreally done by Michael Basinski, with Nathan Graziano), and poetry by A.D. Winans, john sweet, Charles Rammelkamp and a bunch of others.
03 October 2005
some poetry news
i received my contributor's copy of the new anthology, Chemical Lust, by Monophonic Press (and the editors of Cherry Bleeds). this is a sex & drugs anthology featuring the work of Karl Koweski, Will Carpenter, Jeffrey S. Taylor and Tony DuShane.
i have two poems featured, anheuser heaven and right here.
i also just received word from Éric Dejaeger, the generous guy who translated 18 of my poems into French, that five of these poems will appear in the January issue of Noveaux Délits. he mentioned that with some appearing in Liqueur 44 and his own mag, Microbe, all 18 should appear in Belgium and/or France by the first half of 2006. this is amazing news. i'm so excited. i get about 18 poems in magazines in a whole year here in America. having 18 in French-language magazines in only half a year is spectacular. for me.
i have two poems featured, anheuser heaven and right here.
i also just received word from Éric Dejaeger, the generous guy who translated 18 of my poems into French, that five of these poems will appear in the January issue of Noveaux Délits. he mentioned that with some appearing in Liqueur 44 and his own mag, Microbe, all 18 should appear in Belgium and/or France by the first half of 2006. this is amazing news. i'm so excited. i get about 18 poems in magazines in a whole year here in America. having 18 in French-language magazines in only half a year is spectacular. for me.
02 October 2005
apartment hell, part II
in the last installment, i talked about some ass-hat who parked in my reserved parking spot. bad enough as that is, i've more things to discuss.
take this morning for example. today is Sunday. a day of rest. for me at least. well, this morning (and every fucking Sunday morning since we've lived here) the dipshits upstairs get up at 7 in the morning and make a shitload of noise as they get ready for church (it has to be church. why? because where the fuck else are they going this early EVERY fucking Sunday?) anyway, right on time, they wake up (which means the wife and i wake up) right at 7. FUCK THIS! church can fucking wait. CHRIST! whatever happened to sleeping in Sunday morning. if a god doesn't understand this and to hell with it.
oh, and the very first night we slept at the apartment (a Saturday night as it were) someone had a party.
but first, let me describe the layout complex. our area of this humongous place consists of 3 building arranged like a horseshoe around a central parking area. each building has 24 units, so there are 72 units to this area. there are bound to be a few (even more in an apartment setting) assholes out of 72 families.
anyway, this first night someone had a party. that's fine. i spent a good 50% of my university time at parties in a apartment complex. however, at 2 in the morning we were rudely awoken by some cocksucker yelling across the parking lot about wanting to kick some guys ass. it was loud, but since it was across the parking lot, the voice was muted and echoed.
"you pushed my girlfriend!" he was yelling, his voiced strained from emotion and alcohol. i imagined his face was red and he was sweating. his chest puffed out, his fists in balls.
"you pushed my girlfriend, asshole!" at the top of his lungs.
it died down a few minutes, then RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR WINDOW (we live on the bottom floor) we heard him. it literally sounded as if he was IN OUR ROOM!
"YOU PUSHED MY GIRLFRIEND!"
then the voice of a young girl, equally drenched in emotion and alcohol, pleading with her boyfriend to leave.
"PLEASE, JORDAN, I JUST WANT TO GO HOME!"
"DON'T FIGHT HIM, JORDAN, LET'S JUST GO!
"PPPLLLLLLLEEEEEEEAAAAASSE!"
yes, Jordan, i thought. listen to your girlfriend and GO THE FUCK HOME!
"YOU PUSHED MY GIRLFRIEND. I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!"
just then, a deep, booming voice from across the complex yells, "shut the fuck up!" you could tell this dude was big. pissed. and ready to roll. i was only two of the three, but lacking the most important part (namely, being "big") i try not to get myself into compromising circumstances, lest i get my ass handed to me.
anyway, the emotion finally drained, the alcohol was absorbed and Jordan apparently listened to his girlfriend.
then, of course, the scrotum-lickers upstairs woke up at 7 so they could kneel before the power and glory of their lord. FUCKING FABULOUS!
lastly, our apartment complex allows pets (which is an rarity here in Utah) so there are TONS of pets around. this is also the reason we chose this place. anyway, there is a leash requirement because of there being so many dogs and so much uncertainty when dogs get together. well, apparently this leash requirement doesn't apply to everyone. and from my quick and dirty calculation, it only applies to about half of us. we're supposed to rat on those who don't use leashes, and if we do we get a cut in our rent. it's tempting. especially when you see some punk cocksucker walking around with his dog without a leash (the dog is, of course, always either a boxer, pitbull, rottweiler or a doberman pinscher) and the dude is wearing a tank top and has a barbed wire tatto armband, or a Yosemite Sam on his bicep or something equally lame. it's hard not ratting on them. it's hard not walking up to them and just slugging them in the side of the head.
anyway, this place sucks, but i know it's no worse than the millions of similar apartment complexes across America (and probably across the world). these places suck. they harbor the lowest of human filth and do nothing more than make me appreciate the fact that i've accomplished enough with my life that this stint is only temporary.
take this morning for example. today is Sunday. a day of rest. for me at least. well, this morning (and every fucking Sunday morning since we've lived here) the dipshits upstairs get up at 7 in the morning and make a shitload of noise as they get ready for church (it has to be church. why? because where the fuck else are they going this early EVERY fucking Sunday?) anyway, right on time, they wake up (which means the wife and i wake up) right at 7. FUCK THIS! church can fucking wait. CHRIST! whatever happened to sleeping in Sunday morning. if a god doesn't understand this and to hell with it.
oh, and the very first night we slept at the apartment (a Saturday night as it were) someone had a party.
but first, let me describe the layout complex. our area of this humongous place consists of 3 building arranged like a horseshoe around a central parking area. each building has 24 units, so there are 72 units to this area. there are bound to be a few (even more in an apartment setting) assholes out of 72 families.
anyway, this first night someone had a party. that's fine. i spent a good 50% of my university time at parties in a apartment complex. however, at 2 in the morning we were rudely awoken by some cocksucker yelling across the parking lot about wanting to kick some guys ass. it was loud, but since it was across the parking lot, the voice was muted and echoed.
"you pushed my girlfriend!" he was yelling, his voiced strained from emotion and alcohol. i imagined his face was red and he was sweating. his chest puffed out, his fists in balls.
"you pushed my girlfriend, asshole!" at the top of his lungs.
it died down a few minutes, then RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR WINDOW (we live on the bottom floor) we heard him. it literally sounded as if he was IN OUR ROOM!
"YOU PUSHED MY GIRLFRIEND!"
then the voice of a young girl, equally drenched in emotion and alcohol, pleading with her boyfriend to leave.
"PLEASE, JORDAN, I JUST WANT TO GO HOME!"
"DON'T FIGHT HIM, JORDAN, LET'S JUST GO!
"PPPLLLLLLLEEEEEEEAAAAASSE!"
yes, Jordan, i thought. listen to your girlfriend and GO THE FUCK HOME!
"YOU PUSHED MY GIRLFRIEND. I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!"
just then, a deep, booming voice from across the complex yells, "shut the fuck up!" you could tell this dude was big. pissed. and ready to roll. i was only two of the three, but lacking the most important part (namely, being "big") i try not to get myself into compromising circumstances, lest i get my ass handed to me.
anyway, the emotion finally drained, the alcohol was absorbed and Jordan apparently listened to his girlfriend.
then, of course, the scrotum-lickers upstairs woke up at 7 so they could kneel before the power and glory of their lord. FUCKING FABULOUS!
lastly, our apartment complex allows pets (which is an rarity here in Utah) so there are TONS of pets around. this is also the reason we chose this place. anyway, there is a leash requirement because of there being so many dogs and so much uncertainty when dogs get together. well, apparently this leash requirement doesn't apply to everyone. and from my quick and dirty calculation, it only applies to about half of us. we're supposed to rat on those who don't use leashes, and if we do we get a cut in our rent. it's tempting. especially when you see some punk cocksucker walking around with his dog without a leash (the dog is, of course, always either a boxer, pitbull, rottweiler or a doberman pinscher) and the dude is wearing a tank top and has a barbed wire tatto armband, or a Yosemite Sam on his bicep or something equally lame. it's hard not ratting on them. it's hard not walking up to them and just slugging them in the side of the head.
anyway, this place sucks, but i know it's no worse than the millions of similar apartment complexes across America (and probably across the world). these places suck. they harbor the lowest of human filth and do nothing more than make me appreciate the fact that i've accomplished enough with my life that this stint is only temporary.
gators
well, my vaunted Fightin' Gators of the University of Florida got annihilated by the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama. 31-3. it wasn't even that close. i'm sad.
30 September 2005
this apartment life
we've been in this apartment about a month now and i've come to realize how good we had it at our house. i've forgotten just how shitty it is to be renting an apartment; living with all these other assholes, renting their apartments.
at this particular apartment complex each unit is given one covered parking space. it's nothing more than a flimsy corrugated sheet of tin propped up by poles. but, it does help keep the rain, sun and (in the winter) snow off the cars. my wife has to park in an uncovered spot (and it's not some chauvinistic thing, it's just that my care is newer and hers isn't, in case you were wondering).
anyway, upon arriving home from work today some cocksucker was parked in my parking spot. i saw a bunch of assholes and dick-knuckles loitering around my stairwell. i pulled right up behind the car and honked my horn four times. they looked over and didn't move, or act like anything they should be concerned about was going down. so, i found an uncovered parking spot, wrote a nasty little note on a slip of scrap paper that i always keep with me (just in case the muse strikes, you know?) and slipped it under the windshield wiper on my way in.
i watched out my window, about 15 minutes later, when two of the cocksuckers (one asshole and one dick-knucle, as it turned out) walked up to the offending car, got in and pulled out. what fucking gall. what moxy. jesus. well, the didn't see the note until they were almost out of the driveway, but i saw them grab it and read it. they laughed, then both stuck their hands out of their respective windows and flipped (i suppose me) off. real fucking funny, asswhipes. i hope it happens again. i'm pretty sure i can take them one at a time. first the asshole, then the dick-knuckle.
on the door of our apartment, too, was a notice from UPS saying they delivered a package for us to the office (a decent feature, I suppose). well, upon arriving at the fucking office, to pick up my package, the shitheads closed a few hours early. GREAT! this package contained my 401(k) rollover information from my previous company. i need to sign the document they are trying to send me and fax it to them by Monday. well, i could've had it all done today if it weren't for these piss-ants.
goddamn, i love living in this hellhole. i CANNOT wait for our house to be done. then we can leave this beloved apartment complex for all the assholes, dick-knuckles, pig-fuckers and cocksuckers to inhabit.
i guess i'm writing this to vent a little, but also because they say the pen is mightier than the sword. i don't agree, though. i sure would've liked to have taken a razor-sharp sword to the two punks and their piece of shit car. what the hell can my pen do? give them an ink stain? maybe write offensive words on their skin and clothing? fuck it. give me the sword.
at this particular apartment complex each unit is given one covered parking space. it's nothing more than a flimsy corrugated sheet of tin propped up by poles. but, it does help keep the rain, sun and (in the winter) snow off the cars. my wife has to park in an uncovered spot (and it's not some chauvinistic thing, it's just that my care is newer and hers isn't, in case you were wondering).
anyway, upon arriving home from work today some cocksucker was parked in my parking spot. i saw a bunch of assholes and dick-knuckles loitering around my stairwell. i pulled right up behind the car and honked my horn four times. they looked over and didn't move, or act like anything they should be concerned about was going down. so, i found an uncovered parking spot, wrote a nasty little note on a slip of scrap paper that i always keep with me (just in case the muse strikes, you know?) and slipped it under the windshield wiper on my way in.
i watched out my window, about 15 minutes later, when two of the cocksuckers (one asshole and one dick-knucle, as it turned out) walked up to the offending car, got in and pulled out. what fucking gall. what moxy. jesus. well, the didn't see the note until they were almost out of the driveway, but i saw them grab it and read it. they laughed, then both stuck their hands out of their respective windows and flipped (i suppose me) off. real fucking funny, asswhipes. i hope it happens again. i'm pretty sure i can take them one at a time. first the asshole, then the dick-knuckle.
on the door of our apartment, too, was a notice from UPS saying they delivered a package for us to the office (a decent feature, I suppose). well, upon arriving at the fucking office, to pick up my package, the shitheads closed a few hours early. GREAT! this package contained my 401(k) rollover information from my previous company. i need to sign the document they are trying to send me and fax it to them by Monday. well, i could've had it all done today if it weren't for these piss-ants.
goddamn, i love living in this hellhole. i CANNOT wait for our house to be done. then we can leave this beloved apartment complex for all the assholes, dick-knuckles, pig-fuckers and cocksuckers to inhabit.
i guess i'm writing this to vent a little, but also because they say the pen is mightier than the sword. i don't agree, though. i sure would've liked to have taken a razor-sharp sword to the two punks and their piece of shit car. what the hell can my pen do? give them an ink stain? maybe write offensive words on their skin and clothing? fuck it. give me the sword.
28 September 2005
this animal life
waiting in my mailbox when i arrived home from work today was none other than Christopher Cunningham's newest collection, the winner of the 2005 Nerve Cowboy Chapbook Contest, Thru the Heart of This Animal Life, A Measure of Impossible Humor. if you don't know, yet, Cunningham is one of the best living poets in America today. that's a bold statement, i know, but i will back it up.
how? well, my Hemispherical Press will be releasing Cunningham's next book, Upright Against the Savage Heavens, in the first half of 2006. so, if you buy Cunningham's current book from Nerve Cowboy, and you don't like it, i'll give you a copy of Upright. i am THAT convinced that you'll dig his stuff. so, go to Nerve Cowboy's website, get the address and send them the $6 for the book.
you can thank me later, with a beer, if we ever meet (or if we've already met, when we meet again).
speaking of poetry books, i bought two collections of Billy Collins's work -- Nine Horses and Sailing Alone Around the Room -- the other night. they are pretty good; rife with great images and those ironic twists that i'm fond of. it's amazing this guy was our Poet Laureate considering his style of writing. gives me hope that one of our brethren (or sistren?) will make it big. but, i wonder what Collins has that some of us don't? an academic pedigree? maybe. good friends in high places? perhaps. it certainly isn't talent. there are a bunch of poets struggling in the small (and unknown) press with just as much talent as Mr. Collins. either way, they're good collections.
in the end, though, i'll take This Animal Life and Upright any day of the everloving week.
how? well, my Hemispherical Press will be releasing Cunningham's next book, Upright Against the Savage Heavens, in the first half of 2006. so, if you buy Cunningham's current book from Nerve Cowboy, and you don't like it, i'll give you a copy of Upright. i am THAT convinced that you'll dig his stuff. so, go to Nerve Cowboy's website, get the address and send them the $6 for the book.
you can thank me later, with a beer, if we ever meet (or if we've already met, when we meet again).
speaking of poetry books, i bought two collections of Billy Collins's work -- Nine Horses and Sailing Alone Around the Room -- the other night. they are pretty good; rife with great images and those ironic twists that i'm fond of. it's amazing this guy was our Poet Laureate considering his style of writing. gives me hope that one of our brethren (or sistren?) will make it big. but, i wonder what Collins has that some of us don't? an academic pedigree? maybe. good friends in high places? perhaps. it certainly isn't talent. there are a bunch of poets struggling in the small (and unknown) press with just as much talent as Mr. Collins. either way, they're good collections.
in the end, though, i'll take This Animal Life and Upright any day of the everloving week.
27 September 2005
are you serious?
so, our great and prescient president sees that his constituents are grumbling about the long-rising gas prices (which have only gotten worse due to the two recent hurricanes that have ravaged the south in the past month), so he suggests that we drive our cars less.
wow, what a brilliant idea. only, it won't work. a lot of us NEED to drive our cars. with the public transit system being as horrendously inadequate as it is in much of America, driving is the only choice.
so, the genius in DC tells us to drive less. not that he wants improvements to the gas efficiency of current combustion engine technology; not that he's willing to spend money on fuel cells and other alternative fuels; not that he's looking into improving the public transit infrastructure in every major and minor city in the US. nope. we are to stop driving our damn cars. what the hell?
moron.
now, how exactly did this dolt get elected into office for a second term?
wow, what a brilliant idea. only, it won't work. a lot of us NEED to drive our cars. with the public transit system being as horrendously inadequate as it is in much of America, driving is the only choice.
so, the genius in DC tells us to drive less. not that he wants improvements to the gas efficiency of current combustion engine technology; not that he's willing to spend money on fuel cells and other alternative fuels; not that he's looking into improving the public transit infrastructure in every major and minor city in the US. nope. we are to stop driving our damn cars. what the hell?
moron.
now, how exactly did this dolt get elected into office for a second term?
26 September 2005
been awhile
it's been awhile since my last post. it's a pretty slow period in life right now. i'm still struggling to figure things out at the new job, waiting in the tiny apartment for our new house to be built, writing absolutely NOTHING in the interim.
one poetry-related thing: i did receive my copy of remark. #37. it's a fine issue with poetry by the likes of ron lucas, Brian McGettrick, William Taylor, Jr., Chris Kornacki, J.J. Campbell and Glenn W. Cooper, among others. check it out!
i hope to have more things to update about in the near future.
one poetry-related thing: i did receive my copy of remark. #37. it's a fine issue with poetry by the likes of ron lucas, Brian McGettrick, William Taylor, Jr., Chris Kornacki, J.J. Campbell and Glenn W. Cooper, among others. check it out!
i hope to have more things to update about in the near future.
22 September 2005
back
well, we're back from housesitting for our friend. it's nice to be back. the best is going to be sleeping in our own bed, but a close second is being able to have consistent access to the internet.
the wife is working late tonight. sucks, but it happens. hell, i'll be working late nights in the coming weeks for sure. i've only been at work three weeks an i'm already swamped with so much work. it's ridiculous how busy and understaffed they are. ah hell.
i got a postcard from my buddy Henry Denander today announcing that he and another friend, Adrian Manning, will have a book out together for Art Bureau's Highball Reading Series. the book is titled Bring Down the Sun. i'm happy for them and look forward to seeing the new book. don't forget folks, if you like the poetry of any small press writers, you MUST support the small press by purchasing subscriptions to journals and purchasing chapbooks. without support it will die.
anyway, it's good to be back.
the wife is working late tonight. sucks, but it happens. hell, i'll be working late nights in the coming weeks for sure. i've only been at work three weeks an i'm already swamped with so much work. it's ridiculous how busy and understaffed they are. ah hell.
i got a postcard from my buddy Henry Denander today announcing that he and another friend, Adrian Manning, will have a book out together for Art Bureau's Highball Reading Series. the book is titled Bring Down the Sun. i'm happy for them and look forward to seeing the new book. don't forget folks, if you like the poetry of any small press writers, you MUST support the small press by purchasing subscriptions to journals and purchasing chapbooks. without support it will die.
anyway, it's good to be back.
20 September 2005
got a few seconds
well, i was able to steal away for a few seconds. thought i'd post a little news.
i received my contributor's copy of Main Channel Voices, where my poem the relationship archaeologist is featured. Main Channel Voices bills itself as a "Dam Fine" journal of poetry, and it IS awfully "dam" good.
we're still at our friend's house, but we'll be back at our place Thursday night.
Lastly, i should mention that i'm reeling with joy from my Florida Gators' win against their vaunted rival the Tennessee Volunteers. What a great game and what a great feeling. i hope there are more wins to come.
i received my contributor's copy of Main Channel Voices, where my poem the relationship archaeologist is featured. Main Channel Voices bills itself as a "Dam Fine" journal of poetry, and it IS awfully "dam" good.
we're still at our friend's house, but we'll be back at our place Thursday night.
Lastly, i should mention that i'm reeling with joy from my Florida Gators' win against their vaunted rival the Tennessee Volunteers. What a great game and what a great feeling. i hope there are more wins to come.
17 September 2005
away
we interrupt this program for a announcement from our sponsor:
we have been house (and pet) sitting since last Thursday, and will be for a week (until next Thursday) and unfortunately i have limited access to the internet, so if i owe you an email i promise to reply Thursday or shortly after.
we now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
we have been house (and pet) sitting since last Thursday, and will be for a week (until next Thursday) and unfortunately i have limited access to the internet, so if i owe you an email i promise to reply Thursday or shortly after.
we now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
13 September 2005
hookt on phonicks workt for me
it's about that time, again kids:
a third installment of
justin.barrett's simple rules of English
calendar --
the word is not spelled any of the following ways:
calander
calandar
calender
callander
it's not that hard. c-a-l-e-n-d-a-r. also, a collander is a strainer used to drain water from spaghetti or potatoes or other boiled foods.
cemetery --
the word is not spelled c-e-m-e-t-a-r-y. there are no a's in a cemetery.
alter/altar --
alter means to change something. an altar is a bench that is used to pray over.
personal/personnel --
personnel are people of a company. personal is how a person away from their job lives.
exorcise/exercise --
if you mean a workout, then use the word exercise. if you mean to remove a demon from someone's soul, then exorcise is right.
one question i have is why neither of these words follows the typical American English convention of ending -ise and -yse words in -ize and -yze (realize, analyze, capitalize, organize, etc.). weird.
eminent/imminent/immanent --
if you mean something is pressing and just about to happen, it is imminent. if you are talking about someone being famous or prominent, then you are describing someone who is eminent. immanent is very rare and means inherent or present throughout the universe. if you don't know the difference between these three words, then you are most likely not meaning immanent.
by the way, it's "eminent domain" not "imminent domain".
elicit/illicit --
illicit means illegal (illicit drugs). elicit is always a verb and means to draw forth a confession or comment.
skittish --
the correct spelling of this word is s-k-i-t-t-i-s-h. it is not:
skiddish
skidish
skitish
the difficulty some people have with spelling this one baffles me.
embarrass --
this one is ironic. people continually embarrass themselves by spelling this word wrong. it is not spelled in any of the following ways:
embaras
embarass
embarras
embarress
there are two r's and two s's. don't embarrass yourself and remember how spell this one.
complement/compliment --
this one can be difficult, though you should be able to get it with a little thought. if you mean a nicety said to another, you are talking about a compliment. if you mean something that pairs well with something else, you are talking about a complement.
alright. that's the end of this installment. hope you enjoyed it. let me know if you have any other spelling or grammar errors that you consistently see, which annoy you. there are hundreds out there, no doubt.
a third installment of
justin.barrett's simple rules of English
calendar --
the word is not spelled any of the following ways:
calander
calandar
calender
callander
it's not that hard. c-a-l-e-n-d-a-r. also, a collander is a strainer used to drain water from spaghetti or potatoes or other boiled foods.
cemetery --
the word is not spelled c-e-m-e-t-a-r-y. there are no a's in a cemetery.
alter/altar --
alter means to change something. an altar is a bench that is used to pray over.
personal/personnel --
personnel are people of a company. personal is how a person away from their job lives.
exorcise/exercise --
if you mean a workout, then use the word exercise. if you mean to remove a demon from someone's soul, then exorcise is right.
one question i have is why neither of these words follows the typical American English convention of ending -ise and -yse words in -ize and -yze (realize, analyze, capitalize, organize, etc.). weird.
eminent/imminent/immanent --
if you mean something is pressing and just about to happen, it is imminent. if you are talking about someone being famous or prominent, then you are describing someone who is eminent. immanent is very rare and means inherent or present throughout the universe. if you don't know the difference between these three words, then you are most likely not meaning immanent.
by the way, it's "eminent domain" not "imminent domain".
elicit/illicit --
illicit means illegal (illicit drugs). elicit is always a verb and means to draw forth a confession or comment.
skittish --
the correct spelling of this word is s-k-i-t-t-i-s-h. it is not:
skiddish
skidish
skitish
the difficulty some people have with spelling this one baffles me.
embarrass --
this one is ironic. people continually embarrass themselves by spelling this word wrong. it is not spelled in any of the following ways:
embaras
embarass
embarras
embarress
there are two r's and two s's. don't embarrass yourself and remember how spell this one.
complement/compliment --
this one can be difficult, though you should be able to get it with a little thought. if you mean a nicety said to another, you are talking about a compliment. if you mean something that pairs well with something else, you are talking about a complement.
alright. that's the end of this installment. hope you enjoyed it. let me know if you have any other spelling or grammar errors that you consistently see, which annoy you. there are hundreds out there, no doubt.
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