Confession Tuesday

Well another Tuesday has arrived so it’s time to do the Confession thing again.

Let me get comfortable here before I begin… or is it better to be uncomfortable while confessing. I’ll leave that to the theologians.

It really hasn’t been a that interesting of a week. I’ve been working on a manuscript that is part of one of my goals for the year. I confess that it I’m trying to be calm and focused about it, but it’s not always easy.  I know I still have a lot to do but I’ve taken inventory of my work and it is coming along. I confess that I get conflicted about how I feel  concerning the progress vs. what still needs to be done.

This week I’ve been working on a poem that is maybe up to about draft 15 or 16 and I confess that I believe in the poem but I think it may be needing to tell me what it wants to say and I’m just not listening. I confess that I can be stubborn that way.

I got a haircut during this past week and I admit I look pretty good for a change. I’ve stopped wearing the dog tags.

Last night I was sitting at the chiropractors awaiting my appointment and I confess I was looking in a reflection of myself in a glass. It wasn’t like a vanity sort of thing, but I was looking at my natural facial expression. I’m not a person who especially smiles a lot. When I was younger I didn’t like my smile and I pretty much kept a serious face. Maybe I’ve done this so long my face has frozen (like I was constantly warned) because I don’t feel I have a natural smile. I can smile, I’m not really hard to get to laugh, but I confess that I am not comfortable smiling and at the same time I am becoming uncomfortable at not smiling naturally. I confess this seems really screwed up to me.

I confess I’ve found another poet’s book I want. Surprise, surprise! 

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Video Poem – Trailer for “Girl on a Bridge”

 

There have been a number of nicely done video trailers bounced around lately for books that are soon to be released or have already come out. One video poem that grabs attention and sufficiently entices you to want to read the book from which it comes is titled “Indiscretion of an American Wife," 1954, a poem by Suzanne Frischkorn  from her book Girl on a Bridge – Main Street Rag Publishing due out this spring.

Don’t take my word for it… you can see for yourself here. 

 

Technorati Tags: Suzanne Frischkorn,Girl on a Bridge

Journal Bits MARCH 1 - 7

Journal Bits for the past week

• MARCH 1 -  Up from the deep blue / a slammed door / adolescent anger / against a quivering shore
• MARCH 2 -  it wasn't transative / and long-suffering / or shrouded on metaphysics
• MARCH 3 - Missouri has a new poet laureate, David Clewell of Webster Groves, Missouri.  He was not on my radar.
• MARCH 4 - My earliest memories of death / aren't saddled with suffering / shrouded in metaphysics / or even human.
• MARCH 7 - Quoted John Berger, "Mystifications protect power. Mysteries protect the sacred."

Wordle - On my mind this week

Wordle - On my mind this week: ""

Unconscious Mutterings Week 371

You say, I think....

• 1.Detective :: dick
• 2.Bangs :: hair
• 3.Consultant :: PR
• 4.Puzzle :: mania
• 5.Learn :: curious
• 6.Necklace :: pendent
• 7.184 ::  even numbers
• 8.Stimulation :: sims
• 9.Layered :: cakes
• 10.Police :: department

Get your own starer list

Scoring Daily

For several weeks now I’ve had a widget on my sidebar for a site called joesgoals.com. I suppose it’s kind of confusing when you look at it because at first glance one might say why are Joe’s goals on Michael’s blog? On further look, you will find my name on it too below the graph.



The point of this post is to talk about goals. The Capricorn in me is almost a widget addict. It’s all about trying (emphasis on trying) to stay organized and effective. I think this is what all Capricorns want but we have built-in traits that tend to sabotage us.


The Joe’s Goals widget has actually been helpful because I can be as narrow or broadly focused as I want to. In my case, there were several things that were important to me. Things that are writing related and things that are health related. I decided I wanted a balanced view of what my days / weeks are like. Plus I can print out a category list by week or month to see how well I’m doing in the more specific areas.


You can give weighted points to the items. For example, I expect myself to write daily and most of the time do. I give myself 1 point for doing this. Same for journaling, and reading. Submitting poetry has become a chore to me. It’s honestly worth twice as much as say a writing session. A rejection letter gets negative points as well, and is an incentive to right away get back on the bike again so to speak after the fall. And an Artist Date is another challenge for me to take the time and energy to plan out and follow through on, hence it’s worth three points. For health I’ve factored in both positive points and negative where I’ve fallen down. I like that it keeps me focusing on the present and the future.


This little system may not be for everyone, but it’s a good fit for this Capracorn.

Limitations Be Gone!

Art does imitate life, it has to come from somewhere. To put boundaries and limitations on it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. ~ Christian Slater

Missouri's New Poet Laureate

Missouri has it's second poet laureate and it's 55 year old David Clewell of Webster Groves, Missouri. The announcement came this morning when he was presented by the state’s First Lady Georganne Nixon. I’m not personally familure with Mr. Clewell, he was not someone on my radar as a possibility.

Clewell is director of the creative writing program at Webster University. His online bio at the University website indicates that he has published seven poetry books, his most recent, The Low End of Higher Things. His noted awards include Pollak Poetry Prize (for Now We're Getting Somewhere as well as the Lavan Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets. His Blessings in Disguise was a winner in the National Poetry Series.  He will replace the state's first poet laureate Walter Bargen.

Just to get a bit of a taste of Clewell's work, I found these links:

The Difference A Day Makes Part 1

Vegeterian Physics

The Arts - State and Local Government See Taxing Potential

With the economic downturn this past year individuals and families are not alone in their financial discomfort. Many state and local governments are suffering as well as tax revenues shrink. Workers in some instances have been laid off and positions consolidated in order to cut government expenses. There of course are limits as to how deeply government services can be cut. Because of this, I suppose it’s not surprising that local and state governments are looking for innovative sources of tax revenues.


The reason I bring this us is because there are so many not-for –profit organizations that provide vital funding for many art programs and grants for artists and in some instances these charitable organizations may be the target of legislators looking for new tax revenue sources. This concern is not just conjecture but actually happening in some instances. A few examples of this:

In Hawaii a bill would require charities to pay a 1 percent tax.Neighboring state of Kansas would subject charities to sales tax; would remove property tax exemptions from non-profits and Pennsylvania would remove property tax exemptions from non-profits.

Artists need to be alert to such possibilities in their own states and municipalities and not allow their state and local governments to move in this direction without expressing their concerns. Yes, these are difficult times. Charitable Foundations that support the arts/artists are feeling the pinch like everyone else.

Source

Confession Tuesday

Dear reader-


It seems to be that time again, time to traipse into the confessional and unburden myself. This past week seems to be a series of highs and lows. I have lots to confess so let’s get started.


The winter Olympic Games are now over. This is both good and bad. I confess am a winter Olympic addict. I can tell you that the Olympics did not help my writing. This weekend was a particularly bad weekend for writing. Quantity and quality were both casualties. I could feel the withdrawal pains as the closing celebration began. It’s a sadness I get that is not at all unlike that of the end of baseball season.


I actually have mixed feelings about these Olympic Games. I’m not going to blame it on Canada that the weather was let’s say schizophrenic on the slopes. I’m sure if the country could have willed better cooperation from Mother Nature it would have been perfect. But for all the troubles they had, it seemed they were a gracious host nation. I confess I was disappointed with the coverage. It just isn’t what it used to be going back to Sarajevo in ‘84 (one of my favorite) the ’76 games in Innsbruck, Austria and the Lake Placid games in 1980. Coverage during those years was awesome.


I confess that Friday night when we went to the Sprint Center to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert that I felt at lest 20 years younger. I confess my body wanted to dance and sway and do all kinds of things that I’m sure would have been painful come Saturday morning. I confess I did none of those things – and was moderately reserved though not comatose in my seat. Still, I don’t believe I embarrassed any of my family members in attendance.


I also confess that this past week I argued, debated, whatever you wish to call it, health care and politics at a public place with another family member. It was a heated or passionate exchange and I’m sure everyone felt uncomfortable about it. In the end, even I was. I’m not happy that it went to the level it did, but it was probably inevitable from the outset. I am indeed a product of the 1960’s. I am indelibly shaped by the events of those turbulent years. I am someone who feels a heavy burden to be a part of the fix of the screw-up of those who preceded us and those of my own generation that continue to repeat so many of those same mistakes. I accepted then and continue to believe in a calling to public service. It is that very reason that I spent so many years – often long hours involved in political campaigns and various issues. It informed how I spent a good portion of my life, including decisions that continue to shape my future. I suspect many who know me simply consider that I am obstinate. I may be guilty of such, but that will not suffice to explain my hardball approach to politics. I confess I am far more complex than to be defined in those terms. I also confess that none of this changes that I regret the conversation.




Photo Credit: Concert Photo at top - Q (yes that's what we call her)

Unconscious Mutterings Week 370

You Say, I think:

• 1.Harm :: injure
• 2.If :: what
• 3.On my own :: solo
• 4.She said :: he said
• 5.Illegal :: illicit
• 6.Broke :: damaged
• 7.It’s a :: girl/boy
• 8.Chatting :: tslking
• 9.Cottage :: cheese
• 10.Podcast :: syndacate

get your own list

Dynamic Duo

Last night we went out to eat and then to the Elton John - Billy Joel concert at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Talk about an awesome concert! We had great seats and the bands, the music, these two giants in music entertainment made this one of the best concerts I experienced.

Admittedly I don't go to a lot of concerts, but I've seen a few over the years, some good ones but this one had so much energy- between the music and the crowd. Billy Joel was more engaging with the audience than Elton John but that’s ok, they each were at peak performance.


A friend of ours that was with us shot some good phone photos, I’m hopeful she’ll send me some that I can post later.

Lot of my favorite songs were a part of the night...

• We Didn't Light The Fire
• You May Be Right  [this quite possibly was written about me] ;)
• Only The Good Die Young
• Piano Man
• She's always a Woman to Me
• Crocodile Rock
• Rocket Man
• Saturday Night's Alright
• Candle In the Wind
• Can You Feel the Love tonight

Journal Bits

A micro snapshot of my writing journal...

• Feb 16 - The short program / uncorked and raw / upon a mirror of ambition
• Feb 21 - Quoted May Sarton - " Loneliness is the poverty of self, solitude is the richness of self."
• Feb 25 -  He grew anamated / arms and voice in flight /sure of himself / surer then he's ever been / looking into the mirror / across a table
• Feb 26 - You never had the good / example that I never had / it's safest in the quiet / in the echo of the shadow / that hasen't moved / but listens

New to me this week

Couple of words that are new to me this week that I like…

• Nascent- the process of being born or developing. Budding, emerging, promising, blossoming, hopeful, you get the picture. I really like this word.
• Slake- to quench or satisfy. Quench is probably one of those overused words in poetry- I see myself using this at some point.

Finding Poetry

‘A genuine poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a sound poem has been added to it, for a fine one helps extend everyone's knowledge of themselves and the world around them.’

This is just one of a series of interesting quotes I found here in a dialogue on poetry.

Confession Tuesday

It’s Tuesday and I’m in better shape today than I was yesterday. I don’t know if I had the Monday Blues, Cold Weather Blues, Back to Work Blues, No. 53 Blues or the Sunday Blues a day late.

As I said, it’s Tuesday, so let’s head to the Confessional:

I heard that Jay Leno is back next week and while I confess I could be tempted to watch as one of his guests is supposed to be the U.S Team skier Lindsay Vonn, but I won’t. I confess I’ve never been a big fan of Leno. I’ve laughed at a few of his monologues but I’ve never really felt he was remotely in a league with Carson or Letterman. So if I do break down and watch, I’ll be back here to confess I lied.

I looked in the mirror this morning after shaving and I confess that I could for a moment I felt I should have a leather collar around my neck. It’s time for a haircut or dog tags. I realize there are countless poets – old men poets with hair that seems all over the place, and they get by with it. I confess they have a few things going for them that I don’t. Pulitzers, National Book Awards, (hell even books), Pushcart Prizes. I think when you have a couple of these you can let your hair go all to hell.

It is that crazy time again when filing for political office begins. With seven terms on the County Democratic Committee in years past and a handful of other races that I’ve run, seeing the mass hysteria of people amassed in the wee hours of the morning for the opportunity to be first on the ballot brought back old times. I confess that a part of me misses this.

Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training Camps this past week. I confess that I really am ready for baseball season to get underway. It’s a Spring Rite of passage. It’s the secular equivalent of Easter. The rebirth – all things anew. I think I’m going to get teary-eyed. Not really, I confess that’s just me being a drama queen (dude).

I confess I poked fun at Lindsay Vonn’s emotional scene after winning her gold medal. My wife thought I was being harsh, and I confess I was. I could accept that it was an emotional moment but I judged it as being too long, over the top, whatever. Never haing experienced what it is like to train for and experience all that is involved up to that point, I can’t say that I wouldn’t do the same thing.

That’s it for this week….

Why It's Not The Same

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy the USA men’s hockey team beat Canada in the Olympics. To Canada where there is a real pride of ownership in the game, the loss yesterday was a very big thing. But to be very clear, what the U.S.A. team win means yesterday is not and cannot possibly ever be seen as on the same level as the successes of the 1980 U.S.A. Olympic team. Not even if the 2010 team ultimately wins the Gold.

The U.S.A. Women’s team is playing in the Simi-finals. That’s a big story. You see, the women’s team is not a bunch of professional players. Neither was the 1980 men’s team Herb Brooks coached to a gold medal win over the very senior, very experienced Russian team. I love the Olympics for the spirit of athleticism that is about the purity of amateur competition. Pulling a bunch of NHL players together on a U.S. team to play a bunch of NHL players on a Canadian team is just another NHL game. If you like NHL hockey then you get bonus play.

It’s the women playing on the U.S. team that deserve attention for carrying on the true Olympic tradition. I would love to be able to feel the same way about the men’s team, but we are all cheated out of that possibility. Therefore, all that’s left to say is, You Go Girls!

Wordle - February

Wordle - February: ""

Unconscious Mutterings Week 369

You say.... I Think:

1.Teeth :: chatter
2.Sweeten :: deal
3.Demons :: little
4.Pizza :: lights
5.Protector :: procket
6.Smooth :: sailing
7.Coat :: wool
8.Pebbles :: Bam-Bam
9.Pregnant :: woman
10.Sing :: song
 
Get your own list

Snowing again in River City

Yes, it’s snowing again. Right here in River City.

I’m reading Anne Sexton Teacher of Weird Abundance by Paula M. Salvio.  It’s not quite what I was expecting but I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’m wondering what other surprises are awaiting me as I get deeper into it.

Have a new poem from this week that I’m very happy with. Coming into the weekend and already one out of my way starts off things nicely. I’m working on some rewrites this weekend, trying to breath some life into older efforts.  



Olympics still capturing a lot of my time. Ski jumping on the big hill today- some terrific flying!

USA Women’s Curling Team has won back to back after a rough start. Yeah!  (Debbie McCormick Pictured left)

The women on the G downhill – another chance for Lindsay Vonn and Julia Moncusio to medal.





And on this Saturday evening, I’ll offer a few story teases:

Late one night we set out with ladders and lanterns (poetry should be subversive), looking for lamp-posts. 

~0~

So when next you are in a bookshop, ask for poems - if for no other reason than you never know what you will find there.
As Ferguson muses in Holding Pattern: A couple called Gladys and Rexwere suddenly keen to have sex(such urgency's slightly perverted),"But where can we do it?" cried she"The poetry section!" said he"I've noticed it's always deserted."

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