Friday, August 31, 2007

Haibun while contemplating an abandoned bus stop

While sitting on my front porch this evening, I was struck by the contrast between the metal bus stop pole complete with its "BUS STOP ELIMINATED" placard and the gentle brown complexity of the tree next to it. I decided to sketch the scene. The sign has its flag-like blue and white UTA metal sign at the top, with its friendly-looking bus, and UTA contact information. Below are the confusing plastic signs indicating that the route is being changed, and then finally, on the bottom, that the route has been eliminated. Here the friendly bus has been crossed out with a disturbing red naught--an "O" with a slash through it. The metal pole the signs are attached to is galvanized and full of holes. It is firmly sunk into the grass of the parking strip by the corner of my lot. The sidewalk runs peacefully by, unaware that it will no longer feel the weight of people waiting to be transported somewhere out from under the shade of the tree that grows a few feet away.

My elbow rubs against the banana plant next to me as I capture the scene in my sketch book. The trunk of the tree draws my attention: a white knot-hole of a missing limb becomes all important to me. It whorls out over the page with my pencil.

The shadows in the street cross each other, and the solidarity of the sidewalk runs hard over the bottom of the scene.

My pencil scratches against the paper.

I have been careful to leave room to write this between my rendition of the pole and the tree trunk:
The contrast between
Metal and wood wounds my eye
On this summer night

If Jaan Pehechaan Ho Doesn't make you want to dance, you are dead

I remember first seeing a portion of "Jaan Pehechaan Ho" in Ghost World years ago. Man those 60's chicks really knew how to shake it! Ayayayayayay!

I think I'll go only Bollywood bender soon.

(via BoingBoing, sort of. They had a reference to a crystal clear version that WFMU has posted. WFMU used to show this clip quite regularly back in the day. )

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Ashamed or "Punk ass Kids"


Punk ass kids, originally uploaded by Theorris.

I posted this photo over on flickr because I was quite amused by the antics, but after talking to my friend Tif and then reading what Dr. Write has to say about commonplace violence, was quite shamed by my actions:

The bored, little, teenage wannabe baller punks* up the street have taken to throwing apples at cars. My house is across the street from their vantage point and, consequently, their spent ammo ends up in my yard.

I shouted at them last night with a classic Hank Hill line: "Are you going to stop doing that, or am I going to have to come over there and kick your ass." Aside from a little back talk from them, they quickly dispersed, especially when I charged from the porch to the sidewalk. Great fun.

It is not to hard to track down who the kids are, given that the neighbor up the street has an apple tree in his back yard next to their basketball hoop where these dipshits practice their mad ball skillz. It is going to be fun when the cops show up the next time they decide to pull this crap.

*You know the type: 15 year old rich white boys dressing in basketball gear as a sort of uniform, and think it actually conveys on them some sort of ability and right to cop an attitude with anyone they meet.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Dawn Clouds No. 2


Dawn Clouds No. 2, originally uploaded by Theorris.

For Grace Paley.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Ira Glass to appear in SLC

Interesting:



Spacer
Ira Glass
Radio Producer & Host, This American Life

Public Appearances 2007 & 2008

Saturday, September 15, 2007 – University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA.

Saturday, September 29, 2007 – DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN. Contact:www.wvpe.org

Tuesday, October 2, 2007 – Barnes & Noble 1630 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201 – 7PM reading from new book “The New Kings of Non-Fiction.”

Sunday, October 7, 2007 – New Hope Church in Clackamas, OR (near Portland, OR), presented by Oregon Public Broadcasting. 7PM onstage interview of Ira Glass For info call 503-293-1963 or www.opb.org

Saturday, October 13, 2007 – Silver Center for the Arts, Plymouth State University, Plymouth , NH

Wednesday, October 24, 2007 – Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland, OH Evening onstage “performance” of a live-scored monologue by David Rakoff & Ira Glass followed by onstage interview with host.

Saturday, November 3, 2007 – Chico, CA . Chico State University.

Sunday, November 4, 2007 – Santa Barbara, CA. UC Santa Barbara . 4PM Lecture

Saturday, December 1, 2007 – Scottsdale, AZ. Scottsdale Center for the Arts.

Sunday, December 2, 2007 – Salt Lake City , UT. 2PM talk at Kingsbury Hall, SLC.


(Ira Glass ★ Steven Barclay Agency)

Last year I recall ranting at Middlebrow about how much I really disliked Glass's halting style. I think I called him an "affected prick."

Oh my.

I've now recant that position and feel that his style is less affectation and more authentic. I don't know what has spurred this change of opinion.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Renga fears

Since most of the renga invitees are going to be busy for the next unforeseeable bit, I fear it will wither and dry like August wheat.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Stalled renga

Kendrakoo added a new line to the renga, but it seems to have stalled. Is that like a broken down Datsun? Does anyone even remember Datsun's any more?

Friday, August 17, 2007

Rain

It rained a bit today.

Amazing.

And you thought the air hockey playing robot was cool...

Once again the Japanese lead the world in everything robot:

"Enter HRP-2, a humanoid robot designed by Japanese researchers that is programmed to reproduce dance steps with the practiced grace of an electronic geisha. The 5-foot-tall (1.5-meter-tall) robot is seen here at a press demo at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science on January 12, 2005." (Photo in the News: Dancing Robot to Preserve Japan's Folk Arts)

Campfire


Campfire, originally uploaded by Theorris.

Campfires are good for quiet contemplation, I find.

Well, contemplation and a lot of mindless (or is that mindful?) distraction.

Camping is an enjoyable diversion. I encourage you to try it.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Renga: Summer

Here is the renga so far. I think it has a couple more rounds in it:

Renga: Summer


A hot wind jostles
Dry wheat from its summer sleep
Sweat slides down my cheek [CG]

or are these tears? I have dreamt
a body turned green to gold [LB]

I have yet to lose
but losing comes in fast blows
to my consciousness [KT]

a body weary of heat
yearning for the sleep of fall [LK]

I enter the field
Merging with the golden wheat
One being, one self [CG]

Sorry I got so freaking Zen on the last stanza.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Renga & weather update

Renga front: Hightouch, Kendrakoo, and I have added to the renga.

Weather front: it is fucking hot.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Three Koi (photo haibun)


Three Koi (photo haibun), originally uploaded by Theorris.

(A Japanese garden in Lansing, Michigan)

Lilly pads wither
Three koi silently surface
Desire has fooled them

Quiet (photo haibun)


Quiet (photo haibun), originally uploaded by Theorris.

After the rain storm
Silence falls over the woods
Summer heat returns

Renga, anyone?

Since I'm officially on vacation, I'm thinking of work--well some would probably not call it the writing I do as work, but they can go to hell. I like the idea of staying up late huddled in front of my computer fiddling around with words: the crickets outside singing the hours away.

Anyone want to write a Renga with me? Kendrakoo? lisa b? Dr. Write? Middlebrow? Condiment? Anyone?


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Listening to: The Rapture - Get Myself Into It
via FoxyTunes

Friday, August 10, 2007

"Kathy," I said "I'm lost" although I know she's sleeping

For Dr. Write.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Ready to hit the links!


Ready to hit the links!, originally uploaded by Theorris.

My new Lansing friends and my old friend Jill are hitting the links after a rousing day of talk about our work. Actually we're just playing putt putt golf.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Waiting for take off


Waiting for take off, originally uploaded by Theorris.

No, I didn't violate FAA rules: this was taken before the door was shut.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Little shop of horrors


Little shop of horrors, originally uploaded by Theorris.

I would be fucking scared to death to enter this place for fear of touching something and guiltily witnessing the whole kitschy inventory domino into one cataclysmic heap of 70's peace, happiness, and joy.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Why am I so amused by this story?

ksl.com - Missing Hiker Found

The best quotation from the story:

"Rescuers say generally it's not a good idea to take a sleeping pill when you're lost in the mountains. They say you need to be awake in order to be rescued. They say they were calling his name last night, and say if he was awake he probably would have heard them."


Who the hell goes hiking with sleeping pills anyway? Demanding readers want to know, KSL!

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Now playing: The Limbik System - Pot Smox
http://foxytunes.com/artist/the+limbik+system/track/pot+smox