Winter Spring Summer

Friday Random Ten, “fridays are overrated” edition

Saturday, January 27th, 2007 | Music | 4 Comments

late again. i know i know… it’s like high school all over again.

1. Omgyjya Switch7, Aphex Twin
2. You know I couldn’t last, Morrissey
3. The Seer’s Tower, Sufjan Stevens
4. Anthem, Gus Gus
5. Shout out loud, Amos Lee
6. Bells for her, Tori Amos
7. Grass, Aphex Twin
8. Resevoir, Hem
9. N.I.B., Black Sabbath
10. James K. Polk, They Might Giants

just when all hope was lost… #10 came on. “Mr. James K. Polk, Our 11th President. Young Hickory. Napoleon of the Stump.” I hope to someday earn the title Napoleon of the Stump.

actually, I do really like… #6 & #8 (in addition to #10, of course)…but other than that, I could give or take the entire list. maybe my itunes is revolting against FRT.

all those who turned in your assignments on time, please raise your hands:
howard
ellen (i’m digging the new look!)
ben
fred
freakapotimus (my newest favorite blog name)
lauren

Eagles Touchdown Sundae

Saturday, January 27th, 2007 | Fanaticism, Whatnot | 1 Comment

Of course, I crave all things Eagles. And after years of drooling at the commercials for Turkey Hill’s Eagles ice cream, I finally got some tonight — surprise surprise, Acme was unloading the stuff at a deep discount now that the Eagles’ season is over.

Turkey Hill describes it as: “Vanilla flavored ice cream spiked with plenty of choco peanut butter footballs…plus, smooth swirls of peanut butter and chocolatey fudge. It’s a true team effort, and a super sundae!”

All I can say is YUMMY! Although… it is a pretty darned rich… I’m sitting here eating this ice cream with a glass of water.

Holidays on Ice

Monday, January 22nd, 2007 | Books | 2 Comments

… I’m getting to this a little late, but like many a blogger before me, I’ve decided to use this space as a way to sort of annotate the books I’m reading, for my own memory and to possibly generate discussion. My goal is to read about a book a week, or 4 books per month (allowing for those weeks when I barely begin something and the other weeks when I zip right through something else).

I finished 2006 by struggling for way too long with Mary Gaitskill’s Veronica, which wasn’t because the book was particularly difficult or dense. I just couldn’t quite get into it. So, to kickstart 2007, I decided to go with a book that would be kinda like candy: Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris. I’d read a few of Sedaris’ stories before, and I expected these holiday essays to be quick enough, funny enough, and timely enough (I started reading on New Year’s Day) to move me through the short little volume.

I was right… mostly. The stories are pretty funny. In fact, the first story, “SantaLand Diaries,” was freakin’ hilarious. › Continue reading

Get your workshop on

Monday, January 22nd, 2007 | Events, Poetry | No Comments

This Saturday, January 27th, 1-3pm

Poetry Workshop at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore

The first meeting, on January 13th, drew a talented, insightful, and enthusiastic group of poets, and we decided to keep the workshop going on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month! Of course, there’s always room for more. So, if you’ve got a few poems that could use a tune up, oil & filter change, or tire rotation, bring ‘em around on Saturday afternoon to the Community Room at the Big Blue Marble.

Friday Random Ten, “turning back time” edition

Monday, January 22nd, 2007 | Music | 2 Comments

…okay, I compiled this FRT on Friday, but things went a little crazy and I never got around to actually *posting* it. …Friday? …Monday? If time is only a construct of man, does it really matter when I post it?

1. I just want you, Ozzy Osbourne (Ozzmosis)
2. Mountains O’ Things, Tracy Chapman (self-titled)
3. Sweetest Goodbye/Sunday Morning medley, Maroon 5 (Love Actually soundtrack)
4. Anywhere Is, Enya (Paint the Sky with Stars)
5. Hidden #5 Battle for the Planet of the Apes, They Might Be Giants (Severe Tire Damage)
6. Rocky’s Reward, Bill Conti (Rocky Balboa: The Best of Rocky)
7. The Littlest Birds, Jolie Holland (Catalpa)
8. Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night), Frank Sinatra (16 Most Requested Songs)
9. God, Tori Amos (Under the Pink)
10. Harvester of Sorrow, Metallica (…And Justice for All)
Bonus: Making Flippy Floppy, Talking Heads (Speaking in Tongues)

Best Title, first prize: Making Flippy Floppy - which is pretty much the only reason I decided to go with the bonus track this week

Best Title, second prize: Harvester of Sorrow - that title is totally bad ass!

My life is better because of… Rocky Balboa: The Best of Rocky - it’s been a long time coming, all the greatest Rocky tunes and theme music in one place. Proof that although it does take a while sometimes, God does come through eventually.

I guess everyone else did their FRTs on Friday. Goodie two-shoes:
howard
ben
ellen (well, it looks like ellen was a little late too, good to know i’m not the only bad girl around)
brian
rus
chris

out of context…

Saturday, January 13th, 2007 | Poetry | 1 Comment

so, via the Poetry Hut Blog, I came upon this list from the Inky, entitled “Favorite Poet or Poem“. Thing is, there is no real context for the list. There’s this editorial or commentary type of thing that links to it, but I can’t seem to find any explanation of how this list was compiled, by whom, from whom, nothing. I think I’m missing something, but I can’t seem to figure it out. The commentary/editorial (authored by???) reads:

Poetry is thought to be an elite art, and it has been called the one art most likely “to make people feel stupid.” And some Influences were indeed uncomfortable, alas: This was one of the most frequently avoided queries.

Yet the Influences showed they know their poetry…

Huh? Who are this mysterious “they” who named Maya Angelou and T.S. Eliot, Homer and Marie Howe, Kate Northrop and Aleksandr Pushkin? It’s a pretty big range. And I have to say Northrop’s appearance on the list (although the Inky spelled her name wrong) both surprises and delights me, because she’s a younger poet and one of the most accessible artists and individuals I’ve had the pleasure to meet.

But, again, this only enhances my curiousity about who actually made this list?? I mean, as wonderful as Kate’s work is… I doubt she’s yet made her way into high school English classrooms. In fact, I’d dare say you have to care about poetry & literature at least a little bit to be in the know about such a contemporary writer (her first book was published in 2002). So, then are these really the people being made to feel stupid?

At first I think, they couldn’t be… but then I realize, maybe so. Because as a person who considers myself pretty knowledgeable about the subject, there are some poets on this list that I’m not so familiar with and to save myself any embarrassment, I won’t name them. And that I think goes to the very heart of the quote: poetry does have this ability to make people — even those who are intimately involved with it — feel stupid. I have to battle it in myself when others start dropping poetic names or referring to literary schools of thought, as if having such knowledge makes them a better person and — perhaps more importantly (at least in their own estimation) — a better writer. Poetry is something that you can learn and something that you can practice. I believe that. And I do believe there is a value in going to school for poetry, just as with any art — to learn from accomplished practictioners, to focus and hone your craft, to learn the history and context on your own work. But I also believe that is a luxury that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with actual talent. And I certainly don’t believe its something a person can’t do on her own, at her pace over the course of a lifetime.

I worry that keeping poetry cloaked in this elitist veil prevents many people from ever reading it or trying to make poems themselves. But then, as the list shows, people (which people exactly, I don’t know?) are reading poetry — and rather broadly. Perhaps the state of affairs isn’t quite as grim as I fear — or maybe it’s just worse on the inside.

Workshop Tomorrow

Friday, January 12th, 2007 | Events, Philly, Poetry | No Comments

Just a reminder to all the poets out there that I’ll be leading a workshop tomorrow at the Big Blue Marble. The workshop is free and all are welcome. There’s no need to register in advance, just come by at 1p and bring 10 copies of a poem. Get the full details here.

Friday Random Ten, “all over the map” edition

Friday, January 12th, 2007 | Music | 4 Comments

1. Vera, Pink Floyd (The Wall)
2. For My Lover, Tracy Chapman (self titled)
3. Locomotive, Guns n’ Roses (Use Your Illusion II)
4. Rise Above, Brindley Brothers (Paste Magazine Sampler 24)
5. All the Right Reasons, The Jay Hawks (Rainy Day Music)
6. If you break it, Lach (Blang!)
7. Shoehorn with Teeth, They Might Be Giants (Lincoln)
8. Prologue, Loreena McKennitt (The Book of Secrets)
9. Jetstream, New Order (Singles)
10. Easy Hearts, Whiskeytown (Pneumonia)

Thumbs up: #2, 5, 7, 10
Thumbs down: #8, 3 (although I’m a fan of the rest of the album)
Favorite line in any these songs: “People should get beat up for statin’ their beliefs” (from #7)

more hot FRT action:
howard
ellen
ben
andrea
brian
kim
lauren
rus
jill

…special thanks to jill & brian for making it a very Mozzer friday in the blogosphere!

Come to my reading on Monday, or else

Friday, January 5th, 2007 | Events, Poetry | 6 Comments

…you’ll be kicking yourself, because this is going to be a good one.

The Monday Poets
featuring Autumn Konopka and Ashraf Osman
January 8, 2007 - Monday, 6:30p.m.
Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Branch {Directions}
an open mic follows the featured readings, so bring your poems!

Friday Random Ten, words can’t express edition

Friday, January 5th, 2007 | Music | 4 Comments

1. Recovering the Satellites, Counting Crows (Recovering the Satellites)
2. Spanish Castles in Spaces, The Orb (Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld)
3. Spoonman, Soundgarden (Superunknown)
4. Lua, Bright Eyes (I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning)
5. Blur, Aphex Twin (Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2)
6. Ricky’s Theme, Beastie Boys (Ill Communication)
7. American Girls, Counting Crows (Hard Candy)
8. Soir de fete, Amelie Soundtrack (!!!!)
9. Isobel, Dido (No Angel)
10. A Murder of One, Counting Crows (August and Everything After)

…how odd, four (#2, #5, #6, #8) completely instrumental tracks (or vocal-less in the case of aphex & orb) and three counting crows tracks…all of which are among the best.

favorite w/vocals: American Girls… “American Girls are feathers and cream, coming to bed so edible”… Whoa! What a line!!
favorite w/o vocals: Soir de fete… I *heart* Amelie and its goofy French carnivally, music box music

get your FRT on: howard, ben, ellen, jessica, brian, fred