Prop 8 - The Musical

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Happy Day.

What Would Jesus Buy? is the post-Thanksgiving feast movie to watch!



If you are a Netflix type, you can even do the "view instantly" deal.

Can One Scan Too Much?

I just figured out how to use my scanner, and I've been organizing photos all weekend. Got a kick out of the ticket stubs that I keep finding between everything (these aren't nearly all of them).

In Poor Taste? Yet Perfect, Too? Yes.

Baby Trumps Twine Ball

A couple weekends ago, my pals K and A and I headed out to Darwin, MN, to see the largest ball of twine wound by one man. It's big. I don't feel I would have been any more impressed by the somewhat larger balls of twine that exist in a couple other cities around the midwest that were created as group efforts.
You do sort of think, however, that there'll be more to do around a ball of twine.


The following weekend, and politely during a visit by my brother and his friend, this new guy in our family showed up so we could all meet him.


And here is my favorite kid on the planet leaving the voting booths with his little red sticker in hand. Yes!!!!!!!!

Also, please check Imaginary Press Series updates

I'm pulling my bookmarks out of Tomas Transtromer's The Half-Finished Heaven so I can return it to the library on time, which I don't really want to do. Here are some of my favorite bits:

Every person is a half-open door
leading to a room for everyone.

and:

Two truths approach each other. One comes from inside, the
other from outside,
and where they meet we have a chance to catch sight of ourselves.

The man who sees what's about to take place cries out wildly:
"Stop!"

and here's half of the poem Solitude:

Right here I was nearly killed one night in February.
My car slewed on the ice, sideways,
into the other lane. The oncoming cars--
their headlights--came nearer.

My name, my daughters, my job
slipped free and fell behind silently,
farther and farther back. I was anonymous,
like a schoolboy in a lot surrounded by enemies.

The approaching traffic had powerful lights.
They shone on me while I turned and turned
the wheel in a transparent fear that moved like eggwhite.
The seconds lengthened out--making more room--
they grew long as hospital buildings.

It felt as if you could just take it easy
and loaf a bit
before the smash came.

Then firm land appeared: a helping sandgrain
or a marvelous gust of wind. The car took hold
and fishtailed back across the road.
A signpost shot up, snapped off--a ringing sound--
tossed into the dark.

Came all quiet. I sat there in my seatbelt
and watched someone tramp through the blowing snow
to see what had become of me.

Sigh.

Two Quick Notes: Gondoliers for Obama and Imaginary Press

Thanks to my pal Lorissa for this:



Hope to see you all at the Imaginary Press reading tonight at Diamonds!

One of these things is not like the others

Last weekend I found these four chairs at the D.A.V. for thirty bucks! I reupholstered their seats and the seats of two others I had hanging around. It was all a huge thrill for me.


I spent a lot of Saturday afternoon walking around quiet places by myself.


I know I've seen something like this image on a book cover. Do you know what I am talking about?


But then I had to run an errand at Target. After all the hush, I was extra affronted by this Hummer Eau de Toilette. What could this possible smell like? Please don't answer.


Sunday P and I drove to Stillwater to hike around the fall colors with our friends.



I found this poem.

I updated the Imaginary Press site

See?

Yay!

The poet Kristin Naca is recently arrived to the Twin Cities. Check out this video where she discusses her forthcoming manuscript with Yusef Komunyakaa!

Because my car is in the shop, this blog post is basically a little show and tell of the media I consumed this weekend at home.

I listened to All Rebel Rockers about 16 times:


I watched This movie, which I thought was really beautiful. And I watched this movie:

Simply because I can hardly wait to vote for Al Franken for senate.

I savored this book of poems:


And I adored this skit:


I did some other stuff, too: had a little family gathering, tried to make some art. Tried. Just for the record.

Daily

August From Bedlam to Snuffy's

First off, I have cheated. I just posted Bemidji and Bedlam photos, but I predated them August 3rd and August 21st so the blog would remain chronologically sound.


Secondly, here am I this weekend taking my chauffer duties very seriously as I shuttle the kiddos from maltshop to playground:




The kids became fascinated by the outdated technology called "cassette tapes" that Auntie Paula had all over the floor of her back seat. In this way, I was able to introduce them to selections from the Replacements, Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash. They also found about 28 cents. (That's my sister and niece in the car behind us.)


Small change and punk rock?? Weeeeeee!

Weekend Plans?

Finally, be sure to go to and support Ripple Effect!

Post Bedlam

I have taken some bad photos in my life, but my photos of the Bedlam Event deserve an anti-award. My flash setting was super slow or something, as was I, but:

Can you sort of see Beatrix JAR gearing up here?

Can you kind of imagine Julie Doxsee and her knives?

Can you work with me and see the fabulous Frances Gumm here? Furthermore, can you imagine the inimitable Laura Brandenburg performing a piece with them?

It's bad. Bad photography. But it was a good time! If you want to check
here, Julie's got some much better photos.

Please see below for why you might want to look to your right

One day in the future I plan to update with Bemidji photos and other news from my small world.

Right now, I ask you to please note the new reading listed on the right sidebar, for Ms. Julie Doxsee is coming to town. Please join us at the Bedlam Theater at 9:30 on August 20th to celebrate her newest book, Undersleep, when Ms. Laura Brandenburg, Mr. Paul Dickinson and I will be joining Julie in reading. Not only that, but Frances Gumm and Beatrix Jar will play!

Bemidji

My sister Patti and I drove up to Bemidji for a visit and a poetry reading.

Here is Erin, my fellow reader who organized the event, as a bunny, and Patti as a duck.


These photos are from the Beltrami County Fair. I forgot to take any poetry pictures.


This photo is from the chicken dressing competition. This girl crocheted that little outfit for her chicken. When I heard there'd be a chicken dressing competition, I was skeptical and a little apprehensive. What a relief to find out that it's just a bunch of kids who love their chickens so much. My other favorite was a boy who dressed as a fireman and had his chicken in a little yellow rain poncho. He placed third. Though I wanted him to win, I begrudgingly accepted the argument that his costume was perhaps doing more work than his chicken's.

This is my only photo from "Crazy Days." All the stores put a bunch of stuff on sale out on the sidewalk. The Ben Franklin has grab bags for five bucks.

Here are Paul and Babe and me doing my "I can't stand still for a picture" dance.

This is Lola. I love her.

Here are a couple random sculptures, which can be found all over town. This is my favorite:

And this one I find most puzzling.

I didn't get good photos of the dragon boat races or the tent dance or a few other activities. Also, when we were at places like the old house or old babysitter's farm, I was usually a little too distracted to remember proper documentation. But

Bemidji!

According to the VISIT BEMIDJI website, Eastman Kodak recognizes these two guys as the most photographed landmarks in the U.S. It did not mention what is the first most. But who cares? I'm going to see these guys for the first time in I-don't-know-how-many decades on August first when I head up to Bemidji to read with Erin Lynn Marsh! (More info over on that sidebar to your right.)

I was born in Bemidji, and though we moved when I was seven years old, I have all sorts of formative memories. I expect the trip to be a lot of fun and to wig me the hell out at alternating invervals.

Luckily, I am traveling with my sister. We can wig out together, or support our separate wigging.

Music and a Movie for the Holiday

Patriot Act -- Muja Messiah ft. I-Self Devine



Heavy Metal in Baghdad

Mini-Tour, part four

Well, technically the joint tour is over at this point. Rauan's back to Chicago to head to St. Louis the next day, and I am back to Chicago to hang out for a couple days. My chronology may be off, but here are some highlights:


A and K and I went on a super touristy speedboat ride at Navy Pier called the Seadog Extreme!!! I thought it was going to be perhaps excruciating, but once we got past the no-wake area and the nineteen year old captain blasted Welcome to the Jungle, cranked the motor to 40 knots and started whipping shitties in Lake Michigan, well, everything was ridiculously all right to me. (I think they said 40 knots. I am just tossing that term around. Also, I do not know a less offensive term for spinning a vehicle around really fast. I am open to suggestion.)


One morning I went to the zoo with J and M. Oh man! I liked monkeys before, but now that I have spent time with the world's most serious monkey enthusiast, I LOVE them.

I forget what this guy is called. He's like a megabunny.

This is Solomon and Lucille. I feel I can use their real names and it won't threaten their blogger privacy.

Blondie was playing at the zoo that evening, but instead, Kate and I went to see House of Brunettes!

Here's the view from the bar at the top of the Hancock building. It was packed up there; we didn't stay.

I went through a couple emergency comfort moments. Luckily, we had decided to hit the Red Apple for dinner one evening so we could restore ourselves on some pierogi and sweet and sour cabbage. ...Okay, and some sausage. I am fairly nearly vegetarian in my day-to-day life, but I admit another name for our tour could have been the Carnivorous Pole Tour.

One day this woman will teach me to shop.

But in the mean time, I shop for geegaws and chachkis. There is nothing I require more than a trip through a junk shop when my mind is on overload. Something about sorting the endless detritus is so calming to me.

Pretty Chicago.

The end.

Mini Tour, Part Three

Next, Rauan and I traveled to Cincinnati. Having completely romanticized this town for months, I was a little nervous on the ride down, but we kept ourselves busy by starting some collaborative poems.

Here Michael and Rauan dive right into the debate:

Here are Kristi and Amy setting up:

Michael, Amy, and Kristi were our gracious, generous hosts.

Here is some pre-reading kitchen chat:

Then the good gathering:

And our wonderful co-reader, Ruth Dickey:

I think I've posted enough photos of what Rauan and I look like reading. What I wish I could have captured were the lightning bugs which were by the hundreds lighting up all over the yard during the reading! It was only the second time I'd ever seen them!

We stayed up late!

To sum up, Cincinnati was even more glamorous than I had imagined. I cannot wait for another excuse to visit. Maybe even to stay more than 19 hours.

I guess the next post will be my last Mini Tour post. But my part of the readings are done and my mini-vacation started some time between the last two photographs above, so the remaining pictures will be miscellaneous puppy, skyscraper, and adorable toddler shots. Just sayin'.