...carries a postcard/ won't the big city be nice/ that's the place with the action/ she's gonna have her a slice....
Between the storm and dawn, I dream of you.
In the morning, I open windows to admit the sound of rattling rain.
Last night, knowing I'd been with another, he ignored me and refused to speak.
This morning, he is huggy kissy again; despite his polydactlism, he is unable to open the food container for himself.
Evidently, he has forgiven me for scratching someone's itch and having a little pussy on the side.
Still, he gives me a filthy look over his shoulder, and twitches his tail as he walks away.
(Adam Ant; Puss'N Boots)
03 August, 2011
31 July, 2011
Backwards Music
...everyone's a ball of clay / we sculpt each other into shapes / desperately trying to make / the one who fits our empty space / it's temporary and manmade / like little shots of Novacaine....
I have a new crush. This should not be a surprise.
Short story: quirky musicians.
But you want the long story, right?
That's what I thought.
We leave the bar, so exhausted and elated that the Crime Scene tape across the next block fails to do more than arouse momentary bemusement. I re-learn the clutch on the Subaru.
Rewind:
Channing and Quinn are delightful, friendly, chatty and interested in us, as well as charming. YoungEv and I debate adjectives.
"Cute," he decides.
"Adorable," I argue.
"No, they ARE cute," he says. I wave impatiently, with both hands.
"BEYOND cute," I say.
"Oh," he says, "you're raising my...?"
"Right, I see your cute and I raise you an adorable."
"Gotcha."
Fuzzy ignores us and continues sketching.
Rewind:
My concern that I won't recognize Acacia Sears out of context is unfounded. I can't describe her, but I always recognize her. She's grown so lovely, and rocks so hard, I am in awe.
Rewind:
The family has gathered at Joe Squared for reputedly fabulous pizza, drinks and music. YoungEv will join us in a while. When the pizza arrives, we enjoy it, but are slightly disappointed, as the kids and I have very recently been impressed by pizza at Iggie's, which quite honestly I liked better.
Rewind:
It's Wednesday, and Ellen Cherry is playing live at The Electric Maid in Tacoma Park. Wednesday is beside me, worried that this concert will be crowded or boring or both. She makes me find a different parking space, as she thinks the one I've chosen is sketchy and likely to garner us a ticket
As we open the door to the venue, I spot Ellen relaxed on a sofa. She hops up with a big grin and an expression of recognition and comes over to greet us. I'm amazed that Ellen recognizes my face- we met one time. She doesn’t remember where… but I say 'poetry', and she says, "Oh, yes, Cliff Lynn, he's back from Afghanistan now!"
One of the musician fellows brings in beer, offers to the room in general, and ends up walking 'round and passing them out to each person individually. I realize only later that this is Quinn, the rhythm/drum/whispering half of Channing and Quinn.
As Channing and Quinn begin their set, Ellen slips out. She has been so sweet to Wednesday, signing her CD, and writing a personalized message on it as well. Wednesday and I are charmed.
Wednesday holds her sketch book all evening, not opening it at all, just hugging it to her, totally charmed by the indie-folk-accousticats.
(Channing and Quinn; The Corners of My Mouth)
I have a new crush. This should not be a surprise.
Short story: quirky musicians.
But you want the long story, right?
That's what I thought.
We leave the bar, so exhausted and elated that the Crime Scene tape across the next block fails to do more than arouse momentary bemusement. I re-learn the clutch on the Subaru.
Rewind:
Channing and Quinn are delightful, friendly, chatty and interested in us, as well as charming. YoungEv and I debate adjectives.
"Cute," he decides.
"Adorable," I argue.
"No, they ARE cute," he says. I wave impatiently, with both hands.
"BEYOND cute," I say.
"Oh," he says, "you're raising my...?"
"Right, I see your cute and I raise you an adorable."
"Gotcha."
Fuzzy ignores us and continues sketching.
Rewind:
My concern that I won't recognize Acacia Sears out of context is unfounded. I can't describe her, but I always recognize her. She's grown so lovely, and rocks so hard, I am in awe.
Rewind:
The family has gathered at Joe Squared for reputedly fabulous pizza, drinks and music. YoungEv will join us in a while. When the pizza arrives, we enjoy it, but are slightly disappointed, as the kids and I have very recently been impressed by pizza at Iggie's, which quite honestly I liked better.
Rewind:
It's Wednesday, and Ellen Cherry is playing live at The Electric Maid in Tacoma Park. Wednesday is beside me, worried that this concert will be crowded or boring or both. She makes me find a different parking space, as she thinks the one I've chosen is sketchy and likely to garner us a ticket
As we open the door to the venue, I spot Ellen relaxed on a sofa. She hops up with a big grin and an expression of recognition and comes over to greet us. I'm amazed that Ellen recognizes my face- we met one time. She doesn’t remember where… but I say 'poetry', and she says, "Oh, yes, Cliff Lynn, he's back from Afghanistan now!"
One of the musician fellows brings in beer, offers to the room in general, and ends up walking 'round and passing them out to each person individually. I realize only later that this is Quinn, the rhythm/drum/whispering half of Channing and Quinn.
As Channing and Quinn begin their set, Ellen slips out. She has been so sweet to Wednesday, signing her CD, and writing a personalized message on it as well. Wednesday and I are charmed.
Wednesday holds her sketch book all evening, not opening it at all, just hugging it to her, totally charmed by the indie-folk-accousticats.
(Channing and Quinn; The Corners of My Mouth)
22 July, 2011
Giant Turtle?
...where the sea was smooth as glass/ giving you one answer to a question/ that you never thought you'd ask....
"There's this movie from the 70s I'm trying to remember,"
and no one can ever remember what the movie is called. Despite having researched it a couple of times, I'm evidently resistant to owning it, or remembering the title. I wonder what that says about the title. Or me.
My cartoonist comic-book geeky pal, whose recent article provoked my musing to begin with 'solved' the mystery for me, which was interesting but not right.
What I remember is two little kids and a turtle, and then some town terrorized by an unseen monster which turns out to be a giant turtle. A Google search reveals that there are many searchers like myself, and despite only knowing 2 actual humans who ever saw it, (only one of whom remembers the title), evidently lots of people saw this and were/have been bothered/haunted by it for 30 years.
The search is 'giant turtle movie from the 70s' and RPG has a surprising yield of answers.
One searcher describes a scene later in the movie, on badmovies.net
This one describes a bit in the movie that I don't remember being there, but of course that's not what really bothers me.
I can't get past the misplaced apostrophe.
(Fleetwood Mac; Bermuda Triangle)
"There's this movie from the 70s I'm trying to remember,"
and no one can ever remember what the movie is called. Despite having researched it a couple of times, I'm evidently resistant to owning it, or remembering the title. I wonder what that says about the title. Or me.
My cartoonist comic-book geeky pal, whose recent article provoked my musing to begin with 'solved' the mystery for me, which was interesting but not right.
What I remember is two little kids and a turtle, and then some town terrorized by an unseen monster which turns out to be a giant turtle. A Google search reveals that there are many searchers like myself, and despite only knowing 2 actual humans who ever saw it, (only one of whom remembers the title), evidently lots of people saw this and were/have been bothered/haunted by it for 30 years.
The search is 'giant turtle movie from the 70s' and RPG has a surprising yield of answers.
One searcher describes a scene later in the movie, on badmovies.net
This one describes a bit in the movie that I don't remember being there, but of course that's not what really bothers me.
I can't get past the misplaced apostrophe.
(Fleetwood Mac; Bermuda Triangle)
20 July, 2011
To Do:
...take it or you leave it/ things that they say, Honor Brite/ if I promised you the moon and the stars/ would you believe it....
1. Memorize "up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A"
2. Use randomly on internet, just for fun
3. Tell son this will ensure he passes his driving test
4. Laugh maniacally at this thought ALL DAY LONG
(The Alan Parsons Project; Games People Play)
1. Memorize "up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A"
2. Use randomly on internet, just for fun
3. Tell son this will ensure he passes his driving test
4. Laugh maniacally at this thought ALL DAY LONG
(The Alan Parsons Project; Games People Play)
11 July, 2011
Almost Random
...and he fills it only halfway/ and before I even argue/ he is looking out the window at somebody coming in....
12 sheets of copy paper
1/2 apple
2 rolls duct tape, partially used
1 blood-caked golf club
5 pencils, unsharpened
1 wood-handled push broom
15 candy wrappers
3 bungee cords
1 elf suit, minus shoes
7 hairpins
1 informational flyer, homeopathic cold remedies
1 mascara, black
3 tote bags, filled, various items
1 ball of fake mistletoe with red velveteen hang cord
26 index cards, neon
4 hang tags from purchased clothing
1 large Celtic brooch, brass
31¢ in change, 30¢ American, 1¢ Canadian
1 squishy latex cone, purpose unknown
6 ball point pens
1 yarn ball band, Lily Sugar N Cream
3/4 of an envelope with approximately 1/3 of a scribbled poem, unfinished
1 single-serve packet cream cheese
2 plastic bags
1 pair white gloves, kid leather
2 hot pink chenille stems, twisted together
1 bag for folding camp chair, no chair
(Suzanne Vega, Tom's Diner)
12 sheets of copy paper
1/2 apple
2 rolls duct tape, partially used
1 blood-caked golf club
5 pencils, unsharpened
1 wood-handled push broom
15 candy wrappers
3 bungee cords
1 elf suit, minus shoes
7 hairpins
1 informational flyer, homeopathic cold remedies
1 mascara, black
3 tote bags, filled, various items
1 ball of fake mistletoe with red velveteen hang cord
26 index cards, neon
4 hang tags from purchased clothing
1 large Celtic brooch, brass
31¢ in change, 30¢ American, 1¢ Canadian
1 squishy latex cone, purpose unknown
6 ball point pens
1 yarn ball band, Lily Sugar N Cream
3/4 of an envelope with approximately 1/3 of a scribbled poem, unfinished
1 single-serve packet cream cheese
2 plastic bags
1 pair white gloves, kid leather
2 hot pink chenille stems, twisted together
1 bag for folding camp chair, no chair
(Suzanne Vega, Tom's Diner)
24 May, 2011
Going Guerilla?
...when their eloquence escapes me/ their logic ties me up and rapes me....
My Tonguebiting Inner Editor has been escaping more frequently and biting her tongue very little. She may become a permanent fixture or a super-hero or both. Red Penny: Apostrophe Avenger, Comma Co-ordinator, Semicolon Semanticist, Interrobang Interpreter...
It's enough that I'm faced with purchasing "cami's" or "DVD's" at my local shops, forced to suffer the comma-splicings of Subaru: "It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru", assaulted by a drug company's (I've blocked which) catchy jingle of "O-N-E-L-E-S-S, I wanna be one less, one less", infuriated by my local police force's billboard announcement, "I save lives everyday, what do YOU do?" (I catch your errors, assholes. Hire a writer. 'Every day' is TWO words, and you need different punctuation between your two independent clauses- tell ya what: you draw guns and drive squad cars; I will write and edit) but to now face, on a daily basis, the social (mis)stylings of my 'friends', some of whom have been students- writing students!- of mine, has pushed me right to the edge.
Evidently, I'm not the only one.
You've been warned.
(The Police; De Doo Doo Doo, De Da Da Da)
My Tonguebiting Inner Editor has been escaping more frequently and biting her tongue very little. She may become a permanent fixture or a super-hero or both. Red Penny: Apostrophe Avenger, Comma Co-ordinator, Semicolon Semanticist, Interrobang Interpreter...
It's enough that I'm faced with purchasing "cami's" or "DVD's" at my local shops, forced to suffer the comma-splicings of Subaru: "It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru", assaulted by a drug company's (I've blocked which) catchy jingle of "O-N-E-L-E-S-S, I wanna be one less, one less", infuriated by my local police force's billboard announcement, "I save lives everyday, what do YOU do?" (I catch your errors, assholes. Hire a writer. 'Every day' is TWO words, and you need different punctuation between your two independent clauses- tell ya what: you draw guns and drive squad cars; I will write and edit) but to now face, on a daily basis, the social (mis)stylings of my 'friends', some of whom have been students- writing students!- of mine, has pushed me right to the edge.
Evidently, I'm not the only one.
You've been warned.
(The Police; De Doo Doo Doo, De Da Da Da)
09 May, 2011
Monday List
...try to kiss me, and laugh /in four or five paragraphs /All your compliments and your cutting remarks /Are captured here in my quotation marks....
1. It will never leach toxic chemicals into a landfill
2. I have one that belonged to my grandfather
3. It will survive a dip in the tub or pool if I fall asleep
4. I can lend it, give it away, donate it or display it
5. Its cost is reflective of something other than its age
6. I will happily hand one to a baby
7. If it's old, it can be cheap, free, or very expensive
8. It carries an aroma which is personal and exquisite
9. If I drop it, I can pick it up in one piece
10. It needs no instructions for use
11. It can be signed by the author
12. This is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen
13. Two words: gilt flashing
(Elvis Costello; Everyday I Write The Book)
1. It will never leach toxic chemicals into a landfill
2. I have one that belonged to my grandfather
3. It will survive a dip in the tub or pool if I fall asleep
4. I can lend it, give it away, donate it or display it
5. Its cost is reflective of something other than its age
6. I will happily hand one to a baby
7. If it's old, it can be cheap, free, or very expensive
8. It carries an aroma which is personal and exquisite
9. If I drop it, I can pick it up in one piece
10. It needs no instructions for use
11. It can be signed by the author
12. This is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen
13. Two words: gilt flashing
(Elvis Costello; Everyday I Write The Book)