It's that time of year again...

As June comes over the horizon, it's time to register and get ready for Lexington Poetry Month, more often referred to as LexPoMo. Along with the usual writing challenge this year, I'm going to try to revive my little corner of the internet and share some of my thoughts and ideas. Since I'll be writing every day with the challenge, I'll take time to post something at least every other day. We'll see how it goes.

Traveler's Woes

Yesterday, I experienced some of the worst and some of the best customer service I have had in a long time. The interesting part of this equation is that the most extreme cases came from employees of the same company, US Airways, and at the same location, Philadelphia International Airport.

First, the bad. After having suffered delay after delay on my flight from Charlotte to Philadelphia, I run from concourse B to concourse A, full speed, because I had gotten a notice my connecting flight was also delayed until 11:45p. My flight had just landed at 11:20 something and I had just gotten off the phone with the gate agent confirming the same (that's part of the good, so I'll return to that point later). I made it to the gate at 11:33p just to be told that I couldn't board. I was irate, but I held my tongue and kept my calm, even when the so-called supervisor said they were "not obligated" to put me in a hotel for the night, even when same supervisor said they were "out of hotel rooms" after I produced an email noting one of the five delays of my flight were "maintenance issues." Long story short, she kept escalating the issue (and my blood pressure) by regurgitating the rehearsed company line rather than getting all the information and THEN providing a personalized response. If I have learned anything from all my years in retail and service, you have to listen to the customer, get all the facts to assess the situation accurately, be compassionate an understanding even if the customer is not at the time (although I was!), and diffuse the situation as best you can with creativity and individual attention to the customer's specific needs.

As for the good, it all falls squarely on the gate agent, Shakid. He had called my cell phone to let me know of the delay of my later flight and to make sure I knew the right gate to which I would need to sprint. He also redirected me from the insanely long queue at the special services counter to his gate to rebook my flights. He reminded the supervisor of some hotel vouchers they had issued earlier in the day which the travelers had returned unused that he easily could reissue to get me a room. He accommodated my request for a rebook flight with only one other US connection and a direct flight to Lisboa, as well as routing my checked luggage on to my rebooked flights. All in all, he listened and creatively addressed my concerns. I walked away happy from an otherwise frustrating situation.

Maybe I shouldn't be so harsh on his supervisor. She did do one thing right. She got out of Shakid's way and let him do his job. And he did a great job.

I'm putting the good word out a little pre-emptively as I sit at Logan International in Boston this morning with a 12 hour wait for today's flight. But I got my flight this morning, no problem. So I've decided to make the best of today. I got 4 solid hour of sleep, a hot shower, and fresh clothes. I can relax until I can check in later this afternoon. I have time to people watch, to write, and to read a bit. Sounds like a good day to me.

#keeppositive #lemonadeoutoflemons #nofilter

From the phone

There are so many new things (thankfully, good things) happening right now that I feel compelled to add an update. I finished up my first residency toward my MFA last week and love being back in classes. This brief residency thing will mesh well with working. Let's hope it continues in such vein. I'm finally getting the hang of my iPhone after years of being the Blackberry holdout guy. For you others still holding out, I'll tell you that you get the hang of apps after about 6 weeks. And I just got Blogger on here, so this post is my test run to see if my joy continues. My health improves every day - blood pressure down, cholesterol down, and weight continuing down (still have a ways to go, but progress is progress!). I will take advantage of the good karma and keep moving forward. You do the same -

in love & light
j

Me & Music

So what is it about me and music? I get all caught up in whatever I hear on the radio or on my iPod...and I obsess about it for hours or even days. I often find the inspiration for new writing (especially poems) in the music that fills my days. It may be an old gospel song or a drop beat house tune or some alternative song from the '80s or just some random pop song on top 40 radio. It goes back to that idea of the continuing conversation between poets from generation to generation - the idea that we all just keep talking to one another and responding with more poetry. Sometimes the song just reminds me of where I've been and what I may have thought at some time in my life. Most recently, Robin Thicke & Leighton Meester's Somebody to Love comes to mind. Yes, it's from 2009, but the words, the beat (and especially the video) keeps it in my usual dance music rotation. Looks like this is a perfect time for a dance break...

Enough rambling for today. Love & light!

Do somethin', then

On the drive from Lexington to Pikeville today, my iPod threw the Nappy Roots' tune, Sick and Tired, at me from out of the blue. Yes, I'm all over the board musically and listen to anything and everything done by phenomenal Kentucky musicians. Of course, the song has been in my standard rotation since I first heard it many years ago, but I hadn't heard it recently and it really struck me today. The part about "stop running" and "do something" really jumped out and smacked me across the face. I guess I needed that wake up call. After the layoff last June, I took the opportunity to put my life back on track and to pursue my dream of getting my MFA and teaching writing on a college campus. In recent months, I had become complacent with how things were moving along, but I have been lax on moving things ahead. A few weeks ago, I did apply and will start with the Bluegrass Writers Studio MFA program in January. Now, I have to get back on my submission bandwagon and get new work out there. So with this renewed energy, I decided to put up a new post here. Maybe I'll get more dedicated to talking about my new journey here. We'll see how it goes. In the meantime, here's the video for the song that got me started. Maybe it will help you think about doing somethin', then!

Love & light...

reversing the spiral

Since becoming unemployed 11 weeks ago, I have fallen into a pattern of waking and immediately going to the computer to begin my daily routine of careerbuilder searching, job board checking, and facebook updating. I've become rather efficient recently and so have added some side trips to youtube into my morning routine for variety and inspiration. This morning, youtube recommended a video that I had not watched in years and it's making me think about the hazards of falling into regular patterns and that I need to mix things up. So, this morning (and those going forward) will get a little punch from Michael and the boys. Love & light!

million dollar bill

Last night, the news swept over Facebook like a slow wave generated from all the tears let loose my gay men and drag queens the world over...Ms. Whitney had died at the Beverly Hilton - only 48 years old.  Cause of death unclear, or not reported immediately.  Already beyond help when they found her at 3:55pm, they didn't even take her to the hospital.  Another sad, but somewhat expected, story from the music world.  I had to remember Amy Winehouse passing a few months back.  Another beautiful voice lost well before her time.  Another one lost to her demons who left us wonderful music to remember her.  I hope the media concentrates on her music and the good points from her life, rather than her troubles.  I hope she has found peace and that Bobbi Kristina & Cissy find solace in their family and friends.  I shared this video on Facebook when I heard and I'll share it here now, because Ms. Whitney's music always did make me feel like a million dollar bill...

Warning: Hetero Holiday Ahead

I've never been one for celebrating Valentine's Day, even during those years I have been in relationships when that hetero Hallmark holiday rolled around.  But I've got a smile on my face tonight thanks to the creative poets at FCKH8 and their latest video to counter those homophobes saying that gay marriage will destroy the sanctity of marriage.  I will warn you that some people may find the video offensive or too "in your face," but I say it makes a truthful and powerful statement.  I remember the intense criticism that people like Larry Kramer received early on in the fight for HIV and AIDS awareness with the outspoken radical thinking of groups like ACT UP!  Very different issues, but similar tactics.  I'll just cut this post short, get off my soapbox, and let you decide for yourself.  Watch it or don't watch it...your choice.



Leave a comment if you want.

haiku habit

Since February is National Haiku Writing Month (or just NaHaWriMo for those cool literary types into shortening & crushing everything into some fun little acronym), I challenged myself (and many of my friends – on & off Facebook) to take up the haiku habit for the month. I set a goal to write one haiku (at least) per day for the 29 days that make up February 2012. I have been successful (so far) and had the flash of brilliance earlier this week that I would begin sharing them more widely in my social media than just on Facebook. So here’s a quick recap of what you’ve missed if you aren’t my Facebook friend or following me on Twitter.  I don't usually post any of my poetry online because so many journal editors consider online self-publishing as "previously published," but I'm going to go out on a limb with these little gems.  They start with today and go in reverse order...and, yes, there are more than ten as I had a few days where one was not enough.  I hope you enjoy!

pious imbalance –

the bright shiny halo slips,

becomes golden noose

toddlers, tiaras:

poetry is go go juice,

haiku – my flavor

big fluffy snowflakes

I must steal a closer look!

intricate beauty

my morning surprise

yesterday’s warmth escaped quick

glistening blanket

dry asthmatic coughs

wading through ancient volumes

paltry price to pay

morning’s icy coat

weighs heavily on new buds

winter snuck back in

late night summer breeze

carries chapel friends voices

Appalachian bliss

rain falling gently

head tilted back, open mouth

cleanse my dusty soul

By month’s end, I’ll scream

I struggle in haiku hell

by my own choosing!

Phil saw his shadow,
but Buckeye Chuck, he did not!
Nature is confused.

Let the haiku flow –

my writerly friends let loose.

Nature knows we’re off!

Feel free to comment below and let me know what you think (or give me a suggestion for my next haiku!).  I'll keep posting them in batches (maybe one post each week).

a little Friday inspiration...as if you need it

Some days, if you are anything like me, you just need a little extra push to get you through the day...or just to get the day started off right.  I often turn to poetry - either writing it or reading it - as my motivational mechanism of choice.  For those of you who may need that boost this morning (or any time you may have stumbled upon this page), here's one of my favorite poems from an amazing poet.

I love her laugh...it is enough to fill my joy for the entire week.  Enjoy!

my go go juice

In my past, I've relied on some bad things and bad people for that so-called "go go juice" for happiness and motivation.  More recently, poetry has become my go go juice and for the month of February, haiku is my flavor.  I fell into another Na(insert your favorite genre, form, or whatever here)WriMo trap and decided to pursue the National Haiku Writing Month badge - write one haiku every day during the month of February.  I thought it's only 17 syllables a day...or 493 syllables for the entire month.  Yes, this year gives February 29 days.  I decided to do it for leap year - just for the added challenge!  Well, my writing has surprised me - not only in quality, but also in quantity.

Every morning (and so far, that's only eight of them), I have written a haiku with my morning coffee and oatmeal.  On two of those days (one of them being this morning), I composed two!  Today, I posted the second as just an added treat on my Facebook timeline.  The second one I did on the 6th, I just put away for later distribution...maybe I'll share it on another day.  It has proved a good exercise in building the writing habit and exercising our writing skills.  So, today, I venture out on my blog in hopes of reviving it and actually sticking with it for what remains of the month of February.  Here's my thoughts...I'll share my haiku habit here as well as on Facebook (maybe I should include Twitter and Tumblr, so they don't feel left out of the social media equation).  It will at least have me visiting my own site every day and I hope I can give a little insight into my writing process, some helpful poetry prompts, maybe some interesting background information from my class discussions, and just generally what's happening in my life and around this wonderful Commonwealth I call home.  That's my promise for today...now, back to the grind!

Almost a new year

so I haven't posted since September...yes, I'm a slacker, but I'm going to change that attitude...and this time I mean it!  No, really, I mean it.  I'm working on an idea to get me started, but it's just not ready.  But I felt like I needed to get something updated on this page...so here's the filler!!  I'll be back later.

Enjoy Banned Books!

Since it is Banned Book Week, I started my morning with an out-loud recitation of Ginsberg's Howl, one of my favorite poems of all time - banned or not banned, controversial or not, modern or ancient - and then settled in to another read of Faulkner's As I Lay Dying.  It's time for a reading break, so I decided I best jump online and update the blog as to what I'm doing.  [Yes, once again, I have dedicated myself to updating this site to make it a habit!  We'll see how long it lasts this time...]

I took a look through my bookshelves yesterday and started a stack of banned and challenged books that I own.  It was an impressive stack.  Then, I started to peruse the list posted by the ALA on their site and noted that there were some I had read in the past, but did not own.  So acting as if I do not own enough books already, I'm taking my break to get outside and make a trip to Half Price Books and see what I can find on the list that I don't already own.  They're having a half price sale on their smaller paperbacks, so I'll be glad to drop a bit of change in their coffers for the cause today.  My goal is to read as many banned books as I can this week.  Of course, I will throw in a bunch of poets; it's just may nature!

Before I get off here and out to the newly fall air, I'll just mention that today, on YouTube, I first came across footage from the International Poetry Incarnation at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 11 June 1965 and I am enamored of the event.  It is my new research project and I will definitely write more about it [and it's influence on me] over the next few weeks.  But for this week, I promise to keep you posted on my banned books progress...for today, mark down Howl & Other Poems and As I Lay Dying.  Stay tuned!

Ramblin past the GRE

I don't know why I have the urge to ramble about the GRE, but I feel like I just need to get this story out of me and on here.  Last Friday, I gave in to my fear and took the GRE again - after a 12 year hiatus.  I don't even remember my scores from 1989; I just remember that I took it with a number 2 pencil in hand and filled in the dots...leaving streaks and remnants of pencil lead on my hands and across the page.  This time, I sat in a stark cubicle directing the mouse over my answers.  I still kept pencil in hand and used every inch of scratch paper given to me.  I guess that's just the type of writer I am:  no matter when or how things come to me, I do best when I have pen or pencil in hand and take it to paper.  I have to have the physical interaction before I start typing anything into some program or electronic media.

I finally made the decision that I want to pursue my MFA next year, but I haven't decided on whether to go low residency or full residency.  I'll leave that decision to another day (but I'll need to decide withint the next few months).  In looking at the schools that interested me, I saw that some on both paths required the GRE General Test and I just decided I needed to do it - get it out of the way sooner rather than later.  I spent the weeks leading up to it refreshing my vocabulary, writing notes on flash cards, brushing up on those high school math formulas, and writing a few essays based on the testing pool from the ETS site.  I think my preparations paid off.  At the end of the test, the screen displayed my estimated verbal and quantitative scores based on the old system (630 - 730 on verbal, 690 - 790 on quantitative).  They couldn't (or wouldn't) estimate the analytical scores, and that's okay.  I'll find out in November what I actually scored on the new scale.  Fingers crossed!

But now, I need to work on my Statement of Purpose for applications and all I can do is write poetry.  For some reason, the creative keeps flowing and I can't turn it off.  So, I'm going to ride this wave for the next few days and circle back to it.  Maybe this is a better time to edit my manuscript.  Now that I've got this little note out of my system, I can get back to writing.  Later!

Some times food is the inspiration...

When I decide to write, some times (actually, many times) food provides the inspiration.  Today, when I made one of my off-the-cuff summer salads in preparation for the week, I had the urge to get back to my blogging.  So, I thought I would share my recipe for my summer bulgur salad that you see in the picture.  It is both simple and tasty, as well as versatile.  I eat it as a light lunch or use it as a side with some baked fish for dinner.  Today, it's what's for lunch!

Any way, on with the recipe.  I start by warming some EVOO in a pot.  While it's warming, I chopped up a few green onions and mini sweet peppers (red, orange, and yellow).  When the EVOO reaches a good temp, I toast off a bit of garlic, cumin, celery seed, red pepper flakes.  Then , add the chopped green onions and sweet peppers.  As you can already tell, I'm not one for measurements.  My mother taught me to cook and still, to this day, I've never known her to measure, really, except when baking - which is much more precise.  But even then, it can be an adventure.  Well, on with the recipe...

After I warmed up the spices, peppers, and onions, I add in some chicken stock/fat saved from the chicken thighs I had baked off last week.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Then, add the bulgur.  For you measure freaks out there, you will need about 1 1/2 times the amount of water as you do bulgur.  Let everything return to a boil.  Cover and remove from the heat.  While letting it stand and absorb all the wonderful spices and chicken broth, I rough chop a cucumber and several cherry tomatoes and mix them together with juice of half a lemon and half a lime, as well as some fresh cilantro.  I let this mixture chill a bit while the bulgur is absorbing and cooling a bit.

When all is marinated and cooled, I combine the bulgur mixture with that of the cucumbers/tomatoes.  I also toss is a bit more cilantro and squeeze the other half of lime & lemon to dress it.  Then, toss until well incorporated.  You can keep it in the fridge and eat cold or warm it up a bit - either works for me.  You can also add some chicken or salmon if you want or need the protein.  Hope you enjoy this little bit o' summer from me. If you try it, let me know what you think in the comments below.

death, genealogy, and writing

It seems that a death in the family always refocuses my passions in genealogy and writing - that ending of one life dear to me only makes me want to find out more about those who came before me and to define better the path I want to continue during my own little snippet of time on this earth.  Yesterday, we lost my beautiful and feisty aunt Geraldine.  So after a few good crying jags last night and this morning, I have been wading through old family photographs and researching more of my family tree online.  I wrote a little in my journal and then decided to revisit this blog, since I haven't been here for over a month.  And the last time I was here, I made the resolution that I would continue working on it.  I guess resolutions are made to be broken, but I really want to get this one going.  Maybe this is the spark I need to keep going with this cyberspace sharing.  We'll see, I guess.

Figure 8 is really great!

Many years back, one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons actually came between the shows in the form of School House Rock.  And on this eighth day of NaPoWriMo, I am going back to one of those early educational cartoons for my inspiration.  I'm keeping it simple today, so feel free to come along for the ride.  Just watch the video and let your pen (or pencil or marker or crayon) be your guide.  The only rules are to have fun and let yourself write for 5 - 10 minutes.

Enjoy!  Hope you are having a productive month of poetry!

Reviving Darlings

Today, for the third day of NaPoWriMo, I decided to revive some of my previously discarded darlings.  Some poets call them their murdered darlings (or babies).  Either way (or whatever terms you may use), they are the lines or phrases which you have edited out of your previous work after many long hours of fretting how you could keep them.  I keep a running list on my computer, because that's where I do my editing.  But I also have some sprinkled through my journals - those are the ones who don't even make it to the editing phase.  Also in my journals, I keep those phrases and lines who have come to me while driving, at the gym, or walking.  I may scribble them onto a random scrap of paper first, but then put them in the journal for safe keeping - sometimes, I transcribe them, but, most times, I just tape the scrap into the journal.  It helps to remind me of the moment of conception for it - and helps later on when I'm working it into a piece or building something new around it.

Constructing Sonnets on Day Two

With day two of NaPoWriMo, I turn to some interesting homework from my sonnet class at the Carnegie Center with Richard Taylor.  He gave us a list of 14 words around which to construct a Shakespearean sonnet.  Yes, the words follow the appropriate rhyme scheme.  Our charge: given the end-rhyme words, build the fourteen lines in iambic pentameter and follow the three quatrains / one couplet form and "plot line" conventions within the poem - laying out the story, building to climax, turn (volta), and then resolve in the final couplet.  If you would like to play along, here are the fourteen (14) words (in order)...

drift
leave
shift
weave

rack
cigarette
attack
forget

slight
loathed
tight
clothed

plot
lot

Good luck and great writing!

Day One

Being the first day of NaPoWriMo, I awoke to a push poem tapping on my shoulder.  I'll take some time later to explain push poems (and give proper credit to Katerina Stoykova-Klemer for the concept).  This particular little bugger wanted me to write about different things that I had given up.  And with it being the Lent season, I felt it would make for an appropriate prompt.  So today, fellow poets in the pursuit, write about something (or someone, even) you have given up.  As I always recommend, give yourself a set time frame to just write and let your pen, pencil, or your fingers go.  I usually do at least 15- to 20-minute free writing.  Don't stop.  Keep going.  Please take more time if you catch a good ride.