Haiti

16 Jan

I find it funny that everyone is so concerned about Haiti now that its in the news for the devestating earthquake(7.0).

Everyone is freaking out, some more genuinely concerned than others, and much like the Tsunami fiasco a few years ago, there are people out there outchic–ing each other to donate more than the other person.

“Oh those poor Haitians”

it’s not like they were living in the lap of luxury before the earthquake. they have always had some serious problems that needed addressing…just read the “The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat”

or listen to Haiti by the Arcade Fire…….

I find it awesome that the Red Cross could raise 35 million in 3 days for such a noble cause…hopefully it’ll raise awareness about the country in general…..

however how come we can’t come up with the dough to support local and neighborhood causes here in the U.S? We don’t have that kind of money to support programs that will benefit this country?

Landfill clean ups, alternative energy projects or non-profit organizations?????

The agency I was previously employed at in Oklahoma just had to cut a couple of projects because of under-funding.

Now North tulsa boys (and area where the youth are mostly at risk for gangs, violence and crime) have to suffer when we couldn’t pony up the funds to help them out, and also help our communities– because those young men may not get the mentoring that keep them from falling in the cracks….how about making donations to causes that most directly affect us….

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t help other countries in dire times of need (within reason) but I am saying that before people go all Bradgelina on people and start adopting kids from overseas….take a look at what’s immediately around us and try to help there…..if not from our pocketbooks, then maybe just volunteering some time…..

When are we Americans going to start taking care of our own?????

BMICK

Happy GNU year

7 Jan

Not only does January signal the new but also the end of things.
Yes that’s right Jim Mora…. the playoffs.

starting tonight with the BCS championship game.

I’m gonna go on a limb and say Texas beats Alabama 24-17.

This weekend the NFL playoffs start and with that I’ll take Philly over Dallas, Bengals over Jets, New England over Baltimore and Arizona over Green Bay.

**** Eugene has been a good change. I managed to get myself entangled in some drama before I left that I’m still dealing with the residual effects..but I’m past it mentally, and soon enough emotionally…..

but I’m happy to be here. I love the energy, and I feel like everything is working out the way it should. The feeling of being exactly at the right place at the right time.

Outside of Austin and Denton, probably the coolest college town I’ve managed to find myself in. Not sure how long I’ll stay and don’t care.
I just know that it’ll be a really enjoyable time because this is where I’ve wanted to be all along, but just didn’t know it.

Goodbye Tulsa

7 Dec

Eve of Departure XXXV

7 Dec

Looking ahead to next year, where a move is inevitable. Just made it official, moving to west Eugene during the new year and end of the decade. 2010 will be pretty monumental, year 4 of the five year plan.

This year was pretty awesome…dominated by crazy but exotic lovers, good friends, crazy incidents involving angry Indian men (casinos not slurpees) chasing me with rusty shovels…..

got my degree did a great deal of traveling…found a job that I love….got a couple of books published…had lots of good sex…and had a lot of laughs…..so how do I top that?????

Goals for 2010:
Take up Guitar
Tai Chi classes
write a treatment for an animated short
Get my teaching certificate
CPR certification
Write and record a comedy album
start a country band
take boxing lessons
edit old short stories and send them off for publication
publish my latest book of poems, “Toss offs and Throwaways”
Write and complete another book of poetry, tentatively titled “Blooming, Bursting and Burning”
eat better
remove corn, wheat, and soy from diet.

Easy Access

15 Nov

If there weren’t any
reservations
about who could
obtain reservations
then vacancy
wouldn’t be the issue.

Anyone could
physically be there
but sometimes
one can feel
lonelier
with others
than they
would by themselves.

Finding
someone isn’t
the issue,
its finding
someone
who deserves
the access,
smells
taste
and touch
of such a forgotten
and rare delicacy.

Easy access
isn’t altogether
easy.

Edward Austin Robertson

Exit Velocity

4 Nov

So it is time to make a decision. No more hemming and hawing.

Just make a decision and be man enough to stand behind it.

Ok. Eugene it will be. Why Eugene, you ask?

Because that is the biggest challenge. Because it is the craziest of the options, because it makes no sense.

The same people who will be questioning this will be the same people who said ” Why the fuck Tulsa, Ok?”

It’s crazy but when haven’t I not done the crazy stuff huh?

Exactly. As crazy as it was to move down here on a whim, it was the best decision I could’ve made.

I’ve gotten to the point where I hardly question myself. I know myself well enough at this point to just follow through and plow ahead, knowing that whatever I decide is the best decision.

Regarding moving, I’ve been thinking about it too much, and not feeling it. My head has been saying, Dallas, Oakland, Portland, and Austin.

But my heart says Eugene. It felt the best of all the west coast cities I visited this fall.
Doesn’t necessarily make sense, considering the many connections I have in other cities, and the few connections (almost nil) I have in Eugene.

but I’ve got to do what’s best for my writing career.

The thought of going onstage and doing stand up frightens me more than I want to admit. Just time to step away for a while. Just one more first draft and I’ll be free to really kick it.

Edit Edit Edit. a reading here and there, Tai chi and guitar chords on a used Gibson acoustic.

Why not? Portland is still only a couple of hours away. Okay. Time to get it on then. Tie up the loose ends and develop and exit strategy. Save save save til Boxing Day, and then on with it.

If there is something scaring you, then maybe there is reason to embrace it and see why. Embrace yourself, keep testing yerself as Emilio Estevez says to Lou Diamond Phillips on “Young Guns’, right before the peyote trip.

Bravery isn’t lacking fear, its going on in spite of it.

Toy on Target

2 Nov

1.
Dropping
toys
instead of bombs
for the Festival of Children

that
said the market researchers
will doubtlessly make
an impression

It has made
a great
impression
on the whole world

2.
If the aeroplane
had dropped the toys
a fortnight ago
and only now the bombs

my two children
thanks to your kindess
would have had something to play
with for those two weeks

~Erich Fried~

Money

30 Oct
neil-young-bw-photo

One of my favorite Carver poems, pictured here with Tess Gallagher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In order to be able to live
on the right side of the law.
To always use his own name
and phone number. To go bail
for a friend and not give
a damn if the friend skips town.
Hope, in fact, she does.
To give some money
to his mother. And to his
children and their mother.
Not save it. He wants
to use it up before it’s gone.
Buy clothes with it.
Pay the rent and utilities.
Buy food, and then some.
Go out for dinner when he feels like it.
And it’s okay
to order anything off the menu!
Buy drugs when he wants.
Buy a car. If it breaks
down, repair it. Or else
buy another. See that
boat? He might buy one
just like it. And sail it
around the Horn, looking
for company. He knows a
girl in Porto Alegre who’d love
to see him in
his own boat,sails full,
turn into the harbor for her.
A fellow who could afford
to come all this way
to see her. Just because
he liked the sound
of her laughter,
and the way she swings her hair.

~Raymond Carver~

Middle of the Road

27 Oct

neil-young-bw-photo“Traveling there soon became a bore, so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride, but I saw more interesting people there.”
–Neil Young, in the Decade liner notes

New Book

23 Oct

Instant Exchange of Recognition finally on sale at LULu.com

Its actually more of a bargain than S& M. $13.30 in American dollars..

check it out.

Mick