A Quick Succession of Busy Nothings

39 years ago...

2009-09-14T07:11:24Z

At 6:38 AM,

After being in labor for 15 minutes

I came out 10 pounds 9 ounces

With a full head of hair.

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday: Goodbye

2009-07-19T19:47:06Z

Today is her birthday
  For the first time in 10 years
  we didn't speak
  and for the first time in 6 months
my meds let me cry
I sent her a card via snail mail that simply said
"Happy Birthday"
That's all I could muster after a decade
That's all that need be said
And all I have are words, and today they feel heavy
Like the factory was closed for the day and all they can do is BBQ on my back
In a weird way it feels good to finally feel 'sad'

I am going to watch Life Aquatic & eat wasabi peas while editing a poem
and give Mojo a call

The combination always makes my day golden ( the movie changes though, depending on my level of self loathing)

Writer's Block: You and A Fictional Character of Your Choice

2008-08-28T06:01:04Z

If you were stranded on an island with a fictional character, who would it be and why?

Submitted By mesnyder_92

View 500 Answers

Fanny Price from Jane Austin's "Mansfield Park"

I think we would really 'get' each other. I also think for some reason we would never run out of things to talk about.

The Power of Nightmares

2008-07-27T10:06:57Z

I am not sure if this site is accessible within the United States ( trust me when I say several sites are not)

But if these links work I HIGHLY recommend watching the BBC 3 part special: The Power of Nightmares.

http://freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=135

http://freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=136

I found the correlation between Neo Conservatism and Radical Islamists fascinating as well as jaw dropping.

Music

2008-07-24T15:26:47Z

Two songs i really dug when in Italy, I found them on youtube
Simo translated them and they were deep
One is just about life in Italy the other is about the savagery of the Mafia
we tend to glamorize the Mafia but in Italy its a very very bad/big problem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORDWGRlVLJE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eexGB_nh5G0

Happy Birthday Mojo, its ya birthday go Mojo its ya birthday!

2007-09-26T10:48:15Z

Happy Birthday Melissa 'Mojo' Rose

Happy Birthday Melissa 'Mojo' Rose

NPS Indy Finals 06 on You-Tube

2007-02-24T19:43:55Z

You-Tube Question

I was watching Smallville on You-Tube (yea, so what?)

And I was curious how much Slam Poetry I could find

I found a boatload

But I had one question

Okay so every poem done the final round on Indies in Austin is on You-Tube

Anis, Alvin and John (which is great because I really dug the final round)

However, I can’t find myself

Is there anyway to get footage of Indies before the DVD comes out?

I am trying to make a ‘video resume’ and could really use some footage of myself

Anyone have any ideas?

Seattle to Vancouver: Not quite The Gumball Rally, but close

2007-01-28T09:26:11Z

So here is a summary of my week in ‘Cuts’ so you can pick and choose what you read.:)

I was kind of intrigued looking back at my list of eternal truths

I wrote it in a venting stream of consciousness

So I its kind of interesting wondering what kind of day I had ‘emotionally’

Jessie and I laughed about it and she asked for a copy

She cut out the ‘R’ rated parts made it PG-13 and shared it with her class

Then she had all of them write a list of ‘Eternal Truths in my world

(Things that are pretty much always 90%)’

They could have up to 50 and as few as 10

So then she took 2 from each of the students in both of her English classes

And her theater class and put them on a large poster on the door of her classroom

Seriously, I thought it was soooo dope on so many levels, but mainly

THAT’S A TEACHER!!

She got her kids excited about an assignment (the students loved making their own list)

And then brought it up a notch by making their words part of her classroom

Good teachers are amazing

But I am biased, my mother was a teacher ( retired as Superintendent, my sister was a teacher ( now a professor), I was ‘supposed’ to be a Teacher, but I only substituted a few times, then taught English in Japan for a few years. I realized I ‘can’ teach, but I don’t have “the calling.” And to be a good teacher you got to have ‘the calling,’ Teachers

Have to live in this limbo between “Hello’s”

And Goodbyes

Autumn first days and Spring Graduations

Sometimes they know they will never see a student again

Sometimes they come back to visit, sometimes they just forget

But the Teacher goes on and on

I just think it’s incredible

My mom and sister have stories of bumping into former students in the oddest places

and then

Anyway,

I am ready for IWPS

Simo is coming with me this time

Mojo wanted to go but she just moved into her new place

And she is also saving for our ‘uber’ tour (I will speak more on that very soon)

It not going to be the same without her

But on the plus side Kevin (from Team P.A. 2006) is going

And Simo is leaving the day after we get back from Vancouver

She is leaving to Rome

She will be gone 6 months

Yea, so Vancouver is sort of a ‘trip’ for us

We plan on checking out the city, and weather permitting doing some hiking

I have been to Vancouver twice, but that was like a decade ago (shit I’m old)

We have to get a new Vancouver guide book because the one I have is from 1996

But here is the ‘Adventure’ (yea another freaking adventure, I don’t ask for them they just come)

So Simo plans the trip

I ‘suggest’ flying into Seattle because the straight to Vancouver flights are all pretty pricey

So I tell her, ‘we don’t have to arrive on the 31^st, but it would be easier’

Sadly we both couldn’t get off the 31^st so we leave on the 1^st

Arrive in Seattle at 8:45 AM

It’s a 3 hour drive to Vancouver

We have a portable satellite tracker with the Hotels address programmed in

We are renting a Subaru with front wheel drive

We know which crossing will have the least traffic

And weather is supposed to be clear, but cold enough to be icy

We are on a budget so getting a flight is out of the question

So I sent a letter to the powers that be explaining my situation

And Hopefully I will be there at 12:15~12:30

Simo and I have driven across the country together

We made it from Boston to San Francisco in 3 days (only because we took an extra day in L.A. to visit some of my friends)

Been on Bus’s in Bangkok trains in Turin (no bullshit, her mom’s from Turino)

And she really thinks we will make it with time to spare

She is almost always the ‘pessimist’ in situations like this,

I’m usually the ‘pragmatic’ optimist.

So It was reassuring (and surprising) that after mapping it out etc., she is confident we will make it.

I just don’t want to slide off some sheer ledge, I hate driving on ice

It’s supposed to be a really pretty drive so that should be very cool

And traveling together is how we ‘dance’

It sounds weird, but we get in this synergy mode

So yea, I am looking forward to IWPS,

I think few peeps on lj have met Simo, but most have and probably don’t remember

(She was at Nationals with me in 2004-2005)

And you can see her on the Slam Planet movie actually during our bout with Austin, Denver, Noraz, and Winston-Salem.

Anyway, I am looking forward introducing her to some folk (she has seen the bad part of slam it would be cool to show her the good)

I am also looking forward to seeing peeps again, hearing some great poetry

The drive, well, therein lay the adventure.

If you choose to drive as fast as you can and throw caution to the wind:

Turn to Page. 23

If you choose to drive the speed limit in a front wheel drive vehicle

Turn to Page. 10

If you go back and ask the talking cat for the key to the chest

Turn to page 36

I will try to get a post in before I leave.

Palo Alto Slam Returns!!!

2006-12-08T17:30:56Z

Palo Alto Slam Shows:

December 17^th Jamie Kilstein

January 7^th: TBA

January 14^th Andrea Gibson & Katie Wirsing

January 21^st: Alvin Lau & Baz

All shows are at:

ART21 539 Alma Street

Palo Alto, Ca

EXCEPT the January 21^st show, and that is next door to the gallery at:

The Dragon Theater ( same address)

Doors Open 7:00 PM

Show Starts: 7:30 PM

All shows are open Slams to qualify for IWPS 2007

Palo Alto Slam This Sunday 01/22 8:00 PM, FEATURING: Alvin Lau

2006-01-22T22:09:19Z

01/22 (SUNDAY)

Tonight@ 8:00 PM: Palo Alto Slam !!

Special Show:

Open Mic & Poetry Workshop

Come and listen share your words

Workshop and Open Mic open to all!!

Have a poem you need help with?

Have a story you would like to make into a 'poem?'

Have a metaphor or simile you think is so amazing you just have to tell someone?

Have an axe to grind with bad writers with good hearts?

Don't you want to come tell me my poetry is shitty to my face without fear of reprisal?

Well come down tonight!!

@ 8:00 PM

ART21

538 Alma Street

Palo Alto,CA

Featuring: All the way from Chicago: Alvin Lau- TWO TIME National Youth Slam Champion/ Ranked 6th in Individual World Slam
Alvin will be performing a 30 minute set after the workshop, and will be taking part in the workshop; providing feedback and advice.

Hosted by: Lee Knight Jr & Melissa Rose

www.paloaltoslam.com

Hope to see you tonight!

Admission:

$3/w student ID

Brightest day-Darkest Knight known to man

2006-01-18T04:48:21Z

:
You are Green Lantern

Green Lantern		95%
The Flash		90%
Superman		75%
Spider-Man		70%
Supergirl		70%
Hulk		70%
Batman		60%
Wonder Woman		60%
Robin		60%
Iron Man		60%
Catwoman		50%

Hot-headed. You have strong
will power and a good imagination.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

For me writing a poem is like removing a splinter
~Lee Knight Jr

Ever say something fairly cool to whomever you said it to
but inside your like "shit, that was so true it hurt."
The above quote came out of a conversatioin I had with someone at work

The Workshop went well
Students are in Mid Terms
weird class sched
it sucks having a slam that is so controlled by the 'work load' of the schools in the area
lots of homework=empty slam
but I really like getting the 40 somethings
seriously, I am not sure what the opposite of a Soccer Mom is ( a water polo dad?)
but we get quite a few. Some came at first to watch there kids ( who later lost interest)
but then keep coming back

Case in point is Kevin
he looks like he should be the chief of staff on West Wing
he is quiet, sit and reads in his chair before the show
he came for like a year before he read anything ( and to be honest before I noticed him)
Simo always talked to him
So anyway Kevin starts dropping these really good poems
even the delivery is nice
It is really rewarding to see that having a 'slam' actually helps people write who have do desire to
be on a team
sell a chapbook
These are the type of people who go to Nat's just to watch
This is the 'community' as far as I am concerned
I think as Slam Masters who have to make sure we that we don't feed our community crap flavored like government cheese

Kevin did a poem about looking out of the window of his office at the 'Baylands' ( a 'protected' salt swamp in Palo Alto)
It was cool because Mojo and I have been practicing at the Baylands for a good minute
I even take my dogs walking there
so it was cool to hear it described by someone else
the poem was rich
he went back and forth from 'working' and 'watching the animals in the baylands'
at the end it was a little apparent that the animals in the Baylands and the people in his office acted the same
he ended the poem

Am I the only animal who regrets it ( regrets being an animal)

I am not wording it right but it was dope!!
He performed another poem during the 'slam' ( and one at the workshop)
the poem at the slam he did by memory ( if he slams; its memorized: MUCH RESPECT)

Jason, Chris, Christ T & Nate had good feedback for everyone
all and all it was a good show
we are expecting more peeps next sunday

I have been practicing almost all day so my head is spinning
but I figured I should post before I forget
SHOW THIS SUNDAY!!

Mojo and I are going to checkout "Brokeback" Wen.

I saw Syriana last week; good flick. Dr. Bashir is in it!

Big Sur this weekend Pics

2005-07-20T04:49:59Z

Straight Outta the Shire!

P.A.S.T. 2005 (Palo Alto Slam Team)

"Mojo," E-Pocalypse, Mufasa ( aka Mustafa)

Melissa, Erik, Marc ( look at those smiles!)

P.A.S.T. 2005

2005-07-15T16:04:39Z

Palo Alto Slam Team 2005 aka. PAST