Personal

Guy stuff.

An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

I’m a Dwarf?

Lord of the Rings Personality Test: http://www.hobbitlore.com/personality/index.php You are most like: The Dwarves As the halls of Moria show, Dwarves like building and inventing. Curiosity is one of your strong points as it allows you to think of better ways to acheive goals. You may try to outwit the system if you get bored or annoyed with it. Social interaction energizes you. The more people the merrier. You have a tendency to introspection. In your desire for clarity in life, you may have the tendency of being remote or even "heartless". You like keeping your options open. Closure is probably…

Continue ReadingI’m a Dwarf?
An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Back on the job

Well, being back to work is certainly making it hard to get to this journal!

Readjusting – AGAIN! – has been rough and it didn’t help that I stayed out so late on Monday night after the show. We ended a bit late as it was but afterwards, Jerry Quickley was in town for the night before heading to Iraq the next day to shoot a documentary about the effects of the US sanctions and bombings. That’s one brave MF who truly walks the walk in everything he does. Needless to say, we all got a little toasted and I got home at 2:30am! This was right after Oscar and I got pulled over two blocks from the building by a cop looking for weed.

(more…)

Continue ReadingBack on the job
An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

A Curatorial Rant

Back when I was single and just starting out on the poetry scene, I quickly learned one rule of thumb: no matter how attractive, never introduce yourself to a poet until AFTER you’ve heard them read. There’s nothing more awkward than the moment they finish their poem, you realize they’re absolutely terrible – or, even worse, some sad variation on mediocre – and you’ve lost all desire to continue the conversation!

Curating a reading series that includes a slam, I’m always on the lookout for new voices on the scene to invite to read at 13. Whether a potential feature or a new slammer, whenever I’m at a show, I’m careful about who I’m introduced to and, more importantly, WHEN. It’s no longer about attraction but the logic is the same. If anything, it’s even worse.

The absolute worst is people who have established something of a name for themselves – not terribly difficult in these days of DIY PR, the internet and the overall spoken word bandwagon. Recently, I was at a show where one such person was reading. I’d seen her name around and was curious. Thankfully, I waited to hear a couple of pieces before being introduced. She wasn’t terrible, but she wasn’t very good, either. Great performance and stage presence but not nearly enough attention to crafting the words. Most annoying was her identity piece – everyone’s got at least one! – that ranted about the stereotyping of her people while simultaneously indulging in the stereotypes of another. Lacking any sense of irony, it just came off as ignorant.

(more…)

Continue ReadingA Curatorial Rant
An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Got a job?

“Third time’s a charm,” is how the saying goes. I hope so since I had my third interview in seven days this afternoon! It was a final interview with the one person in the department I hadn’t met yet and it’s apparently come down to me and one other person. Relatively confident in the interviews but who knows? They’ve already started checking my references which is a good sign. Cross your fingers.

It’s a return to publishing but, ironically, it’s FINANCIAL magazines this time! This would be the first time I’d actually known a magazine prior to working for it. It’s a bit more marketing than circulation this time around, which would be great, and it’s four magazines, a few newsletters and some web sites, which should keep things interesting.

(more…)

Continue ReadingGot a job?
An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Westside Rhyme

What Shawn Randall and Karen Rockower pull off every Sunday with Westside Rhyme is nothing short of inspirational!

I had the privilege of being one of their features at the Bowery Poetry Club last night – my second reading since I’ve been back – and had the most fun I’ve had outside of Monday nights in a long time. The snow had already started falling an hour before the show kicked off but they managed to pack the house anyway with an enthusiastic crowd. I’m a firm believer in a venue taking on the personality of the host/s running things and that’s what makes Westside Rhyme such a pleasure, the energy that Shawn and Karen put into it. It’s obvious they love what they’re doing and they do it well. Over time, that translates to a loyal audience that believes in what you’re doing.

The lineup included Mara Jebsen, the relative “newcomer” that several of the louder people have been raving about. Finally seeing her do more than one poem was a treat. She’s got great stage presence and this husky blues voice that handles poetry and song equally well. If our audience has even half the intelligence we give them credit for, she’ll be representing for us at Nationals this summer.

(more…)

Continue ReadingWestside Rhyme
An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Charging the choir for a sermon

Call me cynical – you wouldn’t be the first! – but I’ve got some issues with this Lincoln Center Anti-War reading next Monday. And no, it’s got nothing to do with it being ON a Monday. I’ve encouraged people to check it out and even sent it out to our mailing list. It was actually a response to that mailing from a friend in Seattle that got me thinking, though.

The CONCEPT is wonderful. A bunch of poets covering the spectrum from establishment to street coming together to speak out against the war is a good thing. A VERY good thing. But what’s with the $10-100 ticket charge? I’ve looked around the Not in Our Name and Lincoln Center web sites and read through the promotional emails I’ve been sent and there’s no mention of this being a fundraiser. Who’s this money going to?

My wife – former event planner that she is – says Lincoln Center is an expensive place to hold an event. I don’t doubt it and that’s what confuses me even more. It makes no sense to me that you’d hold an event like THIS somewhere that isn’t donating the space, much less an expensive one. Who are they trying to reach out to? Why isn’t this a free event held somewhere that could ensure maximum exposure? Even @ $10/ticket, it’s a POETRY show, and all you’re doing is preaching to the choir if that’s your audience.

Don’t accuse me of pulling a post-9/11 O’Reilly on a good cause, either. Seriously. If it’s a fundraiser, it should say that SOMEWHERE. If it’s not, then it’s nothing more than capitalistic opportunism. If the poets themselves are being paid for reading at this thing, shame on them. There’s several names on the lineup that I know personally, some of whom I respect greatly. There’s at least one whose politics have proven rather convenient over the years, aka if there’s cameras, he’ll be there.

(more…)

Continue ReadingCharging the choir for a sermon
Newer Posts
Older Posts