So the great blackout of '03 is fading into history and, while an interesting experience (and assuming the worst is really over), I can't complain. The lights went out at my job at 4:13pm, just as I was in the initial stages of wrapping up the loose ends on everything I'm juggling before I leave for vacation. The first 20 minutes or so was low-key confusion as the longer the lights stayed off, the more people started to worry that "something" had happened. With my office being walking distance to the former World Trade Center, and many of my co-workers…
Ever seen a shitstorm? Head on over to the poetry_slam listserve for a peek at one. Woah! I didn't start it for once but damn if I didn't throw a few tough ones to the body! I really hate that list because it brings out the worst in me. I'm admittedly contentious and have rarely come across a fight I didn't think I could win but shit, this can't be good for my mental health! It's like a mutually abusive relationship. I really have to consider stepping away from it completely because I certainly don't know how to keep my…
Totally forgot to put this out there: Word Street has launched! That's the poetry/spoken word magazine I've been hinting at for awhile that I was writing the article on slam's relevance for. This issue is kind of a sampler, a web-only teaser, but the hope is for the first print edition to publish in October. Check it out at it's temporary address: Word Street Also, drop me some ideas for articles or essays. And tell all your friends!
The National Poetry Slam is Dead
Crazy busy at work and home this week but, along with managing my GSL fantasy football draft, I've been surfing around for the scoop on Nationals. (LA won by the way; Nuyorican came in second and San Jose's Mike McGee won the indies.) Between Blogger and LiveJournal, I suspect the poetry_slam list will be rather light with the good stuff, but that's probably a good thing as people are being much more honest in their journals. Seems the biggest topic is Marc Smith's hosting of the Finals which is being roundly lambasted as an embarrasment to the community. Surprise! What…
NPS Update
Omar just called: LA beats Union Square (2001 redux?) while Nuyorican beats Urbana, ensuring NYC’s streak of Finals appearances since 1996 (at least) continues. They also landed someone named Jive Poet, ranked 7th overall, in the indie finals. (Celena Glenn was Urbana’s top individual @ 21, Ta’i Freedom Ford for Union Square @ 45.)
Had the winners of both of those wrong (Urbana & Los Feliz) in my predictions. We’ll see how the other two turn out. I picked Austin and Chicago-Wicker Park, though an Omaha upset would be a special kind of cool.
It’s weird, being home this year. Last year I really missed it and it was the beginning of the end for the Virginia experiment. This year, I’m rather ambivalent about it. I would have liked to see some people I haven’t seen in quite a while and taken part in the general festivities but at the same time, I have little interest in the competition itself beyond rooting for various friends to do well. That said, I’m a bit nonplussed about Union Square’s results. To be honest, it’s exactly what I expected based on their matchups in the first round. From what I’ve heard, they came out on fire the first night with Trent Lott, Homeland, Rakim and Other Thesis, surely not wanting to lose to the LA team that knocked us out in the 2001 NPS Semi-Finals. According to Ed, LA did it right this year in the semis, coming strong and winning with solid work. I wonder if not making the Finals means the veterans will slam yet again next season or finally step aside and give other people the opportunity to experience Nationals from the stage as opposed to the shadows. One can hope…
Unpatriotic soldiers, Dr. Bushlove, Howard Lieberdean & The Reality of 2004 First, protestors were being unpatriotic and endangering our troops by speaking out against the war. Now, the troops themselves are being told to shut up! Pentagon makes moves to contain complaints from US troops in Iraq Written by Douglas Quenqua Published on August 04 2003 WASHINGTON: After several troops made some highly publicized negative comments to the media about the war effort in Iraq, the Pentagon has taken steps to keep the frustrations of both soldiers and their families out of reports. According to a story in the July…