The Post That Wasn't?

     After much thought and consideration as well as a couple days of serious soul searching I have come to the painful (probably obvious to the casual observer) conclusion that I have nothing of much interest to say. Not a very good attribute when one is trying to write and have people read it. I have been beating my head against a metaphorical wall (hurts much less than a real one) (I'm guessing) for three days now just to put something in print worth the pixels it is "virtually" printed with. Every time I think that I am on the right path and well on my way to the finish line I turn a corner and find that I have run head first (again with the metaphors) in to a dead end. I come up with what I feel is a noble subject for a post and then it takes a right turn in to what seems like a more noble or noteworthy subject for posting. After three (actually four) of these right turns I have found myself back at square one looking for a helmet to help with the headaches and reduce the concussions as I run headlong back in to that metaphorical wall. Ugh!!

     The weekend began with a simple plan to write a post and rave about one of my favorite bands (Oasis) and how it can be possible that someone could not think that they are just as talented, influential, and outright awesome as I do. I actually don't think that it is possible, but I have heard rumors so I thought if I posted a couple of their better songs (so many to choose from) from an acoustic set they did it would not only satisfied the cravings of this and millions (cause that's how influential this blog is, yeah right) of other die hard Oasis fans but would also maybe reintroduce the band to anyone who may have gotten off on the wrong foot with the troubled and misunderstood genius that is Noel and Liam Gallagher. I was all set to post something like this and then (for reasons unknown) decided against it. Bam! right in to the wall! That was Friday. Surely, Saturday would go better.

     Saturday did not go any better. And don't call me Shirley! (from Airplane; one of the best movies ever made) Saturday's pathetic attempt at non-boring banter was to be all about the mayhem that is the March madness college basketball tournament. Over the last two weeks I had seen the promise of a winning bracket decimated and turned inside out, but I still had three of my final four and my champion remaining just nothing in between. Well after the action on Saturday I would be down to my final two out of four, but still had my championship (North Carolina and Kansas) and champion (Kansas) intact. I probably don't have to tell you how that went on Sunday! Of course, since this is my blog and writing is what I do (or at least what I am supposed to do) I will tell you how that went. Not good at all! Carolina and Kansas both went down in flames (thought I abandoned the metaphors didn't ya?) and left me with nothing but a busted bracket and an all too familiar empty feeling inside. As a side note and a rule of thumb, if I pick a winner (whatever the sport or contest may be) bet the other way. On the bright side though, now I can just watch the final games without a horse in the race or a care (who wins) in the world. Of course, I have always been a big Kentucky fan.

     Sunday morning I awoke to an epiphany. I knew what I was gonna write about. I was going to write the greatest post in the history of greatest posts and it was all made possible by dumb luck and a strange twist of fate. I still am unsure how it happened, but we had just watched a DVD and when the movie was done and the disc was ejected somehow the TV was on the public broadcasting channel (PBS, CMU Television).  Due to a remote control that was missing in action and the fact that none of us have arms long enough to reach the TV from our respected places of leisure the channel was not immediately changed and that is when I discovered that PBS has shows that could be worth watching on a Saturday night (and it wasn't even Arthur or The Magic School Bus). The show that was on was a documentary show called American Masters and I am not sure if every episode is about musical groups but this episode in particular was about The Doors. It was a very in dept and attention keeping view in to the rise and fall of Jim Morrison and The Doors. I watched it until the end and hoped maybe they would follow it up with another rockumentary. They didn't. But what they did follow the show up with was a concert. The Foo Fighters live from the Austin City Limits. I always thought that show was kept exclusive for country acts, but this was definitely the Foo Fighters. I love the Foo Fighters (as sacrilegious as it sounds just as much or more than Nirvana) and this was an awesome performance. Dave Grohl is very talented and a great showman. After the concert it was now midnight and the clock must have struck as such turning PBS back in to the stuffy, boring pumpkin that it usually is but for one shining moment and a couple of hours PBS quite possibly could have stood for Perfect Broadcasting Station. Of course, when it came to writing down my thoughts on my PBS Saturday night enjoyment nothing seem to stick and once again I was stuck.

     As a last resort I thought that maybe I would just post a new piece of artwork that I have finished and call it a post. The problem that arose with this plan is that I do not have any new work to post. So I guess that I am just going to re hash an old drawing and just say that it is new to you. This is a picture that I created from still life. It is meant to show the evolution of music in my life, from vinyl records to cassettes to CD's and finally mp3 players. All that is missing is an 8 track. I call the piece "pieces of me" and I am pretty happy with the end result. As happy as I ever am with any of my artwork.

      So, in closing, I want to apologize for not being better prepared to post this week and can just promise that I will try harder next week. I will try to become more funny or interesting before next week as well. Hey, if you're gonna dream; dream big right!

     And now, I will leave you with some acoustic Oasis (actually Noel solo). Just on the weird chance that someone out there does not like or appreciate their genius as much as I do. A long shot I know!

From the "new" beginning....

     In the description of this blog I mention that sometimes the posts may be about my newest piece of artwork or about sports or about music. Well since this is my first post in the “all new” blog I am going to touch on each subject; for no other reason than I can. 

     First, I will begin with a short rant about March Madness and my inability to fill out a successful (winning) tournament bracket. I really thought this was my year! Unlike previous years when I have either over thought the whole process or just picked teams that I like and want to win, this year I spent about five minutes filling out my brackets and chose very few upsets. Of course, this has become the year that there seems to be more upsets than not. I only filled out one bracket and entered in to a pool at work and also in to the tournament challenge on espn.com. I guess I will just write off the $5 entrance fee at work as a donation which is not a big deal, but what really hurt was when I checked my standings in the espn challenge and found that my bracket was ranked 2 million 400 some thousandth. :( Next year, I may have to complete my bracket like I witnessed at work where one girl chose names that she liked or ones that shared the same beginning letter as her name. I have tried every other way and really could not do much worse than I am now. There truly seems to be no method to the madness, but I guess the good news is that next year I have nowhere to go but up.

     As mentioned in my blog description I am also an amateur (wannabe professional) artist that last summer ended my twenty year hiatus and began drawing again and often. I have even received a little bit of commissioned work which really puts a new spin on something that I enjoy doing in the first place. I work from photographs and mainly work exclusively in pencil, but on a few occasions have surprised my small (minuscule) following with a little bit of added color. My latest work was actually a donation to a silent auction benefit basket at work. The basket theme was “fiesta” so I searched Google for Mexican folk art and came up with a photograph of a beaded mask adorning the skull of a bull. It seemed like a really cool picture that fit the purpose I needed it for and the detail really presented a nice challenge. Anyway, too make a short story long; here is the finished product. 

     And now for the good stuff; this is the part where I get to talk about music and my latest musical obsessions. The first musician that I am highlighting in my blog is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter from Philadelphia named Kurt Vile. Kurt’s genre is considered roots rock, lo-fi, and indie rock and according to Wikipedia has been likened to Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, and Tom Petty. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_vile 

     I discovered Kurt while reading through the album reviews in Rolling Stone Magazine. I cannot remember what kind of review he got because I usually don't listen to reviews anyway, but I decided to check him and out and found that I really enjoy his music. Here are a couple of samples and we'll see if you enjoy it as well or if it is just me. The first is a song called "Jesus Fever" from his new album "Smoke Ring For My Halo" and the other is a video from his previous album "Childish Prodigy" for the song "Freak Train". Feel free to comment and let me know what you think.

     

     Well that is about it for now. Future posts probably will not be quite this long and wordy, but this being the first post I wanted to touch base on all aspects that this blog could contain from week to week. Also, future posts probably will not be created on a Wednesday, but more likely a Saturday or Sunday. I just happened to take a snow day off from work today and decided to fill my free time with revamping and reinventing my blog. That's right I said snow day on March 23rd; welcome to Michigan. Now I think that I will go unbury my car......again.

     And now to quote one of my all time favorite sign offs (for those of us old enough to remember the television show Midnight Caller) "Goodnight America.....wherever you are".

THE HITMAN

Nervously waiting in the wings,
The battle is on the line,
A lifetime sharpening your skills,
Nearly, it is your time;

Scouts dispatched long ago,
Count them one, two, three,
Be lady luck on your side,
Thy kingdoms hero you will be;

Super soldier, marksman supreme,
You are the hired gun,
Will turn ones day into living hell,
To have your moment in the sun;

Bloodcurdling a voice cries out,
Another ally has fallen,
Opportunity quickly fading,
Onlookers have all turned sullen;

You step out into the light,
Last attempt at the assassination plan,
From the angry mob, a battle cry,
"Just get a hit man!"

'What" will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

BIRTHDAY OF THE BEAST!!!

Good evening, welcome back! or first timers, welcome! Today is my birthday, not that I get treated any different because of that! But I thought I'd mention it because I thought of a poem while driving home today (it seems I do my best thinking while driving, writing is another story) and it involves the date of my birth, 11/21/71! I have no idea what to call this poem except for..........11211971!

On the twenty first day, of the eleventh month,
Nineteen hundred and seventy one!

Blessed be, the world had begot that day,
What would become America's favorite son!

Angels were reported seen, the trumpets blasts did sound,
Special be this child, many miraculous talents abound!

Thirty five years ago to this day,
Through November's winter clouds came a ray!

And that ray straight from heaven, shown thru to the ground,
All sadness and hate was struck deaf by the sound!

A saint in the flesh, so blue bled his blood,
Overwhelming the Earth, like tidal wave did flood!

Braun and brains, and good looks, overflowing in a disciplined rage,
A hero to lead the meak and downtrodden, into the brave new age!

On this day in nineteen seventy one, a legend had been born,
Shining brighter than the jewels in the crown, his head adorned!

The hero unknown, for all I know, you see
Is that the hero born November twenty first nineteen seventy one......

Was not me!

THE HOOLIGAN REARS IT'S UGLY HEAD!!

Hello, how are ya? To my one (or maybe two) readers I would like to apologize for vanishing and not posting for what seems like an eternity! And to those who were happy about it, your welcome! I have not lost my desire to blog or my clumsy ability to write second rate professionally novice meaningfulless poems! What happened is I've grown addicted to online fantasy sports and it's seems to consume all of my time! I now have three hockey teams, a football team and a basketball team! I still plan to post on my blog just not with the everyday regularity that I was! Today I've got a poem! Hope you like it! I call it.............


DEVIL'S NIGHT!

Thirtieth of October tis the night of the devil,
Devil's Night as it's universally known;
A night, after dark, to stay off the streets,
Kill the lights, and keep safe in your home;

Legions of pranksters and malcontents,
Gather together every year on this night;
Playful to malicious criminal jokesters,
Thriving off of other peoples fright;

Toilet paper, soap, eggs and paint,
Are just some of their tools;
On this night inexplicably good hides it's face,
And evil is allowed to rule;

No rhymes and no reasons,
No where's and definitely no why's;
In your house, in the dark you sit,
hoping they'll pass you on by;

Hiding, shivering behind a locked door,
Knowing there's nothing that you can say;
This year you won't be their target,
Silently repeatedly this you pray;

But alas on deaf ears no one is listening,
Unanswered all of your prayers fall flat;
And in the dead quiet of the Devil's Night,
You hear the egg go SPLAT!

IF I ASK ME!

Good evening, or day or morning, depending on where you're reading this from. Oh who the Hell am I trying to kid?!

Well this little poem probably deserves an explanation or an interpretation or even a cute little anecdote on how it was conceived but I don't have one! So I guess that means you don't get one!
I call this poem.......


"MIRROR CRACKED"



Hello dear me hello how am I?
I am fine and maybe by coincidence so am I!

Please tell me what I think of me,
I am the same as so are we!

Can I play with the madness now?
If only I can also somehow!

I will also if I can too,
Whatever else have I, me or we to do!

For those of you thinking this a bit strange,
It's just myself and I, all twisted and rearranged!

And anyone understanding this and hearing what you see,
Stop reading this and seek professional help, immediately!

1-4-C.P.S.

"CONFESSION"



I've enjoyed the silence and enjoyed the peace,

As of tomorrow night it's all going to cease!

The kids will return from their trip far away,

Peace will be broken, the silence they'll slay!

I'll welcome them home and be happy their back,

Life as we know it will be back on it's track!

I love my kids so don't get me wrong,

But when grandma goes on trips I love when she takes them along!

#18

"FLIGHT"
(not a cry for help!)





I can't stand the pain,

So sick of it all!

I'm standing on the brink of forever,

Think it's time to take the FALL!

ALL THE RAGE!

Hello again, welcome back to my one man blog attack! I have a new poem I would like to recite but since there's no sound I guess I'll just write! This blogdom of craziness has grown from just seed and now I have a new batch of madness for you to read!

This poem is for anyone who commutes to work everyday! I call this one "SLOWLY"




On the road again and in a rage,
Not unlike a beast trapped in a cage!

Ignorance running rampant everywhere I see,
Cars moving in slow motion on every side of me!

Forever bogged down in the non courteous muck,
Think you've more importance than this kid in the truck!

I've nothing but respect for the elderly, veterans and the handicapped,
But driving 25 on the highway there's no call for that!

I just need you to get out of the way why can't this you see?
It's getting harder and harder to say without profanity!

You're driving around aimlessly, no destination I know,
Believe it or not, I actually have some place to go!

Please pull off to the shoulder and let me through,
That's not asking to much that's all you have to do!

Then my stress level will lower, my head won't explode
And behind me now what's left of courtesy in a common senseless society slowly but surely erodes!




Or maybe it's just me! Goodnight till the next!

FOWL OBSESSION

Good evening, welcome back or if it's your first visit then just welcome! Either way I'm glad to see you. Of course I mean that figuratively, I can't really see you! I'm not BIG BROTHER! Actually I am A big brother but that's just because I've got a little sister. If that makes any sense! If it doesn't make any sense then I'm probably back where I left off on my last post!

Would you like to hear a poem? I ask that like it really matters whether you do or not. Like if you said no I don't want to hear a poem that I would really refrain from telling one anyway! I'm rather defiant in that way!

How bout a poem about turkeys? With Thanksgiving around the corner and a turkey on just about every corner I was inspired to write this poem. I call it "The Ghosts Of Thanksgiving Futures"!


Turkey turkey, not on the road but over on the shoulder
Feathered fool, could you possibly be any bolder?

Or maybe it's dumber, I've just got to know
Would you jump from a bridge if other turkeys told you so?

You don't see me coming, you're totally unaware
Bravely defiant or just too stupid to care?

Stepping on to the road not sure of what to do
Danger everywhere, you're oblivious to the world around you

Halfway across now, too late to turn back
But you do it anyway, common sense you definitely lack!

Tires screech the car screams to a halt
You give me a look like "hey it's not my fault!"

Now you're safely back on the side from which you came
Until the next car or time that you do it again!

The rules and the laws of nature are a mystery to me
The just what is, sometimes never should be!

The lesson now over but all I learn is all that I see
Turkey turkey, you must have a brain the size of a pea!


*no turkeys were harmed in the making of this poem

Goodnight! Till the next.......

Well Almost!

Good evening, welcome back.

I've had a request. It seems that my ONE loyal reader was saddened by my last poem and has requested that maybe I try a more upbeat subject. I think you are right! My poems have been getting darker and it's time that I try a happier subject! More of a celebration than a mourning! Let me know if you like the new direction. I call this poem,

"Utopia Neverending"


Good morning sweet life sunshine wakes the day,
Hear the sounds of laughter from children far at play;

Perfect is the promise that the new day brings,
Precious is the sound of all the birds that sing;

What a beautiful day in this beautiful life,
Without so much as conflict not a bit of strife;

Utopia neverending I wish this for you and yours,
Peace filleth your cup till overflowing it starts to pour;

And all the worlds in harmony love has conquered all,
Ascending up to cloud nine never again to fall;

Heaven is a place on Earth where all as one reside,
Such a feeling and phenomenon I'm so happy......



......I could die!

"SORROW"

I am all alone now everyone is gone,
Guess I'll never know what went so horribly wrong;

A crowd of millions watched the spotlight for me was on,
High atop a mountain the world I looked down upon;

Now the lights have faded followers I lack,
Just can't take the loneliness think I'll fade to black;

My ego is all but crushed my psyche slowly crumbles,
Nearly reached the finish line but just before I stumbled;

Sorrow overtaking it fills my fragile soul,
Thought I could cross the bridge of success but couldn't pay the toll;

Now the end is near I just can't take any more,
Whether Heaven or be it Hell with eagles or bats I'll soar;

No one could ever understand just what I'm going through,
Thought it over a million times I don't know what else to do;

The time is now at hand family and friends are gone from sight,
All I have to do is carry out the plan but first I'll say..............

........Goodnight!

HOW 'BOUT A POEM!

"BLOOD OF KINGS"

Hear Ye, people gather around,
To hear the loudest noise to make no sound;

A warrior of words trapped in cyberspace and time,
The lyrical ladder of success forever trying to climb;

Pen and pencil the weapons that I wield,
Armour made from paper an eraser is my shield;

A shining knight standing over one and all,
Defender of the downtrodden, the weak, and the small;

Poems inked from the blood of kings,
Tales from horns of devils to halos and angels wings;

History or my story the ending will be the same,
Eternally subliminally forever I will reign;

The elegant Earl of eloquence or the Duke of disdain,
A crazed poetic assassin preying on the sane;

A Knight of the living dead or the Prince of swine,
Call me what you will, I am the King of rhyme!

A LOSSFER WORDS!

ALL TURKEYS EVE!

While driving from work today (I drive 45 miles one way, and apparently have too much time to think) I passed a cemetery. Not out of the ordinary, I pass this same and a couple other cemeteries every day. What was different about this day was when I passed this particular cemetery I saw a group of 6 or 7 turkeys weaving through the gravesights all in a group like turkeys (and lemmings) do. For whatever reason this struck me as peculiar and inspired me to write this little poem that I call............

"Turkeys In A Graveyard"

Turkeys in a graveyard,
Been there who knows how long?

Turkeys in a graveyard,
What, if anything, could possibly be wrong?

Turkeys in a graveyard,
Stumbling and staggering to and fro;

Turkeys in a graveyard,
Evil lurking? noone could ever know;

Turkeys in a graveyard,
Harmless fowl without a doubt;

Nothing wrong, all is well,
Unless it was your kin the grave robbers left unearthed;
Who's eye was just pecked out!

SWEET DREAMS!

Yah, through the valley of shadows,
Death walks tonight;

Nightmares coming true once more,
Acting, on a stage of fright!

Demonic predatory evil,
eternally stalking it's prey;

Upon us night descending,
The last of light decays!

Offered no chance of escape,
From within creeps the beast;

Run, run, run like Hell,
But soon inevitably it will feast!

Flesh torn and pealed,
From bone to dried and bleached bone;

Forever trapped in midnight,
Oh so far from home!

Suddenly vision returns,
I have the sight to see;

The face of the monster within,
My God, it's only me!

Once more victorious,
Day kills the night again;

Awaken soaked with cold chills,
I'm still my only friend!

Trembling, shaken and scared,
Someday the beast will tear me apart;

But in the end I discover, too late
I'm only afraid of............the dark!

LATIN ANYONE?

Oodgay ayday,

Owhay areay ouyay? Owhay uzway oryay undaySay? Inemay uzway oodgay! Iay otgay a otlay unday.

Areay ouyay a ortspay anfay? Owhay idday oryay eamtay ooday? Imay atriotsPay unway! Imay edRay oxSay eatbay ethay ankeeYays inay ethay irstfay amegay ofay airthay oubleday ederhay! I on'tway onay owhay Imay antasyfay eamtay idday illtay oomorrowtay ightnay! Afteray undayMay ightnay ootballfay!

Isay issthay asay ardhay ootay eadray asay itay isay ootay iteray?

Ellway Iay afhay ootay erkway inay eethay orningmay anday avhay a otlay ootay ooday. Iay illway alktay ootay ooyay aterlay! Ommispray oray a etthray?

Ooyay ecideday!

Don't Call It A Comeback!

Greetings Earthlings!

I'm back from my one day hiatus. Actually it was a one day of silence tribute to those who have not enjoyed reading my blog! I figured, since I'm not going quit writing, it was the least I could do! So to anyone who has not enjoyed or been mildly entertained by my ramblings, yesterday was for you!

And now, without further delay and without further ado, on with the important, philosophical questions of life that have baffled man (or at least this man) for a lifetime (or at least a couple days)!

Can blind people see the truth?

Can color blind people ever catch anyone red handed?

Can nearsighted people reflect on life so far?

Or farsighted people see they're near the finish?

Can a bearded man be caught in a bald faced lie?

How bout a man with no money make any sense?

When environmentalists sleep, do they saw logs?

I know things can be different, or weird, or strange but can something even be odd?

And finally, one for the knitting bug who got me hooked on Blogger.

Is knitting Hell an eternity of forever trying to sleep, forced to count acrylic sheep?

Can a man with not much to say continue writing a blog and expect people to keep reading it?

I hope so!

CONFUSE-US SAY.......

When walking in an airport, subway or public park;
It's better to find a knife......

......than get stuck with one!