Is This Thing On?
Once again, Livejournal seems to be down more than it's up. Which is a shame, as I've had stuff I've wanted to blog about. Been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Some of it's been fueled by concern for a friend undergoing treatment for cancer in California. I've not wanted to talk to much about it publicly, as things are still in motion out there, but it's moments like these when I'm reminded how distant I am from a great many of the people I love most. Sometimes, they weigh on my mind, especially when I consider that I'm the one that's absent, not them. That bothers me a lot. I don't know how to be more present.
The rest of the week has been no picnic, either. I wrote about my feelings for Amy Winehouse's music here, and about my friend, poet and singer-songwriter David Blair's, passing here. Obviously, I put a lot of my own emotions into each story. Suffice it to say, Monday -- when I finished both -- was a bit of a rough day, made worse by the news about Roger Leo. I knew Roger, but I can't claim we were particularly close. Still, it's hard to imagine what would drive a man to such horrific extremes. Writes Tom Caywood, in his article, "To fellow conservationists, ski enthusiasts, colleagues and acquaintances around town, Roger A. Leo lately gave the impression of a man bubbling with zest for life, not one veering toward a spasm of violence that would end with him jumping to his death from a highway bridge with a state trooper on his heels"
Yeah. I was writing the memorial for Blair when I got this news. I promptly left the building and took a walk before returning. I was just overwhelmed. I still don't have room for it all in my head. One imagines there will be more writing.
***
It's not been all bad. I won a New England Press Club award for "Best Headline." Third place, actually. The headline, however, was something along the lines of "Gnomeo, oh Gnomeo, why were you even made?" So I am simultaneously honored and horrified, and not at all certain this sort of behavior should be rewarded.
There were also some excellent and thought-provoking reading to be had this week, including Roxane Gay's gorgeous, "Tragedy. Call. Compassion. Response," which is a fabulous examination of how people respond to tragedy, and Intern John's fascinating examination of Worcester women in rock, "Strings Attached."
Lots has been going on at Radius, too, including Lenore Weiss on Jay-Z, Jade Sylvan on Bob Dylan, signature features with Daniel McGinn, Jaimes Palacio & Loretta Obstfeld; and Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, Megan Thoma, Laura Lamb Brown-Lavoie, and much, much more. Lots of great new voices in the journal lately, many previously unknown to me. I love that there are enough random factors built in to how the journal's done that sometimes I'm a bit surprised by what emerges.
***
Odd readings coming up:
I'll be doing a tribute to Jim Carroll at 9 p.m. Monday for the Dirty Gerund Poetry Series at Ralph's Rock Diner, with music by the Catholic Boys, who played with Carroll, along with poetry (Carroll's and our own) by myself, Lea Deschenes, Tony Brown, Ryk McIntyre, Nick Davis and Alex Charalambides. It should be an amazing night, and I hope people come out for it.
And of course, the National Poetry Slam Finals are going to be in Boston. You should see as much of it as you can, but for my part, I'm involved in two events: 1.) I'm a judge in the Harry Potter vs. Buffy the Vampire Slayer slam, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, at MIT’s Stata Center, Room 32-123, 32 Vassar St., Cambridge; and I'm one of the features for the Write Bloody reading, along with Karen Finneyfrock, Jon Sands, Taylor Mali, Lea Deschenes, Laura Yes Yes, Jeanann Verlee, Brian Ellis, Tara Hardy, Megan Falley, Sierra DeMulder, Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz and Robbie Q. Telfer, at 1 p.m. Friday at the Cantab,738 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge.
Hope to see you as I'm out and about!
The rest of the week has been no picnic, either. I wrote about my feelings for Amy Winehouse's music here, and about my friend, poet and singer-songwriter David Blair's, passing here. Obviously, I put a lot of my own emotions into each story. Suffice it to say, Monday -- when I finished both -- was a bit of a rough day, made worse by the news about Roger Leo. I knew Roger, but I can't claim we were particularly close. Still, it's hard to imagine what would drive a man to such horrific extremes. Writes Tom Caywood, in his article, "To fellow conservationists, ski enthusiasts, colleagues and acquaintances around town, Roger A. Leo lately gave the impression of a man bubbling with zest for life, not one veering toward a spasm of violence that would end with him jumping to his death from a highway bridge with a state trooper on his heels"
Yeah. I was writing the memorial for Blair when I got this news. I promptly left the building and took a walk before returning. I was just overwhelmed. I still don't have room for it all in my head. One imagines there will be more writing.
***
It's not been all bad. I won a New England Press Club award for "Best Headline." Third place, actually. The headline, however, was something along the lines of "Gnomeo, oh Gnomeo, why were you even made?" So I am simultaneously honored and horrified, and not at all certain this sort of behavior should be rewarded.
There were also some excellent and thought-provoking reading to be had this week, including Roxane Gay's gorgeous, "Tragedy. Call. Compassion. Response," which is a fabulous examination of how people respond to tragedy, and Intern John's fascinating examination of Worcester women in rock, "Strings Attached."
Lots has been going on at Radius, too, including Lenore Weiss on Jay-Z, Jade Sylvan on Bob Dylan, signature features with Daniel McGinn, Jaimes Palacio & Loretta Obstfeld; and Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, Megan Thoma, Laura Lamb Brown-Lavoie, and much, much more. Lots of great new voices in the journal lately, many previously unknown to me. I love that there are enough random factors built in to how the journal's done that sometimes I'm a bit surprised by what emerges.
***
Odd readings coming up:
I'll be doing a tribute to Jim Carroll at 9 p.m. Monday for the Dirty Gerund Poetry Series at Ralph's Rock Diner, with music by the Catholic Boys, who played with Carroll, along with poetry (Carroll's and our own) by myself, Lea Deschenes, Tony Brown, Ryk McIntyre, Nick Davis and Alex Charalambides. It should be an amazing night, and I hope people come out for it.
And of course, the National Poetry Slam Finals are going to be in Boston. You should see as much of it as you can, but for my part, I'm involved in two events: 1.) I'm a judge in the Harry Potter vs. Buffy the Vampire Slayer slam, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, at MIT’s Stata Center, Room 32-123, 32 Vassar St., Cambridge; and I'm one of the features for the Write Bloody reading, along with Karen Finneyfrock, Jon Sands, Taylor Mali, Lea Deschenes, Laura Yes Yes, Jeanann Verlee, Brian Ellis, Tara Hardy, Megan Falley, Sierra DeMulder, Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz and Robbie Q. Telfer, at 1 p.m. Friday at the Cantab,738 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge.
Hope to see you as I'm out and about!
No comments have been added yet.
