A pal of mine gave me this N99 mask. Little could she know that she would inadvertently AWAKEN AN ANCIENT WARRIOR. The time has come to put my lengthy and grueling ninjutsu training to work.
Ignore the wisps of gray hair. That’s … part of the ninja disguise.
The Roanoke Times published my writing again this morning in its Letters section — this time, it was my brief satirical essay, “I Am Going to Drive Drunk Tonight.” The regional daily newspaper was founded in 1886 — it is Southwest Virginia’s leading online news source, in addition to its sales at 1,500 locations throughout the region.
You can find the essay right here.
Thank you, Roanoke Times, for inviting those of us in the community to share our perspectives through a first-rate daily newspaper!
Today’s agenda — investigate my hypothesis that Jim Croce and Borat are actually the same person.
I’m lucky enough today to see my writing featured again by Winedrunk Sidewalk: Shipwrecked in Trumpland. This time out, it’s my satirical treatment of the president using Marc Antony’s speech in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Its title is “Friends, Americans, countrymen — lend me your fears,” and you can find it right here.
Here’s a big thanks, as always, to Editor John Grochalski!
So I’m sure you guys remember how I’m weird about occasionally trying to run down the origins of various aphorisms … A while back I tried to look into the (possibly apocryphal?) Chinese curse that people like to quote — “May you live in interesting times.” I posted about it at the end of March. (It felt timely then, and it still does.)
I stumbled across a three-tiered variant of the saying just yesterday. As it turns out, the curse in its purported entirety is as follows, or at least according to the Internet:
May you live in interesting times.
May you come to the attention of those in authority.
May the gods give you everything you ask for.
It’s interesting stuff. That bit about “the attention of those in authority” feels especially ominous in the Trump Age.
If any of you guys have any insight into exactly where this quote originated, please feel free to chime in.
I have some really damned cool news, guys — two poems of mine will be featured in an upcoming limited-edition chapbook in Europe commemorating what would have been the 100th birthday of Charles Bukowski! Newington Blue Press announced today that it will release 100 Years of Bukowski (100 Jahre Bukowski) next week.
The chapbook will be 68 pages long, and this initial run will consist of just 100 numbered copies. Its featured writing and art were selected to showcase “a conversance and artistic involvement with the phenomenon of Bukowski.” The poems of mine to be included are “Guerrilla Poet” and “First Smoke.” I am grateful indeed to Newington Blue Press for allowing me to be a part of such a unique publication.
You can pre-order an advance copy of the chapbook via the publisher right here.
Newington Blue Press is based in Germany and the United Kingdom.
Photo credit: GFreihalter / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
Even the wardrobe is spot on.
I am honored to share here that Spillwords Press published another poem of mine today — “Blue Wolves Move In An Indigo Wood.” You can find it right here.
Spillwords Press is an outstanding independent literature site that believes “that words matter, and imagination is the seed of accomplishment.” It’s a terrific resource for poetry, prose and feature articles, and I cheerfully recommend it as an enjoyable place to periodically explore.
Thanks, Spillwords!
I got some more good news today, gang — Down in the Dirt magazine will feature another poem of mine in its November 2020 issue. This time out, it will be my newer (and entirely apolitical!) piece, “An Ode to the Paintings of a Newly Discovered Artist.”
The poem will be published online soon over at Scars Publications; the magazine itself will be available for purchase via Amazon this Fall. I’ll post a link when it becomes available.
As always, I am grateful to Editor Janet Kuypers for selecting my work!
I honestly don’t know where all of this leads. I’m out of my depth here. Just consider that I am asking the below as QUESTIONS, and I am asking as a layperson where national security is concerned. And I apologize in advance if I am being alarmist. I have learned to expect the worst from Donald Trump.
1) If things escalate in Washington, D.C., is it possible that the president could order the military to fire on civilians? Is that the worst-case scenario here?
2) If there is a lasting military presence inside the United States under Trump’s control, does that have implications for election integrity? Could it conceivably mean he is better positioned to interfere with (or suspend) elections?
3) How worried should we be about the reports (and photos) of military units who claim to be with the Department of Justice when asked, but who wear no names or identifying insignia? What is going on with that?
I would love to hear people in the media reporting about this and seeking out informed opinions.
