While biding time...

I've been reminded lately of how great San Diego's Pirate 96.9 is. Give it a listen, and squish yourself around in the illegality of it all!

And check out this little cartoon, if you're so inclined.

The word of the week is "Triage," and will be applied vigerously to the manuscript over the weekend--sometimes it's just time to kill a baby or two, baby.

triage |trēˈä zh; ˈtrēˌä zh | noun 1. the action of sorting according to quality. 2. (in medical use) the assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties. verb [ trans. ] assign degrees of urgency to (wounded or ill patients).

ORIGIN early 18th cent.: from French, from trier ‘separate out.’ The medical sense dates from the 1930s, from the military system of assessing the wounded on the battlefield.

Back Home

I'm back in Urbana, sipping tea and hoping I'm recovered from a fever by tomorrow. Some bits from NY:

They changed the big board in Penn Station while I was gone to this digital thing. It's pretty and all, but you don't hear the slapping sounds of the plates changing when new information comes up. So, not only is everyone just standing there in a giant mob, but they all have to keep their heads tilted upwards. But it looks nice.

When I say sandwiches, this is what I mean:

A Reuben from Boswell's on Oak St. in Hempstead

Chicken Parm from Pizza Kings in East Meadow (Not the best around, but not bad either. I should have gone to Mananaro's--hands-down the best Veal Parm I've ever eaten.


Saw K-dub for a minute. She's very proud of her new hair cut.

It's nice to be home. This is the view out my patio door:

I know I should have better photos, but I'm really bad at keeping my camera handy. Forgive me. I'm gonna go try to stop being sick now.

Comfort is a Warm Metro Card

Spent about 4 hours yesterday mostly kicking back in Union Square, watching a protest organize and little pockets of NYPD collect (and they have a lot of vespas. NYPD-scooters).

Got to Forbidden Planet, always a hot stop for some dope comics, and wouldn't ya know it? Scored a copy of Captain America's assassination. AND a couple of small indy books, including the excellent work of Ben Towle, The Boxing Bucket's Final Round.

Walked across the bridge with the ever-towering Knox, Limón caught up and gave out a new business card that can double as a coaster and triple as a small coffee table...it's that thick. No foolin'. Ate at Snacky:

Snacky
187 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
phone: 718.486.4848

That's a plug for them, but more so a reference for me so I don't have to look up the address again. If you're lucky, you'll get your drink served in the belly of a buddha. Delicious.

...meanwhile....

Change o' Plans

Apparently something like 2000 flights to the northeast were cancelled this morning: an excuse for a night in a hotel; an excuse to get grading done.

Will not attend the Hecht reading tonight. Will breathe that frustration out, and get a beer.
Should be in NY by tomorrow afternoon.

The '07 Check-in

Making the yearly visit back to New York, 16th to the 24th, making sure my pop is ok, and everything is still holding together:

-Jennifer Michael Hecht and Mark Yakich are reading in Williamsburg on Friday the 16th at 7:00 and I'll be there (If Max can drive that fast)

-Touch-up work at Lark Tattoo on the 23rd.

-Hitting this event too:
Creative Writing Program Alumni Reading
Jacqueline Bishop, Natalie Danford, Matt Donovan, Kathleen Graber, Tyehimba Jess
Friday, March 23, 5:00 to 6:15pm. 19 University Place, 1st Floor Auditorium
I go for the Jess, I stay for what's fresh.

Drop an e-mail or give a call, and I'm around. I think there's an extra MG around my pop's place, so I'll be able to get around too. See ya in a minute. Other activities will include getting some serious sandwiches, as well as reinforcing my accent.

Oh, and if anyone's seen Manny, tell that punk to pick up a phone!

Well Oh Em ta tha G....

Just after I was out for a drive and thought of how great it is when you laugh so hard you can't think for like 2 minutes, the mystical Jennifer L. Knox now has a website.

Check it out. Get her book and love her and send her small bottles of top-shelf booze in the mail.

The Double-Feature

Caught them both, last night, back-to-back in the same theater. They're worth seeing (if you don't mind comic-book violence that looks really cool, and can stomach a little more rape/very unhealthy sex than should be allowed in 4 years, much less 4 hours), and in that order. If you time it right, you can even do it on the one ticket. The ol' theater-hop (my parents sometimes still do this, starting at the first showing and they don't stop until they've seen like 3 movies).

Better yet: it's almost drive-in season. If one is near you, make a plan to go.

The Take

The only one that was planned was Mary Biddinger's. I had to get Jennifer Michael Hecht's because she's just too cool and her other book, FUNNY is one of my favorites and not ironically titled at all. Kazim Ali did an incredible talk at a panel, brought the whole place almost to tears. I don't know C Dale Young's work well at all, but he's spoken highly of, and it seemed really dope when I flipped through it at the table, and he was rocking a Green Lantern shirt, and that's some style.

Also, reading new poems is good. I know I don't have to tell you, but if I do, you know you need to know (enough about Kerouac already, Homie!).

Finally Home

I sat in airports for a good 6 hours today. But it was a good weekend at AWP--the best photos of the weekend can definitely be found over with Tayari Jones.

On my way out of the airport in Champaign, I found this poor guy.



I have faith he'll be all right. Good night.