Lisa and I were never really friends, but we knew each other as part of the New England scene of the early-mid 90s. She always intimidated me in a good way.

Sitting tonight with Zork and a couple of SUNY-Purchase students after the reading, I got to reminiscing about those early days; and while no one in the group knew Lisa or her work, she was much on my mind as I spoke.

The last time I saw her, she was hosting the Queer Slam at the BPC a few years ago. We reconnected briefly, and she introduced me to a woman named Joan who looked very familiar, but I casually brushed the feeling off, figuring she was a poet I’d seen around and forgotten. Marty McConnell looked at me strangely a little while later when I asked who she was, after she’d left. It was Joan Jett, who I think Lisa was dating back then. (I think I should be forgiven, as she had blonde hair at the time.) Lisa was so busy with the hosting and stuff (and I was pretty drunk, thanks to Roger and Marty) that I never did get to really talk to her that night. I regret that now.

I feel like I’ve lost another link to why I originally got involved with slam. The fact that we are the same age only amplifies that.

So — shall we do the sad roll call? Pat Storm, Chris Branch, Ken Hunt, Angela Boyce, Peter Conti, Lisa King. William McLain too, although his was old age. I’m sure there are others.

Do the new slammers know these people? Know their names, their work, their legacies?

Bring them back, indeed.

The Ken Hunt Prize is definitely on for this year, I swear.

For those of you intrigued by the possibilities inherent in a visit to White Plains, NY:

Poetry at Barnes and Noble
230 Main Street
White Plains NY

Hosted by the esteemed Zork
Featured poet, Tony Brown @ 7, followed by open mic after (sign up for the open is 6:30)

Be there or be pointy.

I have a very long day today, including a trip to NY and back, and a job interview tomorrow.

The motor on my CPAP (breathing device for sleep apnea) just gave out, and I likely won’t be able to get one until Friday afternoon at the earliest.

This means at least one night of horrendous, choking sleep.

Joy.

The first one is especially for my superhero/comic book buddies:

Go check out my buddy theryk‘s LJ entry for today for a publishing opportunity.

And: the new Zero Point Zero is up.

Read The Zero Point Zero Regular Coulmn!

It’s better than poetry!

I bought two suits today for interviews and appointments.

Some of you will find this hard to believe, but I actually like dressing up. And I tend to wear fairly conservative stuff when I do — a contrast with the ponytail and the earrings.

I think of corporate wear as a costume, and part of me likes making the costume as authentic as possible.

So I sprang today for a nice grey Ralph Lauren and a less cool but still good Paolo Uomo slate blue that will be a helpful alternative jacket with khakis and such.

Both single-breasted, moderate gorge two-button jackets. Having the pants cuffed, too, just a preference of mine.

I even bought a pocket square for the Lauren. Add the Mont Blanc Meisterstuck pen (I got it for nothing — long story) and I’m ready for the boardroom. (That is, as long as the rest of the board are into Sleater-Kinney and look like refugees from Bonnaroo.)

I’m wearing a Ramones T-shirt and shorts right now, if that makes you more comfortable.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/12/cheney.ap/index.html

no stealing, you pirates — i am gonna use it somewhere. 😉

“anybody that sure of himself can’t possibly be a real artist”

I liked this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/09/AR2006020901725.html

So I’m asking you — “who is it for?”

1.
I drank three Busch Lights today because it was the only “beer” where I was. I’m curious: is this actually considered beer anywhere by anyone?

2.
I had a couple of slices of a pizza today that included French fries as a topping. The ‘za rocked. Anyone ever heard of fries as a topping?

As you can see by these questions, I had kind of a trivial day. No complaints, though.

Feb 16th:
7pm @ Barnes & Noble City Center-White Plains, NY
Open Mike [6:30pm Open Mic sign up]

Barnes & Noble-City Center

230 Main Street

White Plains, NY 10601

This is curated by the estimable zorkisnotapoet.

Feb 19th:
From New York to Nantucket: featured performance at a Teen Slam on Nantucket.
Teen Slam
2-4 PM
Nantucket Atheneum

March 6:
Jester’s Cafe, Westfield MA. A long running Monday night series run by dkeali_i.

March 29th:
Cantab, Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA. Everyone knows the Cantab. It’s a Wednesday, it’ll be a late night, there will be Scotch. Be there.

Anybody else want this broken down jalopy on their doorstep, holla. (And I’m not talking about my car.)

This entry is about art disguised as a guitar geek post, so bear with me if you will.

I mentioned in a earlier post that I had recently sprung for a new guitar that was unlike any I had bought before — a big blonde maple dreadnaught, where I’d been used to smaller guitars and jumbo-shapes in warm woods like cedar, mahogany and walnut.

As I was playing the new instrument and liking it a lot over the last couple of weeks, I began to notice that the sound was a little too bright for what I’d been looking for — but that the punch and volume of the instrument were dead-on.

In particular, I noticed that the guitar was strung with light strings that made an awful lot of string noise. I also thought the trebles were so bright as to be brittle when played hard. There was even a small amount of fret buzz. If I was to get exactly what I wanted from the instrument, I might have to do some work to it.

I took myself to the guitar shop today and explained the issue to the guy behind the counter. He immediately tried to talk me into the need for a setup — maybe a truss rod adjustment.

Here’s the thing: as much as I love guitars, I’m not a gear head per se; I love them for what they can do for me without needing or desiring any more tech knowledge than is needed to play decently. I’m not a professional musician, I’m a poet who has a passion for music. (Antique guitars, of which I have several, I love for their stories and history. But that’s another issue.)

So I became concerned that my instinct — that a set of phosphor bronze medium strings would solve the problem — was off. But I stuck to my guns, resisted the urge to turn it over to the shop, and bought the strings I thought would do the trick.

I just finished removing the brand new lights and putting on the bronze mediums…and I was right. The guitar now has enough of the brightness to make it sing and ring, but the bass has deepened and the slappy twanginess has all but vanished. I suspect that even that will disappear as the top opens up (meaning that as it’s played in the sound will develop, for those uninitiated into this stuff).

This may seem obvious to some of you, but it was a good reminder to me: there are times when you have to reach past your self doubt and reach for the thing you know will solve your dilemma. Although it may seem like folly to some to spend for a new set of strings to replace another new set of strings, I know there are players out there who will understand me when I say that we should never compromise on the tools we need to do our work, and to understand that the received wisdom of guitar techs, old-school poets, established painters and other approved sources is a starting point only. There are times to listen, and times to reach.

It was a small moment, but a good one. I think I’ll play now, if you’ll excuse me.

the display of an acute awareness of your own depth is an expression of your shallowness.