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Writer's Block: On the Airwaves
I couldn't resist answering this prompt, because I think about my favorite radio and television programming all the time. In high school, one of my teachers/mentors created a faux radio station as a project for the local broadcasting school he attended and called it KASM, "The Chasm." "ASM" are his initials, and I'm willing to swipe and modify ( Read more... ) -
Take Me Home, Because I Don't Remember
First of all, Phil Collins is the Plato of our generation. Don't believe me? Listen to his song "Take Me Home," or at least read its lyrics here, then remember Plato's Allegory of the Cave, summarized like all things by and for general consumption at its Wikipedia. Both contributions to society depict a character that has been "a prisoner all my ( Read more... ) -
Featuring My Feature
On Tuesday night I was a featured poet at the "Lee Mallory and the Factory Readings Present . . ." night at the Gypsy Den in Santa Ana, California. The opportunity was overwhelmingly gracious and fulfilling, as I began reading my poetry publicly only less than a year ago, and Orange County seems to have a rich poetry community of which I'm now ( Read more... ) -
For the Love of Paper
With an entire afternoon and evening to myself, I went on a whirlwind tour of Southern California creativity yesterday. It started, as many recent Saturdays have, at the Frank & Sons Collectible Show in the City of Industry, best known as the comics and sports trade show where O.J. Simpson was planning on selling the stuff he was stealing back ( Read more... ) -
I Want To . . . Tell You About "I Want To --"
Thanks to the open mic I’ve been attending for the past eight months, I’ve been trying to write more poetry than usual lately. Friends have complimented many of my pieces, and I’m grateful, but you know the old saying, that you’re your own worst critic. To that end, I’ve decided to offer some commentary for my latest poem, not necessarily to “ ( Read more... ) -
Going Nowhere Fast
If you live in Southern California and you tuned in to the 10 o'clock news last night, you couldn't help but watch the snail's pace car chase between police and the unknown driver of a rather expensive Bentley sedan. The subsequent stand-off lasted longer than the news coverage could allow, and at 12:41 a.m. this morning, the driver committed ( Read more... ) -
Keep It Up: An Anti-List for 2009, part 4
"There is a subtle difference between a mission and a promise. A mission is something you strive to accomplish -- a promise is something you are compelled to keep. One is individual, the other is shared. When a mission and a promise are one in the same . . . that's when mountains are moved and races are won." -- Hala Moddelmog, President & CEO, ( Read more... ) -
Happy New Year! Now You Die!
My new year began with my best friend's portents of doom, as he very logically explained how America's recent economic downturn may result in a Russia-like disbanding of the United States, effectively creating fifty little, self-sustaining, independent countries -- which, if you consider the mere 400 mile difference between states like California ( Read more... ) -
Hard to Believe
If you had asked me as a child, “Russ, what would you like to do when you grow up?” I undoubtedly would’ve answered, “Meet the Monkees.” Then, you’d probably right your question by clarifying, “I meant what do you want to be when you grow up?” Then I would’ve answered, “I want to be the guy that has lunch with the Monkees!” As a kid watching reruns ( Read more... ) -
Earth-8
Recent thoughts about California’s Prop 8 and parallel dimensions have made me wonder how I would’ve reacted to the latest circumstances surrounding gay marriage had I pursued and fulfilled my desire to become a pastor. If I had my own congregation, would I have persuaded them to vote a certain way, and what would I say now about the protests that ( Read more... )