blog

"Off the Record" Soundtrack Series

2012-02-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM31FO7Gvo8&context=C32eb942ADOEgsToPDskJJGDAKKNXvHPEQZFYeVmG-
Bridget O'Neill interviews audience members of the Soundtrack Series.
The Soundtrack Series is a live storytelling event based on music. On the fourth Thursday of every month at (Le) Poisson Rouge, host Dana Rossi invites five guest writers to get on the mic to tell the hilarious or heartwrenching stories they forever associate with a song from their past.
This month marks our 2 year anniversary! Can you say hell yeah! The amazing Dana Rossi started this show in modest Astoria, Queens and it grew rapidly making it’s way to LRP a year ago.
The Soundtrack Series is a live storytelling event based on music. On the fourth Thursday of every month at (Le) Poisson Rouge, host Dana Rossi invites five guest writers to get on the mic to tell the hilarious or heartwrenching stories they forever associate with a song from their past.
This month we have:
• Ryan Andes: Barracuda, Heart
• Jill Marino: Mr. Brightside, The Killers
• Blaise Allysen Kearsley: Hard to Say I'm Sorry, Chicago
• Alex Mann: Sympathy for the Devil, The Rolling Stones
• Dave Hill: I Will Dare, The Replacements

Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
New York, NY

Bye Purge! and thank you all!

2012-01-16T08:51:00.000-08:00

Purge! has come to an end. I want to focus on a few other endeavors and continue to tell stories at other shows, as well as happily continue co producing my favorite show: The Soundtrack series.

I want to thank each one of you for making Purge so special, every guest and every audience member.

Farewell Purge, till next time.
A big hug and kiss,
Bridge
But, you can find me telling stories at ASK ME this Wednesday (1/18) at NY Confidential on Saturday (1/21) and come to The Soundtrack Series the last Thursday (1/26) of this month.

“Off the Record” Interviews Producer, The Soundtrack Series

2011-12-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

"Offhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif the record"
I'm proud to mention that I am one of the co-Producers(“Off the Record” Interviews Producer)of the amazing, titillating, moving and grooving storytelling venues: The Soundtrack Series. Noted as by CBSNew York’s The 5 Best Things To Do In NYC (Tonight, Dec. 22) and a Time Out New York’s Critic Pick! Creator and Host: Dana Rossi, Producer: Lauren O’Connor, Sound Recording: Douglas MacKrell, Sound Design: Stephanie Cox-Williams, Sound Design: Jeanne Travis. See more About Us!

The Soundtrack Series is held at Gallery at LPR (le Poisson Rouge), the last Thursday of each month at 8pm. For tonight's show, and the last show of 2011 we have stories from Franz Nicolay, Cammi Climaco, Elna Baker, Matthew Callan and Jessica Halem based on songs from their pasts.

PURGE! Monday December 19th @ 8:00pm

2011-12-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

at Perch Cafe & Bar 365 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Steve Zimmer is an enthusiastic member of the story community. He is beloved for his willingness to help other storytellers with frank evaluations of their work, which he provides before, after and sometimes even during their performances. Yea, he’s pretty much the bomb! And never bombs;)

Katherine Wessling’s stories have been heard at Moth Slams, the Next Chapter, You Went to College for That, WNYC, and published in the anthology ‘Have I Got a Guy for You,’ the magazines ‘Speak’ and ‘Swing’ and online at Bustedhalo.com. She’s also written for Marie Claire, Elle, CosmoGirl!, etc. Her book for young readers, ‘Backstage at a Movie Set,’ is kind of boring, but the historical section of the tome ‘Women’s Wear Daily: 100 Years, 100 Designers’ is surprisingly not. Katherine’s also an actor who appears in what the kids call ‘downtown theater pieces.’ This month, you can also see her as an abused wife on the just-released DVD, ‘Game Time,’ or as an uptight corporate executive in the corporate comedy series, ‘Cutting Edge.

Erin Barker is a writer and a copy editor who has worked with more than a hundred novels. (If you catch her after the show, she will gladly explain to you the difference between who and whom.) She is a producer/host of science storytelling show The Story Collider, as well as editor of its upcoming online magazine, and can be seen every first Tuesday of the month performing with her storytelling team, Mimsy, at the Pacific Standard. She is a recent Moth GrandSLAM champion.

Miguel De Leon is a twentysomething who owns a dog and lives in Park Slope. He likes crosswords, Italian wine, and Legos. He tells stories. He is also a large part of the MIMSY team! Which is an improv based Storytelling Mimsy is a storytelling show in Brooklyn. One of it’s kind! He was also manager at Momofuku!

Caitlin Brodnick is also a part of the MIMSY team, and wonderful, delightful storyteller and person.

PURGE! Monday, November 21st @ 8pm

2011-11-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

design: Chauncey O'Neill
Perch cafe & Bar 365 5th Ave. Brooklyn, NY

Selena Coppock Leslie Goshko Robin Gelfenbien Becky Flaum Dawn Fraser

Leslie Goshko
Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion, recipient of the New York Fringe Excellence Award, host of Sideshow Goshko (Time Out New York "Critics' Pick") http://www.ohmygoshko.com/

Dawn J. Fraser
humorist, performer and storyteller. Writer for the sketch comedy show AMERICAN CANDY, UCB, PIT, Coordinator of the Harvardwood Comedy Writing Program The Moth, Ask Me Stories and RISK!

Becky Flaum
Writer and storyteller. Host of ‘My Bad’ Solo show "Hopeless Romantic Comedy" at the PIT.

Selena Coppock
Standup + Sketch Comedian, Writer, + Storyteller (Moth winner)
Author of "THE NEW RULES FOR BLONDES" a collection of essays celebrating and subverting the blonde stereotype (Fall 2012).
McSweeney's, the Collared Sheep, and Rock Bottom Stories
Morning Show with Mike and Juliet (FOX), TheApiary.com, ComedySmack.com, CollegeHumor.com, PMSports.com, + 6 comedy festivals!

Robin Gelfenbien
comedy writer, storyteller, solo show, “My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey,” The Moth, The Liar Show, HEEB Storytelling and RISK! “Yum’s the Word,” that features her homemade ice cream cakes. Robin is currently working on a memoir based on her solo show.

Bridget O'Neill Host
Fireside Stories, Storytelling at Perch, First Person Arts, AmeriCorps' Outreach Program, Mimsy, The Bodega, Do What's in Your Heart, The Soundtrack series and The Next Chapter. UCB

Webster Dictionary defines "Purge" as, to remove (impurities and other elements) by or as if by cleansing and isn’t that what storytelling really is? By storytelling we relinquish our inhibitions, we throw-up our past. Storytelling is a confessional booth with an audience in my catholic association.

Perch Café, a small, intimate, quaint café with a designated area for live shows nestled in the heart of Park Slope. Home to many storytelling venues such as: The Story Collider, Mimsy, The Standard Issues, My Bad, and others. Drink specials, and food is available. Bring your video cam, or recorder.

PURGE! Monday, October 24th @ 8:00

2011-10-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

PURGE! SHARON SPELL, MICHELE CARLO, JEFFERSON, NISSE GREENBERG, AMY KLEIN

Webster Dictionary defines "Purge" as, to remove (impurities and other elements) by or as if by cleansing and isn’t that what storytelling really is? By storytelling we relinquish our inhibitions, we throw-up our past. Storytelling is a confessional booth with an audience in my catholic association.

Perch Café, a small, intimate, quaint café with a designated area for live shows nestled in the heart of Park Slope. Home to many storytelling venues such as: The Story Collider, Mimsy, The Standard Issues, My Bad, and others. Drink specials, and food is available. Bring your video cam, or recorder.

SHARON M SPELL - Although her training and background geared her for a life of sitting alone in a studio inhaling paint fumes, southern-born fashion plate Sharon Spell longed for a life before an audience. She moved to New York City from Hattiesburg, Mississippi (via Pittsburgh, PA) after earning a BFA in Painting and Drawing. It wasn't long after that she dove headfirst into comedy performances, spouting abstract expressionist humor that everyone can relate to. She's recently merged her two passions by drawing portraits of her fellow performers while they're on stage. She also produces and hosts Shrink, a weekly comedy variety show at Luca Lounge (LES), and Queereoke at Metropolitan Bar (Williamsburg).

MICHELLE CARLO is a writer/performer who has lived in four of the five boroughs of NYC and remembers when a slice of pizza cost fifty cents. She has been published in Mr. Beller’s Neighborhood’s Lost & Found: Stories From New York, Chicken Soup For The Latino Soul and SMITH magazine, and told her stories everywhere a person can tell stories in NYC—including the MOTH’s GrandSlams and Mainstage. Her memoir Fish Out Of Agua: My life on neither side of the (subway) tracks was published by Citadel Press in August 2010. www.michelecarlo.com

NISSE GREENBERG is the host and co-producer of Drawn Out Storytelling and one half of the comedy duo Rachel and the Elf. Check out nissegreenberg.com - he's mildly attractive.

AMY KLEIN - Writer, Storyteller, warrior, and new bride

JEFFERSON - parent and pervert and storyteller.

Your host, BRIDGET O'NEILL hails from Cheesesteak County, otherwise known as Philadelphia, or Scrapple, PA. A Mothslam winner, she performs regularly at The Moth, and other storytelling venues throughout NY. She studied at the UCB Theater. Her work has been published in publications and blogs. Her book of documenting her substance-laden days is forthcoming. Performances include: Fireside Stories, Storytelling at Perch, First Person Arts, AmeriCorps' Outreach Program, Mimsy, The Bodega, Do What's in Your Heart, The Soundtrack series and The Next Chapter. http://www.photoballads.blogspot.com/

People on Ludes Should not Drive!

2011-10-19T16:08:00.000-07:00

Me, goth on qualudes at a Ministry concert circa 1990 on THE SOUNDTRACK SERIES PODCAST right now!!!!LISTEN!!!!:)http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
THE SOUNDTRACK SERIES

I had the pure pleasure of telling my Soundtrack Series story that Dana Rossi hosts each moth at Le Poisson Rogue in NYC

In case you forgot the lyrics-

Just like a car crash, just like a knife
My favorite weapon is the look in your eyes
You ran out of lies!

You ran out of life!
You ran out of lies!
Get out of my life!

And I'm chewing on glass and tasting my fingers
I'm not the one who's run out of lies, lies!
You ran out of life!
You ran out of time!

PURGE! Monday September 19th 8:00 @ Perch cafe/bar in Brooklyn

2011-09-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

Cammi Climaco is a visual artist, storyteller and performance artist. Her work has been exhibited internationally. She has performed in art galleries, storytelling and stand up shows. She has been on Told!, Story Collider, and Risk!. Cammi teaches at Pratt Institute of Art.

Steven Berkowitz is a writer, storyteller and propagandist. A MothSLAM winner. The Liar Show, Told and The Story Collider. He produces and hosts Stories at the Shore in Belmar, N.J. Steven is also a storycoach with the MothSHOP community outreach program.

Ryan Paulson has performed his solo shows "Pentecostal Wisconsin" and "I'm Uncomfortable" across the US, Canada, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. You can follow him on Twitter, where he goes by @HuskyBoyRyan.

Dave Ritz is an actor, performer and storyteller.He recently starred in the independent feature film "86Fatboy" and many local storytelling shows including The Moth StorySLAM. He also is a food enthusiast and an unemployed waiter. Dave can tell you where to find the hottest new dining establishments in NYC because he is a licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide. He can also tell you where to find salmonella and mouse droppings because he holds a NYC Food Protection Certificate. SeeDave in the film "86Fatboy" openfilm.com/videos/fatboy

Johanna Clearfield is a blogger for the Park Slope Patch (http://www.parkslope.patch.com/), Moth storyteller and DEC-licensed wildlife rehabilitator. She posts political blather on http://pleasetellmeyouarejoking.com/ and is organizing an all-species revolt on http://www.humanerevolution.org/. Her non-fiction novel, I FOUND OUT, A memoir of Sex Cults & the 70s – is soon to be released.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Bridget O’Neill host of Purge performs regularly at The Moth, and other storytelling venues throughout NY. She studied at the UCB Theater. Her work has been published in publications and blogs. She is currently writing her memoir highlighting her self- inflicted shenanigans from her early years. The Moth, StorySlam winner, Fireside Stories, Storytelling at Perch, First Person Arts, AmeriCorps' Outreach Program, Mimsy, The Bodega, Do What's in Your Heart, UCB Theater. Come see me perform at The Soundtrack series and The Next Chapter next week!

Plus* Special musical act

Webster Dictionary defines "Purge" as, to remove (impurities and other elements) by or as if by cleansing and isn’t that what storytelling really is? By storytelling we relinquish our inhibitions, we throw-up our past. Storytelling is a confessional booth with an audience in my catholic association.

Perch Café, a small, intimate, quaint café with a designated area for live shows nestled in the heart of Park Slope. Home to many storytelling venues such as: The Story Collider, Mimsy, The Standard Issues, My Bad, and others. Drink specials, and food is available. Bring your video cam, or recorder.

See you there, beer in hand!

PURGE! Monday August 22 @ 8: 00 pm at Perch Cafe Where were you during the BlackOut in 2003?

2011-08-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

Monday August 22 @ 8:00 pm at Perch Cafe & Bar 365 5th Ave. Brooklyn, NY

4 storytellers will share with you where they were and what took place. Come out and relieve the night or experience it for the first time with drink specials; The Bodega (Nanagasset beer in a bag) and no ATM, (gin and green liquor) and Food Gone Bad (mudslides)

Seth Lind hosts Told, a monthly storytelling show at Under St. Marks Theater. He also performs longform improv comedy with the group Thank You, Robot, and is production manager for the public radio program This American Life.

Adam Wade is a 17 time storyslam winner at the moth as well as a 2 time grandslam winner. He makes his internet home at Adamwade.com. He also hosts and performs on his own show: Adam Wade from New Hampsire.

Ophira Eisenberg has been selected as one of New York Magazine's Top 10 Comics, appeared on Comedy Central, VH-1, Fox, E! Channel and The Joy Behar Show. Her writing has been published in four anthologies including I Killed: True Stories of the Road from America's Top Comics and Heeb's collectionSex, Drugs & Gefilte Fish. She's appeared at the Montreal Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Comedy Festival plus is a monthly contributor to US Magazine's Fashion Police and a regular host for The Moth. Her debut CD "AS IS" is heard regularly on Sirius Raw Dog Comedy.

Bridget O’Neill host of Purge is recovering photographer turned writer and performer. She hails from Cheesesteak County, otherwise known as Philadelphia, or Scrapple, PA. She performs regularly at The Moth, and other storytelling venues throughout NY. She studied at the UCB Theater. Her work has been published in publications and blogs. She is currently writing her humble, hilarious, no-holds-bar memoir highlighting her self- inflicted shenanigans from her early years. The Moth, Fireside Stories, Storytelling at Perch, First Person Arts, AmeriCorps' Outreach Program, Mimsy, The Bodega, Do What's in Your Heart, UCB Theater

Plus* Special musical act

Webster Dictionary defines "Purge" as, to remove (impurities and other elements) by or as if by cleansing and isn’t that what storytelling really is? By storytelling we relinquish our inhibitions, we throw-up our past. Storytelling is a confessional booth with an audience in my catholic association.

Perch Café, a small, intimate, quaint café with a designated area for live shows nestled in the heart of Park Slope. Home to many storytelling venues such as: The Story Collider, Mimsy, The Standard Issues, My Bad, and others. Drink specials, and food is available. Bring your video cam, or recorder.

PURGE! 2nd show Monday July 25th

2011-07-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

David Crabb is the co-producer of Kevin Allison’s RISK! and a producer/co-host of Ask Me Stories (www.askmestories.com) David is a member of Axis Theatre Company (www.axiscompany.org) and has appeared onstage in "A Glance at New York" (Edinburgh Fringe & NYC), "Down There" and the "Hospital" series. David is a multiple MothSlam winner and... is currently working on his one-person show "Bad Kid," set to open this November. www.davidcrabb.net

Dana Rossi is the creator and host of the Soundtrack Series, a night of stories based on songs that happens every month (like, say, this Thursday) at Le Poisson Rouge. She has written for NY Press, Time Out NY, The Retroist, and is a regular contributor to InDigest. An essay of hers will appear in the upcoming anthology Madonna & Me, which will be published by Soft Skull Press in March 2012.

Alyssa Pinsker is a writer, stand up comic, storyteller and teacher living in Brooklyn. {As the child of a Yeshiva fleeing Bronx bred dad and anti-religious Ukranian Catholic immigrant mom,she became a spiritual seeking world traveler who's dated hipster Hassids, turbaned Sikhs, skirt-wearing Keralite Muslims, WASPS and Jews all for "material". }She is currently working on an anti-Eat, Pray, Love memoir, and has written for the Huffington Post, Time Out NY, New York Post, The Daily News, Bust Magazine, The Frisky, The Forward, Generation J, and Interfaith Family. She has also appeared in the MOTH, How I learned series, Freerange non-fiction, the Franklin Park Reading series and New York Confidential,Standard Issues and more.

Cautionary Tale teller "Uncle Frank" of the Moth unleashes his alter ego one man Ed Sullivan Show for a comedic retro look at highlights from the 50's and 60's.

Your host, Bridget is recovering photographer turned writer and performer. She hails from Cheese steak County, otherwise known as Philadelphia, or Scrapple, PA. She performs regularly at The Moth, and other storytelling venues throughout NY. She studied at the UCB Theater. Her work has been published in publications and blogs. She is currently writing her humble, hilarious, no-holds-bar memoir highlighting her self- inflicted shenanigans from her early years.

The Moth, Fireside Stories, Storytelling at Perch, First Person Arts, AmeriCorps' Outreach Program, Mimsy, The Bodega, Do What's in Your Heart, UCB Theater

PURGE! New Show, New Host

2011-06-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

Monday June 27th 8pm
PURGE
Perch Cafe
(formally hosted by the salty host, Nisse Greenberg under Storytelling at Perch)
356 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY
hosted by Bridget O'Neill

The theme will always center around the name of the show, Purge.
Webster Dictionary defines "Purge" as, to remove (impurities and other elements) by or as if by cleansing and isn’t that what storytelling really is? By storytelling we relinquish our inhibitions, we throw-up our past. Storytelling is a confessional booth with an audience in my catholic association.

The theme is open as necessary: purging/cleaning out your unwanted junk from your home or office, ridding oneself of an annoying friend, a facebook friend, a bad relationship, or even breaking a habit. You may have had a colonic, have suffered from bulimia. No story is too bold for this show. Bodily functions is a story’s warm blanky and are encouraged.

Perch Café, a small, intimate, quaint café with a designated area for live shows nestled in the heart of Park Slope. Home to many storytelling venues such as: The Story Collider, Mimsy, The Standard Issues, My Bad, and others. Drink specials, and food is available. Bring your video cam, or recorder.

If you would like to be considered for for an upcoming show, please write me at:
perchstorytelling@gmail.com or send me messages on my facebook page.
Purge is the 4th Monday of each month.

Friday the 13th, $13.00 Tattoo

2011-04-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

It was Friday the 13th and in lieu of getting spooked, I got inked.

The stress was high that afternoon. I was working as a Photo Agent, and waiting to sign off on a big assignment. It would be hours till I’d have the answer.

My tattoo laden, young spirited assistant, Kate offered me the best solution to the waiting game, “You’ve been wanting to get a tattoo for awhile now…..” This was true. I wanted to get good ol' fashioned anchor tattoo on my upper, right arm. Ahoy matte. “and a few tattoo shops in the city offer $13.00 tattoos on Friday the 13th”.

Elated, I called my brother who was also bragging about getting his first tattoo of Joan of Arc. A tall, slender, toned, shaven-headed, handsome, artsy guy, it’d be fitting that he’s already have one, or some. I think he’s scared, but he says it’s become too typical and contradiction to his independent ways.

But Kate stopped me in my tracks and informed me we could only choose from the shop’s flash, a set of 8-12 art-ready tattoos that are posted that day.
It was highly unlikely that they’d have Joan of Arc, but more likely that they had an anchor.

She warned me of the daunting long lines and being my own boss I left the office, and convinced my brother to come just for moral support in hopes that he’d change his mind.

On the subway ride over I wondered what type of limited art I could comfortably settle on: a ladybug, a heart, a unicorn.

The line wasn’t that bad but it was only mid afternoon. I saw the flash and my heat sank: a skeleton with top hat, a skeleton with a deck of cards, an ice cream cone, a broken heart, and the number thirteen worked into all of them. I turned to my brother and said, “forget it, they’re so bad they couldn’t even be ironic.”
He looked himself out of curiosity then said, “what are you talking about Bridget, there is an anchor.”

How could I have overlooked this?
There it was at the bottom left hand corner, an adorable navy blue and red anchor, but included that damn number thirteen.

I placed my name on the waiting list, handed over $20.00 ($13 plus, the lucky, mandatory $7.00 tip) scored myself a ‘to go’ margarita in a Styrofoam cup from a local restaurant and discussed the location of the tat with Jason.

Convinced that I could talk the artist into excluding the thirteen.I just knew I’d be able to. Sometimes I just knew when I wanted something to happen it just would, like I could will things to happen.

The last time this happened was back in art school when I was so broke and working three jobs, having three roommates that our school offered a semester in Florence, Italy. It was irrational to assume that I could enroll when I couldn’t afford food, let alone an international flight and boarding abroad. But, I knew I was going. The next day a friend at school bought me a ticket on her husband’s miles (first class) and offered to cover the boarding.

It was there in Florence that I got my very first tattoo at a late age of 27. I always wanted a sunflower tattoo and where better to get one than in the land of sunflowers; Tuscany.

It was hot, I was stressed, it was a bad day, and I made the great mistake of getting inked at the only tattoo parlor in the entirety of Florence in 1998. The artist who appeared to be on a heroin stupor carved the misshaped sunflower, sans the standard black border, into the inside my left foot area. She did it with one hand, cigarette in mouth using brown dried up ink. The pain was excruciating. It was the worst tattoo ever. Thirteen years later people still comment on my ‘henna’ tattoo.

It goes to show how I don’t put much thought or planning into getting inked, it is more spontaneous.

This would be my second.

Slurping down my margarita with anticipation, my brother and I discussed location. He warned me that my upper forearm was prime real estate, looking down at my left foot insinuating that I wouldn’t want to advertise a mishap tat.

I defaulted to the outside of my lower right calf, above my ankle. After only an hour, they called my name and I got the guy artist that I was hoping for. I sat down told him ‘the anchor please’. He said, “good choice.”
Using my feminine whiles, I asked him to exclude the ‘13’ as it was a great piece of art on it’s own. Annoyed, yet flattered he replied, “I designed this, and that’s not the deal.” I won’t say either way if he obliged, but I walked out a happily buzzed girl with adrenaline sparking through my veins.

My brother looked down at my ankle and said, “Perhaps this signifies that you are finally grounded, anchored if you will.”

Bridget_ONeill_Big_Breaks.mov

2011-03-01T14:56:00.000-08:00

Architecture of Dance

2010-06-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center. (Architect: Philip Johnson)

I was lucky enough to attend Peter Martin's, ballet, Mirage to see the set design that Santiago Calatrava designed. Now the unique aspect about this is that the Choreographer, costume design and orchestra designed around the set. That is a rarity. The minimilist feel of the outfits, stage, dancers and music that accompanied it, made this a fluid, architectural, serene, birdlike outfit. The combination was tight, articular in seamlessly consistent it’s theme and tone. I was unable to shoot while the dance was in session.
However, I can share this commissioned photograph by Paul Kolnik
set piece at small scale
And back to Philip Johnson, a cool little rendering of the theater.

The Salon series at Johnson & Johnson

2010-06-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

underground forest #0707-10333 (up to 13,000 years old; pretoria, south africa)

la llareta #0308-23b26 (up to 3,000 years old, atacama desert, chile

I attended The Salon series held at the Johnson & Johnson Global Strategic Design offices on Thursday and the theme was, Investigation. The two artists who were in the lecture showcasing their work were Rachael Sussman and Vaughan Oliver. Rachael documents biological life form, plant life from all over the world whose age is incomprehensible. Rachael has spent time researching some of the world's oldest living specimens, finding them in various origins both far and wide. She needs to apply for grants to fund her travel, as most of these places are very far from the Americas. I feel it takes great devotion to find and travel to and shoot these profoundly odd and old living organisms. I admire her fascination with this body of work and moreover, I am grateful for her bringing them to us, who would never otherwise be fortunate to share in the splendor of seeing these plants and trees.

Vaughan Oliver is the Creative Director to the Pixies’ albums on the 4AD label. He hired Simon Larbalestier, the photographer whose black and white, gritty, industrial aesthetic framed the 4AD music mold. It was the changing of an era. The Pixies album first came out in 1988 and this was around the time when cds were replacing albums and thus artwork had to make an emotional impact at a smaller print size. I was excited to attend this lecture and meet the man who worked with Simon. I had just purchased a print from Simon from the Surfer Rosa series of the Spanish dancer. I bought it for my brother for his birthday. My brother and I both loved the Pixies in 1988 and further on. “Surfer Rosa”, and “Come On Pilgrim” being our favorites. The print was an edition of prints created from the original polaroid transfer. The work is very surrealist and kept in form with their compatriots: Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, they shared in it’s gothic and surrealist aesthetic. In all, it was inspiring to hear from a 1990’s 4AD Creative Director who has just completed the Pixies box set.

Humble Arts Foundation

2010-02-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

photography by: Lyndsy Welgos

Photography by Louise Menzies

Humble Arts Foundation is a wonderful organization that features fine art photography, that is both contemporary, but not pretentious, new, and not contrived like some of the work that is considered ”emerging" in the Chelsea circuit. It seems to reach back to the roots of when you first discovered your love of photography, as a personal and internal awaking, reminiscent of adolescent feeling that you were no longer a child but an individual with your own conscious and sexual awareness. This of course, is purely my own feelings, interpretations and psyche based on my gut reaction to the work produced here.

I fell in love with photography as a medium about 15 years ago, and it was a revelation. Since then I had graduated far from documentary, black and white, self-portraits, to color architectural self portraits, as I felt my surroundings and my psych was heavily empowered and influenced by my surroundings. In any case, this work is a refreshing break from the work without soul that clings to the cold, stark, white, pristine walls of a Chelsea gallery. It is more work for one's self and peers, and less for the preconceived prejudices viewers can sometimes hold when they're told how to perceive art from a recent art review.
Humble Arts Foundation is a not-for profit organization based in New York. They offer 2 $1,000.00 grants per year, and you can apply to showcase and sell your work on their website. And their blog is visual and direct, without words or frills.

Holiday Bribes: Photography 'gifts'

2009-11-28T17:54:00.000-08:00

©Character Arts, LLC, The Rudolph Company, L.P.

Bribe is a verb and some slang words for it are: fiddle, corrupt, buy-off, influence, bait, gift, goody, payola, hush money, ice, oil palm, soap and gravy.

The world of commercial photography is a tricky and highly humble one. As a photographer or in my case, a photography representative, we are competing with some of the best out there. We’re in a time where the industry is inundated with photographers, where every photographer is unique, and there are over 100,000 unique photographers all wanting the same chance. In addition, veteran photographers are recycled over and over again, giving little chance to newbies, and could-be’s. It is your job to get your book to the right person: the Art Buyer of an ad agency or the Photo Editor of a magazine. These folks are the gatekeepers to your potential job.

Art Buyers are housed in piles of black canvas bags containing black leather-bound portfolios with work ranging from still life, fashion/beauty, portrait, and the list goes on. Buyers have major hand in this relationship therefore photographers have to be creative, stand out and be remembered. So before working with one of these hot shots, you may need to leave your egos at the door, lay your pride on the side and bring out the cookies.

As a former Photo rep, a lot of us are guilty of having lubricated our clients by enticing them with food, hopping them up on Starbucks, and medicating them with wine. So I pulled out the big guns, and delve right in and asked some of my favorite Art Buyers and Photo Editors what ‘perks’ they have received and in turn, asked photographers and reps what they have sent their clients to ‘sweeten the pot’, ‘oil the palm’ with.

An Art Buyer at Ogilvy & Mather offered “cool gifting definitely keeps these people in the minds of art directors and art buyers by positive association.” Adding joyously that outside of t-shirts and other logo laden items, her favorite gifts received were a fish lens’ camera and Gustbuster umbrella.

I really like what artist rep, Norman Maslov had to offer when I asked him what he has given to buyers. He said when he was in the record business they used to call it payola, but ‘gifts’ has a better ring to it. The term payola is defined as payment given in exchange for promoting a commercial product, or the system of making such payments, especially to disc jockeys. One year after 9/11 he gave out the GANDHI book.

Outside of the unanimous; chocolate, wine, photo frames, and calendars, there were some true gems received and distributed. Michael Norseng, Director of Photography at Esquire magazine once received a 4 foot long sausage, in which I’ll leave to the imagination, another time he received a Hall and Oats DVD. The gifter went on creativity and clearly not a fan of the practical, he ‘can’t go for that, no can do”

One Photo Editor received Orange &Cream and Berry Lemonade flavored bottles of Jones Soda which is Midwestern soda company that has a contest that allows you to have your photos printed on their labels. You catch more jobs with sugar, than with promo cards.

For the holidays, photographer, Sarina Finkelstein gave out 2 foot tall candy canes and kidrobot© toys. David Leventi, another photographer, a garden gnome. Photo Rep, Tricia Scott with Merge Left Reps, gave her clients memberships to Museums in their area. Wow, talk about thoughtful. Another rep, Angela Dieringer has given iTunes gift cards, stating, “our clients LOVED them! All of them own an ipod and this made sense.” As for myself, I have given anything from condoms, that read, ‘Play it Safe, use TTS REPS’ along with candy cigarettes, to viewfinder key chains in assorted colors picturing my artists’ photos. That year, I decided to forego the alcohol, devling into their sexual activity, sweet tooth and love of visuals, these gifts seemed appropriate; non-traditional and loose. So folks, keep the real gift that keeps on giving, and that is your art, your originality, but the occasional Riunite on *ice is always nice

Jimmies are sweet, not racist

2009-10-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

© Getty images

Jimmies aren't racist
The dictionary definition for JIMMIES used to be "decorative things." They have also been called toppettes, shots, fancies, trimettes and sprinkles. Jimmies were first developed by Just Born Candy Company. Born briefly pondered that question before deciding to accredit the name to the producer, Jimmy Bartholomew. The new product was named JIMMIES. In Boston, JIMMIES are to ice cream like mustard & relish are to a hot dog.

It seems primarily a Boston/Philly thing, but some European terms for these controversial, decorative candies are called: "Hundreds and Thousands" and "mice"
see here

Who could believe such an innocent little speckle of candy could cause such controversy? If you have any links, stories or photos that you'd like to share, please do!!!! I will include them in my blog and credit you, of course! Come on you Bostonians and Philadelphians alike! Oh and as noted in past articles, jimmies are chocolate, the colorful ones are sprinkles.
When I was 4 years old, my Mom and Dad would drive me and my little brother to Dairy Queen off of Rising Sun Ave. in eyesore Northeast, Philadelphia. I would order vanilla ice cream with chocolate jimmies, and my brother, chocolate with rainbow jimmies. Once in the car, I thought it would be funny to raise my ice cream cone up into interior roof of the car, splattering flecks of jimmies so they would adhere there, and telling my brother, "Look! ants, ants on the ceiling." Yep, I was a weird kid.

Wildwood 2009, still nothing has changed

2009-09-12T11:39:00.001-07:00

I have spent 5 hours today reorganizing and uploading images to my flickr account that has dormant for a long while now. So as I am desperately aiming to create a posting today I suggest (or wish) that you view my recently added images of Wildwood. at my flickr account and you get get to my older post of Wildwood here on my bog which takes you to an amazing video of the social culture in Wildwood that takes place in the 90's.
I was fortunate enough to take a mini vacation there this Labor day. The hotels have everything you need in one: pool, miniature golf, bbq pits, shuffle board, balconies and a theme. I still love it like I did when I was 6.

I heart New York

2009-09-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

A collaboration of observations and thoughts that passed last night.

Last night I went out for a run after work to the Brooklyn Promenade to work the bugs out, raise my spirits, and have my endorphins lift upward like baby moths to light.

Once along the promenade I fell deep into 'there is no place on earth like New York' syndrome. It was dusk and the pink-peach sun had spread and stretched out below and behind Wall Street reaching Lady Liberty. There was a good amount of people out admiring it while taking in these last nights of summer.

I feel chills when I see my fellow human race share the same sights of splendor as I do. It's like telepathy. I never have to experience any observation alone, as there is always someone to share it with my without words.

I ran up and down one lap and circled around again till the sun had completely set, arm length visions of small cell phones LCD screens looked like fire flies blinking and floating around. Why do I always long for summer when I know it is leaving. Hmmm that could say a lot about my dating pattern, huh? Speaking of which… as my reoccurring love affair with this city seduced me, my head began to make noise….. beautiful city, non-committal men, grandiose city, finicky men, superior and all encompassing city, insatiable men. God, I love you city, ugh forget men. You’ll always be my one true love New York, and the men can continue to set and rise like peach-pink sunsets over your big, protective all-giving hunky soul.

Wildlife in NY on the Highline

2009-08-26T09:44:00.001-07:00

Last night's beautiful sunset

2009-08-22T20:28:00.001-07:00

TGI Friday! dare to bare your flare!

2009-08-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

So after a friend initiated an uproar on FB by posting plans for a TGI Fridays setting a home in Union square, I like many others, felt depressed and cheated once more. I feel that New York has officially become the Midwest.
A city that once prided itself as the anti-sprawl, has become a strip mall. Gone are the days of social revolution, confrontational art, liberal and off-putting honesty and beliefs.
Artists, writers, and musicians once compromised the safety and security of their hometowns to live among the junkies, and urban abandonment, the crime and grim to thrive off their peers; the believers, doers, thinkers and drinkers.
Welcome to the mainstream. There used to be validation to paying high rents, living in the size of our teenage bedrooms. I am no longer validated by living in an ‘epicenter’ when there are more baby strollers than bars, more gyms than clubs, and more chain restaurants than rats, I’m out.
The architecture may remain archaic,but nothing else.
There is no edge. Young people no longer come here with a purpose, they come here to shop at Abercrombie and Hollister.
The suburban, mind-numbing twits that come in from LI, NJ bring nothing to this city. A few years ago we escaped to Brooklyn to find refuge, now there are more baby boutiques than there are $12.00 packs of bodega cigarettes! Because being a Mother today means that you are the Madonna, which entitles her to snip other’s heels with her 2 coffee cup holder, and cell phone charger equipped mega stroller while they breeze off to “Whole Foods” where you spend your “Whole” pay check, while the rest us chumps shop out of our own age bracket at Trader Joes. And who can even be bothered with that West coast crap when we really only eat out any way.
Anyway, in my tangent, what I am trying to relay is that I’m bored, and now trying to figure out why it is I continue to compromise as much as I do for what I left behind me in the first place!

The High Line, a NY highlight

2009-08-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

God Bless John Hughes. RIP and Thank You

2009-08-07T09:16:00.001-07:00

"Jake, you’re not going to believe this, but I had this bizarre dream, and you were in it."

"Come on Ma, I got my head gear on"

"I cant believe I just got felt up by my Grandmother"

"just one thing, Can I borrow your underpants for just 10 minutes?"

After the pinnacle and symbolic passing of my generation with Michael Jackson's recent death, and my being a severe product of the eighties, I'm feeling a harder hit with the passing of John Hughes. As a pre-teen/teen and now as an adult, I can still recite the entirety of "16 Candles". My first true love was a twosome. A cross between "Jake" and "Farmer Ted". Jake symbolized man-godliness, and Ted, the attainable, he'll-grow-into-his-own crush. They were the id and ego of my female desires. Now Claire, was my girl, she was me until the false end when her lust and grief was fulfilled. I mean don't we all dream of the hot senior leaving his HOT, but selfish and boring girlfriend for a mediocre looking gal? Well not in my high school, and not in yours, but John Hughes allowed us that glory in our psyche "high school."

TBC... I will be blogging on: Pretty in Pink" (great soundtrack), "Uncle Buck", and "Somekind of Wonderful", and possibly "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (as I was NOT a follower of this one) let the angry comments flow. Nor will I be blogging about "Home Alone". John needs to include kids because he had kids in this point in time. See blog regarding Hughe’s inner feeling towards Hollywood, his children and his best friend, John Candy. This is seriously an amazingly warm picture of John Hughes and his letters to a local teenage girl.
http://wellknowwhenwegetthere.blogspot.com/2009/08/sincerely-john-hughes.html
Also to come: The Brat pack: Where are they now. Well, we know where John Cryer is, we just don’t know WHY he is “there”.

As for Michael Schoeffling, aka. Jake Ryan, he lives with his wife Valerie Robinson, and their two teenaged children in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania, producing handcrafted furniture as the owner of a woodworking shop.Um is it me or is that hot? He is a plain ol wood workin man.

Starn Twins and the South Ferry terminal

2009-07-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

Tara Donovan

2009-07-20T05:43:00.000-07:00

While I am preparing my next post, I thought I'd fill the page with imagery that I find so beautiful and organic, porous and feminine, the works of Tara Donovan. I had to see if she was of Asian decent as these spoke hints of fish and flora life, hence she is not, and actually looks a lot like Bridget Fonda. People have told me that I look like Bridget Fonda, so in a sense she looks like me, my artistry kin.

She is the one in the middle. (all photos have been pulled off the web and are not mine)

2009-07-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

Coney Island, Cyclones game, fireworks on the beach, and beer at Rubys.

No, this is not Hawaii, it's Wildwood Crest

2009-07-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

After seeing a blog that highlights a gem of a film, by Ruthless Films titled, Wildwood , I had to post. My brother sent this to me on Thursday, and it was so worth it. Not only is it spot-on. It ties into my theme of places in which time stands still, and stagnancy is seen at it’s finest. Wildwood is the epidimy of that.

My family and I summered here in the 1970’s. To me, it was my wonderland, my Disney World, my American Dream to vacation in such the splendors of Wildwood Crest. We stayed in the Compass Hotel, and our cousins stayed across the street at The Shalimar was a step up from the Compass, garnished with purple paint and a pool that included caverns and bridges. The Compass was more humble. It was a nice orange themed motel with shuffleboard, a pool, and rooms equipped with kitchenettes. All the rooms had a shared balcony, and the high light was getting a bucket of ice down the end of the hall for our folks’ gin and tonics and sodas for us. At night the lights situated on the balcony would shine down upon the pool illuminated our vacation pod with a stunning view of the long stretched beach over the parking lot. We ate breakfast in our our kitchenette; cereal from the individually wrapped boxes where you cut the top open to the cardboard and pour the milk right in. Apple Jacks for me, Froot Loops for my brother, the Rice Krispies were always the left over boxes in the mix. After a long day at the beach, we’d come back to cook spaghetti and meatballs on the stove top, and again retrieve ice from down the hall, and over look the lit pool. Aaahhhh. Honestly, what more could a person ask for. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but as an adult I yearn to head back there for a weekend vacation with some girlfriends in hopes that these small things will still excite and thrill me, and honestly I believe it will.
If you have any Wild Wood stories yourself, I’d love to hear your comments.

Deerfield North

2009-06-22T21:14:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend In Bucks County, Pennsylvania for Father’s Day. Bucks County is a place in which I can count on most things and people to be in place as they were since I was a kid there and its landmarks can sometimes depict that stagnancy. And this sign is a prime example of that. I can still always be a kid, or a teenager when I go ‘home’

A few months back, in order to break in a new camera, I decided to document the Deerfield North sign. I have always loved its aesthetic charm, and the fact that it has been there since 1976. To me, the sign is representative of how time stands still there in more ways than one.

Deerfield North, a typical suburban division of Richboro and its welcome is this blocky, stone wall with a wooden sign with the title of our development etched into it, and unbelievably held up pretty well considering the weather in Pa. It has never been updated or replaced in all these years, and just a few months I finally decided to document this sign before the township awoke up one day to say, Wow, that sign is going into another decade and it wrecks of 1970.

Well, as time has it, two weeks ago the sign was uprooted by a drunk driver and has since been replaced with a modern sign. I didn’t notice this until I passed it this weekend with my Mother and was horrified to see in it’s place a ‘modern’ at least by Richboro standards, a brand new thin metal frame with the words Deerfield North in cursive on frail base, and so unappealing. It made me so sad to see, but so relieved that I took a piece of that memory with me before its fall to modernity.

images on the inside

A West Side Story

2009-06-08T15:08:00.001-07:00

I awoke Saturday morning with a horrible restlessness bordering on depression. I knew exactly what is it was, Change. I yearned for a new scenery, a purpose to life outside of the cement and routine of a 9-5 job. I was feeling stuck. I have been living in New York, Carroll Gardens, to be exact for 6 years. Prior to that I was living in San Francisco, also for 6 years, seeing the trend here? And to validate that feeling I was invited to; not 1, not 2 but 3 “Going Away” parties that same night. Man, was I reeling with jealousy but also, I couldn’t help but take it as a sign. If you ask me where I want to go and why, I will be flaky and answer, somewhere Latin, so I can fulfill my dream to speak fluent Spanish and to be in a place that is not New York. Another minute I may say that I want to live somewhere in Colorado or Maine or Vermont, any place I can hike and bike around daily. In any case, I yearned for the great out doors and nature that can compel me to have a great outlook on life and the world that surrounds me. I went to 2 of the 3 parties, both were in my neighborhood, just to make feel even more ‘stuck’. Both these hosts to were embarking on a new adventure; one, a 6 month residency, in India, the other, a year residency in Asia, and I wasn’t even getting out of Brooklyn that night! Pass one more pot cookie please, I need to go away at least mentally.

The very next day, this feeling of happiness and joy and utter pride and appreciation washed over me, and extinguished my self-imposed rut from just hours before. See, I purchased a new laptop the day before. It only took me three years of complaining how I needed to be technologically mobile, but too cheap to throw down the cash on such an imposing implement of technology. I despise most electronics, and hence my gradual craw into the 21st century. Yes, I was the last one to own an ipod, and when my employer enforced a Blackberry upon me, and I thought I would die. In any case, I had to buy an external hard drive from J&R, so I used that as an excuse to hop on my bike, head over the Brooklyn bridge and towards Battery Park up the West side high way along the water. It restored my love for New York again. I didn't need to leave New York, I just needed to leave Brooklyn and be a tourist. I’m all about being a tourist in my own city. It's like being on vacation everyday and they do not annoy me because I am sharing in their newness and pleasure, but I also own the pride of residing in my city. The water did wonders for my spirit, as did the rest of the greenery, flora and architecture I was unaware of.

Along the route I saw the gas station that my brother and I turn right at to get to the Holland Tunnel when heading home to Pennsylvania when visit our folks. It was closed down, the 2nd one that day. The first was one in Brooklyn went I went to get air in my tire. I have connections to most things here, and this is one of them, I didn't realize the connection until I saw it was closed down.

Memorial Day at the Met

2009-06-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

Why do most people go to the Met? To see a particular exhibit of course, or perhaps explore their romantic side and view the old steadies. Myself, I go for the best roof action in NYC.

I will go to the roof to grab an over priced martini and sit among the tourists as I look over the landscape of Central park, and all the ‘dripping wet rich’ apartment buildings. It is my escape. The art up there merely serves as my backdrop for outdoor drinking. The installation is quite nice to view, and no, I’m not a total ignoramus. I very much wanted to see this exhibit months in advance, and I did enjoy it. It was an installation of stainless steel branches, titled, Maelstro, by American artist, Roxy Paine.

I took a few snap shots of the long, silver, shiny branches, while overhearing an ignoramus ask, I wonder how they got this up here? I guess he didn’t know that A.) Um, all of the pieces were very visually welded together, and B.) There is thing called d a forklift, and c) A fairly feasible thing to imagine as it is being placed on an open roof. I needed to leave, all the European and country accents and comments were reminding me of why I don’t venture out to the city during weekends and holidays. I headed inside, back down to the exit.

Yes, of course I took in some of the art inside, on the way through towards the exit. And this caught my eye, not the art work itself, the room, the light and how the collection was so immaculately laid out, sort of my Aunt Mary’s humble collection in Northeast Philly apartment.
Ah, art is in the eye of the beholder that is trying frantically to find the way out of the elaborate institution. I had to seize my primary quest to ease my thirst for art, which was to see the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit at the Guggenheim. (I highly recommend it, but I'm biased, he is one of my favorite wonders.)

This was my day to walk and take part in MY city; I relinquished and was one with the tourists. After all that art and dry martini, I was starved, needless to say I was so absorbed in art viewing I missed the bbq back in Brooklyn. So I succumbed to my ache for a hot dog, and low and behold I had one, and why, because it’s New York. Oh and it being Memorial day, rules went out the window I had to get a chocolate cone with jimmies, yes, Philly folks call sprinkles, jimmies.

Art viewing art.

Harlan Ellison

2009-06-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Harlan Ellison You Tube Video
Today, like every Saturday, I was cleaning up my apartment while listening to NPR’s 360. Tuning in to the man being interviewed, I stopped and listened closer. This man, was so animated and this was just through the radio! He was blunt and honest, irate and enjoyable; such a pleasure to listen to, but most of all, this guy was funny! Reason why? As the wise words of Homer once said, “It’s funny cuz it’s true’. I grabbed the name of the interviewee of Kurt Anderson towards the break of the show, and he introduced his guest, as Harlan Ellison. I immediately put down my broom, hoped on the Internet and goggled him and this is the video I came upon. It couldn’t define his character any better, or demonstrate why I feel in love with this character, he is H-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s! Let the video speak for itself. This is for all you talented artists out there! Enjoy. And if you too, become an immediate fan of his, you are in luck. This piece is part of a movie on DVD, titled, Dreams with sharp teeth. You can download the 11 minute interview. The lesson here: Be yourself, be frank, and f*&ck Warner Brothers.

Bad Luck of the Irish (NY Press)

2009-03-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

Read my published piece in the New York Press.

My Top 5 New York

2009-01-19T06:23:00.000-08:00

1. Red Hook park pier at 8am in the early summer. Where black fisherman still exist and grab some time together before the pier becomes crowded and can enjoy their fishing tradition with an unobstructed view of the Statue of Liberty. You can hear and the ocean lapping against the land making hard to remember that you’re in Brooklyn. This place is rugged and open, and seems to remain a secret. In one case, one of the fishermen asks if I want to see what he caught, I look over and into his bucket, scream and recoil when I see a bloated, bluish, thorny looking fish with bulgy eyes reminiscent to Blinky. They all laugh and I respond with, that fish is so ugly you cant even use it for bait!

2. The Gowanus Canal located between Red Hook and Park Slope, and on the edge of Carroll Gardens is a sacred place that you will never have to compete with a tourist or any local for that matter, to have view while a leaning against the Union street bridge, one of the four bridges that this toxic canal passes through. Mostly known as the dumping ground for the Mafia back in the day. It sits on the edge of Carroll Gardens which has a reputation as ‘home’ to the mob. Al Capone’ wedding took place just a few blocks away in this predominately Italian neighborhood in St. Ann’s.

3. Carroll Gardens, is a place I call home, with tree-lined streets that meet Smith Street, the main strip, otherwise known as, ‘Little France’. There is Bartabec, Robin de Bois, Patois and a hair salon, Salon de Quartier. Patois, was a great little restaurant with horrible service, but heart warming food. It houses a dinning room with a hearthy fireplace, reflecting a cozy and intimate environment. It closed up and moved away from Smith street two years back to the city. It was wonderful for brunch where you could once indulge in roasted duck with poached eggs, unlimited Bloody Mary’s and coffee, and brown bread with butter that tastes like cream. It reminded me of having a late lunch in Dingle, Ireland.

4. Red Hook Recreational Center and Pool is the best thing to do to beat the heat. All you need is a bikini, a lock for your stuff, and some money. Claim a spot for your towel towards the end of the large, Olympic size pool (this is the pool they were going to use if we were granted the summer Olympics.) After a few laps, cross the street to the Latino Food Stalls, and enjoy some home-made Guatemalan tamales and Salvadorian empanadas. Burn it off, with a 5-block walk over to Sixpoints Brewery for a pint of Brooklyn’s finest atop the balcony to enjoy views of the sun set.

5. Pearl River is an over-priced, Asian store on Broadway close to Canal that specializes in super cool trinkets, you know, of all of the things you don’t need, but must have once inside. You go for two bags of the brown rice loose tea, and walk out with everything ranging from little silk purses, to bamboo placemats, wooden blinds and one of those cute ceramic waving, one-eyed cats. Once you have burned through your wallet, after making that one final purchase of a gold dipped dog with money in it’s mouth, for the Year of the Dog, you spend what ever you have left over on stocking stuffers and gifts for out-of towners on Canal street.

I AM FROM...........

2009-01-19T06:22:00.000-08:00

I am from

I am from red candy apples, chalk on pavement, and hopscotch
I am from plastic covers that protect living room furniture
From the game ’Twister’ and Shoots and Ladders
I am from ‘Threes Company’ and ‘Little House on the Prairie
I am from tiny individual cereal boxes that come in a “variety pack”.
I’m from vacations that include motels with a kichenette, a hallway that leads to an ice vending machine, shuffleboard and fake palm trees
I’m from frozen dinners and take out pizza, with the thin crisp crust and the gooey cheese
I’m from the city of cheese steaks and soft pretzels, mummers parade, disgruntled fans
I am from Atari, Simon, Parcheesi and tag
Tag at night, in the summer, after catching lighting bugs and mosquito bites
I’m from the twilight of the tv screen in a darkened room
And an imagination all my own

POEMS

2009-01-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

:: train ::

Ladies and gentlemen
I’m hungry
A dollar
A nickel, a penny, anything would help
Maybe a piece of fruit
And if you are feeling up to a hug

Heads shift up out of habit
But then retire back to their book
Anywhere to avert their eyes

Same ol' song and dance
For some, this F train
has been their performance space, platform , and sounding board
for years

No woman, no cry no woman no cry
I remember whenna' we used to it…

In between, fade outs of public speeches and entertainment
we sit unfazed or at least sport a mask of sub-emotion
fade back in, and become the clinking, the clattering of the train amid a fog of conversations

“Delancey, East Broadway next stop”

train escorts us along
paranoia sets in, of my fellow, intimately situated stranger
reading my most private of thoughts
I look up to determine that he is quite submerged in his own reading
My narcissism, such self-importance to assume this stranger is just aching to share in even just a glimpse of my material
My profanity on paper

Any concern for privacy
Material for my own consumption

look around and take in all of the people in my wide-angle view, my telephoto
outcry of averting eyes
towards public ads: CUNY
Legal assistance, en espanol

Glasses, sans glasses, headphones, black, white, ipods, iphones, blackberries, songs seeping tinny through cheap phones, muffled crap music through others

A palette of fluorescent light and mundane hues, not too foreign from the office I just escaped

We ride in this familiar interior for 20 minutes and more a day strangers to one another we are the pole holders, or the lucky few who are the seat dwellers
We are strangers we are each other, we are new Yorkers.
(end)

::transport me, transfer me::

Transport me, transfer me
Serrendipously, lovingly
In this vessel, this silver submarine
Sleepy and serene
With out an exterior scene
We are forced to look with in
With those we share this 60 feet tin
A temporary place with our urban kin

United we stand
United we claim our place in this 20 minute space

Us lucky ones sit

Unyielding
Colors in dream
redeem
a seat or
a lean

Conversations in Yiddish, Russian ,Spanish
Brooklynish

We ride along in a daze, day dreaming to be someone else, somewhere else
(end)

: love ::

A grab from around the waist
As she does the dishes
A stern, ‘not now Joe’
To follow

‘to my beautiful wife’
‘to my loving husband’
this is how they address one another
on paper during holidays

she wears the pants
he provides them

she dictates
he educates

she reads circulars
he cuts the grass
she leans into the dishwasher
he smacks her ass

they argue, they fight
they bitch and they yell
they dwell
in safety and support
in love
a communion only they can know

kids they come and go
they come and go

pets they live and die
they live and die
a couple , they grow and grow
fore ever they grow

he calls her Bell
she calls him Joe

(end) created for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary

Marriage

2008-09-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

Marriage

A grab from around the waist
As she does the dishes
A stern, ‘not now Joe’
To follow

‘to my beautiful wife’
‘to my loving husband’
is how they address one another
on paper

she wears the pants
he provides them
she dictates
he educates

she reads circulars
he cuts the grass
she leans into the dishwasher
he smacks her ass

they argue, they fight
they bitch and they yell
they dwell
in safety and support
in love
a communion only they can know

kids they come and go
they come and go

pets they live and die
they live and die
a couple , they grow and grow
forever they grow

he calls her Bell
she calls him Joe

Welcome to my Blog

2008-02-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my Blog