Saturday, May 30, 2009
100 Word Bio-Brent~~5/30/09
Brent and Krystal had Biology II together last semester. The two of them forged a loyal friendship over their disgust of Victoria, a friendship that grew to be a little bit more. At least that’s what Brent lead Krystal to believe. When she worked up the courage to ask him out, he said that he liked her…but was stressed over his job and didn’t want a relationship at the moment. Typical guy response. Or so I thought. The other night we ran into him at Wild Wok, and by his behavior I’d say he actually does like her. Afterwards, Krystal…
Friday, May 29, 2009
100 Word Bio-Leah~~5/29/09
Last summer, I heard a lot about Leah from my friend Millie, though I didn’t meet her until last Christmas. Millie and I were in Barns and Noble when we suddenly ran into Leah. Afterwards, Leah sent me a friend request on Facebook, which I accepted. We sent one another a couple of comments, but nothing serious happened until I posted something about Battlestar Galactica on my status, to which I got a ecstatic comment about how much she loved the show. It’s too bad this happened during Battlestar Galactica’s last season. If we had met during it’s first season…
Thursday, May 28, 2009
100 Word Bio-The Guy Who Needed Pee~~5/28/09
The Guy Who Needed Pee, is what I call him, since I don’t know his name He is a guy who approached me one day, as I was eating in the WPCC cafeteria, and asked, “Do you smoke weed?” “No,” I replied, shocked. But before I could open my mouth he said, “Good, then I need you to do me a favor…pee in a cup for me.” I choked on my sandwich. “What?” “Man,” he replied, “I’ve got a meeting with my parole officer today at-” he glanced at his watch, “Actually I’m already late. See, I smoked last night…
100 Word Book Review-Paradise Lost~~5/26/09
Paradise Lost has been described as the best work of English Literature, and it’s a fitting title. This epic poem, told in twelve books, recounts the fall of Satan and his attempt to seek revenge on God by foiling his plan for creation. One of the interesting things about this story is that it is told from the point of view of Satan himself. Though he is never depicted as a hero or justified in his actions, it is hard not to feel a twinge of sympathy for the prince of darkness, who, despite his best efforts, will never win.
100 Word Bio-Rebecca~~5/23/09
Rebecca started working at Food Lion several months after I did. We went to high school together, even had some of the same teachers, yet we never ran into each other. From what Rebecca has told me she had a rough life growing up, but she’s done well to pull herself out of it. She’s moved into a home of her own, has a steady part time job, and is paying her way through nursing school. We’ve had many good talks while working late together, and she’s really opened up to me. I’m glad I had the opportunity to listen…
100 Word Bio-Spiffy~~5/22/09
Spiffy is one of Meg’s best friends. On the last day of the semester, Randy stole Meg’s phone, and Spiffy and Meg chased him around the Student Services building for about an hour before getting it back. One of the coolest things about Spiffy is her voice. She has this little high pitched squeak that should be annoying, yet makes her lovable. One day, Mindi were talking while Randy and Spiffy were chatting away behind us. We stopped our conversation just in time to hear Spiffy say, “Gone are the days when boys have cooties and not STDs.” All four…
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Fantasy Fiction~~5/17/09
I always thought it was weird that Fantasy fiction had such a bad rap among “literary” circles. Well, I guess if you only read the low-brow stuff, filled with swords and sultry eyed princesses and horrible dialogue (you know, the kind you find in Wal-Mart), then maybe you would come away with a distain for the genre. But Fantasy has so much more to offer. Take the book I’m reading at the moment, The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss. It’s a tale of a boy who enters a school for wizards (however, this university is about as un-Hogwarts as you can get). After a series of events, which I won’t give away, the boy gets kicked out, and becomes a dark-magician of sorts. The rest of the book chronicles his descent into darkness and redemption from it. The author delivers a very serious treatment of the themes, and the world established is intricate and almost as complex as the “real” one in which we live. All in all, it’s a mature book, written by a very mature artistic hand.
This is just one of the many examples of great fantastic literature that lines the shelves at bookstores all across the world. And yet, even though the “popular culture” eats up fantasy, “intellectual” literary critics, readers, and university professors shy away from it. Why? The excuse is usually that fantasy is about a make-believe world, and therefore doesn’t offer anything to say about our own, or that fantasy is too melodramatic and over the top.
This first excuse is odd considering that most of what we consider classic literature takes place in worlds much different than our own. The many different worlds of the ancient Greeks, King Arthur, Shakespeare, and even Jane Austen are very different from our own, and yet, because each work deals with human beings, and human being don’t really change, there are enough parallels to make these stories resonate with a contemporary audience. As for the second excuse, that Fantasy fiction is too melodramatic, and not realistic. Well, I ask you, how realistic are the works of Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde? Since when did absolute realism become a necessity for great works? If that’s the case, then we need to throw out most of what we consider important literature, and start over. Perhaps its just easer to exclude this type of literature, instead of redefining our current standards of what literature is?
I don’t know.
I guess what I’m simply trying to say with all this is don’t judge a book by it’s cover…or genre. And I suppose I’m trying to entice people to branch out a little, and pick up a book or two from a genre that they don’t normally read. You might be surprised by what you discover.
This is just one of the many examples of great fantastic literature that lines the shelves at bookstores all across the world. And yet, even though the “popular culture” eats up fantasy, “intellectual” literary critics, readers, and university professors shy away from it. Why? The excuse is usually that fantasy is about a make-believe world, and therefore doesn’t offer anything to say about our own, or that fantasy is too melodramatic and over the top.
This first excuse is odd considering that most of what we consider classic literature takes place in worlds much different than our own. The many different worlds of the ancient Greeks, King Arthur, Shakespeare, and even Jane Austen are very different from our own, and yet, because each work deals with human beings, and human being don’t really change, there are enough parallels to make these stories resonate with a contemporary audience. As for the second excuse, that Fantasy fiction is too melodramatic, and not realistic. Well, I ask you, how realistic are the works of Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde? Since when did absolute realism become a necessity for great works? If that’s the case, then we need to throw out most of what we consider important literature, and start over. Perhaps its just easer to exclude this type of literature, instead of redefining our current standards of what literature is?
I don’t know.
I guess what I’m simply trying to say with all this is don’t judge a book by it’s cover…or genre. And I suppose I’m trying to entice people to branch out a little, and pick up a book or two from a genre that they don’t normally read. You might be surprised by what you discover.
100 Word Bio-Chandra~~5/16/09
Chandra is a nineteen year old mother, who was in my sociology class last semester. “You, know,” she told me one day. “Most people think that because I had a kid when I was young that I’m a bad mother, or that it was an accident. But it’s not true.” And it’s really not! Chandra is a great mother. She’s brought her daughter by school several times, and she’s probably the happiest baby I’ve seen. Every day, Chandra shows me new pictures that she’s taken of her child and husband doing cool things. They go places all the time, and…
Friday, May 15, 2009
100 Word Bio-Victoria~~5/15/09
When I first met Victoria she had a three letter name…and a penis. Yep, I can truthfully say that I went to school with a transsexual. And a snobbish, nasty, freaky one at that. Victoria thought she was the best thing to happen to Mr. Hipps’ Zoology class since the first formation of a Blastula. He started taking hormones at the beginning of the semester, and by the end had himself a pretty nice set of kadoncas. Krystal swears up and down that one day, as he walked past her, one of them turned and glared at her. In all…
100 Word Bio-Nicole~~5/14/09
It did hurt, momentarily. But I now recognize the traps in that way of thinking, and I didn’t let it drag me down. I don’t believe that you are replacing me with him, but it still felt good to be reassured. Thank you. I love you. And, for what it’s worth, I do still think about you all the time, and it’s not a bad thing. Stop worrying, and be happy during your trip. And remember, if you see a gay guy outside that famous tea shop who looks like he’s about to chuck his teacup at you, run because…
A Little Book Pimping~~5/13/09
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that Cody Hamrick hates Jane Austen. I’ve tried on several occasions to read her work, and I just can’t stomach it. It takes her forever to make her point, and when she does, it’s generally not worth the wait. Plus I don’t like romances.
I was very excited when I discovered that Millie disliked her as well. Austen-hating has been a private pastime for the both of us for a while now. Two nights ago we were in Barns and Nobles when we passed a display of Jane Austen books, at which we promptly turned our noses up. We walked around some, commenting on various books and making small talk, when suddenly we turned the corner and, to our surprise, found an Austen book we both simply had to have.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is the name of the book, and it’s a remaining of the Classic…except for the obvious addition to the plot. The cover bares an image of the portrait of Elizabeth Bennet, except her eyes are red, and the lower half of her jaw and neck have been torn away revealing her bones and blood that is dripping down her period style dress.
I’m starting it just as soon as I finish my current read, and I would urge everyone else to go out and buy this book as well. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t read it yet, trust me, this will be a good one.
I think I’ll read it as I take tea.
I was very excited when I discovered that Millie disliked her as well. Austen-hating has been a private pastime for the both of us for a while now. Two nights ago we were in Barns and Nobles when we passed a display of Jane Austen books, at which we promptly turned our noses up. We walked around some, commenting on various books and making small talk, when suddenly we turned the corner and, to our surprise, found an Austen book we both simply had to have.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is the name of the book, and it’s a remaining of the Classic…except for the obvious addition to the plot. The cover bares an image of the portrait of Elizabeth Bennet, except her eyes are red, and the lower half of her jaw and neck have been torn away revealing her bones and blood that is dripping down her period style dress.
I’m starting it just as soon as I finish my current read, and I would urge everyone else to go out and buy this book as well. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t read it yet, trust me, this will be a good one.
I think I’ll read it as I take tea.
100 Word Bio-Millie~~5/6/09
Last summer when you came back from your trip I surprised you with a pair of giant glasses and a trip to the green way. We sat on the dock, with our feet in the water and ate subway sandwiches while drinking A LOT of Mountain Dew and talking about our problems. A few days ago, we were walking through Target when I said, “You know, I think we are very different people than we were last summer.” And it’s true. And I’m happy for it. I’m so looking forward to meeting your boyfriend and to all the experiences that…
100 Word Bio-Stoner Cody~~5/2/09
Stoner Cody is the third member of the Cody triangle. He get’s his nickname because, well, he’s Cody, and most of the time he’s stoned. He has long blonde hair and wears a toboggan, which makes him look like, swear to God, Jay from Jay and silent Bob. Cody can tell some amazing stories. One day, Me, Cody, and Cameron took Stoner Cody to Los Arcos and listened to him tell stories for a couple of hours. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt for two days after that. My favorite part was when Stoner Cody stumbled onto a giant…
100 Word Bio-Randy~~5/1/09
Randy is twenty five, and in my World Civilizations II class. He took tennis this semester and, on the last day, after he played his last match, smashed the racket on the ground rock star style. He follows me and Mindi to Sociology, and everyday walks into the classroom with us. We keep trying to get him to sit down one day and see if the instructor notices, but so far we’ve had no luck. Randy likes to pretend he’s Mindi’s kid, and threw a fit for ice cream one day, which is why we all went to TCBY. Afterwards…
100 Word Bio-John~~4/29/09
John is a student in my sociology class. Every day, upon entering the room, John has to go over to the wall and touch it three time while singing some song. Needless to say he has some special condition. Needless to say most of the class discredits him. His angry outburst two weeks ago didn’t help him make any friends either. However, John is actually a very intelligent kid. He reads Einstein, The Tao Te Ching, The Crucible, cheap science fiction, anything he can get his hands on. When he told me he couldn’t read until the 6th grade I…
Utopia~~4.27.09
We could be riding
Bareback riding on stars
We make it sharper,
sharper than it should be
Pierced with metal
Chocked with Ivy
Lost in tombs dusty
We could be diving
Headfirst diving into wonders nebulous
We make it shallow
6 foot shallower than it could be
Wrapped in seaweed
Drowned in sermons
Broken from unforgiveness
Cry from unfairness and wait for change
I think change has dry eyes and is waiting on us.
Bareback riding on stars
We make it sharper,
sharper than it should be
Pierced with metal
Chocked with Ivy
Lost in tombs dusty
We could be diving
Headfirst diving into wonders nebulous
We make it shallow
6 foot shallower than it could be
Wrapped in seaweed
Drowned in sermons
Broken from unforgiveness
Cry from unfairness and wait for change
I think change has dry eyes and is waiting on us.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
100 Word Bio-Cassie~~4.23.09
God, how do you start this one? As I told my friend Millie, you pretty much need an encyclopedia to explain the mystery of Cassandra. When I was in the fourth grade, me, Cassie, and several other students were in the gym at Tabernacle Christian School. For some reason unneeded desk, tables, and other pieces of classroom equipment had been gathered in a large pile at the back of the gym. One of the desk had the word FUCK scratched on it’s surface. “Oh, that’s a bad word,” said someone. Cassie replied, “Fuck? Fuck’s the name of a movie.” We…
100 Word Bio-Meg~~4.22.09
Meg is Mindi’s daughter. She is skinny, gothic, and has a head of orange-red hair. She goes to school full time at Piedmont, and has a part job at the Burke County Public Library, which I think is awesome. Meg has some pretty strange interest: the German language, abnormal psychology, Dante’s The Inferno, and different genre’s of techno music with weird names-Danco”, “popno”, “Scremo”, “Hidden House”, etc. She also has an array of nicknames, such as NutMeg and Meggiesarurs. Meg writes Dark Poetry, in which she creates narrators with various psychological abnormalities and has them tell stories about their life…
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Gold~~4/21/09
NOTE: This is the second draft of the poem Another Species that I posted a few days ago. I went in a different direction with this version, but hey, you have to stay open to the creative process. There are still a few lines that aren't up to my standards, and I might go back and play with them some. But for the most part, I'm happy with it.
Gold
So Alone, I
Feel flesh in a world of stone
What I’d give to be shown
The ways of alchemy
Trembling, I
Give into thought blind
And only trust a shine
Straight from your glittering cities
So Alone, I
Feel flesh in a world of stone
What I’d give to be shown
The ways of alchemy
Trembling, I
Give into thought blind
And only trust a shine
Straight from your glittering cities
Tumble as it winds
Up to
What you know
Is true
Could we be a gold
Of different kind
In a way, I
Sang the mining song of fools
Clutching plastic jewels
Reading small futures
Holy shit, I
Confused the taste of gravel
With heated bricks of babble
And melted from my own tortures
Tumble as it winds
Up to
What you know
Is true
Could we be a dusty
Trailed from the same mind
Catching eyes from all the looters
Both a capital crime
Can we be a gold
Of a different kind
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