Wednesday, July 31, 2013

some deadlines just come and go

so i spent most of today going through old papers that need to be shredded, listening to some new music, and watching all the baseball trade chatter going on online. i'm not shocked that the Yankees did nothing. management seems determined to drive that team right to mediocre. that should go over well with the fan base.

the Yankees lost last night 3-2 on a walk off hit by the Dodgers. i've been beaten down by this season so much that the anger doesn't even last anymore. yet another game where the pitching was good enough to win but the offense, outside of Overbay, did nothing. i give them even less of a chance to win tonight against one of the best pitchers in baseball.

the season finale of Deadliest Catch was great last night. next season will be pretty different with so many guys leaving or changing crews.

tonight i'll be watching Big Brother and the best show on television, The Bridge.

i did get my order from amazon.com today. so, you'll be seeing some strange names in the music section of the posts. today will be a perfect example.

i may sneak in a few views of the MLS All-Star game tonight as well.

today has been pretty damn dreary out here on the farm. no sun at all. just this haze that is filled with apathy.

add another cat to the danger list. i haven't seen my cat Jermaine Jackson in a few weeks now. i'm pretty sure both it and the cat Walt Whitman are both gone for good. i suppose by the middle of August i'll know for sure.

well, just finished my lunch of a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk. not sure if that will help my stomach or not. the way my body has been acting here lately, perhaps it is time for a lobotomy or an exorcism.

and with that lovely visual in your minds, i bid you a fond farewell for today.

music:

Jason Isbell - Southeastern
Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
Houndmouth - From The Hills Below The City
Paloma Faith - Fall To Grace

"It isn't what they say about you, it's what they whisper." - Errol Flynn

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

another one of "those" days

i was feeling pretty good this morning. i was just getting done with some stuff on YouTube when my stomach decided it was going to stage a protest rally. i haven't eaten anything crazy or out of the ordinary here lately, so i have no fucking clue what's going on with me. so, after the rest of the morning on the toilet i decided what better to do than mail out some poems.

i sent out 8 poems this afternoon, 3 to The Camel Saloon and 5 to miracle e-zine. when i hear back from these places i will pass along the news here.

i was hoping the rest of my shipment from amazon.com was going to be in the mail, but of course it wasn't. i know it's at the damn post office, they just haven't worked it yet.

the Yankees are on the west coast this week, so i'm going to have some late nights. the next 2 games are going to be tricky against the Dodgers. i'd be really happy with a split considering they are facing their best pitchers.

also tonight is the season finale of Deadliest Catch. judging from the previews, there's going to be a gruesome injury tonight. i'll definitely have my eyes glued to that before i flip to baseball.

Monday Night Raw was pretty good last night. i was in and out of it as it was taped last week so i pretty much knew what was going to happen.

the humidity really picked up today so i finally shut the house up. it looks like it may actually go back to being summer here after this rain works through the area. my luck the grass will grow a foot in the next 3 days.

that's all for today. i've got some floors to vacuum, a long shower to take and maybe a nap.

music:

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - Live! In Chicago
Jackyl - Choice Cuts
Anthrax - Worship Music

"So vast is art, so narrow human wit." - Alexander Pope

Monday, July 29, 2013

a relatively quiet day

i slept in a bit this morning. i figured maybe if i didn't pay much attention to Manchester United this morning they would play better. more on that in a bit. it's been so unseasonably cool here lately and with being able to sleep with the windows open, i've been getting my best sleep in years.

i did catch some highlights of the first half i slept through and caught a few minutes here and there of Manchester United's 5-2 win in Hong Kong. once again, Zaha looked like an absolute stud out there. i really hope he gets to be a regular this year with the big boys. he looks like he will be a star sooner rather than later. and thankfully, i haven't heard of any injuries. i'll enjoy that victory beer later tonight.

the Yankees are off tonight so i guess it will just be Monday Night Raw this evening.

i went through some poems earlier today and believe i have the 8 i'll be sending out later this week.

the shows last night were pretty damn good. Big Brother was what i expected. The Newsroom was excellent once again. Ray Donovan was great as a few more layers to the story developed. and lastly, Total Divas was better than i expected. i remember when the divas match at Wrestlemania got cut, so it was interesting to see the behind the scenes of that. and hats off to Bryan Danielson for giving all of us hairy guys out there hope.

the first part of my order from amazon.com showed up today. and it worked, so i'm a happy boy.

the weather didn't blow the trash around like i feared last night, so i didn't have anything other than empty trash cans to pick up at the end of the lane.

that's pretty much it. hopefully this weather holds on for a few more days. looks like it might rain in the middle of the week. if i was a responsible adult, i'd get the grass mowed before then. thank god i'm not.

music:

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Nothing But The Water
Pink Floyd - The Wall

"Talent is a flame. Genius is a fire." - Bernard Williams

Sunday, July 28, 2013

the sweet smell of victory

so i slept in this morning and awoke to computer problems. thankfully, i know just enough that i can troubleshoot the little shit. and if that doesn't work, reboot. thankfully, that did work.

i've been really pleased so far with the response to the poems i've had published the last 2 days. a really nice shot of confidence.

after getting the animals fed and the trash down to the road, i settled in for the Yankees game. Jeter comes off the disabled list and hits the first pitch he sees into the stands. the man is a walking movie. Hughes was pitching, so i knew no lead was safe. he coughed up a 3-0 lead and a 5-4 lead. it was really nice to see Soriano have a great game, as well as Ichiro, and the Yankees win in a walk off. or as one reporter put it, a Jeter home run, Soriano game winning single and a win for Mo, say hello to your 2003 Yankees.

watched a little bit of the Brickyard 400 today. all 5 of my drivers on my fantasy team finished in the top 9. that will work.

that went right into team USA winning the Gold Cup 1-0 over Panama. i am so happy for them. they absolutely deserved this trophy. hopefully this gives them the momentum on the way to Brazil for the World Cup.

last night was a night of watching fights on tv. i caught the last hour of the UFC on Fox. and then a tremendous night of Boxing on Showtime. if you can catch a replay of that, i highly recommend it. and then another great episode of ROH. anytime i can see a show with a steel cage, chairs, tables, a fireball to the face, lighter fluid, and a few package pile drivers with Kevin Steen winning, i'm a happy boy.

tonight i'll bounce between Big Brother, The Newsroom, Ray Donovan and i'll humor myself with watching Total Divas. i'm tuning in for the behind the scenes shit from the WWE, i swear.

i really hope all those shows are great tonight. this has been a pretty damn good Sunday. a little unseasonably cool, but i really don't mind that.

here's hoping all is good in your neck of the woods.

music:

Joe Bonamassa - LIVE from nowhere in particular

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other." - Abraham Lincoln

my 3 poems in Pyrokinection

my poems "slice of utopia", "the princess myth", and "bleed out rainbows" were published this morning at Pyrokinection. you can find the poems by going here:
http://www.pyrokinection.com/2013/07/three-poems-by-jj-campbell.html

Saturday, July 27, 2013

another wasted Saturday

this morning started off with some rain. and then that rain decided not to stop. after about 8 hours or so, it finally ended. i'm pretty sure we got well over an inch. no flash flooding that i could see and the crops seem to be handling it pretty damn well. the sun came out and it actually turned into a pretty decent day. i was able to open up the house again and let the breeze in.

after CC shit the bed again last night in the Yankees 10-6 loss, i was really hoping today was going to be better for them. i turned on the game and soon realized it was blacked out for me. so i followed the game a little bit online but mostly just decided to check in from time to time. yet another game where the offense decided it was better to just bake in the sun than do anything productive. 2 damn hits and yet another shutout loss where the pitcher has pitched less than 97 pitches to get the complete game. it's happened 4 times this season, 3 to the Yankees. fucking ridiculous. i'll watch tomorrow for a little bit, mostly because Jeter is supposed to be back and they are honoring Matsui as well. but once the soccer match starts, goodbye...

i did find out this morning that team USA's coach will be banned from the sidelines for the Gold Cup Final tomorrow against Panama. hopefully it won't matter. i am looking forward to them hopefully getting to raise that trophy once again.

honestly, i haven't done jack shit today. the internet has been surprisingly good so i have been trying to catch up on some YouTube viewing from the last week or so.

other than cleaning some toilets tonight and watching some ROH late tonight, i have no clue what i'm doing this evening. i may try to sit down and write a few poems. i've got a few lines swimming in my head that i need to put somewhere.

hope this finds everyone well, drunk, creative, insane, rich or enjoying a final breath.

music:

Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
Jamey Johnson - Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran
Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A.

"It is one of my sources of happiness never to desire a knowledge of other people's business." - Dolley Madison


this never ends well

my poem "this never ends well" was published today in Regardless Of Authority #2. you can find the poem by going here: http://regardlessofauthority.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/jj-campbell/

Friday, July 26, 2013

misery with no company

so i was sitting there this morning. having just gone through all my emails without the internet crapping out (more on that later). having been up for over 3 hours as i watched Manchester United this morning in Japan (more on that later as well). just getting ready to enjoy a little breakfast and watch the Dan Patrick Show when my stomach starts to grumble. and not in the i'm hungry kind of way. more in the i'm getting ready to shit my pants kind of way. luckily, i made it to the toilet. if i had to describe the event, think of the toilet scene in Trainspotting. and now you know just how my day has gone.

Manchester United got lucky to get a 2-2 draw in Japan this morning. take away a gigantic brain cramp from Smalling and maybe the performance would have looked better. i was really happy to see Zaha score in added time. the kid has worked so hard and it is really obvious he's ready to play with the big boys right from the start.

while doing some internet surveys this afternoon (one of the trillion ways i try to make some money) the internet decided to just shut the fuck down. just fucking lovely. thankfully, it was a survey i could get back to without losing everything. this would be where i take a shit all over Frontier Communications but i'm not going to. this is simply the luck of the draw in a community that treats us people in the township like the pieces of shit they all believe we are.

Big Brother went as i expected with the vote and the new HOH is the one most of America hates, which could make the show interesting this week. hopefully the MVP twist works out again with production's favorite cunt back on the block.

Wilfred was one of those special episodes where it helps if you have smoked pot before or spend way too much time thinking about thought. conscious and subconscious. luckily, i am one of those people so i loved it.

i guess the New York Yankees have completed the trade for Alfonso Soriano. it'll be interesting if he's in the lineup this evening. god knows with how fucking bad their hitters from the right side have been this season, he can't be any worse. i'll be watching that for most of the evening.

i might sneak in a few views of wrestling tonight. other than that, i figure the rest of the evening will be spent hoping the Imodium continues to work.

somehow i figure this is all karma regarding my father in some regard. thankfully, as a writer, i know how to use the pain for the page, so in the long run, i have the final laugh. at least that's the plan.

on the bright side, i did get the movie i won from one of my surveys in the mail today. a copy of The Dark Knight Rises. i figure if i truly get bored this evening, i'll watch that yet again. maybe watch the whole trilogy. somehow i figure all of this ends up with me at 2 in the morning with a pen in my hand.

hope everyone has a better weekend than i will.

music:

Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
Beth Orton - Sugaring Season

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw

Thursday, July 25, 2013

response from The Fox Chase Review

i heard back from the fine folks at The Fox Chase Review on my poetry submission from July 19th. my poem "love just got thrown to the floor" has been accepted for publication in the Autumn/Winter 2013 edition of The Fox Chase Review. when the poem gets published i'll be sure to pass along the link.

damn near elation

when the Yankees lost last night i mostly brushed it off because i was still happy about the team USA win in the Gold Cup. so, when the Yankees played this afternoon with their best pitcher on the mound, i had high hopes they could earn a split in the series. and that's exactly what they did. 2-0 win. great pitching from the Yankees. a victory beer i enjoyed greatly. they next play tomorrow night back home against a Tampa team hotter than cow shit in July. it's pretty damn close to do or die for the team at this point.

team USA played another great game for their 10th win in a row. 3-1 over Honduras. next game is the Gold Cup final on Sunday against Panama in Chicago. these 2 teams played a classic in this situation back in 2005. i wouldn't be shocked if it happens again. i just hope that the coach of team USA will be on the sidelines for the game. no word yet if he will be or not as of right now.

i think i know who is getting evicted tonight on Big Brother. i'm more interested on who wins the next HOH. that could make for a very interesting week if someone unexpected wins it.

other than that, tonight i'll be watching Wilfred. looks like another classic from the previews.

last night's episode of The Bridge was fantastic. i'm quickly becoming a huge fan of the show. it truly is can't miss television.

i'm hoping to hit the bed early tonight as Manchester United plays early in the morning again from Japan. hopefully they play better than they did in their last match.

i'm really looking forward to my order from amazon.com. my musical tastes are getting pretty weird here lately. and i'm toying with the idea of getting a mandolin and a turntable. of course, knowing how i am, within 2 months both would be collecting dust.

tomorrow will also be one of those weird days for me as it is my father's birthday. the father i haven't seen since Jan. 23, 1995 even though we have always lived in the same county in the same state. i believe he turns 67. don't be shocked if a few poems don't suddenly pop into my head tomorrow and i'm babbling about them on here.

another tremendous day of weather here. it's supposed to rain this weekend but it looks like i'll get one more night with the windows open. that's definitely one thing i will miss if we end up having to move away from the farm.

that's pretty much it for today. hope everyone is having a great week and looking forward to a better weekend.

music:

Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights

"I intend to live forever, or die trying." - Groucho Marx



Wednesday, July 24, 2013

finally able to let the house air out

so i was planning what i was going to write about the Yankees last night and out of nowhere, the fuckers came back and won a game. completely unexpected. blow a 3 run lead, then come back on the second best closer in the American League and win 5-4. that was one victory beer i certainly enjoyed.

the humidity has finally broken here big time. this morning it was 58 degrees. such a relief. this afternoon it's only in the mid 70's. pretty rare when i can open the windows and let the house air out in July.

a little sad news i need to pass on. i do believe my cats Gizmo 2.0 and Phantom of The Opera have died. i haven't seen either in over a month now. i figure the coyotes have struck again. my next worry is my cat Walt Whitman. i haven't seen him in 2 weeks. i have seen plenty of new kittens that are starting to be a little more curious each day. not sure how many of them will actually make it to winter.

tonight is one of those nights where i really wish i had a DVR. all of this is roughly on at the same time. Big Brother will be a bit of a shocker tonight. i would watch it but i will be watching USA vs. Honduras in Gold Cup action. also on at that time will be the Yankees. i might follow that online. then a little Duck Dynasty into The Bridge on FX. those will be on while Mexico is playing in the Gold Cup. i know i'll watch team USA and The Bridge for sure. the other shit will be on commercial breaks i guess.

that's pretty much it for today. i've got some dishes i need to do, 2 newspapers to read and a real long shower to take. the weather is nice but my back is barking like i'm 80 years old. fun.

music:

Foy Vance - NoiseTrade Sampler
Kanye West - The College Dropout

"All human wisdom is summed up in two words; wait and hope." - Alexandre Dumas

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

just another day in the 937

i just love waking up before the crack of dawn and watch Manchester United lose. just fucking great. i did figure this would be one of the tougher games of the pre-season tour. they played a side that is in mid-season form and it showed in the second half. a 3-2 loss. second loss of the tour. i'm sure a good number of fans are jumping off bridges. they tend to forget the number of times the team struggled in the pre-season under Sir Alex. that being said, i do hope Moyes gets some fresh blood on the team soon. they need it badly.

it was a pretty dense fog this morning. and the sun burned that off and has created quite the weather show this afternoon. a blazing sun to hail and thunder to more blazing sun. felt bad for the tree trimmers the power company sent out here. the hail came as they were trimming back some branches.

i didn't watch much of the Yankees last night and apparently i didn't miss much. they only had 3 hits in yet another loss. and then the news this morning that they are on the verge of bringing back Alfonso Soriano. sure, why not. he's 37 and on the downside of his career. he'll fit in great with all the other retreads on the team. part of me wishes they would tank the season and blow up the team. the other part of me wishes The Boss was still alive and running the show. this shit wouldn't have happened like this this season.

Monday Night Raw was excellent once again. when you have a final hour dominated by CM Punk and Daniel Bryan you can't go wrong. always funny to see guys wrestling against each other in 2013 (Bryan vs. Cesaro) when you can remember the same match around 2004 in ROH (Danielson vs. Castagnoli). i give the WWE credit though, make the last hour great and you tend to forget if you were bored or not in the first two hours.

i figure tonight i will give my usual glance to the Yankees until they piss me off and then i'll turn to Deadliest Catch for the rest of the evening.

i did a little shopping on Amazon.com today. the usual mix of music that should never go together: metal, techno and folk. but always nice when you can get 12 CD's at around $7 each.

for those of you keeping score, out of the 16 poems i sent out on July 7th, 8 of them have been accepted and/or published. i tend to look at these stats like a baseball batting average. and anytime i can bat .500 i know i'm doing pretty damn good.

that's all for today. i figure i better sign off before the internet goes out AGAIN.

music:

Tool - Undertow
Miles Davis - Ballads & Blues
Gin Wigmore - Gravel & Wine

"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Winston Churchill

my 5 poems up at BoySlut

my poems "that little prick writer", "a faint notion of sweetness", "fireworks in the rain", "slinking off into the shadows", and "a criminal on the run" have been published at BoySlut. you can find the poems by going here: http://boyslutpublications.com/2013/07/22/j-j-campbell-five-poems/

Monday, July 22, 2013

not sure it's healthy for one to be pissed off for this long

i did something last night/early this morning that i really try to never do. i went to asleep pissed off beyond belief.

and it wasn't about the Yankees losing on a walk off home run in the 11th inning. it was more about the fucking umpire getting a call wrong in the top half of that inning that really set me the fuck off. i could understand if it was a bang bang play considering these old fucks were up way past their bedtimes. but this wasn't even close. and 20 seconds later ESPN had the replay to prove it. god forbid a baseball game goes 20 seconds longer to get a call right. and people wonder why no one under 30 gives a shit about this sport anymore.

so that pissed off feeling has basically lasted all day long. from the gigantic shit i took this morning, to the rain forest feel of the air as i was feeding the animals, to the standing water in the basement/cellar, to the rust on the water filter after just 10 days of use, to the downpour i was walking in to get the paper and mail.

i was hoping a nice long shower was going to help, but it didn't. i was hoping music was going to put me in a different frame of mind, but no luck there either. fuck it.

i did watch Big Brother last night. not much different than how i thought it went. The Newsroom was excellent once again. and finally, Ray Donovan had me laughing my ass off. the final scene in the gay bar had me nearly in tears.

not sure i'll pay much attention to the Yankees tonight. they start a new series in Texas 7 games out of first place. i won't throw in the towel but i'm not sure if i can say the same for the team.

probably the only good news in the last little while was team USA destroying El Salvador yesterday 5-1 in Gold Cup action. probably their best performance of the tournament. next game is Wednesday against Honduras. hopefully they can extend the winning streak to 10 games.

i'll probably be hitting the bed right after Monday Night Raw this evening as Manchester United plays early in the morning in Japan, i believe. at least the plan will be to go to sleep. i figure i'll achieve that by 2 am or so.

that's all for today.

music:

Sara Watkins - Sara Watkins
PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
Cat Power - The Greatest

"I think all actors are supposed to be character actors." - Dennis Farina (Feb. 29, 1944 - July 22, 2013)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/07/22/dennis-farina-dies-at-69/2575117/


Sunday, July 21, 2013

after the storms and the heat wave

a massive cold front moved through here yesterday. we had a few storms out here at the farm. enough that the satellite kept going in and out. a perfect time for me to catch up on my sleep. i must have slept for a few hours. we got mostly rain during that time, no damage that i could see. i spent the rest of yesterday mostly watching soccer, Gold Cup, MLS, Mexican First Division, etc, etc.

amazingly, the Yankees played a good game yesterday and won 5-2. figures, since i wasn't able to watch it. i did see the highlights, which included this amazing double play
they play tonight to try to win the series. i'll watch a little of it. if they keep winning without me watching my superstitious ass will have to abide. of course, by the time my Sunday night shows are over they might still be playing.

another great episode of ROH last night. it certainly did the trick to make me want to see what happens next week.

i was really hoping the cold front was going to break all this fucking humidity we have here. but, it has stalled and now the air is thicker than shit outside. it was like wearing a sweater when i went out to feed the cats this morning. so, another day inside i suppose.

i'm really looking forward to seeing team USA play today in Gold Cup action. i would love to see them extend the longest winning streak in national team history. i feel pretty good that they will be able to do so. i believe the game is on FOX today.

tonight will be the usual viewing of Big Brother, The Newsroom and Ray Donovan. hopefully all 3 are good.

since i have really caught up on my sleep now, i figure i will be up late tonight. i'm hoping to maybe crank out a few poems.

hope everyone is having a good weekend.

music:

Grant Lee Buffalo - Mighty Joe Moon
The Steel Wheels - Live @ Ignition Garage

"There is no friend as loyal as a book." - Ernest Hemingway


Saturday, July 20, 2013

for once, getting up early was worth it...

considering when i woke up at 5:30 this morning to watch Manchester United play in Australia, i had just fallen asleep around 2 or so. so, when they scored in the 11th minute or something like that, i was very pleased. they went in to half up 2-0 and went on to win 5-1. the team played much, MUCH better than last week. what i really loved was how good the youth looked. i definitely wouldn't mind seeing them get more and more chances as the preseason goes on. first win at Manchester United for David Moyes. here's hoping there are plenty more to come.

after the victory, i had a little breakfast. then fed the cats and birds. got the dishes done as well. and i figure after i clean the toilets and help my mother put groceries away, i'm taking a fucking nap.

i did watch bits and pieces of the Yankees game last night. and it wouldn't be a Yankees game if their wasn't yet another fucking injury. this is beyond ridiculous now. and this one came to someone in their 20's. thankfully, i don't live in the viewing area for today's game. sounds like the perfect time to sleep.

2 more bird feeders were knocked down this morning. i'm really hoping once this heat breaks and we get some rain, the animals won't need to go after the feeders for awhile at least.

when i was out this morning nearly every bone in my body was aching from the rain in the air. of course, none of it was hitting the ground but i can feel it's definitely coming.

not sure what i will be watching this evening other than a little ROH late tonight. maybe i'll catch a movie on one of the channels or something. speaking of movies, i actually won a free movie from one of the survey places i belong to. now, if i can add that to the poems i sent out yesterday getting accepted, i'll definitely think of that as one of my better Fridays ever.

that's all for now. i do hope everyone has a great weekend. until the next time...

music:

Cypress Hill - Black Sunday
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Ruckus Roboticus - Playing With Scratches

"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." - Edmund Hillary

Friday, July 19, 2013

the end of this heat, please...

looks like this unending streak of days over 90 degrees may finally be coming to an end. and hopefully we get some rain to end it. the crops are starting to look a little thirsty.

i sent out 11 poems today, 5 to Nerve Cowboy and 6 to The Fox Chase Review. when i hear back from these places i'll pass along the verdicts.

the Yankees start back up tonight up in Boston. they placed Derek Jeter back on the disabled list earlier today. i can't remember a season with so many damn injuries. of course, when the majority of the team is around my age, it's understandable. not exactly sure how much of the game i will watch tonight.

i did catch the episode of The Bridge i missed. holy shit, what a great show.

thankfully, on Big Brother, the new HOH is a breath of fresh air. maybe a girl will finally go home this coming week.

Wilfred made me laugh a good number of times last night. deep, belly laughs. that show has nearly crying with laughter every week. i can't recommend it enough.

i'm hoping to get to bed early tonight as Manchester United is playing at like 5 in the morning or so. and i of course will be up to watch it. hopefully they play better than they did last week.

that's pretty much it. i have some floors that i need to sweep and a newspaper to read.

great, some thunder in the air and the internet is fucking up again.

music today:

Nine Inch Nails - With_Teeth
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
Tesla - Time Makin' Changes: The Best of Tesla

"The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself." - Douglas MacArthur

response from Regardless Of Authority

i heard back from Michael at Regardless Of Authority on my poetry submission from July 7th. my poem "this never ends well" has been accepted for publication in issue #2. it is due out August 1st.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

another day in the heat

just another miserable day out here on the farm. the sun has been relentless. at least most of the animals have been smart enough to stay in the shade and drink some water. of course, overnight i had three bird feeders get fucked with. at least nothing was broken.

i didn't do much last night other than try to enjoy being able to get online again. i watched most of Big Brother, telling my mother what really happened and how CBS likes to edit the show to keep with their story lines, not what is actually happening. and then i started watching Duck Dynasty. and like a dumb ass, i completely forgot that The Bridge was on last night. so, i will be staying up tonight to watch it at 2 in the morning. fuck, i need a DVR soon.

the internet has been a little spotty today. mostly due to the fact that all these children stay indoors and stay online all day long. as one tech put it to us, we're at the end of the line. we get whatever broadband is left. it makes for so much fun in the afternoons and after midnight as i imagine most of those kids are looking at porn after their parents have gone to bed.

i'm being slightly entertained with the silly season and Manchester United. plenty of rumors for me to laugh at. i wouldn't mind if they signed someone soon though. i'm getting a touch restless.

with another guy going home tonight on Big Brother, i really hope someone unexpected wins HOH so maybe a girl goes home next week. that show will be like nails on a chalkboard if it's just the women left.

and of course, my laughs for the evening will be with Wilfred on FX. i love that show.

if i'm not too tired come morning, i'm going to try to get some poems together to send out. just 2 submissions at the moment. i've got a little more time than i thought on the third submission. that will allow for some other editors to get back in touch with me and perhaps change what i'll be sending out. of course, i wouldn't mind if everything i sent out gets accepted and i have to write some new ones quickly. (like that's going to happen)

that's pretty much all for today. here's hoping you are cool wherever you are...

music today:

Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - Fit To Be Tied
AC/DC - Back In Black

"If you're going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you're going to be locked up." - Hunter S. Thompson


old park benches

my poem "old park benches" was published this morning at The Camel Saloon. you can find the poem by going here: http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/2013/07/old-park-benches.html

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

back on the grid

i haven't been able to check my email or anything up until a few hours ago. when the tech from Frontier Communications noticed that our signal was lower than dial up, the genius realized something had to be done. whatever he did do, so far, it has worked. and i was able to get through the 82 emails i had in a little over 24 hours in less than 30 minutes. before the change, i imagine that would have taken me over 6 hours. a huge fucking difference.

so, i will try to squish 2 posts into 1 for this one. my thoughts on Monday:

i didn't watch much of Home Run Derby but i did get the winner right. as for Monday Night Raw, it was excellent once again. they did a great job of setting up some major angles for the next PPV. plus, having RVD wrestle Y2J made the wrestling fan from 10 years ago smile widely.

now from yesterday:

a big win for team USA over Costa Rica, 1-0. they win the group and are pretty much the #1 seed for the quarterfinals for the Gold Cup. next match is on Sunday.

i was very happy to see that the hammer of god won the All Star MVP. sadly, i was watching when Cano got hit with a pitch in the 1st inning. i nearly threw the remote through the tv when it happened. just what the fucking Yankees need, another damn injury.

Deadliest Catch was great as usual last night.

i have absolutely no clue what i'll be watching this evening. i will do my best to avoid the shit programming on ESPN this evening. i guess i'll watch some Big Brother and then maybe a movie on one of the 100 or so movie channels i have. who knows, maybe some more writing.

i did write 6 poems during my time off the grid. i typed them up yesterday and they are really good. i need a few more and i'll have all the poems together for the 3 places i'm sending to. i really hope (especially if the internet doesn't flake on me again) to these submissions out by the end of the week.

the weather here is still a big hot mess. hopefully we'll get a little rain here soon. i doubt it will provide much relief, but the crops could definitely use a drink.

funny, just as i was typing that the internet has gone out again. i always wonder what my life would have been like if i would have listened to the 8 year old me and grabbed the rope and ladder and climbed the tree. well, at least i got through the damn emails.

and now i'm going to keep typing like a fool who thinks the internet will come back on and this will actually get posted.

music for the last 2 days:

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Van Morrison - Moondance
Willie Nelson - The Essential Willie Nelson
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty

"Study the past, if you would divine the future." - Confucius

Monday, July 15, 2013

another one of those Mondays

just spent the last hour of my life trying to get this blog to even load. i just fucking love Frontier Communications. i imagine if this service doesn't get any better soon, my main goal in life will be to bring that company to its knees.

a quick recap from yesterday...

the Yankees took the day off and didn't give a shit about what happened in the game. a 10-4 loss which gave the Twins their first series win in New York since i was in my mid 20's and still thought i could get pussy at any time i wanted. my, how times have changed. thankfully, there is no baseball for the next 4 days other than the All Star shit i couldn't care about if i tried. so, the Yankees are out of my mind and considering the first series back is in Boston, they may stay out of my mind for quite some time.

i watched bits and pieces of the NASCAR race. a decent day for my fantasy team.

Big Brother bored me as i pretty much knew what happened already. i just wanted to see if they were going to show more racial shit, which they did. i can't wait for when these fucks get outside of the house.

The Newsroom was superb last night. i am a language whore so i love shows that are verbose and fast. i give Sorkin credit, he's never let me down in that regard.

Ray Donovan was great as well. i laughed my ass off with the library scene. i imagine that will be me in my 60's or 70's. watching black women twerk on the screen as i tell some young punk next to me i'm an ass man.

judging from the reports i read from the Money in the Bank PPV last night, tonight's Monday Night Raw should be outstanding. i'm really interested to see how all the shockers from last night play out over the next few weeks. plus, RVD should be there. and with Heyman turning on CM Punk last night, all i can imagine is a verbal exchange for the ages. which also means that Brock Lesnar should be there for the angle to really explode. all in all, should be an interesting 3 hours. and the more interesting it is, the less tempted i will be to watch the Home Run Derby tonight.

i got invited to send poems to 2 magazines today. one i know has to be in by the end of this month. i guess i need to get my shit together here quickly. plus, i have a print zine i need to send to as well. thankfully, the weather sucks at the moment so i will gladly sit in the air conditioning and go through poems.

looks like we had some hungry deer visit the bird feeders last night. i sprayed the repellent today. what a god awful smell, especially when it's already 90 when you are spraying. thankfully there wasn't much wind.

hope the weather and the internet service is better in your neck of the woods...

music today:

Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No Grave
The Allman Brothers Band - The Allman Brothers Band
Walk The Moon - Walk The Moon
Elvis Costello - The Best Of Elvis Costello: The First Ten Years
Foster The People - Torches

"I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money." - Pablo Picasso

Sunday, July 14, 2013

so much for the much needed relief

i went out this morning to feed the animals and take out the trash and within 2 minutes i was sweating up a storm. and today is the cool day as the next 5 days are all supposed to be in the 90's. great.

the Yankees disappearing offense made an appearance yesterday as did 3 Phil Hughes mistakes that ended up in the seats as the Yankees lost 4-1. the last game before the all star break is coming up in a few minutes. i really couldn't give a shit at the moment what happens today with them.

thankfully, team USA had a better day yesterday, beating Cuba 4-1. they played great in the second half and have now qualified for the quarterfinals in the Gold Cup. next match is on Tuesday against Costa Rica. winner wins the group.

after that game, my mother decided she wanted to go out for an early dinner. we went to a place we hadn't been to in awhile. pretty decent and happy hour was still going on. so i was drinking on the cheap. she certainly didn't mind that.

got back from that and i went through some old shit that was in a closet mom was cleaning out. i am a notorious asshole who doesn't throw shit away. especially like envelopes and responses from places i have sent poems to or from bands that have sent me music from back when i did reviews. so, in the pile of all that was some emails from 1999. from a former girlfriend at the time. who would later be known as the only woman i have ever given serious thought to marrying and having kids with or the woman that still owes me $2,000. talk about a mind fuck with those.

it didn't lead to any poems as i have written about her so much over the years, but i'm sure eventually i'll squeeze a few out. i did fall asleep last night while watching ROH. nothing against the product, i was just spent. woke up at like 2 am, hopped online, checked some emails, saw the verdict in the case in Florida and that the guy from Glee had died. i imagine there's a poem in there somewhere.

tonight i'll watch a little Big Brother, The Newsroom, and Ray Donovan. hopefully while enjoying a victory beer. underneath a fan. cool.

i did manage to take a few pictures while i was out this morning. below are my 3 favorites. the other 6 can be seen on my Google+ page.



i do hope everyone is having a good weekend. and hopefully the weather isn't a form of hell where you are at.

music today:

John Prine - In Person & On Stage
Guy Clark - Songs and Stories

"I love mankind; it's people I can't stand." - Charles M. Schulz


Saturday, July 13, 2013

you were warned about places like these

my poem "you were warned about places like these" was published today at Dead Snakes. you can find the poem by going here: http://deadsnakes.blogspot.com/2013/07/jj-campbell-poem.html

not exactly how i wanted the weekend to start off

so i got up this morning, checked my email (internet is still slower than shit), fed the animals and sprayed for insects inside and out of the house. got all that done in time to watch Manchester United play.

and then i sit down in my favorite chair and watch them lose 1-0 to a bunch of guys i have never heard of that all play in Thailand. not sure how i should take the first game of the David Moyes era. it was only a pre-season game, it was hot, not the whole team... or THEY LOST TO A BUNCH OF FUCKING NO NAMES IN THAILAND... i hate losing at any time. i will tuck this one away with a grain of salt. a good number of big names weren't there. but, there was easily enough talent to win the game. on the plus side, barely, the 2 kids looked pretty good. i'd like to see them get more of a shot in the coming games.

i'll be watching the Yankees play here in a bit. they won a rain soaked affair last night 2-0. Jeter didn't play as it was revealed he has a grade 1 quad strain. he's out until after the all star break. it never fails with this team.

and hopefully i will see a much better soccer game played when team USA plays Cuba this afternoon in the Gold Cup. it's on the FOX national network, so i'm guessing Gus Johnson will be calling it. it should be entertaining.

saw a great interview last night with Stone Cold Steve Austin. it was on AXS TV. i highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

after all my sports today i get the feeling i will be helping my mother clean the house a bit. oh joy.

also, if the weather doesn't turn too shitty this weekend, i will hopefully take some pictures of a few things i saw while mowing the grass yesterday.

other than a little ROH this evening and maybe some Big Brother After Dark, i will be either catching up on sleep or writing until i'm bleary eyed.

until tomorrow...

music today:

Massive Attack - Mezzanine
Don Henley - Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits
Beastie Boys - The Mix-Up

"Am I grumpy? I might be. But I think maybe sometimes it's misinterpreted." - Harrison Ford

Friday, July 12, 2013

the more things change...

i've had an interesting few days with Frontier Communications. they admitted that the farm is technically 0.02 miles outside of the high speed internet coverage area yet couldn't answer why the fuck did they sell us the service to begin with. and then they made the mistake of telling my mother that the service has been upgraded and nothing else is planned. well, i imagine after a few emails and angry phone calls from a woman that would love to work from her home instead of going into the hospital for everything, some shit may change here soon. shockingly, the service has been good so far this morning. amazing how the squeaky wheel always gets some grease.

it was good to see Derek Jeter back yesterday for the Yankees. he did a little of everything while at the DH spot in the lineup. they won 8-4 to split the series. and it wouldn't be this year's Yankees if the captain didn't have to leave the game late with quad tightness. give me a fucking break already. he has a MRI later today i guess. i have no clue if he'll play tonight against the Twins.

Wilfred made me laugh as always last night. i always wonder the amount of pot smoked when writing that show.

i did watch Big Brother last night. was expecting the one guy flipping, but not the second. the real fun came after Helen won the HOH and the mean side of the house decided to strike first before they get put on the block. and it's always funny to watch a racist who doesn't understand that she is racist. it was very close to a mini race riot last night on Big Brother After Dark. i would love to see how CBS would have shit their pants if that would have happened.

i did sneak in a little of the Gold Cup last night while managing my frustration of not being able to check my email. looking forward to watching team USA tomorrow.

and it looks like i'll be getting up earlier than i thought as Manchester United will be playing in Asia in the morning. i saw where they had to send Wayne Rooney home with an injured hamstring. if it's not one thing it's the other. fucking incredible. i'm still hopeful they sign someone useful here soon but i'm growing increasingly doubtful it's going to happen.

i will be mowing some grass here in a few hours. thought i'd take advantage of a rare dry day that's only going to get into the low 80's with comfortable humidity in July. it's mostly weeds except for a few spots.

and thankfully i was finally able to shit this morning. i went 42 hours without one. i will say this about Imodium... it really fucking works with me. almost too good.

didn't write anything last night but i am planning on it over the weekend. and i'm hoping to hear back from a few places as well. got a few print submissions i know i need to make here soon.

that's pretty much it. hope everyone has a great weekend.

music today:

Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots A UFO
Radiohead - Live at Tramps June 1, 1995
Florence & The Machine - Addicted to Love (MP3 Single)
The Crystal Method - Busy Child (MP3 Single)

"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it." - Henry David Thoreau

Thursday, July 11, 2013

why am i up before noon

i managed to post my ramblings yesterday in this blog right before a huge storm rolled through. we didn't get too much damage, just minor shit really. but, a few miles north and they had hurricane force winds and the next town over is still without power this morning. i'm constantly amazed at how lucky we get out here.

the Yankees offense woke up last night, finally. 3 run homer from Cano and a grand slam from Overbay in a 8-1 win. Nova was dominant on the mound once again. i believe he has finally found it. and a nice little rumor this morning, Derek Jeter is going to be called up for the game this afternoon. i'll definitely be tuned in to see if that is true or not. and hopefully watch the Yankees split the series.

i got to enjoy one of my favorite beers last night after the Yankees victory. Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. that little pop of cherry after each drink... perfect. i could drink that beer endlessly until the day i die.

i did watch The Bridge last night on FX. holy shit that was good. definitely will be watching it again. enough plot twists and turns that should keep me interested for the summer.

i did watch Big Brother as well last night and after reading some overnight recaps this morning, i'm afraid i'm going to be in for another sad eviction tonight. looks like it's possible that a member of the all guy alliance has turned on them. while it should make for great trashy tv, it also means that production's little darling Elissa is going to be staying. yuck.

after that tonight i will luckily have Wilfred to turn to for some laughs. that show never disappoints.

there are some Manchester United rumors this morning that i'm not very happy with. starting to remind me of a few years ago when they lost a player at the last moment to a rival. i'm really hoping it's not a case of deja vu. i suppose time will tell, most likely in the next 4 days.

i heard last night on the news that the local pro soccer team will be playing a friendly against Wigan next Tuesday. i'm really tempted to travel to see that one. not sure if it's going to happen though.

i haven't been outside this morning, but it certainly looks like the stranglehold of humidity might have finally broken. if i can feed the animals and not be dripping with sweat after 5 minutes, i'll be happier than a pig in shit.

the poetry itch needs to be scratched again, or so it feels. after the journey into the public yesterday, i believe i may have a few thoughts to be put down on paper this evening. i would have done that last night but my anger with Frontier Communications over the internet going out again at 1:15 am while i was in the middle of doing a survey (for money) royally pissed me off. 3 times at a time where 95% of the people around here are asleep, even the fucking teenagers. i'd love to switch providers but everyone else out here sucks as well. pretty sad when we have to entertain moving just so we can get a more reliable internet service. maybe one day these fuckers out here will wake up and realize it's the 21st century.

allow me to step off my soapbox now...

hope everyone has a great day. i really hope i do.

music today:

Niki & The Dove - Instinct
The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers

"Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute." - Josh Billings


Wednesday, July 10, 2013

the radar has all these pretty colors on it

went out shopping with my mother this morning. we got everything and was back home before 1 pm. considering we went to a few places, i was pretty pleased. 1 thing i hate about being in public though is i'm a very observant person, almost to the point of the creepy stare type of guy. when you have a long goatee and do this, you tend to get some looks. some days i enjoy it. when it's 90 fucking degrees out and the humidity is at 95%, i don't.

the Yankees got a complete game from CC last night. unfortunately, the offense thought all they had to do was score 1 run. another loss, 3-1. 3 runs in the last 30 innings. not fun. another game tonight. all i can imagine is more frustration on my end.

thankfully, team USA whipped Belize last night in Gold Cup play 6-1. 3 goals from Wondo in the first half and Landon Donovan became the first American with 50 goals and 50 assists in a career. they next play Cuba on Saturday afternoon.

the New York Rangers signed 2 more of their restricted free agents today. both at really good terms. they might have to do a trade to free up a little more money to sign the remaining 2 they need/should sign.

Deadliest Catch last night was great again. i missed the first little bit of it as my mother and sister arrived back home right as it was starting. i did the good child thing and helped carry in bags and whatnot instead of sitting on my fat ass and watching the show.

as for tv tonight, i may watch Big Brother (even though i know about 95% of what is going to happen). i do hope to watch The Bridge on FX. i have seen many reviews raving about the show. knowing what FX puts out, i imagine it's going to be good.

that all of course will happen if the storms coming doesn't knock out the power or the satellite feed. fingers are crossed.

hope this finds everyone well.

music today:

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Live from Alabama
Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO (& other American stories)

"Love is a reciprocal torture." - Marcel Proust

my 3 poems in Zygote in My Coffee #142

my poems "to a beautiful woman in new jersey", "true love", and "control" have been published in Zygote in My Coffee #142. you can find the poems by going to www.zygoteinmycoffee.com. others with work in the issue include William Taylor Jr., Shane Allison, Doug Draime, Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal, and many more.

below are direct links to my poems

to a beautiful woman in new jersey
true love
control

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

the breaking point

apparently there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train. it's supposedly a cold front that will break this seemingly never ending cycle of days with temps in the 80's or 90's with a humidity higher than 80% every single day. the forecast calls for lows in the 50's in a day or so. as usual, i'll believe it when i see it.

the Yankees offense has went into the shitter once again. they were facing a pitcher last night that hadn't beaten them since 2009. so, of course, the Yankees lose 5-1. i watched the bottom of the 9th inning in great horror as the bases were loaded with nobody out. the next 3 guys proceeded to all strike out. i suppose the only highlight of the game was the grounds crew struggling to put on the tarp at the start of the rain delay. what a great start to HOPE week.

Monday Night Raw last night was excellent. some great wrestling, highlighted by Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus, Chris Jericho vs. Curtis Axel, and Randy Orton vs. CM Punk. all 3 of those matches were top notch. the Wyatt Family debut was superb. the powers that be played it perfectly with the entrance being completely in the dark. Bray Wyatt will be a huge star before too long if they do this correctly. toss in a new gm that should surprise people in the long run and you have youth finally being served on the show. i'm damn near tempted to buy the PPV on Sunday. it won't happen, but i will anxiously await the results.

i'll watch the Yankees tonight until Deadliest Catch comes on. judging from the commercials, this looks like another can't miss episode.

and then team USA plays in the Gold Cup against Belize. on the west coast so i'll be up pretty late for my old ass. but, i should be enjoying a victory beer afterwards. can't say the same for the Yankees game.

a big thank you to Frontier Communications for the $25 taken off the bill for the last month. still should have been more considering the shitty product we get, but i'll gladly take it.

i'm pretty happy i got this done before the storms are supposedly going to hit. we've been missed for the last few days, so i'm figuring it's going to hit us tonight.

hope everyone is well. until tomorrow...

music today:

The Band - Greatest Hits
Pearl Jam - 10/31/2009 Philadelphia, Pa

"I want every girl in the world to pick up a guitar and start screaming." - Courtney Love



Monday, July 8, 2013

what a little sunshine can do

i was able to stretch my back out last night, at least to the point where i could walk without fearing it would lock up and drop me. that eased my mind enough that i was actually able to get some decent sleep. that and the humidity breaking a little bit.

i actually put on my sunglasses today for the first time in weeks. of course, there's a chance of rain for the next 18 hours. but, that little bit of sun did raise my spirits some. or, it could have been the college girl i watched masturbate in her college library for most of the morning. either or...

hopefully the Yankees can start a new winning streak tonight against the Royals. it's HOPE week at Yankee Stadium. they usually have pretty good success during this week.

i am really looking forward to the debut of the Wyatt Family tonight on Monday Night Raw. after all those creepy vignettes, i really hope the writers don't fuck this up. plus, the show has been on a pretty good run. hopefully that continues.

Ray Donovan last night was great. i am hooked on that show for sure. i believe The Newsroom starts up soon as well. my luck both will be at the same time. thank god for the west coast feeds.

my mother called me today from Savannah, Georgia. i believe that is the final stop on their vacation. from the sound of it, she's bringing back some honey from this little shop in town. i've had it before and it is amazing.

the New York Rangers signed their best d-man to a 6 year contract today. when i heard the average hit on the salary cap was 4.7 million i was happy. the rumblings over the weekend was it was going to be around 6 million. this leaves a little more money to sign the other restricted free agents.

i'm hoping they have picked up the trash by now. it wasn't gone by the usual time this morning when i went into town to get the mail. i was planning on going into town to get some dinner tonight, so i'm hoping i won't have to make a third trip to get the cans.

that is all. i will hopefully have some poetry news for you soon.

music today:

M83. - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses - Junky Star
Grouplove - Never Trust A Happy Song
Heartless Bastards - Arrow
Grizzly Bear - Shields
Icona Pop - Iconic EP
Old Crow Medicine Show - O.C.M.S.

"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great." - John D. Rockefeller

response from The Camel Saloon

i heard back from Russell at The Camel Saloon on my poetry submission from yesterday. my poem "old park benches" has been accepted for publication.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

a change in plans

so after the Yankees lost today (first blown save at home for Mo in 3 seasons almost) i hopped in the shower. and of course, i managed to tweak my back while in the shower. talk about fun.

so, i decided since i can't do much more than sit at the moment, i would just type up and send out the poems now. so, i sent out 16 poems today, 3 each to Dead Snakes and The Camel Saloon, and 5 each to BoySlut and Regardless of Authority. when i hear back from these places i'll pass along the news here on the blog.

i was very happy to see Andy Murray win Wimbledon. being a bit Scottish myself, i was very proud to see it finally happen. not often you see a 3 set match that goes longer than 3 hours. the few final points were especially grueling.

not sure if i'm going to watch Big Brother tonight or not. i may try to get some light stretching in to see if it helps my back. besides, since i follow all the online sites, i already know what's going to happen for the next 2 shows.

i do plan on watching Ray Donovan though as everyone i've seen talking about it has been raving about tonight's episode. i'll take the bait as i really liked the first episode.

that is all. until tomorrow (hopefully)

oh yeah, the sun came back out today. figures i would be spending most of the day in a chair.


watercolors part 3

after another Yankees win yesterday, their season high 6th in a row, and after cleaning up my truck a bit (those Armor All wipes really work), all this rain and clouds and life just got to me. so, i put on some music and went to some really dark places. i'm always a little concerned/amazed when i do this and creativity comes to mind. i'm not sure i want to see what happens when it doesn't. anywho, i broke out the watercolors and here are the results.







another great episode of ROH last night. i really enjoyed it.

i've got the Wimbledon finals on right now. i'll have that on in the background for most of the morning most likely. i've got some floors to sweep, toilets to clean, and trash to pickup. on top of that, animals to feed, a shower to take, a Sunday paper to read, and some poems to email out. i have decided on the 16 poems i'll be sending to a few different places. i'll do that late tonight to relive my old tradition of sending out poems on late Sunday night/Monday morning. that's how i used to spend most of my 20's it seems like.

i do plan on watching the Yankees later today. hopefully they can get their second straight sweep. also, a little Big Brother this evening and Ray Donovan on Showtime.

and now for a shameless plug... be sure to pick up your copy of Sofisticated White Trash today. follow the links on the upper right hand side of this blog and do take advantage of the discounts. (it's on sale at amazon.com last time i checked)

hope everyone is having a great weekend. maybe tomorrow i'll write about the sun miraculously reappearing. or maybe not.

music today:

Florence & The Machine - Addicted To Love (MP3 Single)
Trampled By Turtles - Burn For Free

"The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost." - Gilbert K. Chesterton



Saturday, July 6, 2013

guess what... more rain

i was wondering when i woke up this morning at 7:30 after roughly 3 hours of sleep, why? then i looked outside and noticed the rain. ah, for most people rain helps people sleep. for me, it makes my back so damn tight that i can't sit still, or lay down or walk around. and people wonder why i openly talk about death and drugs.

the Yankees had a HUGE walk off win last night over Baltimore. i didn't think it was going to happen with all the chances they pissed away last night. Nova pitched better than i have ever seen him. a complete game, only a few hits allowed and he was throwing 96 in the 9th inning. they play again here in a few hours. hopefully they can keep the good streak going.

after that, i completely forgot that team USA was playing Guatemala in a friendly tune up for the Gold Cup. luckily i remembered before the start of it. USA with a huge win, 6-0. congrats to Landon Donovan on becoming the first American to score 50 international goals. i am looking forward to the start of the Gold Cup on Tuesday i believe.

so, with 2 victory beers in me, i decided to break out a new notebook and start some poems. i wrote 4 really good ones last night. i typed them up this morning. after the Yankee game this afternoon, i'm planning on going through all the poems and getting the next batch ready for submissions. that is if the rain doesn't stop. if it stops, i'll be outside trying to clean my truck up on the inside for the first time in EVER.

a big thank you to Frontier Communications for once again providing the slowest high speed internet on the face of the earth.

i've got a feeling this evening might be the night i break out the watercolors.

i did go to the Manchester United website yesterday and watched a bit of the David Moyes press conference. i did find it funny how Sir Alex told him the job was his. also, Wayne Rooney isn't for sale (so far) and i'm so happy that my second favorite player of all time, Ryan Giggs, has accepted the role of player-coach. to see a guy who started around the same time i started rooting for the team still going is amazing.

peace and chicken grease.

music today:

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - The Heist
Various Artists - Def Jam 1985-2001: The History of Hip Hop, Vol. 1
Everlast - Today (Watch Me Shine) (US CD Single)
Dr. Dre - The Chronic

"We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot live without human affection." - Dalai Lama

Friday, July 5, 2013

a little bit of everything

the power went out today. it was planned so the power company could upgrade some lines. it was supposed to be out for 1 hour. it was out for 3 minutes. you can imagine how happy i was as i was resetting all the fucking clocks in the house after that.

actually went to the grocery store today for the first time in a long time. but, it was just like the old days for me. get in and get out. i suppose i spent more time in the beer aisle than anywhere else. typical crazy guy cart: milk, beer, sunflower seeds, finch feeder, 3 bags of kitty litter, and some car cleaning supplies. i believe i have this recluse thing down now.

the Yankees tried to give away the sweep yesterday but ultimately won 9-5. they play Baltimore here in a few minutes. hopefully they have some revenge on their mind for this weekend.

critter update: i have figured out why the groundhog went missing. we now have 1 adult groundhog and 3 babies. just fucking great. also, my cat A Boy Named Sue somehow was able to hide a kitten from me for 6 months or so (i'm guessing from the size of it). needless to say i'm hoping the coyotes get busy real soon out here.

today was the start of free agency for the NHL. the New York Rangers made 2 minor moves. i was hoping they were going to get their restricted free agents signed today, but so far nothing on that front. there were a few surprises and a bunch of bad contracts. thankfully, the Rangers haven't made that mistake (yet).

i did watch that Philly Jam the Roots put on last night in Philadelphia. that was really good. a pretty diverse group of musicians.

i have to figure out what i'm eating for dinner tonight and what i'm going to watch if the Yankees start pissing me off. the beauty of DIRECTV i have found, i can usually find something.

i have a feeling this may end up being one of my infamous late night writing or painting sessions that end with a shower at 4 in the morning. if that happens, i will try to share the details sometime tomorrow.

my mother and sister made it down to South Carolina without any problems and seem to be having some fun. hopefully they bring me back something nice.

i hope everyone has a great weekend. now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

also, i hope you enjoy the 2 podcasts i added to the right side of the page...

music today:

Warren Haynes Band - Live at the Moody Theater

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." - Edgar Degas

Thursday, July 4, 2013

knee high by the 4th of July

i figured i would try to write this post before all the rain came. i actually got out this morning and took some pictures. below are 3 of the 15 i took. the rest can be seen on my Google+ page.



the Yankees got another win last night, 3-2. that was the 200th win of CC's career. they go for the sweep this afternoon. hopefully they can stay hot for a change.

my mother and sister are on their way to their vacation in the south. i really hope they don't encounter too much rain or shitty driving conditions. so, i'm home alone for the next 6 days or so. 20 years ago i would have been pumped. now, it's more of oh well, i can play the music a little louder i guess. i do believe i will whip out the watercolors sometime soon. i haven't done any of those in quite some time.

got my 2nd load of laundry going. wouldn't mind getting that all done before the rain comes either.

Big Brother didn't disappoint last night. the look of shock on the faces of some of the women after the first elimination was hilarious. conveniently, the shocked ones are now in power after the new head of household competition. that should make it really fun, especially if the secret guy group stays safe. so far so good for one of my few guilty pleasures.

not exactly sure what i'll be watching tonight. i think there might be some live music on one of the channels. chances are i'll be checking that out for most of the night. i might watch some fireworks, might not. the fascination of my inner child has been stomped out. most likely in my early 30's. right around the time i should have died.

these rainy days are getting to me.

i hope everyone has a great 4th of July. the corn is knee high here, so things are looking good.

music today:

Fitz And The Tantrums - More Than Just A Dream
Shooter Jennings - Put The O Back In Country

"I haven't always done a good job, and I haven't always been successful - but I know that I have tried." - George Steinbrenner


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

which way would you like your coup?

sort of been watching the news most of the day. not that the goings on in Egypt interest me much, i'm just the kind of asshole that wants to know what's going on at all times. my brain refuses to not be working 24/7.

i looked at myself in the mirror this morning and laughed. my right arm is sunburned and my left is not. i guess i'll have to do some driving in the next few days to even them out.

the weather forecast isn't looking great for the 4th of July. looks like almost a full day of rain. personally, i couldn't give a shit as i'm not much of a fireworks guy or a holiday guy for the most part. my worry comes that my mother and sister will be driving in that rain.

i'm hoping to get some pictures of some new flowers out here on the farm before all this rain hits. if i get them later today i'll try to post them tomorrow.

i guess the Minnesota Twins are exactly what the Yankees needed. another win last night, 7-3. too bad they can't play them all the time. hopefully CC pitches well tonight and the Yankees can win the series. of course, winning 3 games in a row might be too much to ask of these guys.

i must have really gotten too much sun yesterday. my stomach is now upset and i've got the shits. my apologies for that little bit of vomit that is now in your mouth after reading that last sentence and failing to fight off the visual.

another great episode of Deadliest Catch last night. would have loved to seen the look on that greenhorn's face when he opened his bag and found the octopus inside of it. he got what he deserved though.

i'm really looking forward to the first elimination on Big Brother tonight. although it isn't what i wish they would do, if chaos ensues after the "surprise" elimination, i'll be ok with it. Big Brother After Dark has really disappointed me now. being censored was bad enough. now, to be showing commercials as well... count me out. i'll just have to make part of my morning routine going to the sites to read about what happened in the house the previous night.

hopefully i will feel better by tomorrow. of course, if we get all that rain, my back will be in misery.

until tomorrow...

music today:

Sia - Some People Have Real Problems
Blakroc - Blakroc
Pearl Jam - Yield
Nine Inch Nails - And All That Could Have Been (Deluxe Edition)

"A book must be the ax for the frozen sea within us." - Franz Kafka

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

humidity, bad driving, shopping, and fried foods

mom decided she wanted to go out shopping today and asked if i wanted to tag along. i decided, seeing that i am apparently a glutton for punishment, to say yes.

we had to first turn in the rental car for her regular SUV, that was in the shop because it needed a new censor. once that was done, it was a trip to get her medicine, and then lunch. our normal sports bar we frequent every blue moon or so. then, a trip out to the bank and i'm starting to think i've been hoodwinked and there will be no shopping. but, after a quick trip home we were off to south of town. mom wanted to buy some new gym shoes for her upcoming vacation in a few days. i decided i was going to go a few doors down and do some used books and music shopping. what i really love about the place i went is they say hi and then leave you alone. if you need help, ask. if you don't, good. i did find some good music that i didn't have, all at decent prices. on the trip back home i noticed all these fucks on the road connected to cell phones, speeding, and basically not giving a shit about anything around them. i'm so happy i rarely drive anymore. i'd be too tempted to run those fucks off the road.

holy shit, the Yankees actually won last night, 10-4. most runs they have scored in like 6 weeks. that victory beer tasted so good last night. here's hoping i get another one tonight.

i'll be going between that, Deadliest Catch and Big Brother tonight. probably not so much on Big Brother as i read all the online blogs about the show and pretty much know what's going to happen.

the humidity has roughly been at 95% almost all day long. hopefully it rains tonight and provides some damn relief. i'm pretty damn sick of this rain, no relief, a little fog, sun comes out, thunderstorm, no relief, a little fog, sun heats up again, humidity at least 90% all the damn time, fucking cycle we're on. and honestly, there's no end in sight.

at least the corn looks like it has completely rebounded from the drought from last year.

there's your example of making chicken salad from chicken shit.

hope everyone has a good one.

music today:

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
Neil Young with Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

"When you're not concerned with succeeding, you can work with complete freedom." - Larry David

that cruel mistress of time

my poem "that cruel mistress of time" has been published this morning at The Camel Saloon. you can find the poem by going here:
http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/2013/07/that-cruel-mistress-of-time.html

Monday, July 1, 2013

and the day started with thunder

always fun when you are awakened by thunder and your back feels like it's in a million pieces. i did manage to sleep 1 hour longer than usual, but i highly doubt if it was good sleep.

i went to the bank today and had a good laugh. 4 tellers are working. and there is a line about 6 deep. i'm at the back of that line. 1 teller has his screen freeze and another is occupied with a man handing her bags of coins to count. i started laughing on the inside as i figured this is my test to see if i can actually stand being in public at all anymore. i waited my turn and got my reward; the good looking teller. way too young and out of my league for me, but that was about as pleasant of 2 minutes with her that i could have imagined waiting in the back of that line.

i got the cats fed and the trash cans back up to the house before it started raining again. which it looks like it is getting ready to do now. this post could take longer than expected. i do fear that 2 of my cats are gone. Gizmo 2.0 and Phantom of the Opera have both been missing for a couple of weeks now. sadly, with the coyotes still around, i think i know where they may have ended up. 2 more weeks without being seen and i'll make it official. of course, the kittens from a few months ago are getting close to being sprung upon the rest of the cats. that will make things interesting for sure.

here is the good news i have to share about my book, Sofisticated White Trash. the book and i will be featured during the week of August 18th through the 24th on the website: http://mauricetudorbookstore.wordpress.com as the author of the week. that should get me a little more exposure. especially to a crowd that doesn't read my work. a big thank you to Maurice Tudor for thinking of me.

the Yankees will try to stop their quest to last place tonight in Minnesota. they usually play well there, but that hasn't meant much this year. thankfully, i'll have other shit on tv to watch instead.

Monday Night Raw looks to be a promising one once again. they seem to have gotten back to some decent storytelling for a change. and, as long as the story keeps going forward and has some shocks along the way that are unexpected and not re-hashes of old story lines, i'll stay a happy boy.

today marked the first official day on the job for David Moyes as the boss of Manchester United. i watched the video of him arriving and it still seems so surreal. hopefully, they get some signings made official here in the next few days to get the momentum really going in the positive.

well, i better get going before the next storm hits. hope everyone has a good one.

music today:

The Jesus and Mary Chain - 21 Singles (1984-1998)
Imagine Dragons - Night Visions
Lana Del Rey - Born To Die
Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town

"Fine art is knowledge made visible." - Gustave Courbet