Saturday, August 31, 2013

nosebleeds and insomnia

so i was having a dream about meeting a woman in the south of France. there was laughter and sex and plenty of smoke, and just when the dream was going to another stage, i woke up. i looked at my right index finger and it was covered in blood. i got a tissue and put on my glasses. i then realized i had a nosebleed. as i was pinching and leaning my head back, the thought also crossed my mind that i pick my nose when i'm asleep. i believe that's one of the things you realize right before they put you in the institution. as in mental.

keep in mind that this was roughly around 6 am. i got to bed around 3 or so. fucking fun.

the Yankees offense overcame CC's inconsistent pitching (AGAIN) and won 8-5. hopefully they can get a great streak going at home in these next 9 games and really make up some ground quickly in the playoff chase. they play this afternoon.

also, this afternoon i'll be watching the college football team i've rooted for since my days in diapers, Ohio State. hopefully they destroy Buffalo quickly so i can get to other things.

plenty of soccer in Europe to watch today. i'll be flipping around between that and some more college football.

and if i'm somehow still alive this evening and not in a coma, another episode of ROH is on tap.

i did watch a good portion of Smackdown last night. i'm really enjoying this angle with Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, and The Big Show as long as the payoff is some great wrestling and Daniel Bryan winning the title back. if this turns into just another massive HHH ego stroke, i'll be bitterly disappointed.

hopefully i'll have some ideas for poems come to me between victory beers today.

Manchester United plays Liverpool tomorrow morning. needless to say that result will go a long way to my weekend being good or absolutely shitty.

hope this finds everyone well, drunk, not hungover, not asking for help from the porcelain gods.

music:

Barenaked Ladies - Rock Spectacle
Futurebirds - Exhume

"There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Friday, August 30, 2013

accept the pain and everything will be fine

i just watched Chelsea lose the UEFA Super Cup on penalty kicks so i thought i would take advantage of this rare ray of sunshine in my life to write my blog today.

but first, allow me to peel back the onion on my day. i know there is an artist in Sweden that loves these stories. so, i got some money together this morning to make a deposit at the bank. i force myself to do these things in person as that is really the only human interaction my recluse ass gets anymore. so, as i'm getting ready to take a shower, i have a SUDDEN urge to shit. i laugh, because normally that urge comes when i'm shampooing my hair. so, after 20 minutes i finally get in the shower. i'm pissed off as my back is killing me. so, what better time than right now to burst the blood blister on my inner right thigh. damn good thing i don't mind the sight of blood. plus, well water and soap on a bloody wound, what better way to proclaim to the world you simply just hate yourself.

on to other things...

i did manage to write 3 poems last night and i typed them up this morning. i like all 3 of them but i really have no clue where i'm going to be sending them. i'd like to write another 10 or so over the holiday weekend and then start cracking the whip on finding the right places for the poems.

i watched a ton of college football last night. a couple of instant classics on the first night. this should be a crazy season.

Big Brother went about how i figured it would last night. one racist leaves and the other is the new HOH. and her target is the last power couple remaining. if they both leave with the double eviction coming up, the show will be too fucking boring to give a shit anymore.

Wilfred was hilarious as always.

after thinking about it, i don't mind Manchester United's draw for the Champions League. it won't be easy, but it's not the group of death either.

the new kittens found their voices today. that surely will get annoying rather quickly.

not exactly sure what i'll be watching this evening. the Yankees are back at home in MUST win games. there is always wrestling once the Yankees start pissing me off. i'm sure there's some college football and soccer on this evening as well.

i figure i may just try to beat the heat again and do some writing. who knows.

that's all for today. hope everyone has a great weekend and for all my readers in the USA, enjoy the holiday weekend.

music:

Metallica - Death Magnetic
Pixies - Bossanova
Florence & The Machine - Lungs
Kiss - Destroyer

"Poetry is always slightly mysterious, and you wonder what is your relationship to it." - Seamus Heaney (April 13, 1939 - August 30, 2013)

the sad truth

here is my previously unpublished poem "the sad truth" turned into a carton by the Swedish artist Janne Karlsson.


Thursday, August 29, 2013

my 3 poems at BoySlut

my poems "gently", "the middle of the day", and "disposable joy" have been published at BoySlut. you can find the poems by going here: http://boyslutpublications.com/2013/08/29/j-j-campbell-three-poems/

caught in the void of the life of someone else

hard to believe that college football starts back up tonight. where did summer go? it's when the moments like these creep up on me that i wish i was a kid again. then, i remember getting molested as a kid and figure, well, maybe not. some pretty good games tonight. i guess tonight will be another case for the Elvis wall of televisions.

the Yankees finished their road trip last night having their asses handed to them, 7-2. by the 3rd inning the Blue Jays had their 7 runs so i didn't bother to watch much of the rest of the game. thankfully, they are off tonight.

The Bridge last night was spectacular. i didn't see the twist coming but once it was revealed, it certainly started to clear some things up about the show. i can't wait to see where it goes next. i get the feeling this will be one of those series i'll need to buy on DVD to figure everything out.

Big Brother tonight could be interesting. i believe the racist will be voted out tonight, though i wish she wasn't. the HOH has said that if she doesn't get voted out she's walking off the show, which i really wouldn't mind. sadly, i don't see it happening. but, i will actually get to watch it as there are no NFL games on locally tonight.

i ordered my sister's birthday gifts last night. hopefully amazon.com comes through before Sept. 8th. i think she'll be nicely surprised.

today has been one of those days. not as hot as the days before, but gloomy as fuck. now, the sun is trying to come through. i came home from the post office and found Kit Kat napping on the concrete. i just walked by and said i agree with ya, it's one of those days to sleep it away.

no mail for me by the way. that usually makes me feel like the trip into town was just a waste.

i think i may have some poems floating up in my head that need to get out soon. considering there are some college games on the west coast this evening... i might be writing around 2 in the morning or so. if it happens, i will hopefully have some good news after i type them up. getting that itch to submit some places again. it's always a little tricky when you're playing the waiting game with a few places and hopefully catching other publishers at just the right time. thankfully i've been at this for almost 20 years now.

that's all for me today. until we meet again...

music:

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
Steve Earle - Copperhead Road
Pearl Jam - Riot Act
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Live Bullet

"You can be sincere and still be stupid." - Charles Kettering

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

lost in the fog somewhere

i imagine my first mistake was only getting 3 1/2 hours of sleep. sometimes one video leads to another on YouTube and suddenly you're watching a totally engaging interview with one of your comedy heroes.


and then you realize that it's 4:30 in the morning and just say to yourself, you're going to feel like shit when you wake up at 8 in the morning. true enough.

if that wasn't bad enough, i turned on the computer and found out one of my roster moves in fantasy football got cockblocked by someone higher than me in the waiver wire order. fuck me. looks like my backup RB spot is going to be an open rotation of shit for a few weeks. gotta love pre-season injuries. fuck.

thankfully the Yankees won last night 7-1. congrats to Alfonso Soriano on his 400th career HR. it's always nice when you bury a bad team early. of course, i could have gone without seeing Cano get hit on the hand. by the same pitcher that broke Grandy's hand in spring training. thankfully, x-rays were negative. if it would have been broken, the season more or less would have been over. hopefully Kuroda gets back to his dominant ways tonight and they win this series.

i did watch a little Champions League play between mini cat naps this afternoon. nothing really surprised me with the results. you would think teams will start learning to never doubt Celtic at home. the draw for group play tomorrow should be interesting. hopefully Manchester United avoids the group of death again.

lots of shit on tv tonight to watch. The Yankees, Big Brother, Duck Dynasty, The Bridge, some tennis, new music festivals on Palladia, and god knows what else. i figure if i somehow make it to The Bridge without passing out it will be a miracle.

i did enjoy Hard Knocks last night. when i saw how bad they practiced at the high school less than a half hour from me, i was pretty happy i didn't go. plus, it's always funny watching large men run when they hear thunder. hilarious.

i figured i would bury this little nugget deep in this blog to see who is actually reading. i was driving home from the post office and ended up stuck behind a tanker truck carrying fresh manure. now, my window is down because the A/C in my truck fucking sucks. on top of that, it's roughly with the heat index, around 93 fucking degrees. if that's not painting a good enough picture, go turn your furnace on and stick your nose right in your dog's asshole. holy shit. that smell is going to be stuck with me until the day i die. i will tell you this, if i do end up moving away from the farm, i will NEVER miss the smell of fresh shit.

saw 8 of the 10 cats today. it seems that there is always 2 missing each day. but, 2 different each day. i figure they are probably out using up those 9 lives. i can also tell all the unnamed kittens are eating well. looks like a few of them might actually make it through the winter.

lastly, the end of the silly season must be drawing near as more juicy rumors are flying over in Europe. but, i will admit, a couple of the guys attached to Manchester United i definitely wouldn't mind seeing in red in the coming weeks. however, i have many doubts if any of it is actually true. i was very happy to see Wayne Rooney come out today and say he was staying.

that is all for today. at least all that i can squeeze out of this crowded mind. hasta manana.

music:

AC/DC - The Razor's Edge
Icona Pop - Iconic EP
Brett Dennen = Loverboy
Grouplove - Grouplove EP
Heartless Bastards - Arrow

"Never categorize yourself, society does that to you, don't do it to yourself." - Jason Priestley


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

when the air makes it feel like you are wearing a sweater

summer is back with a vengeance i suppose with how this whole week looks like. humid as fuck. upper 80's to 90's. and i have to mow the grass. everyone wish me luck with my impending heat stroke.

the Yankees managed to snap their 10 game winning streak against Toronto last night. hopefully the team decides that after 13 losses for Phil Hughes, it might be time for him to come out of the rotation. they play again tonight. i imagine i will torture myself, at least until 10.

that's when Hard Knocks comes on HBO. considering this episode will cover a loss and some more cuts to the roster, it should be really good.

Monday Night Raw was excellent. the promo that AJ Lee gave destroying all the divas on Total Divas was perfect. the work of CM Punk, Paul Heyman, and Daniel Bryan continued to be top notch. another night where 3 hours really flew by.

saw a few more cats today when i fed them. i guess there must be a storm coming.

decided i would pass on watching the Champions League today and just listen to music and watch porn. i haven't checked the scores yet to see if i missed anything or not. i will be watching tomorrow though.

i've had the injury bug already hit my fantasy football team. the fucking season hasn't even started yet. not good.

that's pretty much all for today. i think i'm going to hop in the shower and get this damn humidity off of me.

music:

Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards The Daylight
Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones
Shovels and Rope - O' Be Joyful

"Nothing happens unless first we dream." - Carl Sandburg


Monday, August 26, 2013

i am spent

first off, this blog today is brought to you by DJ Swykert. check out all of his books at: http://magicmasterminds.com/djswykert/. he's currently looking for people to write reviews for his books. if you are interested, contact him.

just got done watching the Manchester United goalless draw against Chelsea. United was the better team, as the special one decided to play without a striker to give the false belief of how badly they need Wayne Rooney. and speaking of Wazza, he played awesome today.if the ref would have been smart enough to make the right call on the obvious handball by Chelsea in the box, i have no doubt that United would have won the game. but, 1 point is better than none. next up is Liverpool on Sunday.

the Yankees won a game they had to yesterday, in extra innings, 3-2. much better than getting swept. up to Toronto tonight for hopefully another sweep of the Blue Jays. Derek Jeter makes yet another return to the lineup tonight. god willing, he won't get injured again this season.

i did watch most of the VMA's last night. i felt good that i knew basically 90% of the people there, at least the names. as for the performances, none of them were really my cup of tea. i did enjoy most of them though for what they were; mindless music with hey, look at me, performances. i was very happy for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. i absolutely love that album.

The Newsroom was excellent once again. can't wait to see what happens in 2 weeks. Ray Donovan was too short but the killing at the end was a twist i didn't see coming until it happened. should be an interesting road for the show now. Total Divas made me laugh for all the wrong reasons. i suppose i really know too much of the inside shit of the world of pro wrestling to be able to take this show for what it is.

i love the dumb asses that only watch the CBS portion of Big Brother and think they are going to see someone big leave the house on Thursday. such fools.

i'm looking forward to Monday Night Raw this evening. i figure i'll flip between that and the Yankees game for most of the evening.

a big thank you to Janne Karlsson for the cartoons this morning. i will probably post another one this Friday.

the humidity is making another comeback. incredibly shitty sleeping weather. so, i figure until the storm comes through, i'll be dealing with insomnia. lovely.

that's all for today.

music:

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - The Heist
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

"The artist who aims at perfection in everything achieves it in nothing." - Eugene Delacroix

valid

"valid" a poem of mine put into a cartoon by Janne Karlsson


Sunday, August 25, 2013

who needs sleep

for some reason i was up until 4 this morning. i would think nothing of it, but for some damn reason i was back up at 7. this should be an interesting day to see how long i last on 3 hours of sleep.

while i was up late listening to podcasts, i did go through the unpublished poems. i found 11 that i passed on to the artist in Sweden. i'm very interested to see if he comes up with anything for them. they might have a life after all.

the Yankees got some decent pitching from CC last night. but decent doesn't cut it in the dog days of a baseball season. another loss 4-2. hopefully they can salvage a game in this series later today.

ROH was good last night. sadly, i know the outcome of most of the heavyweight title tournament already, but i still will try to enjoy the matches. i'm sure i will, just to see how they got to the end.

this evening will be interesting. i'm debating if i am still "cool" enough to watch the MTV Video Music Awards or not. if i do watch them, it's going to be bits and pieces. i figure my television viewing will look like this; Big Brother, MTV, The Newsroom, Ray Donovan, Total Divas, and then if i'm still coherent, the rebroadcast of the VMA's. if i do all of that, you can rest assured i will be napping this afternoon at some point.

still only saw 5 cats this morning when i fed them. but, it wasn't the same 5 from yesterday, so i'm thinking they are all still here, just scattered about because of the heat and whatnot.

got the trash out and the paper wasn't stolen this morning. so, i guess things are looking up.

i'll pass along word if the artist in Sweden comes up with any magic from my trash.

also, i'm not really pissed with my fantasy football draft results. not nearly as bad as i feared. i've got some guys i've won with before and, as long as my 2 QB's don't have the dreaded sophomore jinx, i should do pretty good this year. of course, injuries and my ability to capitalize on the mistakes of others will truly decide if i win a 3rd straight championship or not.

hope everyone has a great day.

music:

Tori Amos - Crucify
Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - Here

"I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused." - Elvis Costello

Saturday, August 24, 2013

a hazy summer day on the farm

i'm sure you see that title and you're going to expect some stories about animals and the weather, ha ha, fooled ya.

i have spent most of the day going between the Premier League and the start of a new season for Serie A.

now, i did feed the cats and the birds and had to run off some groundhogs from eating the cat food, but that was a small portion of the day.

most of the day was spent napping between goals in the Premier League and then laughing my ass off at the AC Milan loss (sorry Janne) and the Juventus win all because of one man, Ray Hudson. easily, the funniest color guy doing sports in the USA. check out this site for some lines http://rayhudsonquotes.tumblr.com/ and please do a YouTube search for some as well. you'll be entertained for hours.

only saw 5 cats today. not sure if my early appearance didn't fit into their schedule or there was another raid by the coyotes last night. i guess i'll know by tomorrow.

sadly, last night the Yankees ran into a pitcher they just can't beat and Kuroda was missing his spots. that all results in a 7-2 loss. CC goes tonight in a game they have to win, but, of course, Tampa owns CC. hopefully the world reverses for the night and the Yankees win in that dump.

other than that tonight, i guess i might sneak in some football and some ROH this evening.

sorry for the short one today, but i doubt one wants to read about what cookies i've had today or the kind of cheese i put on my crackers.

until tomorrow, where i'll probably be bitching about fantasy football draft results... joy.

music:

Metallica - Master Of Puppets

"The hardest thing to do is be true to yourself, especially when everybody is watching." - Dave Chappelle

Friday, August 23, 2013

it must be near the end of summer...

i was sitting in here on the computer this morning and happened to look out the window. much to my surprise, there was probably 15 or so wild turkeys walking in the side yard. i got my camera to try to get a picture and of course, by the time i got out there they were already in the corn field. but, that's obviously a sign summer is coming to a close soon. and when fall hits out here, this place truly becomes a fucking zoo.

so i did all that stuff yesterday morning to make sure i had everything done for the Yankees game. of course, that Yankees game started 3 1/2 hours late because of rain. just lovely. but, the Yankees did complete the sweep of the Blue Jays, winning 5-3. they are now 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. with 35 games left, that is absolutely doable. they start a huge series tonight in Tampa. i never like watching games in that dump. i will keep close tabs on the game though.

a big thank you to the fan that sent me 2 random photos of her in lingerie. what a great way to kill time in a rain delay.

i got 2 of my 3 wishes answered last night on Big Brother. Helen is out of the house. Judd is back in the house. unfortunately, that cunt Elissa is the new HOH. cue the Meatloaf song now. this will truly be a week where production will be calling the shots.

Wilfred was hilarious as ever last night. when you start off an episode with a dog at a glory hole, you really can't go wrong from there.

as for tv viewing tonight, maybe a little wrestling, perhaps some Food Network programming, a little baseball, and perhaps some football.

another weekend of the Premier League is coming up. Manchester United doesn't play until Monday afternoon. so, i'll be keeping my nerves under wraps until then. or, at least trying to do so.

i believe my first fantasy football draft is this weekend. that should be interesting.

also, got a fucking hilarious cartoon this morning from the artist in Sweden based on an email conversation we had the day before. i would show it but i'm hoping to include it in the book. hopefully i'll hear back from the first publisher i sent the proposal to. if it gets picked up, there are already some YouTube videos in the works. i'm really excited to spring this upon the world.

i guess the internet nearly exploded when the news came out that Ben Affleck is the new Batman. that surely has to be a sign of the coming apocalypse right?

i suppose that is all for today. i do hope everyone has a great weekend. enjoy some good times, better weather, etc. unless of course you're near a wildfire... may some rain be coming your way.

music:

David Bowie - Best Of Bowie
Northern State - Dying In Stereo
Sia - Some People Have Real Problems
Walk The Moon - Walk The Moon
Local H - As Good As Dead

"I don't want to die in a car accident. When I die it'll be a glorious day. It'll probably be a waterfall." - River Phoenix (August 23, 1970 - October 31, 1993)

Thursday, August 22, 2013

I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, I felt like being a lazy bastard today.

I'm doing a morning post today as I envision myself being busier than nine cats covering up shit in a windstorm this afternoon.

The Yankees had another great win last night, 4-2. Ichiro got his 4,000th professional hit, Alfonso Soriano hit the go-ahead HR to snap a 0-17 hitless streak, but I thought the best performance of the night came from David Huff. Absolutely tremendous work from him out of the bullpen. I really like how this team is playing right now. Of course, there was yet another injury last night. Hopefully they call up someone that can be useful immediately. If any of those players exist in AAA.

The Bridge last night was excellent. It had just about everything you could ask for in a show. At least everything I would ask for; sex, violence, a gruesome shot of a face getting blown off, and more twists and turns. I absolutely can not wait to see where the show goes next week.

Big Brother made me laugh last night. I can not believe Helen would think she would be safe. I will actually get to see the show this evening as there is no pre-season NFL game. I'm pretty sure Helen will be evicted, but I would love to see the look on Amanda's face if Helen walks right back in with the twist tonight.

As for Duck Dynasty, even when I was a bachelor living by myself, my place never looked that bad. And who has that much mustard in the refrigerator?

I sat down this morning and wrote out the out the three poems I needed to for the artist in Sweden. Hopefully he likes them. I'll be dusting off the old unpublished poems this weekend, hoping I find a gem or two to send him.

That is pretty much it for today. The Yankees play this afternoon, and I have more cleaning to do. Also, I'd love to get in a nap before I watch Big Brother and Wilfred this evening.

I do hope this finds everyone well and excitedly looking forward to the weekend.

Music:

M83. - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

"I have so many different personalities in me and I still feel lonely." - Tori Amos

Make sure you check out Grammarly. I recommend it for any grammar check. Go to  http://www.grammarly.com.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

the dog days of summer are finally here

nothing like walking out this morning and it's in the mid 80's with the humidity so thick you could wear it. finally, the summer in Ohio i always remember. a thunderstorm is possible every other 10 minutes and the patience of everyone is absolutely gone.

and speaking of rain, it hasn't rained here in 11 days or so. the crops still look amazing, but i wouldn't mind a few sprinkles here soon.

the Yankees got a well pitched game from Phil Hughes last night (shockingly) and got a walk off single from Jayson Nix (first of his career) to sweep the doubleheader 3-2. they are getting a spot start from Adam Warren tonight so i'm hoping the bats decide to help the kid out and score more than 5 runs.

i watched most of the Chelsea game this afternoon. i would have loved to see them stumble, but of course they didn't. it sets up a huge game Monday afternoon at Manchester United. that will be a juicy one for a home opener.

Hard Knocks last night was great. the highlight of the rookie show was from a guy who went to the high school i went to. i laughed my ass off. they definitely are going to have some tough cuts to make this season.

the usual Wednesday night television is on tap for tonight. a little Big Brother, even though i pretty much know everything that is going to happen. Duck Dynasty is quickly becoming my guilty little pleasure. and of course, the best show on tv, The Bridge. i really hope it's as great as the last 15 minutes were last week.

got a few ideas for the 3 poems i need to write for the artist in Sweden. he also wants me to look for some unpublished short poems. that ought to be a fun journey into failure. might be a late night coming one of these next few days.

i had this song blasting in my head while i was cleaning the toilets this afternoon. i don't know why.


that's all for today.

music:

Rage Against The Machine - Live at The Grand Olympic Auditorium
The Steel Wheels - Live @ Ignition Garage

"To experience life you have to kind of face a lot of fears." - Carrie-Anne Moss




Tuesday, August 20, 2013

beer, cartoons, ragweed, poems, and whatever else i can think of before i go insane

where do i begin?

i was supposed to write a poem yesterday for the artist in Sweden. but, the ragweed kicked my ass yesterday as the guy that farms out here decided to mow the fields for the first time in 2 months. the headache i had basically rendered me useless. but, i did manage to write that poem today and email it out. Janne likes it and of course, emailed me more. so, i have 3 more to write later this week. he also sent me a cartoon he did over one of the posts in this blog. i laughed my ass off when i saw it and thought i would have to share it with all of you.


just got done watching game one of the Yankees doubleheader. Nova had a shit 2nd inning and the Yankees fell behind 4-0. then, Cano decided to get his 200th HR and Chris "let me just close my eyes and swing and holy shit i hit something" Stewart hit a go ahead HR. a few more tack on runs and the Yankees win 8-4. hopefully this takes the pressure off of Hughes this evening and he gets the job done. i'm making sure i enjoy my victory beer now rather than waiting.

also this afternoon i watched a little Champions League soccer between PSV and AC Milan. 1-1 draw. PSV is so young but so good as well, i wouldn't be shocked if the big clubs come sniffing for some of that young talent before too long.

Monday Night Raw last night was excellent and took a decent step in setting up the story lines for the next PPV. it's obvious that Randy Orton is playing the role of The Rock, when he was the corporation champ for Vince and company, while Daniel Bryan is playing the role of Stone Cold. they might have to tweak it a bit along the way as Daniel can't do what Stone Cold could, but he's one of the best workers in the world. pair him with some good guys and watch the money flow in. as for my favorite CM Punk, the highlight last night was him ripping a fan in the first row a new asshole for interrupting him. he is one of the best talkers ever and when you combine that with his in ring ability and the ability to sell, top 5 of all time.

tonight will be a little baseball before i flip over to HBO to watch Hard Knocks. and i would love to fit in a shower somewhere and a long one at that. maybe that will get me out of this funk, literally.

that's all for today. i do hope this finds everyone well, drunk, fucking something pretty or at the very least, dreaming about it.

music:

Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO (& other American stories)
Massive Attack - Mezzanine

"I try to leave out the parts readers skip." - Elmore Leonard (October 11, 1925 - August 20, 2013)

Monday, August 19, 2013

just another Monday

let me peel back the onion a bit and give you a glimpse into my day. i'm out feeding the cats and i suddenly have the need to shit. do i go in the kitty litter? do i hold it and get back inside? i'm not an animal, so i made it back inside. and after a huge movement, just as i'm getting up from the bowl, i sneeze. and the sure force of the sneeze produces more shit falling right out of me. do you laugh? do you wonder how you can make this a poem? both? if you chose C, you are correct. why am i still single?

i did catch bits and pieces of the Yankees game last night. i'd like to thank those dumb asses in Boston for hitting A-Rod and waking up his teammates. hopefully this is the light bulb for the rest of the season. 9-6 win after being down 6-3 before A-Rod's response to getting hit. off today and then a doubleheader tomorrow. i'd love to sweep that doubleheader, but Phil Hughes is starting one of those games. my fingers are crossed for a split.

the shows last night were excellent. The Newsroom was brilliant. i can't wait to see what happens in the next episode. Ray Donovan was really good as well. Total Divas was probably the funniest episode of the season so far.

i did see the results of Summerslam last night. i'm a little disappointed but not dismayed. if the payoff to what happened last night is more CM Punk A+ matches and a huge feud between Orton, HHH, and Daniel Bryan... i'm all for it. i will definitely be tuned in to Monday Night Raw tonight to see what happens next.

i got 3 more cartoons and another illustration i need to write a poem for from my artist friend in Sweden today. i'm holding off on putting out the 3 cartoons until i hear back from the publisher i've contacted. i'd love for a book to come out with a ton of material that no one has seen before.

i did watch a little bit of Manchester City this afternoon. once their opponent got down to 10 men, i didn't bother to watch anymore. i hate to say it, but they looked good.

that's pretty much all for today... until tomorrow.

music:

The Civil Wars - Live at Eddie's Attic

"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different." - Coco Chanel




Sunday, August 18, 2013

death on a sunny day

so i was watching the UFC on Fox Spots 1 last night. the windows were open and it was a pretty comfortable night. then, the coyotes started howling. about 5 minutes later i smell a skunk. i figure these 2 events are connected. so, i had to shut up the house. not happy. fast forward to this afternoon. we had some family over so they could shoot their guns and they said there was a dead cat out by where they were. i go out to investigate and sure enough. it looks like my cat Rita Dove was ripped to fucking pieces last night. at least i believe it was her as there was hardly anything left. hopefully her kittens are old enough to fend for themselves now.

speaking of the UFC last night, it was excellent. a really entertaining card that really brought it. i thought the cherry on the night was the post match interview with Chael Sonnen.


i laughed when i watched the "highlights" from the Yankees game yesterday. figures. i start to praise them and they go out and shit the bed. 6-1 loss. they go for another series win this evening on ESPN. i might watch some of it, don't know yet.

my usual Sunday night watching is scheduled for this evening. Big Brother, The Newsroom, Ray Donovan, and Total Divas. plus, i hope to find the results of Summerslam and not miss anything. i'm really tempted to order it, but unfortunately, i'm not made of money.

spent most of today watching soccer from England and Spain. i watched Barcelona and laughed. i told my mother, if anyone doesn't like or understand the game, stick them in front of a television and watch Messi and company play. if you don't enjoy that, please stop watching all sports.

my stomach issues came back with a vengeance this morning. thankfully i feel better now. not sure what triggered it. i figure i fucked up somehow in a previous life.

that's all for today. hope this finds everyone a bit tipsy.

music:

Tom Waits - Mule Variations
Led Zeppelin - Presence
Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation

"Fashions have done more harm than revolutions." - Victor Hugo

Saturday, August 17, 2013

so much for doom and gloom

so i got up this morning ready for the return of the Premier League. hats off to NBC for their coverage of it. i truly love being able to see any of the matches. but the one i paid the most attention to started at 12:30. i had heard for the last week or so how Manchester United was going to fail this season, all the turmoil, lack of player signings, etc etc. so, all they do is go out at the team that finished 9th last season and win 4-1. 2 goals from RvP and 2 goals from Welbeck. Rooney played about 30 minutes and had 2 assists. it's rather obvious that he wants to be elsewhere from his body language. it is also really apparent that the club isn't going to sell him. as long as they win, i couldn't care less. a great start to the season.

the Yankees won last night in Boston 10-3. i had to laugh as Alfonso Soriano stayed hotter than hot with another HR and 4 RBI. Mark Reynolds, recently let go from the Indians, mostly because he hadn't hit a HR in 2 months, goes deep in his first at bat for the Yankees. if they can get some pitching and a few guys can stay hot over a month or so, i really think this team has a chance to make the playoffs. first time i have felt that all season. due to the stupid blackout rules, i'll only be able to follow today's game online. i figure i'll check in from time to time.

i do plan on watching some UFC tonight as i found Fox Sports 1 on DIRECTV this morning. so i have yet another sports channel to occupy my time. i also plan on watching ROH late tonight. an evening of combat.

hats off to my friend Sam Roberts, Professional Broadcaster, for the great interviews he's getting out in Los Angeles. go to his YouTube channel and check them out.
http://www.youtube.com/user/notsam

that's all for today. i have a fridge full of beer and i'm going to go enjoy a great victory.

hope everyone's weekend is off to a good start.

music:

The Dirty Guv'nahs - Somewhere Beneath These Southern Skies

"Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day." - Samuel Goldwyn

Friday, August 16, 2013

back from the dead

so i go into feed the cats today like i do everyday. a little after 12:30, after The Dan Patrick Show and The Box Score go off the air. i open the wood sliding door and who the fuck do i see... Gizmo 2.0. i haven't seen this cat in over 3 months. skinny as fuck and crying like no tomorrow. i couldn't get the food down fast enough. this breaks the record my cat Roscoe used to have for the longest time between appearances. Roscoe came back after 2 months. of course, he was missing a good chunk of his left side and within a week was dead. Gizmo 2.0 didn't have any battle wounds that i could see. but that wasn't the first bit of good news today.

i found out this morning my poem "when insanity meets the evening news" is going to be published in a Norwegian street paper (http://www.klar.as/) in the fall. first time i've ever been published in Norway. the poem was originally published at StrangeRoad.com.

i caught one hell of a wave last night and wrote all 14 poems i needed to write in about 90 minutes. i sent them to my artist friend in Sweden and he loved them. now, it is time to find a publisher.

mom found an internet feed of CBS last night from out of Canada, so i did get to see Big Brother. i laughed my ass off as everyone tried to give Amanda the HOH and she still couldn't win it. there should be some fireworks this week, as the time has finally come to get some good players out.

Wilfred was hilarious as always. any time you can get Dwight Yoakam involved, it's bound to be great. and to watch gag after gag last night was great.

the Yankees are in Boston tonight. i'm not sure how much of that circus i will be watching.

hopefully i will get to bed at a decent hour as the Premier League starts back up tomorrow morning at 7. thankfully Manchester United doesn't play until the afternoon.

i want to give a public thank you to Natascha Hoover for the package she sent me. always nice when you get some unexpected things in the mail. i'll be sure to mail you some things in the coming week. and for everyone reading this with their minds in the gutter, for once you are wrong. a book and some food. some tasty Hawaiian food at that. yummy.

hope everyone has a great weekend. looks like it is going to warm up here a little. maybe into the low 80's. i can't believe these are the dog days of summer. much better than the 90's with humidity like it normally is, i can tell you that.

until we meet again my friends...

music:

Joe Bonamassa - LIVE from nowhere in particular
The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
Little Green Cars - Absolute Zero
Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots A UFO

like it was going to be anyone else on this day...

"You begin saving the world by saving one man at a time; all else is grandiose romanticism or politics." - Charles Bukowski (August 16, 1920 - March 9, 1994)

Thursday, August 15, 2013

thoughts on what could have been

after watching the Yankees win again last night, 11-3 with Alfonso Soriano having another career game (2 HR 7 RBI), i was really hoping they would get the 4 game sweep today. then, i reminded myself Phil Hughes was pitching and the chances of the sweep happening were slim and fucking none. all in all, Hughes didn't pitch horrible today. but not good enough either. the bullpen really shit the bed. and the offense let chance after chance slip by. 8-4 loss, which pretty much kills any momentum they had going up to Boston. now, i'm sure they will spin it that they won another series, the bats are warming up, etc. etc. it's too late in the season for moral victories.

i was very happy to see team USA win in Europe yesterday 4-3. first time they have ever won when trailing in Europe. i really enjoyed that victory beer. 12th win in a row i do believe.

Duck Dynasty last night was hilarious. i often find myself while i'm watching the show thinking about how my stepdad would have loved this show.

The Bridge last night peeled another layer of the onion back. i really hope this show answers all the questions by the end of the season. i've watched enough to have a ton of them. best show i've seen in quite some time.

yet again tonight, due to pre-season NFL games, i'll have to follow Big Brother via the internet. i guess i could try doing some writing as i'm doing that. who knows. i am looking forward to Wilfred tonight on FX.

hope everyone enjoyed the cartoon i posted earlier. that gives you a little taste of what Janne Karlsson and i have been working on. i really want to find a good publisher for what we've got so far. i really think it will blow some minds.

cat update:

my cats Walt Whitman and Jermaine Jackson have been officially scratched off the list. i believe they are dead as it has been over a month since i have seen them. the 2 kittens i saw in the igloo the other day are actually 4 kittens. i still have no fucking clue who the mother is, but i am leaning to believing it is Michael Jackson. hopefully i will get solid proof by this weekend.

can't believe the Premier League starts up this weekend. another 7 months of the potential of being pissed off from Saturday morning on. lovely. i like that many of the "experts" are doubting Manchester United with no Sir Alex. hopefully the team accepts that chip on their shoulder and prove everyone wrong yet again.

about 10 days or so until my fantasy football drafts. hopefully i will have luck on my side again this season.

that's all for today. i do hope this finds everyone well. and hello to all my new readers and followers in Sweden.

music:

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Radiohead - Pablo Honey

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich." - Napoleon Bonaparte



warning from one of my personalities

here is a cartoon of my poem "warning from one of my personalities", previously published in Open Wide Magazine #9 years ago. all artwork is by Janne Karlsson. you can find more of his work at his website: www.svenskapache.se



Wednesday, August 14, 2013

is it really summer?

i woke up this morning and it was 49 degrees outside. the only way i know it is August is the calendar.

i spent the majority of last night completing tearing myself down. so, today has mostly been building myself back up. so far, so good.

the Yankees showed life last night, winning 14-7. the most runs they have scored since April. hats off to Soriano with 2 HR and a career high 6 RBI. most of it was needed as CC tried his hardest to piss the game away. but, that makes 3 wins in a row and 4 out of 5. only 5 1/2 out in the wildcard. that is doable. Nova is on the mound tonight. hopefully another win is coming.

Hard Knocks was excellent again last night. i loved the pace of the episode. it flew by. also, the behind the scenes shit is great.

tonight will be a little tricky for me in my television viewing. Big Brother at 8. then, who knows at 9. then the dilemma. the new season of Duck Dynasty starts at the same time the Bridge is on. after a quick look at the guide, thank god FX shows a repeat of The Bridge at 11. so, looks like my night is set.

i've started planning on what i'm going to write for the 14 poems i need to crank out. i'm hoping to get that going tomorrow and just ride the wave.

that's all for today. i will leave you with some YouTube videos i use to build myself back up.

music:

Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing
The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main St.
Son House - The Original Delta Blues
Various Artists - Sugar Hill-O-Ween (Special Limited Edition)

"Nothing I do is done by popular demand." - Steve Martin









Tuesday, August 13, 2013

a lesson in self loathing

today was the epitome of wasting a day. i woke up this morning in a decent mood. got some sleep. the humidity has finally broken, so it was almost comfortable this morning. after about 20 minutes online, that's when the news got to me. one of the former loves of my life is back with the same piece of shit that would fuck her over and send her crying to me. instead of having the attitude of oh well, it became a shit on me day of what is wrong with me. it's funny, i think about what my friend Jack told me when i was 17. we were walking the streets of the Oregon District in downtown Dayton and he said that how i take things, so deeply personal and intensely, i could be nothing but a poet. i laughed at the time and here i am 20 years later a poet. congrats Jack, you were correct.

i know this is one of my bullshit processes that i go through during these moments in my life. sadly, i feel like the process is necessary as i'm 37 years old and single, with absolutely no possible relationship on the horizon (unless someone is planning on surprising me)(please). i also have had the misfortune to seriously consider suicide more times in my life than i have had a member of the opposite sex who wasn't related to me say "i love you" and actually mean it. way more. so this analytical bullshit tends to get me through all of this without injuring myself too badly.

so, spending five hours on the internet today shitting on myself while watching horrible porn is all part of the process. not necessarily healthy, but part of it. i know in a day or two, this will all be fuel to write with. i just wish the next two days of self loathing didn't need to happen. but, i look at it as the trade off for being a genius. i get to be fucked in the head. great.

off of my soapbox now...

the Yankees won last night, 2-1. first time they have won 2 games in a row in a month. hopefully tonight will be 3.

Monday Night Raw was excellent, mostly because of the segments involving CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. and RVD winning the battle royal.

i'm hoping the Yankees game is over by the time Hard Knocks comes on HBO this evening.

cat update:

my cat Tolstoy has reappeared. no visible signs of fighting or whatnot. also, while doing a little check of the boxes, igloos, etc. the cats sleep in, i found 2 kittens. probably no more than 2 weeks old at best. can't wait to tell mom that news. i pretty much know who the father is. the cat John Prine will fuck anything that moves. i don't know who the mother is. i guess i'll need to figure that out later this week.

that's all. i guess i should check my email now.

music:

Jason Isbell - Southeastern
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

"I have a perfect cure for a sore throat: cut it." - Alfred Hitchcock

Monday, August 12, 2013

how a skunk can ruin life in general

was watching Duck Dynasty last night, laughing my ass of like usual, when i looked over to my mother and asked her if she smelled a skunk. she said yes and went to turn on the outside lights. sure enough, as i'm looking out the bay window, there is a skunk sniffing around the room one of the cats stays in. needless to say, that fucking smell lasted for the rest of the night. it doesn't bother me at all, i suppose because i have lived out here since 1997. as for my mother, she usually gags anytime she smells it. good fun.

i enjoyed most of the Sunday night shows. Big Brother was more of a catch up for me as i missed the show on Thursday. The Newsroom was excellent once again. i think it probably does a better job than most people believe about showing the inner workings of the behind the scenes aspects of a news show. Ray Donovan was great. anytime you can add James Woods to a cast, the show is going to be better. as for Total Divas, maybe i was tired or maybe the show just sucked, but i wasn't feeling it. i did enjoy the in ring conversation near the end of the show, as for the other 55 minutes, blah blah blah. a waste.

the Yankees start up a series with the Angels tonight. i would love to see a sweep or take 3 out of 4. they definitely need to win the series to have any chance of making the playoffs this season. i'll start off with that tonight.

but most of the evening will be spent on Monday Night Raw. given that it's the last live show before the upcoming PPV, i expect 3 hours of goodness. and considering CM Punk is going to be featured tonight, i should be happy.

i got some more illustrations from the artist in Sweden this morning. looks like i have 14 poems to come up with in the next week or so. i guess he took me at my word when i said i don't mind a challenge. so, if you don't see me much this week, you'll know where i am. writing and sending out feelers to publishers.

and, if you happen to understand my creative process, this music list below will explain most things.

hope this finds everyone drunk and stupid.

music:

Father John Misty - Fear Fun
Ivan & Alyosha - The Cabin Sessions 
Houndmouth - From The Hills Below The City
George Jones - Super Hits
ZZ Ward - Til The Casket Drops
Nirvana - In Utero

"The number one secret of being a successful writer is this: marry an English major." - Stephen Ambrose

Sunday, August 11, 2013

all is right in the world (for at least a day)

i got up this morning after maybe 4 decent hours of sleep. i got through my email as fast as possible as i wanted to make sure i watched all the of the pre-game Community Shield stuff. then, i watched the game. RvP does what he has done since the day he came to the club, score BIG goals. i would have loved to not see Rafael get injured (he's out for a month) but shit happens. RvP scores in the second half as well as Manchester United wins the Community Shield 2-0. hopefully this isn't the only hardware Moyes wins this season. they need a midfielder badly and i wouldn't mind some more defensive depth. all in all though, a damn good start to the day.

then the Yankees came on. they got to Verlander early, getting home runs from A-Rod and Soriano. but, in part with the earth soon coming to an end, Mo blows the save for the third straight game. first time in his career he's done that. but, Brett Gardner saves the day with a walk off home run with 2 outs in the 9th. there's a victory beer i really wasn't expecting. the Yankees win their first series in a month. hopefully that becomes a trend if they truly want to make the playoffs.

ROH last night was great. i love a 6 man tag match that is all chaos and great wrestling. a spot fest for sure. next week will be great as it is the 100th episode and will have highlights from all the great television matches from the past.

i got the toilets cleaned and the trash down the lane a little later than normal. it's humid as hell here today. this weather is supposed to break in the next day or so. hopefully it goes as they are expecting as i will be able to turn off the a/c and open up the house again.

tonight will be my usual Sunday tv viewing; Big Brother, The Newsroom, Ray Donovan, and Total Divas. and then hopefully some sleep.

i got some more illustrations from the artist in Sweden today. BRILLIANT is an understatement. i'm really looking forward to see where this project goes.

that's pretty much it for today. i hope this finds all of you well.

music:

Red Wanting Blue - Live at City Winery
http://noisetrade.com/redwantingblue/live-at-city-winery

"Parents are the last people on earth who ought to have children." - Samuel Butler

nowhere near being considered young

my poem "nowhere near being considered young" was published this morning at The Camel Saloon. you can find the poem by going here:
http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/2013/08/nowhere-near-being-considered-young.html

Saturday, August 10, 2013

some photos from Saturday on the farm

here are 3 of the 18 photos i took earlier today. all of these can be seen on my Google+ page as well as the slideshow on the right hand side of this blog.




the Yankees had their asses handed to them today, losing 9-3. it was like watching batting practice. i figure i'll spend the rest of the day watching soccer from Mexico, getting ready for the Community Shield tomorrow morning.

hope you enjoy the photos and the poems.

my 3 poems at Dead Snakes

my poems "laughing on the inside", "harsh reality", and "the cynical world" were published today at Dead Snakes. you can find the poems by going here:
http://deadsnakes.blogspot.com/2013/08/jj-campbell-three-poems.html

a good start to the weekend

as i bounced around tv shows last night, i couldn't help but notice the Yankees were winning. so, i once again fell into the trap of watching the game. Nova pitched great once AGAIN. but, when Mo blew the save for the second game in a row, i wasn't upset with him. i was upset with who the fuck ever put the CF in the wrong damn spot when Austin Jackson was up. besides, Mo gives up a home run to the best hitter on the planet, shit happens. in the 10th, i was pissed off enough to wake my mother up basically screaming why the fuck wouldn't Girardi pinch hit for Chris "i couldn't hit a 300 feet window with a bulldozer" Stewart. thankfully, the CF i was pissed off with in the 9th got the winning hit on the next play. it was a pissed off victory beer, but i enjoyed it.

after that, i sat down at the computer to study the 3 illustrations the artist from Sweden sent me that weren't related to any poems i had written. he asked if i could come up with something for them. 30 minutes later and i'm emailing him what i came up with. i woke up this morning to an email from him saying that he loved them. that makes 7 so far in our little collaboration. he said he's going to send some more soon. i figure once we get to 10 or so, i'll start looking for a publisher. if anyone reading this may be interested, feel free to contact me.

the Yankees play here in a few hours. Hughes is on the mound so my expectations are about as low as possible. other than that and some ROH late tonight, i have no clue what i will be watching today. i might break out the camera if the weather is decent enough and take some pictures. if i do, i'll post them sometime tomorrow.

saw news this morning that Wayne Rooney told his teammates he's going to Chelsea. i refuse to believe any of this shit until it happens. but if he does go there, i sadly believe that those pieces of shit will win the title this year. i would so love to be wrong about that.

i did watch a good portion of Smackdown last night. hard to believe that RVD can still wrestle they way he did 10 years ago. maybe even better. i'm so tempted to get the next PPV, but i won't. that's one of the upsides of being poor. you can always be tempted but reality has a foot on your neck. so the decision has already been made for you.

until tomorrow or later tonight (in case i need to vent or amaze myself with some photo action)

music:

The xx - Coexist
The Allman Brothers Band - The Allman Brothers Band
Emeli Sande - Our Version Of Events
Buddy Guy - Living Proof
Ray LaMontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black

"Less is only more where more is no good." - Frank Lloyd Wright

Friday, August 9, 2013

one way to waste the afternoon

so i saw this morning that i would be able to watch Rio's testimonial this afternoon online for free. so i signed up and watched. Manchester United was dreadful, and by dreadful i'm being kind, in the first half. the second half didn't start much better. now keep in mind they were playing a Sevilla side that played last night! after about 60 minutes, they finally woke up. problem was they were already down 2-0. in the end, Manchester United loses 3-1. i truly hope this isn't how this season is going to go. the Community Shield against Wigan is this Sunday. it can only go up from here, i hope.

Wilfred last night reminded me why i don't do family christmas bullshit.

as for Big Brother, i'm really disappointed that Judd was the second eviction of the night. the females in the house are bound and determined to get all the guys out. the damn show is already at the point of being unfuckingwatchable as it is.

i didn't watch much of the preseason NFL games last night. all i'm interested in is who gets injured. it's getting close to fantasy draft time.

the Yankees are back home tonight against a Detroit team that hasn't lost in 2 weeks. i smell a human sacrifice coming on. of course, if the Yankees have any fucking pride at all, they will at least make these games competitive.

i heard back from my buddy Guntaj at Miracle Magazine on my recent poetry submission. one of my poems have made the first cut so far. i should know in a few weeks if it will be in issue #7. submissions are still open by the way.

today was as muggy as possible. nothing like walking outside to feed the animals and be instantly covered in sweat. and i learned a little something today. groundhogs eat cat food. looks like another phone call to critter control will be coming up soon. the groundhogs are staying in the den the raccoon that was caught was living in. if it's not one thing it's another...

depending how the Yankees game goes tonight, i think i'm going to try to knock out those 3 poems i need to write late tonight. i figure i should be nice and pissed off and need a release...

i do hope everyone has a good weekend.

music:

Icona Pop - Iconic EP
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Tell 'Em What your Name Is!
B.B. King - Blues Summit
Otis Redding - Otis Blue

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

Thursday, August 8, 2013

the sky opened up and...

we had a quick thunderstorm move through today right as i was getting ready to feed the cats. needless to say, i waited. and waited. we might have got close to an inch in less than 30 minutes. thankfully, the changes we made out here have worked. the drainage is light years better than what it was.

as for the cats, Whitey showed up today. i didn't see any visual signs of a fight or anything, so i have no clue where she was. but, she was really nice today, so i figure she was off doing some evil shit. my cat Tolstoy was a no show once again. i've got a bad feeling about that one, which would suck, as Tolstoy was definitely a cat that wasn't scared of anything. that probably was the downfall as well.

i sent out 13 poems today; 3 to Dead Snakes and 5 each to BoySlut and Gutter Eloquence Magazine. when i hear back from these places i'll pass along the news here on the blog.

i got the first batch of illustrations from the artist in Sweden. let's just say i haven't been this excited for a project in some time. they are fucking amazing. i will hopefully get to share them soon. in the meantime, check out Janne Karlsson at his site:
http://www.svenskapache.se/

The Bridge last night was a slow burn. but the last 10 minutes got me really interested to see what happens next week.

after that ended, i turned over just in time to watch Mo blow the save for the Yankees. i then tortured myself and watched the rest of the game. Cano homered in the top of the 12th but these are the 2013 Yankees, a team that has snatched defeat from the clutches of victory more times than i can remember. so, of course, with only needing 1 out to win once again, the Yankees give up 3 straight hits to lose 6-5. as a die-hard, i'm not allowed to utter that the season is over. but...

i was hoping to watch the double eviction on Big Brother tonight but the assholes here in Dayton will be showing the Cleveland Browns preseason game. and i'm not waiting up until 2 am to see what happens. so, for a good portion of tonight, i'll be on the computer looking at twitter.

Wilfred looks like another great one tonight. hopefully it will make me laugh as it always does.

i had the pleasure of stumbling upon the LinkedIn profile of the friend that got me into this whole poetry world back when i was 16 today. we haven't had the opportunity to speak to each other in over a decade. so, i really hope to hear from him soon.

that's all for today. i need to get a shower in and get the brain buzzing about 3 poems i need to write this weekend.

music:

Ministry - Psalm 69
Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell
Pantera - Far Beyond Driven
Korn - Issues

"Common sense is instinct, and enough of it is genius." - Josh Billings

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

a fly went right in my mouth and i swallowed

i figure that should give my white blood cells a workout. i was busying typing up the 3 poems i wrote today and wouldn't have even noticed the little fucker in my mouth if it wouldn't have started moving. that's when i swallowed as i was too busy to be distracted. i suppose there will be a poem about this before too long.

as for the 3 poems i wrote, i really like 2 of them. so, i know damn well the one i don't like as much will be the first one accepted and/or published. that's just how it goes sometimes. i do know where i am sending out the 13 poems tomorrow. full details after they have been sent.

the internet was actually working the way it's supposed to this morning. and of course, here come the fuckers from Frontier Communications to change the modem out. so, i have to get offline, not like i was busy doing anything (listening to a podcast and emailing some folks at the same time) so these fuckers can realize, there's nothing wrong with the modem. talk about a company refusing to believe THEY are the ones fucking shit up. they also lied to my mother about the discount she was going to receive each month for the rest of the year. good thing my mother writes all this shit down. can't wait to see the letters to the company president and who the fuck else will get blasted. so once again, if you have the choice between Frontier Communications and eating a bowl of steaming shit, take the shit.

another game, another Yankees loss. that's probably more time than i should spend on them. though i think they had a closed door meeting after the loss last night. if they lose again tonight, i really hope heads start to fucking roll.

i did enjoy Hard Knocks last night on HBO. though i do hate when an episode ends with a kid getting a season ending injury.

i have decided i'm only doing 2 fantasy football teams this year. i figure with the internet being a piece of shit and not knowing when we might be moving, i would take a step back. of course, i still expect to win with both teams.

i didn't see my cat Whitey this afternoon when i went out to feed them. it's a rare enough occurrence that i actually noticed it. it will be very interesting to see if she's around come tomorrow. she's the ring leader of all of them out here.

tonight will be what's becoming my normal Wednesday night viewing, Big Brother, Duck Dynasty, and The Bridge. and for torture, i'll flip to the Yankees during commercials.

that's all for today. take it easy and if it's easy, take it again.

music:

Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
Phantogram - Nightlife
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
Zac Brown Band - You Get What You Give

"Rock music should be gross; that's the fun of it. It gets up and drops its trousers." - Bruce Dickinson

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

a rather productive day

considering the internet has been slower than shit once AGAIN, i'm pretty happy i was able to get done what i did.

i did go through some poems today and came up with 10 to send out. i want to write 3 more in the next day or so and then i will be able to send to 3 places that i really want to send to.

had a really good email exchange with an artist in Sweden, Janne Karlsson. he enjoys my poetry, i enjoy his illustrations, so naturally we are going to collaborate on some things. hopefully, we're going to blow some minds with this. you can check out his website here: http://www.svenskapache.se/

Monday Night Raw was pretty good last night. when most of the show is focused on 2 of my favorites, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk, i'm going to be happy. i did have to laugh at John Cena's remarks last night that he respects the WWE too much to work anywhere else. please. no one else would want you. hopefully someone goes away to make bad movies SOON.

judging from the reports i've seen, i didn't miss much by not watching the Manchester United 1-1 draw in Sweden today. looks like Nani and Evans picked up knocks, no surprise. Zaha was great again, no surprise either. i'm really looking forward to the Community Shield on Sunday.

i might have watched 10 minutes or so of the Yankees game last night. i did catch A-Rod's first at bat, but the Yankees were already losing by then. and each time i checked back it was worse. i believe the final was 8-1. oh, did i mention that their opponent had lost 10 games in a row before last night. i just love that the Yankees are now every shitty team's cure to a bad streak. this season can't end fast enough.

Hard Knocks comes back on HBO this evening. i'll definitely watch that. and it will remind me i need to get cracking on some fantasy football shit.

a speedy recovery to Tony Stewart. first time i had to change my fantasy NASCAR lineup all season. and figures you'd break your leg a few days before a race at a track where you have won 5 times.

that's pretty much it for today. as you'll see from what i was listening to today, i was sitting around waiting for my laundry to get done while playing spider solitaire on the computer because the internet was too damn slow to do ANYTHING online for most of the day.

and mom hinted last night that Frontier Communications fucked up the bill as well. talk about a company that is wishing for some EVIL shit to come their way...

music:

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
Tom Waits - Glitter & Doom Live (Deluxe Edition)
Johnny Paycheck - The Soul & The Edge: The Best Of
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
Guided By Voices & Airport 5 - Selective Service
U2 - Achtung Baby

"An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have." - Andy Warhol

Monday, August 5, 2013

at least there was some cloud cover

got the grass mowed today in a little under 3 and 1/2 hours. thankfully the temps were in the 70's and there were some clouds. of course, i did get a little sun. i'm sure i will be paying for that later tonight and tomorrow. i wonder why i bother when SPF 100 doesn't do much better than the other shit.

so while i was mowing there was some Yankees news. A-Rod suspended and appealing, Jeter back to the disabled list, all coming off yet another fucking series loss. do you get the sense i'm tired of all of this... i doubt i will watch much of the circus this evening.

the kid i grew up next to will be the home plate umpire in the intermediate world series on ESPN2 @ 7pm. i'll check that out just so i can feel older than shit.

the shows last night were pretty good. Big Brother was what it was, creatively edited bullshit from CBS. The Newsroom was great. the acting and the writing was superb. Ray Donovan was excellent. as someone who has had a few "bad trips" in his life, boy that episode brought back some memories. as for Total Divas, last night's episode showed me that the WWE certainly isn't what it was 10 years ago. if the lies last night would have taken place in the past, they would have been fired on the spot. not sure what system i like better.

tonight, a little Monday Night Raw will be in order. after that, hopefully i will get some sleep. i was up until 3 this morning trying to get shit done on the internet. a big thank you to Frontier Communications for once again being a big piece of shit. i just love it when the signal is slower than dial-up.

if i feel up to it, sometime this week i will bust out the camera again and take some pictures. just don't hold your breath.

tomorrow, between laundry and podcast listening, i will go through some poems and figure out where the next 10 or so are going.

hope this finds everyone still willing to give a shit about something.

music:

Black Sabbath - 13 (Best Buy Deluxe Edition)

"I believe that every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don't intend to waste any of mine running around doing exercises." - Neil Armstrong

Sunday, August 4, 2013

swimming in the river of nostalgia

so i survived yesterday much better than i expected. it was kind of funny how people were shocked to see me. most of the people i hadn't seen since graduation, some 19 years ago. i came close to actually having fun. might have even sold a book or two and got this blog a little more exposure. but, it wouldn't be my life if there wasn't something negative to balance all the positive out. as i was leaving the stadium, i started to feel a bit queasy. i decided to head back to the farm instead of going to BW3 with the rest of the gang as i didn't want another one of these situations:
http://www.zygoteinmycoffee.com/100s/issue117socialanxiety.html

by staying in i did get to see the Yankees actually play a decent game. Nova pitched great AGAIN, the Grandy man shook off some more rust, and the hammer of god got another save. a nice 3-0 win. hopefully they can win today and get the series. Hughes is on the mound, so i hope the offense feels like scoring today.

ROH last night was really good. just love to see an organization give a spotlight to good tag team wrestling. as a child that grew up on The Rock n Roll Express, Midnight Express, The Road Warriors, The Fabulous Freebirds, and The Rockers, i definitely don't mind seeing great tag teams wrestle. it's sadly a lost art. i enjoyed the episode enough to watch it again today at noon.

i figure i will bounce around some sports this afternoon. a little golf, NASCAR, some baseball, maybe some soccer, all while the house is airing out. always nice when the windows can be open during the dog days of summer.

tonight will be my usual Sunday night viewing of Big Brother, The Newsroom, Ray Donovan, and Total Divas. of course, with shark week starting up, i may flip in some of that as well.

after i mow the grass tomorrow i'm planning on going through some poems and getting a couple submissions out this week.

hope everyone is well. to those of you checking out this blog for the first time, welcome. hope you enjoy. feel free to leave a comment or email me what you think of it. it truly was very nice seeing some people that i have some really fond memories of yesterday.

of course, i got a phone call from my sister this morning bitching about the facebook shit storm i caused with my appearance yesterday. she was getting phone calls at 8 this morning wondering if that was me in some pictures posted. that really made me laugh.

until we meet again...

music:

Jason Isbell - Southeastern
The Dirty Guv'nahs - Somewhere Beneath These Southern Skies
Niki & The Dove - Instinct

"When my cats aren't happy, I'm not happy. Not because I care about their mood but because I know they're just sitting there thinking up ways to get even." - Percy Bysshe Shelley

Saturday, August 3, 2013

not exactly how i thought my weekend would start

i got up this morning knowing that my mother would already be on her way to my sister's condo in Columbus. i noticed the paper on the table so i knew i just needed to get the mail today. then a few hours later i get a phone call. it's my first girlfriend from high school, who i haven't spoken to in a few years on the phone. she goes on to ask me if i was going to this alumni soccer game later today. she apparently doesn't know that no one i went to school with is in contact with me any longer. needless to say, when she starts mentioning names of people i haven't seen in a decade, i figure, why not. so, i'll be shaving and showering here in a bit and seeing just how deep into social anxiety i have drifted.

i noticed in the mail today i had a letter from Las Vegas. it felt pretty light, which is always a good sign in a poet's eyes. that usually means the publisher or editor has accepted most or all of your submission. i immediately thought this was the case with Peter from ART:MAG and my submission from back in May. i open up the envelope and find this inside: dear contributor: ART:MAG is now defunct!!... Thanx for your past support, -- mag man    P.S. The post office box 70896 is also closed, please don't send mail there.

he also included a little personal note wishing me luck with my writing. so a big thank you to Peter Magliocco and all the poems he published of mine in ART:MAG. that will be one zine i will truly miss.

but, in my feeble attempt to turn shit into chicken salad, i guess i have found the "new" poems to put in some submissions here in the next week or so.

the Yankees lost again last night to a team they should never lose to. CC once again pitched like shit and the offense decided to follow suit. what i'm really hoping is by the time i get home tonight the game is over and i didn't punish myself by watching any of it.

and depending on how late i get home tonight, i don't know if i will see ROH or not. i know there will be some tag team news on this show and a title switch, so i hope to see it. i'm sure i'll catch it sometime this weekend.

other than that, not much is going on. i need to go make myself look pretty (you know, lipstick on a pig) and go swim in the river of nostalgia. i've got to make sure i remember to take some business cards. perfect place to get rid of them.

and if i do end up going to this alumni event, i'll share the sad details tomorrow on this blog.

until then...

music:

Houndmouth - From The Hills Below The City
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away

There are no secrets that time does not reveal." - Jean Racine

Friday, August 2, 2013

what to do when karma comes for you

i had a pretty damn good morning. made a good breakfast for myself (eggs, sausage, toast), was able to get through all my email without the internet fucking up, actually wrote a poem that spawned from a conversation with myself in the kitchen, and had an in and out session in the bathroom that didn't leave me in pain.

so as i'm driving into town to get the mail i start having stomach pains. the kind of pain i hadn't felt since my sciatic nerve was fucking with me years ago. on my way back in from town (of course i didn't turn around, i'm a man) i nearly hit 2 deer that were crossing from my wood lot into the soybeans across the road.  as i'm going roughly 30 mph up the lane, the pain is getting worse. i get inside and make it to the toilet. as i'm pulling down my shorts and sitting in the same motion (that does wonders for my bad back), something akin to an explosion takes place. thankfully, most of the shit made the bowl.

so after cleaning up that nightmare, i read the newspaper. then, i go type up the poem i wrote this morning. (i really like this one) just as i'm getting ready to hit the grammar check, the fucking power goes out. after a few expletives, it comes back on after 10 seconds. just long enough that everything in the house needs to be reset. fuck me. so i retype the damn poem and get it saved.

i'm very curious who i pissed off in a previous life. i figured nearly dying at 32 was my karma for this life.

Big Brother last night was not the surprise CBS made it out to be. i wish they wouldn't get so fucking creative with their editing. by the way, the other racist white female is the new HOH. i guess we get to play the race angle once again this week.

Wilfred last night was excellent as well. i'm a huge fan of subconscious thought so the episode made me laugh my ass off. especially when i think of how fucking weird some of my thoughts and dreams get at times.

a quick note to TNA, if your big surprise is a washed up MMA fighter at the end of your show, you're not going to be attracting any new fans. and if you are a fan of it, more power to you. but i won't be wasting those 2 hours for that shit again.

the Yankees are out in San Diego this weekend. i'm hoping for some wins as Granderson makes another return from the disabled list. at the very least, win the damn series. i figure i'll be bouncing between that, WWE Smackdown, and whatever music i can find.

i see the CR7 rumors and Manchester United have started up again. i don't believe them but i certainly wouldn't mind if he came back.

thanks to all the kind people that dropped me some lines this week on Google+ and LinkedIn. i really appreciate it. the old ego needs a shot every now and then.

i had a change of plans giving how i felt today and the rain we're supposedly going to get this weekend. i decided i'm going to mow grass on Monday. there's no way i would be able to sit in the sun today the way i'm feeling. i would be better off just putting the shotgun in my mouth and getting it over with. plus, if we do get all this rain, i'd rather have the grass high. it tends to help the soil collect and drain properly when it's high.

that's all for today. i hope everyone has a great weekend. hopefully i'll write some more and get another batch ready for submissions later this month.

music:

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
Pantera - Far Beyond Driven
Little Green Cars - Absolute Zero

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Christopher Byck's review of Sofisticated White Trash

J.J. Campbell's collection "Sofisticated White Trash" delivers exactly what the title promises. The collection, like most narrative-confessional poetry, is ripe with raw words, dire emotions, and truthfulness.  However, it manages to move the genre into a new semi-unexplored area. These poems are strong; the collection is a great introduction to the poet, his lifestyle, and worldview.

Campbell pays homage to the narrative-confessional style in poems like 'paralyze'. He disgusted me in 'another roadside cross'; a poem which stuck with me, angered me, but which likely proves true, at least according to Campbell. The imagery, as demonstrated in 'suicide watch' with lines like '... holes in walls shaped/ like frustrated fists', is ripe. Campbell has suffered and he is the first to point out his own fault in his suffering. His misgivings are many, his family life hellish, his self-pity evident.

The back roads of Ohio provide a poetic canvas, one that Campbell explores in his truck and reports about in sparse detail. This gives the reader a desire to know more and a conviction to stay away. I disagreed with Campbell a lot, although he is spot on at times, I appreciated hearing the perspective. I wholeheartedly agree that Ellen Barkin is wonderfully sexy.

The 'sofisticated' part of the collection comes about in the craftsmanship of many of the poems. These poems were written with a conscious effort to be artful in design, if not in content. This is demonstrated in 'american flag' which displays a unique perspective on 9/11.

There are occasional misplaced words and redundancies, but these shortcomings add to the authenticity of the poetry. He is a craftsman, but isn't afraid to vomit feelings onto the page and let it dry as it fell.

Christopher Byck @ 48th Street Press

where does the time go

i was a little shocked last night when the Yankees scored 3 runs in the 9th to beat the Dodgers 3-0. i didn't expect that at all. and as much as i would like to think that could be the start of something, 99% of me knows this season is a lost cause. but i did enjoy the victory beer.

let me peel back the onion a bit and show you what my day has been like. i did the dishes this morning with my back only hurting a little. i have a hard time standing for more than 15 minutes at a time. took my first shit in 48 hours. then, as i was washing my hands and watching the water pressure get weaker, i knew the water filter must be full again. we've been on this month long shit now of having to change the damn filter every 10 days. i then take a shower and get ready to go into to town to mail a book out and get the mail. i stop at the end of the lane, walk across the street and there's no paper. mom later tells me it was there this morning, so i guess some fucker stole the newspaper. i then have my lunch of celery and peanut butter, not because i'm trying to be healthy, but more because i'm too fucking lazy to get some more bread at the store.

hope you enjoyed that...

The Bridge last night was excellent. i really enjoyed the twist at the end that i didn't see coming but really opens up a ton of possibilities now on who the killer is. absolutely the best show on television right now.

tonight i'll be watching Big Brother and Wilfred. i believe i know which person is going home tonight on Big Brother, just not sure if it's the black person the racist HOH wants to leave. i'd love to see it be a tie and she then has to vote out someone.

Wilfred should be the usual hilariousness that i love. i have to hand it to FX. they really have built quite the stable of great shows.

i did catch bits and pieces of the MLS All-Star game last night. from what i saw i don't believe i missed much at all.

no Yankees tonight so i'll probably catch some highlights on the MLB Network as the night goes along. and if i really get desperate, i'll watch some pro wrestling from TNA that i hardly ever watch.

as a bright spot today, i did download some great music on NoiseTrade for FREE. if you are a fan of Lucero, The Black Crowes, Alabama Shakes, Kings of Leon, etc. i urge you to get this music. it's only up for 2 weeks. you can find it by going here:
http://noisetrade.com/thedirtyguvnahs/somewhere-beneath-these-southern

that's all for today. i'm hoping to mow some grass tomorrow, so i doubt i will blog anything until much later in the day. or, after the Yankees game in San Diego, which means it would be early Saturday morning most likely. until then...

music:

Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell
Phantogram - Nightlife
The Dirty Guv'nahs - Somewhere Beneath These Southern Skies
Phantogram - Eyelid Movies
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Here

"Somebody's boring me. I think it's me." - Dylan Thomas


response from The Camel Saloon

i heard back from Russell at The Camel Saloon on my poetry submission from the other day. my poem "nowhere near being considered young" has been accepted for publication. when the poem is published i will post the link here on the blog.