the end of the month

you couldn't ask for a better day to end the month on. the sun is out, mid 70's, no rain, poems getting accepted and published; not bad at all.

it figures just as i start singing the praises of the Yankees they go out and shit the bed last night. a 9-1 loss to one of the worst teams in baseball. thank god i didn't punish myself and watch the whole damn thing. hopefully, they will do a little better tonight.

a really good episode of Monday Night Raw last night as they had 2 really great matches. and it did meet my criteria for a good one, John Cena crying over an injury ends the show. 2 thumbs up.

i did enjoy what i watched of The Voice last night. from just the early stuff through the knockout rounds, i believe team Adam will be taking it this year.

i totally forgot the Big C started back up on Showtime last night. i'll have to catch that sometime during this week.

the NHL playoffs start tonight and i imagine that will take up most of my tv viewing. throw in a little of the NBA playoffs and Deadliest Catch, and i suppose i'll get to bed around 2 in the morning or so.

the final poet of the day on my Google+ page is Nate Graziano. Nate is a good friend and a better writer. one of the best ones going today. and that's a lot for me to say about any Red Sox fan. do yourself a favor and find his work. and better yet, buy some of his books. you will not be disappointed.

i did catch a good bit of Champions League play this afternoon between my naps. at least Real Madrid made it interesting at the end.

that's pretty much it for today. the weather is too damn good to be sitting at the computer for much longer.

music today:

The Allman Brothers Band - The Allman Brothers Band
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." - Buddha

my 4 poems in ART:Mag #40

i got issue #40 of ART:Mag in the mail today. my poems "warm innocence", "trendy sunglasses", "never look back", and "an intricate snapshot" were all published in the issue.

others with work in the issue include Alan Catlin, B.Z. Niditch, normal, and Cathy Porter just to name a few.

to subscribe to ART:Mag send $8 (which gets you 2 issues and any chapbooks) to:

Peter Magliocco
P.O.B. 70896
Las Vegas, NV 89170

response from The Camel Saloon

i heard back from Russell at The Camel Saloon on my poetry submission from yesterday. my poems "a purple sky of tomorrow" and "one night of mistakes" have been accepted for publication. when they do get published i will put the links here on the blog.

a rainy start to the week

as i was watching one of the players i picked up in hopes of winning my fantasy hockey championship get injured in the first period last night, i figured this could be the start of a very long week. by the way, i ended up losing the championship 6-4.

my yesterday started off with Manchester United playing Arsenal to a 1-1 draw. the guys didn't seem very interested for most of the game. and their disinterest pissed me off to the point of spending most of the second half feeding the cats and picking up trash.

thankfully, the New York Yankees had yet another comeback in them to complete the four game sweep of the Blue Jays. this team, at least at the beginning of the season, has something the franchise hasn't had in a few years. clutch hitting. i certainly don't mind winning close games after a few years of only winning games slow pitch softball style. the series with Houston starts tonight. hopefully the winning streak continues.

very good episodes of Nurse Jackie, Veep, and Vice last night. that helped take my mind off of things for awhile. hopefully The Voice and Monday Night Raw are good tonight as well.

the New York Rangers playoff series doesn't start until Thursday. hopefully the extra days help some of the injured players get ready for a tough series against the Capitals.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is James Babbs. i have enjoyed his work over the years. you can find a good bit of it at http://www.myfavoritebullet.com/PPbabbs.html

and speaking of poetry, i sent out 6 poems today to Dead Snakes and The Camel Saloon. when i hear back from these places i'll pass along the results here.

i'm hoping the day starts getting better here soon. i haven't been into town yet to get the mail, so i have no clue where the day goes from there. i believe i have some toilets to clean and a beard to shave off. and given my current frustration with things, i might as well just keep going up the head with the electric shaver.

music today:

Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio

"Second place is just the first place loser." - Dale Earnhardt

doom and gloom on a Sunday morning

it's supposed to rain on and off all day long. one of those morning where my back is really tight. one of those mornings where you hope a few victory beers gets you through the day.

the New York Rangers finished off their regular season yesterday with a tidy 4-0 win over the Devils. with that win and some help, they ended up 6th in the conference and will play Washington in the playoffs for the 4th time in the last 5 years. just a bit of hatred has built up between the two teams. should be interesting to say the least. highlights from yesterday below:

the New York Yankees won again yesterday with a growing theme for this season. fall behind early, come all the way back, hold on for dear life. a nail biting 5-4 win. it was nice to see Travis Hafner actually play against a lefty for a change, and holy shit, drives in 4 of the 5 runs. rocket science. they go for the sweep later today.

Manchester United plays at Arsenal here in a little bit. i'm interested to see how interested the team actually is, considering the title is already won. not that i want them to win any less. today marks the return of RvP to his old stomping grounds. that could get ugly.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is David Chorlton. i've been published with David numerous times and have always enjoyed his work. find some for yourself and enjoy.

i imagine the rest of my day will consist of some NBA playoffs, some sleep, the Sunday night shows, getting off my lazy ass to get the trash out, feed the cats and birds in the rain, and eventually do the dishes. fun.

music today:

The Steel Wheels - Live @ Ignition Garage

"It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living." - Terry Pratchett

i should sleep more

not quite sure why i was up before the sun on a Saturday morning, but i was. figure i would bust out this post before this day gets hectic.

the New York Yankees won again last night, but it was a costly victory. lose the starting catcher in the first inning with a broken hand. lose the starting pitcher in the 3rd with a sore elbow (never good) and still manage to win 6-4. Mo made it a little too close in the 9th, but i'll take it. looks like the ghosts are going to have to work a little harder than normal this year for this team to even sniff a chance at the playoffs. of course, i'd rather have all these injuries now than in 5 months.

the New York Rangers play their final game of the season later this afternoon. i would prefer them to win this game and hopefully get a better playoff position. but mostly, i'm hoping they come out of the game without any injuries. they are a little too banged up as it is already.

i'm still trailing in fantasy hockey 6-4 as it's coming down to the last 2 days of the season. for me to pull off this miracle championship, i'm going to have to pull out all the stops. not much sleep for me in the next 2 days i guess.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Catfish McDaris. Catfish is one of the poets i always looked up to when i first got into this racket. it's good to see he's still going today. a quick search should give you plenty of links.

the NFL Draft got a little more interesting last night as some of the bigger name players started going. the look on my mother's face when the Jets took another quarterback was classic. i think not having a favorite NFL team may be one of my best decisions ever.

that was what i fell asleep to. perhaps i now know why i could only sleep a few hours.

music today:

Beck - Odelay
Brooke Annibale - Silence Worth Breaking

"My failures have been errors in judgment, not of intent." - Ulysses S. Grant

BE SURE TO PICK UP YOUR COPY OF SOFISTICATED WHITE TRASH TODAY.
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THANKS

now it feels like spring

the sun is out, flowers are coming up, caught a skunk eating the cat food, and saw my cat Rita Dove lying on her side in the igloo in one of the stalls. got a little closer and realized she was nursing what looked like 3 kittens that she must have had in the last few days. just great.

i tried to get a picture of the groundhog that lives out here on the farm but the fucker was already gone by the time i got the camera out. but, since i had it out, i figured i might as well take some pictures. below are 2 of the 10 i took. the rest can be seen on my Google+ page.

the only reason i watched the NFL Draft last night was to see how the Manti T'eo bet would play out on the Dan Patrick Show. other than that, it was boring beyond belief.

the New York Yankees had a nice 5-3 come from behind win last night. always nice to win when you start off in a 3-0 hole. home runs from Wells, Cervelli, and Cano do the trick. hopefully this home stand can get them in a groove and right into a better May.

the New York Rangers got off to a great start last night. then pissed it all away. then tied the game late. and then Captain Cally does what every great captain should do. score the winning goal in overtime to clinch a playoff spot. highlights below:

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Melanie Browne. i have always enjoyed her work when i have come across it. a quick Google search should yield you a few links to her work that are different from the ones on my page.

hope everyone has a great weekend.

music today:

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Ivan & Alyosha - The Cabin Sessions
Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us." - Helen Keller

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/26/showbiz/music/obit-george-jones/index.html

and the sun came out, brighter than usual

let me quickly recap last night before i get to the plethora of things going on this evening.

the Yankees forgot their bats last night as they only had 4 damn hits. Andy pitched well, but had 2 mistakes and was handed a tough luck loss, 3-0. they are back home tonight. i'm not sure how much i will watch as they fall about 4th or 5th on the pecking order for the evening.

the New York Rangers can clinch a playoff spot tonight with a win in Carolina. hopefully Hank won't have to play on his head again to win there. or, they could just hope Winnipeg loses to Montreal tonight and back their way in. i'll take either.

the NFL Draft starts tonight. i'm mildly interested, mostly from a fantasy football standpoint. i'll be in and out of that for most of the night.

i believe the Big Bang Theory is new tonight. if that's the case, i'll be tuning in.

and finally, the fantasy hockey championship round i'm in is currently at 5-5. so, i'll be popping in and out of just about every hockey game going tonight.

do check out the poems i had published today at Zygote in My Coffee and The Camel Saloon. i really like both of them.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Ben John Smith. Ben is one crazy Australian who is an incredible writer. now, keep in mind, you pretty much have to be a fan of filth, sleaze, sex, drugs, horror, and death if you are really going to like his work. thankfully, i'm a fan of all those things. and another thing, the man sends some of the most interesting mail i have ever received from another poet. he's definitely one to not miss out on.

i had no clue my book was available on amazon.com until my mother just happened to mention it this morning. so, if you feel more comfortable purchasing it there, go right ahead. type in Sofisticated White Trash  in the amazon.com box on this blog and it will take you to the page. or, if you'd like to help a friend out, go to the podcast page at notsam.com  and use the amazon.com link from there. then you could get my book and help out Primetime Sam Roberts as well. 2 birds with one stone or a win win, whatever you feel more comfortable with.

until tomorrow, and hopefully i will have more good news to bring you.

music today:

Wolfmother - Wolfmother
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - The Heist
Metallica - Beyond Magnetic

"I am a kind of paranoid in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy." - J.D. Salinger

on the corner of genesee and dewitt

my poem "on the corner of genesee and dewitt" was published today at The Camel Saloon. you can find the poem by going here: http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/2013/04/on-corner-of-genesee-and-dewitt.html

the lost art

i just happened to go to Zygote in My Coffee this morning and noticed issue #141 was up. my poem "the lost art" is included in this issue. you can find the poem by going here:
http://www.zygoteinmycoffee.com/100s/issue141theloastart.html

others with work in the issue include Mather Schneider, William Taylor Jr., Bradley Mason Hamlin, Holly Day and many more.

sometimes it rains so hard you can feel it in your bones

this post is brought to you by professional broadcaster, Primetime Sam Roberts. you can find episode 52 of his podcast, The Sam Roberts Show Online at iTunes, Stitcher, and at notsam.com. i'd also like to share a recent interview with Brooke Shields he did that i found pretty interesting.

always nice when the Yankees prove me wrong. they got some good pitching last night from Phil Hughes, a clutch hit from Ichiro (finally) and got the hammer of god to hold on in the 9th for a 4-3 win last night. probably the best win of the season so far. i was in and out of it for most of the game, but just happened to tune in when Ichiro got the hit. nice timing there. hopefully they can get the series win tonight.

as for the New York Rangers, they can't do anything easy to save their fucking lives. all they needed to do was beat one of the worst teams in the league and, given that Winnipeg lost last night, they would have been in the playoffs. so, they of course go out and lose 3-2. at least all they need is 2 damn points to get in now. no matter how hard they try, i can't see them being able to fuck that up.

i did catch most of The Voice last night. the knockout rounds should be cutthroat this season. i honestly believe this is probably the best talent they have had in any season so far.

as for Deadliest Catch, it once again showed why it's my favorite show on television. i can't wait to see how the backstabbing from last night plays out for the rest of the season.

a special thank you to BZ Niditch for the email. always nice to find out who is reading this blog when you actually had no clue they were.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Justin Hyde. Justin is one of the few poets that has come along in the last few years and absolutely blown me away with his work. do yourself a favor and do a quick search and enjoy.

we had a massive cold front move through last night. good thing i got the grass cut when i did. my back has been tighter than tight all day long. i know i'm in for a long one when stretching doesn't even help.

i did manage to type up the 2 poems i wrote the other day. i like them. i'll toss them into the soon to be sent out pile. i've got a few sitting around, enough for maybe 2 more submissions before the month is over.

music today:

Shrug - Everything's Blowing Up Roses
Outkast - ATLiens

"A person who knows how to laugh at himself will never ceased to be amused." - Shirley MacLaine

feeling good on a Tuesday

i got the grass cut before it rained. hopefully it does rain tonight, as that was the point of me busting my ass to get it done. thankfully, the guy that farms out here has decided to use about 80% of a front field i used to mow for crops. that took almost 2 hours off my mowing time. i won't bitch nearly as much if i can get all of it cut in under 4 hours like today.

i'm still happy as hell with the Manchester United win yesterday, 3-0. appropriate i suppose that title number 20 comes on a hat trick from number 20, Robin van Persie. nothing like all the goals coming in the first 35 minutes. gave me plenty of time to relax and soak it in. and here's a little picture for all the jealous fuckers out there.

i watched CC give up 4 runs in the first inning last night and never bothered to turn the Yankees back on. they lost 5-1. i don't think they'll do much better this evening either. i'll take a look during commercials i suppose.

if the New York Rangers win their MUST WIN game at Florida tonight and if Winnipeg loses in regulation, the playoffs are clinched. needless to say, i'll be a little focused on both games this evening. hopefully the Rangers step on the neck early and put a shitty team to bed before the end of the first period.

and in-between all that, i'll try to fit in The Voice, Deadliest Catch and the NBA playoffs. wish me luck.

i did enjoy The Voice last night. the talent seems to be a little better than last season. i can't wait until the live episodes.

as for Monday Night Raw, i enjoyed it but i knew i didn't love it with the number of times i flipped the channel to see other shit. it had some good moments, especially The Shield vs. Undertaker & Team Hell No, but not enough to keep me glued. hopefully that changes next Monday.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Donal Mahoney. one of the most consistent poets going today, i always enjoy his work. do yourself a favor and seek it out.

music today:

John Prine - Souvenirs
Queen - Greatest Hits I & II

"Ego is the immediate dictate of human consciousness." - Max Planck

response from ART:MAG

i heard back from Peter Magliocco at ART:MAG on my poetry submission from last November. my poems "trendy sunglasses", "an intricate snapshot", "never look back", and "warm innocence" have been accepted for issue #40 of ART:MAG, due in the summer of 2013. i'll be sure to post the info when the issue is published.

this Monday should be better than the last one

a pretty damn good weekend, especially when i think back to Manchester City shitting away a lead and losing to Tottenham. that delicious result means if Manchester United wins today, the 20th championship is secured. needless to say, i will be completely glued and intense as hell come this afternoon. hence the morning post.

i was absolutely thrilled to watch the New York Rangers beat the Devils yesterday 4-1. eliminates the Devils from any chance of making the playoffs. that's a sweet revenge after last season. enjoy the golf you fuckers. below are the highlights:

the Yankees of course couldn't make my day a complete success as they lost 8-4. another series won but it never feels that way when you are unable to get the sweep (AGAIN). they start another series tonight down in that fucking dump in Tampa Bay. thankfully, i will be busier than shit this evening with stuff to watch that i will miss most of it.

i wrote 2 poems last night. i'll probably type them up later this week, just in case i write some more.

and speaking of poetry, the poet of the day on my Google+ page is B.Z. Niditch. i have been published with him for years and i have always enjoyed his work. do a quick search and you should find plenty.

tonight is the usual madness of The Voice and Monday Night Raw. plus, final week of fantasy hockey, so i'll be following the stats as best as i can with those games.

and sometime i need to get into town to get the mail and get the yard ready to mow tomorrow. i've got about 4 months of limbs to pick up. that should be fun.

music today:

Japandroids - Celebration Rock

"A writer should have the precision of a poet and the imagination of a scientist." - Vladimir Nabokov

be sure to pick up your copy of Sofisticated White Trash today. go to www.interiornoisepress.com or follow the links on the right hand side of this blog. and be sure to take advantage of the 25% discount while you can.

things are looking up

it's been dry for almost 2 straight days now. if it actually gets to 3, maybe i'll be able to get the grass cut out here. lord knows it needs it.

had an amazing day yesterday in fantasy hockey terms. i don't think i've had that many goals scored for me in one day in years. always nice when it happens during championship week. hopefully the good fortune can continue. it's going to be a dog fight.

watched the Yankees piss away a great game from Kuroda only to be bailed out in extra innings by an absolute horrible defending team in Toronto to win 5-3. they go for the sweep later today. i'm just happy they have won yet another series. i didn't expect this team to be able to click this early.

big game for the New York Rangers later today. i'm licking my chops at their chance to eliminate the Devils from having a chance to make the playoffs. i might want to win this game more than any game since 1994.

had a lovely music discussion last night with a beautiful married woman. i can just imagine the twisted poems that are going to come from my brain. i stopped myself from writing anything last night. i want to let it brew a bit longer.

i hope everyone gets a chance to check out my poem that was published this morning at The Camel Saloon. if you have any feedback on it, please feel free to share it. thanks.
http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-mental-scars-only-grow-deeper.html

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Ron Androla. Ron is one of the greats of the small press. do check out his work or read more about him online. he's definitely one you don't want to miss out on.

enjoyed the start of the NBA playoffs yesterday. the only time i even give a thought to watching a full NBA game. if the playoffs are going to be like some of the games yesterday, they're going to be an instant classic.

had a good laugh at ROH tv last night. Kevin Steen going after Matt Hardy was pretty good. not sure how well Steen as a babyface will go... i have no doubt he can pull it off. just not sure if it has any legs past the SCUM angle. should be interesting to watch.

hope everyone has a great day. if you don't see a post from me for a long time in the next few days, rest assured, i have squeezed in the 6 hours needed to mow the grass.

music today:

The Gospel Whiskey Runners - Hold On

"Nobody understands me, I'm really sensitive." - Iggy Pop

the mental scars only grow deeper

my poem "the metal scars only grow deeper" was published this morning at The Camel Saloon. you can find the poem by going here:
http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-mental-scars-only-grow-deeper.html

a cold spring morning

nothing like starting a spring morning off with a freeze warning.

glad to see the manhunt in Boston is over. and i was really happy to see that it ended in time for me to catch a good bit of the Yankees and Rangers games last night.

the Yankees got some strong starting pitching once again and got the long ball from a few players as well. a nice 9-4 win to start the series with Toronto. they have a day game here in a little bit, hence why i'm writing this post now.

the New York Rangers won another MUST win game last night, 8-4. they were up 6-0 at one point. very nice to have a laugher at this point of the season. another MUST WIN game tomorrow against the Devils. here are some highlights from last night.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is my friend Mather Schneider. i really enjoy Mather's work. we have been published together since back in the 90's amazingly enough. you can find some of his best work here: http://www.myfavoritebullet.com/PPschneider.html

i got out the camera this morning and took some pictures out here on the farm. below are 2 of the 11 i took. the others can be found at my Google+ page.

i hope everyone has a great weekend. until tomorrow...

music today:

Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsys

"You have to believe in yourself" - Sun Tzu

be sure to pick up your copy of SOFISTICATED WHITE TRASH today. go to www.interiornoisepress.com or follow the links on the right hand side of this blog. and be sure to take advantage of the 25% discount while you can.

Sofisticated White Trash

my first full-length book of poems has been unleashed on the world. you can purchase Sofisticated White Trash immediately by going to https://www.createspace.com/4239670. be sure you use the code MMARCA7Z to receive a 25% discount.

if anyone is interested in a review copy of the book, please feel free to email me or email the publisher, David Bates. i will be sending out a few copies in the next week or so to many of you who have helped me along this very long journey. also, i urge you to pass this info along to anyone who may be interested, and especially to those who aren't interested. i'm so proud of this book and really want to share it with the world. be on the lookout for some more YouTube videos soon, and perhaps a few tricks i may have up my sleeves.

these are the days where i'm happy i have satellite television

i have literally been glued to the television all day long. took a break to go into town to get the mail and taking a break now to do all of this; answering emails, taking surveys, checking fantasy rosters, etc.

when i went to bed last night i could see all the talking heads on the 24/7 news channels were so hoping the shootings last night were involved in the Boston bombings but they couldn't make that leap yet. so when i woke up this morning and saw they were connected, i knew this was going to be a day where i wouldn't get shit done. which sucks, because in my next post, some really big fucking news happened today.

following all this shit via social media has been fascinating to me today. i suppose i can truly now say that social media has really changed the world forever. i know, not earth shattering news there, but coming from a true non-believer in it, it's something.

big win by the New York Rangers last night, 6-1. power play looked better, Hank played huge, and a fight by John Moore(his first in the NHL) really got the boys going in the 3rd. all in all, i was pleased. another BIG game tonight in Buffalo. i'll be watching, simply so i quit watching the manhunt coverage.

the Yankees last night wasted a good performance from Phil Hughes and a game-tying HR from Cervelli to end up losing 6-2 in extra innings. one of those game where you simply turn the page and say shit happens. the next series starts tonight in Toronto.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is A.D. Winans. i have read his work for years now. one of the few that really has seen it all in the small press. a quick Google search should give you plenty of poems to read.

stay tuned for my next post. a certain book might have been released on the world this morning.

music today:

nothing, unless i count commercial jingles

"I will never be satisfied. Life is one constant search for the betterment for me." - Jayne Mansfield

a windy day on the farm

decided to do another YouTube video. no poetry this time, just the wind out here on the farm today. there must be a massive cold front coming as the wind has been non-stop since this morning. anyways, here's the video with the new wind chimes in action.

was a little disappointed with Manchester United yesterday as they got outplayed for most of the game. they did end up with a 2-2 draw, albeit on a RvP goal that was offside. but, i'll gladly take the point. just 6 points away from title #20. that's just 2 wins. if they can't do that, they don't deserve to win it.

had an unexpected victory beer last night as the Yankees came back from being down 3-0 to win 4-3. CC settled down after the early innings, the bats came alive finally in the 7th and Travis Hafner hit a pinch hit HR in the 8th. i'm really starting to like this team. especially when they win.

the New York Rangers, since they have pissed away any wiggle room they had to make the playoffs, have an absolutely HUGE MUST WIN game tonight. they pretty much need to win out to make sure they make it. they are playing against teams they should destroy. of course, if they put in a full 60 minutes that is. they can't show up in the 2nd period and think they'll win like they did the last game.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Ed Galing. Ed is truly one of the old souls that i truly enjoy seeing in the same zines i am in. always good to know he's still around. do yourself a favor and do a quick Google search. it will be worth your time.

i was watching last night as the first sporting event in Boston took place. if, by chance, you did not get to see the national anthem, check it out below

music today:

Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
Radiohead - The Bends

"I was a shy, quiet kid. I was happiest playing by myself with my toys, rather than hanging around people." - Christian Slater

rain, death, poetry, and all the other maladies

i imagine the bad turn in my attitude started yesterday when i caught a skunk eating the cat food. i scared it away without getting sprayed but i really wish i had a gun on me at the time.

then, when i heard the news about the death of Pat Summerall, i really started to think about how much of my youth is now dead. nothing quite like nostalgia to make one feel old as hell.

i nearly forgot that Deadliest Catch started back up last night. thankfully, i was flipping through the channels around 6 and saw a preview. needless to say once the Yankees and Rangers got off to shit starts, the rest of my night was going to be about crab boats.

thankfully, the Yankees rebounded from that shit start to win 4-2. thanks to Robinson Cano and some great bullpen work. i'm a bit surprised at how quickly they have turned things around. hopefully it continues.

as for the Rangers, not quite sure why they came out flat and never really recovered, losing 4-2. i believe i read it somewhere up in Canada, but i totally agree with the point. if the Rangers miss the playoffs, they only have themselves to blame.

The Voice was pretty good once again last night. i'll probably watch the battles again on YouTube to get a better feel for them.

as for Deadliest Catch, it's one of my favorite shows ever. such great storytelling and people that just suck you in to see what happens next. i can't wait for another great season.

not quite sure why i was up before the sun this morning. it must have been the rain. i was stiff beyond belief. and not the kind of stiff i don't mind in the morning.

and now for an odd transition, the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Ally Malinenko. i really enjoy Ally's work. do check out her website at http://allymalinenko.com/.

with the bombings at the poisonous letters, it's starting to feel like 2001 again. not sure i like that.

that's all for me today. i've got 2 papers to read, dishes to do and hopefully watch Manchester United get a little closer to league title number 20.

music today:

Otis Redding - Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Alice in Chains - Unplugged

"Remain calm, serene, always in command of yourself. You will then find out how easy it is to get along." - Paramahansa Yogananda

when the writer doesn't have the words

i had no clue what was going on in Boston yesterday as i was typing up my post for this blog. needless to say i've been pretty glued to the news since. i am a news junkie. always have been.

i did try to distract myself somewhat last night by watching The Voice and Monday Night Raw. didn't do much good as i was constantly flipping back and forth. from what i did see, a few surprises on The Voice that i didn't see coming, especially the steal by Blake. as for Raw, anytime it ends with John Cena beaten to a pulp, i'm happy. i'm really looking forward to the show next week in London. that crowd should be epic.

the Rangers and the Yankees both play this evening. considering the Rangers are in complete playoff desperation mode, i'll watch more of that game. i'll sprinkle in a few innings of the Yankees as well as night two of the battle rounds on The Voice.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Henry Denander. Henry is a wonderful poet and artist. you can find more on him at his website, www.henrydenander.com. below is the painting he did of me, i believe in 2005

also on my Google+ page is some more photos from this morning. from the farm after a springtime shower. like this one

yes, i know, the grass does need cut. the beauty of living a quarter mile off the road is you can let the grass get a little longer and no one bitches about it.

that's pretty much it for today. i'll be in front of a television for most of the rest of the day. thankfully, there will be some European soccer on this afternoon that will provide a nice distraction for me.

my thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew anyone affected by the bombing yesterday. i have plenty of friends in that part of the country and i can just imagine what's going through their minds at this time. if any of you need anything, just ask.

music today:

Metallica - Master of Puppets
The Steel Wheels - Live @ Ignition Garage

"Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain." - Charlie Chaplin

a very rare happy Monday

yes, you read that correctly. a very rare happy Monday.

i was thrilled last night watching the Yankees 3-0 win over Baltimore. great pitching from Kuroda and some timely hitting. plus, a game done in just over 2 1/2 hours. can't beat that. after a day off today, the next series is with Arizona. i guess i get to relive all the pain from the 2001 World Series again.

i did enjoy Veep and Nurse Jackie last night. and i got to catch the episode of Vice i missed from Friday night. i really love that show. only if all reporting could be like that...

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is RC Edrington. RC is one of the best poets i have ever read. if you haven't read any of his work, first off, shame on you, second, seek it out immediately. here is a link to his website: http://www.rcedrington.com/

some good news to report on the fantasy hockey front. i (somehow) came back from a 7-3 deficit to begin this week to win 6-3-1. thank god i've been in that kind of hole before and know how to manipulate a roster and the waivers system. off to the finals for me, first time in 3 years. of course, the guy i'm facing only finished nearly 15 games ahead of me in the division. needless to say, i have my work cut out for me.

i did watch about the last hour or so of The Masters yesterday. i did think it was kind of funny that i told my mother to watch out for Adam Scott the night before. of course, i told her that because i figured he would choke another one away. to say i was a bit surprised when he won would be an understatement.

the windows are open today. the birds seem thrilled with the new bird feeders. and mom got some wind chimes to replace the ones that broke last year. and of course, now that we have some again, i don't think the wind has picked up enough today for them to make a sound. figures.

i'm off to my afternoon nap before a night of flipping between Monday Night Raw and The Voice. and a handful of hockey games that i will analyze to death hoping to pick up some kind of advantage on my fantasy hockey opponent.

music today:

The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
UB40 - The Best Of: Volume 2
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Kiss - Destroyer

"The reward of energy, enterprise and thrift is taxes." - William Feather

sports, cats, music, life and not being able to balance all of them

i'll work myself backwards here. just got in from feeding the cats, taking out the trash, etc. i figured while i was outside, i might as well look for my cat, Langston Hughes. i checked all the places the cats usually hide when they are having kittens. no luck. then, i checked all the places where i have found dead cats before. no luck in those places either. sadly, i do believe the cat may be gone. i'll do what i did with all the others, give it 30 days. if Langston doesn't show up by then, i'll sadly have to admit that she's gone.

thankfully, Manchester United won this morning 2-0. it was so nice to see Robin van Persie score again. been way too long. only 7 more points to go to clinch the 20th league title.

i did enjoy Saturday Night Live and ROH tv last night. or, at least what i remember watching of them. the events prior to that drained me.

Louis C.K. new HBO special was hilarious. i laughed my ass off the entire time. thankfully the New York Rangers game and the college hockey national championship game both got done in time for me to watch from the start.

congrats to Yale for winning the college hockey national championship.

the New York Rangers had a playoff type victory over the Islanders last night 1-0, in OT. Hank picked a nice place to get his first shutout of the season. highlights below:

the victory beer tasted oh so sweet after that one.

The Yankees got some shitty, shitty, pitching yesterday from Phil Hughes and lost 5-3. the bullpen did great after Phil dug quite the hole. maybe a few clutch hits along the way and the Yankees could have come all the way back, but it was not meant to be. they play the Sunday night game tonight on ESPN. i'll flip between that and Veep on HBO and Nurse Jackie on Showtime.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Leah Angstman. it's hard to believe that i've known Leah for damn near 20 years. she's quite the publisher, poet, future novelist, etc. do check out her work if you get the chance. a good place to start is her website: http://leahangstman.blogspot.com/

i'll be glued to hockey stats all evening as i'm oh so close to pulling off a fucking miracle in fantasy hockey. hopefully i will have great news on that front tomorrow.

hope everyone has a great end of the weekend. the weather has warmed here and the winds have died down. might actually open a window this afternoon as golf puts me to sleep.

music today:

Nine Inch Nails - With_Teeth
The Gospel Whiskey Runners - Hold On

"Creativity takes courage." - Henri Matisse

only the calendar believes it is spring

damn good thing i didn't put away the winter clothes. apparently it's April, yet the weather believes it's late February. nothing like going out to feed the cats when it's 30 degrees out with a wind that makes it feel like the upper teens. as i have grown older, i can absolutely see why people leave this state and never come back. maybe one day i'll be smart enough to do the same.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is J.D. Nelson. J.D. is one of the most prolific poets i have the pleasure of knowing. a quick Google search should give you a ton of links to his writing, music, art, etc. do check him out if you haven't before.

i really enjoyed the 5-2 Yankees win over Baltimore last night. CC was really strong on the mound. and nothing like getting 3 runs on an error to give the Yankees the margin of victory. plus, a triple play that has never happened in the history of MLB. read all about it and see both plays here: Error, triple play help Yankees take series opener

busy sports weekend as usual. Yankees play again this afternoon. Rangers vs. Islanders this evening in basically a playoff game. the national championship of college hockey and if i truly get bored, there's always golf.

throw on top of all that a new Saturday Night Live, new ROH tv, new Louis C.K. comedy special on HBO, and god knows what else i find... i'll be spending this cold ass day in front of the tv indoors. furnace back on, unfortunately.

hopefully the weather is better in your neck of the woods.

music today:

Tom Waits - Mule Variations
Grouplove - Never Trust A Happy Song

"If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner." - Tallulah Bankhead

a cold Friday

nothing like a cold front moving through, dropping the damn temps by 40 degrees, to leave my back as stiff as a corpse. just fucking fun. we didn't get nearly as much rain as i thought we would, and what we did get, the wind dried it out pretty damn quickly.

the Yankees were rained out again last night, so i pretty much jumped from channel to channel. a little college hockey, some TNA wrestling, some true crime stuff, the cooking channel, various music channels, etc. more or less it's really just the challenge to see if i can go the whole evening and not watch one commercial all the way through. a much easier game to play when you have a satellite i suppose.

i have no clue if the Yankees will play tonight or not. if they do, i'll be watching. if they are rained out for the third day in a row... i'll be jumping from channel to channel again i guess.

mom took me to a late lunch today at Little York Tavern. i haven't been to this place in years. we went there in all actuality to try the Dan Patrick Show beer, Audible Ale. i've been meaning to try this for quite some time, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait. a very smooth, tasty, easy to drink beer. i highly recommend it. hopefully a store around here will start selling it soon.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Hosho McCreesh. he does much more than just write poetry, i urge all of you to check out his website:
http://www.hoshomccreesh.com/HMsite/Home.html

hopefully spring makes a comeback this weekend. or, at the very least, this cold ass wind goes away.

hope everyone has a great weekend. peace and chicken grease.

music today:

Beach House - Bloom
Pearl Jam - Binaural

"There is no off position on the genius switch." - David Letterman

rest in peace to one of my favorite comedians of all time Jonathan Winters

before the fun stuff starts

it's been raining here all day long. more of a persistent drizzle, which is not actually bad, as it seems like it's really going into the ground pretty good. should make for a decent start to the planting season at least. of course, the fun stuff is supposed to be coming tonight. i'm not a big fan of night storms, especially ones that have the potential to be damaging. could be a restless night ahead for me.

what the rain has really done, along with the heat of the last couple of days, is make the farm much greener. which says to me, fuck, i've got grass to mow here soon.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Doug Draime. Doug is one of my favorite poets around. i urge all of you to check out his work. a quick search on Google should give you plenty to read.

the Yankees game last night was rained out. i have no clue if they will actually get tonight's game in or not. seeing that this is their only trip into Cleveland this season, i hope they get this one in. it's bad enough they will have to use an off day to go back there to make up last night's game.

seeing that the Yankees weren't playing, i was able to give my full attention to the New York Rangers last night. a better defensive effort, even though they gave up 2 damn goals to a guy on my opponents fantasy team for the second game in a row, resulting in a 3-2 shootout win. highlights below:

i really enjoyed the victory beer after that game. 2 HUGE points. they now get a couple of days to rest up for a Saturday night match with the Islanders. that should be a nice bloodbath.

other than a little baseball tonight, i might check out a little college hockey. the frozen four starts tonight. that is of course if the power stays on and the Directv doesn't go out. it has a tendency to go nuts in the really bad storms. and judging from the radar, this one could be a bad one.

if i see any spectacular damage come morning, i will try to get some pictures. i'm hoping there won't be any.

i got some awesome free music on NoiseTrade today. check out The Gospel Whiskey Runners here: http://noisetrade.com/gwr/hold-on

music today:

Tori Amos - Under The Pink
The Gospel Whiskey Runners - Hold On
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Bassnectar - Freestyle Mixtape

"Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand." - Thomas Aquinas

a little of this and that

i always find it amusing when i have a load of clothes in the washer, another load in the dryer, and out of nowhere a pop-up thunderstorm shows up. Directv going in and out and i just know, the power is next. thankfully, that didn't happen.

besides a ton of laundry to do, i was planning on going cat hunting before the rains hit. i haven't seen my cat Langston Hughes in a few days now, which is very unlike her. tomorrow is supposed to be near monsoon conditions, so i guess Friday will be a search day if she doesn't show up.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Kevin M. Hibshman. Kevin is one of my favorite people i have come to know over all my years as a poet. plus, he published me numerous times in one of my favorite zines ever, Fearless. seek out his work, i urge you.

if anyone is interested in hearing some behind the scenes details of Wrestlemania week in New York City, please go check out episode #50 of the Sam Roberts Show Online. you can find this podcast at iTunes, Stitcher, and by going to notsam.com.

i really enjoyed the Yankees ass whipping of Cleveland last night, 14-1. that's the beauty of an old team, or experienced when they are going good, they always kill shitty pitching. that could be why they have stunk in the playoffs the last few years. hopefully, another ass whipping is in store for tonight and for the first time this season, a series win.

i'll be flipping between that and the New York Rangers game tonight with Toronto, finishing off the back half of a home and home. yet another MUST win game tonight. i'm hoping the defense is much tighter than it was on Monday.

i did enjoy The Voice last night. good to see a little preview of the battle rounds. that's when the show gets really good. some pretty strong voices this season. i'll be interested if anyone breaks out like Cassadee did last season.

hope everyone is having a good hump day. if the rain becomes "epic" tomorrow, i'll try to get some pictures. until then...

music today:

Jane's Addiction - Jane's Addiction
Butch Walker & The Black Widows - The Spade

"You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do." - Anne Lamott

as the days start to bleed together

i was trying to fall asleep last night/this morning when i realized i had been up for longer than 24 hours. and i really couldn't believe it when i was up again just 4 hours after falling asleep. i figured i better write today's post before the eventual collapse comes.

i was very thankful for the poems that got accepted and the poem that got published last night. that really did a nice job of lifting my mood. 3 of the 4 poems accepted came from the writing session of the previous day. always nice to know i can still turn it on when i need to.

while on the topic of poetry, the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Rebecca Schumejda. she was one of the first people to ever publish me. please don't hold that against her. i urge you to find her work and check it out. a good place to start is her website:
http://www.rebeccaschumejda.com/.

the Manchester United loss yesterday really got me down. i know the lead in the league is 12 points and i don't feel like another epic collapse is in the works like last year, but still... any loss to City is a bad one. especially at home. oh well.......

on top of that the New York Rangers lost a game in Toronto last night, 4-3. a game they really couldn't afford to lose as they are now giving away the games in hand they had over all the other teams fighting for the final playoff spots. and after reading the quotes from the game, i had to question why the fuck do they even have a backup goalie? a capable one at that. to read that Hank felt some fatigue and basically blamed that for giving up 4 goals really pisses me off.

i always think about the line i learned as a child. show me someone who doesn't hate to lose and i'll show you a fucking loser.

thankfully, the Yankees won their slow-pitch softball game with Cleveland yesterday 11-6. always nice when the bats wake up, especially Robinson Cano. i will try to savor these offensive outbursts as i don't think i will see very many of them this year. hopefully they can win their third in a row this evening.

what did have me howling last night was Monday Night Raw. the Raw right after Wrestlemania is usually one of the best ones of the year. it's usually the day when the WWE realizes they have to do something to win back all the fans they pissed off the night before after a lackluster $70 ppv. they didn't disappoint. from Dolph Ziggler cashing in his money in the bank contract to a Ryback heel turn, it had a bit of everything. what really made the night was the fans. all the chants and the true European feel to the crowd made for a big-time feel. plus, you know me, any show that ends with John Cena face down on the mat, beaten to a pulp, gets 2 thumbs up from me.

i was in and out of The Voice last night. i guess i'll be doing some catching up on YouTube here in a bit.

i did get the national championship game right for the 3rd year in a row. i saw most of the second half. a pretty damn good game. i finished with a record of 34-29 for the tournament. not great, but certainly better than my  worst.

i was saddened to read in the paper this morning that the Downtown Dayton Revival will not be happening again this year. i had so much fun at that festival last year. it's really a shame. but, like most things that fail in this area, it didn't get supported enough by the same people that will be bitching and moaning that it's gone. funny how that works.

and lastly, hello again spring. welcome back. temps today in the mid 70's with a hot southern wind that makes it feel like the low 80's. of course, since i'm out here in the sticks, the wind makes it basically impossible to enjoy. all the trash flying around from other farms and not to mention, all the farmers getting their fields ready to plant here soon. nothing like trying to enjoy the sun when you have mountains of dirt flying around at 40 m.p.h. fun.

music today:

ZZ Top - Tres Hombres
Sonic Youth - Washing Machine
Beastie Boys - The Mix-Up

"Always be a poet, even in prose." - Charles Baudelaire

response from 48th Street Press

i heard back from Chris at 48th Street Press on my poetry submission from yesterday. my poems "better off" and "a lazy summer day" have been accepted for publication. when these poems get published, most likely in the summer, i'll be sure to post pictures of the broadsides here on the blog.

response from The Camel Saloon

i heard back from Russell at The Camel Saloon on my poetry submission from yesterday. my poems "on the corner of genesee and dewitt" and "the mental scars only grow deeper" have been accepted for publication. when these poems get published i'll be sure to post the links here on the blog.

even the imaginary friends have moved on

my poem "even the imaginary friends have moved on" has been published in Gutter Eloquence Magazine #26. you can find my poem by going here:
http://www.guttereloquence.com/issue26/jjcampbell26.html

others with work in the issue include Mather Schneider, Doug Draime, Ron Androla, Melanie Browne, John Grey, Ross Vassilev, and Ally Malinenko just to name a few.

poetry news, wrestling thoughts, victory beers and some kind of BIG game later today

i sent out 8 poems this morning, 3 to The Camel Saloon and 5 to 48th Street Press for their broadside series. i was in last year's as well. when i hear back from Russell and Chris, i'll be sure to pass along the info.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is my friend Alan Catlin. i've been published with Alan since i began getting published. if you haven't read his work, i urge you to seek it out.

my poem "nuclear winter" is the featured poem at Jeremy Benson's website right now. you can find it here: http://www.jeremy-benson.com/FeaturePoetry.html

my thoughts on Wrestlemania are pretty simple. CM Punk vs. Undertaker was easily the best match of the night. sadly, not much of the rest of the show was worth a fuck. i did enjoy The Shield winning, mostly because Dean Ambrose is the future of this business. other than that, it was too damn predictable to be exciting at all. i was most disappointed with the Jericho vs. Fandango match. those 2 simply did not click at all. and considering Jericho is my 4th favorite wrestler of all time, you can imagine where i'm placing the blame. hopefully Vince is smart enough to spend the next year building some new talent so the relics don't have to carry the show any longer.

thankfully, the season finales of the Showtime shows saved my night. i really enjoyed all 3 of them.

the Yankees had a nice, i didn't see that coming, win yesterday over Detroit, 7-0. i doubt the Tigers will get shutout many times this season. amazing what decent pitching and some timely hitting can do. they play today in Cleveland, yet another opening day to go through. i imagine i'll sneak a peek or two, hoping they can finally win 2 games in a row.

tonight will be a true test of my attention span. on at about the same time for all of these, tonight i will be trying to view as much of the following as possible: New York Rangers vs. Toronto, the Voice, Monday Night Raw, and the National Championship game. if i'm not already insane, tonight should do the trick.

i am way behind in my fantasy hockey playoffs. if i pull this off in the games this week, it will be some kind of miracle.

and finally, a little game later on this afternoon between Manchester United and Manchester City. the result of today's match will basically determine my mood for the rest of the day, probably the week as well. a win, and i will be on cloud nine. a loss, and i will be pissed beyond belief. not that it will change the chances of United winning the league. it's just that losing to that team of fucking clowns burns me deeply. i suppose time will tell.

for those interested, i have Louisville winning tonight, 71-64.

hope everyone had a great weekend. until tomorrow...

music today:

The Breeders - Last Splash

"Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it." - Mark Twain

i'm running on fumes

i got an email yesterday from a publisher wanting to know if i would like to send him some work. of course i said yes, knowing damn well that i hardly have anything sitting around that i've written. so, there i was, at 3 in the morning, listening to techno and pounding out 5 poems. i typed them up this morning and holy shit, i actually like a few of these. they will be sent out tomorrow in a couple of submissions. more details will come tomorrow.

and while we're on the topic of poetry, the poet of the day on my Google+ page is my good friend Ross Vassilev.

what a massive win last night for the New York Rangers. Hank played probably the best i have ever seen him play in net. nearly 50 saves in a 4-1 win over Carolina. below are the game highlights

for some damn reason i did follow the Yankee game yesterday from time to time online. why? i suppose i'm a glutton for punishment. my pitching theory is still holding true. Detroit goes for the sweep today. i'll probably watch some of the game just so i can get some sleep.

and i will need that sleep as not only do i have Wrestlemania to watch this evening, but also all the season finales of the Showtime shows. this will be another late one for this old man.

can't say i remember much of Saturday Night Live or ROH last night. i was busy trying to figure out what to write. i remember watching both but my mind was clearly elsewhere.

i did watch the Final 4 last night. much like most of this tournament, i got half of it right. i picked Louisville before the whole thing started to win. on Monday i'll see if i was correct. and seeing they are playing a school i absolutely can't stand, i'll be all in for Louisville.

and to whet the taste buds for this evening, here is my good friend "Primetime" Sam Roberts interviewing CM Punk about Wrestlemania

that is all. the trash is picked up and all the animals are fed. i'm off to go read the Sunday paper, watch a little hockey and take one long nap.

music today:

Prodigy - The Fat of the Land
AC/DC - High Voltage

"Love is like the measles. The older you get it, the worse the attack." - Rainer Maria Rilke

welcome to the weekend

yesterday, the Yankees committed one of the sins of all sports. when coming from behind, once you take the lead, you can't give that lead right back and expect to win. the Yankees did exactly that as they lost 8-3. thankfully, MLB blackout rules will keep me from seeing today's game. another loss would not shock me at all. i get the feeling this team is going to frustrate the living shit out of me this season.

last night, the Rangers played about the best road game they have played all season. they lost 2-1 in a shootout unfortunately. they did get a huge point. they play a struggling Carolina team tonight, and 2 points is a MUST. i figure i will flip to that during commercial breaks of the Final 4.

the weather warmed up a bit today but, and given that i've lived all my 37 years in the state of Ohio, there's always a but when it comes to the weather, the wind is colder than shit. what is supposed to be in the 60's feels like the 40's. fuck me.

bird feeder update: i guess the deer repellent and raccoon repellent worked as the bird feeder was still hanging this morning. now, we'll see how long it lasts.

spent the rest of this morning watching and listening to Wrestlemania interviews, checking out ROH ppv results (i'm a bit shocked to say the least), and listening to Bert Kreischer's podcast. i highly recommend the latest podcast, especially if you need a good laugh today. you can find it at http://bertcast.com/

new SNL tonight and a little ROH tv before i go to bed and get ready for my Sunday as a child. Wrestlemania is the only wrestling ppv i get each year and i have seen all 28 so far. from the first one going to Hara Arena with my father to watch on closed circuit television to last year watching on a big screen out here on the farm. i'm hoping Wrestlemania 29 will shock a few people this year. i'm kind of amazed at the number of people who are already shitting on it before it happens. of course, i shouldn't be that shocked seeing that wrestling fans think they know exactly what is best for the show. and considering i'm one of those fans, perhaps my positive thoughts are simply wishing for the best.

any posts from me tomorrow will be early. and if you email, don't worry, i'll get to it eventually. but for most of tomorrow i'll be in front of a television.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Daphne Gottlieb.

hope this post finds everyone well, with a fresh drink in your hand, not a single care in the fucking world at the moment.

music today:

Korn- Korn
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

"It's easier to force feed people than it is to give 'em what they want. It makes more money." - Merle Haggard

sometimes the old men are more than just old

when i noticed the Yankees had a lead last night, their first of the season, i quickly started watching more and more of the game. i found myself laughing at how easy the old man Pettitte makes it look sometimes. helps when you can get a double play ball on command it seems. and then, turn the game over to the hammer of god Rivera. sure, he gave up a run, but the man is 43. Yankees win 4-2. thank god.

flipped through some hockey games and even a little TNA wrestling, which i hardly ever watch. why i was up till 3 in the morning with such little of interest to me on is beyond me.

i'm not sure if the bird feeder problem is a raccoon after all. i get the feeling it may be a deer. i guess i will be pulling one of my up all night routines to make sure. i guess it really is spring now out here at the zoo, i mean farm.

absolutely hard to believe it's been 19 years since Kurt Cobain died. i can still remember sitting in the parking lot of the Trotwood, Ohio library when i heard the news. just a few weeks before my high school graduation. i can still recall that moment like it was yesterday. nothing like these moments of nostalgia to really make me feel old. and it also brings to mind that another high school reunion is coming up. of course, i rarely get invited to any of this shit, much like high school when i come to think of it. good times.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is my good friend Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal.

the Yankees play here in a couple of hours. Detroit's home opener. get to relive all the playoff losses of the last few years. great. the Rangers play tonight in Pittsburgh. i'm sure the Penguins will be looking for a little revenge after that ass-whipping they get in New York. other than that and watching various wrestling interviews for Wrestlemania week, i can see myself enjoying the outdoors a bit today. it seems like forever since i have seen the sun for 4 straight days.

hope everyone has a great weekend. a big sports weekend, between the Final 4, Wrestlemania, the hockey season getting to the point of every game is a playoff game and finish it all off with a tasty Manchester United vs. Manchester City clash on Monday. hopefully, a few victory beers will be had along the way.

music today:

Nirvana - Nevermind

"The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing." - Marcus Aurelius

color me shocked

so, after the huge trade the New York Rangers pulled off yesterday, i sat down last night to watch them play Pittsburgh. needless to say, i was a bit shocked at what happened. i would post video highlights but for some reason YouTube and Blogger are not working well with each other today. so, here is a game write-up from Andrew Gross.
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Rangers_trade_Marian_Gaborik_rout_Penguins_6-1.html?page=all
to think that Brassard and Moore arrived just 10 minutes before the warm-up and they both score. add to that Ryane Clowe scores his first 2 goals as a Ranger and those are his first 2 goals of the season. totally fucking unbelievable. hopefully the boys bottle this and play like that for the rest of the season. if they do, they will make the playoffs and i will be a very happy man.

on a meaningless side note, the Yankees lost last night 7-4. 2 games in and my belief hasn't changed. if this team can't pitch and hold the other team under 4 runs, they won't win. simple as that. now watch them go out tonight and prove me wrong. (another futile attempt at reverse psychology positive bullshit). i guess Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells hit their first Yankee home runs last night. i wouldn't know for sure as i probably only watched 10 minutes of the game at most.

the damn raccoon messed up one of the good bird feeders last night. hopefully the new repellent works. if it doesn't, i believe my sister recently took some firearms classes, maybe she would like to come down for some target practice. in case neither happens, i have replaced the good bird feeder with a 2 liter bottle held up on a string. i couldn't give 2 shits if they mess that one up.

the temps have warmed up a bit here today. thankfully. maybe the forecast for the weekend will be correct for once and it actually hits the 60's finally.

started reading More Notes of a Dirty Old Man: The Uncollected Columns by Charles Bukowski last night. so far so good.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Justin Chin.

i'm torn if i'm going to watch the Yankees lose again tonight or flip between a ton of hockey games that my fantasy players are on. i do know i will be watching The Big Bang Theory. other than that, i imagine it will simply be a mission to avoid commercials.

music today:

Matthew Perryman Jones - Land of the Living
Jeff Buckley - Mystery White Boy: Live 95-96

"I been in the blues all my life. I'm still delivering 'cause I got a long memory." - Muddy Waters

deadline day

so, i was sitting there eating a bowl of cereal for lunch and the breaking news music started playing on the NHL Network. i look up and see that Marian Gaborik has been traded from the New York Rangers to Columbus. i believe holy shit was the first thing that came to my mind. then i saw what the Rangers got in return, and then i was really like holy shit. i love the trade from the side of the financial freedom it gives the team this summer and the quick addition of depth to the team immediately. when you add in they got Ryane Clowe yesterday as well for draft picks, i believe all these moves will make the Rangers a tougher team to play against IF they make the playoffs. but, seeing that Gaborik is the second player from my fantasy team to get traded, i quickly had to go check the Columbus schedule and adjust my fantasy lineups. if he's playing on the first line and getting over 20 minutes a night, it should work out fine.

all that being said, i will be interested to see how the Rangers play tonight against Pittsburgh. this is yet another MUST WIN game, especially seeing they are not in a playoff position right now.

as an afterthought, the Yankees play the Red Sox tonight. i imagine the Rangers will play like shit enough at times that i will flip over to the baseball game. or, i'll flip to the new show Rogue that is debuting tonight on DIRECTV. good to have options i suppose.

my poet of the day on my Google+ page is John Sweet. John is by far my favorite living poet and i urge all of you to do yourself a favor and find his work. and more importantly, if you can afford it, buy his books. you can find a good number of them here:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/bleedinghorse99

staying on the poetry front, i did write a new poem this morning. seeing the subject matter was about me being molested as a child, i was kind of surprised when i didn't mind fuck myself all day long after writing about it, again. perhaps i'm getting better at this shit finally. i'm planning on submitting that poem, maybe later this week or next. i'll keep you updated on where it goes.

in other news, i need to do my laundry soon, the raccoon struck again last night and the sun has been out all day long. but temps in the 30's is not exactly what i call spring. it's supposed to warm up this weekend, but i'm not holding my damn breath.

be well. peace and chicken grease.

music today:

Cowboy Junkies - Studio: Selected Studio Recordings 1986-1995

"Why resist temptation? There will always be more." - Don Herold

recharged and ready to go

amazing what some decent sleep and a win from the New York Rangers actually does for me. i woke up this morning feeling refreshed for maybe the first time in 2 weeks.

i nearly drove myself insane last night as i was doing my best to watch every bit of the Rangers game, The Voice, and Monday Night Raw. i'll do a little recap on all 3, sorta.

as for the Rangers game, the boys scored 19 seconds in to break their scoring drought. of course, 1 minute later they gave the goal right back. i flip back later to see they are down 2-1. needless to say, i'm not pleased. then, i flip back later to see this beauty from Captain Cally.

the Rangers go on to win 4-2. below are the full game highlights

just love when the NHL trading deadline is the same time as the fantasy playoffs. seeing that one of my players got moved today, i can just imagine my stress level come tomorrow. fun.

as for Monday Night Raw, the parts i did catch i enjoyed for the most part. the ending, which saw CM Punk dress as a druid and beat up The Undertaker with the urn and then dump the ashes of Paul Bearer on him was just pure fucking brilliance. it's clear that this match is more anticipated than any other match on the card. i can't wait until Wrestlemania.

yesterday, i completely forgot to give you my thoughts on ROH TV over the weekend. i love the way they are rolling out the back story on SCUM vs. ROH. and personally, i don't think you can go wrong when you have Steve Corino being the mouthpiece of the angle. also, the slow tease of what Kevin Steen wants to say is perfect. i really enjoyed the episode, even if i stayed up 2 hours later to watch it because of the Ten Commandments movie.

as for The Voice. it was good as usual. a few of the voices stuck out to me. but, most of what i think makes this show better than all the other ones is the interaction between the coaches. that's really the reason i love the show, other than the fact i am addicted to music.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is William Taylor Jr. if you haven't heard of him before, i urge you to go seek his work out and enjoy. one of the best poets going today.

i have a pesky raccoon that is getting into my bird feeders. i'm not a big fan of killing animals. but i'm not against others doing it. we've got some natural type sprays that are supposed to keep them away, but i guess they are too old now to be effective. if i get any photos of the little fucker in action, i'll be sure to post them.

none of my sports teams play tonight. i started watching a little bit of PSG vs. Barcelona in Champions League play, but, with no Manchester United involved anymore, the luster of the matches are gone for me. i'll catch the highlights later tonight i suppose. i believe i will catch up on some sleep, watch another episode of The Voice, take a shower and perhaps do a little writing this evening.

or, do none of the above and just turn on the History Channel and fall in and out of sleep. time will only tell i suppose.

music today:

Jimi Hendrix - People, Hell and Angels
The Allman Brothers Band - The Allman Brothers Band
The xx - Coexist
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - The Heist

"If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else." - Marvin Gaye

i wish it was all just a bad joke

so, i got up this morning before the sun. got some shit done, had breakfast, and got ready to watch Manchester United vs. Chelsea. i should have just stayed in bed. at no point in this match did i feel like United was playing well enough to win. so, hats off to Chelsea as they won 1-0. yet another year without the FA Cup. and to think a few months ago i thought they would win the treble this year, it's going to be really fucking hard to not think of just winning the league title as something other than disappointing.

so, after that, had a few hours until Yankee Opening Day. another fucking waste of my time. they lost to the Red Sox 8-2. it's pretty fucking simple this year for the Yankees. if they don't pitch well, they will not win. plain and simple. that is, until the $200 million or so on the disabled list comes back. and by then, who knows how many fucking games they will be out of the race. sadly, most of the game was an extension of last season. just the simple inability to get a hit when it matters.

so, tonight i'll see if the New York Rangers can either pull me out of this funk or just put a fitting end to a shitty day. they play at home in a must win against Winnipeg, a team they haven't beat this season. thank fucking god The Voice and Monday Night Raw are on tonight as well.

and seeing that this is the last Raw before Wrestlemania, it should be really damn good.

as for the weekend, not much at all went on. got about half of the basketball games right (a cheap attempt at being positive, i got the other half wrong). my sister came down for the weekend and it's always good catching up with her. the weather was mostly decent, so that was nice. i was watching the Louisville game when that kid broke his leg. that was really fucking gruesome. might be as bad as i've seen in all my years watching sports. and god knows i've seen so many damn injuries that are 'holy shit' moments, they all tend to blend together anymore.

i still have the team i picked to win the National Championship alive (Louisville). i finished 3rd in fantasy hockey for the regular season. the playoffs start tonight. all of us finished at least 10 games behind the regular season champion, so anyone other than him winning will be a complete upset. fantasy baseball started last night as well. off to a decent start, knock on wood.

what i will try to do for National Poetry Month is post a poem to my Google+ page each day of the month. today was a little Walt Whitman.

lastly, especially if i have another writing session in the next few days, expect some news on some poetry submissions.

music today:

Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss

"A man paints with his brains and not with his hands." - Michelangelo