Soul Meets Blog

copyright 2006, S. Donovan Mullaney. All rights reserved.

Review of "A Little Bit of Timely Advice" by Mekeel McBride, as found in "The Maine Poets: an anthology" by Wesley McNair.

Carpe diem is alive and well and living in Downeast Maine. That is, readers might certainly believe so after reading Mekeel McBride's free verse poem, "A Little Bit of Timely Advice." McBride blends colloquial speech with poetic technique to deliver a tight, six-stanza poem packed with the no-nonsense, pick-yourself-up philosophy so characteristic of her home State.

This will be a fun piece if I ever get the installer software for my digital camera. Argh.

I used to crap on the Olson twins... never again, because at least they're not Prussian Blue. Give me the tabloid articles about which handbag Ashley's purchased this week and Mary-Kate's latest puke count over this crap:

Question:

What do you think is the most important social issue facing the white race right now? Do you have any songs that address this issue?

"Not having enough white babies born to replace ourselves and generally not having good-quality white people being born. It seems like smart white girls who have good eugenics are more interested in making money in a career or partying than getting married and having a family. And yes, we are working on some new songs about this issue."

Sometimes beautiful people are the most evil. I mean, WTF?

...or, Celtic Solidarity Day, as my friend Nick would say. Nick has a theory-- it might even on of those "facts made based on decisions" (like Iraq's weapons of mass destruction)-- that the snakes that St. Patrick drove out of Ireland refers to the Druids. The snake, an ancient symbol of Earth-based wisdom, was vilified and transmuted into the devil in the Judeo-Christian tradition. So, he discourages the traditional greeting.

...but it's still painful. As far as breakups go, this one wasn't so bad.

The split actually began right before Valentine's Day. Generally, I never break up before Valentine's Day, because I loathe being alone on that day. The Saturday before Valentine's Day, he made me scrambled eggs with vegetables for breakfast. As I calmly sat and enjoyed them, he turned to me and asked, "So what do you think about our relationship? Its speed? Its depth?"

I countered, "Well, are you in love with me?"

I saw a disturbing report on 60 Minutes last night. Basically, what they showed was the Bush White House attempting to spin global warming into oblivion.

Not surprising when the chief-of-staff of your Council on Environmental Quality, Phil Cooney, was a "lobbyist for the American Petroleum Institute before going into the White House."

They showed the original draft of reports that get sent to Congress, with Cooney's handwritten scratch-outs and changes, followed by what Congress actually sees. I've had less ink on papers for my college English class. Disgusting.

Today, not a blip on the media.. left OR right. Do people really not understand that the only thing spinning toward oblivion is us as we plunder the earth for profit and dull our minds with news-turned-infotainment?

There are still pirates sailing the seas, exchanging gunfire with authorities. They're not nearly so attractive as Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, or Johnny Depp, and there's no air of Robin Hood about them.

On odd bit of news to wake up to.

I have a fondness for most things Japanese: the Samurai code of honor, swords, the Ninja art of distraction, anime/manga, haiku, haibun, sushi, kanji, tea ceremony, bonsai, zen gardening, etc. The Japanese aesthetic, more than anything else, pleases me deeply. Everything is deliberate yet natural, forceful yet yielding.

Here's a card I made for my sister a few years ago.

Someone once asked me if I had any wisdom or stories from growing up on a farm. Here they are in easily digested nutshell format.

I just hate it when the following things come out of anyone's mouth--sportcasters', co-workers', dates', or my own...

I consider myself a pretty good kisser. (I'm happy to prove it to eligible doubters.) Apparently, after I watch William Cane's DVD, I'll "be able to make boys weak in the knees, like Britney Spears." Oh my.

Under Contact Us, we meet the author (shown right.) This fine specimen of manhood has a staff of "kissing consultants"; they're "twins." Now I'm convinced. Lest we think Mr. Cane a misogynist, his twin assistants make sure that this book and video cover both men's and women's points of view.

As the only child of a single working mother, I grew up on political folk-rock of the 60s. My mother loved Joan Baez, CSNY, Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie, Joni Mitchell. She and my father held a goodbye Nixon party. She maintained her belief in the ideals that led people to Woodstock and felt let down by her generation.

As I approach 30, I'm starting to feel the same way. These days my compassion and my ambition to be a positive change agent need more oxygen (and a lot less carbon dioxide) to survive. A couple of days ago, I got some.

Today's song is Patty Griffin's Blue Skyfrom her album "Flaming Red."

On Wednesday, March 1, 2006, at a hearing on the proposed Constitutional Amendment to prohibit gay marriage, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at AU, was requested to testify (I love Snopes.com.) During his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs said: "As I read Biblical principles, marriage was intended, ordained and started by God — that is my belief," [Jacobs] said. "For me, this is an issue solely based on religious principals [sic]."

Raskin shot back that the Bible was also used to uphold now-outlawed statutes banning interracial marriage, and that the constitution should instead be lawmakers' guiding principle.

"People place their hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the Constitution; they don't put their hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible," he said.

Some in the room applauded, which led committee chairman Sen. Brian E. Frosh, a Democrat from Montgomery County, to call for order. "This isn't a football game," he said.

Amen.

Also, a shout out to my father. Happy Birthday!

Today's song is Ani DiFranco's Phase from her album "Evolve."

"On Night, Dust, and Tears"
*
Blue pharmaceutical warheads, capsules 
of time turned into white powder by technicians 
in white coats.  
                There’s someone under the dust,
someone whose hands used to shake, who used to
climb flagpoles just to stick his tongue 
to the icy, invigorating top, someone who couldn’t stop
that tongue from getting into grooves where 
tongues don’t belong.  

Whether you're a narcissist, a well-adjusted hipster, or a self-hating malcontent, chances are you've taken one of those surveys that purport to tell you (and the rest of world) just who you are. With more people spending more time on the Internet at work and home, I'd be willing to bet a lot of productivity is lost on fun time-wasters like Quizilla.com or the more corporate, standardized Tickle.com. (That is, among those who don't spend obsessive amounts of time updating their blogs.)

Which Smiths Song Are You?

You're "Cemetary Gates" ! You're smarter than other people, with their trite romanticized ideas about things. You have a wicked sense of satire.
Take this quiz!