5 Short Poems
The Time Aaron's Roommate Murdered His Date
An excerpt from the newly released novel, “The Lyrebird Threat” out on Amazon.com, describing in full detail the exact events that revealed to Aaron his roommate is an operative for a secret sub-branch of government. Not an ideal date, but it could have gone worse.
Chris Churchill Saves the World | Parables for Terrible Times
There once was a kid running home from school, trying to get to the safety and comfort of his home toilet. He realized he wouldn’t make it. A glowing orb granted him permission to shit on the ground.
Notes from the Post-it Wall | Week of August 4, 2019
Perception is not reality. Something that’s unfun for one person does not make it unfun for everyone. It doesn’t take a village, it takes enough people in that village.
Even the good insurgencies, over time, become the establishment.
Feeling Low? Visit a Bookstore or Attend a Funeral
The bookstore is a perfect rescue vessel because it gets me out of the house, puts me face-to-face with the common unwashed I have managed to loathe almost as much as I’d been loathing myself, and doesn’t lead me to further self-destruction through vices of solitude like having a drink or seventeen at a corner tavern. Once there, my regret and hope squirt out of my pores like a well-hardened blackhead from my nose. And for me, when my regret and hope get together, that’s when solutions, inspiration, and energy are made.
The Minutes of Our Last Meeting – Active Shooter Play of the Day!
Clearly there is an audience for this.
I Like to Watch | Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood
In that pursuit, I find examples of men who are tough but not belligerent, charming but not smarmy, unquestioningly loyal but not lap dogs in movie characters. Avatars of masculinity without machismo to model our behavior. Gentlemen with that Gene Autry sense of duty to women, children, and those not in the power position in the American pursuit of happiness. The guys who can beat the crap out of a Nazi but use that aggression wisely rather than lord it over the weak.
I Believe… [I Have a Dream — Set in a Casino]
…that a casino is the true example of a melting pot of diversity: rich, poor, black, brown, white, English, Spanish, Japanese, German, fat, thin, straight, gay. You wanna see the America you dream of, go to Vegas.
Termination
Eriksen liked to stand out in red short-sleeve scrubs and extra-long gloves, blasting ZZ Top as he sawed, hammered and sewed on the orthopedically damaged suburbanites hoping to improve their less than stellar golf or tennis games. On occasion, especially in summer, I’d catch him in shorts. “Bjorn,” I’d scold him like a recalcitrant kindergartner, “put your pants on, Infection Control.”
Ignoring the Three Percent
Jack sits in a small room. He used to think the room was a lot bigger. It’s not.
Thought Is What Makes Us Non-Trump
The only thing that prevents person to person mayhem is THOUGHT. Our ability to assess our surroundings and make decisions based on our perception of the possible consequences.
Notes from the Post it Wall | Week of July 28, 2019
I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but driving to and/or through Chicago’s western suburbs is an emotional drive through the deepest and darkest pools of my depression.
The Neighborhood Watch is NOT the Richest Guy on the Block
Earlier in the year, Tom and Jack kind of went to war against each other. First it was just namecalling and that sort of thing but then Jack keyed Tom's boat and all hell broke loose. Vandalization of property begat slashing of tires and eventually, Tom and Jack, their wives and kids, were routinely out in their yards, hurling shit at one another and generally disturbing everyone on the block.
The Minutes of Our Last Meeting - White Anti-Defamation League
It ain’t racist if it’s the truth!
People can’t Change but They can Evolve
Because we can evolve. We learn from the shit. We accept teachings. We welcome the ironic and contrary and we actually allow ourselves to truly trust those we tell ourselves we trust. We look at ourselves and reassess. We make the choice to go to bed one night determined to approach life differently when the new day hits. We climb out of the piles of our own make, the primordial ooze of dumb, hungry, angry and horny, and we remember that riches are nice but only if we can find simple joy in a bowl of Cocoa Puffs when the going is amazing as well as when it’s all fucked to shit.
Bridges That Only Go One Way Probably Need Burning
In your daily walk, you will encounter, and perhaps, befriend a lot of people. Some of those people require nothing from you and you require nothing from them and, if given time, a bridge of simple mutual enjoyment is built. Others will need things from you and you will find that you need things from them and both fulfill those needs through transaction of time and talent and another bridge of a different sort is built.
Then there are the one-way bridges.
I Believe… [Impeachment Plans Are Pyrrhic]
…that impeachment has always been a pipe dream and the more time wasted pissing and moaning about it, the more attention paid to it, the less energy there will be to actually vote the fat fuck out of office. There is nothing noble about a Pyrrhic victory.
Poetry Test & Fluxus Jokes
Congratulations. This letter is your official notice that you have received an adequate amount of credits to graduate, having earned a degree in POETRY, from the Dana M. Jerman School for Obnoxionist Arts.
I Like to Watch | Designated Survivor, Season Three
Of all the many things that got me through the eight years of George W. Bush (rage, vitriol, a massive sense that things had gone completely wrong in the country, a belief that Cheney would figure out how to install himself as dictator, the horror of a pre-emotive war that was protested by more people than the Viet Nam conflict, and writing about all these things daily) was Martin Sheen, Aaron Sorin and The West Wing.
Notes from the Post-it Wall | Week of July 21, 2019
At this point, everything that happens in Stranger Things’ Hawkins, Indiana is just a pretty typical oddity.
Jake and Caroline’s first date was at The Whistler. They talked about Ronnie, how much they loved The Diplomat, and debated the better ride-share service, Uber or Lyft. She was Uber, he was Lyft. They got wasted on Sazeracs and had sex at her apartment. It was incredible for both of them. Caroline stopped taking sex advice from Ronnie.