My Interview!

It’s not that I didn’t expect this–it’s just that I didn’t expect it so soon! See… I bought a new mic, thinking I might want to get into podcasting. But I know nothing about podcasting, nor how I might stretch my silly verses into something worth actually saying out loud and at length. So… I asked my best friend Kylie, who already does that sort of thing. She offers to show me the ropes, and we do an interview. I expected it to come out sometime in a couple of weeks; I was thinking of how quickly *I* get things done, not how quickly Kylie gets things done. So it’s up already. But it was easier than I thought, so maybe I’ll start posting some of my verses with audio versions as well. In the meantime, you can hear me over at her place.

Poetry Out Loud

So I walk the Cuttledogs, return home, turn on the idiot-box, and am transformed.

By stroke of luck, it just so happens to be Maine’s 2012 Competition Finals of Poetry Out Loud. My goodness, what a wonderful thing.

When I write my piddling little verses, I hope that the best of them are, above all, fun to recite out loud. My favorite poems are those that I cannot read just once–I am compelled to repeat them, aloud, no matter how much it annoys the cats. Poetry–real poetry–is meant to be spoken, to be felt, both in the speaking and in the hearing.

A couple of years ago, a reader asked to read one of my verses for Poetry Out Loud (or some local variant). Maybe some year, I’ll hear one of my poor verses on a state or national stage. For now, I’ll be satisfied knowing that someone thought my verse was worthy of the effort.

After the jump, the finals: [Read more…]

Reason Rally On O’Reilly

(video below the fold, so as not to screw up RSS readers…)

“These were hard-core activists; when they withdraw money from the ATM, they said they take the bill and they take a pen and they cross out ‘In God We Trust’…”

Damn, that’s hard-core. Right up there with suicide bombers and Westboro Baptist Church.

It’s actually a fun piece. But listen, after their video–they laugh through a list of the things we are up against (e.g., the poll showing few would vote for an atheist candidate for president), and I have to remind myself, these are the same people whose forehead veins nearly pop at the sound of “happy holidays!”

Watch and enjoy, after the jump! [Read more…]

If You Can / If You Can’t (Rock Beyond Belief)

If you can–if you are within a day or so of Fort Bragg–pack up a suitcase, duffel bag, backpack, double-ply heavy duty trash bag, or your 1978 AMC Pacer (hey, I’m not judging you) and go to Rock Beyond Belief this Saturday. They need you there, and you want to be there. Y’know how so many people are saying “I wish I had gone to Reason Rally”, and others are saying “I’m so glad I went to Reason Rally”….yeah, well, this is your chance. Go.

If you can’t–because some of us really can’t–I want something else from you. See, the thing is, no matter how many people show up, I guarantee you there will be people who call Rock Beyond Belief a failure. If only because not all of the speakers were able to walk on water (but they will be able to walk on non-Newtonian fluids at Camp Quest!). If a million people show up, the question will be why such a small percentage of the planet was willing…

I want a million people to show up. That won’t happen. But if a million people show up, I want more than a million people who could not show up to show their support in another way. If you can’t show up, please, donate to the homeless veteran food drive (the button 3/4 down the page). If you can’t spare a lot of money, please donate a buck or two; I want numbers of donors. When someone points to “how few people showed up” (no matter how many show up, that will happen–it happened for the Reason Rally), I want to be able to point to the donations and say “yeah, but the people who couldn’t make it did this instead.” Clearly, the more you donate, the more can be done to help those who need it, so please, if you can give more, give more. But if you can’t give a bunch… give a little. And show your support in numbers. Because even if you give just one dollar, you’ve given infinitely more than someone who just gave a prayer.

Please. I am asking you. Specifically, you. You can help. You can make a real difference. You can be a hero. Or, at least, my hero.

Thank you. Go donate. Edit–don’t use this bottom link. Use the one just above, beginning with “donate…”, and look for the donation button. Sorry, but this last one is a bum link.

The 2012 Templeton Prize In Science & Religion Goes To…

The Templeton has been announced
With not a little drama
The winner of the science prize
This year? The Dalai Lama.

His research record surely shows
He’s there among the giants—
His name pops up whenever I
Am mulling over “science”.

The Templeton foundation’s choice
Has left me filled with hope;
I’m going to place a little bet…
Next year, they name the pope.

[Read more…]

Headline Muse 3/27

It’s not like he’s terribly cute
Or an image you’re itching to shoot
But the answer is no,
Till you spot him some dough–
Fifty bucks for a photo of Newt

Headline: Gingrich begins charging $50 for pics at events

(CBS News) HOCKESSIN, Delaware – In a sign that his campaign is in need of fresh funds, Newt Gingrich on Monday began charging $50 to have a photograph taken with him following a campaign speech to Republican County groups here in the northernmost part of the state.

Say “cheesy!”