What You Wish For

It used to be

appreciation caught up with me
one step too late.

He'd show up for the farewell party,
the final goodbyes,

(a sudden social butterfly:
please write! come visit!)

but fled those morning commutes along 128,
or observed, from afar, my snowy nighttime walks from the library.

Always on the fringe of my departure,
he waited,
patient, hands folded,

as I approached the ragged edge of the world,
looking back across deck and foamy wake
to catch, for one last time,
the sunset's glimmers on waters safely traversed.

Now: I find his fitness increased,
his arrival unexpected,

early.

He sits here with me now,
trembling with glee
at the friend across the table,
the usual suspects passing by,
the remaining months of the known and ordinary.

How long before he takes my hand and
becomes my permanent traveling companion?

Will I melt warmly into the world
the day my tomorrow's self meets today's
to discuss, over coffee,

how much they love
what's going on?

Ball in Cup, 2009

from oddblog, Jogging.

Where the Wild Sounds Are

Listen to the first song on the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack, by Karen O and the Kids, here. Whole album out Sept 29 (foresee the media ifiltrate, intentionally reigned in, underground, subtle). Read about it and all the amazing collaborators (including an UNTRAINED CHILDREN'S CHOIR) here. Movie comes out October 16th.

Where the Rivers Meet

The causes lie deep and simple - the causes are a hunger in a stomach, multiplied a million times,

a hunger in a single soul, hunger for joy and some security, multiplied a million times;

muscles and mind aching to grow, to work, to create, multiplied a million times.

The last clear definite function of man - muscles aching to work,

minds aching to create beyond the single needs -

this is man.

- Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck

*pictures taken most from the Riverfront Biking Trail up to the Chain of Rocks Bridge at the confluence of the rivers. Found one this sweet bike site (searched for riverfront trail). A gorgeous ride, replete with behemoth run down buildings and structures left over from St. Louis's industrial hey-day. I'm sure to do again.

Kick His Stained Glass, Seabass

Each day in our frankly majestic new abode, aka 'The Jefferson", the celestial powers that be amuse themselves in parting the huddling, conversing trees surrounding our house and aligning the setting sun perfectly with our west-facing stained glass window. The result (those above and below smile to admire): a Rothko of tinted sunlight burned into our wall.

This apartment is amazing. More reasons to come.

The Uniform Project

Sacrifice the laundered for the creative and versatile.

Thoughts Without a Thinker

"You see this goblet?" Achaan Chaa asks. "For me this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; I drink out of it. It holds my water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If ti should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it. But when I put this glass on the shelf and the wind knocks it over or my elbow brushes it off the table and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, 'Of course.' When i understand this glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious."

Cat Nap

Such a rare sight, harmonious co-existence of the family felines.

Back to Skool Blues

Herald the academic onslaught.

I see your auditorium seating and raise you


words, care tucked in that working,
furrowed brow,

looming windows and

slate gray clouds therein,

insects lazily contemplated,

a floor awash in walls.

Welcome back, Kotter.

Plate Placation

Ever since becoming acquainted with M's magically mismatched china collection, I've been eager to amass my own cabinet of wonders. Thanks to Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store (best in St. Louis), some classic wares from Mexico and ample thrifting time the last week, I'm off to a good start.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAART SHOW!

Holy exciting: My friend Uni and I are entering our work into an art exhibit exclusively for Saint Louis residents -- deadline August 15th!!!! I need YOUR help (that means you, Nicole, Fuz and yes, Neon Rain) in deciding which pics I should use? In meditating on a theme/direction/frantically rifling through my hard drive, what has emerged is a permeating obsession with transportation -- blurry highway shots, clouds on airplanes, or passing silos on Amtrak. So my proposed series is a kinda 'planes, trains and automobiles' thang. Maybe too played out? Not really concerned, as: What allure the whole experience of being transported contains! How it seems to bend time in so many ways -- one hour you're on the East Coast at five pm, before you know it, you're on the West Coast at five pm. How public transit juxtaposes so many lives, so many ships passing in the night, so many trajectories, together for a split second then shooting off in all earthly directions. But the greatest fascination, for me, lies in the fact that Transporation is an escape from reality, a pause button; there's so little you can achieve en route, it relieves you momentarily of all responsibility and, at last, time is suspended. Stare out that window, daydream away, there's nowhere else you need to be. And, O, what you notice in those moments, what clarity hides amongst the clouds and rails ...

I've compiled some favorite pictures on the theme of transportation and plan on submitting them as a series. Only eight pieces of work are allowed per submission. Some of the following photos are slotted as 'mos def' in my mind (won't reveal which) but can't decide on others. Let me know which eight you think work best TOGETHER (not necessarily a collection of the best stand-alone ones, but the eight that work well as a whole) as this is how they will be displayed. Suggestions on cropping, if and where needed, also, please!

Twenty by Treasures

I want ...

... heart-aching words ...

... an ideal bookshelf of my own ...

(mine, snapshot right now:

Zen Shorts
Yousef Karsh
Harold and the Purple Crayon
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
The Giving Tree
Peter Pan
Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters
East of Eden
Diane Arbus Revelations)

... frosting-fanciful stairs ...

... and some stairs of my own ...

to and fro work, transitioning ascends and is alight.

*** The first three pieces can be found on Jens Bekman's 20X200, the last three are mine (stairwell on the way to work)

Twenty Good Things

1. Garden planning and general chaotic hilarity with Uni.
2. Chicago escapes.
3. When public speaking goes well.
4. Slightly humid nights spent on Michelle's patio/balcony, with pizza and beer.
5. The ceiling fan in the living room of our new apartment -- looks like the room is going to fly away, but love the frenetic rotation.
6. Our beautiful second-floor, shaded balcony, and wicker chair.
7. Posing awkwardly for garden photos this afternoon.
8. September travel sandwich: San Fran for Labor Day weekend, Aspen for Nicole's wedding!
9. Hunting down absolute TREASURES on Thrift Store row.
10. Gift surprises for my mom.
11. Rocking Rocky Raccoon on the guitar.
12. Grizzly Bear and Bon Iver, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
13. Dreams of Guatemala and India next year.
14. Michael Pollan and 'The Slippery Year' on NPR
15. Adorning our spaces with photos/paintings/tapestries/eye love.
16. CSA box treats (like blackberries!)
17. Wonderful friends, supportive mentors, and visionary administrators.
18. How the low evening sun burns through the stained glass in our living room and paints the walls reds and purples.
19. Amiable third years who always have time to impart some gem of med school wisdom.
20. Letting go.

Where You Go, There You Are

Completed a small project started earlier this summer. It certainly ended up somewhere I never would have expected but I'm at least pleased with the fact that I was able to find, beneath piles of papers I've saved for the past two years, a quote canvas-worthy: ''Her identity is affected less by the coordinates on the globe than by the indices of her will." Can't remember who it's about but found it in the New York Times Book Review while living in CA.

The pattern on the left was inspired by one of my favorite summertime dresses, while the fabric on the right had been languishing in my various abodes for about two years until thank GOD I finally found some use for it (or, it feels more appropriate to say, some use finally found it). The quote is from a Buddhist text I remember reading at work during my stint in Davis. The other smaller quotes are from a Richard Farina biography, a Haruki Murakami novel and Lawrence Durrell.

Not one of my favorites -- the use of fabric seems a little clumsy to me, may remove it later and go for some intense globs of paint or wax on that side -- but it's been a good day of experimenting.