Fives here and there

Yesterday was my son's last day of fifth grade. Onto middle school and the further great unknown.

There was a ceremony on Wednesday and my son, along with every other kid in the school, got awards.

Next up is sixth grade, we're waiting for the lottery results. Should know where he's going sometime next month.

Today is also our fifth wedding anniversary.

We celebrated by going out to dinner at a fancy restaurant and had great food and wine while dodging nature's detritus on the patio. She's a good one. 

More fives are on the way, but we can bring that up in a couple of weeks. 

The first pity post of 2014

Resolutions really are not my thing, they lead to disappointment. Sure, I'd like to drop 30-40 pounds, live a more authentic life that is filled with joy, substance and other buzz terms of the New Year but it's hard to not be cynical even though you know you have to plow through the first signs of failure.

The last few weeks have been a real struggle. It's been doubly hard when I have had little rest due to my son's energy and poor sleep cycles dominating the evening and early morning hours. I freely admit to being a total asshole when I'm sleep deprived, and thank my wife profusely for taking care of my son during the days of his winter break. Dealing with me in general is not easy, and I cannot express my gratitude enough that she chooses to sleep next to me, and stuff.

My son has definitely made real, solid and true progress with his eating. He's gaining weight, and that is a goal being reached. In other ways though, he's really locked in his world, in verbal and social skills he is sorely lacking and in toilet training, well, not going there in full today.

So it's disheartening hearing about other people's kids doing so well in school and sports and in life. Why didn't I get this? Woe is me. I do not begrudge the success of anyone's child. It's great, and wonderful. But to go brag about asking my son what he wants when he gets out of the shower and he says the word, "dry." Really do not want to put that in a status update. Especially when I ask him at 4:30 the next morning, after he's been up for an hour, after four hours sleep, what he wants and I get no response at all but another few pages of script he memorized from the Wonderpets. Here's where I question my parenting skills, and this happens often.

So it's the lack of daylight, and warmth, and the grief I'm feeling in so many ways right now has reduced my confidence, made my face break out and put me off track in writing and getting my shit together with the Arts Festival. I mean, what the hell do I do when people to not respond to a direct question? I can't put my energy into repeating the questions anymore.

In some ways I'm feeling like an outsider looking in on other people's lives and my lack of involvement in them. Sometimes I think all the cool stuff happens on weekends and nights I have my son. I also know it is my fault I am not reaching out enough. In 2014, I can only once again get the energy to get out of the house, shut the laptop and try try again to move forward. This is a very hard thing to accomplish.

Columbus is doing alright.

Still trying to get out and about despite either being at the hospital or work every day. It's good to take a walk to clear my head and downtown's looking good this summer.



Always nice to have company on your walk after a pitcher of margaritas.



It's not a real summer until I see a film at the CAPA Summer Movie Series. My wife had never seen all of Bonnie & Clyde and I had not seen it in years, let alone on the big screen. That said, the print was not as good as it could have been. A lot of nicks and scratches. I've seen better. Film's still great.

We even saw the ghost organist descending into the pit of the Ohio Theater.



After the film, we cut through Columbus Commons, and the symphony was rehearsing.



It was a fine, totally unknown event that makes living in a city very cool.

Tripping in the Steel City

Life goes on. After finding out my friend Mike died on Thursday night, with a heavier heart we headed to Pittsburgh for a planned well in advance weekend.

It's a very easy drive from Columbus. A trip that is a bit quicker now that the speed limit on Ohio highways is up to 70 miles per hour. If I had not missed an exit in the strands of spaghetti roads that is downtown Pittsburgh, we would have made the hotel in about two and half hours.

The hotel was in an odd area, just north of downtown, with high rise public housing across the street. There were no problems though, other than one guy asking for change on the corner, like that's never happened in Columbus.

The room was small, but cozy. The shower was quite small, but there was plenty of hot water. The room itself was rather noisy as we found out at 1:30AM when the room upstairs from us was having sexy time. The iron framed bed was rather old and loose in construction and did a lot of bouncing and banging. I hope there were two people up there.

The level of service at this hotel was excellent. There was a free shuttle that would take you anywhere within the city. One of the drivers was quite knowledgeable and friendly as he took us to a restaurant before the baseball game.

There were a number of recommendations for Meat and Potatoes on the Columbus Underground messageboard, so I made reservations a couple of weeks in advance. There was a crowd of people waiting for the five o'clock opening. Our names were called right after opening and we were taken to our seats as the bar instantly filled up.

Extensive cocktail menu, the drinks were excellent. My wife had a slow gin fizz with authentic Plymouth Sloe Gin. The cheery with her drink she said was the best ever. It was an amaro cherry from Italy, we were told.

My mussels came, it was an entire dish filled with them. Not many tiny ones either, all rather substantial. The only minus was the fries, I thought they would be cut thicker but while there were plenty, they were rather tiny.

I had a few bites of my wife's pannacotta dessert, which was light and tasty. I ordered an Oban off their whiskey list. It was pricey, but what the heck. It came in a Glencairn glass which is always a touch of class. What shocked me was the amount of whiskey in the glass. I know what an ounce and a half in a Glencairn glass looks like, this was about double that. That impressed me, and I was not driving!

The stadium was a short walk from the restaurant. Very impressed the city closes off the Roberto Clemente Bridge to cars and lets pedestrians have the whole thing.



The experience outside the stadium is impressive. Fans tailgate, they play whiffle ball in the parking lots along with cooking out and drinking. I respect Pirate Fan.



In addition to the Clemente statue, there is one of Honus Wagner, Bill Mazeroski and Willie Stargell. Two tipsy Pirate fans offered to take a picture of my wife and I with it, but seemed to be so drunk they could not press the button on a digital camera. It was the thought that counted.

A friend of ours gave us his tickets. His seats are incredible.



PNC Park is stunning even without the amazing views of the Pittsburgh skyline. There does not seem to be a bad seat in the house.

We saw Jeremy Hefner pitch for the Mets. He made one bad pitch to Alcarez and the visitors were down 2-0. They fought back to tie it up and send the game into extra innings. We left after the tenth and got back in time to see the Pirates win in the bottom of the eleventh watching in the hotel bar. That's how close things are in Pittsburgh.

The hotel breakfast was ok, not great, but the courtyard is pretty. We asked the driver to take us to the Fred Rogers statue.



Mister Rogers Neighborhood was filmed in Pittsburgh.

The riverfront is quite scenic.



We walked back to the hotel to rest for a bit before meeting a friend of mine at a coffee shop and then hit a deli next door. Down the street is a theater that may or may not be renovated. It was once a porno house.



After saying goodbye we rested up, had some dinner at a mediocre pub then headed to Stage AE for the Belle and Sebastian show. We met an old live journal friend of ours who was also going to the show. Before he showed up, my wife and I rated the attendees on the amount of tweeness in their clothing. The winner was a girl in front of us, who had birds all over her dress.

The venue is very similar to the LC in Columbus, it may be a bit steeper. Yo La Tengo opened and did not impress me much. They even had spinal tap guitar moments as Kaplan flung his guitar around, causing the annoying feedback. He then put his guitar down while it was still sustaining and picked up another guitar to make his noise.

Belle and Sebastian were impressive. It was fun to see my wife finally see a whole show from a band she loves.



Their back catalogue is large and they were digging out some nuggets from the first record. Stuart Murdoch made reference to the baseball game happening next door by playing Take Me Out To the Ballgame.



Fireworks were happening after the baseball game while the band was playing.



The band did not hear it as they were playing, but could smell the gunpowder. After the fireworks were over, the band's string section did a few snippets from the 1812 Overture, which was quite sweet.

It was worth the trip. A weekend we needed as we prepare for the rest of the summer. I've started 42 days in which I will be in the hospital with my son as he is in intensive in-patient feeding therapy or at work.

But Pittsburgh though, I'm not sure if it's a grass is greener thing, but I like the vibe of the place and can't wait to go back.

Coffee and Pictures

Last year My Scottish Wife got me a French Press for Christmas. I took to it well and use it mostly on the weekend. Found out which type of coffee I like and try new types frequently. I try to have a couple of different ones around and buy it already ground in small amounts, about a quarter of a pound at a time, to keep it relatively fresh.

For Christmas this year she got me a Burr Grinder. Used it over the weekend. It's quite loud but works very well. Now I can buy beans, keep them a little longer and have supposedly fresher and better tasting coffee when I want it. Maybe I'll increase the varieties in the house to three.

Took a bunch of pictures last year. Inspired by another blogger, who did something similar last year, I decided to keep a file of 'best of' pictures as I downloaded them. By the end of the year I had enough to put together a slideshow in near chronological order, added a song from my favorite album of the year and voila, instant youtube sensation. Or not. Did not really go anywhere exciting, but there are some amusing pictures in there - and not just of me and my kid!

Enjoy.

IWPS - Final verse

The alarm woke me on Saturday morning and I felt horrible. I wish I could say I was hungover, but I did not have any booze the night before.

Took a quick shower and got soaked on the way to Little Bread. Got a bagel with cream cheese, coffee, and a chocolate croissant then headed back to the room to follow the morning's soccer action.

Happily, I found a great audio link via talksport.com to get a live audio stream of all of the matches. Free!

But this is not about Everton getting a draw at Wigan.

The food did not make me feel better, it was not staying in its place for the right amount of time. Lied down and tried to sleep some before J.W. Bazillo's workshop. It was not going to happen.

Ended up watching Arkansas beat Auburn, hey Auburn are really terrible!

Began to feel a little better, possibly able to leave the room without need for a restroom every fifteen minutes so I went to Rogue to check out the comedy open mic.

It was hosted by The Klute, a wickedly funny guy sporting a fez. I signed up, ended up going first and read Spam Folder of Love.

I have no idea how it went over. There were not many people there at first. By the time I was to read again there were more people. I got called up and read An Obscene Phone Call From Mr. Potato Head. This was better received, I think.

There was some wit with a bite, as a work poem by a guy named Toaster demonstrated. Ethan did Toast and river danced on the stage. The second half was much improved on the first.

Felt even better so I went to the Hawg Haus for a burger and some bourbon before headed to finals.

Four of the finalists I had been in bouts with during the tournament. Three of them in my Friday night bout. I thought the quality of the work in these finals was much higher than what I saw in Berkeley. Most of the poets were outstanding. More on that in a bit.

Thuli Zuma's work is heartbreakingly beautiful. Her second poem about feeling guilt for the color of her skin knocked me out. 6 is 9 did a frantic and clever reading about cocaine and why it really became illegal. Franny Choi's Letter from Jessica Alba to Her Father turned the tables on some cliches. Seth Walker's poem from the persona of a tree that tries to prevent a suicide was an amazing example of body use in performance poetry. He also came up to the stage for his third poem, realized he had the wrong paper - ran back to his seat, found the right paper and sprinted back to the stage. Yes, there was a time penalty! It was a pleasure seeing G. Yamazawa on finals stage as he had been in both my bouts.

Ed Mabrey won it all, by just a tenth of a point over Thuli. So close! Ed was one of the first poets I saw in open mic in Columbus in 2006. The man has a voice, a set of pipes that always amaze me. It was so cool to be on the same stage with him on Friday and then to see him win his second IWPS title.

One poet has evoked some controversy. She read a letter to a person who raped her friend. The accused rapist was a poet in the room. I've been thinking a lot about this over the past couple of days. Read more than a few Facebook status updates and a good blog about building a safe poetry scene. Still have not really come to a conclusion. Not sure if that was exactly the right forum for this to be read. Not sure if it was the perfect forum. Wondering what an audience member, who may have been attending their first poetry slam thought about the poem. Would continually seeing poets beefing on other poets bring an increased audience of non poets into slam events or open mics?

There's a lot to digest. A lot of conversation is still necessary concerning safe spaces for women in poetry. It's ugly, but should not and can not be hidden.

But it's not going to be solved on social media sites.

Here's the part where I name drop the cool people I met. It's hard for me to meet people. I'm not an extrovert and rarely engage in deeper talk with people I have just met. Introducing myself to new people, even if we're in the same field, terrifies me.

I'll start with my driver, Josh. Thanks for the ride, and the tour on the way to Fayetteville from the airport. Your volunteering was much appreciated by many.

The people of the Little Bread Company. Your spirit and support of poetry was well respected. The baked goods you make are nothing short of delicious on a level that is not of this world. I have no idea if I ever will return to Fayetteville. But if I do, keep a cream puff for me. And if anyone reading this has to go to Fayetteville, you must go here!

Greg Bee. I met him at the Last Chance Slam, which he won. Such a kind and open man. A poet with a huge heart. He's an older poet and we bonded over being of a certain age, and in slam. Not too many of us out there.

Elizag. Another poet of a certain age. I did not realize she was from my home state. She reads tough. She talks smart. She's just getting started and is eager to learn. Maybe we will start the poets over 45 support group!

Leah Noble Davidson. Another poet just getting started. She has a farm girl's style and the soul of someone very wise. I predict we're going to read big work from her.

Jesse Parent. I wish we talked more. I had no idea he was Sonnets the Clown at Extreme Championship Poetry until he took the wig off. I still have not seen him read. This has to change.

Dogmatic. Saw him read and the comedy open mic and we had a good conversation about funny poems at the after party.

Wish I stayed more at the after party, but it was a smoking bar and I had not been in one in years. My eyes were freaking out on me.

Jenith Charpentier. Another first time poet at a national event. She asked me to take pictures of some good luck charms her daughters made for her. How could I refuse?

Cynthia French. It was good to finally meet her and see her skate around during Extreme Championship Poetry. She also read some good work at the comedy open mic.

Tapesty. Read some of the most gut revealing work I've experienced at a slam. This man has been in war and told stories. Deeply revealing. Then he plays Jack Deadman at Extreme Championship Poetry. Very cool!

Stephen Sargent. Energetic man from Austin. We met during his first bout, which was after mine on Friday. Pleasure to watch him work the stage.

The Klute. Bill Campana suggest I meet him. I think if I saw Klute and Campana together I'd need to wear diapers. These two are extremely dark, funny men. I was honored to be asked to be an audience of one for him rehearsing his one minute piece.

And I again thank Ethan Rivera for making himself available for me to vent my stress at him during my first bout. He did not have to be there, but it was good to have a person I actually knew for assistance.

Thanks to everyone at Writers' Block, especially Louise Robertson and Scott Woods, who dealt with my angst filled emails. And a big thanks again to everyone who assisted me financially. Give me time to get cds and other gifts together.

The biggest thanks goes to my wife, my biggest supporter, who painted the living room in my absence and watched my son while I was out of town. I love you.

To all the organizers, drivers, names I have mistakenly omitted and volunteers of IWPS: a big thank you and well done. I admit to being skeptical about having to go to Fayetteville, but came away really enjoying the community. You have a great scene.

Got back yesterday after a delay in leaving that required a push back of my flight from Atlanta. No other problems. Even had the exit seat legroom on the trip home. Shared the row with a young man who works for Abercrombie & Fitch, whose travel reading was the latest by Tucker Max. No fight broke out, we talked about our fantasy football teams.

Climbing onward

Breathing out after dealing with a surprise billing by my son's day camp. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what the bill was for, since we had paid in full. After talking to the big cheese of billing, I was reassured we would not be charged. Again, for what, I'm still trying to figure out.

I also bought something else I'd never bought before. A couple of years ago it was a mailbox.

This year it's a step ladder.



My wife was cleaning outside and could not reach the top of the windows, she may be tall, but she's not that tall.

Hit a Mexican grocery store on the way home, got some ideas for a future What I'm Drinking episode.

In very exciting news, Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace is opening a second location in Westgate!

As Yogi Berra said, "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded." Which is how I feel, a little, about the first Dirty Franks location. It's always packed. I'm not whining, and admire their success. Damn those crowds though! It's wonderful that they're expanding to my side of town, where people (including myself) are starving for decent businesses to open. That The Columbus Food League would take a chance on the west side is a huge step to attracting more diverse retail and dining options.

Is a coffee shop next?

Scioto Mile Loop Photo Dump

Tonight, to get out of the house, my wife and I took a walk along The Scioto Mile. It was where the Arts Festival was last weekend. Everything had cleared out, and there was plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the charms of a lovely evening in Columbus.

Took these pictures with my iPod.

















My wife called these goose steps.









In the center of the picture, there a young lady in magenta. My wife suspects she's going through Quinceanera.







Columbus was looking good tonight.

















The reward? A nice glass of sangria at the end of a walk.

Rainy Day in June

My wife and I had a good dinner at Milestone 229 last night. The food is a bit pricey and there are not many selections for vegetarians, but the drinks are exceptional and the view of the Bicentennial Park fountains and Scioto River make it the best outdoor dining in the city. Not sure if I'll eat there much, but for a nice outdoor cocktail it's a destination.

Speaking of food, I went back to the Creole Kitchen for breakfast this morning. The place was bustling at 7:30AM. A number of people, drinking what I think was free coffee, stood around chatting while waiting for their food. I ordered french toast, an egg and turkey sausage. Also got a beignet, which I'd never had before.

The french toast was dense and flavorful, lots of pleasant sweet spice. When I ordered the guy at the counter said I did not have to have turkey sausage. At this point now, I'll eat what even Chef Henry makes. In fact, while I was there, a customer getting his order said to Chef that, "His wife loves him."

As I've said, if this place was anywhere else, it would be famous.

Loved the beignet by the way, tasty fried dough in powdered sugar. Saved a couple for my wife, not sure how they hold up after a few hours.

This weekend is the Columbus Arts Festival. I will be working the stage in some capacity all day tomorrow and a bit on Sunday. I'm also participating in the slam Saturday night at eight, which is going to be a great appetizer for Water Fire.

Very excited to be back at the riverfront. We walked around after dinner and were impressed with the layout. You can see the whole festival from just about wherever you are standing. You can also walk the festival in a line without any doubling back to see anything you missed.

The Word of Art stage is in a prime location, at the corner of Civic Center and Town Street. It's a major entrance point and the poets are going to have some fantastic exposure. Speaking of exposure, it's not in a tent this year so bring an umbrella (you will need it today) or sunscreen (because you never know) as there's no cover, except for the poets.

The Rich Street bridge is also open for foot traffic this weekend.

The Word is Art stage is on the left.

I've also installed a widget here, just to monitor where people are coming from. I do not care who you are, but management is curious.

In some rare discussion here regarding work I was encouraged to put my name in the ring to be a member of the Staff Advisory Council for the library. Five people were being voted on for four openings in the committee. I was one of the four. God, I'd hate to have been the fifth.

Tres años

Happy Anniversary to my lovely Scottish Wife.

91 degrees at 2:42

Even with the ceiling fan on, it is too damn hot to sit in the back room today. I used to have a lot of tolerance for heat. Age, and living for too long where I did not have air conditioning has weakened my resolve so I turn into a lazy, cranky git when the temperature goes over ninety degrees.

It does not help that my son has forgotten to sleep past 4AM. We even set up a mattress for him in our room since it has a/c. I do not want him sleeping in a hot bedroom. His repayment to us is to wake up singing before the birds.

This morning the power went out. It got really quiet, except for my son. I noticed the ceiling fan was off, looked at the clock and the screen was dark. Grabbed my iPod. It was 3:21AM. A couple of minutes later, the power came back on.

Last week's appointment with the behavioral psychologist went well. His OT is off the team, we've lost confidence in her. The behaviorist can't teach him how to chew, we know this, but she has some techniques to get him to tolerate a variety of food. We'll see.

The immature mourning doves are still hanging out by the recycling bin. Yesterday morning they greeted me.

It's been neat having them around. I'd name them, but the moment that happens they'll get eaten by a cat or fly off to their grown up mourning dove lives or whatever they do when mom stops puking in their mouths. I have not seen them today. See? Just by thinking about it, they disappear.

Busy week ahead, and The Arts Festival is next weekend. The weather is supposed to be good, the temperatures lower, at least.

My wife and I celebrate our third wedding anniversary on Wednesday, we'll be at WB. We'll have a nice dinner out on Thursday.

My son's last day of third grade is on Thursday, day camp starts on June 11th. Where the hell did May go?

This Place on 5th Avenue

She needed a place to stay. I think she found it through Trip Advisor. I'd driven by it hundreds of times without a second thought.

The owner saw the child's seat in my car but did not mention it until a couple of days until her stay. She is a paragon of discretion, so much that Emma chose to stay again on a second visit.

Even after she was not required to stay there anymore, we all became friends. The B&B owner's friendship became so important that we asked her if we could be married at her business. She agreed to allow a group of people from all over invade her livelihood for a weekend, somehow we all survived, despite my tumble down the porch stairs during the reception.

If you're staying in Columbus, want a place a bit different, central to the cool stuff, a great front porch for people watching and want an excellent breakfast in the morning with a fridge full of wine, stay here. You will make a friend for life.

The Night Cory Lidle Died

The aftermath of what happens when the poles of your world shift just seeing someone on the other side of baggage claim. No, it was not supposed to happen. It was not allowed to happen. None of the aftermath was. But it did.

I admit it was me who asked for the goodbye kiss. The first, last, and only one it was, except that it was not. We were not supposed to see each other again. Obviously it did not turn out that way, either.

Then it was fifteen months of crazy. The whole thing got written up on Live Journal and I regret making too much of it public. A weekend in October 2006 was a pivotal moment of timelines. Already broken, I did manage to survive it. Hindsight is a moot point. Love is one of the most inexplicable things in the world to explain. The woman who loves me is among the bravest.

Pictures of Silly

Cleared out the cameras. Here's a photo dump from the past couple of months.



A weird car we saw at a thrift store on the south side. Yes, that's duct tape



Cute gal at the Tip Top



Cute kid at the therapist's office.



Badass kid at my workplace. He can have my job!



Says it all. Saw that in a parking lot on the north side.



Andy Anderson featuring at Writers' Block.



Two Gun McBride at his WB feature.



Using a toy appropriately. Yes, that's been sitting in the camera since Christmas



My friends Tyrone and Dave talking about what it's like to be tall.

Maybe I'll have more pictures soon. I do like taking them, it's too easy putting them on just the Facebook wall with the iPod though.