The clouds, the breeze

How does a parent tell their 14 year old non-verbal child that the world has changed? I’ve had to tell him about the deaths of Grandparents and other relatives and it is so hard to know what has registered. As a parent of a severely autistic child, I’ve been advised to assume he is aware of the world around him even if he behaves as if he’s separate from it. Gauging his reaction is always difficult and in the wake of a death or other Earth shattering event it’s frustrating for me.

“I have to tell you something important happened last night. You know how Daddy yells when something bad happens to Everton? Well it’s like that, but a bit bigger….”

Oh Hell I do not know what I’m doing but I’m even more fearful about his future now, and about the health care of so many special needs children and adults who are probably going to lose their benefits when the new administration erases the Affordable Care Act.

The new sheriff in town does not inspire confidence when he mocks a man with cerebral palsy onstage and his followers kick a child’s wheelchair.

It’s not a good time to live in this country unless you’re a straight white male with some means. I have no idea what the next four years will bring, even the stock market shocked me with a rally today. Yet I can’t seem to want to give up hope. Maybe when the guy leaves it will be better than it was? I can’t help but be cynical and frightened for my friends and coworkers who do not look like me though.

Tale of two cities

Did something out of the norm last night and left the car at home. Since we're not in walkable distance of anything, we took the COTA bus downtown for dinner at a newer restaurant It's been a stressful time and this was a good opportunity to relax, have a good meal, a couple of drinks, and not have to worry about parking downtown or getting an OMVI on the way home.

I did not realize Salt and Pine took up most of the length of a city block. It does not go deep into the building, but the layout is very modern. Some tables are intimate and secluded, while others seem to be on public display. We got a window table with a view of High Street.

The service is excellent, though I could not help but notice our female servers had one button extra unbuttoned on their work shirts. The flank steak I had was outstanding, my wife had a pork cheek pasta that was very good. The cocktails were fresh and potent. I had my first taste of Pisco. Our fig pudding dessert was the one minus. It was too dry and needed a soaking in the sauce.

It is odd, paying an electric bill for dinner. What a few years ago would have been a serious luxury was not so this time. We can't afford to go there weekly, or even monthly, but this was a gift for my wife and I. Ten years ago this would have been impossible. Finances have improved. We're alright, not great, but better than ok.

On a day where the city of Columbus deemed that the short north was no longer a place for low income people to live, the ride home was an unsettling reality of the two cities in my city.

This is the route my wife takes, everyday, and she hears stories, sees things and they're not pleasant. At one stop, a good portion of the passengers got off and crossed over at West Mound. These people were all going to the homeless shelter on Harmon. Heaven help this city if there's another shelter for people in the inner core. We have to have them outside of downtown, out of sight, at a spot you can't access easily by foot. Where your journey to a cot for the night begins at an unlit bus stop.

I do not have any real answers, and I'm not going to be guilt tripped after having an expensive dinner. There's a gap though, between me in a warm room tapping this on my Macbook Pro in our underwater mortgaged house. There are changes coming for the better for my family. Others though, I wonder where there is hope.

One More Time

In nine days I'm off to Fayetteville, Arkansas to represent Writers' Block Poetry in the Individual World Poetry Slam. If I did not have a major car repair last month I would not be asking for donations.

If you can spare some cash, any amount will be greatly appreciated.

Those who donate $20 or more will receive a copy of my "I'm Not From Here." CD.

Here's the link, thank you all!

I swear this will be the last time I ask, it's not going to be like this.

Hardware in the house

The attempt at balance begins. Inquiries have begun in getting people and programming together for the Arts Festival. Timelines are being sketched out. The ignition has been turned on. My responsibilities for a committee at work are lurching ahead. It's hard for me to reach out to complete strangers, even when I'm seeking the tiniest of information or a modest but painless commitment of time. Comfort zones are being breached.

Very little has been done in preparation for IWPS, I have no clue what to read, that will change. I have booked the hotel room and will get plane tickets this weekend.

A number of people have asked if there will be a way to donate for my trip. The answer is yes, and a paypal link will be posted soon. There will also be added value. Details are on the way.

Last night at Writers' Block, Vernell Bristow the reigning IWPS Champion passed on the IWPS trophy. She read a lovely haiku during the ceremony.



It's called The Uni and I bought the item toward the end of my year as IWPS champion in 2009. I thought there should be some tradition passed on, and a green jacket had the one size fits all problem. Thus, after some be-dazzling by Veronica Sawyer, The Uni was born.

I'm exciting and proud to have The Uni in the house for a year.

Throwing the party at you

Big night in the sports world as Matt Cain pitched the 22nd no hitter in MLB history. Ended up staying up until one in the morning to watch the last inning. Never seen one before. Very exciting.

R.A. Dickey of the Mets has been mowing batters down with his knuckle ball. First pitcher to reach ten wins this season. With some semblance of a middle relief staff, the Mets would be flying high instead of fighting for a wild card spot.

The Rangers FC is no more. Being sold because of tax problems and other issues involving financial malfeasance. What happens next will be another chapter in the soap opera that is Scottish soccer. Does the league vote to put the NewCo, the reorganized Rangers Football Club, in the league this coming season? Or do they vote them out, relegate them to a lower league and make them fight their way back to the top division? Needless to say, opinions are divided. Opponents of relegation say it will cripple the league financially. I say the league is already a financial mess, and with the Old Firm split, it would eventually enhance the fortunes of one or two clubs looking to finish in second place to gain play in European tournaments. Attendance figures may prove lower but I think that is a risk the league could take. The problem is television revenue. Sky may have a provision in their contract that there must be an Old Firm. Going to be very interesting to see what happens.

Last night Writers’ Block held its first qualifying slam for the Individual World Poetry Slam season. Seven poets took to the stage to start the season. I got the six slot in the first round and went with a new poem called Condom Kabuki. It’s based on a scene from a horrible film a dozen or so poets viewed last Saturday called Street Poet. I’ll probably post about the experience in a few days, it’s still sinking in, but the sex scene was excruciating and I cannot unsee it. Hence the poem, which got me the high score of the round so I got to read first in round two. Here I read gaythiest, which got a decent score, but I did not think it was good enough to keep me up top. Rose Smith scorched the stage, Alexis, Ythan, Louise and Vernell all did well. Brandon kicked ass in round one with a poem about gangsta’ Connect Four with a child.

In the end I finished in first, got the three points by .2. Rose came in second, Alexis third. The difference between first and seventh place was 1.6 points. Very tight scoring in a great slam.

Open mic was a blast. The first poet up pulled her poem out of her pack of cigarettes. That’s hardcore! Scott burned the stage with his hosting and a poem. The Suarez family represented. Jon Sands is featuring next Wednesday night. All is well.

Life for the next ten weeks

Today is the first day of summer camp for my son. His mother drops him off in the morning and I get to pick him up in the afternoon. It works for both of us. Because the camp cut its hours this year, from 9-3 instead of 9-4, both of us have to chip in extra for before and after care. Neither of us want to do this, but our work schedules mean we have to, and I have to pay a ridiculous amount for after care. It runs from 3-5:30, I'm going to be picking him up around 4PM, every day. I asked if there was a way I could pay partial, and was bluntly told no.



So I get to pay a ridiculous four figure amount for camp, and even more because their hours stink. There are not many choices, if any, in the area for special needs camp. Just have to suck it up for another summer.

A change in the culture? Not a chance

Trying not to be grouchy about all the economic news, but it's next to impossible. There's a lot of outrage and unrest in the world that is hard to ignore. If I was a politician or corporate board member it would be easy to turn my back on it, but even that is getting more difficult.

The former head of the Royal Bank of Scotland had his house vandalized. Employees of AIG have received some threatening mail and there has been yet another round of rioting in France.

Are the powers that be ever going to get it?

Then there's Jake Desantis of AIG, who publicly resigned earlier this week. I'm trying hard not to blow my top over this one. He deflected responsibility from himself, saying he did a good job.

You know, if you are on a baseball team that loses 100 games, it does not matter if you hit .340, or won 27 games like Steve Carlton did when the 1972 Phillies won only 59 games - your team still stinks.



Desantis smelled the bonus money and pouted when he did not get it. It's refreshing to know he had an adequate savings so that he and his family could afford to live on his token dollar a year salary. Guy wanted a bonus while his company lost about seven thousand dollars a minute during the last quarter of 2008. Sure, give him a bonus. Send him a balloon bouquet.



I'm never sure on Rolling Stone's journalism commitment these days (or anyone's really), but this article is a good primer to the inbreeding of our government and the financial system. A lot of hysteria in some of the quotes, but some decent information too.

Today I read that our government now wants to regulate the banking industry. Again. So will they be repealing the repeal of Glass/Steagal, the act the banking industry paid congress to do for them in the 90's? Now many of these same government officials are going to try and dismantle the monster they helped build.

You believe that you do not have an ounce of cynicism in you.