"How To Be Happy"????!

This week I have heard from my friend Regan Kennedy, who resides in Altoona, Pa.

She and I are both big fans of alternative comic strips. Her favorite is "Red Meat," while my favorite is "Too Much Coffee Man."

"TMCM" is a strip that revolves a man whose head is shaped like a coffee cup, and he can not function unless he has his fill. As a lifelong insomniac, I identify with the strip and its worldview all too well!

Alas, (mr) Shanon Wheeler, the author of "TMCM" has seemingly stopped drawing that strip, which also appeared in comic book form. Wheeler, who now lives in Portland, Or., though he was initially in Austin, Tx., did make a magazine out of "TMCM," which featured actual letters from prison inmates and off-beat poetry as well as other alternative strips. But, I am not sure if the magazine, which I once found at Ram's Head Book Store in Roanoke, is still in publication.

But, Wheeler does continue the "TMCM" web site, and he is drawing a new strip entitled "How to Be Happy." Wheeler actually emailed me back a few years ago. I may be his lone Turkish-American fan.

Here is the dialogue of his latest installment of the ironically titled "How to be Happy:"

The strip takes place aboard a spaceship.

Panel 1_Girl: "This isn't working."

Panel 2_ Girl: "It's not your fault. We've grown in different directions."

Panel 3_Girl: "My feelings for you have faded."

Panel 4_ Girl: "I don't love you any more."

Panel 5_ Girl: "I think we should try spending more time apart. I want you to move out."

Panel 6_ Boy (in outer space looking at the spaceship): CRAP!

Links:

http://www.tmcm.com

 

Montana: Is the Big Sky State Turning Blue?

It seems like the political race is heating up, or at least it has in the last 15 minutes.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, who now heads the Democratic National Committee, rightfully said that while the rest of us see the Iraq War as Bush's Vietnam, the White House is touting it as Bush's Korea! And, last night during the Republican presidential debate in Manchester, NH, renegade candidate Cong. Ron Paul (R-Tx) courageously and correctly stated the following sentiment about the Iraq War:

"It was a mistake to go there; it's a mistake to stay."

One has to admire this stand considering that his fellow nominees, like Rudy Guiliani, are accusing the Democrats of being chicken %&*ts even though May was one of the deadliest months ever for American forces in Mesopotamia.

With all this, one wonders if some traditional Republican states, like NC, might go blue.

This is a point that Bob Nichol of Bozeman, Mont., made in a letter to "The Nation" (June 11th issue).

While us moderate progressives, often differ with some points made in "The Nation," a partisan liberal publication, there are some valid points that the weekly magazine makes. And, certainly, like most magazines and newspapers, the readers are frequently as or even more insightful than the editors!

Nichol wrote the following in response to an article in an earlier edition of "The Nation" which labeled Montana as a red state (the version of the letter here is abridged for content):

"Montana has two Democrats in the U.S. Senate. Our governor and four or five statewide elected officials are Democrats. Our state senate is (26 to 24) Democratic. Montana's secretary of state, state house of representatives (50 to 49) and U.S. Home Member are Republicans. Color us purple (deep purple) if you wish. Red, we ain't."

Nichol makes a very valid point here, and similar sentiments could be expressed about both Virginia and North Carolina.

 The Tarheel state in fact now has a majority Democrat in the U.S. House thanks to the November election of former Washington Redskins quarterback Heath Shuler (D-NC) who is a conservative, pro-life Democrat. Shuler represents the Asheville region of western Carolina. NC also has a Democratic governor, Mike Easley, and majority in both state houses. However, the two U.S Senators from NC are both Republican.

Cong. Brad Miller (D-NC), who represents the Greensboro area (see earlier entry about Darfur) told a local tv station that he is considering running against Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) when her term ends in 2007.

Virginia also has seen shifts in terms of politics with the election of Sen. James Webb (D-Va) over former Sen. George "Maccawitz" Allen last November. Virginia's Democratic Governor Tim Kaine has also been a strong leader in recent months in the excellent leadership skills he displayed in handling the Virginia Tech shooting tragedy.

But, if any of this makes any difference in November of 2008 remains to be seen. However, aside from Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) who would have to overcome a negative image in the South, it seems that many of the leading Democratic presidential candidates have the potential to carry some traditional red states. Rudy, beware!

Links:

http://www.thenation.com

 

My Own Poem?! "Honeymoon with Mama"

I am taking a break from the Dead Poets Society entries to post a poem from me. To my knowledge, I am still breathing. But, if the weather around here gets any hotter- well, I suppose there is always a potential for heat stroke!

I wrote this poem on Sun. night. My friend Julie Campbell who organizing a local writing group said that a former member of the group is getting married and has requested poems. I am not sure that this is what Julie had in mind, but I thought this might be interesting. I got the idea while thinking of a Mario Bava* movie, but that is neither here or there........

Here is "Honeymoon with Mama:"

"Honeymoon with Mama"

Wanted to get out of Hickory

Ended up with a gal from Nebraska

No, we're heading towards matriomny

Wanted to go to Montego Bay

(alone with Robin)

but, mama's coming with us now

She says she's lonely since Harry died

Told her to go the county animal shelter

or get a subscription to "Our State"

Should've read more books by Kipling

..........................................by Joyce

..........................................by Aristotle

Or, listened to more songs by Heart

.........................................by Rush

........................................by Bjork or Radiohead

I suppose I'll know soon

if I'm heading towards heaven or hell

.......................just as soon as I know

which way the sun sets in Jamaica.

 

* Bava was an over-the-top Italian horror film director. His best known film is "Black Sunday," though I really like his 1977 film "Lisa and the Devil" with Telly Savalas.

Outer Banks Clam Chowder Recipe

The current issue of North Carolina's "Our State" magazine, a perfect coffee-table journal, features a profile of Reidsville cookbook author Ellen Powell, Kill Devil Hills crabber Murray Bridges, and an excellent nightt-time photograph of a Raleigh Kripsy Kreme doughnut shop (off all things) by photographer Bryan Rinnert.

And, from that very same issue, I found this recipe for 'Mrs. Edna Evans Bell's Outer Banks-Style Clam Chowder.' Note: I don't cook.........

Here it is:

1 dozen large clams

1/2 lb. fat bacon

2 medium onions

3 medium white potatoes

Salt and pepper

Cut fat meat in very small pieces and brown in bottom of kettle. Add 6 cups of water. Cube potatoes and onions and add to water. Let simmer about 20 minutes. Chop clams very fine and add to other ingredients. Let simmer about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more water if too thick.

(Thicken soup with 2 tablespoons of cornmeal. Dilute cornmeal with cold water before adding to pot.)

http://www.ourstate.com

Bryan Rinnert's photography web site is:

http://www.3sight.com

I don't know Mr. Rinnert, but I do know another photographer from the Raleigh area,  Jonathan Friedan. He and I worked together at "The Salem Times-Register," and we covered a rodeo there that was later made famous/infamous by none other than 'Borat.'

 

 

 

Jake Fades: New Novel from NC Author

Summertime is traditionally a great time for reading. Well, perhaps that is because it is also a great time of the year for insomnia....

With that in mind, there is a new novel from Durham resident David Guy called "Jake Fades: A Novel of Impermanence" (Trumpeter Books, 210 pgs). I came across an article about the author while in the Cary, NC, area a few weeks ago. It was published in the May 16th edition of "Indy Weekly" and was written by Adam Sobsey.

The novel actually takes place in Cambridge, Ma., and it has components of Zen Buddhism and sex......perhaps, the two go hand in hand.

The title character, Hank, who also narrates the novel speaks in a relaxed voice as he reflects on his 56 years of life. He tends to be a hero-worshipper with a tendency to daydream.....hey, that applies to many of us, doesn't it?!

The story unfolds as Hanks heads up to Maine for a meditation retreat where he meets a 78-year-old man named Jake, who is a meditation guru. They have breakfast at a dive run by a Chinese man who makes legendary doughnuts. And, apparently there are lots of "New Dimensions" moments along the way. 

The novel is the first from Guy in 16 years since his 1991 novel "The Autobiography of My Body." His other novels include "Second Guy" and "The Man Who Loved Dirty Books."

According to Sobsey, Guy's past works have featured home intense, erotic love scenes. He also said the author has themese which revolve around 'guilt-loaded, hypersensitive masculinity' in the tradition of Robert Bly.

Sobsey adds that ultimately "Jake Fades" is a work which states that while the struggles of masculinity never end, the challenges one faces do not have to oppress them.

Links:

http://www.indyweek.com

Interesting note, while trying to find more info on the web about David Guy (an effort which was not succesful), I did discover an Israeli techno-musician who also happens to be an artist and photographer. His name is Guy David.

http://www.guydavid.com

 

 

Dead Poets Society, Entry 11, Edip Cansever

Today's entry comes from the late Turkish poet Edip Cansever (1928-1986). It is called "The Rooster and the Stairs." Cansever's early career was spent selling antiques at the Covered Baazar in Istanbul. Apparently, he discovered he was better at poems. Though he is not as recognized as Nazim Hikmet, Cansever is highly regarded in the Turkish literate community for his body of work.

 

"The Rooster and the Stairs"

Upstairs is upstairs and

down is donstairs a bit

The rooster and the stairs are

right in the middle

Dazzling rooster! He gathers colors on the stairs,

A kid is more of a kid on the red of a white

A ten-fathom thread calls out my mother

I stick my head right into the bucket

As much fish as I think can fish

 

This poem was translated by Talat Sait Halman and Brian Swann

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edip_Cansever

 

 

Dead Poets Society Entry #10, Paruyr Sevak

My tenth entry is the on-going 'Dead Poets Society' series is "Succession of Generation" by the late Armenian poet Pauyr Sevak (1924-1971). It may come as a surprise to some of you that a Turkish-American is posting a poem by an Armenian, but I do have some Armenian friends.

I would mention who they are, but that might cost them some Armenian friends!

There are many active writers of Armenian heritage out there, including Canadian novelist Ara Baliozian and author/playwright/actor Eric Bogosian, whose play "Talk Radio" is currently being revived on Broadway.

Here is today's poem:

"Succession of Generation"

Every generation

first of all thinks in silence

and then as soon as talking begins

angers the elders

angers then but without intended malice

for the young do not understand

and the elders always understand

Elder God,

is it true that he who understands and

he who doubts

are synonomous

and every generation

dies by doubting?

 

For more info on Ara Baliozian, who was mentioned earlier in this entry:

http://baliozian.blogspot.com