OBAMA and the GLBTQ community

I've often lost myself in my search for that burn that keeps everything awake. - LORCA

Beck is back. Back within my scope, I should say. For the rest of his followers he'd never left exactly, just fading in periodically on a fresh sound wave.

We'd been on about a four year hiatus. I pulled away around the release of Mutations...feeling dissuaded by his acoustic turn. And, at the time, two of my favorite songs on Midnite Vultures--"Nicotine and Gravy" and "Peaches and Cream"-- were tracks that I'd shared with my late mother, therefore listening to them or HIM for that matter provoked memory and undercover grief. During these four years, snippets from Sea Change floated in and out of my landscape, but I completely missed Guero; the mixer upper album, Guerolito; The Information; and Timebomb. Modern Guilt is his latest, and after listening to some layered parts of the Danger Mouse produced album, I immediately decided to RETURN. I began to track his journey through his previous work.

Beck Hanson was an early influence on my identity and expression--existing as almost a muse during my formative years. I remember my sister relishing in my interest/infatuation for the little gyrating maestro, turning the volume up during award show performances and purchasing a copy of Odelay for me.

I began to rummage through my CD collection and found a copy of Sea Change.



He seemed to be following me around. At a bar the other night, "Missing" off of Guero managed to distract me from an entire conversation. Stuck in my ancient ways, I purchased the album from Virgin Megastore and am a confirmed believer that he is one of my generation's pop COMPOSERs. The arrangement of each track is nuanced and layered with several thoughts and directions, resulting in provocative fluidity. It is clear, based on his ease with multiple instruments and his eclectic production teams - Dust Brothers, Danger Mouse along with Beastie Boys and Jack White contributions-- that he's versatile and ever evolving. Beck manages to be a true chameleon-- without having a bought and sold sound. Genuine pop is manufactured and mass produced, however definitive pop is malleable, possessing many faces. Madonna represents this aesthetically, and Beck, musically.



I had difficulty finding a rip of "Missing" with its omniscient and repetitive strings, but the ballad "Broken Drum" is a worthy example, with its forlorn and quiet piano background.

And here we are in 2008 with Modern Guilt, and Beck nearing 40. It is a heavy title for an album from Beck. Not that I hadn't seen a darker side, hence "Lonesome Tears" above, but homey isn't usually this direct. Social responsibility should be heightened now that even the ultimate in my generation's abstract emblem musician will declare it in his album's title.

I will continue to revel in Guero for some days and venture onward to Modern Guilt soon.

OMNI-JAVA Benefit!

COME CELEBRATE, CULTIVATE, INEBRIATE!

When: Wednesday August 27th, 8pm

Where:
The Women’s Interart Annex
500 West 52nd St. @10th Ave. buzzer 2W, 2nd floor
New York


In an effort to raise money for The Impulse Initiative’s upcoming production of "Sonnets for an Old Century," The Impulse Initiative and Omni Java have joined forces to host an impromptu night of theatre, dance, music and spoken word. Every penny counts, so bring your piggy banks!

Join us on Wednesday, August 27th at 8pm for pre-performance cocktails and snacks. Stick around after the show and help us celebrate our final evening in our beloved Womens’ Interart Annex rehearsal space.

The Impulse Initiative and Omni Java Present a Special Benefit Open Mic Night!!!

*Please bear with us as theomnivorous.net is under slight construction ;)

...but by all means, DON'T publicize me!

I am not naive enough to believe that I'm the only one concerned about this, but Peter Fuss' latest dig doesn't do much to comfort me either. And, I'm usually down with rebel art.
Read more...

For more Peter Fuss, go here.

SIGHT

On Thursday, I had enough available time to meander around my neighborhood. I went to the bank, had a cheeseburger, and visited a small optical joint to price eye exams. The staff of women were sterile and off-putting, but I still scheduled an appointment for an exam for the following Friday. I continued my curious stroll, did some window shopping, and found myself in another optical spot with a cheaper deal and friendlier people. My vulnerable stasis that afternoon allowed me to be coaxed right into the eccentric optometrist's chair. He was a delight. Erratic conversations about poetry, colleges, and my eyes. A writer himself, when I told him that I'd only begun writing mature poetry last year, it provoked a discussion of the journey of writers and the art form of prose and how's it's a bit of battle to allow oneself to truly create a rhythmic voice. Being a writer all of my life, I'd always found poetry to be slightly insurmountable. Concerning expression, he said, "The configuration of our psychosis needs this outlet, otherwise you would produce angst. A-N-G-S-T." He spelled it.

At the start of our conversation, he informed me that I don't blink fully. He said that based on their size and shape, rarely do my eyes completely close during the blink reflex. Thus, explaining my regularly dry eyes and why I absently tend to sleep with them partially open. Based on these facts, my eyes never really close.

My eyes are always open.

That is, I could see the end of my entanglement, but I chose to ignore the knot.

An Impulsation Celebration!

The play that I am in love with, all consumed with, and motivated BY...is having a fundraiser. The proud founders of the Impulse Initiative--Michelle, Miriam and Elisa-- are throwing a raucous, fistpounding, financial wonder next Wednesday.

The IMPULSATION CELEBRATION!

Come out and support ART. A BIT more explicitely....come out and support this production of Jose Rivera's, Sonnets for An Old Century.

BAR NINE
JULY 30--next WEDNESDAY
807 NINTH AVE. (between 53rd and 54th)

7-10
*drink specials!!!!
*a FANTASTIC and eclectic lineup of music
*raffles, raffles, raffles


So bring twenties (not dollars) to this enormous events.


love,

your OMNIVOROUSis
E :)

Open, close. Open, close-doors, eyes, legs.
Blinking, I look and my six year old surroundings are suddenly familiar.
Dusty half-read books, stacks of mail, and mismatched blankets.
The mirror never lied--my smile did fade.
It hurts to crease its corners today.
Firey salt fights to exit.
Releasing.
Shameful and red; vulnerable and broken--necessities within my gray.
My attempts at prevention backfired and love's chemical magnet attracted, reacted, and dulled.
Truth did not disappear, only emerged from the clearing.
I finally welcomed it back into my home.
Blinking, I look and my six year old surroundings are suddenly familiar.

evol.....V-E...Evolve!

You may need a mirror for this one.

Lately, my astrological connection has been intense. Being an annoyingly intuitive Pisces, I never really thought the planetary alignment was entirely a hoax, but I certainly never thought my relationship with discovering my daily horoscope would be so pertinent. The Mars/Virgo battle has been spot on and my week has been pretty mapped out by the semi-ludicrous Sally Brompton from the Post (!) and Mr. Genius Rob Brezsny from Free Will Astrology, listed in the Voice.

Lately, I've been clocked faster than that biological ticking time bomb located in my uterus and my unfortunate social psyche making "womanhood" curious, yet FUN.

Lavish
Omniscient
Violent
Essential

LOVE. The latest take.

Holla at your girl.

All I want to do, is grow old with you.

tiny birds

the boys!


the girls!






death to R2D2


Proof that my mother was in attendance.

*Welcome to Part Two of your outlook for the second half of 2008, Pisces. I'm hoping that six months from now, you'll look back and make the following declaration: "This year I was a real artist in the way I lived my life. Everything I did was like working on a beautiful masterpiece. I had a sixth sense about when to shut up and when to speak out, when to pull back and when to push on, when to recharge and when to ripen. Whenever my efforts were ready to climax, I brought them to a climax and moved on to the next adventure. So here's the big question: What can I do to keep cultivating this adroit and graceful approach to being alive?"

*courtesy of Mr. Rob Brezsney's Free Will Astrology for the week of June 27 to July 4, 2008.

If you'd like to view your horoscope, click here.

one of these things first

Certainly, Nick Drake, certainly.

theOMNIVOROUS.net has been left to twiddle its thumbs for nearly three months. Rather than attempt to put up several separate posts as updates on time passed, I've decided to post a photo album of sorts--with some random pics to keep things colorful and emotional. Heather's graduation from Gallatin program at NYU; the Off the Hook performance of Eddy Fortune's original work, Chasing Chris; Danielle's Bachelorette Party spectacular; the end of the nannying gig; my roommate Richard pre-departure to Uruguay and Argentina....


A bientot pretty Ricky!

We've been blessed with a fantastic subleter named Kristine. She's a photographer and you can see her work here. She's been a really supportive listener and friend over the past few months and I'm glad to know her.

Professor Acs. The pic below is a blurry action shot with no flash, but I dig it. The semiotics are profound. Diploma under one arm, the other arm almost in low fifth, a downward gaze. I think we're going places!



Pink headphones from Glenn!

As a part of her thesis, Heather performed her piece, "what the brain forgets and the heart denies the body remembers" at the TANK at Collective Unconscious. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the video still yet-- but soon. Her work was extraordinary and complete, a real privilege and inspiration for me as an artist and her sister.

To open her show, I read a working piece about my father loosely titled, "Cowboy". It was helpful to get some feedback and positive response. As my schedule opens up a bit more, I look forward to pounding out more "cowboy" text.

My argyle darling, Glenn, will be performing in the return of LUSTRE at Abrons Arts this week, beginning on June 25th. If you missed it the first time around at P.S. 122, PLEASE don't miss it this time. It is truly a religious experience --moving and fabulous...LUSTRE will rock you.

Glenn Marla and Justin Bond will take you to church.
www.myspace.com/justbond

Tonya, Eddy, and exhausted me post opening night of the OTH show.


Eddy's play was a tangled gangster piece with an all female cast. Tonya played the mob leader and instead of actual gunshots, I used the sound of a snare drum. That's me--always keeping it soft and funky. OTH has definitely served as directing school for me.
http://www.falconworks.com/oth.asp


*just a little transitional Henriette Jones to keep things inspired


AND...onward to May. Hen Night.

She looks beautiful in that hat, doesn't she? Josh and I made it whilst watching Coming to America. Look closely and you'll notice that her candy necklace is made of tiny penises.
I don't think I've ever felt that much pressure to pull something off RIGHT before in my life. The stress was obviously because I love my D-dawg so much. But by the start of the party, my anxiety attacks could be clocked.


Sequinette schooling Danielle, "Dolly-style".
My camera broke that night so I am slowly collecting photos from people's online albums.

Here's a sweet pic of Clarke (a kid I used to nanny) in his tennis uniform with a mouthful of chicken. He's a doll and we used to laugh a lot together. I'm just a big kid.


And there's some Ben thrown into the mix. He somehow looks like an adult to me in this picture--so coy, yet underwater in thought all at once. My little brother/best friend.




I told you! She's taking off!


My niece, Heaven Leigh doing what the women in my family do best--laugh our asses off.

I am directing Jose Rivera's Sonnets for an Old Century this summer, to be performed in early October. It's exciting to cut my teeth on a large project. It way past time and definitely signals the beginning of a new aspect of my journey.

My "time spent pastiche" will close with a poem I have been working on. It's continuing my meter-less, disjointed style and finally chronicles something I've been hesitant to approach and see through.
It needs some work...nonetheless, here are my naked words.

ADORNMENT

My psyche dives into my belly, swimming within my nerves.
I don’t know what I have never felt; making this new.
I detect a barrier.
The key in my mouth and the combination in my heart do not match.
One was made earlier than the other.
Since love is war, then peace and conquest are mere accessories.
My armor needs earrings.
A bracelet made of your lacey fingers, perhaps.
I succumb to your tingly tangle of tumult tasting terrific touch.
My knuckles pinch your eyelids.
Pushing for immersion within my members embers.
I begin to contend with the guard.
“Paris is burning”, murmured he, as he lay breathing next to me.
The key in my mouth and the combination in my heart do not match.
Give me your hand.
Safety is a slave, requiring ambition.
Remove the shackles, slicing the skin to watch the blue/black blood drip drop red.
Let me free you.
Love you.
Strong you.
It appears that you don’t want any company.
The key in my mouth and the combination in my heart do not match.