Winter Blahs

It's chinooking right now & is at 0. We just got out of -30 weather. It's nice, but I still wish I was in Costa Rica. Yes, instead of Israel, I chose to go south to Costa Rica to an all inclusive resort called the Allegro Papagayo. I have never done the all inclusive thing so I decided hey why not. Anyhow I can't really think of anything to say so I guess I will end this here. If want to view some of the photos of the trip I put them up in Facebook.

Visiting the past in hopes of bettering the future

Wow. I am in the process of making a new poetry chapbook & am reviewing some of the over 10,000 poems & hundreds of songs I have written since 1992. It is crazy to say the least. My brain was wired very differently than it is today, but some traits remain. Also I making some new electronic music on my PC. I only have started 1 track so far. I'll call it Intro" since that is what I plan it to be. I usually have made an albums worth of material in a weekend, or a few weeks. This one I will drag out to as long as it takes. Which so far has been since the beginning of October. I was gonna' call it October cuz I had planned for it to only take a month but now I know it will be longer than that. Also U2 has an album called October & there is no way I'd want to have people compare it to that.

What else? I might be going to Costa Rica in November or December. I had planned to go to Israel but it will be winter there & might not be warm. Also I have done the hitch hiking /hostel things many times, & the trip to Costa Rica is gonna' be an all inclusive thing. Which for me would be a nice change. Also I'd like to go to Israel with a friend, going there alone just doesn't seem to make sense for me.

Once again my friends in Cowtown say there are folks looking for me, so I have to go looking for those who are looking for me. It kinda' reminds me of the Bourne Identity at times, but way tamer & way funnier. Who can it be now? CSIS, the RCMP national security investigation section, the CAF, maybe it's just old friends. Who kows for sure. Maybe it's folks from my acting days. I once had a shot at an agent who could've made me a star but I declined for some odd reason. I think it was because I thought I hadn't suffered enough yet as an artist. When in truth I had really suffered more than most folks could think. My life sure hasn't been a bed of roses, but lately it's been okay. Anyhow I still have some work to do this evening/morning so I'll leave it at that?

Israel in November?

I am getting itchy feet again & am thinking of heading over to Israel in November if I can find a good deal on a flight. If not I might go on a cruise in the Mediterranean, or head elsewhere. What else. Once again nothing new. I am flipping through old books of poetry. I plan to make a new chapbook soon. I can't believe the life I have lead. Some of the stuff dates back to the early 90's & goes all the way through my life as an artist, actor, poet, musician, & dancer in Cowtown until when I decided to hit the road & go join the US Army. That of course ended with my joining the American Red Cross instead & helping out durring the Hurricnae Rita & Katrina thing. Then from there most of my poetry has been online in this blog & the other one. With the odd one scratched out here & there on the odd piece of paper or in some book. Oh & Homeland Security has some as my poems as well, lol. There's a long story to that one. If you have been reading my blogs you know what happened. Anyways that is all for now.

New work soon

I have rescued several thousands of my poems from my storage unit in Calgary new work will be out soon. It will be selected works put some beats I have cooked up on my pc. Should be interesting. There is definitely not a shortage of stuff to choose from which is nice. Now the only thing is if I can actually sit down & get some work done. I should have never joined Facebook I spend way too much time there & I am not alone in that. It's crazy I have real friends than there are my Facebook friends. Real friends play the odd game here & there. My Facebook friends play way too many. I have limited my Facebook games to 2. Robin Hood & Mafia Wars. For real games as in PC games I am currently into Rainbow 6 Vegas 2. I like playing the terrorist hunting thing. The AI is very smart & even sometimes condescending. My favorite quip from them is "Do you want me to run into the bullets? Maybe that will help!" When you here that you know you suck & need to play more often to get better. Anyhow I have to be up at 6 am tommorow for work & it's a little after 11pm so I am gonna' call it a night, caio for now.

Most Vocal's June reading

Here's the poster for our June event. I will try to dig up more info on Dwayne Morgan.

Gateway to the past

Wow, I just got my old ipod mini working again after 2 years. It has various artists & my stuff on it. It's huge compared to today's minis, but damn I have lots of good stuff. These past couple of years I have sorta' lost my way as a musician & only have recently started to fart around with my guitar & computer again. Hopefully I'll soon start cranking out new stuff. I have had many false starts, but hopefully I'll get back into it, I've just gotta start playing less games.

Most Vocal's April reading

If you are in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada on April 15th at 7:30pm you might want to swing by Henotic & catch this month's Most Vocal reading featuring Sonis McAllister & open mike. Come early to get a good seat & bring your friends.

Back Home & Bored

Well I'm back & bored. That trip was far too short. When I'll get to go on the road again is unknown but hopefully it will lead to Israel. If anything this trip has shown me there is so much to do & so little time.

4th Day In London

Well what can I say, I had fun today. I went to Soho, wandered around, went to Piccadilly Circus, wandered more, & then ended up at Covent Gardens where I watched some buskers do thier thing. After that I made my way back to the river, back to the hostel, then to the Bank of London, some church, St. Paul's after that, & then to the hostel for supper. As said in my other blog, the Chronicles Of Jeff Godin here is Part 2 of Cafe Rouge.
*********************************

Alone In London (Cafe Rouge Part 2)

I landed here on Thursday
Or was it Wednesday
I don't know due to the time change
What a city
7x the population of Calgary
It's cleaner than I thought
The air
Thousands of years of history lay here
Civillizations built & then forgotten
Then built upon again
One atop another
How many wandering souls have come & gone
Ealier on today I wandered into some church
Sat in silence for a few minutes
I did not pray or meditate
I just got lost in the moment
So much movement
The shores of the river Thames were
packed with the people
It was like a sea of lemmings
Except nobody jumped off a cliff
I know nothing of the Knights Templar
Except that they were here
My father spoke of some of our descendants
Ladies, knights, etc.,
Hundreds of years later here I am
Walking in places they may have walked
Seeing things they may have seen
Doing things they may have done
In Canada
It's mainly about the natives
Which tribe did this
Which tribe did that
But now I stop & think
We are all the same tribe
We've just forgotten our history
History that lies in Israel
Israel where I was supposed to go
But I ended up here
Why I ask?
Who knows but here is where I am
Now I ask where are you?
Carmil
Lara
Various others I have met
I could sure use a familliar face right now
I could call my brother Steve
Tell him I'm 4,000 miles away & for the
first time in a long time
Sorta' lonely
It's times like this
Where the artist gets thier soul
One thing leads to another
Then there's an eruption
Hot magma that eventually will be cooled
& when that happens
You can sit there & see the results
(Now I'm done & so is my coffee & cheesecake
gotta' roll, but if you're ever here, stop in)

2nd Day In London

Well today I got up, showered, ate breakfast, got a map of London & headed for the river. Since I am unfamiliar with the layout of things I thought it best to start there. Along the way to the river I crossed the road at the wrong time & nearly got run over by a big lory or truck or whatever they call them here. I used St Paul's Cathedral & the bridge to the Tate meuseum as my reference points then headed towards London Bridge.

I walked along the river pathway crowded with locals out on their lunch breaks. It was sorta' like Calgary, people were jogging, lounging about etc, except of course the river was bigger, there were way more people, & the way was filled with tons of buildings, cafes, restaurants, boat lauches, & even a castle.

After making it to London Bridge I crossed over to the other shore & ended up visiting the HMS Belfast. The last great big ship in Europe of the 2nd World War. I thought it'd take me an hour & a half at the most to see her but I ended up crawling through her, on her, etc., for way over 3 hours. It was cool. I arrived in the Ops Room as they ran though an audio presentation of a battle with a german vessel. It was done very good & it kinda' felt like I was actually there watching it & hearing it unfold. I then looked at the map done in detail of the battle & it matched up with the presentation. A funny thing happened earlier though when I was in the cafe drinking Fanta. I was watching some video & was at one point sitting very still & some kids from a private school looked into the cafe & when I moved to take a sip of pop it freaked them out. They thought I was part of the exhibit. Later on I had a laugh with their teacher about it whom I'm ran into while onboard.

Anyways I wandered back to the bridge to the Tate meuseum, & then headed for St Paul's & then down the road that leads to the hostel, ate dinner which was beef lasagna, & a garden salad. I am now typing this & wish I was at home or had my laptop on me so I could upload some of my photos. I don't know if I'll venture out tonight, but I should because I am only here until Tuesday & won't be coming back anytime soon. Of course that is was what I said of Lethbridge when I passed through it on the latter end of my last road trip. That poses a big question, could I actually live here & like it ? Probably. There is no doubt some kinda' arts scence here obviously & I don't think it'd take too long to makes some waves poetrywise, actingwise, etc.. Well... I guess that is it for today. I will post my next day on my Wordpress blog.

There Was No Real Plan

There was no real plan
I just set out
Destination unknown
Life is like that though

Driving Down Another Backroad

Not sure where I turned left
Not sure where I turned right
But I hope that you can hear me
I hope you can hear me tonight

I'm driving down another
Driving down another backroad

The colours swirl round n round
Live music makes a lovely sound

Don't go here
Don't go there
Dance in a circle
Not in a square

Bolt the door
My craziness is outside
& it wants in
It wants into your world

You know you want it
Or maybe you don't

Yes I may have forgotten how to play guitar
But in it's place there's a whole lot of soul

That's the stuff you've heard of
That's the stuff of legends
Take a look back at past artists
Of any field

Come take my hand
I just want one last dance
That will keep me going
Until I come crashing down
Into another
Another person's life

You were like the sun
I was like a comet
Only once in 2000 years
Do I orbit

Okay there goes another fragment
Another fragment of my heart

Scroll back up to the top
I can't think of anything to say

Not sure where I turned left
Not sure where I turned right
But I hope that you can hear me
I hope you can hear me tonight

I'm driving down another
Driving down another backroad

Most Vocal's March Event

The poster says it all. I won’t be there though cuz I’ll be out on the road somewhere. Marie our secretary will be MCing the event.

Open Mike For February 2009

Yes folks once again it’s open mike. Come out & join us at the Round Street Cafe on Wednesday February 18th, 2009, at 7:30 pm. in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. If you are a member of Most Vocal please show up at 7:00 pm so you can cast your vote on who our new secretary & treasurer will be.

If you don’t have anything of your own to read bring the work of someone else. Anything goes within reason.

Heading Out On The Road In March

Well I've been getting kinda' restless & need to go wandering again. Hopefully I will be able to go to Israel, if not maybe a coast to coast trip across Canada. Anyhow I plan to do it in March.

I have been farting around with my guitar & laptop lately & soon hope to be pumping out some new music.

Not a lot has been going on in my life lately, it's just work, surf, play games, etc.. I would right a poem but I am too tired write now I've been up since 6 this morning & it is now 10 past 3 in the morning. Oh & I almost forgot I am now the co-ordinator for Most Vocal. It's a group of poets here in Lethbridge. This transition has taken place over the past year. Blaine Greenwood the former co-ordinator has slowly let me get my feet wet. Hopefully I will be able to do my duties well, & help the group grow not only in size but in different directions. For templates I have the Single Onion & Most Vocal to draw from. I once was an Onion when I lived in Cowotwn. For leadership I have Sun Tzu, & Myamoto Musashai to draw upon. Even though art is not war, the same priciples can be provided to it. Anyone who knew me well in Clagary knew that I operated in that fashion.

Well that's it for now. I will try to keep this blog & others more up to date than I have been.

Another Sad Poem Or Song

Writing poems
Thinking of dreams
Remembering bad times
& now another sad song
I put it on repeat
I put it on repeat
I put it on repeat
Another sad song
Oh Steve Earle
He really knows how to hook you
Verse
Chorus
Verse
Etc.

How many angels
Tried to save this little devil?
& then years down the road
He looks back
What a journey
Not the one intended
But what a fantastic journey
Blood & guts everywhere

There is no news
There is just the blues
& another sad song
Why me?
Why couldn't it be someone else?

Day turns to night
Night turns to day
Brew a pot of coffee
Sometimes wondering what it'd be like
To get back into whiskey
To get back even further into misery

I never should have laid my guitar down
I should never have picked it up again
& the same goes for the quill
I go spiralling down into morbidness
With the view of a seagull
In the eye of a tornado
There goes Dorthy
& the Wicked Witch of the West
I have no rubby red slippers
Just some worn out sandals & boots
I'd walk across the desert
Naked & without sun block under the blistering sun
Just to share a cup of tea with you
Jesus Christ how this crucifies me
Now being so helpless & hapless
But you know what
Atleast I still have a pulse
& that makes me wonder
How many ways have you died spiritually
I know I been buried atleast a dozens times
Maybe more (definitely more)
I've lost count & sometimes just don't care
Life can be cruel
& yes.... you've proved it once more
Anyhow it's kinda' wierd how happiness & sadness
Sometimes go hand in hand
& so the seasons go round & round
On & on, blah, blah, blah
I'm not an old dog
Nor a young one
But I've learned some new tricks
& of course some old ones
Gymnastics & ice skating showed me them
& so here I will defy gravity
& float above & beyond
This sad little poem & song
& will revel in the fact
I've travelled some more unfamilliar ground
Life can sometimes be like a blank piece of paper
You can fill it up with what you want
Just make sure it doesn't get burned
Or too wet & soggy
Otherwise you can't read
What's been spelled out

I miss you dearly
My old friend

Time, Distance, & Technology

We were once good friends
We used to meet at the Unicorn
I'd play guitar at the jam
You'd be in the audience

Then you had to go back home
You gave me your address
I wrote you letters & sent you poems
Then one day silence

Now time, distance & technology has caught up
The only question is
Do you still want to recieve my poems, & songs
& when I go on vaction could we possibly meet?

I'm sure there is a nice cozy pub
Somewhere in Israel
If not & you come back to Canada
There are several here

Oh my how time has flown
I've had my share of adventures
You've had your share
It'd be so nice just to sit & talk with you once more

Time, distance, & technology
What a wonderful thing