Thursday, November 17, 2022

untitled

untitled (4)

unlocked
unleashed
unblocked
unmuted
unstopped
unstuck
unburdened
unfettered
unchained
unblurred
unburied
unbossed
undefeated
undeleted
understanding
understatement
underutilized
underslept
uncorked
unweakened
unlit
unbowed
undone
unframed
unsheathed
unafraid
the return
of ruby k
hakohein

Sunday, February 05, 2012

Super Bowl XLVI pregame thoughts

I don't want this to be a good game, I want the Giants to destroy the Patriots. I want Eli to hang 4 TD passes on the Pats D in the first half alone. I want JPP, Tuck and Osi to hit Brady so many times Giselle loses her modeling contracts. I don't want a close game or an exciting game, only a game where my team is so victorious, professional sports writers who picked the Pats to win are handing in their resignations and going off to teach journalism someplace.

Why?

Simple, really. I'm a New Yorker first, and thus, the Giants trump regular sportsfandom for me.

Let me explain- like a lot of people, there are a lot of reasons I enjoy sports: it's a distraction, a hobby that doesn't involve the fate of the world. yet it's interesting and powerful- the grace of athletes performing the amazing, the chessboard on a field strategy of matchups, the poker game of knowing when the odds are in your favor to mix it up just a little bit, and the excitement of a back and forth, close game, decided by 90 feet/6 inches/a last second kick save.

Yet- my loyalties are never in question or up for grabs. NY, all the way, with some of my strong love of new orleans in the rest of my life seeping in to create second favorite teams. Yankees, Rangers, Giants, Knicks, Liberty, Red Bulls. Having teams to root for take it beyond having a classic contest- it means the thing matters. And when you really care about a sports team, the rewards of an exciting finish are amazing, but the stress, even just the stress of a semi-committed sports fan (admission: i didn't get to see all 16 Giants regular season games this year, probably caught about half of them), make it not worth it.

So, on amateur night (aka the superbowl) when most people are finally tuning in and companies i couldn't give two shits about are spending 5 million dollars for 30 seconds of my attention, what I really want is to watch a lopsided contest where my team crushes the other team and the outcome is never in doubt, and watch it with people who care about the game from slightly less to slightly more than me.

Being in a room of people who don't care about the game is stupid and a bad idea for me. But then again, so is expecting me to want "a good game" today- I want the Giants to win, by so much Joe Montana ponders coming out of retirement.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Angel's Share

the sun drenches
my city
with light
and yet
there's no place as bright
as the space
in front of your face
when you smile. it is
ambrosia and amnesia
yet i remember
what i'm fighting for.
the joy that
escapes your lips
when i say, yes,
i'm coming to
snuggle with you
could put Pappy
out of business
intoxicating sweetness
I never want
to stop drinking.
and as the angel's share
rises to shamayim,
i hold the love
you've blessed me
with here,
and laugh
because the sun
doesn't know from warmth.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

untitled

The soot still stains me,
Clings to my skin
Never lets go.
I can still feel it
In the cracks where
Fingers meet hand
Or break apart from another,
Stretching towards their own suns.
Still feel it
Where my arms and legs bend,

Where my neck extends
From torso
To connect head to chest
Brain to blood pump metronome
Two structures keeping each other alive
As best they can.

It defies fingernails
Dares soap to come get it,
It laughs at Lady MacBeth,
Saying you don’t KNOW
from spots.

It splits atoms and seeps
Below skin,
Drops into veins and
Visits blood cells,
Passes time with amino acids
In the stomach
makes itself
Permanent parts of us
Inside and out.

The soot is still in the air
Still landing on cars I no longer own
Still forming a crust
On everything I touch
Still invading conversations,
Extending invitations
To unwanted thoughts
To stay long past their non-welcome.

Its still being made into ink,
Printed and shipped
To other countries,
Still fresh on the bombs we drop
On others.
We’re still importing it
Everywhere we go
Wearing it
Like sheriff stars we had
No business brandishing
And should never have forged.

we’re still crafting bars from it
still hurling it like epithets at each other.
Still clutching it
Like pressure and heat and time
Will reverse clocks
Or at least turn the soot
Back to bone flesh steel glass
Heart brain hope skyline

Like our September will just be given back to us.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Surprise! The election isn't over yet!

Who: You
What: Phonebank for Jim Martin from your house via my.barackobama.com or at a phonebank
When: Over the next 4 days
Why: HUGELY IMPORTANT Senate Runoff in Georgia on 12/2.

I'd love to see you this week, NYers, but I'm leaving town again. But I was away for four months, right? Why am I leaving again?

Because the election ain't over.

There's a critical Senate runoff happening in Georgia on Tuesday between Democratic challenger Jim Martin and Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss.

And the results of all the hard work that you and I have put in the last weeks, months, years, could be severely hampered if Jim Martin loses

civics recap: a group in the Senate that wants to pass a bill generally needs 60 votes to limit debate. (enacting cloture)

Jim Martin puts the Democrats one seat closer to having that critical number. If you actually want President-elect Obama to actually enact all that policy he's been talking about, the Dems need to get to that number in the Senate. The economic stimulus package, health care reform, making it easier for people to organize unions, investing in our infrastructure, bettering education, all of those policy goals need the votes in the Senate to do it.

Runoffs come down to turnout. And even if you're not in Georgia, you can help. Go to a live phonebank in Greenwich Village, plenty of times available.

Or better yet, get yourself an account at my.barackobama.com, log in, and follow the links for the virtual phonebank.

Any time you can give in the next four days, give it to this. I know you're busy, but even an hour will make a difference. I'm going down to knock on doors, but we need everyone helping with this, so please, get on the phones and help Jim Martin win that Senate seat in Georgia!

Friday, November 07, 2008

GOTV and E-day highlights

Four years ago, I woke up in shock, thining somehow, I was just having a really vivid dream and was going to wake up, it was going to be E-Day, and we'd have a chance at victory. The last couple of days, my body has woken up early, ready to get everything together, do trainings, make sure the walk packs are right, scout stuff, everything. And I still am waking up, thinking I'm dreaming. Thinking that this is all a vivid dream I'm going to wake up from any moment.

And yet, possibly my favorite moment of the night, and winner of the JEJ honorary best motivation communication for 2008 was a text from Zappy reminding me that we've got to organize for the Employee Free Choice Act. Not to be Baron von Buzzkill, but while it's absolutely amazing we helped elect Barack Obama president, we still have a ton of work to do to actually get the change we really need.

Here are some of the highlights of the last week:

Schedule1, WvonW, Kungfujew, and KS showing up, with bagels and s&s cheesecake, at 1230am Saturday... and then Schedule1, WvonW and KFJ labelled campaign literature (lit) with me till 3am.

Sitting at the Strange Brew, a place I spent many nights the last three months, with some of the most important people in the world over two nights.

SC, BZ, DD, ABW, and SL singing the election fight song to me.

One Purple vol with a bad foot getting a ridiculous amount of knocks.

MK and SC going from new canvassers to team leads and trainers in a matter of weeks.

One Purple Team staying out till last knock of 7:45 on Eday. Hardcore and as it should be. The AP had called NH for Obama and Shaheen BEFORE THEY GOT BACK FROM THE FIELD!

After a week or managing logistics and being absolutely furious, getting to canvass on E-day with two of my new favorite organizers.

Getting to sit across the room from some amazing sisters from PP.

A lot of it is a blur, especially b/c this is the third day in a row i'm up way before i want to be. Joyous chants of "SWEEP! SWEEP! SWEEP! SWEEP!" when we found out that not only had Obama taken New Hampshire, but all of our federal races were victorious!

Sobbing like a little kid for a half hour when the race was called.

more soon.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Four years, two days.

"I'm exhausted and going to bed, and I cannot help but feel that I failed you." ---November 3rd, 2004, 3am or som.

I'm exhausted and going to bed. And I cannot help but feel a little more hopeful today. Stories tomorrow.