Art

Happy Soul Night

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For a going-away present (even though I’m the one leaving…fuck it — I’ll take any excuse to give a dorky gift), I’m making a friend of mine a mixtape.  He always kids me about my cheerfulness, asks me what’s my secret, so the theme of the mix is “happiness.”

  1. Ain’t No Sunshine ——————————- Bill Withers
  2. Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) ————- Quindon Tarver
  3. Be (Intro) —————————————- Common
  4. The Happy Song (Dum Dum) —————– Otis Redding
  5. Joyful, Joyful ———————————— The St. Francis Choir
  6. Uptight (Everything’s Alright) —————- Stevie Wonder
  7. Joy ———————————————— Talib Kweli
  8. Much More ————————————– De La Soul
  9. Walkin’ My Baby Back Home —————– Nat King Cole
  10. Nothing Even Matters ————————– Lauryn Hill
  11. The Sweetest Gift ——————————– Sade
  12. Alfie ———————————————– Dionne Warwick
  13. Oh Happy Day ———————————- The St. Francis Choir
  14. Ain’t Got No — I Got Life ———————- Nina Simone

Music.  Not just for emo’s anymore!  Speaking of which (music; wresting it from hipsters), a couple friends and I are heading out to “Soul-le-lu-jah,” soul music night at a tiny dance club in my neighborhood.  Best night of the week. We’re all drenched with sweat by the end.

Happy weekend, y’all!  See you soon.

Sight Unseen

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Wow.  This piece filled my heart up.  And the Hafez he quotes is one of my favorite poems.

From Konch Magazine, where my boy Jose was recently published (¡!).

The End of Racism

By Siamak Vossoughi

———

The end of racism that I have seen has been a piece of paper and a group of white men in suits announcing that the end of racism is hereby decreed. The end of racism that I haven’t seen has been those same white men looking at each other with tears in their eyes.

The end of racism that I have seen has been let me tell you about the end of racism. The end of racism that I haven’t seen has been let me listen to the years and years of it.

Continue reading →

Rules of Houseguesting

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Dedicated to Chelsea and Patches.

Rule #1: Don’t hide your delight when your host offers you a morning brew using his homemade bike-art teapot warmer, fashioned out of gear chains, a hub thingy, and rubber tubes, with room for a little tealight candle in the center. Yes, it is as beautiful and amazing as it appears.

Rule #2: When no one expects it, do some spontaneous dishes.  A houseguest pulled this on me one time and it’s become a favorite ritual of mine ever since.   It (1) allows you to contribute to the home, (2) occupies your hands without interrupting a conversation, (3) lets you get cozy with the kitchen, and (4) guides the overall vibe toward generosity and warmth.  This is a particularly useful rule for households of people under the age of 25, in which case there will always be dishes in the sink, and your hosts will be extra floored that you are willing to touch their dirty shit.

Rule #3: Abet adventure.  When your hosts suggest setting out to find some branches for decorating their walls, make no attempt to disguise your goofy enthusiasm.  Express your excitement for all manner of romps, forays, jaunts, and missions.

Rule #4: Pick thoughtful, fun-loving, generous, and all-around brilliant hosts.  And you’re golden.

Beauty In The ‘Burbs

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My friend Jeremiah recently reminded me of something important.  It’s very easy, he said, to be cynical about the places we come from.  It often takes real effort to view our home environments with appreciation.

This week I’m back in the suburbs of Sacramento, California, where I was raised.  For a variety of environmental, social, and economic reasons, I’m not a fan of suburbs in general.  But as Jem pointed out, no matter how ignominious our origins, they almost always include something of value.  So this morning, while making breakfast and walking the dog, I took my camera along.  Insta- fresh perspective.

Friends, Meet Henry Mills.

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henry frogazoomOh boy.  Oh boy, oh boy.  You know those reflex tests where the doctor taps your knee and you can’t help but kick?  Or if you’re asleep and someone pinches your nose shut, you can’t help but open your mouth?  Thinking about Henry Mills is kinda like that for me: no matter what, a smile just comes.

As Beyoncé Knowles once said (yes, seriously), “You are who you’re around.  If I don’t want to be like you, then I don’t want to be around you.”  The positive side of that aphorism: surround yourself with people who not only impress you, but also inspire you.

Henry and I met in the summer of 2006, volunteering in New Orleans with the Common Ground Collective.  I still can’t believe my luck in running into him.  Henry is the kind of person you want to be around.  Especially in the following situations:

> walking in a quiet park or garden

> cartwheeling in the rain

> getting juggling lessons in your Uncle John’s basement

> reading children’s stories aloud in a giant used bookstore

> brewing ginger tea

> mourning a loss

> driving in a fantastic lightning storm

> gettin’ down at a great show

> making your own great show

Another great situation to share with Henry (and I hope he won’t mind my saying this) is a kissing situation.  Continue reading →

Writing Letters

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This summer, inspired by a couple of friends, and in the spirit of making things with my own hands, I started writing letters.  When was the last time you wrote one of those?  I hadn’t done it for as long as I could remember — maybe since summer camp — but the process immediately clicked with me.  An expression of love, a mode of communication, artistic playtime, and an excuse to buy stamps.  There’s a sense of accomplishment, intrigue and nostalgia when you slip an envelope into the mailbox.

From the beginning I was very ambitious.  I had read somewhere that Einstein wrote an average of one letter per day.  I aimed to write one per week.  I wanted to decorate them with stamps and stickers, illustrate them with pencil drawings — the whole works. I dutifully studied the advice (sage and often uproarious, if a bit anachronistic) of Lewis Carroll, who, for instance, offers guidance on how to begin a letter:

Continue reading →

Family In Gaza

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One of my roommates, Noa, one of the people I care for most in the world, spent her childhood summers with family in Tel Aviv, Israel.  When I hear fireworks, she hears bombs.  When I hear lightning storms, she hears explosives.  I can never understand what it’s like to grow up where she did.  To love a family that remains there, a family both culpable and vulnerable.  Still, I know that Noa’s heart is heavy, like mine, at the news of today’s invasion, and for the people killed.  They are also family; they are also loved.

Below is an email from someone I don’t know, forwarded by my dear, wonderful friend Henry Mills (Introduction forthcoming). There’s such a feeling in it of familial loss and heartache, mourning the dead and calling the living to action.

I have resisted writing emails like this for so long, emails to tell people what they already know and feel.
I woke up this morning to news from my family about 200 people killed in Gaza overnight in raids, and clashes happening right now in Ramallah.
I could say, these are two hundred people that had lives, lists of places to visit before they die or a plan for a better life, even a TV show they have been wanting to follow till the end, but it doesn’t matter.

All I can think about, are all of those people that are still alive. Continue reading →

Friends, Meet Allie Peck.

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allie-fairiePart of my self-designed blogging rehab involves reworking the aspects of it that used to wear on me, and turning them into avenues for action I can get down with.  F’rinstance: namedropping.

Like lots of other political bloggers, I used to drop names all over the place.  It helped increase legitimacy and it gave me more sources to cite (and links to embed).  Kind of like writing an academic paper.

These days, I don’t think that namedropping really does anybody much good.  At least not anybody who spends most of their time off the Internet, and doesn’t need or want to keep track of a mess of data from the New York Times and its media derivatives.  So instead, I’m trying something new: introductions.

trees-postcard 2008

A new environmental installation-based exhibit at L’KEG Gallery. Featuring fine art paintings and prints showcased vignette style within an encroaching forest installation, incorporating natural materials. Displaying work from up and coming Bay Area and Los Angeles artists:

Shannon Ingraham
Christine Monohan
Allie Peck
Jane G Pryor
ZOSO

The opening reception has a $5 donation fee, with wine, food, & music provided. Musical performances by Pastillas, Blue Jungle, PROTECT ME

trees-postcard1 2008

In my mind, introductions serve three marvelous functions.

  1. Celebrating the lives and work of people I love
  2. Connecting friends with similar interests among different places
  3. Letting me make lists to explain the functions of introductions

And so, my very first introduction to y’all is my best friend growing up, Allie Peck.  Allie is a tremendous artist living and working in L.A.  The postcards above publicize an upcoming event that’ll be featuring her work, which tends to revolve around political themes (the Iraq War, feminism, environmentalism) in addition to being technically extraordinary.  For those who’ve seen my various college bedrooms, the one art piece I have is a one-of-a-kind print of Allie’s:

allie print 1
allie print 2

So, friends, if you find yourself in L.A. and want to get linked up with a fabulous person in the movement-art world, think of this lady.  I’d be happy to put y’all in touch.  If you’re in La-la-land now, go see her stuff!  And check out her beautiful blog, newly added to the ‘roll.

Happy Birthday, my love!