Coloring Mandalas by Shadow

Today was a tad stressful for Shadowsbaby, guys. First I took my cat to the vet for emergency surgery and spent the afternoon worrying about how he was going to handle the stress of anesthesia and recovery, with his poor old body and failing kidneys. Then I heard the price tag for this surgery and started worrying about how I’m going to manage to pay the vet bill tomorrow! I’ve been thinking lately that it might be kinder to poor Duncan to let him go, but I don’t know how to make that decision. How do I know if he’s really suffering? What if I made the wrong choice? You know? And in the midst of all this worry and turmoil, my father calls from the emergency room! Something wrong with his heart, possibly complications from a new medication? I don’t know; I didn’t get the whole story. He says he’s fine. I don’t think I believe him.

 

So now I don’t know who to fret about first, my dad or my cat! Every time I catch myself thinking about one, I feel guilty for not worrying about the other. My husband didn’t help matters by casually mentioning that deaths come in threes, and an old friend of mine died this week. Ugh. Thanks, hon.

With all this horrible oozing worry mounting, I need to get out of my head for awhile, and I have just the solution. Have you ever colored a mandala?

 

They’re so soothing. Coloring mandalas is the best way I know to get my mind out of the relentless anxiety spirals it occasionally falls into. Here’s the one I made tonight:

 

I got the coloring pages from this website:

http://www.coloringcastle.com/mandala_coloring_pages.html

but you can find free printable mandalas on dozens of sites and whole books of them in craft stores. Try it! Between blogging and coloring, I think I’ve gotten enough of this worry out of my head that I can go to sleep now. Goodnight, Bohemians!

Summer Reading List by Jim McKeown

Okay school is out until July 9^th.  No papers to grade, no tests to prepare – nothing but pure fun for myself.  On this day, I usually gather a stack of books for my summer reading.

This dates back to when I was in grade school, and I spent many wonderful summer hours at the Kensington Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia.  They had a summer reading club, which required a member read ten books and write ten bookreports over the summer.  The reward?  The librarian came to school the first week and distributed certificates to all the students who had completed the challenge.

In fourth grade, about 20 (out of a class of about 60!) received the award.  Fifth grade, maybe ten.  Sixth, three, and seventh, one — Me.  During the summer before my eighth grade year, I politely asked the librarian not to bring my certificate to class.

I fondly remember many of those books – Mr. Popper’s Penguins, The Black Stallion, The Big Wheel, Carcajou, The Yearling, Johnny Tremain, and Lad, A Dog.  I have managed to find copies of most of those 50 books for my library.

So this is serious business for me.  This year, I have an eclectic baker’s dozen.  All fiction, unless otherwise noted:

Stop-Time by Frank Conroy [Starting this one today; otherwise not in any order]
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham
The Infinities by John Banville
The Heather Blazing by Colm Tóibín
The Double Life of Alfred Buber by David Schmahmann
Landscape and Journey by William Virgil Davis [poetry]
The Tiger by John Vaillant [non-fiction]
Ravelstein by Saul Bellow
Are You There, Vodka, It’s Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler [humor]
I Love a Broad Margin to My Life by Maxine Hong Kingston [verse memoir]
Songs for the Missing by Stewart O’Nan
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

As I read each one, I will review them on my blog, so follow along, and feel free to comment!  www.RabbitReader.blogspot.com

Have a great reading-summer reading yourself!

Remembering a Lost Friend by Jim McKeown

Bernie

Only one word could describe my friend Bernie – shabby.  We were in elementary school together, and he lived over on the next street.  There were no children my age on my block, and no one would play with Bernie on his block.

Bernie carried a huge back pack way before they became popular.  The bag was military surplus, sandy, and tattered in many places.  I tried to move it once with my foot, but it would not budge.  Once I asked him what was in it, and he said, “Things.  Important things.”  As friendly as we were, he never let me see inside his life or the bag.

He was tall, about six inches over everyone else in the sixth grade.  Rumors abounded he had been left back.  No one knew how old he was; he kept that a closely guarded secret.  His hair was never combed, his thick, dirty glasses, were always crooked on his face, and they always had a piece of tape or a paper clip holding them together.

His clothes were worn and, more often than not, dirty.  Bernie never had shoe laces. He rarely had socks.  He never brought lunch to school, but always sought out leftovers from the few kids who didn’t make fun of him.

Then there was the smell.  I was only in his house once – he never wanted to take me there. It smelled the same as he did.  It was some weird combination of cigarettes, urine, vomit, beer, and too many other strange odors for my 11-year old nose to
decipher.

Some kids called Bernie “Snowman.”  He never really lifted his feet, but rather  slid everywhere he went.  Hardly a week went by that Bernie did not get beat up by somebody.

On one occasion, a bunch of kids formed a club to trick him.  It had a crazy name, and they asked him to join.  The initiation  was simple: every kid got to beat Bernie, and if he fought back he was out of the club.  He tried his best to endure the punishment, but some adults came along and broke it up.

Something about Bernie made me want to protect, to fix, to help him, but I was powerless.  All I could do was be his friend.  I started bringing him sandwiches.  He never thanked me, he stared, wiped snot from his nose on his sleeve, then vainly tried to straighten his glasses, while a smile with out moving his lips crossed his face.

One day, about two years later, Bernie stopped coming to school.  I went to his house, which had been boarded up with an “Official Notice” tacked to the blank piece of plywood where the front door had been.  I never saw him again.  But I did read about him in the papers.

It was 1966, during my senior year of high school.  Bernie had been killed in Viet Nam.  He had joined the Marines, and was accepted into a recon battalion – the meanest, toughest branch of the Corps.  The details were murky.  I went to his funeral, and saw his mother.  She was holding his glasses.  I talked to her briefly, but she neither heard nor saw me.

To me, Bernie was the face of poverty in this country, and I think about him so often.  I can still see his crooked smile and glasses, his runny nose, and the huge back pack. It is feeble, I know, but each time I give some change to a homeless man or woman, each time I buy an extra burger for someone living in a doorway, I pretend I am helping Bernie.  It is all I can do now.

Late Night Directives, A Party, and Sleeping Demons by Mandy

Late Night Directives, A Party, and Sleeping Demons

Write something happy before you go to bed. Don’t rhyme. Okay. Rhyming is for toddler books.

I’ll try.

I’ll feed my demon red party punch, wedding cake, and h’dourves. 30 seconds to midnight. Don’t rhyme.

I’ll try. I’ll try.

Let that full and tired, snaggle-toothed monster hoist himself into a soft corner and sleep. Several years from now, you’ll pick this up and wonder what you were thinking. Maybe you’ll add a line If you like the imagery.

Maybe. Not tonight.

Look, there’s one last man standing. A dance-off contestant, swaying, about to fall.Push him over. Over. Over. Wait, you-know-who is stirring.

So stop.

See that woman drop a flute filled with sparkle. And Dick Clark tries to stop her, pops a cork as it topples, “Young lady, are you off to the powder room again?” The monster in the corner grunts; he’s turning over.

Over. Over.

Smoke billows from the service side entrance. The rubber-flap slaps against the wall. A bride enters the hall. Look at her– tousled, crinkled, torn. She has a hemline showing; it’s shorn.

Where have you been?

“Don’t rhyme,” She says, “Rhyming is for toddler books. This is a dream.”

But it’s too late because the monster wakes.

_______________________________________

Poem plus as an added bonus… a link to something cool.

http://www.idontlikemondays.us/page/IDLM/PROD/WOMENS-ACCESSORIES/09010547

I Don’t Like Mondays headpiece. Cool. Bohemian.

Undiscovered ? Perhaps Not ? by Lisa Hathaway

      I ventured out to the Deep Ellum Arts Festival in April. It seemed like the perfect location to test out my newly acquired used camera. I was in search of ” the shot” but I just was not finding anything or anyone that truly peaked my interest.

     As I stood in the middle of Main street,  as crowds of people passed by I caught a glimpse of  him through the opening of two vender tents. There he was ” The One” or at least he was my “One” for that Sunday. I saw him; sitting on his amplifier, head down and silently strumming his guitar. Such beauty and innocence or at least, I thought so. I immediately walked over to greet him but was distracted by his Mother peering through the darkened glass of a closed pub where he was to perform. I asked her what was going on and she uttered with dissappointment “He was supposed to play, but it’s locked up. That’s music business for you”. I asked her if  I could take a couple of pictures and she said in a quick stern voice “Yes”. I felt bad for this young Lassie but for some reason felt extremely intimidated by his Mother. So much, that in fact I snapped two photos and just left.

    I wish I could have those few minutes back and do it all over again. I deeply regret not taking the time  to  find out who he was. Who was his Mother ? What was his name? What style of music was he planning on performing.

His photos haunt me often. It really does  bother me that I do not know who he is. I hope this article somehow finds him and my questions get answered because he is “Somebody” to me.

When I decided to take photos I never in a million years would have believed that I could develop a personal interest to the objects or people in them. After taking photos I usually downsize them on my computer and for some reason study them and the background activity in them but I am finding that this always leads me to more questions that I need answers to. I am experiencing the same thing with the “Space Mural ” photos.

If anyone reads this article and recognizes this young man please contact me or leave a comment ..Thank You..

I’m Dysfunctional by Shadow

I don’t know about you, but I’m dysfunctional. Hi.

I’m dysfunctional on a pretty epic level some days. I’m 27 years old, I have a husband and two kids, a mortgage, an education, a blog…and I’m just now starting to examine the ways in which I’m broken, the ways in which my culture and my upbringing have broken me. What’s the wake-up call, anyways? What does it take to make us step back and look at the way we live and see how damaged we really are? You know what? I own so many clothes I can’t fit them in two dressers, but I can never find anything to wear. My husband covets the newest, fanciest electronic device, but can’t be happy when he gets it because there’s always a newer, fancier one coming out. A friend bought a new car because he was bored with the old one, and most of the people I know are so far in debt, the only way they can cope with it is to get another credit card.

We live in a culture that cultivates unhappiness in order to get people to buy things. Welcome to capitalism, folks. Your job here is to earn as much money as possible, by any means and at the expense of your own health and happiness, so America can be rich. At some point, misery and toil will become such a habit that simple happiness feels wrong. And then you’re truly part of the flawed system; you’ve bought into the culture of wanting.

Brace yourselves, because once you’re convinced that the only way to find happiness is to buy it, you’ll start searching for it in the most unlikely places. You’ll get plastic surgery. You’ll buy a house you can’t afford, or a computer, or a boat. It won’t work. You’ll start to think there’s something wrong with you, something that can be cured by working out or slimming down or using miracle products, cured by a new lover or a big apartment in a bigger city. You’ll forget how to be you. If you’re me, you’ll end up in a hospital when not even pregnancy is enough reason to eat and gain weight. If you’re my friend Mike, you’ll spend ten thousand dollars on drugs and then leave your wife and kids to spend three months in detox. If you’re my friend Kelsey, you’ll buy “radiation pills” in case of apocalypse.

As bohemians, we’re probably the most aware and least susceptible to this kind of thinking, and you’ve all probably considered these things, or begun to consider them. In case you haven’t, my very lovely and talented friend E. has just written a new poem for you. You can listen to it here:

http://www.plunder.com/EKG-Underneath-It-All-download-4d6068982d.htm

Waco is Lonely at 2am by Michael

Well, I’ve got a new job—the job of my dreams.  I am getting paid to write.  But, sadly enough, I’m already finding excuses not to write.  “I’ve got to go to work!” I tell myself, in an attempt to justify my laziness.  “I just got off work and I need rest!”  These excuses, like dirty clothes, are something that I have no shortage of.  But, still, I know that I must write, because, if I don’t write, I don’t get paid, and if I don’t get paid, I don’t get to buy groceries and do the things that I like doing.  So, I’m writing, right now.

It almost seems as though I am writing out of necessity, but in reality, I do want to write. I love writing a whole lot.  It’s just, I can’t find any material.  What am I to write about?  I’ve exhausted the old standards—used them up ‘til they are nothing but shriveled up ideas which, while still valuable, are so beaten up and used that I might as well find something else to occupy my time with.  So, I’ve got to try something new.

These two paragraphs are the thoughts that plagued my mind last night—though, obviously, not word for word.  At around 7pm I began thinking long and hard about what I was going to write for this publication.  I didn’t have the faintest idea what people would enjoy reading.  Still don’t.  But, last night, as I thought these things, material seemed to present itself as the day progressed.  And it all started when, at 7:30pm, I decided to go see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

I should tell you now, as it is of the utmost importance to this story that my gasoline tank was at an incredibly low-level— resting comfortably, as it had been for the past two days, on that pretty little red E that, apparently, does not stand for “enough.”  I drove to my future residence to see if I had any mail, then, after receiving two letters from my bank, I sat down and had a conversation with the people who are living in my soon-to-be apartment.  We talked about television shows and music, mostly, and they also told me what was going on at their church.  It was a great time of eating, drinking, and being merry.  We shared favorite videos and songs, and then, at 8:45, I left their/my place in a rush, trying to make it to the 9pm showing of “Pirates.”

As I drove, I looked at my gasoline gauge, terrified that I wouldn’t make it to the theatre.  “Wouldn’t that be my luck,” I thought, “that in the heat of battle, my poor little S-10 decides to run out of gas, leaving me high and dry in one of the less highly reputable parts of town.”  But, in spite of my pessimism, my little pick-up made it to the theatre.  So, I sauntered into the galaxy 16, flirting with every young woman who would give me the time of day—including an exceptionally beautiful woman named Chelsea who worked at the concession stand—and finally bought my ticket, a large root beer, and a box of gummy bears.  The movie started and I sat to watch as the meant for 3-D film unfurled before my eyes in two glorious dimensions.  Chelsea, the girl who sold me my root beer and gummy bears, was especially pretty and I spent most of the movie’s time-span arguing with myself about whether or not I would go back to the bar to buy some more food for the sole purpose of being able to talk to her some more.  I’m not even sure what the movie was about.  I remember there was a one-legged man, or something like that.  Anyway, I watched the movie, sort-of half heartedly, ‘til its climax.  They killed Ian McShane in a water vortex.  That’s something else that I remember.  I also remember that Chelsea had very pretty, red lips.  That’s what I thought about most of the movie.  Red lips.

Finally, the movie ended and I left the theatre, headed towards god-knows-where to get a good (read: safe) night sleep in the bed of my pick-up.  However, en route to this utopia of safety, my car made this unmistakable sputtering noise that let me know that I was out of gas.  This was the true beginning of what would be a very eventful night.

My truck stopped at a red light.  After a few expletives and loud yells, I began to push my ride to safety, in the parking lot of the Peter Piper Pizza.  I would’ve pushed it to the gas station—which, mind you, was only about 100 feet away from where I was—but it was at this parking lot that the road started to show an incline—not one that I could see by looking at the road, but one that I could feel while pushing the car.  It was that incline left my iron elephant dead in its tracks.  My poor little Chevrolet wasn’t going anywhere.

I should mention that there was a guy who helped me out—his name was Chance.  He introduced himself as, “Chance.  Like last Chance.”  That simple introduction struck a chord with me for the remainder of the evening.  He offered to take me to the store, but I, like a fool, told him, “Nah, man, I can see the gas station from here, and surely they have gas tanks in there!  So, thanks a lot, but I’ve got it, I think.  And if I don’t, I’m ready to deal with the consequences like a big boy.”  I also told him that I was going to be sleeping in my car anyway, so it didn’t matter whether or not my search for gas took all night, because it would just postpone the inevitable, uncomfortable rest in the bed of my S-10.  So, he and I parted ways and I walked to the gas station.

I walked up to the counter, lacking the arrogant lope that accompanied my entrance into the movie theatre, and began to ask the clerk, who never gave me his name—though, I’d like to think his name was Stewart—if “they”—a pronoun which I hoped would communicate that I was referring to “this store”—carried any gas tanks.  The clerk wore thick glasses with large, grey rims.  He had to be in his late-fifties to early sixties, though he had a really good, thick head of brown hair that almost convinced me otherwise.  He promptly responded, in the most melancholy, monotonous voice, “Nah sir.  We don’t carry but one or two at a time, and they go fast.  As chance would have it, we’re out.”  “Do you think CVS,” which was across the street, “would have any?” I asked.  “Well, they are open twenty-four hours a day.  You could go ‘cross the street and see” Stewart responded.  So, with a heavy heart, I bid the old man adieu and walked across the street to the CVS to see if I could find a gas tank.  I couldn’t find a gas tank.  I did, however, find a sale on Dr.Peper.  So, I bought a three liter container of Dr.Peper, which I promptly poured out on my way back across the street.

I walked back into the gas station, empty Dr.Peper bottle in hand, and proceeded to ask Stewart if he thought that my Dr.Peper bottle would hold up to the destructive force of the gasoline.  “Can’t put gasoline in there” he so eloquently responded.  “Why the devil not,” I asked.  Stewart began to tell me the rules and regulations for getting 3 liters of gas.  “Can’t put gasoline in a non-regulation tank,” he told me, not elevating his pitch or changing his facial expression in the slightest, though it was clear that he was taking great pleasure in delivering this bad news.  “Well,” I responded, wanting to curse, “isn’t that just fun.”

At this point I was so frustrated that I walked back across the street to CVS, yet again, for the sole purpose of procuring some tobacco products for myself.  I purchased a pack of Phillies, black and max—which, by the way, is the most disgusting excuse for a cigar ever made—and smoked the entire packet, mostly out of spite for myself, having purchased the damn things when I had a perfectly good pipe with copious amounts of tobacco in my vehicle.  I walked across the street, this time towards my truck, trying with all my might to light one of these sad excuses for a cigar.  Finally, I got one lit.  I sat in the bed of my truck, smoking it, sucking the thick, white smoke in, savoring the disgusting flavor of it.  It tasted horrible.  Really, it was the most disgusting cigar I’ve ever smoked.  But, still I smoked the whole packet.

After I’d smoked the box of cigars, spending most of my time sulking in the fact that I would probably be here for the rest of the night, I remembered where I was—I was on Valley mills and New Road.  Never in my life have I felt so stupid.  I was only a little while away from a Wal-Mart.  So, feeling like a complete idiot, I finished the last of these vile tasting cigars and started my venture to the Wal-Mart.

I arrived at the store at around one in the morning and spent about 20 minutes searching for a gas tank.  After finally finding one, I walked towards the only open register in the store, where I would be helped by a woman whose name, though printed on her shirt, I could not pronounce.  I think it was Shawunitia, but I’ve been wrong before.  Shawunitia made conversation with me while I was there, which was nice.  We mostly talked about the guys that checked out in front of me.  They all looked pretty dumb.  I’m not one to judge attire, as I am a smelly homeless person and have made it a habit of dressing myself poorly.  But I cannot help but say that these guys looked really dumb.  I would describe their style as “Ghetto-Red-neck-Poser” with an emphasis on “Poser.”  So, we had a good laugh about the group of guys, and then Shawunitia told me that my card was declined.  I knew that I had a lot of money on the card, so I told her to run it again.  I finally got it to work.  It was at this point that I started my journey back down the road to the gas station.

On my journey back down the road, I came across a yellow tennis ball which I bounced obnoxiously for the remainder of the evening.  And that is as exciting as the rest of this story gets.  I finally got gasoline from Stewart, who proved to be quite the conversationalist when presented with actual money, and I found a nearby hotel parking lot to park my truck at.  I slept well throughout the night and woke early the next morning (today) with these words flooding my soul, so I am sharing them with you.

I’m still not sure if you are going to be interested in this or not.  I’m still going to try to think of excuses to avoid writing, and material will continue to, hopefully, fall in my lap.  Now, all I can think of is the new Robert Pattinson movie “Water for Elephants.”  I’m sleeping on someone’s couch tonight, and they are talking about the movie, so that’s all I can think of for some reason, thus turning this essay into a rambling about a movie that I haven’t seen.  Still, I thought I would share the story of this eventful night with you in hopes that you can laugh at it with me.

Thanks for reading,

Mike LaRoux

Bohemian Scene: SPORE 333–Married With Sea Monsters–Fonedead by Dominik

By Dominik Young

The Memorial Day weekend is approaching. And the three things that come to mind are barbeques, picnics, & parties. If you don’t have anything planned or want to expand on your weekend plans, then come out to Treff’s this Fri, May 27. There will be a show featuring local acts Spore 333, Married With Sea Monsters, & Fonedead. Both Spore 333 & Married With Sea Monsters have been blazing up the downtown scene while Fonedead is making a name for itself at Beatnix Burger Barn. Now, here’s your chance to see all three bands on the same stage together. Be sure to bring a friend or more to partake in “an eclectic night of alt rockedness”.

Venue: Treff’s Bar, 520 Austin Ave.,Waco TX 76701
Cost: No Cover. 21 + .
Time: Starts at 10 p.m.- 2 a.m.

Even If I Loved You by Lisa Hathaway 2008

Even If I Loved YOU…..I would never tell

Even If I Loved YOU….. I would keep that love

Hidden….Buried deep within a well

I feel it often..Clawing, cutting a path in a spiral upward motion

Attempting to free itself from the depths of hell

I embrace our evening talks

They elevate me to a place

A  place…I long to be, cherish and love so well

A place nearly indescribable

As if

I were in a,

A fairytale

And not hell

The timbre of your voice…ah…so soothing

So ever enchanting as it may be

Rendering me…weakening me

Bringing me to my knees

I submit…I surrender

Please…please

I beg of YOU…please

Take me

But Even If I Loved YOU

It could never be

Even If I Loved YOU.

I would never let YOU see

So why all the Secrecy

Its rather quite simple

Myself and my Love

Are not on your list

They are not a Priority

I respect and understand this decision

I will never burden you ….with those words

I will keep them safe

In my memory

Science is for Winners by Shadow

Any science nerds out there? Aw, come on, there must be. Go on, raise your hands. Yeah, there you are. This one is for you:

The world needs science like this! Tenth graders trying to memorize the parts of a cell need this guy. Kindergarteners who want to know where electricity comes from need this guy. Adults like me, who grew up watching Star Trek and reading Discover magazine in secret, need this guy. What would the world be like if science was always this cool?

Quandry, Quandry, Dilemma! by Jim McKeown

Have you ever encountered people – face to face or as characters in a novel or even  writers – and felt as if you knew them?  That has happened to me.  When I read Margaret Atwood’s novel, Cat’s Eye, I felt as if we had grown up on the same block in Philadelphia, even though she grew up in Toronto.  When I read James  Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, I felt as if we had gone to the same boarding school.  Now I have another author to add to this list.  I connect with Ungar on so many levels.

While shopping at Amazon, their creepy, prescient, wonderful computer recommended a book of poetry — Charlotte Brontë, You Ruined My Life by Barbara Louise Ungar.  I had never heard of the poet, but I bought it on impulse, solely because I was intrigued by the title.  I read it and loved the poetry.  I reviewed it on my blog last March.

Now here is where the story gets a bit complicated.  I never heard from James Joyce, of course, and I had only met Atwood at a signing in Boston — before I had read Cat’s Eye.  After my review of Ungar appeared, I corresponded with her through e-mail.

She thanked me for my review, and I told her I was going to get both of her other books of poetry.  She wrote, “Oh, no.  Let me send them to you.”  I had misgivings, and I responded with an “Okay, but let me pay for them.”  “No, I have plenty of copies here.”  So, time passed, and I fretted.  What if I don’t like them?  How can I review them after her kindness?  Worse yet, what if I love them?  How will she know I am being sincere?  After all, she doesn’t know me any better than I know her.

Well, the books arrived this week.  Now what?

Binary Interview Part 1 by Mandy

The is an interview I did with Binary. To tell you the truth, I interviewed Binary and then started writing an article about it… with quips, and anecdotal stuff, and just overall very nice. It involved free tea from Chopstix and bonding moments between me and Binary. Then bad things happened. The post was mistakenly erased. And the interview was too long to work… on anything.

So we tried again. And Binary came over and we made mini interviews. So… that’s working out better but still. You would think that iphone videos could be uploaded to youtube easier that what became the process I went through to get them uploaded. Anywho…

Binary IS AWESOME and I LOVE HIM. He has bought me lunch twice. And he is such a great performer and people-pleaser. He jokes often. And he makes you feel comfortable. It hasn’t taken long for me to consider him a good friend.

More to come!! (Part 2 will blow your socks off, yeah!)

American Man of Letters Adds Another Award by Jim McKeown

Philip Roth, author of Goodbye, Columbus, The Human Stain, and American Pastoral –among many others — has won the prestigious 2011 Man Booker International Prize for Fiction.  The award carries a $97,000 check.  This leaves the Nobel Prize for Fiction as the only major award he has not won.

I have reviewed several of his books at my blog: www.RabbitReader.blogspot.com.  Search my site for “Philip Roth”

The Walking Man by Jim McKeown

The Walking Man

While still in grad school at Baylor, I began teaching part time at MCC.  The year was 1996, and little did I know how that decision to earn a few extra bucks would change my life.

I lived in an apartment on South 9^th street for five years.  When I first moved there in August of 1993, it was “La Casa Mia” with a decidedly Mexican theme.  Later the name was changed to Browning Square, and along with a new name, the decorations changed to quiet, elegant country fixtures.  However, the nickname – “The Fishbowl” – stuck.  Populated mostly with graduate students, the place was ideal for study, reading, writing, and reflection.

The morning of my first class in May of ’96, I left early and drove up MLK to Lake Shore and then left to the MCC campus.  As I passed Herring on MLK, I saw a man  dressed in a white track suit, with a white baseball cap walking along the side of the road.  He was an older fellow, and besides noting him, I did not give it that much thought – just an older man out for some exercise.

Then, I began to see him every morning in about the same spot and always dressed the same way.  I started waving to him, and he waved back as though we had known each other for years.  In August of 1998, I moved to Village Green Apartments, and no longer drove MLK in the morning.  I also graduated that year, so I had little reason to travel to the Baylor Campus.

But I never forgot the man in the white track suit.  Many questions passed through my mind.  Who was he?  Where did he live?  How long had he been taking that walk?  How far did he walk?  I wanted to know his name, since I had passed him nearly every day for more than two years.

About three years ago, I had occasions to drive to the KWBU studio, then on the Baylor campus in the Castelaw Building.  It was about 7:30 AM, and there he was – walking along the side of MLK between Herring and Lake Shore.  He no longer had the white track suit.  Now he was dressed in a blue and gray outfit with a black hat.  But  something else was different – he now carried a plastic bag.   I saw him stop and pick up a piece of trash a few days later.

Now, my interest really piqued.  I was determined to stop one day and talk to him.  But my trips down MLK in the morning became rare.  I enlisted my wife who drove that route every day to look for him, and now she regularly reports on his presence.

Stay tuned!  To be continued…

my bohemian life by Shadow

The past week has been an incredibly stressful one for me. On the bright side, I passed Calculus and I only have one more class to go! On the down side, I’ve been running around like a madwoman trying to tackle all the projects I put off this semester, which has resulted in epic levels of stress. Keeping appointments, catching up on three month’s worth of housecleaning, and wrapping up my last papers of the semester hasn’t left me with much time to take care of my self! It’s taken years, but I’ve slowly discovered that neglecting to take time for my own mental health ends, well, nowhere good.

The cycle of sadness and badness goes something like this:

1.) Become busy, then busier
2.) Drive self like a maniac to complete tasks, succeed, and feel satisfied
3.) Realize is vitally important to keep accomplishing things; invent new tasks when run out
4.) Become utterly unable to sit still or relax. Jump out of bed with heart pounding, convinced there is some task left undone, become filled with a middle-of-the-night need to organize the silverware drawer or wash the bathroom mirror
5.) Convince self that superhuman goals are completely reasonable and it is own laziness that gets in the way of success, that sleep and food are for the weak
6.) Hate self intensely for perceived laziness and weakness
7.) Descend into frightening headworld of self-loathing and shame, attempt to create sense of self-esteem by working harder and doing more
8.) Fail
9.) Try harder
10.) Repeat

So clearly it’s important for me to break the cycle now, before I get to number 3.

What does this have to do with Bohemia, you wonder?

One of the things I associate with being bohemian is, for lack of a better term, making practical stuff. My current hobby is sewing, and this week I’ve learned that the best way to wrench myself out of my vicious badness spiral is to make something. Yesterday, for example, I made a pair of longies (wool diaper cover) for my baby out of an old sweater.

Today I sewed a wetbag (waterproof holder for dirty diapers), which happens to be my first commissioned project!

And amazingly, I feel completely better. Taking time for creative expression, it turns out, is a great way to connect back with myself and take my mind off my stressful life, and the pride I get from making something useful is unbeatable! What do you do to foster creativity in your life?

Sounds of Bohemia : May by Dominik Young

By Dominik Young

Hello again fellow Bohemians! We’re back again with yet another edition of the Sounds of Bohemia! So, prepare to have a wonderful listening experience. This month’s list has just about everything from indie-pop to even disco. Yes, you heard it here folks…disco, that supposedly dead genre people to tend to snicker at.

There are some artists you may know such as DJ/producer Calvin Harris or indie-songbird Lykke Li . Along with these established musicians, unknown acts like JoiStarr, Slime, Jessica 6, Fenech-Soler, Baba Stiltz, Beat Radio, & Rel J. Billion are also on the list .  Well, enough about the details. It’s time to get this Bohemian listening party started!

• Calvin Harris- Bounce (ft. Kelis)

• Lykke Li- I Follow Rivers

• Jessica 6- Prisoner of Love ( ft. Antony Hegarty)

• Slime – Caffeine (ft. Gaskel Greed)

• Fenech-Soler – Stop and Stare

• Baba Stiltz- sEXYdANIel

• JoiStarr-October

BONUS TRACKS:

• Beat Radio – Beautiful One
• Rel J. Billion -The Movement (ft. The Jacka)
• Kirby Krackle- Secret Identity

I hope that you enjoying listening to this month’s Sounds of Bohemia. And trust me when I say it’s only gonna get even more diverse. Feel free to comment and/or make suggestions!

Damion and I Test out My New Video Camera by Lisa and Damion

I decided to bring out my new video camera to see what kind of sound quality it would give me. I volunteered Damion to be my test subject and made a night out of just taking test clips..Good friend and good times is what this is all about..Bohemia !!

Space/Aviation Mural at TSTC by Lisa Hathaway

The launch issue of Bohemia magazine is going to be all about rockets because local artist Laura Walton now has a huge rocket in her yard that she created for the cover. Keeping that theme in mind, she told our staff and crew when we went out to her house in Hubbard for the photo shoot that we should go to TSTC (Texas State Technical College) campus and check out the aviation-related themed tile mosaic on the culinary arts building. So we (being bohemian Kevin “Binary” Hines and moi, roving reporter Lisa Hathaway) decided to follow the lead and have a photographic adventure.

We weren’t sure where the mural was so we stopped at the student services building and asked. Employees were more than happy to point us in the right direction and we easily found the mural. I thought it was pretty cool, because of all the little tiny pieces it took to make it. I wondered how long did it take to make this thing. I wondered how many people it took to build it. I wondered how many tiles were in the whole pieces. It really was an intriguing piece of art. We were told that the school will be relocating it to another building. And once  again, I wondered how long this process would take.

I made Binary move the trash can so I could take pictures of the mural. He was happy to be a man-slave momentary and do it. So I could get all the shots I needed. I will go back. I need answers. I need clarity. I need closure. And I need someone to go with me to move the trash can again. Until next time, Lisa.

Spiritualistic Eye Candy by Dominik

By Dominik Young

Art stimulates not only the senses & emotions, but the soul as well.  For example, the transformative art of spiritualist Jack Haas.

The Curious Box at 13 Rue St Therese by Jim

13 Rue Thérèse by Elena Mauli Shapiro

An old saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”  Well, that is exactly what I did when I bought this book.  An intriguing picture dominates the cover, and the mention of a “box of memories” on the jacket clinched the deal.  This first novel was every bit as intriguing and exotic as the jacket.

Josianne works as an assistant in the faculty offices of a university in Paris, France.  She has in her possession a box with a curious assortment of photos, letters, envelops, coins, gloves, and a few other personal items.   Louise Brunet owned the box and assembled the contents.  Upon her death, no relatives claimed her possessions, so the box came to Josianne.   She places the box in the office of a new professor, Trevor Stratton.  He becomes obsessed with the contents, and goes on a wildly imaginative journey, creating lives and events for the individuals in the pictures and those mentioned in the letters.

The story has an air of mystery and charm, with some tragedy mixed in, along with some love, and several scenes of brief but intense eroticism, and a dollop of magic realism for some spice.  Louise’s story becomes Trevor’s, and Trevor’s becomes Josianne’s, and Josianne’s becomes Louise’s story.  Separating truth from reality, from fantasy, and from myth make this a most enjoyable read.  Illustrations of the contents of the box accompany Trevor’s spinning of the tale.

Elena Mauli Shapiro

As I read, I became more and more intrigued.  In the top of my closet, I have a box of memories.  Most of them associated with a pen pal I had over a 30 year period. Photos, postcards, letters, small items, even coins and money make up a story only I know.  I got out my box after finishing this novel, and roamed over the landscape of my memories dating back to 1965.  Maybe I should write it all down before someone else does it for me.

This is a most enjoyable read, and I heartily recommend it.  Five stars

Visit my blog at www.RabbitReader.blogspot.com.  Listen to my bi-monthly book review feature, “Likely Stories,” on KWBU 103.3 FM Waco, TX.  It airs on the first and third Thursdays.  You can also listen on line at www.kwbu.org

-Jim McKeown

My Favorite Songs, LOL by Mandy

This is not really a quality post. Kind of like my post called “My Oh Wells,” I just went through my old livejournal blog and found something that I thought was somewhat interesting. Basically, I found a post in which I listed out all my favorite songs– why I did this, I do not know. And also excuse the lameness. I am a little lame…. Um, I can’t believe “Rump Shaker” made it in.

Numerals (3)

311 Beautiful Disaster

4 Non Blondes What’s Up

30 Seconds To Mars The Kill

A (39)

Abba Dancing Queen
Abba Take a Chance On Me
Abba I Have a Dream
Abba Fernando

AC/DC Shook Me All Night Long

Aerosmith Walk This Way
Aerosmith Dream On
Aerosmith Sweet Emotion
Aerosmith Angel
Aerosmith Jaded
Aerosmith Janie’s Got a Gun

A-Ha Take On Me

Alanis Morrisette Ironic
Alanis Morrisette All I Really Want
Alanis Morrisette You Oughta Know
Alanis Morrisette Hand In My Pocket
Alanis Morrisette You Learn
Alanis Morrisette Head Over Feet
Alanis Morrisette Uninvited
Alanis Morrisette Thank You

Alecia Keys Fallin’
Alecia Keys No One

Al Green Let’s Stay Together

Alien Ant Farm Movies
Alien Ant Farm Smooth Criminal

The All American Rejects Swing Swing
The All American Rejects Move Along
The All American Rejects It Ends Tonight

All Saints Black Coffee

Amy Winehouse Rehab

Angela Ammons Always Getting Over You

The Archies Sugar, Sugar

Aretha Franklin Respect

Avril Lavigne Complicated
Avril Lavigne Sk8er Boi
Avril Lavigne I’m With You

The Ataris San Dimas High School Football Rules
The Ataris Boys of Summer

Atlantic Star Always

B (134)

B-52s Roam
B-52s Love Shack

Bananarama Cruel Summer
Bananarama Venus

The Bangles Hazy Shade of Winter
The Bangles Eternal Flame
The Bangles Manic Monday
The Bangles Walk Like an Egyptian
The Bangles In Your Room

Barry Manilow Mandy

The Beach Boys God Only Knows
The Beach Boys Good Vibrations
The Beach Boys Don’t Worry Baby

Beastie Boys Sabotage
Beastie Boys You’ve Got To Fight
Beastie Boys Brass Monkey
Beastie Boys Sure Shot

The Beatles Across The Universe
The Beatles Help!
The Beatles A Little Help From My Friends
The Beatles Hello, Good-bye
The Beatles Strawberry Fields
The Beatles Golden Slumbers
The Beatles Blackbird
The Beatles You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away
The Beatles Norwegian Wood
The Beatles Hey Jude
The Beatles Yesterday
The Beatles We Can Work It Out
The Beatles Let It Be
The Beatles A Day In the Life
The Beatles Here Comes The Sun
The Beatles Good Day Sunshine
The Beatle Eleanor Rigby
The Beatles Twist & Shout
The Beatles Love Me Do
The Beatles She Loves You
The Beatles I Wanna Hold Your Hand
The Beatles While My Guitar Gently Weeps
The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night
The Beatles I Saw Her Standing There
The Beatles In My Life
The Beatles Can’t Buy Me Love
The Beatles All You Need Is Love

Beck Loser
Beck Soul Suckin’ Jerk
Beck Where It’s At
Beck Devil’s Haircut
Beck The New Pollution
Beck Tropicalia

Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive
Bee Gees How Deep Is Your Love?

Belinda Carlisle I Get Weak
Belinda Carlisle Heaven Is A Place On Earth
Belinda Carlisle Circle In the Sand
Belinda Carlisle Mad About You

Bell Biv DeVoe Poison

Ben. E. King Stand By Me

Ben Folds The Luckiest

Berlin Take My Breath Away

Bettie Boo Doin’ The Do

Big Audio Dynamite The Globe

Bill Haley and the Comets (We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock

Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes Time of My Life

Bill Withers Lean On Me
Bill Withers Ain’t No Sunshine

Billy Joel For The Longest Time
Billy Joel Piano Man

The Black Crows She Talks To Angels

Black Eyed Peas Hey Mamma
Black Eyed Peas Let’s Get Retarded
Black Eyed Peas Shut Up
Black Eyed Peas Where Is The Love?
Black Eyed Peas My Humps

Black Sabbath Iron Man
Black Sabbath Paranoid

Blind Melon Rain
Blind Melon Change

Blink 182 I Miss You
Blink 182 Adam’s Song
Blink 182 All The Small Things
Blink 182 Dammit
Blink 182 Stay Together For The Kids

Blondie Heart of Glass
Blondie Dreaming
Blondie The Tide Is High
Blondie Call Me
Blondie Rapture

Blue October Calling You
Blue October Hate Me
Blue October HRSA
Blue October Chameleon Boy
Blue October Balance Beam
Blue October Breakfast After 10
Blue October Into The Ocean
Blue October 18th Floor Balcony
Blue October Ugly Side
Blue October Razorblade
Blue October Independently Happy

Blue Oyster Cult Don’t Fear The Reeper

Blur Coffee and TV

The Bobbettes Mr. Lee

Bobby Brown My Prerogative

Bob Dylan Heaven’s Door
Bob Dylan Hurricane
Bob Dylan The Times Are Changing
Bob Dylan Like a Rolling Stone
Bob Dylan Everybody Must Get Stoned
Bob Dylan Mr. Tamborine Man

Bob Marley No Woman No Cry
Bob Marley Get Up, Stand Up
Bob Marley I Shot The Sheriff

Boston Amanda
Boston More Than A Feeling

The Breeders Cannonball
The Breeders Invisible Man
The Breeders No Alaho
The Breeders Divine Hammer

Britney Spears Baby, One More Time
Britney Spears (You Drive Me) Crazy
Britney Spears Oops! I Did It Again
Britney Spears Stronger
Britney Spears I’m a Slave 4 U
Britney Spears Anticipating
Britney Spears Everytime
Britney Spears Toxic

Brooks & Dunn Neon Moon

Bruce Springsteen Dancing In The Dark
Bruce Springsteen Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen Born In the USA

Buffalo Springfield For What It’s Worth

Bush Letting The Cables Sleep
Bush Everything Zen

The Byrds Turn! Turn! Turn!

C

Cameo Word up!

The Cardigans Lovefool

The Carpenters Close To You

The Cars

Charles and Eddie Wounded Bird

Chicago Hard To Say I’m Sorry
Chicago Glory of Love

Chris Isaak Wicked Games

Christina Aguilera Beautiful
Christina Aguilera Dirrty
Christina Aguilera Genie In a Bottle
Christina Aguilera Fighter
Christina Aguilera Candyman
Christina Aguilera Lady Marmalade

Chuck Berry Johnny B. Goode

The Clash Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Coldplay Yellow
Coldplay Speed of Sound
Coldplay Clocks
Coldplay The Scientist
Coldplay Shiver
Coldplay Beautiful World
Coldplay Trouble
Coldplay Spies
Coldplay Viva La Vida

Collective Soul The World I Know
Collective Soul Runaway Train

Counting Crows Round Here
Counting Crows Mr. Jones
Counting Crows A Long December
Counting Crows Big Yellow Taxi

Cracker Low

The Cranberries Dreams
The Cranberries Linger
The Cranberries Pretty
The Cranberries Zombie

Creedence Clearwater Revival Fortunate Son

The Cure Close To You
The Cure Just Like Heaven
The Cure Pictures of You
The Cure Lullaby
The Cure A Letter To Elise
The Cure Lovesong
The Cure Friday I’m In Love

Cyndi Lauper Time After Time
Cyndi Lauper Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Cyndi Lauper True Colors
Cyndi Lauper He’s So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper All Through The Night
Cyndi Lauper She Bop
Cyndi Lauper When You Were Mine

D

Damian Rice The Blower’s Daughter

Darude Sandstorm

Dave Mathews Band Crash Into Me

Deana Carter Strawberry Wine

Debbie Gibson Only In My Dreams
Debbie Gibson Foolish Beat
Debbie Gibson Lost In You Eyes
Debbie Gibson Out of the Blue

Def Leopard Pour Some Sugar On Me

Dead or Alive You Spin Me

Depeche Mode Personal Jesus

Destiny’s Child Jumpin’ Jumpin’
Destiny’s Child Say My Name
Destiny’s Child Bootylicious

Dido Thank You
Dido White Flag

Digital Underground The Humpty Dance

The Divinyls I Touch Myself

Dixie Chicks Landslide
Dixie Chicks Sometimes I Wake Up
Dixie Chicks Wide Open Spaces
Dixie Chicks Cowboy Take Me Away

DMX Party Up

Donavan Mellow Yellow

Don Henley Boys of Summer

Don McKeon American Pie

The Donnas Take It Off

The Doors People Are Strange
The Doors The Crystal Ship
The Doors Riders On The Storm
The Doors Light My Fire

Doris Day Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

Dream Theater Pull Me Under

Duncan Sheik Barely Breathing

Duran Duran Ordinary World
Duran Duran Hungry Like a Wolf

Dusty Springfield Son of a Preacher Man

E

The Eagles Hotel California

Elastica Connection

Elton John Tiny Dancer
Elton John Rocket Man
Elton John Your Song
Elton John Daniel

Elvis Love Me Tender
Elvis Hound Dog
Elvis Heartbreak Hotel
Elvis Blue Suede Shoes
Elvis Suspicious Minds
Elvis All Shook Up
Elvis Can’t Help Falling In Love

EMF Unbelievable

Eminem Lose Yourself
Eminem My Name Is…

En Vogue Never Gonna Get It

Eric Johnson Cliffs of Dover

Etta James At Last

Eurythmics Sweet Dreams

Evanesncence My Immortal

Eve Let Me Blow Mind

Expose Point of No Return
Expose I’ll Never Get Over

Extreme More Than Words

F

Faith No More Epic

Fall-Out Boy Dance, Dance
Fall-Out Boy Of All The Gin Joints in America
Fall-Out Boy Sugar, We’re Going Down

Fiona Apple Across The Universe
Fiona Apple Criminal
Fiona Apple Fast As You Can

Five For Fighting 100 Years

The Flaming Lips Do You Realize?

Fleetwood Mac Rhiannon
Fleetwood Mac Go Your Own Way

Flock of Seagulls I Ran

Folk Implosion Natural One

Foo Fighters There Goes My Hero
Foo Fighters Everlong

Frank Sinatra My Funny Valentine

Franz Ferdinand Take Me Out

Fuel Hemorrhage
Fuel Bad Day

The Fugees Killing Me Softly

The Fray How To Save a Life

G

Garbage Cherry Lips
Garbage #1 Crush
Garbage Stupid Girl
Garbage I’m Only Happy When It Rains
Garbage Cup of Coffee

Garth Brooks Friends In Low Places

Gary Jules Mad World

The Gathering Forgotten

George Michael Faith
George Michael Father Figure
George Michael I Want Your Sex
George Michael Freedom

Geto Boys My Mind is Playing Tricks On Me

The Get-Up Kids Close To You
The Get-Up Kids I’ll Catch You

Gnarls Barkley Crazy

The Go-Gos We Got The Beat
The Go-Gos In Your Room
The Go-Gos Our Lips Are Sealed

The Goo Goo Dolls Iris

The Guess Who No Sugar Tonight/ New Mother Nature
The Guess Who American Woman

Green Day Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Green Day Wake Me Up When September Ends
Green Day Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Green Day Are We The Waiting
Green Day Welcome To Paradise
Green Day Longview
Green Day Basket Case
Green Day She
Green Day American Idiot
Green Day Holiday
Green Day When I Come Around

Guns N Roses Patience
Guns N Roses Rocket Queen
Guns N Roses Sweet Child of Mine
Guns N Roses Don’t Cry
Guns N Roses Welcome to the Jungle
Guns N Roses Paradise City

Gwen Stefani Rich Girl
Gwen Stefani Hollaback Girl
Gwen Stefani Cool
Gwen Stefani What You Waiting For?
Gwen Stefani Bubble Pop Electric
Gwen Stefani Luxurious
Gwen Stefani Harajuku Girls
Gwen Stefani Long Way To Go
Gwen Stefani Wind It Up
Gwen Stefani The Sweet Escape
Gwen Stefani Orange County Girl
Gwen Stefani Early Winter

H

Hans Zimmer You’re So Cool

Harvey Danger Flagpole Sitta

Heart Crazy On You
Heart Straight On
Heart Magic Man
Heart These Dreams
Heart Barracuda

HIM Rip Out The Wings of a Butterfly
HIM Vampire Heart
HIM Killing Loneliness
HIM Wicked Game

Hole Violet
Hole Doll Parts
Hole Miss World
Hole Plump
Hole Asking For It
Hole Jennifer’s Body
Hole Credit In The Straight World
Hole Softer, Softest
Hole Rockstar
Hole Celebrity Skin
Hole Malibu

Hoobastank The Reason

Huey Lewis and the News The Heart of Rock & Roll
Huey Lewis and the News I Want a New Drug
Huey Lewis and the News Power of Love
Huey Lewis and the News Stuck With You
Huey Lewis and the News Doing It All For My Baby
Huey Lewis and the News If This Is It
Huey Lewis and the News Do You Believe In Love?
Huey Lewis and the News Heart and Soul

I

Iggy Pop Lust For Life

Iko Iko My Grandma and Your Grandma

Incubus Drive
Incubus I Wish You Were Here
Incubus Warning

INXS Need You Tonight

Iron & Wine Such Great Heights

Israel Kamakawiwo`ole Over The Rainbow

J

The Jackson Five

James Blunt You’re Beautiful

Jane’s Addiction Been Caught Stealin’
Jane’s Addiction Jane Says
Jane’s Addiction Pets

Janet Jackson Miss You Much
Janet Jackson Black Cat
Janet Jackson Nasty
Janet Jackson What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Janis Joplin Mercedes Benz
Janis Joplin Me & My Bobby McGee
Janis Joplin Summertime
Janis Joplin Cry Baby
Janis Joplin Piece of my Heart

Jason Mraz I’m Yours

Jay Z Hard Knock Life

Jeff Buckley Hallelujah

Jefferson Airplane White Rabbit
Jefferson Airplane Somebody to Love

Jennifer Paige Crush

Jet Look What You’ve Done
Jet Are You Gonna Be My Girl?

The Jets Crush On You

Jewell You Were Meant For Me
Jewell Who Will Save Your Soul?

Jimi Hendrix The Wind Cries Mary
Jimi Hendrix Purple Haze
Jimi Hendrix Foxey Lady
Jimi Hendrix Hey Joe

Jimmy Eat World The Middle
Jimmy Eat World A Praise Chorus
Jimmy Eat World Sweetness
Jimmy Eat World Work
Jimmy Eat World Bleed American
Jimmy Eat World Table For Glasses
Jimmy Eat World Hear You Me

J. Lo. I’m Real

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts I Love Rock & Roll
Joan Jett and the Blackheart Bad Reputation

John Lennon Imagine
John Lennon Jealous Guy
John Lennon Merry Xmas
John Lennon Give Peace a Chance
John Lennon Instant Karma

John Mayer Your Body Is a Wonderland
John Mayer Gravity

Johnny Cash I Walk The Line
Johnny Cash Ring of Fire
Johnny Cash Folson Prison Blues
Johnny Cash Hurt

Journey Faithfully
Journey Open Arms

Justin Timberlake Like I Love You
Justin Timberlake Sexyback
Justin Timberlake Cry Me A River
Justin Timberlake Stoned/Love

K

Katrina & The Waves I’m Walking On Sunshine

Katy Perry I Kissed A Girl

Kelis Milkshake

Kelly Clarkson Since U Been Gone

Kelly Osbourne Papa Don’t Preach

Kid Rock Bawitdaba

The Killers Mr. Brightside
The Killers When You Were Young
The Killers Somebody Told Me
The Killers All These Things I’ve Done

Kim Wilde Kids In America

The Kinks Lola
The Kinks Nothing In This World

Korn Freak On a Leash

K’s Choice Not An Addict

L

L7 Pretend We’re Dead

Lady Gaga Poker Face

Lauren Hill Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You

Led Zeppelin Going To California
Led Zeppelin Dy’er Maker
Led Zeppelin Stairway To Heaven
Led Zeppelin Kashmir
Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love
Led Zeppelin Black Dog
Led Zeppelin Heartbreaker
Led Zeppelin Ramble On

Len If You Steal My Sunshine

Lil’ Jon Get Low

Linkin Park In The End
Linkin Park Encore/Numb

Lionel Ritchie All Night Long

Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories Stay (I Missed You)

Live Lightning Crashes
Live I Alone

LL Cool J Around the Way Girl
LL Cool J Mama Said Knock You Out

Los Lobos La Bamba

Lou Reed Walk On The Wildside

Lovin’ Spoonful Daydream

Lynyrd Skynyrd Free Bird
Lynyrd Skynyrd Tuesday’s Gone
Lynyrd Skynyrd Simple Man
Lynyrd Skynyrd Sweet Home Alabama

M

M2M The Day You Went Away
M2M Girl In Your Dreams
M2M Pretty Boy
M2M Our Song

Madonna Papa Don’t Preach
Madonna Crazy For You
Madonna Material Girl
Madonna Like a Virgin
Madonna Like a Prayer
Madonna Cherish
Madonna Into The Groove

The Mammas and the Pappas California Dreamin’
The Mammas and the Pappas Mr. Tamborine Man

Mandy Moore The Whole of the Moon
Mandy Moore Moonshadow
Mandy Moore Drop The Pilot
Mandy Moore Senses Working Overtime

Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch Good Vibrations

Maroon 5 She Will Be Loved

Martika Toy Soldiers

Marvin Gaye What’s Going On

Mazzy Star Fade Into You

MC Hammer U Can’t Touch This

Megadeth Symphony of Destruction
Megadeth Liar
Megadeath Sweating Bullets

Men Without Hats You Can Dance

Metallica Orion
Metallica One
Metallica Enter Sandman
Metallica Unforgiven
Metallica Whisky In a Jar
Metallica Nothing Else Matters
Metallica Wherever I May Roam
Metallica Fade To Black
Metallica Master of Puppets

Michael Jackson Billy Jean
Michael Jackson Smooth Criminal
Michael Jackson Beat It
Michael Jackson Dirty Diana
Michael Jackson Black or White
Michael Jackson Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough
Michael Jackson Wanna Be Starting Something
Michael Jackson The Way You Make Me Feel
Michael Jackson Man In The Mirror

Mickey & Sylvia Love Is Strange

Missy Elliot I’m Really Hot
Missy Elliot Get Ur Freak On

Moby Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?

Modest Mouse Float On

The Monkees Daydream Believer
The Monkees Now I’m a Believer

The Moody Blues Your Wildest Dreams
The Moody Blues Night in White Satin

Mr. Big To Be With You

Mya Case of the Ex
Mya Lady Marmalade

My Chemical Romance Welcome To The Black Parade
My Chemical Romance I’m Not Okay
My Chemical Romance Demolition Lovers

N

Natalie Imbruglia Torn

Neil Diamond Cracklin’ Rose

Nelly Hot in Herre

Nena 99 Luftballons

New Kids On the Block Step By Step
New Kids On The Block Tonight
New Kids On The Block Hanging Tough
New Kids On The Block If You Go Away
New Kids On The Block You Got It (The Right Stuff)
New Kids On The Block Please Don’t Girl
New Kids On The Block Stop It Girl
New Kids On The Block Popsicle
New Kids On The Block Angel
New Kids On The Block New Kids On The Block
New Kids On The Block Are you Down
New Kids On The Block I Wanna Be Loved By You
New Kids On The Block Don’t Give Up On Me
New Kids On The Block Treat Me Right
New Kids On the Block Happy Birthday
New Kids On The Block Time Is On Our Side
New Kids On The Block Games
New Kids On The Block I’ll Be Loving You Forever
New Kids On The Block Cover Girl

New Order Bizarre Love Triangle

New Republic Apologize

NIN Head Like a Hole

Nina Sky Move Ya Body

Nirvana All Apologies
Nirvana Heart-Shaped Box
Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nirvana Rape Me
Nirvana In Bloom
Nirvana Lithium
Nirvana Polly
Nirvana Dumb
Nirvana Pennyroyal Tea
Nirvana About a Girl
Nirvana The Man Who Sold The World
Nirvana Lake of Fire

No Doubt Don’t Speak
No Doubt Just A Girl
No Doubt Spiderwebs
No Doubt Rock Steady
No Doubt Bathwater
No Doubt Underneath It All
No Doubt Running
No Doubt Excuse Me Mister
No Doubt Sunday Morning
No Doubt Hey Baby
No Doubt Happy Now?
No Doubt Ex-Girlfriend
No Doubt Simple Kind of Life
No Doubt Magic’s In The Makeup
No Doubt Marry Me
No Doubt New

No Mercy Please Don’t Go

Nora Jones Don’t Know Why

Norman Greenbaum Spirit In the Sky

*NSYNC Pop
*NSYNC Girlfriend
*NSYNC Gone
*NSYNC Tearing Up My Heart
*NSYNC I Need Love
*NSYNC I Want You Back
*NSYNC I Drive Myself Crazy
*NSYNC Crazy For You
*NSYNC Sailing
*NSYNC Bye, Bye, Bye
*NSYNC It’s Gonna Be Me
*NSYNC This I Promise You
*NSYNC No Strings Attached
*NSYNC I Thought She Knew
*NSYNC Celebrity
*NSYNC Up Against The Wall
*NSYNC See Right Through You

O

Oasis Wonderwall
Oasis Champagne Supernova

Offspring Come Out and Play

OK Go Here It Goes Again

OMD If You Leave

Our Lady Peace Somewhere Out There
Our Lady Peace Superman’s Dead
Our Lady Peace Clumsy

Outkast Hey Ya!
Outkast So Fresh, So Clean
Outkast Ms. Jackson

Ozzy Osbourne Crazy Train
Ozzy Osbourne Close My Eyes Forever
Ozzy Osbourne Changes

P

Panic At The Disco I Write Sins Not Tragedies

Papa Roach Last Resort

Pat Benatar Heartbreaker
Pat Benatar Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Pat Benatar Love Is a Battlefield
Pat Benatar We Belong
Pat Benatar Invincible

Paula Abdul Straight Up
Paula Abdul Cold-Hearted Snake
Paula Abdul Knocked Out

Paul McCartney Maybe I’m Amazed

Pearl Jam Jeremy
Pearl Jam Alive
Pearl Jam Even Flow
Pearl Jam Black
Pearl Jam Daughter

Peggy March I Will Follow Him

Peter Gabriel In Your Eyes

Pet Shop Boys West End Girls

Phantom Planet California

Phil Collins In The Air Tonight

Pink Just Like a Pill
Pink Don’t Let Me Get Me
Pink Get The Party Started
Pink Family Portrait
Pink My Vietnam
Pink Most Girls
Pink There You Go
Pink Who Knew
Pink U + Ur Hand
Pink Lady Marmalade
Pink Last To Know
Pink So What

Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd Comfortably Numb
Pink Floyd Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Pink Floyd Brain Damage
Pink Floyd Eclipse
Pink Floyd Hey You
Pink Floyd Another Brick In The Wall
Pink Floyd Mother
Pink Floyd Happiest Days of Our Lives
Pink Floyd Nobody Home
Pink Floyd Have a Cigar
Pink Floyd Coming Back to Life
Pink Floyd High Hopes
Pink Floyd Learning to Fly
Pink Floyd Money

Plain White Tees Hey There Delilah

P.M. Dawn Set Adrift on Memory Bliss

Poison Something To Believe In
Poison Every Rose Has Its Thorn

The Police Roxanne
The Police Every Breath You Take
The Police Don’t Stand So Close To Me

Positive K I Got a Man

The Postal Service Such Great Heights
The Postal Service The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
The Postal Service Sleeping In
The Postal Service Nothing Better
The Postal Service Clark Gable

Pras Ghetto Superstar

The Pretenders I’ll Stand By You

Pretty Poison Catch Me I’m Falling

Prince Kiss
Prince Little Red Corvette
Prince Purple Rain
Prince Darling Nikki
Prince When Dove’s Cry
Prince 1999

Psychedelic Furs Pretty In Pink

Q

Queen The Show Must Go On
Queen Fat-Bottomed Girls
Queen Another One Bites The Dust
Queen Bohemian Rhapsedy
Queen We Are The Champions/ We Will Rock You
Queen Thank God It’s Christmas

Queensryche Silent Lucidity

R

Radiohead Creep
Radiohead Talk Show Host
Radiohead Karma Police

Rage Against The Machine Testify
Rage Against The Machine Killing In The Name

Red Hot Chili Peppers Scar Tissue
Red Hot Chile Peppers What I Got
Red Hot Chile Peppers Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers Under The Bridge

REM Everybody Hurts
REM Losing My Religion
REM Man On The Moon

Righteous Brothers Unchained Melody
Righteous Brothers You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling

Robbie Williams Angels
Robbie Williams Kids
Robbie Williams Millennium
Robbie Williams No Regrets
Robbie Williams Lazy Days
Robbie Williams Strong
Robbie Williams Win Some, Lose Some
Robbie Williams Let Me Entertain You
Robbie Williams Jesus In a Camper Van
Robbie Williams Old Before I Die
Robbie Williams She’s The One
Robbie Williams Karma Killer
Robbie Williams Feel
Robbie Williams Monsoon
Robbie Williams Rock DJ

Rockell In A Dream

The Rolling Stones Sympathy For The Devil
The Rolling Stones Paint It Black
The Rolling Stones Satisfaction
The Rolling Stones Brown Sugar
The Rolling Stones You Can’t Always get What You Want

The Ronnettes Be My Baby

S

Salt N Peppa Push It
Salt N Peppa Shoop

Samantha Fox Naughty Girls Need Love Too

Sam Cooke Wonderful World

Santana Smooth

Sarah McLachlan Ice Cream
Sarah McLachlan Building a Mystery

The Scorpions Wind of Change

Semisonic Closing Time

Seven Mary Three Cumbersome

Shakira Underneath Your Clothes

The Shangri-Las Leader of the Pack

Sheryl Crow All I Wanna Do

Silverspun Pickups Lazy Eye

Simon & Garfunkel Mrs. Robinson
Simon & Garfunkel Look For America
Simon & Garfunkel The Boxer
Simon & Garfunkel The Sound of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel Cecelia
Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simple Minds Don’t You Forget About Me

Sinead O’ Conner Nothing Compares 2 U

Skid Row 18 & Life
Skid Row Youth Gone Wild
Skid Row I Remember You

The Smashing Pumpkins Disarm
The Smashing Pumpkins Cherub Rock
The Smashing Pumpkins Today
The Smashing Pumpkins 1979

Snow Patrol Chasing Cars

Soft Cell Tainted Love

Soundgarden Black Hole Sone
Soundgarden Spoon Man

Spacehog In The Meantime

Spin Doctors Two Princes

Squeeze Tempted

Stacy Q Two of Hearts

Starship We Built This City

Steppenwolf Magic Carpet Ride
Steppenwolf Born To Be Wild

The Steve Miller Band Take The Money and Run
The Steve Miller Band The Joker
The Steve Miller Band Swingtown
The Steve Miller Band Fly Like An Eagle

Stevie Nicks Edge of Seventeen

Stevie Ray Vaughan Texas Flood

Stevie Wonder Part-Time Lover
Stevie Wonder I Just Called To Say I Love You

Stina Nordenstam Little Star

Stone Temple Pilots Interstate Love Song

Styx Renegade

Story Of The Year Until The Day I Die

Sublime Santeria
Sublime What I Got

Sugarcult Bouncing Off The Walls

The Sundays Here’s Where The Story Ends

The Supremes You Keep Me Hanging On
The Supremes Love Child
The Supremes Baby Love
The Supremes Where Did Our Love Go?

Suzanne Vega Tom’s Diner

Sweet Sensation If Wishes Came True

Switchfoot Meant To Live

Sylvia Nobody

System of a Down Chop Suey

T

Taking Back Sunday A Decade Under the Influence

Tanya Tucker Sparrows In A Hurricane

Tatu All the Things She Said

Tears For Fears

Temple of the Dog Hunger Strike

The Temptations My Girl

Tenacious D The Metal

Third Eye Blind Semi-Charmed Life

‘Til Tuesday Voices Carry

TLC Waterfalls

Tommy James & the Shondells I Think We’re Alone Now
Tommy James & the Shondells Crimson & Clover

Tommy Page A Shoulder To Cry On
Tommy Page I’ll Be Your Everything

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Free Fallin’
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Refugee
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Mary Jane’s Last Dance
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Runnin’ Down a Dream
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers American Girl

Tom Tom Club Genius of Love

Tracy Chapman Fast Car
Tracy Chapman I’ll Turn Right Back Around

Train Drops of Jupiter

The Troggs Wild Thing

Tupac & Dre California Lovin

Turtles Happy Together

U

U2 One
U2 Beautiful Day
U2 Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
U2 With Or Without You
U2 Sunday Bloody Sunday
U2 New Year’s Day
U2 All I Want Is You
U2 Where The Streets Have No Name
U2 In the Name of Love

Urge Overkill Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon

The Used Maybe Memories

Usher Yeah!

V

Vanessa Carlton White Houses
Vanessa Carlton Pretty Baby
Vanessa Carlton Twilight

Vanilla Ice Ice Ice Baby

Van Morrison Crazy Love
Van Morrison Brown-Eyed Girl
Van Morrison Moondance

The Verve Bittersweet Symphony

Veruca Salt Seether

Violent Femmes Blister In The Sun
Violent Femmes Add It Up
Violent Femmes Gone Daddy Gone
Violent Femmes Kiss Off

W

The Wannadies You and Me Song

Warrant Heaven

Weezer The Sweater Song
Weezer Say It Ain’t So
Weezer Buddy Holly

Wham Careless Whisper

White Lion Send Me An Angel

White Stripes Fell In Love With a Girl
White Stripes Seven Nation Army
White Stripes Blue Orchid
White Stripes Icky Thump

Whitney Houston Run To You
Whitney Houston How Will I Know
Whitney Houston The Star-Spangled Banner

The Who My Generation
The Who Pinball Wizard
The Who I’m A Boy
The Who I Cab See For Miles
The Who Won’t Get Fooled Again
The Who Who Are You
The Who Baba O’Riley (Teenage Wasteland)

Willie Nelson On The Road Again
Willie Nelson Crazy

Wings Band On The Run

Wreckz-N-Effect Rump Shaker

X

Y

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Maps

The Youngbloods Let’s Get Together

Z

ZZ Top La Grange

Peace, love, Corona, & kitty cats
Amanda “Newhouse” Hixson (verymandy)
Bohemia editor extraordinaire

Go Somewhere Happy by Shadow

Do you ever have those days where it’s drizzly and yucky inside your head and the whole world is conspiring to make you miserable? The radio wakes you up by playing the most annoying song EVER, the milk has expired and your oatmeal explodes in the microwave and you can’t find your favorite shirt. You step in a puddle and get soaked. Someone’s car alarm won’t stop beeping. Yeah, you know that kind of day. You know what I do when that happens to me? I go here:

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

Married With Sea Monsters/ Beatnix 1 Year Anniversary Performance Footage by Lisa Hathaway

Married With Sea Monsters is a four piece band based out of the Waco, Texas  area. This year is an exciting year for long time members Ryan Hull ( guitar ) and Alden Tarver ( Drums) as they have added a new twist in their line up with Kat Dixon on lead vocals , guitar, and mandolin. Also,  Married With Sea Monsters has added a keyboardist and back up vocalist Carrie Burt.

A New Use For Shopping Carts by Dominik

By Dominik Young

It appears that the shopping cart can be used for more than transporting goods according to Frankfurt-based artist Mike Bouchet.  Check out his Sun Lounger aka the Shopping Cart Lounger.

Reflective, a poem by Shadow

Reflective

One day last fall
my full-length mirror
leapt off the wall and shattered,
a glassy hara-kiri.
I found her belly-down
and broken in the hall.
Not so surprising, I think;
she is, after all, a mirror
doomed to reflect.
After so many years
of witnessing
my daily small suicides
the only miracle is
she didn’t do it sooner.

” The Uncommon Grounds Found Within Common Grounds ” by Lisa Hathaway

This is my first writing as a result from a critical thinking exercise given by Binary..we were sitting outside in the back..Can you draw a visual in your mind?

Common Grounds,

rustic,

peaceful,

comfortable,

technicolor dreamland of  painted visuals,

Subtle whispers of a Summer afternoon sigh,

filling the atmosphere with the definition of Calm

Shadow’s Tips for Going Green (An Intermediate Course in Sustainable Living)

So the other day I was flipping through a parenting magazine (American Baby or some such), and I noticed an article on “going green”. Now, this is perfect–I’m all for taking care of the environment, but until I can afford to install a windmill in my backyard, my main approach to sustainable living takes the form of little changes to my lifestyle–and I was hoping to learn a few new tips. Unfortunately, though, I was disappointed, because apparently the target audience of this particular magazine is utterly, totally clueless. The article was filled with such mind-boggling information as Going Green Tip #7: did you know that they make such a thing as reusable silverware, that you can actually WASH between meals and use again? CRAZY, I know.

Anyway, my point is, based on evidence like this magazine article and the dozen other ones I’ve seen in the same vein, the majority of people are unaware of how much damage their lifestyle choices are doing to our environment. The tips on reducing, reusing, and repurposing that are available to the public are basic and common-sense, and there doesn’t seem to be much out there for those of us who already know to use metal silverware and turn off the water while we’re brushing our teeth. So without further ado, I bring you…

Shadow’s Tips

1. Do you let the water run while you wait for it to get cold enough for a drink? Try keeping a pitcher of water in the fridge. (You can put a wedge of lemon or a sprig of mint in it, too!)

2. Once your cleaning products are used up, try white vinegar. Seriously, there isn’t much that vinegar and/or baking soda won’t get clean. It makes a great glass cleaner, toilet cleaner, floor cleaner, and fabric softener, and no, your house won’t smell like vinegar afterward.

3. Hang clothes on the line to save electricity. If you don’t have a clothesline, why not string one up indoors?

4. Rethink the things you use paper towels for. You can use a cloth for most of those tasks. I dry my hands on a towel, keep a bucket of rags under the kitchen sink for household cleanup, and use cloth napkins at meals.

5. Use reusable containers to store food, not baggies. Or if you can’t part with baggies, you can wash them and use them at least one more time.

6. It’s easy to make your own laundry detergent! Combine equal parts borax, washing soda, and oxiclean (all available at the grocery store), mix up a big batch, and use 1 tbsp per load.

7. Buy your clothes at consignment stores. That’s where all the good stuff is, anyway.

8. Before you throw anything away, ask yourself “can I repair this? Can I reuse this for something else?” You might be surprised.

9. If you have the space, consider composting! You can buy indoor compost bins or just dump your food scraps in the backyard, and if you also recycle your cans/bottles and paper, you’ll end up with almost no trash.

10. Guys, cover your eyes. Girls, why not try cloth menstrual pads or the Diva Cup? If you normally buy disposable pads and tampons, a reusable option will save you a ton of money and keep an astonishing amount of plastic out of the landfill.

11. Parents: cloth diapers are not nearly as much work as you think, and breastfeeding is environmentally friendly in more than one way.

12. Instead of buying single-serve packages of food, buy it in bulk and separate it into single servings at home. It’s cost-effective, too!

13. Use sawdust as cat litter instead of clay. It’s easy to dump the box instead of scooping it, and you can compost the used litter as long as you use it for non-food-growing purposes.

14. Donate gently used items to charity instead of throwing them away.

15. Get to know your neighbors. Building connections within your community is the foundation to environmental stewardship!

Vintage Jeans by Mandy

This is a youtube video about how to make your jeans look vintage. So you can look like Ke$ha if you want.

Peace, love, Corona, & kitty cats
Amanda “Newhouse” Hixson (verymandy)
Bohemia editor extraordinaire

Eric Treads Laura’s Backyard After Interview by Mandy

Hello everybody! As you may or may not know– in addition to this wonderful blog in which bohemian types (mostly from Waco, Texas) write and post about art, music, their lives, adventures and the waco “scene,” Bohemia is also an arts and literary print magazine. We take poetry, short story, photography, and art submissions year-round from Central Texans in order to give Central Texas a voice in the artistic world. We also feature the work of local prominent writers and artists.

Last weekend I was working on the journal by taking a staff of peoples to local artist Laura Walton‘s house in Hubbard. We stomped all over her property interviewing her and taking pictures. There were fire ants, rocket ships, a broken radiator, Blizzards from DQ, temper tantrums, a Sasquatch, and awesome photos. One of our writers, Eric Doyle, had a long conversation with Laura about her work, her thoughts on life, etc (I was walking in and out of the room so I only heard bits and pieces… which I think is good because I can’t wait to read the story). We also brought one of our staff photographers Lisa Hathaway to shoot behind-the-scenes photos. I took a few behind-the-scenes shots of the behind-the-scenes photoshoot with my iphone which I posted on facebook. And then someone else took a pic of me doing that.

I decided that until the launch issue of Bohemia comes out, I am going to tease online readers by posting some of the behind-the-scenes shots. This will be the first of several posts. Lisa took these pictures of Eric writing his story… and I don’t even think Eric knows these photos exist. So… everybody enjoy. Happy Birthday Eric– you’re a superstar. Lol.

Peace, love, Corona, & kitty cats
Amanda “Newhouse” Hixson (verymandy)
Bohemia editor extraordinaire

The Purr-fect Art by Dominik

By Dominik Young

If you seen this clip from Animal Planet’s “Cats 101″ , then you know about KittyCassandra (Cassie Graus) :

She is an artist from Centerville, Virginia who turned her love for cats more specifically exotics into quirky yet profitable works of art. Here are some examples:

If you want to purchase these “purr-fect” masterpieces, then go to KittyCassandra’s Etsy Site. Also, email her at cassiegraus@gmail.com for custom paintings.  For fans of KittyCassandra, be sure to like her Facebook page where you can see the cat lover’s entire portfolio.

my home by Shadow

Welcome to my bohemian home! Here’s a glimpse of where I live, work, play, and, yes, clean–fanatically, relentlessly, and obsessively. I’m working on that.

The kitchen is absolutely the best place in my entire house, because it’s where I cook. I’ve always thought the kitchen is the soul of most living spaces.

My living room is where I spend most of my time, usually blogging. Or cleaning. (Like I said, I’m a tad obsessive about that.) My favorite thing about my living room is the red walls, which I longed for during all my years of living in beige apartments. The first thing I did after signing for my house was drive to Home Depot and buy red paint! I love to be surrounded by bright colors.

My ” Bohemian ” Home by Lisa Hathaway

I will more than likely replace these photos with video eventually. I usually just throw my coat on the chair, floor or wherever. It depends on my mood. My home is not set up to entertain anyone but my self. My living room is the music room. I do not have a television. If I cannot get it on the internet..well I just will not get it. You will not find any photos of the bed room because I sleep on the couch. Someday..I just might purchase a bed when I need one. You are more than likely to find a guitar in every room and around every corner..because that’s how I roll..

shedding habits by Shadow

For me, being a bohemian is mostly about shedding worry and sadness and cultivating a sense of fun in my life. It’s about learning to CARE LESS, because most of my responsibilities are of my own manufacture, to be honest, and at least half of my major stressors are self-created.

With finals week coming up, a new baby, and several major spring-cleaning projects at home, I’ve been operating on autopilot for awhile now, but I’ve just remembered something important that I’m going to share with you. Ready? Here it is: IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER HOW CLEAN THE HOUSE IS. It doesn’t matter if you wear the dreaded “lounge pants” to the grocery store. It doesn’t matter what strangers think of you. The little things you do out of habit–saying “fine” when asked how you are, wearing makeup or baggy jeans or whatever you do to your appearance to fit in–are not important! The bigger habits, too–do you work at a job you hate? I know a lot of people who grit their teeth and go to some drudge-job every day, and can’t even explain WHY.

I get it, in a way. I want to be perceived as competent by others, and I tend to forget how little the housework actually matters and my days become imbued with an OMG MUST ACCOMPLISH ALL THE THINGS frenzy. It’s the same way with material things. We’re taught from the time we’re old enough to speak how very critical it is to own things, buy new things, or have better things, and we learn to correlate our success with the items we own, and that’s a sad, broken way to live, don’t you think?

Spring is a good time of year to shed old habits and learn new ones. This spring (as soon as I survive my math final!), I’m going to be peeling back another layer of my worn-out mental landscape to see what’s underneath, because it feels good to wake up and think instead of accepting the same routines and values I’m accustomed to. Here’s what I’m going to do to challenge myself:

1. Forget vacuuming, organizing, or taking out the trash for a day. Build a giant paper-mache whale with my five-year-old instead. Invite people over while the house is still covered in newspaper and goop.

2. Wear sweatpants in public. Wear shorts and do NOT apologize for my ghastly-white legs. So I don’t look like a long, lean, tanned fashion model. Whatever.

3. Eat two desserts in one day. No, three. Walk by a scale without standing on it.

Do you ever think about what parts of your life are stagnant and stale? About what cultural messages you’ve accepted without questioning? The best thing we can do for our mental health is to keep asking: What’s important? WHY is this important? Is this REALLY important? Once we get past the fear of giving up old habits, I think we find freedom.

High Wire Pro by Lisa Hathaway

Lowering your guard for love,  sometimes can be a bit like filling the shoes of a ” High Wire Pro”

Life is a circus some say..
I chuckle…
I walk the tight rope
Ever so carefully
Planning, technique, safety..safety..safety..
Always checking that there is a net secure and intact

Except this time…

I awake to find myself
Walking a tightrope
Did I take any precautions?
Is there a net?
If I fall
Who will catch me?

Dont look down, dont look down, dont look down

I am walking a tight rope
Afraid to breathe
Afraid
Any slight movement could send me
Falling, Falling, Falling

When up this high
There’s only one way down..
But I can make it across
To the other side
I am an old pro
I have done this many, many, times

I take a step forward
Hey..I am doing fine
Then I hear my name called…
From down below..
Not thinking
I look down
AHH..F*ck…
Here I go..

Falling, Falling, Falling

Is there a safety net?
I dont know..
I really hope that someone catches this
High Wire pro……………….

Bee Poem by Shadow

Bee Poem (20 Little Poetry Projects)

This is a dripping honeycomb of a night
and everyone notices but the bees. They’re too hung over
and will probably sleep till morning and dream
the sound of one phone ringing in the darkness;
dream the scent of heather and exhaust.
Callie told me yesterday that the bees had stolen all her journals;
she said they’d come in the night dripping bathwater, the bees had come
from the Arctic Circle dressed as ptarmigans
wearing white coats and frowns, and surrounded her
the way honey envelops the tongue, only they tasted of pennies,
they tasted the way a heart attack sounds,
Callie said.

The bees are wide awake and listening for sirens
now, so hush. If I should die before I wake
it will be too soon. If I should croak
don’t tell the bees. I only remembered how to live again
because I heard them singing to their babies.
I know it won’t be long now. The flies have conquered the flypaper.
They’re as victorious as a white flag
and twice as poisonous. The scarlet hand of justice
is crushing the bees and Callie says
tomorrow will be the last tomorrow, and that’s why tonight
is so sweet. Forget the nectar–
swallow the bees; their tantric wingbeats will open your throat
wider and wider until the night swallows you. What do we taste like, ma soeur?
I’ll tear up the moon to find out. I’ll squeeze it until it hums me a lullaby
and lick honey from the skin of the night.

Scott Weaver’s Rolling through the Bay by Dominik

Take a trip down memory lane as an artist gives a tour of San Francisco through his toothpick sculpture.

Many thanks to Christian Anderson of Party Pressure !