Twenty Four #02

Folsom Street, San Francisco

Unicorn

Twenty Four #01

My sister has been sending me mass emails lately. Some of which haven't been that awful. My favorite ones are those that promote regional pride.

You know you're from New England when...
You know you're from Massachusetts when...
You know you're from Medway when...

etc., etc., etc.,

They're funny, sometimes true, and if after reading a declaration I'm confused then I get a sense that I missed out on some kind of cultural heritage that would otherwise brand me as an outsider. For those no longer living in the region these lists can be nostalgic and almost enough to punch to break your lease. (Then again, who wouldn't trade places with you, am I right?)

The best part is when you read a list like this and recognize the same statements made about New Yorkers, Philadelphians, San Franciscans, etc. Like that wee lad at some baseball game holding his middle finger out and shouting. He changes teams more times more times than a narcissistic Hollywood C-lister.

Here we go. Today's 24 siting comes from a list as previously mentioned. And, I apologize, but it's one of those facts that I can't even pretend to understand. But, what's great about it, is that it's self-referential. A very "meta" beginning to this new segment.

24. Sorry Manny, but number 24 means DEWEY EVANS.

Thanks!

Introduction to Twenty-Four

The past few weeks have been a wash of ridiculous ideas. There's something about being catapulted out of graduate school that makes you want to complete every possible (and near impossible) task you come up with. And, if you happened to graduate from an art school, then most of these tasks involved the current obsession in modern art: the Obsessive Compulsive art form.


From the 20 million beads sculpted by hand into installation pieces (thank you, Liza Lou):

To the chronicling, documenting, administrative handling of shredded car pieces into a skyscraper filing cabinet (and thank you, Sam Yates):

What we have is Art's obsession with Obsession. Anything that is meticulously done for a period of time unseemly for any "normal" person; anal-retentive organizational skills; the enlargement, exaggeration, parody, sarcasm, length, width, & height stretched to the borderlands of recognition is in vogue.

Add a pinch of magical realism and you have a new segment to The Werewolf Hotel: Twenty-Four.

To get it out of the way 24 is my favorite number for two reasons. (1) I was born on July the 24th. (2) It's divisible by many fantastic numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, & (like any whole number, itself) 24. I find that when this number pops up it's a sign, an omen, a message. I don't proport that it's always the case but it still seems to have personal properties I prefer to pay attention to.

Including its inverse: 42. The first time I really caught that number's eye I remembered to pay very close attention and I can't say why just now.

Perhaps, when the time is right, any other 24-Fanatics will pay attention with me. OK?

Evan Schnair & Stanford Chen read at Small Press Traffic

Like any urban conglomerate the Bay Area is fertile ground for writers and the schools that harness that talent. Small Press Traffic has put together an evening of readers from the varying graduate writing programs that bejewel the 37 degree(ish) latitude.

Friday, May 16th, 7:30 p.m.
Timken Lecture Hall, California College of the Arts
1111 Eighth Street
San Francisco, CA

Directions & map:
http://www. sptraffic. org/html/directions. htm

This exciting evening showcases Emergent Innovative Writers from the Bay Area's diverse community of writing programs and features:

Lorelei Lee from San Francisco State

Evan Schnair & Stanford Chen from California College of the Arts

Cynthia Posillico and Stephen Boyer from the University of SF

Ariel Goldberg from Mills

Paul Ebenkamp from St. Mary's

Unless otherwise noted, events are $5-10, sliding scale, free to
current SPT members and CCA faculty, staff, and students.

Get this on TV now

After watching an outtake of Inside Edition featuring Bill O'Reilly flipping out and subsequently learning that CBS had YouTube put an end to the entertainment I needed to find something to wipe the brackish taste out of my mouth. That's when I searched for Kate Braverman.

The first video is one of her and a couple ladies (I think the one on the left is Katie Moses, author of Wintering) during one of Braverman's Fusion City nights. She used to throw these readings at Edinburgh Castle in San Francisco. Here we have Braverman reading aloud Plath's poem, Lesbos.

I uber-heart Kate Braverman. To me, she's equal parts Courtney Love, Galadriel and Catwoman. Then sprinkled with freshly-grated brilliance and served with a mint infused cocktail.

Laura Palmer

I don't know. I think it speaks for itself.

Song of the Day #10

Again, this SotD should've Song of the Weekend last weekend but I was too Cylonese to figure it out. Actually, I probable would've been able to figure it out but I'm a beta model and not one of the Top Five or anything so figure it out yourself.

Regardless, once again I'm late in the game. I'm sure you all know this one and I'm sure it's more tired than jelly bracelets and Vampire Weekend.

Remember the days: walking around Union Square singing this song, driving around the city from bar to bar singing this song, hearing it over Ben 'N' Nicks with beer and burgers, Erica buying her first CDs in 6 months.

Song of the Day #09

Number nine. Number nine. Number nine. This should’ve been SotD a few days ago but lately there have been burdens. Burdens of immeasurable size. The proportions of which are similar to dark matters clusters. After watching this I feel more confident than ever that I’m a Cylon. OOIOO is an off-shoot of the Boredoms; this video is adorable and the music is pretty stellar. Kick start. Round off. Play it.

Bands You'll Never See On This Mirror

Star Meat #9

Throws Like A Girl

The Gash

Non-Native Invasive

Song of the Day #08

I’m a little late in the game for this series. But for the past month or so I haven’t watched much else. I’m taken – like the last cookie in the jar. I was looking for a song from the show (ritual percussions like Taiko, indistinguishable lyrics in a hybrid of Celtic) that maybe had clips. What I did find was this fan video.

This show offers what we’re lacking from our American diet. High stakes morality and ethics, a clear and discernable threat, the ability to question what’s at stake without appearing treasonous or unpatriotic. On top of that – it’s in space(!) and in a time when our entire present culture is unfootnoted and an illusion in their cosmology.

Also, the following selection is the champagne smash for tonight's Season 4 premiere on the Sci-Fi Channel.

Song of the Day #07

Lucky number seven. Seems like yesterday when I heard there was to be a new B-52’s album. To be honest, I didn’t have the highest expectations. Reunion or post-hiatus albums tend to be lackluster, safe, retro, and novelty. Funplex sees the return of Cindy Wilson, the graham cracker crust to Kate’s delicious voice. This album is fabulous!

Every song, down the line, is fantastic. I thought for sure it would run out of steam. It just gained momentum.

Song of the Day #06

Madonna: “Angel”

I don’t know how this happened (actually that’s a lie and I know) but this is the song of the day. Angels are witnesses; they watch you eat the grapes in the produce section; they sneak sugar in your lemonade; they know all the dirty words you come up with while you’re sitting by yourself; they whisper ice cream cravings in your ears.

Madonna has been elevated to Archangel status. She’ll be waiting for us when we reach those pearly gates, I have no doubt about that.

Orange – A Sculptural Collaboration with Whitney Lynn

Orange you glad you took the trashcans out?
Orange you going to stop pilot error?
Orange you telling me that the blender is full?
Orange you losing sight of what’s important?
Orange you feeling heavy under the chin?
Orange you tired of sleeping with strangers?
Orange you thinking too much of yourself?
Orange you leaving the country?
Orange you robbing banks in the afternoon?
Orange you smuggling Oaxaca chocolate across the border?

Song of the Day #05/Lost Cat

There have been a few cats I've known that have disappeared. One used to climb trees, howl from the woods, only to come down weeks later. He later just disappeared around Halloween 1991 or '92.

Missing or Lost Cat posters are sad. It's an alternate reality, an act of desire that pushes the poster to forego their private contact information. Though, I wish the people who post these would include an update if their pet was ever found.

I hope Eric finds Bobbie.

Below is today's Song of the Day, Catatonia: "Lost Cat".

Beeswax

Here's a cover of Beeswax Magazine #4. Gorgeous, isn't it. It can be yours for $5 plus postage. I have a story in this issue. My first fiction publication.

Beeswax Magazine

Song of the Day #04

Yesterday afternoon went by quickly. I got home at a reasonable time, made dinner and started writing. An inner voice told me that I wanted to shuffle R.E.M. while I worked. Then the untitled song from Green made its appearance. Afterwards I dorked out on iTunes, creating playlists for periods in my life I’ve been feeling very close to lately. This song brings me back to 15/16. I don’t know how old any of you are so I can’t speculate on where you end up. Good luck getting back, I still have my seatbelt on.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Song of the Day #03

What kind of day do you think you would have if you woke up with this song stuck in your head. I looked both times before crossing the street, I kept both eyes peeled while I was driven across the bridge, I fed a little of my breakfast to a co-worker to ensure it wasn't poisoned.

Though "Death Is Not The End" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is a song about renewal and hope (right?) it still rings that morose brass bell like all the brilliant jewels from Murder Ballads.

Urban Safari #02

B-I-N-G-O

Bingo. Ruth won a hundred dollars. The Judy Garland impersonator on stage says something about dentures and blowjobs. She makes the ladies laugh and menfolk giddy. Carl marks his cards with hot pink ink. Martha brings wallet-sized and framed photos of her grandsons for good luck. There are layers of gum underneath the folding tables. Catherine collects the money and stores it in a metal box. Peter, Sr. shows the newcomers where to be and ushers the gals who can’t walk too well. Judy Garland has an assistant - a young boy who chews chew and spits in an empty Pepsi bottle. Monday and Wednesday nights are vivacious around here after “Wheel of Fortune”.