I’ve given a short listen to the new 65daysofstatic and it’s still definitely no One Time for All Time, but it seems to be acknowledging that there past LP and few EP’s have been really disappointing. Maybe this is just my infantile brain trying to understand electronic music, but they’ve really been slacking and I think it’s because One Time for All Time is just completely the epitome of epic. However, We Were Exploding Anyway (2010) does try to gain that archetype again, and they even added Robert Smith from The Cure to one of their songs. I think I just really miss the fact that a lot of guitars were driven with the beats in OTFAT, while their newest record seems to be filling that void with more beats, and more synth. At least their cover art is unbelievable. My favorite of 2010 so far (artwork wise). Help me out on this…

Tonight we will be discussing Rear Window (1954) for History of Narrative Film. Here are some of my broad questions about the film. What do you think?

In the film Rear Window, does Alfred Hitchcock create several narratives by making the audience “peeping toms” as well? Does Hitchcock use Jeffries character as a parallel to the audience? It seems that we are as much interested in the lives of these characters as Jefferies. The rise of the story is through Lars Thorwald’s actions and through the narratives of the other neighbors. Do we become obsessed with Thorwald as much as Jefferies? Do Jefferies and Lisa represent the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Thorwald? It seems that everything is fine before he murders his wife, and the same applies to Jefferies and Lisa’s relationship. Jefferies attitude towards Lisa is a lot like Thorwald, because as Thorwald becomes overwhelmed with caring for his wife, Jefferies becomes weighed down by the idea of marrying Lisa. It’s also interesting to think of the comparable Lisa taking care of Jefferies as Mr. Thorwald cares for his wife. Their characters are all very similar and I think that it’s possible the film could be told from any narrative to drive a story, but the one we have with Lisa and Jefferies solves a murder.

Denver was a blast. The Rockies game was great, their local beer was delicious, and I met some pretty damn good writers.

Back home and ready to send out my chapbook. This is an amazing feeling/accomplishment for me and I think I want to start working on another. Maybe I should spend a little more time on my thesis?

Oh, brother. I've been slacking again. I'll be heading to Denver on Wednesday and you can find me at the Oyez Review table on Thursday 2-5pm, and Saturday 2-5pm. Then on Saturday night, you can catch me at the Rockies game. It is a dying wish to visit every stadium and ballpark in the MLB. Speaking of the MLB, yesterday was opening day, a tradition is Cincinnati like no other. My brother, father, and I are notorious for skipping work/school to watch the game like so many other Cincinnatians do. I have good vibes about this year although we started off the season getting crushed 11-6. I believe Albert Pujols is a machine. No human parts, just robot parts.

I'm also extremely dedicated to Fantasy Baseball. I'm apart of a Keeper, 11 team National League only group. My team goes really deep, but I have a good feeling about this team as well.

Active Batters
Hernandez, Ramon C CIN
Ruiz, Carlos C PHI
Cantu, Jorge 1B FLA
Weeks, Rickie 2B MIL
Rolen, Scott 3B CIN
Escobar, Alcides SS MIL
Renteria, Edgar SS SF
Loney, James 1B LA
Bay, Jason LF NYM
Dickerson, Chris LF CIN
Ethier, Andre RF LA
McCutchen, Andrew CF PIT
Velez, Eugenio LF SF
Ross, Cody CF FLA

Active Pitchers
Arroyo, Bronson SP CIN
Coffey, Todd RP MIL
Dotel, Octavio RP PIT
Maine, John SP NYM
Parra, Manny SP MIL
Rhodes, Arthur RP CIN
Santana, Johan SP
Wells, Randy SP CHC

Reserve Batters
Reyes, Jose B. SS NYM
Matthews, Gary CF NYM

Reserve Pitchers
Kawakami, Kenshin SP ATL
Maholm, Paul SP PIT
Wang, Chien-Ming SP WAS

Minors Batters
Johnson, Chris 3B HOU
Frazier, Todd OF CIN M
Francisco, Juan 3B CIN
Kieschnick, Roger LF SF
Mayberry, John LF PHI

Minors Pitchers
Chacin, Jhoulys RP COL
West, Sean SP FLA

See, I wasn't kidding. Live auction drafts are extremely fun.

If your little poetic or fictional heart desires, head out to Uncommon Ground in Chicago tonight to talk about submissions and query letters to literary journals via Roosevelt's MFA group Serif.

We're glad to have anyone in or outside Roosevelt's MFA program in attendance. Good luck to everyone on their submissions. There's a lot going right now and a lot of us getting our work out there. Let us all give each other a pat on the back for our hard work!

6:30pm
March 26th, 2010
Uncommon Ground

Check out fellow MFA student Heather Cox and her poem "Ritual" on Dark Sky Magazine's Poetry Noir Collection. It definitely screams femme fatale. Congrats, Heather.

We’re reviewing Modern Times in my History of Narrative film course. This is one of my favorite Chaplin movies. I think he gets arrested about six times. This is one of my favorite scenes. Skip to about 5:00.

Also, check out my favorite modern poet Hart Crane, and see what he has to say about Chaplin.

Chaplinesque
by Hart Crane

We make our meek adjustments,
Contented with such random consolations
As the wind deposits
In slithered and too ample pockets.

For we can still love the world, who find
A famished kitten on the step, and know
Recesses for it from the fury of the street,
Or warm torn elbow coverts.

We will sidestep, and to the final smirk
Dally the doom of that inevitable thumb
That slowly chafes its puckered index toward us,
Facing the dull squint with what innocence
And what surprise!

And yet these fine collapses are not lies
More than the pirouettes of any pliant cane;
Our obsequies are, in a way, no enterprise.
We can evade you, and all else but the heart:
What blame to us if the heart live on.

The game enforces smirks; but we have seen
The moon in lonely alleys make
A grail of laughter of an empty ash can,
And through all sound of gaiety and quest
Have heard a kitten in the wilderness.