i liked this weekend. while it still had a couple of irritating phone calls from work-related parties, and though my trip to beijing is most likely cancelled, due to no sq tickets (principal vendor refuses to fly anything else) and no ready product prototype, the weekend passed rather pleasantly. for one, i managed to read quite a bit. i finished interrogation at noon and most of minsk, read bits of milosz's second space and started on carver's what we talk about when we talk about love.
whole chunks of net-poetry were devoured too. gumball poetry is back up, see them at this site. i think the concept is so sweet, imagine buying poetry in this manner. of course, being pragmatic and singaporean, cyril says it won't happen here. but i am allowed to dream about my perfect retirement bookshop now am i? which incidentally i visited. (see previous post)
read more blackmail press, the issue with cy and hsin min's stuff in it.
there's this cute hawaiian site, by the name of tinfish that's quite impressive.
stumbled onto prairie schooner. high browishly nice.
cyril sent me this sweet poem by david grubb on shadow train. excellent go google him.
didnt do much writing this weekend, but the readings more than made up for it. i think i am coming out with a list of "have to get my hands on" books, that includes poetry books by bukowski, more mark strand, the confessions by augustine, aquinas's Summa Theologica (though i just know i will fall asleep reading these 2), aurelius's meditations (who am i kidding?) and ... the entire collected works of beatrix potter regarding peter wabbit and friends. for my niece, and the not so young, leo.
i wanna do something to my room, like put my books/poetry collection in some form of order. actually quite a number of my books are in the office, freaking out visitors and staff.
went cruising the seletar reservoir area with damien and rawn, ate ice cream and before that teochew porridge. it's such a weird, relax-jack, place. wish spore island could loosen up and have more places that are just incidentally fun, rather than, all made-up and touristy. spore island needs spots for its own inhabitants too u know.
and my orlando tixs are confirmed. so i'll be flying on a jet plane (which i actually hate) a holiday disguised as work is always a beautiful thing. :)
***
reading: seamus heaney - electric light
***
Sunday, May 28, 2006
week of 1sts.
a large week of firsts. whilst waiting for various members of cy-sheo large fag/queen club, (this weekend being the largest standing at a table of 8) i went roaming the silent, greater tanjong pagar area and suddenly realised that i could pop by booksactually.
now that was nerdishly exciting because i have never been to the place. so i went to consult the tanjong pagar station map, worked out the exit alphabet and then got on my way.
i wasnt disappointed.
it was open, this quaint place, up a small flight of stairs, into the brightest of lofts, open and welcome. a white place led up to by a small contingent of plastic army men. walls ringed with books and books. the old cameras and typewriters set the mood. so cool.
the books didnt disappoint, i saw charles bukowski's "the Captain Is Out To Lunch and the Sailors Have Taken Over the Ship", bought czelaw milosz's "Second Space", and carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". milosz's ABC beckons... the poetry collection is acceptable, but has gaps. still many good books i would love to get me hands on.
it is a happy place. :)
go there, they close on sundays, open weekdays till sat, 11am-9pm 125A telok ayer street. i think from my conversation with the people there, one kenneth and karen, they seem to have a poetry reading every 2nd something of the month.
anyways, do go. very nice place.
after that on the way back to duxton road to meet the large band of alternative-ers i passed by
and
i remembered the last time i was there i was with b. the brain really f-s with you sometimes no?
other 1sts - 2 movies in a week, alone. both movies cannot make it. 1st milosz book, 1st time to bliss, 1st time to seriouslyseriously Indian pub (but was fun and friendly)
all in all a heady week.
***
listeningto: kansascali - if i...
reading: raymond carver - What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
now that was nerdishly exciting because i have never been to the place. so i went to consult the tanjong pagar station map, worked out the exit alphabet and then got on my way.
i wasnt disappointed.
it was open, this quaint place, up a small flight of stairs, into the brightest of lofts, open and welcome. a white place led up to by a small contingent of plastic army men. walls ringed with books and books. the old cameras and typewriters set the mood. so cool.
the books didnt disappoint, i saw charles bukowski's "the Captain Is Out To Lunch and the Sailors Have Taken Over the Ship", bought czelaw milosz's "Second Space", and carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". milosz's ABC beckons... the poetry collection is acceptable, but has gaps. still many good books i would love to get me hands on.
it is a happy place. :)
go there, they close on sundays, open weekdays till sat, 11am-9pm 125A telok ayer street. i think from my conversation with the people there, one kenneth and karen, they seem to have a poetry reading every 2nd something of the month.
anyways, do go. very nice place.
after that on the way back to duxton road to meet the large band of alternative-ers i passed by
and
i remembered the last time i was there i was with b. the brain really f-s with you sometimes no?
other 1sts - 2 movies in a week, alone. both movies cannot make it. 1st milosz book, 1st time to bliss, 1st time to seriouslyseriously Indian pub (but was fun and friendly)
all in all a heady week.
***
listeningto: kansascali - if i...
reading: raymond carver - What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
mea culpa.
okay, that prev. one was f-ky, so maybe this one to clear your mouth of the vomit. hahaha. as u can tell, today, i got no mood to work. :)
for Little Girls
You each have an angel to yourselves,
the sex of course, depends on your preference.
You can choose the wings too;
Small waspy ones, purely for decoration,
midsized butterfly types, out of place
and possibly too gay for flight.
Or big dumb dove wings, which take forever
to preen, but look the best on the boy
with charcoal eyes and lalang hair,
always sneaking peeks at your test scores,
as he hovers somewhere over your shoulder,
the Jack of sniggers and unkind words,
the one with whom you just know
you will grow up to marry.
**
listeningto: aimee mann - just like anyone
_
for Little Girls
You each have an angel to yourselves,
the sex of course, depends on your preference.
You can choose the wings too;
Small waspy ones, purely for decoration,
midsized butterfly types, out of place
and possibly too gay for flight.
Or big dumb dove wings, which take forever
to preen, but look the best on the boy
with charcoal eyes and lalang hair,
always sneaking peeks at your test scores,
as he hovers somewhere over your shoulder,
the Jack of sniggers and unkind words,
the one with whom you just know
you will grow up to marry.
**
listeningto: aimee mann - just like anyone
_
re-attempts at form.
got bored on a long cab ride, decide to have some half-hearted fun with form, which i have not touched for a while. oh boy. laugh it up kiddos.
***
Last Pills
Down to our last pills,
having wasted too many on getting along.
Already, we are waking,
if you won’t go for more, I will.
Possessed, dancing to our individual fill,
drunk on our nakedness, diving into the black,
in this state, even you could love me,
right down to your last pill.
Smoke grants the room a frosted feel,
like your face, towards me, in your trance.
You reach for more; nothing, you are yelling,
“Go for more! Or I will.”
I went, then carried on, going farther still,
till the urge for dancing has been filled,
when the smoke has been forcibly cleared,
right down to my last pill
after that, even if you refused to go, I would have.
***
listening to : chris pierce - are you beautiful
reading: stanley kunitz - collected poems
_
***
Last Pills
Down to our last pills,
having wasted too many on getting along.
Already, we are waking,
if you won’t go for more, I will.
Possessed, dancing to our individual fill,
drunk on our nakedness, diving into the black,
in this state, even you could love me,
right down to your last pill.
Smoke grants the room a frosted feel,
like your face, towards me, in your trance.
You reach for more; nothing, you are yelling,
“Go for more! Or I will.”
I went, then carried on, going farther still,
till the urge for dancing has been filled,
when the smoke has been forcibly cleared,
right down to my last pill
after that, even if you refused to go, I would have.
***
listening to : chris pierce - are you beautiful
reading: stanley kunitz - collected poems
_
Sunday, May 21, 2006
the man is dead.
kunitz has passed away. i think he was my 3rd poetic hero, the no.3 contemporary poet i read after plath and hughes, before levine, before carver. i think i picked up his Passing Through from the stamford library and was immediately engrossed in it.
i think the attraction is becoz of his "uncle-ish" manner of writing. there's a soft tone in his poems, like you would imagine coming from your fav male grandparent (if you have one) saying "you know boy, when i was your age..." no reprimands, just a nostalgic storyteller. still, i see his pic, read his poems, and wonder if the words "boy, i have taken more salt, then you have had rice." would apply to him. haha.
slate has a small article of him by pinsky if anyone's interested to rest. as for kunitz's books, i recommend Passing Through.
***
listeningto: mary j blige - be without you
reading: mark strand - blizzard of one
update: thought that it was remarkably sad that i could go on about the man and yet not own a single copy of his book, so whilst waiting for davinci code to open, i bought his collected poems, hardback mind you, to join the rest in my poetry book collection. last copy at kino.
**
i think the attraction is becoz of his "uncle-ish" manner of writing. there's a soft tone in his poems, like you would imagine coming from your fav male grandparent (if you have one) saying "you know boy, when i was your age..." no reprimands, just a nostalgic storyteller. still, i see his pic, read his poems, and wonder if the words "boy, i have taken more salt, then you have had rice." would apply to him. haha.
slate has a small article of him by pinsky if anyone's interested to rest. as for kunitz's books, i recommend Passing Through.
***
listeningto: mary j blige - be without you
reading: mark strand - blizzard of one
update: thought that it was remarkably sad that i could go on about the man and yet not own a single copy of his book, so whilst waiting for davinci code to open, i bought his collected poems, hardback mind you, to join the rest in my poetry book collection. last copy at kino.
**
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
holy matrimony.
the last few of my close church-going friends are getting hitched. soon they will be baby factories. figures, catholics. heehee kidding. (choop, i still one kay.)
dam got chained down last night at a very sweet sentosa-beaufort reception and terrence and ave will be facing the same fate this dec at goodwoods. that makes me and rawn the last 2. and rawn's like 2 yrs younger than me and just started out with the working world. hmm, so the sights are on me. hope their hands dun get tired coz it looks like a long wait.
from last night's party antics, i have surmised the following surival tactics are necessary for coming out of your own wedding reception unscathed:
1. Do Not invite your close friends back to the room, esp if they have had a go at the alcohol and are carrying alcohol.
2. Do Not drink anything that your close friends hand you. Even though they have vouched with their lives that said drink is edible. better yet, be very suspicious if said drink is described with the word: edible.
3. Do learn how to read chinese, well, at least the hanyu pinyin.
4. Do Not allow the MC to drink. In fact, do not even sit the MC with the rowdy, intelligent friends with the evil ideas.
5. Do warn the management about the "yam-seng" being vigourous.
6. Ban games. no matter how innocent.
7. prep your obligatory speech beforehand. proof read thoroughly for booboos that the missus shouldnt hear.
8. no need to cater expensive beer, as long as its alcohol, people will be happy.
9. get your mom or dad to go back to the room as a rescuer. the friends ease up on the naughty games when the parentals drop by.
10. Better yet, Do Not hold a wedding dinner, just send a mass email stating "Dear friends, got married. Love you all, pls send all angbaos via cheque/money order/TT to XXX-XXXX-X account no."
and no. 11. just for me - get a girl first.
hee.
dam got chained down last night at a very sweet sentosa-beaufort reception and terrence and ave will be facing the same fate this dec at goodwoods. that makes me and rawn the last 2. and rawn's like 2 yrs younger than me and just started out with the working world. hmm, so the sights are on me. hope their hands dun get tired coz it looks like a long wait.
from last night's party antics, i have surmised the following surival tactics are necessary for coming out of your own wedding reception unscathed:
1. Do Not invite your close friends back to the room, esp if they have had a go at the alcohol and are carrying alcohol.
2. Do Not drink anything that your close friends hand you. Even though they have vouched with their lives that said drink is edible. better yet, be very suspicious if said drink is described with the word: edible.
3. Do learn how to read chinese, well, at least the hanyu pinyin.
4. Do Not allow the MC to drink. In fact, do not even sit the MC with the rowdy, intelligent friends with the evil ideas.
5. Do warn the management about the "yam-seng" being vigourous.
6. Ban games. no matter how innocent.
7. prep your obligatory speech beforehand. proof read thoroughly for booboos that the missus shouldnt hear.
8. no need to cater expensive beer, as long as its alcohol, people will be happy.
9. get your mom or dad to go back to the room as a rescuer. the friends ease up on the naughty games when the parentals drop by.
10. Better yet, Do Not hold a wedding dinner, just send a mass email stating "Dear friends, got married. Love you all, pls send all angbaos via cheque/money order/TT to XXX-XXXX-X account no."
and no. 11. just for me - get a girl first.
hee.
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