Like A Mother's Mourning Dress.

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:20:53 GMT

Subject: Unremembered Lads That Not Again

Unto me, from memory, he recited her sonnet;
Unto him I read of Lebanon's Al-mustafa.

(post|script)

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:04:54 GMT

Subject: Sleep Tight Little Boys of the New Damned

So, I haven't been this excited in, oh, ages! And because I am all sorts of excited,
I'm going to write up a LiveJournal entry with no eloquence whatsoever!

Over the Course of the Next Few Weeks, I Will, For the First Time (!):
+ See the Wallflowers! My first favorite band, and the one whose lyrics I
plastered all over my blue Adidas running shoes instead of Chuck Taylors
like a good junkie.

+ Participate in the Railroad Days Carnival! Meaning I will ride a Ferris Wheel
(its inventor is from Galesburg, so it's a must) and a Tilt-O-Whirl!

+ Go to Pitchfork! Where I will see the National (for the second time), but
Beirut for the first!

+ Go to the Knox Co. Fair! Where I will probably eat some object deep fried and obscene!

Aside from those firsts, all I do these days is work in the Business Office, let the President
of the College tell the story of how he "made me", and play tennis in 100+ degree weather/
ride my emerald 10-speed/eat ice cream|Tex-Mex|etc. with Chris, my might-as-well-be
gay friend from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania by way of Baltimore.

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:58:57 GMT

Subject: Area Code 61401, Summer 2009

Galesburg Summer Incident #001, Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
East Tompkins Street, heading East to Innkeeper's Coffee ...
Wearing a Cub t-shirt (Zambrano, #38) a federal employee of the postal service shouts from the side of his vehicle, "Go Cardinals!" at me. I don't think federal employees are allowed to identify a favorite sports team while in government garb. But I am vindicated because the Cardinals just lost two games to the Rockies in a big way: 4-11, 1-10.

Galesburg Summer Incident #002, Saturday, June 6th, 2009
Kentucky Fried Chicken, 1612 East Main Street ...
Waiting out 19 minutes in the lobby in order to get two Original Recipe breasts of chicken, Meg, Perrin, and I are approached by an old farmer-like man, who tells Perrin he is going to get arrested ... for sitting with two pretty girls like us. After leaving our table, he returns again asking Meg and I if we'll join him in an exercise, we agree. He asks us to fold our middle finger under our palm, laid out on the table. We do so. We are instructed to wiggle our pinky finger if we like cookies. We each wiggle our pinky. Next, we are to wiggle our pointer finger if we like sex. We laugh nervously, looking back at one another, and he tells us just to go along with it, it's a joke, he reminds us. We wiggle it to humor him. He then asks us to wiggle our ring finger if we are any good at it. Of course, we physically cannot wiggle our ring finger. He gets his laughs again, walks away.

Galesburg Summer Incident #003, Sunday, June 7th, 2009
Post Residence Hall, 461 West Street ...
Campus security enters the suite asking if I'd seen a black male, brown t-shirt in the building, for apparently a man of the aforementioned characteristics had broken into Post 5 on the other side of the building. Let it be known there are no more than 10 people left in the residence hall, all awaiting the summer move across campus/departure for home. Neat. A break-in on the first day.

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:05:31 GMT

An Effort at Wasting Time Until Bed Because Bad News Keeps You Awake:
First ... Put your media player on shuffle.
Second ... Post the first lines of the first 25 songs.

No one has to answer any of these, I'm just surprised at how I wouldn't
be able to name half of these songs myself.

1 | "We're talking away, I don't know what I'm to say, I'll say it anyway"
2 | "I was meant for the stage, I was meant for the curtain"
3 | "All along the western front, people line up to receive"
4 | "As I went down in the river to pray, studyin' about that good old way"
5 | "Walkin' on, walkin' on, broken glass"
6 | "Mist rising on the horizon, listenin’ with my ears and listenin’ with my eyes"
7 | "Hanging around Broadway, and I think I saw your face"
8 | "Oh Billy come on, 'cause I've heard your hundredth song"
9 | "I was slicing up an avocado when you came up behind me"
10 | "Good morning, Starshine, the earth says hello"
11 | "I steal a look between the blinds, I unwind"
12 | "We'll take ourselves out in the street, and wear the blood in our cheeks"
13 | "Painless ghosts, of which she knows"
14 | "Sunday is gloomy, my hours are slumberless"
15 | "Caution, caution, caution, to prevent electric shock"
16 | "Well it's been a long time, long time now"
17 | "Everyday, a new start, a cheap affair, a sordid truth"
18 | "And you're tired of your Mum, and you're tired of your Dad"
19 | "My dewy-eyed Disney bride, what has tried"
20 | "It's only two o'clock and the temperature's beginning to soar"
21 | "Well I'm down here in the well, looking back up at the hill"
22 | "I was born secular and inconsolable"
23 | "Silenced by death in the grave, sa da da da"
24 | "Time to send someone away, not me I'm not in"
25 | "Darn that dream, I dream each night"

Hostess is Trashier Than Little Debbie.

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:34:50 GMT

Agree, or disagree?

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:22:49 GMT

Subject: Like Busboys In A Restaurant

It's the eleventh of June, that makes it four days,
And I'm watching Christine, by Stephen King,
which is certainly second-rate to Stand By Me.
I'm ready for fall term, or January.

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 22:53:10 GMT

Subject: It's Only Fair To Tell You I'm Absolutely Cuckoo

I do lots of silly things when I get,
what I may justifiably assume are,
just silly crushes on silly boys.

I slip post-it notes of illustrious poetry in
between the pages of their readings of Virgina
Woolf or I craft messages out of construction
paper, ink, and adhesive to post to their doors,
messages in the form of nautical flags,
alligators, oceans, or any such combination.

However, all these silly things caused
by our (x3) silly emotions get me into trouble.

And trouble is not so silly.

(post|script|trouble)
She's the kind of girl that tends to brown,
Freckles on her elbows and her knees,
And I'm the boy that passes through these towns
I leave before we find out what it means.

I'll send a letter addressed to you
It says you're my California brown and blue.

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 03:40:59 GMT

Subject: Gimme A Ticket For An Aeroplane, Ain't Got Time To Take A Fast Train

Notes for Future Entries:
- the gathering of beautiful morticians in my bakery
- black pea coats on old friends at holiday
- short hair
- the year 1967 in music
- this break's novel consumption
- etc., etc., etc.

(post|script)
a giggling mess in the electronics store.

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 05:05:07 GMT

Subject: The Man in Black Pays Tribute to the Holidays

(post|script)
winter wooskie.

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:04:13 GMT

Subject: So You Think I've Got A Funny Face

Rest in Peace Kevin DuBrow.

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:33:13 GMT

Subject: A Lifelong Hunter: The Supporters of Mike Huckabee Shoot Blanks

You go, ~~Glenn CoCo~~ Mike Huckabee.
____________________________________________________________________________

In other news, while I support Bill Richardson (D), I still
Have a southern belle crush on John Edwards ...
P. Barnum: Awww, John Edwards.
P. Rademacher: what about edwards? just that he's a cutie?
P. Barnum: He is so humble and adorable.
P. Rademacher: thought so.
P. Barnum: He just laughed and flashed his pearly whites and I got weak knees and filled in my ballot.

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:52:42 GMT

“Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that
he must count on no one but himself; that he is alone,
abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities,
without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself,
with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself (...).”

(post|script)
Sartre.

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:27:56 GMT

Subject: From The Ice Age to the Dole Age, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

"I saw thousands of pumpkins last night
come floating in on the tide,
bumping up against the rocks and
rolling up on the beaches;
it must be Halloween in the sea."
-Richard Brautigan

Paige A. Barnum, prominent photographer and writer, died last night from complications of martyrdom and selflessness. She was 20 years old. Soft-spoken and nervous, Barnum never looked the part of a hopeless martyrize, betrayed by amorous persuasion. But, in the final days of her life, she revealed an unknown side of her nous. This hidden quasi-Jungian persona surfaced during the year-long Agatha Christie-like pursuit of righteous adventure and debauchery, unexpectedly meeting with an amatory cacoethes early on. Sadly, the protracted engagement ended early Monday evening, October 1st, in complete and utter failure. Yet even in certain defeat, the intrepid Barnum secretly began to cling to the belief that life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidences. Uh-uh. But rather, it's a tapestry of events that culminate in an exquisite, sublime plan, best left unrationalized. Asked about the loss of his dear friend, G.E. Kimbrell, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and executive editor of the New York Times, described Paige as a changed young woman in the last days of her life. "Things were clearer for her," Kimbrell noted. Ultimately, Paige concluded that if we are to live life in concordance with the universe, we must all possess a powerful faith in what the ancients used to call "fatum," what we currently refer to as personal circumstance.

(post|script)
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her hearing aid started to melt.

(post|script|two)
As inspired by Marc Klein, c. 2001

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:44:53 GMT

Subject: I Was Only Joking When I Said By Rights You Should Be Bludgeoned In Your Bed

Five Things I Like To Do These Days
A Post-Apocalyptic List By Paige A. Barnum

+ listen to the Smiths
+ drink English Breakfast tea
+ wash dishes in hot water
+ create elaborate stories for all the bruises on my legs
+ write and highlight in my agenda

(post|script)
a puddle in a basement grew and grew,
and the whole town rushed to save fax machines and public records
while I rolled up my pant legs.

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:29:41 GMT

Subject: Wishful Thinking

(post|script)
You ain't a beauty, but hey, you're alright.

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:47:44 GMT

Subject: Rewriting History

This summer I spent a lot of time purposely mislabeling items
I put in storage so that archaeologists will think my printer
Is a food processor and a deck of cards is the equivalent of cash
When they excavate my home after Doomsday and the Second
Coming of Christ.

Turns out, I am not the only one seeking to ~~rewrite~~ steer history into falsehoods:
Jeremy plans to peg himself a tragically famous writer by
Preserving his poems alongside works of notables:
Plato, Eliot, Doebert, Plath ...

I haven't figure out what to label my remote control yet.

(post|script)
And all the leaves have fallen from the trees
I could hold your cigarette on Oxford Street.

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:59:57 GMT

Subject: Wise Men Say Only Fools Rush In

It's a little bit achy
And a little bit making those pits,
But not so extreme.

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:06:31 GMT

Subject: The Death Of Independent Film Making In New York City

Free NYC Rap

Concerns: Anyone Who Has Ever Enjoyed An Independent Film
28 July 2007 New York Times: Picturing Protest, Artists Organize to Fight Camera Permit Proposal
Recent proposed legislation in New York City by lead of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require:

1) Any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and proof of liability insurance of one million dollars.

2) The same requirements would apply to any group of five or more people who plan to use a tripod in a public location for more than 10 minutes, including the time it takes to set up the equipment.

As you can tell, these two clauses alone would be the death of independent film making for many groups such as Olde English Comedy, troupe Improv Everywhere, The Neistat Brothers, up-and-coming musician's/band's music videos, and countless other artists and photographers in the metropolitan area: anyone who doesn't have a spare $1 million in insurance, for example.

How You Can Help:
From your e-mail, send a copy of the form letter provided from the National Coalition Against Censorship to Julianne Cho, assistant commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, at jcho@film.nyc.gov merely adding who you are and from where to indicate that the law stretches far beyond New York City in effect.

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:02:27 GMT

Subject: The Mean Reds

I haven't been in love with a single person in years.
However, I have been in love with
Olde English collectively since at least 2004,
And that's good enough for me.

I have been compulsively watching this video,
Which I think is my way of saying I love OE's
"Techno."

Six months ago, eight-year old Danny Popper
was trampled to death when a nightclub DJ played
techno superstar Tranzic's song "Dance 'Til Someone
Dies." The nation was shocked.

As a tribute to Danny's memory, Tranzic has vowed never
to make dance music again, and instead has released
the following single.
Video | "Don't Dance"

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 19:14:05 GMT

Subject: If I Could Write I'd Set All The Words

If I am notorious for one thing,
It is that notoriously when cleaning my room I get nostalgic.

And instead of doing the simple "pick that up off the floor,"
Or "just empty that trash and vacuum, and you'll be done," I
Sort through everything which turns into calamity, disaster, a bigger mess:
Old notes spilling out of boxes and drawers, reading such documents,
And getting little to nothing done in the course of four hours or more.

Coming home from school for the summer, unpacking and cleaning,
Turned into revisiting the library of documents in my room and in consequence,
Getting nothing productive done in the eyes of my parents.
What I came to realize from this particular "cleaning" was that over the course
Of pre-college years, I was ridiculous yet thought I was insightful.
However, I was a little relieved to see in some entries
A regard for an opinion or consideration
Of the sentiments of someone not me, the ability to see another side.
But of course, I sided with myself.

Exhibit A:

I've decided, for whatever prosperity, to document all my childhood writings
That I came across in notebooks, all half full before switching to another, of course,
For not only myself, but for your own amusement, because I have to admit, the middle
School years are straight out of "gothic" literature,
And (direct quote) "my life as a deep dark well."

What I like about Exhibit A, is the fact I had only seen the movie Harriet the Spy,
Which wasn't a half bad adaptation, I now see, but nevertheless, I loved it and picked up
A few Harriet-traits, including labeling the top right margins of all my notebooks with letters
That eventually came to spell something. Last summer, I actually read Harriet the Spy,
And although it wasn't as memorable for me as the movie, I couldn't help but remember all
The times I had tried to be Harriet when I was younger. I suppose I can redeem myself in some
Respects knowing that I did grow up with Nancy Drew, however I have no interest in
Seeing the most recent movie adaptation of said heroine, for I think it looks absolutely awful.
But on a better closing note, and much to my enjoyment, I saw a boy at my school this year,
In the cafeteria, reading Harriet the Spy, and I couldn't help but hope he, too,
Had been as influenced by that movie when he was younger as I was.

(post|script)
TODAY A NEW BOY ARRIVED. HE IS SO DULL NO ONE
CAN REMEMBER HIS NAME SO I HAVE NAMED HIM
THE BOY WITH PURPLE SOCKS. IMAGINE.
WHERE WOULD HE EVER FIND PURPLE SOCKS?
[p. 185]

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 17:11:59 GMT

Subject: We Listened To It Twice, 'Cause The DJ Was Asleep

You Can't See Us, We're On The Radio Returns

Season 2 Premiere This Sunday, 2:00 p.m.
90.7 WVKC "No Sale Radio" Galesburg
Or Live Stream Through iTunes/Web-Based Players Here

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 08:08:06 GMT

Subject: When I Have Nothing To Say

The Pumpkin Tide
I saw thousands of pumpkins last night
come floating in on the tide,
bumping up against the rocks and
rolling up on the beaches;
it much be Halloween in the sea.

A Good-Talking Candle
I had a good-talking candle
last night in my bedroom.

I was very tired but I wanted
somebody to be with me,
so I lit a candle

and listened to its comfortable
voice of light until I was asleep.

Late at night I read others' poems
Wishing I had written them myself.

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 09:12:25 GMT

Subject: バガボンド

(O), (S), (Te), (Se), (Po).
A patient etherised upon a table is
Two parts alkyl, the remainder member to
The sixteenth group of the periodic table.
Thus, the patient on their own
Is, by nature, a free radical and
Therefore extremely reactive.

(post|script)
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells.

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 05:01:24 GMT

Subject: The Rescue Blues

Itinerary for P.A. Barnum the weeks of 2 December 2006 - 18 December 2006.
2 December 2006, 3:01 a.m. - Newton, Kansas
2 December 2006, 12:10 p.m. - Galesburg, Illinois
3 December 2006, 4:30 a.m. - Galesburg, Illinois wakeup
3 December 2006, 15-some hours later (IL, KY, MO, AR) - New Orleans, Louisiana
3 December 2006, 15 December 2006, New Orleans, Louisiana + toxin suit + mask + 9th Ward
16 December 2006, 15-some hours (LA, AR, MO, KY) - Galesburg, Illinois
17 December 2006, 5:53 p.m. - Galesburg, Illinois
18 December 2006, 3:25 a.m. - Newton, Kansas

News Update NOLA:
Crime Takes Hold of New Orleans

(post|script)
"Well, keep in touch, baby
Just don't charge me with your rescue blues."

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 22:15:06 GMT

Subject: Rumsfeld Resignation

I find it highly interesting, and kinda awesome,
Even if I know little of Robert Gates*,
That he is a Wichita native, and graduate
Of Wichita High School East.

[He better not suck.]
Deep, I know.

*likely assuming Rumsfeld's position