Emotionally Charged Towel #12

Another trip down memory lane, courtesy of 18 year old Keith and some spring cleaning. I think I like this poem more than the last story I put up. Maybe I'm just being a hopeless romantico...

You want to call him PRETTY
But you just know that he'd laugh
At your uncreative choice of adjectives
But there's just no other way to describe him

CUTE doesn't do him justice
He's way past that level of playground good looks
Tether balls and cootie tag spring to mind before his flawless face does

You could call him HANDSOME assuming
That fashion catalog male models wouldn't take offense
At your gall for comparing their stylish Armani tastes
To his penchant for clothes that don't always have to fit him snug

You could easily call him SEXY but
There's just much more to him than that
Though he gives you those thoughts
That shake around your insides

You want to call him PRETTY
But you know he'll laugh again
With visions of poofy hostesses
All dressed to the nines
And tens and twenties too

You'll understand his not understanding
Your need to find a word to explain
All of the ways he makes you feel
When it's just the two of you together
And that PRETTY doesn't quite cut it
So you want to call him PRETTY
And you probably will
But when he's not around
And you keep writing dumb poetry about him
You know you'll want to call him PRETTY
But you should just call him BEAUTIFUL

Emotionally Charged Towel #11

I was looking through some old writings of mine from my younger years and I found this sad little tale. A few months away from my 30th birthday, I couldn't help but remember how I felt when at wrote it at 18, and if I'd changed any since then. Forgive the dramatics it was high school baby...

Once upon a time there was a boy. This boy was the happiest most doggone, whipsmart little boy that ever walked this planet. One day, without expecting to, the boy fell in love. He fell in love so deep that he thought he'd never get out, and he was right. He'd built himself a pit so far into the ground that the strongest ropes in the world couldn't pull him out. So he climbed for months and months until, miraculously, he finally emerged out of the hole he'd been stuck in for so long. When he got out, he ran away, promising never to fall in love ever again. So he kept his eyes cautiously to the ground but he couldn't help looking for love and always falling into places that were way too deep for him. It wasn't that he minded the fall, he just didn't like getting in over his head and perhaps looking was the problem. So he decided to stop looking and just go about his business and maybe, when he wasn't looking, he'd accidentally fall somewhere that he actually fit comfortably in and felt protected.
But everyday he continued to fall, and fall hard, Never quite landing on his feet so that his body felt sore all over. One day he plunged head first into another deep hole and landed with a familiar thud. He didn't know why he had stepped into this hole but it almost felt like he had to. There was almost a safety, a comfort, inside this new place but it went against the boy's better judgement and he tried not to linger too long but couldn't help it. The typical climbs out of all of his previous falls was always tough and harder than he liked. But this fall was different. He didn't feel like he did after getting out of all the other places. He didn't feel alone like he usually did, he felt a steady peace. So instead of heading up the rocky wall towards the light he'd seen so often he merely settled into a corner of this new and inviting space and went right to sleep.

Strawberry Letter 25

Dearest,

I hope this reaches you in time, I have so much to tell you.
I thought I saw you tonight in a sea of bobbing pink heads. The music wafting away swayed the landscape into a unique design. To be honest, I picked up your faint aroma at first. Like the sun burning through an orange grove already a day lost in its own fire, it shocked my senses just in time to calm them. Just when I thought we would be reunited there was a clash of cymbal and a flash of the strings. It wasn't you but one of the many sent here in your place to confuse and strengthen me. It's not fair. I'm tired of flexing this muscle.
I remember your eyes that day that we separated, the iris was an island that I'd have to be lost in a storm to find. Why its been this long I'll never know, or someday I will and that's when you'll come back. Bright as a light and with that protective layer like you never left, I promise never to doubt myself or why you were there. The piece you took is yours. I've never taken my eyes of the piece I took from you. Perhaps I thought I could burn a new you out of it if I just held my gaze. LIke a diamond from the coal you'd be there.
I'm not sure if this will get to you this time but I'll keep trying like I do. Your last note was nice but full of questions that smelled like licorice. I couldn't help but turn them into a list like groceries and keep it with me always. Years we've been apart but this apricot abscence is serving my heart full with fondness.

Take care.
Keith

Emotionally Charged Towel #10

I first laid ears upon The The's song LOVE IS STRONGER THAN DEATH during the end credits of Gregg Araki's film NOWHERE. I was alarmed to find that the soundtrack CD did not contain the song so I had to hunt it down.
Everytime I get cold and feel the sting of snow in my hand this song comes in around the edges. A YouTube of the song is above for added wintertime exposure. Ps- Don't worry, I'm not turning all Goth and Saddoe on y'all. In fact here's a video below to turn your frown upside down again!

Emotionally Charged Towel #9

Oh there is nothing like the tingle in your head when you come across a song that seems to want you to discover it. It wafts into your ears and eventually your spine, finally settling into your bloodstream. It clicks like a series of gears and pulleys and just seems to start a hum in your head that feels like it was always supposed to be there. The latest song to give me this feeling is from former Canadian folkie turned hot popular singer Nelly Furtado and her Timbaland produced song SAY IT RIGHT.
On the surface, Timbaland constructed a fanatastic beat and flow that turns the song into a kind of urban dream complimented by Ms. Furtado's simple and sweet lyrics. Deep down I see that the song works for me by coming at an introspective time in my life.
As I close 2006 and step towards 2007 (and what will be my 30th year moving around this planet) I look at what directions I am trying to grow towards as a person and have especially found myself focused on over the last two months. 90% of my mind is often aimed at adventures of a romantic nature and this year had a couple of incidents that did a number on me. I'm proud to say that I'm actually learning to let go of situations that only serve to complicate my life and mind and move towards relationships that will actually work for me. I can clearly see the things that I actually want in a companion and not just the things that I don't want. That's one gigantic checker hop across the board. King me.
SAY IT RIGHT moved through my mind as a song with lyrics I've heard myself say in my own head. I too have tried to steer people into certain directions while trying to show that I myself am flawed and looking to change. I try hard because I want a companion who will come along with me so we can support each other on our endeavours. I end up, however, singing this song to someone who doesn't want me to sing to them. Someone who's happy not hearing anything at all. They think that I don't care about them or how they feel when, ultimately, I want to care about them more than they've ever imagined. There's my problem. I push forward and waste my voice because I can't say correctly what I'm feeling and would like to happen. The time has arrived to change that behaviour. I have a lot to offer, and a lot to sing about so maybe I'll just save my song for someone who wants to hear it. I'm hoping to be able to see that person a lot easier soon.
Anyhoo, here's the lyrics to the aforementioned song with a bonus You Tube of the video so that you can follow along. Ps- If Timbaland produced at least one song for every recording artist in the world I think he could very well save the music industry.

Hungry Hungry Haikus #49

All of these new things
With fresh paint to hide the cracks
Feel like the old things

This Is Why I Love My Job...

Today I had the sincere pleasure of checking out the new Pedro Almodovar movie, VOLVER ,before it comes out in a few months, and I'm still on cloud 9. I nearly had a heart palpitation when Carmen Maura came on screen (it's been way too long since she inhabited an Almodovar character) and Penelope Cruz was fantastic as well (those willing to dismiss her should really check out her Spanish work first). I think it will be coming to Denver sometime in late November so mark your calendars!

Hungry Hungry Haikus #44 - 47

And so I took the bait
I wanted so badly to see you
And talk about your problems

It is what we know
And what we trusted each other with
That makes it so hard

As a friend I help
I listen and look for ways out
When the world seems cavernous

As my friend you failed
You chose to evade than stay
When my problem was you

Hungry Hungry Haikus #43

Despite retaining my wisdom teeth
I don't seem to have the smarts
This foolish heart keeps beating

Hungry Hungry Haikus #42

Rather than fight for me
You put your feelings in a bottle
And me inside a box