New Bookstore Coming

2 Comments

A few months ago, Borders in Dickson City closed, as the company went bankrupt and closed all of its stores across the nation. This closing followed the loss of Anthology New and Used Books in Scranton. Without these two stores, Lackawanna County no longer had a full-fledged bookstore.

When all of this happened over the spring and summer, I bemoaned the loss of these stores, realizing it was a real loss to the community and all of the writers and customers that frequented these places. Well, the good news is that a new bookstore, Books-A-Million, will soon fill the space Borders used to occupy.

An article that ran in The Scranton Times about two weeks ago stated the store should have opened by Nov. 4.  My girlfriend and I went down there on Friday to see if it opened yet, and it did not. However, a lot of the shelves were filled with books, and as we looked through the window, I noticed some of the folks that worked at Borders were stocking shelves. So, I’m happy that at least some of the Borders employees that were laid off have jobs again.

I don’t know what Books-A-Million will be like. According to the recent article, they will have several book sections, a cafe, and magazine rack. I just hope people support this place, considering it’s the only full-fledged bookstore the whole county has. Though I now live closer to two Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million will be closer to the college where I teach, so I do plan to frequent it.

Halloween Verse

Leave a comment

Halloween still remains my favorite holiday, no matter how old I get. I wanted to start the day off by posting some links to some autumn/Halloween-themed verse.

Here’s a link to the poem “To Autumn” by John Keats, one of the most anthologized poems in the English language.

Here is a poem entitled “Country Fair” by Charles Simic, a poet who tends to stack weird, bizarre images on top of each other, sometimes as a way to address the human condition or the atrocities of war. Here’s another poem by Simic, “Late Septemer,” and another poem in which Simic personifies death.

Mark Strand is a poet  a little similar to Simic, in the deep image, surrealist sense at least. His early poems are filled with bizarre, unsettling images. Here’s one of his poems.

And of course there’s always the work of Edgar Allan Poe, “The Raven” one of his most famous works and a perfect read for this holiday.

Happy Halloween!

 

They’re Coming to Get You, Barbara

Leave a comment

When I was young, I used to watch horror movies with my father. I have memories of seeing Night of the Living Dead, Friday the 13th, Fire in the Sky, and other movies with him. Since then, I’ve always loved horror movies, specifically ones from the 1960s-1980s that offer at least some character development, interesting plot, and at times social/political commentary. As a writer, I also know how difficult it is to suspend reality and make the setting and situation work, no matter how outlandish the story may seem on paper.

Here’s an overview/commentary on some of my favorite horror movies.

George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead,  Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead

Zombies have been popular over the last few years. The high ratings of AMC’s show “The Walking Dead” prove that. But Romero’s brilliant zombie films started the trend and how we think of zombies on the big screen or TV. What separates Romero’s films from the rest, though, is his social commentary. You can view Dawn of the Dead as a statement against consumerism. The zombies do flock to the mall, after all, and wander around aimlessly. Day of the Dead warns against militarization, and one of his more recent films, Land of the Dead, highlights the growing gap between the wealthy and the poor in the U.S. My favorite, though, is still Night of the Living Dead. I love the 1968 black and white version, especially the beginning of the film where the young woman and her friend are in the graveyard and encounter a stumbling, groaning zombie. I still love the line, “They’re coming to get you, Barbara!”

John Carpenter’s Halloween

This is the film I re-watch every October, and it still holds up. I love the scenes shot from Michael Myer’s point of view, as he stalks Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her friends. I love the fact there is no rational  for why Michael does what he does, other than pure evil.  None of the sequels or remakes hold up to the original.

John Carpenter’s The Thing

I just re-watched this the other day for the first time in a few years. The setting and effects are still spectacular and eerie, especially as the paranoia overtakes each of the characters in the film as they question who or who isn’t the shape-shifting alien.

Poltergeist

I also re-watched this recently. The scene where Carol Anne speaks through the TV and the white noise gives me chills. What’s especially effective about this movie is the character development. We want the family to survive, and we grow fond of them as the movie progresses.

The Exorcist

This is the only horror movie that generally scared me. A lot of the scenes stick with you after you watch it,  even the notion that a 12-year-old girl can suddenly become possessed by a demon. There’s also a lot of good points about faith and doubt raised in this film. In the extended version, the scene where a possessed Linda Blair walks up and down the stairs like a spider makes my skin crawl.

These are just some of my favorite horror films. There aren’t too many recent ones I’ve enjoyed, as it seems many of them rely on high body counts and flat characters, as opposed to rich character development, an intriguing plot, and effects that aren’t overdone.

My girlfriend and I plan to watch a few of these and some other favorites during these days leading up to Halloween.

From Basement Halls to Arenas

Leave a comment

A few years ago, I was in a far different situation than I am now. I was a news reporter living in West Chester, where  I also attended college. The location and its close proximity to Philly allowed me to see several shows in the city.

One of my favorite venues is still the Unitarian Church, which fits only 200-300 people. One blustery winter night, I ventured there for a record release party for The Loved Ones, one of Philly’s finest punk/indie acts. The band had just released its second full-length album, Build and Burn.

Opening the show was a foursome from New Jersey called The Gaslight Anthem. A few weeks prior to the show, I had purchased their debut full-length, Sink or Swim, and I was drawn to the driving power-chord anthems about lovers named Maria, growing up in New Jersey, and the power of music. They sounded like the punk version of Springsteen. The band came out and looked like they were out of the 1950s-blue jeans, white T-shirts, and slicked back hair. They ripped through several of the songs from their first album, and played a few songs from a forthcoming EP, Senor and the Queen.  The anthemic choruses were even more infectious live. 

Post-show, I  met front man Brian Fallon and other members of the band, who seemed rather shy and timid. I told them they were going to get big and they were already starting to gain popularity, at least in the underground scene. I based this off of buzz they were generating on punk/indie rock blurbs/websites, especially Punknews.org. They had more heart, energy, and passion than most bands, and it was evident their fanbase would only grow.

I didn’t see the band live again until they played Cafe Metropolis in Wilkes Barre and by that time, they released The ’59 Sound, an album with richer production that drifted more toward straight rock ‘n roll, and even soul at times. As the band’s sound expanded, the positive reviews only increased. But surprisingly, they didn’t sign to a major label, even after their next album, American Slang, earned them a feature story in The New York Times. They stuck with the punk/indie label SideOneDummy.

Over the last few years, I saw them play a few more times in Philly, NJ, and the Allentown Fair, and each time, they played a bigger and bigger venue. I also encountered them in person again at the Troc in Philly, when they were on the cover of Wonka Vision, a Philly-based music magazine I used to write for. They beamed with smiles and actually showed their parents the cover when I handed it to them before the show. But still, they were so humble and couldn’t believe they were on a glossy magazine cover.

Recently, the band announced that it signed to Mercury Records,  a major label. Despite whatever punk rock complaints I may still hold against major labels, I have to say these guys deserve it. They worked hard and toured constantly over the last few years. I’m sure their sound will continue to evolve, and I’m happy to say I got to see them at a church basement hall shortly after their first album came out. It was clear even then that success awaited them. That small show, where only two dozen people or so knew them, is even more special to me now.

Here’s an older track:

A Few Announcements

Leave a comment

This week, the NYC-based journal Yes, Poetry released its fall issue, and I have three poems in it. You can actually download a copy of the journal by visiting the website.

This Friday, Art Seen Gallery, located at 21 Public Square in Wilkes Barre, will host slam poetry veteran Elizabeth Gordan, who also teaches creative writing at Renssalaer Institute. A limited open mic will follow. The reading starts at 8.

Finally, if you’re interested in the #OccupyWallStreet Movement, come down to the Lackawanna County Courthouse anytime this weekend for another rally. There was a good turnout last weekend and folks of all ages and backgrounds attended and shared ideas of how best to fix our economy and political system.

Mulberry Poets Reading

Leave a comment

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be one of the featured readers this Friday at an event hosted by the Mulberry Poets and Writers Association. It will take place at 6 pm at the Century Club (612 Jefferson Ave.).

Other featured readers include Dawn Leas, Erin Delaney, Amye Archer, Reena Ranells, and Greg Russick. The event is free and open to the public. Some of the writers, myself included, will have our books for sale.

I will mostly be sharing newer poems from a second manuscript I’ve almost finished.

Occupy Boston/Occupy Wall Street Movement

Leave a comment

This weekend, I visited Boston to see friends, and while there, we checked out the   Occupy Boston rally, located in Dewey Square, the heart of the city’s financial district. Occupy Boston is an off-shoot of Occupy Wall Street, the movement that has formed to protest corporate greed, bank bailouts, and budget cuts, especially to education and other domestic issues.

Upon arriving at the scene, we saw a sea of tents and a huge Occupy Boston banner, as shown in the picture above. The tents had various signs that read “Main Street,” “We are the 99 %,” and “Tax Wall Street.” The population of the crowd was pretty diverse and included the good, the bad, and the ugly. There were some teachers and nurses there, as well as representatives from local unions. There were also folks in tie dyed shirts and dreadlocks, and some punk rockers with black bandanas over their faces. It was also  a mix of young and old.

I was especially surprised at the organization. Occupy Wall Street is now in its fourth week, but Occupy Boston is younger than that. But already,  Occupy Boston has a detailed schedule of events for each week, major union backing, and tents set up marked media, medical, food, logistics, and legal.  They’re also conducting marches through the downtown, which we took part in, teach-ins, and media training.

The movement is also doing a good job keeping itself unaffiliated with either political party. I didn’t see a sign for Obama or the Democratic Party. I did see a Ron Paul campaign worker handing out literature, but that was it. All of the signs were aimed at the abuse of corporate power and the high unemployment rate.

It has yet to be seen the effect this movement will have. I hope it produces some kind of effective legislation to regulate Wall Street more and prevent corporate bailouts that are used to give bonuses to CEOs or buy corporate jets. I also hope it encourages Congress and the president to produce a broad jobs plan that will lower the unemployment rate.  But movements take time to coalesce and produce results. Civil Rights and pro-labor legislation took a while to happen after those movements formed. But it’s clear the Occupy Wall Street folks aren’t going anywhere. This movement has now spread to several cities. There’s even an Occupy Scranton movement, and the Facebook page has over 600 likes. The leaders of this movement need to ensure that as it grows, it stays non-violent and focused. One brick through  a window will generate a swarm of bad press and end this.

A New Movement Taking Shape

Leave a comment

I’m sharing yet another post about politics/social issues. I promise I’ll do something on writing again soon. 

Anyone that has been paying attention to the news lately has probably heard about the Occupy Wall Street Movement. Over the last two weeks or so, protestors have come to NYC’s financial district to protest the growing income disparity in the U.S.  What intrigues me about this movement is that it considers itself “leaderless,” and so far, it hasn’t designated a spokesperson, unlike the Civil Rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s, or even the more recent Tea Party Movement. According to the movement’s website, what the protestors have in common is that they are “the 99 % that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1 %.”

Coverage of the movement was slow at first, but after a NYC police officer pepper sprayed some of the protestors, the video was seen all over the web and gained national media attention. “The Daily Show” even spoofed the incident. You can see that video here.  

Now, the movement is spreading to other parts of the country. It’s already started in Boston, according to a recent blog post at Forbes, and it also spread to San Francisco, according to a Huffington Post article.  

Furthermore, the protestors in NYC may soon have a powerful ally. According to another article, some NYC-based unions are considering teaming up with the grassroots movement. If this happens, the numbers on the streets could swell, especially in NYC.

What surprises me about this movement is that it didn’t happen a few years ago when the economy nearly crashed, and then Congress bailed out the banks and Wall Street, yet the same problems still persist. But maybe all of the union busting in Wisconsin, Ohio, and other states finally sparked this, as well as the daunting 9.1 percent unemployment number, which is even higher for young people and the black community.

There are still a lot of questions surrounding the movement, including its general list of demands. But the fact this movement is so organic and grassroots is exciting. It hasn’t been co-opted by either political party or  a single politican, at least not yet.

I will be in Boston next weekend visiting friends, and we plan to stop by one of the protests to check it out. I’ll probably blog something about that when I get back.

The President’s New Tone

Leave a comment

I’m taking a break from blogging about poetry/writing to address politics again. A few weeks ago, after a Republican won  a House seat in a deep blue NY district during a special election, I said here that Obama is going to have a tough time seeking re-election in 2012. As someone who worked on his campaign in 2008,  I have been disappointed in his lack of willingness to stand up to Republicans and fight for key Democratic principles. I wondered what direction the president would take heading into 2012 and whose re-election campaigns he would try to emulate. Over the last few weeks, we have started to see how he plans to run for re-election. His new tone just may rally his alienated base.

Despite being surrounded by a bunch of former Clinton advisors, Obama doesn’t seem to be following Clinton’s path to re-election from 1996. Clinton moved to the center, as opposed to the left, and pushed bills that reformed Welfare and won over more independents and even some conservatives.  Recently, Obama has channeled two other Democratic presidents more so than Bill Clinton- Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman.

I say Obama is channeling FDR because of his newly released jobs bill, which calls for higher taxes on the wealthy and a lot of infrastructure programs, including the creation of a high-speed rail system and the rebuilding of America’s crumbling schools.   Like FDR, Obama has been arguing lately that in times of high unemployment, the government should act and pass a jobs bill to put people back to work. FDR did this successfully through the New Deal programs. This idea is the total opposite of the current GOP platform. The Republican leadership does not believe in a comprehensive jobs bill or further stimulus spending to put people back to work. They have been pushing greater austerity measures.

It has yet to be seen if Obama’s job bill will pass the GOP-controlled House. Republicans don’t seem likely to hand Obama a victory,even if parts of his job bill are popular with the public.  Still, though, the president has been pushing the jobs bill day in and day out, and while doing so, he’s been channeling another Democratic president– Harry Truman. When Truman was re-elected, he ran against a very unpopular Congress. As I said in a previous post, Obama’s job performance numbers are low,  in the 40s, but Congress’ overall approval number is even lower, historic lows. Some polls have Congress at 19 percent approval; other polls have Congress at 22 or 23 percent approval.  Obama knows this, and he’s taken the gloves off to go on the offensive against GOP leadership in the House and Senate. He’ s also been pushing the plan in the districts of his opposition. He did a speech last week at a bridge in Ohio that links the Congressional district of House speaker John Boehner with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s state of Kentucky. The president slammed both leaders for the gridlock in Washington.

The president has also been quicker to counter GOP attacks. When he stated recently he wants a higher tax rate for millionaires, GOP leadership cried class warfare. Obama countered that it’s not class warfare, just simple math.

Obama’s new populist tone should rally his base. This is the president  a lot of supporters thought they voted for in 2008, someone willing to stand up for the middle class and jumpstart the economy.  Still, though, Obama is going to face daunting unemployment numbers heading into 2012 and skepticism by some voters that he can fix the economy. It’s not likely the unemployment  number of 9.1 percent will come down much between now and next November, and even if parts of the jobs bill pass Congress, their effects on unemployment may take time.  But if Obama runs against the unpopular Congress, continues his populist tone, and points out how  far to the right the current GOP presidential candidates are, he does have a better chance of winning a second term.

What a Wonderful Scene

Leave a comment

This past weekend, I was reminded how wonderful a creative community the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area has. On Friday, I took part in a fundraiser/Equinox party for the Vintage Theater.  I was happy to share the stage with friend and fellow writer Amye Archer and share a few poems, and I got to hear some new talent in the area. I was especially impressed with the music of Katie Kelly, a 26-year-old from Wilkes-Barre. She fronts the band Ashes for Trees, but she played solo at this event.  She has quite a soulful voice, and when she first leaned over her guitar, I didn’t think such a powerful voice would come out of her!  At times, her vocal style also reminded me of Tori Amos. If you get a chance to see her solo or with her band, you should check it out.

The weekend concluded with Prose and Pubs on Sunday night. I had the pleasure of reading at one of these about two months ago,and it seems each one grows bigger and bigger. This month’s line-up included local writers Bryne Lewis, Kate Burrier, and Amye Archer. The feature was Jason Carney, a Texas-based slam/performance poet, whose work addresses everything from southern racism to being a dad. Each piece, including a memoir that he’s currently drafting, drew raucous applause from the audience, and it was great to see that many people so riled up over poetry and writing. The next Prose in Pubs will be sometime in late November, and you should come.

 Here’s one of the pieces Carney performed: