Poetry from the 3:15 Experiment August 4, 2009: Alice in Twitterland & The Wine Twitter Court
August 4 2009
3:15amMost knights these days
I dream about a twitter wine court
these are men and women
their avatar faces on
their twitter names on cards before them
they sit in a jurors box
like in Alice in Wonderland
weighing in snarking on wine
and lifeI am most like Alice
mostly
standing on the ground before them
listening to their pronouncements
my eyebrows raised high about my teeth
my sweaty palms press into my pinaforeTheir pronouncements have little to do
w/me yet I cagely
watch the conversation
wait for a chance to pipe in
hesitate to say somethingthen do
Mostly my words are ignored
but at least they’re uttered
in front of this kangaroo court
that lives in the dreamtime
I’ve been transcribing this year’s 3:15am Experiment poems and preparing a poetry manuscript collecting 100 of them to start submitting to contests and publishers at the end of the month. (The 3:15 Experiment is where poets from around the world participate in an experimental writing project by waking up at 3:15am local time and writing then publishing it as is unedited on the website…)
I don’t remember writing this 3:15 poem; in fact, that’s one reaosn why doing the 3:15 Experiment is so magical-you’re writing poems half awake and half asleep, in a hypnogogic/hypnopompic state, connected still to the unconscious.
While I didn’t remember writing it that night, once I reread it and started typing it, I remembered images from the dream which must have inspired me to write that poem. In the Juror box (which looked a lot like Tweetdeck!) there’s @ElJefeTwisted Oak, Thea @WineBratSF, @Sonadora, Hardy Wallace, @sonomawineguy Jim from Michel-Schlumberger, @RandallGrahm from Bonny Doon, @marcygordon and @winebard. @PMabray and @JoelVincent were there too. And more.
It’s not too surprising (the dream that is). I wrote this 3:15 Experiment poem just a week or two after the 2009 Wine Bloggers Conference. At that time, I was really starting to get into twitter, even though I’d been on it for about six months, and I was following a lot of wine people (I still am!) But I was starting to really follow some of the conversations, investing more time in it, and learning more about the people posting the tweets.
Since then, I’ve tripled my followers and those I follow as well as my tweets! More importantly, I’ve learned how important it is as a tool to find out what’s going on in the world and on the web that has value…and I’ve learned that I have contributions to make to the conversation, and that I am part of the conversation. Now, two months later, while I still sometimes feel like Alice in Twitterland, I no longer feel ignored.
Thanks to my tweeps for making me feel welcome in Twitterland!
For more poetry, ride the Monday Train! It leaves the station here every Monday and everyone is welcome to ride!
And I suspect this poem will make the cut into the book–what do you think? Do you like it too? Should a poem about Twitter be one of the 100?
My CSA* box over the summer provided me with a HUGE abundance of carrots. In fact, at one point I had so many carrots in my refrigerator that one drawer was basically devoted to them. I should have taken a picture of them so you would believe me!
* A CSA, in case you don’t know, is Consumer Supported agriculture–that means I bought a share into a farm and get a dividend each week in whatever is being produced.
It’s not that I don’t like carrots, because I do–raw ones, not cooked ones. I just never seem to get around to scrubbing them clean and eating them. When I’m on a road trip, I love to snack on them; I have found they’re great for keeping me awake and alert while driving at night. I’ll usually pick up some sweet nantes which I can eat straight out of the bag. If I don’t eat them all, when I get home, they’ll join the others in the drawer.
Two events saved the day, or at least saved my refrigerator space: someone loaned me a juicer and I made carrot soup.
One of the reasons I finally got around to making the soup was because after my husband had lip cancer and plastic reconstructive surgery, he had to drink everything through a straw. It’s almost three weeks later, and he’s still eating soft foods and lots of soups. And carrot juice and carrot products are super cancer fighting foods! Read more…
Since Decompression Parties are like mini-Burning Man Festivals sans the Man and DUST STORMS, expect to see theme camps, wild costumes, stages with entertainment, lots of music and dancing everywhere, and to be entertained where ever you might wander! And like Burning Man itself, this is not a SPECTATOR SPORT–come dressed to participate!
Plus Decompression is a great opportunity to give and get gifts, either left over from last year’s burn or special to Decom. we have a few more stickers and bandanas to share!
LA’s Decompression Party is today from noon until midnight. Read more…
I’m going to try to live blog the ALOUD at LA’s Aratani Theater in Japantown: “Cities, Bicycle and the Future of Getting Around” led by David Byrne who has a new book out, Bicycle Diaries. So please keep coming back to see how this post evolves!
As we drove in from Ventucky, as we left the crowded freeway and found ourselves on the city streets, cars were joined by more and more bikes. In fact, it looked like there were several hundred bikes in a sponsored bike corral.
The program starts out with various video clips almost like one world one bike, one world one bike ride. Every film you’ve ever seen from the wizard of oz’s witch and Dorothy must have shown up in this 5 minute clip, followed by a request turn off cell phones and not to tweet which got a laugh. Hopefully my live blogging will be permitted.
David Byrne is up first. He’s got some slides to get us going including a shot of LA which he took as he flew in.
We’re right in front!! And David Byrne is right in front of us! OK I’m feeling a little star struck. Back to business. Read more…
Did you know that almost 50,000 people a day ride bikes for one week in Black Rock City? And that most of those people ride bikes exclusively for their form of transportation from the time they arrive until the time they leave a week or so later? Yep. How do they do it? Easy–cars are banned from the streets of the city. To get around, people have to walk, ride a bike (there’s thousands they can borrow), or grab public transportation (aka ArtCars).
Did you know that 500,000 people a day commute by bike in Copenhagen? That’s a half million people–riding bikes!
How can we promote, create, fund this radical act, this Copenhagenization, this Black Rock City approach, in the United States–in our cities and communities?
That’s a big question, and one which this site, Copenhagencyclechic, is devoted to exploring how to Copenhagenize the world. And it seems like this coming year at Burning Man, as we explore the theme of Metropolis, we will all learn ideas of how to get around in these cities we have grown.
One obvious way is to create commuter routes like you see on the map of Copenhagen on the left. If we can spend millions of dollars on highways to move individuals in cars, why can’t we spend a much much smaller amount of money to facilitate the safe travel of people on bikes?
If we spent just a fraction of the amount of money that we do on vehicle infrastructure needs on alternative transportation needs, we’d be able to get around more safely and reduce our carbon footprints. We’d be a lot healthier and a lot happier. OK I admit don’t have research on that one at hand–except that I know I feel happier when I commute by bike and it seems like my fellow cyclists are also a very jolly group of people!
Tonight, instead of going on the Mustache Ride here in Ventucky (meet at the Promenade at 530), I’ll be driving down to LA to learn more about how we can create this change in our communities when David Byrne and local bicycle activists convene for a lecture as part of the LA County’s ALOUD series. I understand there’s still tickets available. And if there’s wireless, you know me, I’ll do my best to live blog it for you.
THE Best Bikes at Burning Man! Bikergo!!
There are soooo many grreat bikes at Burning Man.
Too many to show–to name–to describe here.
Take this bike, pictured. I love the contrast of the octo ferns in Maxwell’s bike basket with his hot pink outfit I sooo want that outfit! and the bike! and do you see his bike baskets in the back? !! Maxwell, you must bring this bike on a First Friday ride soon! I know I know, this First Friday you’re sitting the Artists Union Gallery which is showing some of your very HOT blacklight artwork!
But really, folks, this post is NOT all about Maxwell and his awesome Burner self and really cool bike.
Not at all.
This post is about the BEST BIKE I have EVER ridden in my life.
Really.
No kidding.
And I rode it at Burning Man this past year.
See, after one of the wine tastings I hosted on the Playa (I know I know I need to write THAT post!), I rode off on my 1986 hot pink 3000 pound mountain bike to join my family to watch the Rocket blast off.
You know–this rocket–the Gothic Raygun Rocket, my son’s favorite artwork out there? In fact you can read his post about it here–and watch a video of it blasting off with plenty of fireworks! (Please do! He loves to check his stats!)
So I was riding around on my pink bike with our 12′ high tie-dyed Ganesh on a bike banner on the back, wearing Nila’s purple cowboy boots and who knows what else fun funky and sparkly, looking for them. My son was in a Superman outfit riding in the Burley behind the Big Monkey on Toni the Tiger’s tiger furred bike.
Turns out there were probably 10,000 people there also waiting and watching. Or more–maybe 20,000 people. It seemed like EVERYONE on the playa was there.
Quickly I realized the futility of my exercise. There were so many people I couldn’t even ride my bike. So I stopped. Straddled my bike and walked around. And looked around.
Two guys were standing by their bikes and we struck up a conversation. They are both REALLY into bikes, and a wind storm came up so I gave them both bandanas with Ganesh on a bike, which they appreciated. I admired Deacon’s blinking star necklace and Deacon offered me one but they were back at camp. He then gave me some bee lip balm he had handmade.
I told them I was looki
ng for my husband and son. Believe it or not, they described them both to a T saying they were both wearing their bandanas and they even said the boy was wearing a Superman outfit!
I knew then they were my true friends, in the way that you know certain truths on the playa, and that it was meant to be for us to hang out together that night.
So there we were, hanging out on the Playa, waiting out the duststorms, waiting for the rocket to launch, talking about biking and all kinds of crazy stuff. We were laughing hysterically all the time about totally silly stuff. They were a riot. I totally love these guys. They are my brothers. And they loved me too, they kept saying they were hanging with the coolest mama on the playa.
The other guy, Matt, had this crazy lemon yellow bike. I didn’t get it, get why, but he made it out to be something special. Then some other guy came up, introduced himself, and they talked about this bike, and he went for a ride on it. I guess he’s some seriously famous cyclist guy, but I had no clue who he was even after Matt and Deacon tried to explain.
He came back with the bike an
d raved like he’d never been on a bike before so then I had to try it. “Promise you’ll bring it back!” Matt said as I rode off.
“Of course!” I yelled back. But by then, honestly, I had a serious case of the giggles.
This bike was soooo much fun to ride I couldn’t stop laughing and giggling to myself!
Really. I have never ever ever been on a bike that felt so good, moved so smooth, made me feel so joyous and happy inside
I never ever wanted to get off this bike!
Riding this bike felt like fooling around–no kidding. Cruising around felt like those long, fun kisses, full of life and love and longing to let loose and roll! Oh, I was soooo in love with this bike!
But I didn’t want Matt to worry, so I figured I’d better head back. Except I had been so enamoured, so infactuated, so darn right in love with this bike that
I lost my head!
That’s right–I lost my sense of direction–I had no idea where I was! Read more…
Santa Barbara Aeolian Ride Thurs Oct 1: Come ride or come see!
Aeolian: Relating to or caused by wine + Ride : to be carried or conveyed , to travel over a surface.
Paging David Byrne: DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?
There will be an Aeolian Ride TOMORROW in Santa Barbara California!!!!
THE AEOLIAN RIDE IS 52 PEOPLE IN 52 HANDMADE WIND-INFLATED-SUITS RIDING BICYCLES THROUGH CITIES AROUND THE WORLD.
NYC 06.05.04,
SAN FRANCISCO 10.10.04
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA 01.15.0,
LOS ANGELES 09.10.05
MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA 03.11.06
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA 09.10.06
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 09.08.07
MILAN, ITALY 11.27.09
TOKYO JAPAN, 05.16.09
BRIDGEPORT, CT, 05.30.09
Santa Barbara 10/01/09!
START POINT: DWIGHT MURPHY FIELD; MEET & SUIT TIME: 3pm; RIDE BEGINS: 4pm DURATION: 1.5 hours. END POINT: Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Paseo Nuevo–refreshments and footage from the event as part of the Downtown Organization’s First Thursday. Online sign up and showing up on time gives you priority for a suit. The ride starts at 4 PM, but due to an overwhelming response, arrive around 3 PM to receive a costume and for set-up time. First come first suited. Riding without a suit is also allowed and super fun. *YOU MUST BRING AND WEAR YOUR OWN HELMET *BRING YOUR BIKE! *DO NOT BRING/WEAR LARGE BAGS BACKPACKS OR PURSES – they rip the suits *PLEASE PRINT AND SIGN & BRING THIS WAIVER www.aeolian-ride.info/waiver.pdf Rain date: Friday, October 2nd. More info: www.aeolian-ride.info
We’re going to have to have one of these around here! Watch for news about one in March!!!
Oct 2: David Byrne’s “Bicycle Diaries” or First Friday ArtRide?
I’ve been experiencing some conflict. Serious conflict.
AND this Friday at 8pm David Byrne, one of my heroes, is speaking in Los Angeles. And he’s speaking about bikes. And talking about his new book Bicycle Diaries about creating bike oriented communities. You see, he’s really into bikes. He actually rides them, adn has been into getting around by bike since the 1980s. He even designed and made some artsy bike racks which were installed last month in NYC. And he’s got a new book about the subject of bikes–oh yeah, I mentioned that already.
The Mouse wants you to give back!
Answering President Barack Obama’s National Call to Service, Disney says, beginning JANUARY 1, 2010, when you sign up here to volunteer a day of service with a participating organization (and your service is completed and verified) you’ll get one day admission to a Walt Disney World® or Disneyland® theme park, FREE!
With this program, in 2010, Disney wants to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service.
The bad news is that in 2010 you won’t get into a Park for free on your birthday like you could in 2009. But hey, for those of you with birthdays coming up between now and December 31, you don’t have to give anything except your birthday to Disney to get a free day! Register here to get in free on your birthday.
Here are some other specials for when you go.
Even though I live about two hours away, and a good friend works for the Mouse and could get us in free one day, I haven’t been to Disneyland in at least 20 years–22 to be exact. Both the Big Monkey and the Small Redheaded Boy have birthdays coming up so we should change that soon! The Small Boy, 5, has never been. Guess it’s about time–this year and next! Disneyland, here we come!
What to do after LA’s Burning Man Decom Party Saturday? Go to Space Island!
All dolled up & nowhere to go after the LA Decom party closes down at midnight? Space Island presents: The Decompression After Party!
Fresh off a successful launch of the Wench back onto the playafied seas of Burning Man, Space Island is back, and throwing THE LA Decompression afterparty only 10 minutes from The Cornfield in Downtown LA: google map where Decom is being held this year. It’s an all nighter all right: 10pm – 6am, you’ve gotta be 21+ and it’s $15 for all night with 2 large indoor areas & 2 large outdoor areas + THE WENCH (SI’s Pirate Ship Art Car).
Check the line-up and all the info at: SpaceIsland.org. If you can’t get to Decom OR this afterparty, you can at least check out the site and put on your own party–bring the Burn Home!
PS If this wasn’t enough to draw you to LA, consider this: the moon will be awesome full!
art predator 