Nim on youtube (who knew)?

My good friend Chase just directed me to this, a video of Nodal Nim performing Eight Thunderpain at th Cafe Mestizo open mic!



& here you can see Chase performing his spoken-word piece (W)HOLE:

Tea Essence open mic guest host Nim & poetries.

I guest-hosted open mic at Tea Essence tonight & had a fun time of it. Only two others performers came, but we did doings & fid fooings. I enjoyed unearthing old mando tunes for new ears & got to practice some song-poem covers in preparation for my gig this Sunday (Chicagoland-types, do come for fun kinds of fun!).

My friend Russell Jaffe started a blog dedicated to "preserving fun in poetry" as he puts it. He asked for submissions, so I wound up as his first "Featured Poet" w/ some silly old stuff that I unearthed (lots of unearthing going on, it seems) just for th occasion. See O Sweet Flowery Roses.

Oh, & speaking of poetries, you may enjoy th little bits & pieces going on here: Constraintingbits. My friend Jacob Barton & I have started trading poetic constraints & writing poems that fit them. Th page contains two by him & one by me at this time, but we expect it to grow. Th letter codes (AJ, JJ, JA) tell who set th constraint (th first letter) & who answered th constraint w/ a poem (th second letter). In th case of JJ, Jacob set a constraint for himself & then answered it promptly thereafter.

If any Constraintophiles out there would like in on this, send me a message & we can work something out. I do enjoy a good collaboration.

berrying eggs: AndR

th Xtian Xemist

[ =@@@@ Ajmak :: Nine Sinner ]

I met tonight a Christian Chemist, & we had great conversation sharing our similarly different realities w/ one another!

I played at Tea Essence open mic my '5 songs of fish.' After, she approached me & asked what my song "is about." I told her, "fish." She explained how she tried to make sense of it: "First it seemed like a metaphor comparing people to fish, but then it got political, & I didn't get th part about th scales," etc. I told her it didn't mean much past th words themselves, altho I did explain that th "Ho Chi Minh" in th song refers to a goldfish I used to live w/, & not any historical human. She seemed a little troubled by th idea that a song could not mean anything.

She noticed that I had assembled little "comic book" things (a new project of mine that I worked on at Tea Essence tonight) & inquired about them. I showed her. More nonsense: each panel comes from a pool of tiny meaningless drawings I had come up w/ & glued onto pieces of cardboard. Some panels contain ambiguous objects, others characters doing ambiguous things, & some have speech bubbles containing whatever happened to come into my head at th time (or perhaps some words borrowed from books that I opened up randomly). This really seemed to confuse her, but she seemed fascinated. Why intentionally create nonsense?

I told her I think people take themselves too seriously. We make meaning out of whatever gets thrown our way, we force things to fit together whether they want to or not, & we can stretch our minds a little bit & conceive of a very weird world. I intend to make lots of these little comics & eventually spend a day wandering Chicago & giving them out to strangers on th street. Sowing th seeds of Chaos. . . .

She asked what religion I follow, & I said none that has a name. I told her I think th world contains as many religions as people, because everyone creates their own. I like to look at many different traditions, poke around & find interesting things that seem illuminating. After all, humans have come up w/ thousands of religions. Th Christians have something to say, but so do th Buddhists, th Animists, th Hindus, th Ancient Egyptians, th pre-Colombian Mesoamericans, & so on & so forth. I find it hard to believe that one book out of so many has all th answers.

She told me about her relationship w/ God, that he guides her life to help her do right, to make good decisions. She had a wonderful way of expressing th philosophy of Jesus/love: We are all gifts, gifts to ourselves & gifts to each other. If Jesus said only that & stopped there, I'd like him quite a bit more! (& if so-called Christians w/ a different perspective than hers didn't so often take Jesus & twist him into something ugly & destructive.)

She also said that as a chemist (w/ a PhD no less!) who does very logical, rational, analytical work, she doesn't think she could allow Chaos of th sort that I do into her life. When her home gets cluttered, her work gets cluttered, her mind gets cluttered, & she can't do her job. She had a very clear concept of who she "is" & who she "isn't," what her essence "is". She said she can't be a square & a circle at th same time. Not having her job (or her life), I couldn't argue.

To me, figuring out how to function as th Square & th Circle at th very same time seems like a worthwhile endeavor. I've thought more & more recently about how to combine rational, analytical, honest skepticism w/ raw, chaotic, magickal Living. Th Art of Science, th Science of Art. 1 + 1 = 1. Left brain, right brain, in full communication. Answering Zen koans & laughing w/ abandon. Acknowledging th Full, Unadulterated Complexity & Divinity of Everything. "Getting it."

She doesn't think you can get into heaven if you haven't found Jesus. Jesus saves. She didn't try to convert me. She honestly wanted to hear my side of things. But ultimately, because th book says so, & because she "knows" deep down, she believes I (& billions of others) will go to hell. But God is love.

To me, that seems like such an absurd contradiction! Not just, th Love/Hell thing, but th Rational, Analyzing, Scientific work that she does paired w/ that kind of Blind Dogma. Why can't she apply th scientific method to her faith?

Obviously, I can easily talk. I don't see thru her eyes, nor she thru mine. I didn't convince her of my agnostic approach & she didn't convince me of her Christianity. Jesus remains to me one of many fascinating creatures in our world's mythistory. He had some great ideas & a few fishy ones, if you ask me. If she finds meaning in her faith in him, I wouldn't ever want to get in her way. But I don't much like getting condemned to hell, either.

I gave her one of my comics. She said she'll put it up in her cubicle at work.

th way of circling beams

I have at this moment four songs written for cumbus, th lyrics of which I have taken from recent Day Poems. I debuted three of them tonyt: two at Tea Essence & one at Heartland Cafe. Last week, I debuted my first cumbus song at Tea Essence.

I hope to soon find th time to record these songs & get them out there for you to hear. In th meantime, I can point you to th Day Poems that I lifted for lyrics:

Nine Knowhow
Thirteen Lefthanded
Eight Thunderpain
Eleven Toothroad

boat toast

Somebody wants updates. I'm sure somebody wants them.


Nimlys:

1 :: Last Wednesday I played Heartland Cafe open mic for th first time. I enjoyed it! but only got to play one song. By friendly request, I played 'vejtbls u'v nevr herd of'.

2 :: Und Last Thursday I played at th glorious Gallery Cabaret & had great fun bribing people with haikus to get them on my email list! Hooray for $4 pitchers of booze & nice human beings big & small.


Dogs (Doogs):

I walk them. Such is my new jobby.

An event took place on th first day of my job, that known as Monday. I encountered a 'bad dog,' as they say, a bulldog named (no lie) Spike who decided to get a good chomp on my right hand, completely unprovoked. He bit hard (as bulldogs will do), & now I have eight pretty blue stitches in this fortunately still five-fingered hand of mine. No great damage did Spike do, but enough to necessitate sutures, antibiotics, & a trip to th ER.

But I still love doggies & continue to walk them.

Many a wonderful dog do I walk - from gargantuan Great Danes (my largest clocks in at 200 plus pounds!) to a teeny-tiny Shitzu (or something) puppy that I (with my wimpy mandolin arm) could probably throw quite high into th air. (I will not attempt to make this happen; do not fear for th adorable puppy who chases his tail & fights his reflection!)

I am still in 'training,' since I cannot grip leashes with my damaged but faithfully healing right hand. Soon, tho, perhaps tomorrow or Friday, I will work alone, driving from house to house, walking fantastic canines & cleaning up their poo.

This job floats my boat.

fixx om 4

On Wednyt (at Fixx Coffee Bar) did play I:

.. glockenspiels
.. science

On Tonyt (at Greenpeace office party) did play I:

.. stelr nursery > baby star > brown dwarf
.. 25% mor monstr > 2 G's
.. vejtbls u'v nevr herd of

I'm thinking of trying out Heartland Cafe's open mic next Wednyt.

~a

fixx OM 3

What fun! For my third visit to Dan O's open mic at Fixx Coffee Bar, many many a wonderful Greenpeace friend did do showings! I played tunes for great enjoyment of self & all with extreme fnord. Zowie!

Mine songs performed:

.. how to ferment th colon
.. 2G's [requested by Amy R]
.. vejtbls u'v nevr herd of [requested by Chase]

So finally I feel appreciated in doing doings. I hope to continue in songery & seek shows in near dates. On Saturday, I may do friendparty mandolinings; such remains likely but questionmarked.

fixx om 2

Make it known 'round th globules that Nim did play two tunes at Fixx Coffee Bar:

.. 2 Gs
.. Pablo

th sevens.

Yesterday, I played my seventh open mic at Gallery Cabaret, & th day prior I played my seventh at Hotti Biscotti. I've been experimenting with a new format of Nimsong-cover-Nimsong, since I've practiced some covers I enjoy & seem to fit what I do.

Hotti Biscotti:

.. slip on broken violence now [co-writer: NBorden]
.. Ella Guru [cover of a song by Captain Beefheart]
.. 5 songs of fish

Gallery Cabaret:

.. 2G's [request]
.. Ella Guru [ditto]
.. glockenspiels

I've laid back from my daily divinations in favor of studying & applying th Aztec 260-day calendar called th tonalpohualli, which I find intensely fascinating. Explore it yourself & find joy.

All my potential jobs have fallen thru th cracks, except perhaps for professional guinea-pigging at th University of Chicago (as a research test subject getting injected with mystery drugs & such). So I started from scratch today & got an interview at Greenpeace doing "Face-to-face street fundraising". In fact, I need to get moving so I can make it there on time.

4 - Tecpatl (flint knife)

~a

Gallery Cabaret OM 5 & 6

In one former moon (day of Thor) did I go to th Gallery Cabaret open mic. Whilst waiting long hours to do doings (Nim 13th on list), Tiffany & I collectively penned some absurd slash obscene poems which I later recited to intro songs. My set, then:

Let's fuck in ketchup & bunnies! Ecstatic licorice flakes strut simmering, sticky, supple stubble surrounding pink onions. My bosoms jump & swim poodles sleep shuck. Stop billowing piss heads & blood popsicles, Tusk, tisk, tassle, slop bottoms. BLAAAAARGH!

.. this ladybug

Knapsack nipping teeth plus teeth AND spore's nipples - wascally, oh! Superfresh ribs, humble (Brap) clocks droop dangles diddly. Smug hoop 'cumbers smooch smilingly poop plasters & nudes burn fingeress flutes. Zip under sundries, sundials, sunken SNEAKY BEASTIES, nasties, nuptuals & foof-fart blisters. Puppies, puppies, pupples.

.. Unison [cover of a song by Björk]

Green gulch toads fizzle spiffingly but BEWARE, fluffy fooflings fuck & slurp petroleum bubbles. Gentlemen cork your kitties; ladies lip bacons. Swampy swimming pimples glue butter fuckings, YES! Occult cockroaches noodle nuzzle napes, pop!

.. hulo, wil u be my Sheep?

FNORD

Furthermore, I shall tell you this: I forgot to mention my playings at same open mic in week prior! Last week, did I play another three songs? Yes:

.. prickle prickle
.. Philosophy of th World [cover of a song by th Shaggs]
.. 2Gs

music(k) news

Zikes, I've forgotten to talk about my music(k)ings! I originally started this blog for th sole purpose of keeping track of my Nodal Nim & xenharmonics projects long ago. Well, now I tell th latest.


MAN OF MUSICKS EDWIN

I have begun musicking with a gentleman named Eddie. We express enthusiasm for dual sounds that please (slash disturb) th ear & spirit in near future times.


PLASTIC BOXING FOR BILLS

Upon th headstock of my mando, I attach a children's small plastic toy garden hoe with trusty rubber bands; to th flat end of th hoe I attach a small plastic food storage box with trusty duct tape; inside th food storage box I attach a cut piece of necktie for softening sound, again with trusty duct tape; into th box I place six dollars.

Thus I have created a tips box attached to my instrument! Why? For fun, for mobility, & to attract th eye. I busked with said box once last week - made one dollar & promptly lost it (I need to make sure th lid to my tips box stays shut whilst not accepting tips, or th wind robs me of dollars).


OPEN MIC AT HOTTI BISCOTTI

I did play last night:

.. prickle prickle
.. ant lizard dragon man (co-writer: S.Marshall)
.. th slipry toad
.. chupacabra
.. glockenspiels
.. e blu apratus

Certainty of this order of playing I have not.


ERISIAN ODE ASSEMBLAGES

I have done some putting together of a 23-songlet Erisian Ode of sorts & find myself pleased by th results at recent points in spacetime. I suspect I will have it finished & on myspace in near dates. Additional details of such thing follow in necessary moments in patience.

mercury cafe om 4

For a highly indifferent unaudience, I did play mine songies last wed.

.. I am systms
.. levl 1
.. this ladybug
.. cal it Home
.. e blu apratus

Gallery Cabaret OM 4 / X of Swords

Last night, George & I made th trek to Gallery Cabaret & I deposited a fourth performance of vast Nodally Nim tunery. 'Twas a nice time - every time I go to this place I enjoy it just a wee bit more than th last.

.. vejtbls u'v nevr herd of
.. ant lizard dragon man [lyricist: SMarshall] > wil we go out togethr?
.. Non-Violent Tae Kwon Do Troopers [lyricist: Caglar Juan Singletary; composer: David Fox; debut!]

I also played a frustratingly fruitless set on Milwaukee Ave in earlier day, but I don't have th set list to show you. I made exactly one quarter dollar, not counting th pity dollar George gave me.

FNORD

I've been continuing to study th Tarot; Tiffany gave me for our two-year anniversary a splendid little deck, & I've been systematically going through each card trying to apply th theme of two cards per day. 'Tis an experiment in th power of belief to change th world (my world, my perception of things, etc.). It's a lot like looking for synchronicities & omens & whatnot.

So it's interesting to note th way things correspond. I've noticed lots of relationships between my "fortune" & my actual day. For example, last night, some time after midnight, riding my bike home from Gallery Cabaret, I had a small but painful & embarassing accident with a couple of parked cars. (My groin will probably hurt for days!) I later checked to see what Tarot card I had assigned myself for that day (today), & indeed, it was th X of Swords often called Ruin. According to learntarot.com, th X of Swords represents:

BOTTOMING OUT
VICTIM MENTALITY
MARTYRDOM

This seems like an apt description of th feeling you get when smashing your genitals by absent-mindedly biking into parked cars, eh?

But th good news is that tonight I will experience th IV of Wands, characterized by:

CELEBRATION
FREEDOM
EXCITEMENT

{{{{{In my own defense, I must say that I have no intention of allowing myself to become "superstitious" in any way. I'm interested in studying belief & how it affects my perceived universe. These represent genuine experiments in meta-belief, & I'm willing to take them as far as they will go [hopefully] before I attain clinical madness.}}}}}

mercury cafe om 3

Hello, friendlies. I hope you exist in chambers of numerous discordant delights on this day & others. Hi to you.

I played at Mercury Cafe on th eve of this day ('twas Discord 28, y'know). I had conversation & pleasantries whilst also drinking caucasian tea & reading about Egyption God(esse)s. Enjoyment ensued.

.. drone
.. Philosophy of the World [a cover of a song by th Shaggs - solo debut]
.. slip on broken violence now [co-written with N. Borden - solo debut]
.. glamorous & glassy-eyed
.. Deenmark

Grind OM 41

[[I think my numbering of Daily Grind shows has become effed up. Alright - I'll call this one number 41. I like th number 41.]]

FNORD

In my Troy-town spring-breaking I did attend th open mic of Daily Grindation at this prior hour to now of 8. Playings did I play: 3 daybyous. Th Good Mr Nick Borden joined in writing & performing th third 'un.

solo song daybyous
1 .. Rudolphus
2 .. glamorous & glassy-eyed

song with Nick Borden daybyou
3 .. slip on broken violence now [words&music by Nick & Nim]

I wrote (1) three days ago & (2) two days ago. Nick & I wrote (3) today (counting Thursday as today - technically yesterday). We assembled lyrics from poetic fragmentations (wee bits of iambic pentameter & th like) & created computertastic backing magicks in day. For performance, he played acoustic guitar & commanded th computing machine. I played mandolin & did singings.

'Twas nice to collaborate in quickness time. I enjoy th feeling of playing new things. I seek rebirthing from Chaotic Wombery.

~a

Mercury OM 1

Hi & yes & hello. I indeed forgot to mention th latest in open mic happenings of late in lateness-time. Two days prior to this day (Wednesday, a.k.a. Prickle-Prickle) I did Nimmings 'pon th stage of happenings at Mercury Cafe, a place that is. At such time, I played among two others & did meetings of a gentleman named Frank whilst drinking a tea called King Crimson. Let it be known that I enjoyed th doings of th evening & would return to th place of th doings.

Here are th bits:

.. how to ferment the colon
.. 5 songs of fish
.. chupacabra
.. vejtbls u'v nevr herd of
.. prickle-prickle [indeed it was prickle-prickle this time]

This coffee house I do make enjoyments of, as it locates 'pon th route of my goings. Coffee I often get in mornings. Today, a song didst play 'pon th stereo of th place & thus did I recognize it to be Mellotron by Porcupine Tree & I thought of friendlies.

I dreamed that I ingested a strong hallucinogen in th form of mustard-butter & then got a haircut.

If any bodies think of soon-visits, I have a mandatory week off from April 2 to 6. If no visits do doings, I may indeed spend times singing muchly on streets of Chi-town wearing ties & hats.

That alls.