Create Art Podcast

Finding Awe Have you ever experienced a black, maybe you just need to find something that creates awe in your life. Today we talk about how to find awe in the world around us. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Awe Kickstart Creativity Awe Definitions [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Emi Ferguson's Bio Emi Ferguson has brought her love of music and performing to audiences around the globe, sharing the stage as a flute player, singer, and composer with performers including Yo-Yo Ma, Paul Simon, James Taylor, and four U.S. Presidents. Emi loves to collaborate with composers to help shape the future of music in addition to looking back to the past, imagining what historical composers might have wanted their music to sound like. Born in Japan and raised in London and Boston, Emi moved to New York City to study at The Juilliard School where she is now a faculty member Links for Emi Ferguson Emi's Website Iconic Composers Trope Publishing Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Being Attentive Being attentive means fully being present and empathetic to the needs of others. How are you paying attention to your audiences? My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Attention Kickstart Creativity Tolstoy's "The Three Questions" Jon Muth's "Three Questions" Attention Definitions Attention: the act or state of applying the mind to something, a condition of readiness for such attention involving especially a selective narrowing or focusing of consciousness and receptivity, sympathetic consideration of the needs and wants of others, a position assumed by a soldier with heels together, body erect, arms at the sides, and eyes to the front. Attention Challenge Reflect on Tolstoy's "The Three Questions" or Jon Muth's adaptation of the same title. Consider the word inspire, which literally means "to breathe in". Reflect on how to use your breath as a tool for inspiration, and how taking mindful breaths can reorient your attention to the present moment. Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my o

Practice Wabi-Sabi Embracing imperfection is vital to your artistic practice, and embracing that is actually a philosophy called wabi-sabi. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Wabi-Sabi Kickstart Creativity Japan Objects Article on Wabi-Sabi Wabi-Sabi Definitions Wabi-Sabi is centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.[2] The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of appreciating beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature.[3] It is prevalent in many forms of Japanese art. Wabi-Sabi Challenge As you design something consider how can you take your cues from nature. How might you and your collaborators embrace wabi-sabi thus opening up space for imperfection? Repair something broken. Perhaps you'll find you'll love it more than ever. Be inspired by kintsugi, a wabi-sabi practice of mending a cracked piece of pottery with gold, reminding us that damage can become a beautiful part of our history. Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Practice Rest Taking time out to recover and finding time to rest is essential to avoid burnout. Give yourself the grace to rest. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Rest Kickstart Creativity Artist Hub Article Rest Definitions Rest is a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities, freedom from activity or labor, a state of motionlessness or inactivity, peace of mind or spirit, a rhythmic silence in music, or something used for support. Rest Challenge Consider your beliefs about rest and work. What are they? Did you inherit them? Design a rest ritual for yourself, your family, or your group. Stop what you are doing and devote ten minutes to savor something. What did you choose to savor? Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt I’d like to challenge you to write a palinode – a poem in which you retract a view or sentiment expressed in an earlier poem. For example, you might pick a poem you drafted earlier in the month and write a poem that contradicts or troubles it. This could be an interesting way to start working on a series of related poems. Alternatively, you could play around with the idea of a palinode by writing a poem in which the speaker says something like “I take it back” or otherwise abandons a prior position within the single poem. At One Time 30 April 2023 You used to be important to me I even let you seep into my world Mine The world of words That I crafted for others And let you reside for one or two works I looked to you to provide guidance and called you Papa I wanted to be the ideal son I don’t know when I felt that I should And most normal families According to your third trophy wife Are set up that way And she said that because I told you not to come unannounced I gave you restrictions To protect my mental health To protect the family I cocreated I told you both not to send anything without checking And you could not abide You could not follow directions You could not honor my life So you were discarded I won’t speak your name in my house I won’t call you Papa Or father or friend or mentor Especially after the one call you did receive At a time when I knew you wouldn’t be home And I left the last message You would ever receive from me You were renamed sperm donor Which is what you were But you were so much more You were my tormentor You instilled the hatred of my body My mind My choices You instilled that I shouldn’t ever be satisfied with myself Which is not the same as never being satisfied with the status quo I have to lie to my children And beg their forgiveness later in life When they find out you didn’t die When I vaguely mentioned that you did No details Just death Because you are dead to me But you still live in me And the hatred I have felt of myself Reminds me of your hold Your influence But the victory comes When the day you will actually die And I won’t fear you showing up at my door Ad having to explain to my children who the person I won’t let in the house Standing on the porch Waiting to infect The poison The poison you injected into me They may ask who that person is And again I will lie to them It's just easier this way Then describing your sickness So I do thank you for one thing And that is being the photo negative I don’t ever want to be Other than that I’ll see you in hell And that is what you mean to me Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Now, write your own two-part poem that focuses on a food or type of meal. At some point in the poem, describe the food or meal as if it were a specific kind of person. Give the food/meal at least one line of spoken dialogue. Thanksgiving Dinner 29 April 2023 I never really thought about this meal when I was younger We always drove the hour that took forever No rest stops unless you call pissing in the corn fields a rest stop We always left before dawn And were lucky to return with our lives We would eat freshly slaughtered ham Nothing tasted sweeter The mashed potatoes not from a box Was chunky and gritty smashed rather than mashed With all the cousins in their bare house And each year a James Bond flick on the background The cigarettes overflowed in the ashtray The beers and wine were flowing, even for the kids I’d like to say I tasted my first beer there But then I’d be lying to you Just like all the lies of “yeah we are good to drive” Before the days of MADD and knowing better One day I stopped going Could have been because my folks found god He was hiding out in the churches That met when I was watching wrestling And we as a family turned away I didn’t really get that feeling again Yes, there was destructive activities That I can see from the safety of time “I didn’t let you die during those days Yes, there was the accident one year before the times of DUI’s Yes, there was the car on fire that you passed without a care But I didn’t let you die I kept you as safe as I could for something else” When I lived alone With the roommates and on the 33rd floor above the Lake The diner that I had frequented was open Taking in others like me Without friends or a family And on the TV, still black and white A game of hockey played quietly While the others were munching on turkey I became engrossed And that was when I decided the next year to hold a feast But unknown to me what the next year would bring I was alone in my apartment I had finally escaped the crowds Making a meal for two In a studio barely big enough for one In case there was a knock at the door There was none But the next year was different I had stepped out and allowed myself to feel To become attached to those who enlightened me On being a human On being open and vulnerable And that year I had a few friends over Who had nowhere else to go And we dined like kings “I am preparing you for a much better feast A feast that you can share with family and friends A family you created And friends who were true” And so, one year of cooking and clamoring There I was A Husband and father of three mentor to a nephew And friends who brought friends to feast We dined on duck And other deli

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Today, I challenge you to write your own index poem. You could start with found language from an actual index, or you could invent an index (actual index used from It’s Not All In Your Head by Patricia Ferrell PHD) Indexing A Diagnosis 28 April 2023 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Acceptance 43-46 but I was 48 when I finally got the diagnosis and even today, I don’t fully accept it, and for sure when I was 43-46 I sure as fuck didn’t so who was supposed to tell me to accept it when there was nothing to accept Anger 10-11 Let me tell you, I have been angry for more than those two years, I have been angry at this insidious condition for what feels a lifetime, and I don’t think at 10 or 11 I was that angry Anxiety 71-96 oh great I have that to look forward to, at least I’ll live to 96, but then how does this book know that, oh wait is it the level of anxiety on a 100-point scale, well that seems about right each and every day that ends with a Y Attitude 197-198 I don’t have one, I am just frustrated with people’s ignorance and bullshit, if you want attitude I’ll give you attitude Bike rides 196-197 Yes, I have a stationary one in my mancave, it's great for collecting dust, hanging clothes, for looking like I care for my body. Children 57-59 every prayer I say to a god I don’t believe in or recognize is that they don’t get this and if they do then what I will do to the gods that allowed this Cognitive Impairment 3-5, 64-66 are you talking about the time I was pouring beers for the sperm donors party when he wanted to be an elected official or are you talking about all the cigarette smoke I inhaled because it wasn’t the right time to quit or are you talking about how many times I have to reread a line to remember that I read that line. CNS Components 6-10 is that a new Canadian free streaming service, will they teach us Americans the correct way to make poutine or play hockey or to just be nice, no? How about a Canadian stereo system, no? Well, I know what a CNC lathe is, am I close? Coping Strategies 173-199 I thought I knew how to cope, but now I want this tattooed to my chest, written backwards so I can read it in the mirror and when I take off my shirt people can ask me what is carved there. Humor is a hell of a drug Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channe

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Today, begin by reading Bernadette Mayer’s poem “The Lobelias of Fear.” Now write your own poem titled “The ________ of ________,” where the first blank is a very particular kind of plant or animal, and the second blank is an abstract noun. The poem should contain at least one simile that plays on double meanings or otherwise doesn’t quite make “sense,” and describe things or beings from very different times or places as co-existing in the same space. The Vulture of Tolerance 27 April 2023 It doesn’t matter who we are Or where we came from Or what religion we subscribe to How much money we made How many people's lives we have positively impacted There is no difference in party allegiance Or Nationality Gender or sexual orientation If your socks match If you are wearing underwear or prefer to go commando If there is dirt under your fingernails Or callouses on your palms Or glitter nail polish that you let your children apply If you are obese Or suffer from a chronic disorder Or suffer from too much of the chronic Once your body is laid out in a field You all taste the same to them And no, you don’t taste like chicken You are their food And all that makes you, matters little to them Your dreams and aspirations are just seasoning They don’t care at all about anything you have done You are what's for dinner Dark meat, light meat Meat is meat And when you are as ugly as they are An easy meal is like going to the drive thru for them So, cheer up Be their happy meal And make sure not to carry plastic toys in your pockets Choking hazard ya know Wouldn't want to be the next meal Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. . You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt prompt for the day asks you to write a portrait poem that focuses on or plays with the meaning of the subject’s name. This could be a self-portrait, a portrait of a family member or close friend, or even a portrait of a famous or historical person. Defined By A Name 26 April 2023 How can I honor a god that doesn’t honor me back It's not that I don’t believe, simply I don’t believe as you do My idea is less personal and more expansive But stick with coloring in the lines It’s what you really want to do I wasn’t there being Paul's bunk mate It’s not my fault that he hijacked your religion That guy was a two fer part Jewish and part Greek So, I hope he can make a great falafel gyro Hold the pork You may think I am rich And I have some student loans to show you You may think I am masculine And my ex-boyfriends will tell you the same I like to shock people's perceptions That’s why I took on my nickname I am strong and nerdy I am so many contradictions An Anarchist in Libertarian clothes From blue-collar 80-hour work weeks to two flights of stairs commute Have fun unspooling my threads Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. . You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Today’s prompt challenges you to also write a love poem, one that names at least one flower, contains one parenthetical statement, and in which at least some lines break in unusual places. Giving Love Another Try 25 April 2023 I wasn’t content With being Alone But I wasn’t interested In sharing Everything I wasn’t content With the Life But I wasn’t interested In starting Over I wasn’t content With the Past But I wasn’t interested In rehashing Us I wasn’t content With the Situation But I wasn’t interested In developing Feelings (I found contentment in your eyes, I found interest in your smile I found tulips where you walked)) You didn’t want Just another Body But you did Try to Love You didn’t want This to Fail But you did Rely on Defenses You didn’t want Me to Escape But you did Honor my Freedom (You found where I hid my heart, You found a way to trust me You found daisies to put everywhere) We weren’t sure About our Compatibility But we tried To make It We weren’t sure About being Dependent But we tried With open Minds We weren’t sure About our Lasting But we tried And are Trying (We were met with scoffs, We sometimes scoffed at ourselves we planted a family) We weren’t sure but we tried You didn’t want but you did I wasn’t content but I wasn’t interested (And so far, it’s the journey That we needed to be on Together) Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. . You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt I’d like to challenge you to write a poem in the form of a review. But not a review of a book or a movie of a restaurant. Instead, I challenge you to write a poetic review of something that isn’t normally reviewed. For example, your mother-in-law, the moon, or the year you were ten years old. 2 Stars 24 April 2023 Not a big fan of 2020 I rated that year at zero stars If I could have, I would have gone into the negative numbers but your system doesn’t allow for that Someone is upper management needs to know what happened I usually like to give years the benefit of the doubt And think about them from a different perspective But 2020 was worse than 2016 And that is saying something So I decided that maybe I was being a bit harsh And I gave 2020 1 star in 2021 There were a lot of lessons learned in that year Things seemed to be getting better I could find toilet paper everywhere I went I am talking 2 ply And the ads for bidets didn’t interest me anymore Kids were back in school The talk of mass extinction was quashed And except for that one day in January Things were okay, not normal but okay In 2022 I kept my 1-star rating of 2020 Because it seems we still haven’t learned the lessons We needed to learn to prevent another 2020 from happening And we were 2 years out I mean come on folks I know some of our family trees don’t fork But at least lets really look at what happened And not do the same shit all over again At some points it looked like we were going to go back And then I would have had to go back down to zero stars So here we are in 2023 I have to say I am not recommending 2020 under any circumstances However, I am raising my rating to 2 stars We got through it, and we are here right now A bit smarter A bit larger And all in the comfort of our homes If we are lucky enough to be able to have a stay-at-home job We praised the essential workers Until the next headline came by We praised some of our elected officials Until they were found making backdoor deals as usual Some of us have even found our true calling And left the world of bosses behind I don’t plan on shopping here for future years Nor can I recommend shopping here for the future Look what we are leaving the young with The four horsemen on red bull and bottom shelf vodka I won’t be here for the hangover that’s coming Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: tim

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Now, cast your mind back to your own childhood and write a poem about something that scared you – or was used to scare you – and which still haunts you (if only a little bit) today. Summer Nightmare 19 April 2023 The heat had settled in for the season We were sweltering although the sun had gone down hours ago When building the house It was decided not to have central air or a basement Our neighborhood was rumored to have been built on a gravesite For the indigenous population It was the type of rumor to keep kids in at night But some rumors need to be heeded It was another night of sweating With the hum of fans that put us to sleep I knew I was dreaming Only to wake up to the sound of a broken window I peered over to my window The drapes were opened when they should have been shut And a figure was standing outside Readying what appeared to be a bow and arrow I heard a swoosh and then a thud in the wall Right above my stomach And then I sprang up Breaking the shaft of the arrow And ran to my parents' room I forgot about the fan in my startled state And ran right through the fan Slicing up my knee and leg Waking my father who took me to the bathroom We cleaned off the blood in the tub And I frantically told him what happened I had awakened everyone in the house As we turned on the light in my bedroom We found the window intact The drapes pulled back But no broken shaft Just two arrowheads lodged into the wall Right above where I slept My father thought I had planted the arrowheads As one could find them easily in our neighborhood And decided to yell at me for breaking his sleep Telling me this was all in my wild imagination When we moved away years later The arrowheads I recovered from that night Were lost in the move But I still can feel the figure pursuing me And I always make sure the drapes are closed Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Cafeteria: Create a poem inspired by the people who might be eating lunch in a cafeteria at school or at a hospital. Chicken Enchilada 17 April 2023 I was back in Illinois Not my hometown or the city I adopted But a small-town dependent on the base I had just puddle-jumped from St. Louis When in processing was done And I had raised my hand when asked Who was a musician I was whisked away to a special squadron A small group of us who raised our hands Stood in the day room of the squadron We were given rooms And a tour of our new temporary home We were told to drop off our luggage And return later that afternoon So, we all silently went to our rooms I knew at that time to pack lightly To tread lightly on this Earth And as I opened the door to my new home My new roommate was not there Heading back down to the dining facility I wanted to have a few moments of solitude I’d just spent 6 weeks living with 50 other soon-to-be men And my sociability jar had been exhausted Working my way through the food line Looking over my shoulder Waiting for a training instructor to slip in behind me And scare the shit out of me My head was on a swivel I grabbed the bare essentials for lunch Not wanting to draw attention to myself I crawled into an empty booth Breathed deeply and went to work on the food I tasted my food It had been weeks of rushing to shove groceries down my throat But now I had nowhere to be, no one to answer to for a few minutes I savored each bite It was at that time I was overcome with a feeling of certitude I felt that the decision was right It had been one of the first times I felt this way And the food cemented my feeling I am not sure how long I sat alone in that booth Others came and went without much fanfare My comrades in basic training found me And we all sat quietly Deep in thought Living like the kings we told ourselves we were Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod [podcast_subscribe id="207"] Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Fi

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Signs of the Times: How has a place you are familiar with changed over the past 10 years? Pacifying Uptown 14 April 2023 I lived in this neighborhood for a year or so Top floor, facing south, seeing Wrigley Field from a distance Two blocks from the Green Mill And the Red Line El Someone in the neighborhood had rescue greyhounds They would walk them around Stop for coffee and water at the local Starbucks The one that had a drive by when I was with my girl at the time A great Mexican restaurant that was open late Due to all the bars in the area Grabbing my first real horchata And just steps from Montrose Beach But I moved away To be with my wife To start a new life But I can’t let go of the place So I signed up for the Uptown Facebook group And I get notifications daily The Uptown Theater that had been closed for decades Being revamped and reopened Meaning that the bookstore next door Had to clean up its act or move out That bookstore stank of cigarettes and cat piss Is no longer there Not able to get enough Chantix to quit their habit Not able to keep up with the bigger bookstores That closed down before I left I miss this place Even though I wasn’t there that long Moving through the crowds And having my doc just a few blocks away Having my dentist who played the rat Packs greatest hits And picked up conversations started months in-between visits I didn’t have to drive anywhere Even to get groceries Jewel, pronounced with an S at the end Again, was mere steps away But now they have changed the feeling They have changed the stores The rents have gone through the roof Now there is no one there I know The shops don’t have the same feel Even the thugs that did the drive by have moved away to the burbs I’d never move my family back there It would be cost prohibitive It would be safer than when I lived there But it isn’t the same space It isn’t as special as it used to be Its tame and expensive And the reason why I lived there Was not for safety, was not for being tame I wanted to have excitement I wanted to have stories to tell I wanted different things than I do now Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as t

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt First Car: Write an ode to your first car Old Baby Blue 13 April 2023 You did run like a scolded dawg That Marine was right To think I could have purchased my mid-life crisis car with busted rings For the same price as you I wouldn’t have been able to sleep in that car Nor could I fall asleep at the wheel And safely get through Bloomington Illinois Changing highways in the middle of the night The stereo system I bought for you Cost more than what you were worth And you reminded me when it rained And the DIY sunroof flooded and collected fish I drove you to escape from where I was I drove you to Texas to escape where I came from I drove you until something flashier caught my eye And then I sold you for a motorcycle Because I had only crashed 2 other motorcycles in my life So that seemed like a fair trade You never started up again When all the paperwork was done And your new owner took possession You refused to be traded away And as I crashed another motorcycle There you stood stoically in the parking lot Reminding me that I would still have transportation Hoping I would come to my senses and take you back But no, I was young back then And flashy new things, which was everything Took my attention away from you And I bought a shiny new red compact car It looked like a clown car when I stepped out of it And that car drove me away from Texas From you From the memories we made Sometimes I seek out your relatives I look at what others have done with your kind And I miss our days together You were protecting me Me fixing another alternator for you Changing your oil from inside the cab Hearing that 302 engine roar Wishing it was in a Mustang But was resigned to hauling around my possessions You were my first old baby blue And I’ll never forget your shag carpet interior, your tinted moon windows The swiveling captain chairs And the fish tank turned sunroof Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Fast Food: Write a poem about fast food restaurants and experiences. After The Casino 11 April 2023 Driving through the fog of West Virginia Taking the backroads because my car can’t do 75 Before everyone and their brother had cell phone coverage We both struggled to keep our eyes open We should have probably grabbed some food on the way out of the casino We had both won a tidy sum that paid for the trip and the rent for the next two months We didn’t notice when we crossed back into Virginia Because at night, most states look the same With the last cigarette tossed out of the window And a few hours until we arrived at home We pulled over at a gas station and Waffle House Conjoined at the hip The sun was still a few hours away We entered the gas station and purchased our brand of addiction Relived ourselves in the grimy bathroom And found a seat in the empty restaurant The sounds of the bells and whistles From the plethora of machines drowned out the waitress And it took longer than it should have to take our order All three of us were tired But only 1 was being paid to be here And it wasn’t my passenger and I My passenger stated his order as I was downing the first cup of coffee Then it was my turn to interact Mindlessly I ordered breakfast and some soup The waitress appeared to me Muttered crackers? And thinking she was referring to us Two white boys in the middle of the night Driving a car in need of serious repair Smelling of smoke and speaking loudly We both broke out in laughter The waitress asked what was so funny I replied you called us crackers No, crackers for your soup is what I asked You boys look a little rough tonight how far have you got to go We let her know and talked to her till the sun rose We were well fed Energized from the copious amount of coffee Ready to take on the final leg of the journey And to this day, when either of us hears the word crackers We are transported to that night Somewhere between West Virginia and home Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Weirder Than Fiction: Think of the most unbelievable moment in your life and write a poem about the experience. Just Passing Through 11 April 2023 I had just got on the last bus headed for home It was dark, and cold, and since the windows were tinted I felt blind to the outside world My carryon was in my lap Turning on the overhead light I noticed that the passenger next to me was reading I pulled out my borrowed copy of a book The author isn’t important Someone I should have been enjoying But this was not a good book to start with When my seatmate heard my yawn for the fifth time in 10 minutes He asked me what I was reading When I showed him, he asked if was it my first time with this author Yes it was and I wasn’t enjoying it at all was my response I let him know it was a borrowed book from a friend who thought I’d dig it But it just wasn’t working for me The passenger opened his carryon bag Handed me another book by the same author Here read this, it moves faster than the one you have I tried to politely decline since my stop was in 5 hours If you don’t finish take it with you You can give it to me the next time you see me I thought this was preposterous but accepted is offer So, I read with amazement for 5 hours until my stop As I got up to leave, I tried to hand the book back to him He said nope, give it to me when we see each other again I offered to pay for the book Again, he declined and said to give it back when we see each other Taking the book to the place at that time I called home My mother told me she wanted no books From Satanists in her house She wanted to throw it out or burn it But I let her know it was on loan and it was expected to be returned She said I had met a devil on the bus I said I had met a human Causing the trip home to be contentious Two years later I found myself on another bus Again, the last one out of the station I made sure to bring the borrowed book And just like that, he was there I sat next to him and held out the book He smiled and said great you are ready for book two in the series He took the book I borrowed and replaced it with the new one I asked when he wanted it back He just closed his eyes and fell asleep I haven’t been on many cross-country busses since then But I always keep the copy he gave me in case Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] Yo

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Sound of Silence: Take some inspiration from the classic Simon & Garfunkel song and describe what silence sounds like. No Thing 10 April 2023 Laying down, ready for sleep The fan is set for high (even in the winter) And the music is set for introspection through jazz Drowning out the usual high-pitched squeal that has become my swan song I am prepared to enter the ethereal lands Being alone with my thoughts Is the quickest way to insanity The voices that plagued my mother Descend with vengeance Ready to eliminate any respite shown me Nightly I sonically excavate The landscapes of my awake and sleeping mind Reliving mistakes I have made And paying for them dearly In ways only my mind can torture me One moment would be nice To be able to turn off the thoughts and dreams To not think, fear, be anxious Just that total blankness of a new sheet of paper Or an empty canvas I do not afford myself such luxuries But to have that one moment Where nothing comes in or goes out Would only fuel the idea That my brain is flawed That the internal demons Who wanted to silence this voice Have won the war against me There will be no peace in our time Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Weirder Than Fiction: Think of the most unbelievable moment in your life and write a poem about the experience. Todays Poem Greyhound Pimpin 5 April 2023 The cheapest way to see the country With people, you probably will never meet again I was on the East Coast heading out west To the city of Sun Phoenix to visit a friend After pushing off the homeless guys Begging for smoke or spare change at the depot I got into the bus where all the seats are coach Towards the back, near the bathrooms The slight smell of antiseptic and piss soaked into the cloth seats We pulled out of there Just to stop again, and again, and again Gaining more and more people Dropping off others The miles crawled by We got to Atlanta that night Time to switch busses Time to find my bags And tote them over to our new driver The same bums begging for change followed us Like there was an ATM on board And naturally, we were all well off Seeing the country the cheapest way possible There was a couple already occupying the back seats And I sat in front of them The smell had changed from cleaner and piss To sweet sweet rotgut With a hint of patolli So, I gave them my spare pack of smokes And at each stop, we stood off from the others And huffed our way to bliss The driver came to the back more than once Complaining about the smell and noise I could play straight easily But they were true amateurs By the time we got to El Paso The cops were waiting for them As we left the bus for another round They were taken in And I puffed on a smoke a stones throw away They waved goodbye And I said till we meet again I got back on that bus And changed seats Trying to outsmart the driver When we were stopped at the border security station I thought they were coming for me They pulled off a few who looked darker Than those in the land of the free They didn’t wave at me And I didn’t say goodbye They were lost in that New Mexico sky We pulled into Phoenix The heat was still on high The city didn’t care if it was the middle of Fall or Summer It was hot all the time And there was my friend waiting in his Mercedes The bums from Richmond and Atlanta followed us And started to beg again When they tried to wash his windows He pulled out his gun They scurried off like mice And we headed to the nearest strip club Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Crea

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt People You Have Known: Make each line about different people you have met but lost contact with over the years. These could be old friends, passed-on family, etc. Todays Poem No Longer In Communication 4 April 2023 To Jeff, you were the subject of my first attempt at poetry, four-line stanzas four stanzas long, all these words on paper and electrons floating throughout the universe hold the code that is you To Katina, working with you at the movie theater was bliss, kissing you in the back of the shop with the lights off was magical, and hearing how you kept the baby of your rapist still angers me that you had to make that choice Mike D, your family invited this stranger in, and for years you were that little brother that became successful, except you, couldn’t put that bottle down, so I put you down, that’s the way I detach and preserve my sanity Kelly, the eyes are what I remember the most, the drunken nights and the way you brought other men to bed have been forgotten, but as you changed your ways and became a mother, your life was taken away, and now I can only guess where to send flowers Mr. Hoppe, that stoic man, demanding that these rednecks produce a sound that the gods recognized our importance, you left for Arizona, I wanted to go with you, and I made it out there never to find you Gordon Odegard Director, GOD for short, your breath stank of dog shit, but you inspired this kid to believe in something greater than religion, greater than science, you made me believe I could make a difference, and ensure that the audience could see the actors eyes Albert, you probably wouldn’t have been proud of my stereo setup, but you would be proud of the impact of my music collection on our nephew, you gave me the love of music, good music, and showed me how to sing while driving, I wanted to come to your funeral, but I was working 80 hour weeks and had no reliable transportation Tommy, my hippie grade school pal, sneaking off to your house to listen to KISS records and play with your toys was the first time I ran away from home, your spasms and outbursts have a name now, and my daughter has them, I hope you are alive, but I am too afraid to find out To she that cannot be named, I was in a bad spot, you took advantage of it without knowing what you were doing, I wasn’t honest with you and to this day I am still not honest with others who wonder why we don’t speak, you will probably never read this and that is fair I wasn’t ready for a one night stand nor was I ready to be the lead singer of your brother's death metal math prog band To the Lt Col who took a long stroll off a short pier, what you inspired in me keeps fueling my work, I won

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Dear Reader: What audience enjoys reading the type of poetry you like to write? Craft a note to your potential audience that addresses their biggest fears, hopes, and dreams. Todays Poem Read with Caution 8 April 2023 You who are searching for a familiar voice You who want to laugh at me and my mishaps You who really like how I keep it real You have no idea who I am I give you a peek inside But I gotta say I cleaned up the back room If you suddenly drop in unexpected You'd see something completely different You think you know my political affiliation But guess what kiddos, I am as loyal to them As they are to me Being an anarchist in libertarian clothes is hard to comprehend I used to smoke cigs And I talked about them forever With a cup of joe and lusting after the dark-haired barista The only problem is I was too shy to talk to her I used to have a drink or three And I just got dizzy and sick There was no pontifications That rattled the cages I used to get high 13 times a day I kept count at some point, I don’t remember when But now I can’t partake Because I love my pension and Retirment more than Mary I drove around the country to visit friends Now I can’t stand to drive an hour to get to work Traffic angers me more Than injustice If you knew me when I was fearless If you knew me when I was invulnerable If you knew me way back when Then you know I was not any of those things I’ve always been a teddy bear I was the person who would be up at 3 in the morning And you could call me and have me listen But now, at 3 AM I only get up to scare nightmares away Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or Subscribe Here Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Practice Playing Do you remember how great it was to play after school with your friends? Let's discuss how we can incorporate play into our art. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Play Kickstart Creativity Play Definitions Play: the conduct, course, or action of a game a particular act or maneuver in a game recreational activity especially: the spontaneous activity of children an act, way, or manner of proceeding in the state of being active, operative, or relevant to engage in sport or recreation Play Challenge Compose a list of things that inspired wonder when you were a child. Remember and honor what made your childhood self feel most joyful, creative, and playful. Ingrained generational and cultural attitudes often make being exhausted and busy a status symbol. How can you or your group make everyday tasks you're already doing feel more like play than busyness? Pull a red action card. Combine it now with an activity that feels playful. Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Or sign Up here Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Last Words: Use the last sentence from the nearest book as the inspiration for the first line of your poem. “And indeed, as he listened to the cries of joy rising from the town, Rieux remembered that such joy is always imperiled” The Plague by Camus Todays Poem Holding It In 3 April 2023 The ideas we don’t share The voices running through our heads We dare not whisper to those around us The weight of the wrongs we have committed in the name of love The frustration of believing the inner dictator vs the creator The need to spill our guts When we know it will make us feel better But we are too worried about how those outside our brains will react The fear that finding out our truth is not shared by any other soul Looking foolish is not the fashion statement we want to employ Ridicule awaits when we emotionally expose ourselves So, we drop trow and plant our butt cheeks against the window My firewall is struggling not to be breached But I don’t really give a shit about your insecurities Carrying the secrets of decades has improved my musculature Also, it has caused microscopic cracks in all my bones I pay the monthly garbage disposal fee To my therapist Hoping that no one is dumpster-diving through his notes I have lugged all this baggage, so you don’t have to be exposed I kept it in a lead-lined case so the radiation wouldn’t seep into your body The glowing from within escaped out of the cracks of the case And became my nightlight Clutching the pain of all the years Was the best coping mechanism as seen on TV Being above the fray, refusing to break down Or become flexible Was the ideal I thought would work Only to find it eating me up from the inside And leaving me with few salvageable innards My fear was that I was nothing without the pain And I have found that the pain is what caused more pain In this aching frame So I release it The torrent that has been encapsulated in my mind It doesn’t feel better, but it feels better to feel And finding out that is what I was craving That is what the hole in my soul was missing Makes it easier to move on with today And let the past die in peace Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Last Words: Use the last sentence from the nearest book as the inspiration for the first line of your poem. “And indeed, as he listened to the cries of joy rising from the town, Rieux remembered that such joy is always imperiled” The Plague by Camus Todays Poem Joy is Always Imperiled 29 March 2023 Don’t live in the warm glow of love In the past it has left by the morning That was the way I used to be And then fatherhood happened The smiles and gurgling of two babies Changed my heart I wanted to be around for more than my ten-year plan I was able to overlook the few faults of my lover And she was able to overlook mine I’ve seen fatherhood calm other men Make them look at the long game And forget that it’s not about them anymore It’s about what they brought into this world It’s about bringing a fresh mind into the collective unconsciousness Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Goodbyes: Write about a time in your life you said goodbye to someone – this could be as simple as ending a mundane phone conversation, or harder goodbyes to close friends, family members, or former partners. Todays Poem Closed Casket 22 March 2023 I can hear you from over 20 years of you rotting in the ground I idolized you and believed in everything you said I was selfish, greedy, self-centered I was a mistake; I was lucky to be alive If I had been born earlier, I would have died in your womb Like another child did Or you would have aborted me if the voices in your head told you to #3 husband wanted to get you in the ground So he could move onto his next 2 conquests That person couldn’t even remember you said to have the lid closed He has no Indigenous blood running through his veins There was no medicine man that called me bright light And no one dosed your coffee with PCP The cologne that sperm donor wore, you weren’t allergic to You just knew that he was on the prowl And wanted him to know that you knew So I wasn’t allowed to wear deodorant And my sweaty pits smelled like the pot Your oldest children smoked When I saw you laying there with all that makeup on I thanked the funeral director for their work But I told him that it wasn’t you I should have told the preacher to revoke the post humorous Membership in their church But I let sperm donor have his day of celebration And just so you know Although you probably already knew You weren’t cold in the ground for a year When he took his next bride Who was so rich and smart That he couldn’t drain her accounts And there I was, a babbling weeping self-centered man child Breaking down, fist bumping your casket Counting the minutes until my next cigarette Climbing in the car to put you 6 feet under Sperm donor didn’t have the money for your headstone And he never visited your grave with me All those times I took the time to head back to the land of my torture Replace plastic flowers and put trinkets that you treasured there And not once did he come with me You chose to end it all, and if you wondered if I missed you I did, until the other night When my child said she was self-centered, greedy, selfish and a mistake I heard my voice in hers And I knew then that I needed to smash that away She is not you she is mine and I no longer need you Nor do I need your influence Or your picture looking over me and my children I won’t think about you on the anniversary of your death Nor will I remember you on Mother's Day anymore You have finally and completely become dead to me Just like the sperm donor Just like my heroes Just like my love of scrambled memories Just like the putrid and deranged

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Uncertainty: Think about a time in your life when you couldn’t make a decision and write based on this. Todays Poem Two of Swords 3 Feb 2023 Mancave When opening the deck for the first time You couldn’t wait to identify me So, you tumbled out and landed on the ground first Pushing aside all the other cards You knew me before I knew me I read the future of others Gave them advice with your tutelage But nothing for me No vision of what was to come Just the two of swords And the reflection of indecision Standing outside a hotel room The night before we were to be wed My soon-to-be betrothed was asleep, snoring And me smoking and thinking about what was next Do I grab a cab and never darken the commonwealth’s door Tell Old Dominion that it will not have my soul again Yes, I stayed Yes, I was wed to my betrothed Yes, I added to the population Yes, I voted blue to make us more purple And on my weak and battered arm I have placed you My card of indecision My card that holds me back That feeds my insecurities You are a part of me Making me an expert of second-guessing But you don’t stop me like you used to Or maybe I don’t let you stop me Maybe I give you some time To dance in my insomnia But your influence is short-lived And I push forward Finally, out of your grasp Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Life Didn’t Go As Planned: Write about a recent or memorable experience when nothing went according to plan. Todays Poem The Last Time I Cried 14 March 2023 It wasn’t too cold that day My car was starting, sporadically It was a Friday, and I was forgotten in the waiting room The nurse had me type in my information She was unable to hold a thought for more than five minutes Then back to the waiting room of forgetting The resident came in Way younger than me Way more handsome, Probably was having a threesome that night He wanted to get out of there I wanted to get out of there Friday at 4 PM, both of our minds were elsewhere He brought in his teacher, the real doctor His accent was probably not as thick as I perceived Between the nurse, the resident and this doc I am surprised any of them hadn’t been sued or assaulted And that’s when they told me Welcome to the world of MS And they ushered me out The receptionist had left an hour ago So, the head nurse practitioner had to check me out He was the only one with an ounce of kindness I made it through the hospital in downtown Richmond I had been here before Had the ticking timebomb removed from my brain And I remembered how shitty I was treated back then And I wondered why I came back Oh yeah, I’m a De Sade fan The car didn’t start. I lit a cigarette The car didn’t start I am not sure why I thought it would I walked around the car Smoking another cigarette Underneath the sign that says don’t Just as I was about to call home The car started Driving up I95 on a Friday before Spring Break There was a lot to time to contemplate Making my way home I said no, No, NO 5 years of frustration 5 years of MRI’s MRA’s, CT Scans Spikes pressed 5 times in my back Blood tests galore for every known disease Finally understanding why so many things happened Finally realizing that I was never lazy Finally realizing that what was wrong had a name It wasn’t me all along Making it through the front door The children were asleep The wife was on the couch I knew we would be there for awhile Talked till her yawns couldn’t keep her eyes opened And then we slept Saturday with the children didn’t cause the waterworks It was when my wife got back from errands That it all hit me And my kids wonder why Papa doesn’t cry They’ve never seen it And I know it’s bad to think, but they may never Even then I couldn’t weep for myself in front of them Retiring to our room As she followed close by I made it in, shut the door And heard my dead mothers voice calling me selfish And selfishly I cried Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what yo

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Stranger Conversations: Start the first line of your poem with a word or phrase from a recent passing conversation between you and someone you don’t know. Todays Poem The Insufficiency of Your Love 10 March 2023 The insufficiency of your love Could have kept me alive longer Raise your hand as high as you can Now raise it higher What the hell is that? That is the insufficiency of your love If you could have taken a moment And thought about someone outside of your brain Maybe just maybe you would have picked me But you chose the most athletic kids to play ball with Reminding me that although being last picked by you Because no one else would pick me at all Was what I should expect When you taught me the meaning of trophy family Without saying a word, I embraced the role of being an embarrassment I delved into the depths of De Sade and other of that denizen Knowing I was stabbing your heart Until I declared you dead to me Your love and acceptance Is no longer required or desired Yes, that is my blood on that knife The same one your silent partner chased me around the house with Yes, these cuts are in cursive So, I can remember them and lie to my children Who can read what I wrote I hear remnants of your voice in mine Sometimes I just want to rip out my throat And silence both of us Sometimes when I look at this husk I see a foggy glimpse of you And smash my face against the mirror The insufficiency of your love wasn’t what killed me off That was all my doing I wouldn’t give you the pleasure of thinking That what you did caused this decision I took myself out of the picture years ago Ensuring whatever influenced your existence Never saw the light of day again It was easy, quick, and not a tear was shed And when it was done I put on my new skin Replaced the diseased innards Promptly forgot where I came from And set my compass for elsewhere Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your nex

Practice Perseverance Sticking to your guns, persevering when every option seems closed to you. Today we will talk about the benefits of perseverance and how you can use it for your artistic practice. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Mindfulness Kickstart Creativity Perseverance Definitions Perseverance: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition: the action or condition or an instance of persevering: STEADFASTNESS Perseverance Challenge Reflect on how or why you may have been groomed to regard stubbornness as a negative trait rather than a valuable asset. How might you foster a growth mindset in your team or personal life? To put it as Margaret Atwood did in the Handmaid's Tale, "Don't let the bastards grind you down" Be composed, unruffled, and undeterred. Sign Up for the Create Art Podcast Newsletter Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt Misfits: How it feels when you don’t belong in a group of others Todays Poem The Wind Gets Cold Out Here 11 Jan 2023 Mancave It was a few years back during a thanksgiving meal Seated with over 100 folks in uniform Many of them my clients It was a work function, attendance was strongly recommended So, walking through the food line they set up Making nice with everyone Sat with a group of clients And just like that, as happens in dinner tables all across America Someone was making cracks at Michelle Obama Saying how they shouldn’t let moneys wear such nice clothes And no, it wasn’t the drunk racist uncle that no one listens to It was a white college educated professional woman Who happened to be in uniform Who happened to be my client Who happened to be looking for work with the Feds Excusing myself Wasn’t going to try and bash my head against the wall As others in the group laughed along Guess who she doesn’t work for And the next line I was going to write Was going to have been Guess who got blackballed But then I thought Am I that far removed from them I took the next job After I lost three clients in 6 months One to cancer, who wouldn’t admit defeat One to a hold-up gone wrong on his last day of duty in front of his daughter One who decided to take a long walk into a lake I took that job to get away To work with those that were told To put kids in cages And now their conscious got them better of them And they were offing themselves in droves The job was to make them feel better And I get how they got into this mess They had no future No hope to achieve anything better So, they signed themselves over To uphold the law And there I am, giving aid and comfort To someone’s enemy To someone’s nightmare Will I be tried for war crimes When it is my turn to cross over Comforting those who do the things That we won’t do Who we rage against Who are following orders I have empathy for them But I’ll never be in their club Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast Abou

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Poetry Prompt I Used The Untouchable: Something that will always be out of reach Todays Poem Penetration 1 Jan 23, 2013 I look into your eyes Those pools of blue are so like mine Every morning I ask the same question Wanting to know what is going on behind the window Your voice repeats things that your mother was too young to know about There was no way you would have heard those words and phrases from me I’ve done my best to try and forget the person who originally uttered them But you can pick her out of a crowded picture from 1979 I want to save you the anguish she knew and caused I couldn’t save her in the end And it was a tragic end Relying on everything being provided by The one who molested your children Cheated on you with the church secretary Demanded that we all attend that church 5 times a week Knowing what we knew Being the embarrassment of the congregation I’ve taught my child to say fuck you to the President Put a middle finger up to the patriarchy and systemic racism When they try to grab her by the pussy She knows that she is not to stop stabbing until the knife won’t come out of her attacker's chest, groin, brain, heart She is to use the knives my mother chased my brother and I around the house with Screaming that we were possessed, and she would be taking the demons from our souls Even if it killed us My daughter knows how to slay the demons of Diablo And those who put on the skin of humans She knows how to use her words to stab at my heart My gift to her was anger My gift to her was rage She knows how to wield it I have no need to interrogate the people she will bring to our house Nor will I clean a rifle or a chainsaw in their presence Unless I am actually doing lawn work I have no need to intimidate in order to protect her She can take care of herself if the task is too large Then she knows when to bring me in, to finish And here we are After another screaming match with her mother She is doing her best to look intimidating Her frown flexed Her gaze intense into my eyes Her breath shallow and quick And just as she cannot decipher my demeanor She has no idea I am actually in control of the situation just by sitting here quietly Motionlessly Emotionlessly She ponders how I can exude so much unfeeling, such detachment from humanity She doesn’t know that I am scanning her for a crack A chink in her armor that I helped forge A way to see into her inner workings, her deep thoughts The dreams she refuses to elaborate on She won’t know until she reads this And even that would be a stroke of luck If she finds it and realizes it is about her She’s a bit too much like her long dead grandmother And I am ignorant of my obscure grandfather So, t

Practice Mindfulness Much like the Mercy episode, I discuss how I use mindfulness techniques to help me maintain focus and gain inspiration. In the job I have held for the last three years, my division is in charge of helping workers build their resilience, we use mindfulness to help with that. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Mindfulness Kickstart Creativity Verywell Mindfulness Mindfulness Definitions Mindfulness: the quality or state of being mindful, the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis. also: such a state of awareness Mindfulness Challenge Every morning when you wake, before you check your phone, take a few mindful breaths. Write a few lines in your journal. How might you and your collaborators or family make space for a mindfulness ritual? Try five minutes of mindful meditation right now. Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

History of National Poetry Writing Month National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada. This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project. My History with National Poetry Writing Month I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espresso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don't Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021. What I am doing differently for Poetry Month For 2023 I am not going to be just writing poems in April, I will be writing poems all year round. Also, since I will be writing all year round, I am using a different source for my prompts. There is a blog called Think Written and you can find it here. I will also be performing these works at Katora Coffee House here in Fredericksburg Virginia on their Friday Night Snaps Open Mic Poetry reading. Some of the podcast episodes you will hear will be a live recording of me reading the poem to a live audience, other times I will be reading it in the comfort of my home studio. I do plan on posting my work to the NaPoWriMo site and interacting with the poets there and see if they want to read their work on this podcast. Todays Poetry Prompt No Prompt just write Todays Poem Perspective 9 Jan 2023, 2103 Mancave A 6-year-old shot their teacher on January 6th It was the 2nd anniversary of those who send thoughts and prayers to gunshot victims And storm the Capitol And go to church on Sunday And say they are patriots And call people who jump when they hear a familiar crack in the air triggered snowflake libtards A 6-year-old shot their teacher on January 6th That teacher was in critical condition That teacher was forgotten because of a football player who almost died on the field The shooting didn’t make the front page of a major newspaper The prayers all went to the millionaire athlete That teacher was probably underpaid Probably skipped a few meals to provide supplies For the kids in her class Probably never handled a handgun themself A 6-year-old shot their teacher on January 6th The metal detectors were off that day The ones that children, Fucking Children had to walk through without protest Without thought as to why they had to As the lawgivers in congress celebrated the removal and requirement Of having to pass through the same detectors That their lackeys' actions caused to make the detectors necessary That’s true patriotism right there folks A 6-year-old shot their teacher on January 6th And now they are in custody And now they are given around-the-clock attention And the question is where does a 6-year-old gets a handgun And who taught the child to fire it And who taught the child to use it in anger And who taught the child Who do we hold responsible Who pays for the trauma of the ensuing lockdown Where kids accept what they are told Pretend you are dead, be quiet, and don’t move No matter how many shots are fired stay down A 6-year-old shot their teacher on January 6th A 74-year-old man-child in his Florida resort Who instigated a riot Who stole top secret documents Who’s crimes have been revealed time and time again Sips his Diet Coke and munches on his big macs Inflames the weak-minded Love the ignorant Love the children, as long as they satisfy his carnal needs He walks free A 6-year-old shot their teacher on January 6th How many days have gone by How many other teachers have been shot or assaulted How many other insurrections in other countries need to happen to satiate old men’s pride I stand here, doing all I can not to cry Here I stand a witness to a 14-year-old boy in a faraway land Being shot and strapped to the front of a jeep Paraded in front of his village as a warning Did it happen on January 6th, I can’t remember Should we just accept this horrid portrayal of groundhogs' day And relive another shooting every day A 6-year-old shot their teacher on Ja

Practice Mercy How can you add an element of mercy to your art? I discuss what my thoughts on mercy are for my artistic practice and being more mindful. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Mercy Kickstart Creativity Mercy Definitions Mercy compassion or forbearance (see FORBEARANCE sense 1) shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power. Imprisonment rather than death imposed as a penalty for first-degree murder. A blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion. A fortunate circumstance. compassionate treatment of those in distress. Mercy Challenge Reflect on how your creative work could bestow mercy or blessing upon yourself, someone else, or this broken world. Can you or your team imagine how conflict could be transcended through a thoughtfully designed work of art or public performance? Map out one act of mercy can ripple into your home, workplace, community, country, and world. Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Practice Love and Kindness Being kind to yourself will be reflected in your art. If we are too harsh on ourselves, how can we be kind to others? I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Kindness Kickstart Creativity Interview with Emile Pandofi on Replenishing your creative energy Love and Kindness Definitions Kindness: the quality or state of being kind, a kind deed: FAVOR, archaic : AFFECTION Love: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, an attraction based on sexual desire: affection and tenderness felt by lovers, affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests Lovingkindness: tender and benevolent affection Loving Kindness Challenge As you practice extending love, do you feel your heart opening up to creativity? How? Why? Reflect alone or in a group: What are some of the most moving pieces of art made in the name of love? Meditate now: May I be filled with loving kindness, may I feel safe from inner and outer dangers, may I be well in body and mind, and may I be at ease and happy. Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Creating Justice Many of us as artists and audiences have experiences injustice, but how can we use our art for justice? I will discuss what ways I can use my art for social justice and why we should. I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Justice Kickstart Creativity Saul Williams CEC Artslink Justice Definition Justice the maintenance or administration of what is just, especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments a judge of an appellate court or court of last resort (as a supreme court) the administration of law the quality of being just, impartial, or fair the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action the quality of conforming to law conformity to truth, fact, or reason Justice Challenge Design a creative routine or project rooted in your particular strivings toward a more just world Reflect on how others have connected their creative inclinations to justice work Can you point to one word, image, or phrase that connects your own life efforts to work for justice Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Being Joyful When I worked in customer service, we were told people could hear our smiles. In art, people can feel our joy. Let's talk about how we can add joy to our art today. I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Artistic Joy Kickstart Creativity Joy Definition Hospitable: 1a the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: DELIGHT b the expression or exhibition of such emotion: GAIETY 2 a state of happiness or felicity: BLISS 3 a source or cause of delight Joy Challenge Keep a running list of things that bring you joy. Let something on your list inspire your next creation. Consider a joyful milestone in your life. What might that experience teach you about finding joy in your life? Joyful Ways to Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Being Hospitable Creating is not a one-way street, you need to make others feel welcome in your space. Being hospitable is today's theme, I'll be talking about ways to welcome others into your space and create a community by just being hospitable. I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Ronkia Merl's Bio Ronika is an award-winning screenwriter, writer, and producer. Having placed highly in both the Academy Nicholl Fellowship as well as the Austin Film Festival in 2019, she has since expanded her slate to contain more than 22 feature-length scripts, 4 of which are currently in preproduction or development with various production companies. She is also producing her "Wicklow Stories" Anthology "The Pier" in coordination with No Wifi. Her autobiography "The Unfinished Heart" is slated for publication in the coming years, and her textbook for Irish Screenwriters "The Hustle" is now available on Amazon or can be purchased directly from her. She has consulted on projects in the US, UK, South Africa, and Australia. Links to Ronika's work Ronika Merl's Website Ronika Merl's IMDB Ronkia Merl's Instagram Ronika Merl's YouTube Ronika Merl's FaceBook Previous Episode of Create Art Podcast GreenLit The Closing Instagram The Closing FaceBook Links on Artistic Hospitality Kickstart Creativity Hospitality Definition Hospitable: given to generous and cordial, reception of guests promising or suggesting a generous and friendly welcome, offering a pleasant or sustaining environment, readily receptive. Hospitality Challenge Reflect alone or with others on what we can learn about global hospitality traditions. Create for a table a simple centerpiece that tells a story with objects from nature or from your family history. Welcome others into your home or workspace by opening your door at the same time every week. Have tea or wine or prepare a simple meal. Give everyone you've welcomed something practical to do. Hospitable Ways to Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod [podcast_subscribe id="207"] Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Being Generous Creating takes a spirit of generosity, and in today's episode, I will explain the necessity of being generous with your artistic journey. I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Artistic Generosity Kickstart Creativity Finding A Mentor Episode with Sam Thiara Generous Definition Generous: liberal in giving: OPENHANDED a generous benefactor b: marked by abundance or ample proportions wide overhangs and generous verandas —Lewis Mumford: COPIOUS a thin salt-and-pepper mustache interrupted by a generous nose —Richard Zabel c: characterized by a noble or kindly spirit: MAGNANIMOUS, KINDLY a generous heart 2 archaic: HIGHBORN Generous Challenge Compliment a stranger, write a note of thanks, share your expertise, or mentor someone. If you have taken any of these steps already, email me and let me know so as to share it with our community on this podcast. Generous Ways to Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Being Friendly Creating takes great friendships, and in today's episode, I will explain the necessity of circling yourself with friends. I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week if you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Friendships Kickstart Creativity Surrealists Paris Salons Previous Episode on Artistic Collaboration Friendship Definition Friendship: the state of being friends, they have a long-standing friendship, the quality or state of being friendly: FRIENDLINESS the friendship shown him by his coworkers Friendship Challenge Research famous groups from history who regularly met to talk about and share their work. Send a short and simple daily text message or email to remind friends to whittle away at and enjoy our projects. What famous group of friends do you follow or do you have a group of friends now that meets up in real life or virtually, email me and let me know so as to share it with our community on this podcast. Friendly Ways to Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Being Courageous Creating takes courage, we sometimes reveal things that can scare us because of how they are perceived by the outside world. I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need them. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will attempt to do a card a week and record an episode about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week. If you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Links on Courage Kickstart Creativity 1 In 6 Being Brave With Your Art Episode Courage Definition Courage: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty Courage Challenge Speak to someone in your circle you don't know well, or listen with an open heart to a far-fetched idea. I spoke with a number of people this past weekend who were new to me or were old friends and we discussed things that were courageous and far-fetched. The insight shared was priceless and will be with me forever. What conversations have you had that you listened to with an open heart, email me and let me know so as to share it with our community on this podcast. Common Ways to Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to discover new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Creating for the Commonweal or the Common Good Creating for more than just ourselves and our audience but for the common good of our communities. I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need creativity cards. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will be attempting to do a card a week and record an episode each week about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week. If you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Commonweal Definition Commonweal noun the common welfare; the public good. Archaic. the body politic; a commonwealth. Links to Help You Create for the Common Good Kickstart Creativity Idea Space Creativity Challenge to help the Common Good Create or improve something for the common good. Donating art supplies, teaching a class, and mentoring someone for free are ways to creatively support the common good. Myself, I plan on donating books and offering my services to help people learn how to podcast. What can you do in your way for your community, email me and let me know so as to share it with our community on this podcast. Common Ways to Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz.

Pursuing Excellence Create Art Podcast Style In the pursuit of excellence, I am pushing myself to higher and more transparent levels. My wife gave me a box of cards for the holidays in 2022. I was puzzled because they were creativity cards and I thought, what the heck is this, I don't need creativity cards. Well, folks, I was wrong and I will be attempting to do a card a week and record an episode each week about how I am utilizing the card I draw every week. If you decide to pick up a deck and do these let me know. Excellent Links Mentioned In The Show Podfest Indie Pod Con Super Joe Pardo Show Kickstart Creativity What is Arête or The Pursuit of Excellence? From Wikipedia In its earliest appearance in Greek, this general notion of excellence was ultimately bound up with the notion of the fulfillment of purpose or function: the act of living up to one's full potential. A person of arete is of the highest effectiveness; they use all of their faculties—strength, bravery, and wit—to achieve real results. In the Homeric world, arete involves all of the abilities and potentialities available to humans. Though particularly associated with 'manly' qualities,[1] the Homeric usage of the term was not necessarily gender specific, as Homer applied the term to both the Greek and Trojan heroes as well as major female figures, such as Penelope, the wife of the Greek hero Odysseus. In the Homeric poems, arete is frequently associated with bravery, but more often with effectiveness. Excellent Ways to Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Message If you have found value in this podcast please feel free to share it with a friend as that is the best way to find new podcasts. I want this to be a 5-star podcast in your eyes so let me know what you would like to see. Speaking about sharing with a friend, check out my other podcast Find A Podcast About where I help you outsmart the algorithm and find your next binge-worthy podcast. You can find that podcast at findapodcastabout.xyz. Transcript [00:00:18] Hello friends. This is Timothy Kim O'Brien, your head instigator for Create Art Podcast, where I take my over 20 years in arts and education and help you. Tame your inner critic and create more than you consume. So at the time of this recording, it's 2023 and I gotta say my wife got me a great Christmas gift last year in 2022. [00:00:48] She got me this deck of cards and it's not a normal deck of cards. It's called Kickstart Creativity. 50 prompted cards to Spark Inspiration, and it's by Bonnie Smith White House. And I'm sure we'll have links to this where you can get it in the show notes. So with Kickstart Creativity cards, there are the action cards. [00:01:17] Which offers an opportunity to experiment or play with a surprising joy-inducing method? Sure. To stretch your creative muscles, each card suggests and briefly describes a specific action. There are also perspective cards, which are green, and they reveal a fresh mindset, a different lens, or an illuminating way of viewing one's work of the work you have before you. [00:01:45] Creative spirits, past and present will often be invoked on perspective, pers perspective cards. And then intention cards invoke a deeper service value, significance, or meaning to which you and your work can aspire. . Now you can, you know, draw one card at a time and if you do that, just, you know, draw any card as a daily or a weekly practice or, you know, draw one when you need a quick hit of inspiration. [00:02:24] You could draw two cards. Draw paired juxtapositions. . And how they do it is, you know, like a red and blue card or a blue and green card or however. And that I actually know you have to draw an action card in one intention card and it could help you or your collaborators imagine how a project could aspire to serve your community or world on a deeper level. [00:02:52] Or you can draw three cards. And you divide the deck into action, perspective, and intention. You draw one from each pile and you construct a narrative action, perspective, and intention for the work you are doing or for the path ahead. . So what am I gonna do with this? Well, I'm gonna try to do it once a week and I'm going to, I'm gonna read off the card to you, see what it's all about, and then I'll do my commentary on it and let you know what I think about it. [00:03:26] So here is today's card. All right, so today's card is an intention card. So it's a blue card, and the word for today is, and I'm probably gonna mispronounce it, but it's a harita a r e with a little thing up top, t e. And that is, it's an ancient Greek ideal of pursuing e

Benefits of Looking Back I am in a celebratory mood for this episode and allow me to tell you why. So, I started this podcast back on Nov 30th, 2019, right before the pandemic hit, so you could consider this a pandemic project podcast. But in reality, this was a rebrand from my old show KDOI Podcasting where I was talking with artists and doing projects, and commenting on what art means to me. All of this was done to encourage you to get into the arts and provide you with a place to share your work. In these three years and close to 200 episodes, okay so a bunch were rebroadcasted of KDOI, I have interviewed artists and provided you with a great deal to think about when it comes to stepping into the water and creating art. In this episode, I want to take a look back at 2022, reflect on what I have done, and then look at 2023 as I am already planning the year out. I have some new ideas about what we will cover in the new year and the direction of this show. Links for the past yearly reviews 2021 2020 Links For Guests Steve Harper Info harpercreates.com yourcreativelife.com Steve Harper IMDB A Few Short Plays To Save The World Links to Dawn Brotherton and Blue Dragon Dawn Brotherton Home Page Blue Dragon Publishing Links for Kinja Kinja’s Website Dixon On Demand Chris Jones’s Interview with Kinja Links To Emile Pandolphi Emile Pandolphi Website Emile Pandolphi YouTube Site Links to Ronika’s work Ronika Merl’s Website Ronika Merl’s IMDB Ronkia Merl’s Instagram Ronika Merl’s YouTube Ronika Merl’s FaceBook What Will The New Year Bring I ended a podcast I had called Clearly Obtuse, however, I am going to merge them in with Create Art Podcast, they will just have their own page dedicated on the website. I am going to rebroadcast the old episodes and a few other episodes from podcasts that I have done in the past. Other things that are coming up, I am looking at making this podcast every two weeks an episode pops up on your feed. I will continue to do my other podcast Find A Podcast About, which you will hear about as more episodes drop. I like the way I have that show formatted and will be formatting this show in a similar format. I am also planning on going to more conferences, mainly podcasting conferences, but also creativity conferences. I think it is important to surround yourself in a community that encourages your art and creativity. I will be letting you know what other podcasts I am listening to when it comes to creativity and will share them with you here on this podcast, hence why I am tying my other podcast with this podcast. Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Request If you received some new insight or idea from this episode please share it with a friend that may have the same issues. Also, let me know what would make this episode a 5-star episode in your opinion. I want to make the content something that you find value in and would pass along to others. When we share resources like this we all win, we all get our work out to our audiences and create networks that will stand the test of time. One last thing I want to leave you with is an important issue for many of the listeners of this podcast and that is individual liberty. Individual Liberty While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade on June 24th. Abortion is a basic healthcare need for the millions of people who can become pregnant. Everyone should have the freedom to decide what’s best for themselves and their families, including when it comes to ending a pregnancy. This decision has dire consequences for individual health and safety and could have harsh repercussions for other landmark decisions. Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health and independence of all Americans. Even if you live in a state where abortion rights are upheld, access to safe medical procedures shouldn’t be determined by location, and it shouldn't be the privilege of a small few. What Can You Do You can help by donating to local abortion funds. To find out where to donate for each state, visit donations 4 abortion dot com. That’s the number 4. If you or someone you know needs help, or if you want to get more involved, here are 5 resources. One. Shout Your Abortion is a campaign to normalize abortion. Two. Don’t Ban Equality is a campaign for companies to take a stand against abortion restrictions. Three. Abortion dot cafe has information about where to find cli

KDOI Rebroadcast on Inspiration Interview with Nate Moccia In this interview on inspiration, I am talking with a former coworker of mine Nate Moccia. I met Nate while working for the US Army and we discussed how he inspires those who work under him to achieve more than they think they can. We compare how inspiration works in management and in art. Topics on Inspiration Discussed Focus your efforts at the smallest level Creating Professional Relationships Motivation vs Manipulation Marrying the Mission with the individual Inspiration vs Motivation Reaching Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod Special Request If you received some new insight or idea from this episode please share it with a friend that may have the same issues. Also, let me know what would make this episode a 5-star episode in your opinion. I want to make the content something that you find value in and would pass along to others. When we share resources like this we all win, we all get our work out to our audiences and create networks that will stand the test of time. One last thing I want to leave you with is an important issue for many of the listeners of this podcast and that is individual liberty. Individual Liberty While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade on June 24th. Abortion is a basic healthcare need for the millions of people who can become pregnant. Everyone should have the freedom to decide what’s best for themselves and their families, including when it comes to ending a pregnancy. This decision has dire consequences for individual health and safety and could have harsh repercussions for other landmark decisions. Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health and independence of all Americans. Even if you live in a state where abortion rights are upheld, access to safe medical procedures shouldn’t be determined by location, and it shouldn't be the privilege of a small few. What Can You Do You can help by donating to local abortion funds. To find out where to donate for each state, visit donations 4 abortion dot com. That’s the number 4. If you or someone you know needs help, or if you want to get more involved, here are 5 resources. One. Shout Your Abortion is a campaign to normalize abortion. Two. Don’t Ban Equality is a campaign for companies to take a stand against abortion restrictions. Three. Abortion dot cafe has information about where to find clinics. Four. PlanCPillS.org provides early at-home abortion pills that you can keep in your medicine cabinet. And five. Choice.crd.co has a collection of these resources and more.

National Novel Writing and Podcast Posting Month 2022 Welcome friend to Create Art Podcast where I help you tame your inner critic and create more than we consume. I am Timothy Kimo Brien your thankful head instigator with over 20 years in arts and education. How I accomplish this is by providing you with commentary, interviews, discussions, and projects that will inspire you to create art. This month I will be podcasting daily and writing a novel in 30 days. I am participating in NaPodPoMo and NaNoWriMo again this year as I did last year and you can hear those episodes here. You will be able to listen and read along with what I wrote for the day. I like to practice what I preach when it comes to art so I am challenging myself to write and having you come along for the ride. It is my hope this inspires you to accomplish your goals with your art and if you would like to share what you are doing email me at [email protected] History of NaNoWriMo and NaPodPoMo NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists. NaPodPoMo: NaPodPoMo* is a month-long event similar to National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel, you post a podcast episode every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th. Use any platform you desire. From full production studio to iPhone app and just about anything in between. The goal is to use the challenge of podcasting daily as a form of podcasting boot camp. The Writing So Far Today I talk about what went wrong for this month's NaNoWriMo/NaPodPoMo, I don't view it as a failure, but rather as a learning opportunity for me to do better next time. Reaching Out To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation. Email: [email protected] IG: @createartpodcast Twitter: @createartpod

National Novel Writing and Podcast Posting Month 2022 Welcome friend to Create Art Podcast where I help you tame your inner critic and create more than you consume. I am Timothy Kimo Brien your thankful head instigator with over 20 years in arts and education. How I accomplish this is by providing you with commentary, interviews, discussions, and projects that will inspire you to create art. This month I will be podcasting daily and writing a novel in 30 days. I am participating in NaPodPoMo and NaNoWriMo again this year as I did last year and you can hear those episodes here. You will be able to listen and read along with what I wrote for the day. I like to practice what I preach when it comes to art so I am challenging myself to write and having you come along for the ride. It is my hope this inspires you to accomplish your goals with your art and if you would like to share what you are doing email me at [email protected] History of NaNoWriMo and NaPodPoMo NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand-new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists. NaPodPoMo: NaPodPoMo* is a month-long event similar to National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel, you post a podcast episode every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th. Use any platform you desire. From full production studio to iPhone app and just about anything in between. The goal is to use the challenge of podcasting daily as a form of podcasting boot camp. The Writing So Far 23 Nov 2022 words today 1782 words total 27224 After Username 72 placed the phone back in the containment unit he reported directly to Username 1. “Reporting in, so Blue is working on another online magazine called Don’t Tred on The Truth. It’s a little bit higher up the ladder than the followers of Zeno. We may have to deal with that issue if the followers get more traction in their field of influence. A couple of things that may be disturbing, Blue is growing up and wants to be revealed to the outside world. Blue is also making his tasks to accomplish and is pretty much telling me what they are planning on doing. Blue still trusts me at this point and I plan on keeping that trust, however, I can see where they will be a struggle in the future to rein in,” said Username 72. “Do we need to consider when and not if to use the nuclear option,” asked Username 1. “At this point I think it would be prudent. Blue’s ability to process and analyze information is astounding, but it is moving so fast that it lacks the moral judgment needed to apply a set of regulations on itself before it commits to an action. We have one of the best AI’s out there, but we are running into the same problem that others have experienced, the AI gets too big and powerful and lacks the morality to understand that not all options are on the table. Some options are specifically off the table for the survival of humankind,” said Username 72. “Okay, I will get everyone on board for a meeting today. Lay out what you have and let’s see if we can agree on how to end this project quickly and quietly,” said Username 1. Special Agent Lee Holt was just finishing his morning coffee after closing the case file on his latest prosecution. He had been at the celebratory party last night with his staff and left early because he was always ready for the next case to hit his desk. Agent Holt worked in a cyber-crimes division of the FBI and hated the whole Washington DC scene. He wished he could get back to his field office in Chicago, but he had taken this position eight years ago when he was still married in order to hand pick his selection of cases versus being assigned cases from headquarters. The marriage fell apart three years into the new position, and they parted amicably. She returned to Chicago to be with her family and friends while he felt stuck in his DC position. He did get to cherry pick the cases, but he would be doing it alone. He and his ex-wife had no children, so he didn’t have any ties to DC other than the job and going from headquarters back to a field office was considered a failure by most of his colleagues. If he did go back to Chicago, he would likely not be able to pick his cases and not be placed on high profile cases either. So, he toiled away from his DC office for the time being. Agent Holt was checking his email for new cases when he found one that caught his eye. It was in the town of Alewell and dealt with a podcaster losing over thirty thousand dollars out of their bank account and having the audio for their podcast altered for all of the episodes. He looked up where Alewell was and found it was close to h

National Novel Writing and Podcast Posting Month 2022 Welcome friend to Create Art Podcast where I help you tame your inner critic and create more than you consume. I am Timothy Kimo Brien your thankful head instigator with over 20 years in arts and education. How I accomplish this is by providing you with commentary, interviews, discussions, and projects that will inspire you to create art. This month I will be podcasting daily and writing a novel in 30 days. I am participating in NaPodPoMo and NaNoWriMo again this year as I did last year and you can hear those episodes here. You will be able to listen and read along with what I wrote for the day. I like to practice what I preach when it comes to art so I am challenging myself to write and having you come along for the ride. It is my hope this inspires you to accomplish your goals with your art and if you would like to share what you are doing email me at [email protected] History of NaNoWriMo and NaPodPoMo NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand-new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists. NaPodPoMo: NaPodPoMo* is a month-long event similar to National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel, you post a podcast episode every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th. Use any platform you desire. From full production studio to iPhone app and just about anything in between. The goal is to use the challenge of podcasting daily as a form of podcasting boot camp. The Writing So Far 22 Nov 2022 words today 1739 words total 25442 Cody reviewed the reach of the podcast that Mason had submitted to him this morning. Outwardly he seemed very pleased with the numbers, although they had lost the majority of the initial emails that went out. His idea to bring the podcast inside the network seemed to be paying off, the second episode hit all the emails in their list and the open rate was phenomenal. The incident which he initially was upset about seemed to be paying off and was worth the risk. Mason’s report also indicated that their audience was sharing the episode and making their reach rivaling other mid to high level groups in the conspiracy space on the internet. This one incident could put them in a very favorable position and all because some young guy decided to act on his own. He also knew that this would bring a lot of unwanted attention, so he needed to make sure all his information was protected. He had another network set up just for him to store that information that was distinctly separate from the group's network, and it was offline from main internet connections. Someone would really have to want to hack into this network and would need to know the entire mind of Cody in order to get inside. That was the promise that was made by his network security representative who sold the followers of Zeno their network plan. A notification came through his secured account from Mason. The notification was marked as. Urgent He thought about having a meeting with all of his support staff on the actual meaning of urgent. It was an annoyance, but it was a preventable annoyance. He set up the virtual office and sent the invite to Mason immediately. As he entered the virtual office, Mason entered at the same time and looked extremely irritated. “You called this meeting, start talking,” said Cody. “Are you going to sanitize the room,” asked Mason. “Did that as you entered, what's going on,” asked Cody. “Someone hacked our bank account for the podcast. There is only seventy-three dollars left where yesterday there was thirty thousand,” said Mason. “Sounds like a problem with the bank, not for me to resolve,” said Cody. “Well, that isn’t all, the previous episodes, well they have been corrupted,” said Mason. “What do you mean corrupted,” asked Cody. “The first five minutes of each episode is fine, but then after that, someone has cloned my voice and made it say odd things that I did not say,” said Mason. “I am not sure I follow,” said Cody. “Whomever hacked into our bank account has also hacked into the podcast and changed everything, every episode. It doesn’t make sense, this happened in just a few hours, that type of deep fake takes days to script, research, cut and paste and put together seamlessly. If I didn’t edit all of the episodes, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference and it’s my voice. This is upper-level work. I don’t know any outfits on the other side that can do this type of work so quickly,” said Mason. “Have you reported this to the authorities or to the bank,” asked Cody. “Not yet, I wanted to talk with you first and see which way we wanted to go,” replied mason

National Novel Writing and Podcast Posting Month 2022 Welcome friend to Create Art Podcast where I help you tame your inner critic and create more than you consume. I am Timothy Kimo Brien your thankful head instigator with over 20 years in arts and education. How I accomplish this is by providing you with commentary, interviews, discussions, and projects that will inspire you to create art. This month I will be podcasting daily and writing a novel in 30 days. I am participating in NaPodPoMo and NaNoWriMo again this year as I did last year and you can hear those episodes here. You will be able to listen and read along with what I wrote for the day. I like to practice what I preach when it comes to art so I am challenging myself to write and having you come along for the ride. It is my hope this inspires you to accomplish your goals with your art and if you would like to share what you are doing email me at [email protected] History of NaNoWriMo and NaPodPoMo NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand-new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists. NaPodPoMo: NaPodPoMo* is a month-long event similar to National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel, you post a podcast episode every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th. Use any platform you desire. From full production studio to iPhone app and just about anything in between. The goal is to use the challenge of podcasting daily as a form of podcasting boot camp. The Writing So Far 18 Nov 2022 words today 1490 words total 23703 Tinley woke up the next morning hearing some sort of commotion outside of their house. Her neck was stiff from laying in Marks lap the night before. She first went to Winnona’s room to check on her, when she got there the memory hit her and she started crying and sobbing at the loss of her child. The noise of her sobs and the commotion outside woke Mark and he jumped out of bed. He ran to Winnona's room to find his wife on her knees crying and inconsolable. He was more than irritated at the commotion happening outside and helped Tinley up and took her back to their bedroom. Once there Tinley lay on the bed and Mark went to investigate the commotion. There were reporters outside his door, none of them had rang the doorbell, nonetheless they were outside making a racket jogging for position to be the first to get the story. Mark furiously opened the front door while still just in his shorts and no shirt and unshaven face. “You vultures need to get off my property,” yelled Mark with a wild look in his eyes. “Mr. Bale, is it true that your wife and the mayor have been seen together privately,” asked a reporter from an ally conspiracy online magazine of the followers of Zeno. Most of the other reporters looked at him in shock. “Who the hell are you and what the hell are you talking about. Get off my property before I throw you into the street,” said Mark. “So, you aren’t denying that you are a cuck and your wife is seeing the mayor on the side,” asked the same reporter. As Mark took a step toward the reporter to beat him, police sirens went off and all the reporters turned around to see three police cars with lights flashing pull-up. Detective Courtney was the first to reach Mark as he pushed through the reporters. “Don’t say anything more, go inside and be with your wife, I got this, and I am sorry,” Detective Courtney said to Mark. “Now for the rest of you, pack up and get out of here, leave this family in peace. You’ll get your story later now get before I have my boys take you in for trespassing.” “We have a first amendment right to ask questions and a duty to report the news to our subscribers,” said the reporter from the conspiracy magazine. “You have two seconds to vanish otherwise you will be in the back of my car,” said Detective Courtney. The other reporters went back to their vehicles and gathered around the reporter who had made the accusation. “Hey that was really uncalled for, who are you and who do you work for, “asked one of the local reporters. “I have credible information that Mrs. Bale is seeing the mayor on the side. It came out on the Alewell Podcast Journal show with Mason Haverty this morning. Didn’t any of you get it. I am Thomas Calder from the Don’t Tread On The Truth Magazine and I am getting ready to post my report later this morning since Mr. Bale didn’t deny what I asked. You heard the encounter or are you too scared to report the truth. And you call yourselves journalists,” said Thomas. “Thats not journalism, that is slander. Even a freshman reporter knows the difference,” said one of the local reporters. “You call it