Author: musevassal

wounded

Awoke today with a mind full of twisted metal; jagged edges piercing me.Feeling wounded, not knowing why. Something terrible is happening. I’m feeling it. Clinging to my skin like a toxic vapor; sliding into my lungs; coating my insides with slick poison. Sober now, there’s nothing to be done about it. Can’t cudgel my senses.Poison … Continue reading wounded →

The Kraft Champagne Incident

Today I was driving my wife, mother-in-law, and daughter to a nearby village to buy basashi (horse meat eaten raw like sashimi [awesome, by the way]). While driving I had an out-of-the-blue recollection of one of my last alcoholic binges, about ten years ago. At that time, I was trying to sober up a bit, … Continue reading The Kraft Champagne Incident →

The Giraffe Schoolgirl

Way back in my first English conversation class for Japanese high school girls, we were talking about “free time” and how we like to spend it. One of my students announced quite boldly that she liked to go to the school library, get a book on giraffes, and then sit there looking at the book … Continue reading The Giraffe Schoolgirl →

gift

You come here to meand present yourself I do see thatI know I want it tooto take what is offeredtaste what is given teach you my ways draw the quiver from your bellyout through your lipsas a moan I’d love that but I can’tyou know the reasons why you’ve met them I just hope you … Continue reading gift →

Unplug

Within our society's celebrity worshiping nonsense, there is a tendency to lament the torments poor sensitive stars must endure because of their fame. I don't buy it. First of all, in order to clarify some definitions, please realize that there are very few artist celebrities left. There used to be a time when someone could … Continue reading Unplug →

Learning Never Ends

Wherever you are, and whatever you're doing, you can always learn something if you keep your eyes open. For example, in my days as a laborer I learned from a coworker that with patience and a razor blade, the company's decal on our hardhats could be altered to read “cunt suction” instead of “construction.”

Chemistry

Emotions and feelings are all chemicals. This does not mean they are not real; quite the contrary. Providing the formula for love does not invalidate love. It just means the ghost in the machine is chemical. We are chemical and electrical beings.“Love is just a chemical formula.”Yeah, so is strychnine. What's your point?Did you know … Continue reading Chemistry →

Photorealism is Dull

I don’t get the obsession with photorealism in visual art. Sure, it’s impressive on a technical level, but what’s the point? Wow! It looks just like the subject! So… why not just look at the subject, then? Or an actual photo of it. Show me something I haven’t seen before. It would be like a … Continue reading Photorealism is Dull →

Shadow Cats

I was well into my thirties before I discovered that having shadow cats in your life isn't normal.Shadow cats are what I call a certain kind of hallucination I get sometimes. Usually when I'm tired. They're these blobs of darkness that zip about in my peripheral vision. Very much like a black cat slinking around … Continue reading Shadow Cats →