Holiday Work...but not really...Strange Grounds Open Mic revisited

So it's Christmas Eve, and I'm debating about doing a video...leaning more toward not.  However, I have gotten around to editing the recording I did in November with Strange Grounds open mic. First up is Dave, here is a pic, and his music.  Sorry I couldn't get my player to be here, but the links will take you to their music, so click and enjoy!!

Dave's Performance


Next up we have the host Eugene Christopher.  He's a very cool dude, so click the link and check him out.  BTW his pic is here for your enjoyment

Eugene Christopher

Up next we had the wonderful Matt.  He is an awesome guitar player, please enjoy, and as always click the name to be wisked off for his great performance!

Matt

I think we need some female energy up in this piece.  I'm not sure if I'm spelling her name correctly or not, but hopefully I'm right.  This is Mave ya'll

Mave

And last but certainly not least, is me.  I think I did pretty well.  And if you are one of the performers from that night, and you want me to put up your pic and performance, just let me know and I'll make it happen.  You can always hit me up at poet402@yahoo.com The pic is not from that night, but the only one I got of me with my sax....

Me @ Strange Grounds

Well, that's bout it folks, a big big thank you to Strange Grounds!!  This was the first time I performed A Love Story Extended, and I think people enjoyed it.  I also gave away free cd's that night, it was Amazing!!!

Last Doodles of the Year;squeezed in poetry

So here we have it folks, the last doodles of the year.  They are not in any specific order as I'm backdating it. Some doodles have been dated if you look carefully.  However I will be updating things such as tour dates and life ish for the new year.  Happy New Year ya'll, ya boy, poet402

Small stud on clock
represents radical change to
wind gust, that slap hat wings, blowing
pollen over over-grown grass under
sunlights; sunday through saturday.

Tomorrow is the Bistro, & recently pepper sprayed
pupils will participate in the passing of food to
staff....

Rollin' on, rollin on.  Been waitin'
like a child on Christmas Eve

It's what cha' doin', round this time
of year;
are you goin' somewhere or
are you stayin' here?

Over-hyper-active acting
pre-pubescent adolescent
was allowed tackle football
at lunch--damn good way
to fight the jitters

We
do
math
w/angles
& degrees
findin'
out how
easy; 3
tower
addition
can be
when we
work together
in middle
schools;
refuse to be
fools for no
school on Friday
We break
successfully
for the holiday

Got them New Friday Doodles!!! 12-6-13 (Even Got Some Poetry)

My Friday (day) was pretty good.  The evening went ok, it wasn't until the end of the night, that things went south on me.  However, I give thanks to good friends who helped my through rough times, and then read me books until the pain subsided.  Thanks people, we do what we do because we care, and you all showed that to me Friday night/Saturday morning; lmao.  I'll do a post about the drama sometime tonight...for now, I'm out!!

Friday 12-6-13 Doodle done in SPED Class

School Day

12/6/13=31

1.

We stare blankly

into screens hoping to

gain information—

but all we get is

leftover, spoiled,

Thanksgiving,

turkey, mashed potatoes, and

thick gravy—

resembling pudding.

2.

How do we know

they are right

when they talk drug

abuse and cognitive loss

between the ages of 18-

27.  Yea, I smoked some weed.

And I can’t remember last night’s

exact words about frontal lobe

mushy stuff—am i damaged?

3.

Amazing how

much time is

wasted in the

name of education.

4.

more about

tracking behavior

than correcting

behavior, than

educating, interacting,

growing children 

Friday 12-6-13 Doodle 2 Started in SPED Class, finished at 2nd job; Group Home/Treatment Center

End of November, First of December Doodles

So these are the brand new doodles.  They were done the Friday just before Thanksgiving break, and the week after.  Friday's doodles are not done because it is Friday at 2:42am and I haven't gone to work yet.  I will be updating the open mic post with mp3's in a separate post. Please enjoy with smiles and toys!!!  12-7-13, updated with poem that u can read, just scroll down

11-21-13 Doodle

11-28-13 Thanksgiving Doodle 2

11-28-13 Thanksgiving Doodle 1

Doodle 12-2-13 Monday 1

Doodle 12-2-13 Monday and 12-4-13 Wednesday...what happened to Tuesday???? (hell I dunno)

12-5-13 Thursday Doodle 1

12-5-13 Thursday (Poetic) Doodle 2

In All Directions Poetry

Poetry In All Directions

(in no particular order)

Not really in the mood to do the

EYC thang but I need the

$$ for vaca’s so I can

vacate—

even the moon & stars don’t take

me far enough from

my

problems, un-proper

pauper, printing promises

on borrowed bills of

phantasy.

really in red sunsets I gather

gratitude from the greatness

which cooperation provided

Big $$ is not a goal when you got

God on

your side. He’s the

G.O.A.T whenever you need

a ride; He’s been with me

ever since I slid out my

mama’s insides

I am beauty, pain, a poster child

for humanity, I am the perfect

me that

I can be & when that’s

not great enough for all to see

I find the nearest beach & flee

I’m sure she

surveyed my

prescense the

last time I

was present

my stalker’s a

bad ass proletariat

I

dig chicks

w/sharp minds

& big hips

I so dig

expanding both of

those things

When

you learn

your body tenses

but brain expands

stand on your head

poetic carousel w/

words misspelled like

I’m an A.N. kid

waitin on bail

u can’t tell?

12-5-13 Thursday (between AN Room and EYC) Doodle 3

So these will be stories accompanying some of these doodles because well, lets just say it's been a hell of a week, and some of these stories need to come to light.  I will also update the poetry doodle, just because it's a dope fuckin' doodle that like a poetic doodle and needed to be done....enjoy this for now ya'll!!!!

Whoop Whoop Strange Grounds Open Mic

Whoop whoop!!! Last night was open mic, and I'm sitting here listening to the recording I did of it from my mp3 player. (Don't get excited, the recording was horrible, to say the least, but listen-able, lol)

I went to Strange GroundsCoffee-House for a GREAT , GREAT open mic. If you want the best chai tea in the city—you best go here!! From the minute I walked in, I felt relaxed. Now granted, when I walked in I was having a moment, due to some memory/anxiety issues, but my first chai tea and some time cured that.

Now this open mic's ad (which I read on craigslist lol) read like such:

Open Mic Night @ Strange Grounds Coffee!

Are you a musician, poet, or performer looking for a relaxed venue? Strange Grounds Coffee has an Open Mic Night every Tuesday night at 9:00 pm, hosted by local musician Eugene Christopher Bring your music, your poetry, yourself, and your friends, and come enjoy our intimate stage. There is never a cover charge for events at Strange Grounds, but try the chai, it's awesome and we make it from scratch.

For a full schedule of our events, see the calendar at StrangeGrounds.com.

Strange Grounds Coffee
1417 South Broadway
Denver CO
(303)733-7600
Facebook
Twitter: @StrangeGrounds
Live acoustic music on the regular.

So I thought, musicians—am I one, not really, but I kept reading. Poet—I think I might be able to pull that one off. So I felt comfortable in going there and doing my thing. The other thing I thought was hey, to off-set the poetry, and get in decent with the musicians, pull out the sax and join in the music side of the evening—and I did. Now the host (Eugene Christopher), a very cool dude; very welcoming, good guitar player, everything in a host to make you feel like you're in your living room playing with friends.

I had great fun at the open mic, I will be back!! The performers were amazing, you guys kept my head bobbing all evening! Now to review my performance—it wasn't that bad. With the last couple of performances I've had, I was very nervous. (could I remember the words, would I get stuck, stage fright, etc.) I am proud to report that none of that happened!!! This was the best performance I have given in months. One, it is a brand new piece; written about a month ago, and memorized that day. (and throughout the month...lol) But I enjoyed their stage, the people, and I was able to give away THREE CD'S!!!! It always makes me happy to give away something that I worked on, and enjoyed working on for the sake of enjoyment. So if you have one of those cd's, look at it, go to the website, burn it for a friend, tell them about the spot u met me, and ENJOY ALL OF THESE THINGS.

So all in all, the place was fabulous, I had a great time, and I will be back, for the music, the people and the chai!!! Down below you will find pics of some of the performers that hit the stage for this amazing night—Give Thanks, from Clarence, aka Poet402

Eugene Christopher--Your, Mine, Our Host

Matt 2013--Strange Grounds

Mave

more coming.....

Some Poetry From My Days

Lunch in a Behavioral Middle School Class

Slurping up

  chunky milk

from white styrafoam bowl

  he looks up to me w/

     wild jittery eyes

     & says

  "slop! I'm enjoying eating 

     slop"

  --boy, just eat your lunch

What Tension Sounds Like

use inside voices

   to make good choices

you can't allow them

to make you angry.

   stop provoking your peer.

   why are you yelling and 

   posturing toward

                   staff

SHE TOOK MY FUCKIN'

         RADIO

   is that a reason to yell

and get in people's faces??

Untitled

I thought she was gone

with her maple colored braids, 

bright unstained smile; with smooth hands

and arms outstretched to comfort me 

back to childhood.

   No, i don't have mommy issues.

If I did, this soft woman would be 

my zen therapist, blue crunchy zoloft

tab, all wrapped up,

into one.

She empowered me to take chances,

never got mad when I quit a job

big brown eyes watched me fall

   in a cloud of dust; get up

   dust myself off, and plan,

   another hair-brained scheme.

She tirelessly watched me; at the time

I thought she never helped me...

But sometimes,

the most help you can give

is watching someone you love,

   plunge head-first with air rushing out

   their nose, into a deep dark canyon of 

                                            granite!

& not helping up.

Maybe, the best thing she did

was fall into my arms at bedtime,

with silence; Stared at me with confidence

open her smooth legs & accepted me.

I drove her crazy

with my on again, off again; I love you

if only you weren't a single mother,

yes, I'd marry you if we can

have a baby & you put me--first

   I made her hair thin, grey, break &

fall, with each attempt to align the stars

to our dreams; I was collateral 

damage to our relationship.

Being real I had to read

the blood in my veins, realized 

I needed leeches to 

expel & let loose all the 

negative energy

that had gathered up 

in the bowels of my valves--

I needed an exit

like my dad just had.

like my ex finally had.

like my mom just did.

An exit.

a gold-plated pathway, away

from the full bosomed 

support wire that 

snapped the experience of 

expectation.

It, she, they,

    are all

not coming back

Doodles and Other Stuff...mmm...ok

Here are a few doodles that I have done over the past couple of months.  Some have poetry (not real good poetry) and others are just doodles.  I hope they bring a smile, at least, to your face.  Thanks for the visit, keep coming.

I doodle with my poodle

pigs fly in overcast skies

My coping skills are dancing over red sunsets!!

Children make me yell

Big smiles, green teeth make people happy

Trees with leaves kill leaches

Hearts causes farts

The phrase that I hear daily, whether group home/treatment center or the SPED classroom

A Doodle Done at a Special Ed Training
Summer 2013

EYC Doodle
Done November 1, 2013 between group home and SPED classroom

The F'n Recess Doodle
Done in SPED classroom 2013

Doodle done at Group Home/Treatment Center 2013
Kids got a hold of my notebook and added "are amazing"..fuckin' teens

Hot Head Doodle
Done in SPED classroom. Boys struggling with writing papers and anger.

The Math Doodle
Done in SPED classroom 2013
Doodling what the teacher was teaching.  Also brainstorming on lesson plans

Blackburn/Thankful engine is not blown Doodle
Doodle done in various places 10/26-10/31/13

The 3:30 Doodle
Done around 10/24/13; in the SPED classroom as well as the Group-home/Treatment Center

O'Hare Doodle
Done in SPED classroom 11/5/13
Working on reading lesson surrounding O'Hare father and son team

Fly Painting and Poetry Doodle
11/1/13 Done in SPED classroom
Angles
ain't angels
some of
the world
ain't wet;
speaking in
tongues
sometimes we forget

They say [pink]
is 4 Girls
ONLY

tic/tack
dropback
on dominance
to defend from
prominence & pas-
shron nipple
ripple effect in west
rivers

Poem Balloon/Sperm Doodle
SPED classroom 2013

Play computer
games all day
& call them brain
exercises as red -head
deviant cuts out back
door thinking he's slick
Fuck these kids

I tell them
they're amazing

in the most sarcastic
voice I can
muster,

but they don't quite
understand sarcasm;
like integrity is some
foreign word

We talk about english
embedded assessments
and transition statements.
Never dive deep
in the realm of science

I wanna give up
daily

Easily
distracted children
Let them loose in
society--will be sad
lesson, b/c society
no longer cares

For middle school
A.N. boys--good
coloring is a
skill 

Doodle done in SPED class

10/22/13

Better to 

run stairs 

than run streets

where your hustle 

is your muscles 

& you make bread

to eat, no defeat

in deafened shadows

my school is safe &

secure; but I'm 

no longer there

deep in 

manure

The Insanity Doodle

Doodle done at a AN Training

10/15/13

Conversation surrounding best way to support our kids, the issues they face, struggle with, then bring to us.

The Distracted Doodle
Done in SPED room on Halloween 2013.  Children were very distracted and wasted a lot of time on a one page essay

Introduction

So since I can not access my Bras' Blog anymore due to not remembering my password, I decided to do this blog instead--take that Google!! On this blog, I will be posting doodles and poetry mostly, because that's what I've being doing as of late. Most of the doodles will be surrounding children that I work with, because inspiration comes from life and my life is surrounded by bad ass kids--just kidding, but no really, I work with bad ass kids. lol. So read, view and enjoy enjoy enjoy!!