No Filter: A Travelogue of Madness .. The Blog

Saul Williams Music Poem/Slam Poetry and Hip Hop

2011-10-26T11:10:00.000-04:00

Music Poem from Saul Williams's journal from 2000 --- From "The Dead Emcee Scrolls" pg. 152

Can music change the world?
Are these simply songs to be heard
And forgotten?
When JB said, "Say it loud..."
Did that affect a shift in conciousness?
Can the music of a society
Help mold its mental state?
Can a great song affect more than the way
A musician approaches his next song?
How about the way they approach their children.
Their loved ones? Their lives?

I believe I am
A man molded by music
And my intent is to mold
To shape
These are the ways
Of a carpenter.

====================

"The Dead Emcee Scrolls" is a challenging book by Saul Williams.

It's about where hip hop had a chance to be, and may not be reaching right now.

I am getting more into the slam poetry scene all of the time. It speaks to me. Language is powerful, words are powerful.

Hip-hop had a poetry to it, some does, some is misogynistic and glorifies capitalism and money.

I think some of the best of early hip-hop has become part of the slam poetry scene. Some of it is rapped, most just spoke, a lot inbetween.

It's about the words, it's about talking about lives.

It's about talking about pain, family, redemption, gladness and sadness.

I am very proud of the Portland, Maine poetry scene.

May it continue to prosper.

Edmund (aka Ed2D2)

Homeless (With a guitar)

2011-09-06T07:19:00.000-04:00

Homeless
homeless
many nights under Portland skies

Have my guitar
My shoulder hurts so

Beer helps
Rum helps
Beer I need another beer

Anything to get me drunk
Anything to dull the pain
Anything to feel different

To stop the tears
To stop the pain
To stop the sadness

Addiction
Homelessness
Insanity
Sadness
A tough life

I need my guitar
I need my music

Reminds me I can make music
That I can create

Reminds me I just need a home
for my guitar
for my music
for my mind

To settle down
To finally feel home

To play
to create
to sing
to dance
to make people smile
not pity

I have to hold this guitar
I have to have my guitar
Almost pawned it so many times
For some money, for some beer, for some rum.

I have held this guitar a long time
My shoulders are so sore, so very sore
Lost my home to addiction, drink, madness

I just need a home
I just need some help
I need to grow
I need to settle

And need to just play
I need to just play
and
sleep
in
my own bed.

And perchance to dream,
and rest the sleep of the settled.

(c) 2011, Edmund Davis-Quinn

Are we in a Brave New World

2011-07-30T22:36:00.000-04:00

Part of the July 26th Writer's Almanac: http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2011/07/26

Today is the birthday of English author Aldous Huxley (1894) (books by this author), born in Godalming, Surrey. He was the grandson of Thomas Henry Huxley, a scientist and man of letters who was known as "Darwin's bulldog" for his defense of the theory of evolution. Huxley wrote a few of novels that satirized English literary society, and these established him as a writer; it was his fifth book, Brave New World (1932), which arose out of his distrust of 20th century politics and technology, for which he is most remembered. Huxley started out intending to write a parody of H.G. Wells' utopian novel Men Like Gods (1923). He ended by envisioning a future where society functions like one of Henry Ford's assembly lines: a mass-produced culture in which people are fed a steady diet of bland amusements and take an antidepressant called Soma to keep themselves from feeling anything negative.

It's natural to compare Brave New World with George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four(1948), since they each offer a view of a dystopian future. Cultural critic Neil Postman spelled out the difference in his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death:

"What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture. ... In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that our desire will ruin us." (less)

Feel like we may be there in our world of Prozac and Ritalin and reality TV and tea parties and ..

Any thoughts?

edmund

On a Vonnegut kick of late

2011-07-30T22:32:00.002-04:00

Recently been on a Vonnegut kick, read all in the last month.

Just adore "A Man Without A Country," an older, cynical Vonnegut looking at a bizarre country, does see the country he likes in librarians.

"Cat's Cradle" -- didn't realize every chapter was meant as a joke. Just genius and bizarre.

"Slaughterhouse Five" -- left a huge impression, amazing and hard, hard story to tell.

Favorites over time:

1984
Huck Finn
The Martian Chronicles
To Kill a Mockingbird
On The Road
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Edge City: Life on the New Frontier.

edmund

Learning is Play

2011-05-25T08:45:00.000-04:00

This is dedicated to my mom, Christine Davis. Was written for Mother's Day readings at Mama's Crowbar, haven't read it there yet.

-------------------------------------------------

Hi, mom
how are you?

How was your day
What are you reading
What are you thinking?

How's dad
how's my sister

Good childhood
pretty easy.

Montgomery
pretty quiet

Watching TV with my sister

Already changing channels
Constantly
Enjoy needling my sister

She enjoys needling me
We still do

No one knows how to get under your skin like family

Family knows you in ways no one can

Memories of you at birth
at 8, at 15, at 22 ...

Memories of who you were not who you are

Memories of Eddie

Of being Eddie Einstein
Of being a mad scientist

I am still a geek
Still love play
Still love nerdy things

Science on Saturday
At Princeton Plasma Physics Labs
A new talk every week,
advanced stuff,
interesting stuff

Mom always having me learn
Always having me grow
Always treating me as an equal in conversation
Giving me her love of learning

Giving me a love of exploring
exploring myself
exploring the world
exploring knowledge

Curious
always curious

First words
"What's That"

Always wanting to
learn with play

To learn with play
Learning can be fun
Learning is fun

Reading is fun
Gaming is fun
Talking is fun.

Playing with books
Already at 3.

Star Wars Read and Learn LPS
The old ones books with a record to read along.

Reading is play
Words are play
Learning is play.

Science is play.
Math is play.

Still love to play
Will always love to play.

Dance, sing, play puzzles

Learning
Figuring out patterns and puzzle
Figuring out things

Puzzles
Dominion, Carcassone, Magic, silly things

Thanks, mom
Thanks for reading
Thanks for believing
Thanks for the emotional support
Thanks for the financial support.

I love you.

Hey, Charlie

2011-05-25T08:33:00.000-04:00

I have been holding off on this poem for a little while. Was going to try to perform it live first.

Decided I would like to have the words.

------------------

Hey, Charlie
Madness isn't funny

Mania isn't funny

It's not WINNING
It's not tiger blood
It's not a joke

Hitting women is wrong
Making yourself a spectacle is wrong
Running away from your life is wrong
People depend on you.

Give yourself time.
Get yourself help.
Heal yourself.
Center yourself
Ground yourself.

Get better.
Seriously, get better man.

Seeing someone go mad on tape is much, much too hard to watch.

Seeing it person is harder

Seeing it in the mirror is the hardest of all.
Madness ain't easy.

Get some rest
Get better
Heal thyself.

Breathe
Get some air
Get some space
Find your center

Let yourself settle
Let yourself normalize
Let yourself breathe
Let yourself breathe

Breathe with me
water breath

Big breath in,
long breath out

Big breath in,
long breath out

Breathe, dude
Relax, you don't have to be everywhere
You don't have to always say yes
Calm the fuck down

Your life isn't a joke

Apologize, repent
Cry if you need to
Let your friends help you
Let people help you

If you need to see a doctor

If you need to admit yourself,
Have doctors help you rest
Have doctors help you normalize

Life is hard, very hard
Madness is so many times harder.

Watching someone self-destruct isn't funny.
Your life isn't a show.
It's not theater.

Celebrities aren't our playthings
Despite what Perez Hilton or the National Inquirer thinks
They are people, people with issues
Sometimes serious ones.

Charlie, breathe ask for help
Get help, normalize yourself
Center yourself, breathe

Don't do anything you will regret later

Stop trying to win.
Life is not a game.
Life is not about winning.

Start trying to live your life.
Find who you are
Calm down
Relax
Be who you are.

With love,

Edmund

2011 Portland Poetry Slam team

2011-04-27T20:49:00.000-04:00

Want to work to get off book

Amazed at the last 3 weeks at Port Veritas.

We have a very, very dangeous slam team.

Congratulations to: ‎2011 Port Veritas/Portland, ME Poetry Slam Grand Slam Champ is Sean Mcgovern-Waite. He, Tui Scanlan, Ryan McLellan, and Wil Gibson are your team. William Antony Trix Bruno is the alternate.

I am impressed by all of you .. and of all 20 semi-finalists.

ed

Hear our voices

2011-04-23T00:04:00.000-04:00

Sing

Sing in the cold
sing in the warmth
sing in the rain

Feel the heart song
Feel the rhythm of the soul

Feel the beings
Feel the land

Feel

Listen to the wind
Listen to the rumble
Listen to the quiet
listen to the peepers

Listen

See the green
See the spring
see the waters
see the smiles
see the spirit

See

Touch the ground
ground thyself
Let yourself be at peace
let yourself rest

Ground

Taste the water
taste the spirit
taste the fire
taste the energy

Feast

Feel the spirit
feel the flow
Create the space
create your memories
create deep friendship

Trust

Bring it out into the world
We need the healing energy
We need the positive spirit
We need to feel the trust

We are all one
we are all one

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Hunter

2011-04-22T23:55:00.000-04:00

Shy cat
quiet soul

Lovely eyes
gorgeous black fur
Isis

Loving
adored Lanna

Love to play
love to lick the wet food

Enjoyed Trance
found on a fire escape

Gone too soon
much too soon

Wish I could see him scatter again
with the doorbell
See him warm up to guests slowly

Lovely cat
Gone too soon much too soon

We miss you Hunter "Socks" Thompson

Gone too soon
all too soon

You were right back in my dreams at Twilight

Lanna needed a new cat
I needed two gorgeous new cats

Lenny and Squiggy
bringing play
Bringing the nuge

Loving me
Loving Lanna

We miss you
you were gone too soon
and a beautiful spirit.

Hunter "Socks" Thompson
RIP
2003-2010

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Rhythm

2011-04-22T23:45:00.000-04:00

Music is the medium,
Rhythm is the message

Feel the rhythm
Feel the flow

Feel the drum
Feel the dance

Feel in your heart
Feel in your soul

Be moved
In body, mind or spirit.

Let the rhythm let you sing
Let the rhythm make you dance
Let the rhythm help you play
Play with the rhythm

Dancer, Drummer, Singer, Shaman

Play with the the rhythm
Let nature hear it
Let nature play

Let nature inform the circle
Music helps us play
Fire helps us play
Created space help us play

Feel the rhythm
Feel the music
Hear the message
Play with the beat

Play
Listen
Dance
Be still

All are part of the song
All are part of the spirit
All are part of the harmony

The circle is open, but not broken

Feel the music
Feel the play

Listen to the rhythm
of your heart
of your breath
of the sky
of the trees
of the creatures
of the water
of the drum
of the dancer
of the sleeper
of the ones who create the space

Let it enter you
Let it enter you

The rhythm is the message, the music is the medium

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn
Dedicated to Rites of Spring 2011

Tired

2011-04-18T23:02:00.002-04:00

Yes I'm tired

Really don't want to write a poem

But that is the challenge a poem every day.

Doesn't matter if it's good.

Don't matter if it's coherent.
The key is to create.

To learn
find a voice

Find a way.

I guess this is a poem.

They don't have to all be good.
Sometimes they just have to be.

So be it.
F**k it!

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

People on Saturday

2011-04-18T22:56:00.000-04:00

Have a couple other poems I wrote for NaPoWrimo -- saving "Hey, Charlie" to premiere live at Port Veritas off book (ie not reading but performing" -- and the "Improv/Poetry" poem just wasn't very good.

This one is dedicated to anyone who has ever worked in a call center.

--------------------------------------------

I think I'm annoyed now

People on Saturday
people on Saturday

The office is closed, dude
I can have you talk to a nurse

People
I am letting you know what I can do

The office is closed on Saturday

Don't get annoyed with me, don't get frustrated
I do what I can

The office is closed on Saturday.

Please don't yell.
Please don't scream.
The office is closed on Saturday.

Would you like to talk to a nurse? Maybe leave a message.

No.
Ok, well I'm sorry but the office is closed on Saturday

(c) 2011, Edmund Davis-Quinn

Lucky

2011-04-14T23:01:00.000-04:00

I am lucky
Good parents
Grew up in a good town
with good schools

Lucky
awesome wife
smart, tall

Lucky

I have had it pretty easy
my parents had money
I was able to go to college and graduate school

Lucky

Able to have a car
have a place
have shiny things

Lucky

Sometimes though I wonder how my life would be different with struggle
If I didn't have it so easy
If I was really down and out

Sure I have been unemployed
been underemployed
But I was able to ask for help and get it

I'm lucky

So lucky
that one missed blinking light at midnight
and one ticket can throw me off

Feel like it's time to move forward
time to use my talent for good
time to keep creating
time to stand up proud

I don't need to slouch
don't need to just get by

I need to be all I can be
even if I don't know what that is.

Or maybe I just don't know yet.

I do know I have to step forward
face rejection
face things not being easy

One step at a time
Life can be what you create

Let's move forward
Let's use my creative mind
Let's use my sense of play

Play for a better way
Play for a better way

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Let the book go/ Need to

2011-04-14T22:49:00.000-04:00

Wrote this at Blue on Tuesday night, meant to post as yesterday's NaPoWrimo poem.

It's really more of me trying to get myself on the process of reading poetry off book.

________________

Need to go from wordplay to performance
Need to make things better

Need to create
Need to develop
Need to learn
Need to create
Need to make
Need to create

Speak out
Play
Play hard
Play big
Play in the amazement
Play with words
Learn
Play
Trust yourself

Let yourself fail!
Let yourself get better
Not fear rejection ...

Not fear, not fear

Perform better, way better
Speak directly with the audience
Let the net go
Let the book go

Perform
not be perfect

Not be just right

Let the words play
not just read the words
perform.

Be big
Be vulnerable

Be small
be funny

Be yourself
be daring
be creative

Be magical
you can do it

Seriously
you can!

So bloody well fucking do it

Go from reading to performance

Perform, Play, Perform, Play

You can do it!

(c) Edmund Davis-Quinn 2011

Dedicted to the slam poets who destroyed at the semi-final slam on Tuesday, April 12th.

Jaded

2011-04-13T01:40:00.000-04:00

I'm not jaded
not me
I'm a kid from Jersey
they're
never
jaded

Nope, optimistic
that's what we are

Happy thoughts
head in the sand

No looking out
no looking to New York City or Philly
or even the big house up the block or the next town
Trying to do something, anything to get there
To get out
to see somewhere else

To be somewhere else
maybe a city kid
maybe an ex-patriot
maybe
maybe
maybe

New Jersey
is not Jersey Shore
It's not just tanning and hooking up

It's struggle
It's old tough grimy industrial cities
like Trenton, Newark, Camden and Paterson
Gorgeous old buildings, rotting, beautiful
Tough neighborhoods

Insanely rich places like: Short Hills, Rumson, Princeton ..
With manicured lawns, big properties and nothing for kids to do

New Jersey
ain't easy
it's cynical as hell
it's a state of mind

Dirty Jersey
Brutal Jersey
Pretty Jersey

It's a fucking crazy ass state to grow up.
New Jersey and you, fucked up together.

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Poem went over awesome tonight at Port Veritas

Bittersweet

2011-04-11T23:48:00.002-04:00

Its a bittersweet
Symphony that's life

Follow your bliss
Life will show you the way

Follow your dreams
Believe the universe will provide.

Endless self-esteem
Endless you can do its.

Terrible training for life.
Life is hard
Life is struggle
Life is getting by.

Do the best you can
Make do
Create
Play
Read
Learn

Life isn't supposed to be easy,
Nothing worth doing is.

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Hey Buddy

2011-04-10T23:47:00.000-04:00

Hey Buddy
Tell me a story

Hey Buddy
Read me a poem

Hey Buddy
Open up to me
Open up your soul
Open up your hurt

Travel around the world
Travel for years
Travel for month at a time

Live out of car
Not be rooted
Perform, excite, dazzle an audience

Thank you Buddy
Thank you so much

You deserve your time to breathe
Your time to be off the road
Your time to be in love
Your time to get rooted

Thank you.

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

And dedicated to Buddy Wakefield

Circle

2011-04-09T22:34:00.001-04:00

Circle
Staying Warm

Circle
being comfortable

Finding any pile

Making it a bed

A lap works
A bed
A chair
A pile of clothes

Kitty nap

And it's adorable

Wish I could sleep as easily
and be as content

Power of the circle
Power of comfort

Power of kitty!

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Not tired

2011-04-08T23:22:00.000-04:00

I am not tired
I am wide awake

I am not tired
Not at all

Look at all my energy
I got to the armchair

Look at all my energy
I got a beer

And I moved forward and grabbed the remote.

Look at all my energy, I am not tired.
I am petting a kitty.

And taking a nap.

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Laundry

2011-04-07T18:34:00.001-04:00

Laundry day

Have to
don't really want to
Leave the house

Have to
don't really want to
Bring the clothes

Always an adventure
always oddballs

Always better when I get there
then what I fear

Listening to my music
sometimes dancing
sometimes reading

Laundry day

DVR Day

2011-04-07T14:33:00.002-04:00

Yesterday's poem -- and yes I was this lazy.

___________________________________________

Armchair
Cats

TV
nap
sleep

Rest
Not doing much

Crash
drool day

Seems odd
seems to help

Crash day
DVR day

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Wisdom

2011-04-05T23:38:00.000-04:00

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

Let the seasons be

Let the anger drain out

Think
Stop
Think
Slow down

Let the squirrels take their acorns
Let nature renew itself

Learn to let things go
Learn to let things grow

Let yourself find the next step
Let yourself move forward.

Follow the path
or explore
There is so much to see

The world is a huge place
An overwhelming place

The universe is so much bigger
Bigger in a way that we can't comprehend

Billions and Billions
Billions and Trillions

Let it be
Let us see
Let us create
Let us not hate

Sometimes liberating ourselves
is as easy as
Starting with let it be

Let it be
Faitful words of wisdom

Let it be
and let us see

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Monday morning 6am

2011-04-04T06:31:00.000-04:00

Trying to do a poem on the fly -- usually do them in the notebook first.

----------------

Sun up
I am not

Coffee brewing
Bagel toasting

Morning slowly rising

Kittens decided was good to rouse me in the night
Poor sleep

Working soon

Looking forward to Mama's Crowbar tonight
Good beer
Good poetry

Birds glide in the clear morning
Workers go to finish new building

Morning awakens in Maine
May I awaken soon too.

(c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Fire

2011-04-03T00:28:00.005-04:00

I've seen fire
and I've seen rain

I've seen drum circles,
worshipping fire in the rain

Feel the warmth in the drizzle,
seeing the fog hit the faces

Seeing the shadows
Feeling the spirits

Touching the land
Feeling the fire

Feeling the drum
Hearing the rhythm

We are part of a rhythm nation
Living in the love of percussion

Love of the drum
Love of the rhythm

Love of the reverberation
Love of the callous hand
of the hand drummer.

Talking through the drum
to the drummers
to the dancers
to the chanters
to the listeners keeping the spirit

Slap, bam, slap, bam, slap

Slap, bam, slap, bam, slap

Feeling the rhythm build
Warmed by the fire
Warmed by the spirit
Kept by the firetenders
Dancing through our bodies
Dancing with rhythm

Bam, slap, bam, slap, bam
bam, slap, bam, slap, bam

The rhythm moves through our hearts
Hits our nerves
Moves through the touch
Moves through the sound
Moves through the skin
Moves through the eyes
We can taste the fire, we can feel it deeply.

Dance with the fire
Dance with the rhythm
And let our spirits soar.

c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Labor

2011-04-02T23:26:00.003-04:00

I wrote this poem at Local Sprouts tonight after seeing reproductions of the Department of Labor mural on the windows of the cafe.

Labor

11 panels
a commission

A symbol
of struggle
of workers
of injuries
of organizing

It's not anti-business
Its pro-people

Pro struggle
Pro change
pro remembering

Maine is a tough place
A cold place
Long winters, Short Falls
Short Springs, Short Summers

Tough economy
Tough people

Warm people
But not easy

But not mean, spiteful and petty

This is not Maine
Lets not be mean, pathetic, greedy

LePage -- he fills me with rage.

c) 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Blue

2011-04-01T22:31:00.002-04:00

I believe I can fly

I fly in my dreams

See things from above

See the space
See the air
See the cars

See the open ness
See how small we are

Really see.

Glide through the air
Sometimes it talks
Perspective to really
See things right

I believe we can fly
I believe we can
touch the sky

And sometimes knowing we can soar, makes us humble,
Makes us realize we aren't that significant with the mass of the earth.

Learn how to fly,
Learn how to soar

Our dreams, help us fly

Be humble and let yourself
dream and grow and even fly
Really seeing the world for the first time.

NaPoWrimo

2011-04-01T22:29:00.001-04:00

Starting with this poem: I am doing a poem a day all month on this blog for National Poetry month and NaPoWrimo (napowrimo.org)

This one I wrote last night after deciding to embark on this poetry adventure.

All poems copyrighted 2011 Edmund Davis-Quinn

Surfing the Idiocracy

2011-03-31T16:21:00.002-04:00

Learn how to talk
Learn how to speak
Learn how to learn
Improve yourself

Don't gorge yourself on reality TV
Don't have a situation
There is more to life then tanning,
working out and humping like bunnies

Use your brain
Use your mind
Get interesting
Learn something, learn anything

Read a fucking book
Talk
Create
Expand yourself

Looks fade
beauty improves
minds improve
Let yourself expand

Television is the drug of the nation
But raise your standard.
Don't bathe in the narcotic glow
Don't make reality stars your role models.

Free your mind
And the rest will follow
Don't be so shallow

We all need to unplug
me especially.

Edmund Davis-Quinn
Copyright 2011

On Abundance

2010-11-19T21:57:00.001-05:00

This is a piece and opening words for a church service on abundance.

On Abundance

In this time of Thanksgiving and the holidays we think of abundance with the abundant harvest; abundant family and abundant friends.

If we have this we are lucky for there are many other abundances

Abundance of thirst
Abundance of hunger
Abundance of sadness
of loneliness

Abundance of tears
of apathy
of madness

Abudance of money
of food
of friends
of respect
It’s the positive part of abundance that we tend to think of. That we are a rich nation with rich resources.

But don’t forget how hard this time of year can be for those with scarcity, with depression, with broken hearts.

Use your abundant spirit to help their broken spirits.
And make the gladness in your heart even more abundant.
Thank you.
by Edmund Davis-Quinn

Prayer for my cat

2010-10-03T23:57:00.001-04:00

Went to the pet ER on Friday for my cat.

Was worried he had a UTI.

News was worse.

A heart murmur and fluid in his body.

I hope he will be ok but worried he will not.

You are a great cat, Hunter "Socks" Thompson. We love you.

Edmund

Clockwatching

2010-09-30T00:06:00.002-04:00

Day slow
day not moving

Getting paid
A little

Day slow
very slow

Time moving
very, very, so slow

Will not move

Energy not here

Anywhere else

Somewhere else
Getting paid --- a little

Getting by
Making do

Maine

The other

2010-09-29T22:59:00.001-04:00

The Other

You ain't from here
I don't like you

You ain't from here
I don't trust you

You ain't from here
I am not going to get to know you

You help me
I start to trust you

You feed me
You listen

We talk
We cry
We laugh
We hug

I am so happy you got to know me
You are my friend.

Edmund

This is is going to be the opening words for immigration service at Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church -- I like it.

Cities with Rooftops

2010-09-15T19:39:00.003-04:00

2nd attempt at Jazz/NYC poem

On cities with rooftops contemplating Jazz

Trumpets
Trombones
Playing
A symphony

Artists
Yelling
A Symphony

Paint splatted
Cheap Rent
Cheap Dreams

Paint on what you can find
Make do
Make it work

Have fun
dangerous fun

Hope to get recognized
Hope to get known

Dirty Manhattan
Full of freaks
Full of love
Full of drugs
Full of sex

Everybody
Everywhere
Creative
Destructive
Beatiful

Talent
Dreams
Unlimited
Glorious

Chase your dreams
Its all you have

Top 11 favorite dishes -- Portland-land

2010-09-15T18:48:00.004-04:00

These are not in any particular order and would love to hear your suggestions.

1)Curried Crab Soup -- Pepperclub, Middle Street, Portland, ME -- delicious, one of the most memorable things I have had here. Would be one of my regulars if lived closer.

2)Poutine, Frog and Turtle, Bridge Street, Westbrook, ME -- I have had better or worse nights with this but one of the best things I have had in Maine. This is also the first poutine I have had --- mmm cheese curds, fries and gravy

3) Pho, Thanh Thanh 2, Forest Avenue, Portland -- My favorite pho in town so far, although I prefer the rest of the food and the service at Saigon across the street. Much better broth and more meat then at Saigon.

4) Fresh Donuts, The French Press, Main Street, Westbrook -- they also serve these at the Frog and Turtle for Sunday brunch -- the 3 I always get are Maple-Bacon, Elvis (banana, chocolate and peanut butter) and the Cinnamon Sugar. I also love getting coffee and sandwiches, breakfast here.

5) Ham and Anchovy Small Pizza, Angelone's, Main St, Westbrook -- Across the street from where I live. Very fresh tasting, call this my salt-lick pizza. Also has location on Washington Avenue (off peninsula) in Portland -- haven't tried it there.

6) Seafood Vietnamese Noodle, Saigon, Forest Avenue, Portland, --- Absolutely delicious from one of my great discoveries recently. Love the service here, this is my favorite dish so far, satisfying, spicy, delicious

7) Chicago Dog Meal Deal, Chicago Dogs, Route 1, Scarborough, -- Love the relish and snap of this dog, with excellent fries and draft Eli's Root Beer -- really delicious, nice atmosphere -- wish was still at Clark's Pond -- just south of Route 1 and 114

8) Meat Papusa, Tu Casa, Washington Ave, Portland, ME -- another one of my great finds recently. One of the most cravable things in Portland -- even better on the deck on a nice day. Its a filled masa cake with meat, some swear by the cheese papusas. Really good. Odd that a Salvadoran place is my favorite Mexican place in Portland. Reminds me of Mexican places in LA, family owned, speak Spanish, fresh, simple, delicious. Other Mexican places in Portland area, good for chips, salsa and beer.

9) Moo Shu Pork, China Villa, Main Street, Westbrook -- this resteraunt has some tables but you mainly go to get take out and delivery. One of the places me and Lanna go to the most. Very good, huge, huge portions. Party tip -- flour tortillas work well if don't get enough Chinese "pancakes"

10) Small plates, Nosh, Congress Street, Portland --- did have my first hiccup with the meatloaf sandwich as Nosh, but have been very, very happy with small plates including: egg, couscous, beets, poutine, onion strings, tuna ceviche, oysters. Love that this is available in downtown and open late.

11) Hot Pastrami Special, Full Belly Deli, Brighton Ave, Portland -- delicious hot pastrami the best I can remember, grew up in New Jersey. Salty, flavorful, delicious. Also love the potato salad, and cole slaw with the special.

So those are my 11 -- do you have any favorites I need to try?

ed

I miss my cross-country knees

2010-08-25T07:26:00.001-04:00

I miss the runs
exploring the day
letting it wake
Not in any hurry
neither me nor the morning
Not really going anywhere
letting my mind wander
I miss morning runs.

Knees creaky now
Worn out by rugby
No longer the springyness of 16
Miss those long runs
miss that personal time
As the day awakens

Jim first said he loved me in March

2010-08-15T21:37:00.001-04:00

Newest piece I wrote -- 2nd draft with help from my wife Lanna.

This one is being critiqued on my last class of my creative writing class at MECA which I really enjoyed.

Here it is.

_______________

Jim first said he loved me in March, I loved him too, and could see it in his sweet heart, he mentioned how much he loved late April in the Sierras. That he had a week off to see the high waters of Kings Canyon and how much he would love if I went. I was used to big trips with my exes to the big cities I grew to love New York, Tokyo, London, Paris or even just wine country around the corner.

Backpacking? Carrying everything on my back? Being in nature, being with bears, being away from good restaurants, martinis, wine, the woods, really? Look at the prices of this stuff $200 for a little tent, and all of this equipment to be superlight, water filters, dehydrated food. With all of this money we could eat our way through Italy, have fresh Sushi in Japan, and he wants to be alone in the woods with bears, and wolves and scary things?

I love him. I love him. He’s awesome, he’s a catch. I love him.

Its done. The week is off from work. Jim has packed all of our bags, the bags that will carry all our stuff, all of it. No car, no fancy resteraunts, just what we bring on our back. I am scared. I am petrified. I am just smiling and saying how much I am looking forward to this. A week. A week in the woods. A week with nature.

I am used to seeing in the high corn of Iowa. Not the mountains, not the Sierra, not the deep woods. A week. A week with nature. This pack is heavy. We are starting at 5,000 feet. Really heavy. He wants to go up to the ridges, we are going to be away from all our stuff for a week. Everything about my city, all of my creature comforts, my warm bed, nice comforter, nice kitty. Will have to wash clothes in streams, will be sweaty, gross. No hot showers. Goody!

Then we get there. It’s beautiful. I have never seen Jim so happy. He’s beaming, only time I have seen him this happy is after sex. But he’s just giddy. Maybe I will like this, maybe I will. Especially after we set up camp and get rid of most of the stuff. But going up, up, up into the mountains terrifies me.

So I get the pack on. I put in on in the apartment and it was too heavy so Jim took stuff out. I even wore backpacks to work to get used to it, but it was heavy and huge and $350 – I could have bought a nice dress with that. But it fit me – and it was even pink. And then I tried to carry Jim’s packup. I didn’t weigh 30 pounds – more like 100. This made me happy, this made me smile, this made me kiss him.

“What was that about,” Jim wondered.

“Oh this feels lighter now that I tried to carry your bag, I love you.”

So they went up, the sky was blue, it was cool, and still only 8am. I still can’t believe we left the city at 4am to get here. I forgot there was a 4am.
So they went up, and up. New hiking boots, only taking only little romps through local parks. Need to break them in, he said. And least he knew to bring some nice win on these little adventures. Couldn’t bring too much of that up here. Just a little vodka and some Kool-aid, weight you know.

After a mile, the bag was heavy, and Jim said, “Its only a mile further up to camp, lets set up a camp pretty low, we don’t need to put on a bunch of miles today, lets get used to the altitude.”

I needed to rest. So I just did. “Hold on, Jim, let me stretch out my back, and get a drink.” It was pretty here, she still had some non-filtered water, and still can’t believe there was a shovel for a restroom up here. I love him, I love him, He’s a catch, I love him.

And we kept climbing, and set up tent. I was tired, but it was beautiful, he was beautiful. He was doing the work, he was setting up the tent. He was carrying the bear boxes, with our food, he was cleaning. We had a stream, there was a place to wash, it was beautiful, he was beautiful with his shirt off. I love him, I kissed him, I think I want to marry him.

We made camp, made a tent, made love, in the woods with just the sound of nature. I loved it, I love him, I think I am going to like it up here.

The hills were alive with green

2010-08-10T00:09:00.001-04:00

The hills were alive with green, on this beautiful September morning in central New Jersey. The leaves just beginning to change color. The kids were starting school, the parents off to work, the demons quiet. Fall was always a nice time in Hopewell, it seemed quieter, stabler, then the hot and humid summer.

Cars getting stuck on 518, people being off to work , contractors working on projects, from the roads to the roofs.

But there was something strange about that old house on the Sourland mountain, always occupied but filled with terror. The Lindbergh baby was there and dead in the 20s, the place was national news, and the ghosts have always filled the neighborhood.
The house was once a mansion, with beautiful gardens, animals from around the world, and gorgeous artworks. The gardens were overgrown, the driveway filled with weeds, and the remaining artworks covered in grime.

Its owner, Jim Pendergrass, was a hermit, only rarely seen in town. He had been widowed 3 times, and since his third wife, Margaret died, almost no one has seen Jim. He once was a man about town, getting nice meals, getting too many drinks, getting his share of DUIs. But Margaret death 10 years ago of cancer, took the spirit out of him, something haunted the man. His eyes had become gaunt, almost lifeless, his sight worsened, his gait slow and sad.

The townspeople wondered why Jim had not left the place with the bad memories, where their son, William had jumped from a third floor window, survived and then hung himself in the basement. Where their daughter Jennifer, got away from Hopewell has fast as she could, got out of high school and joined the Marines, shot while on patrol in Serbia.

194 Long Hill Road stunk of death, of scandal, of memories Jim couldn’t shake. He cried a lot, kept looking through pictures, was but a shell of a man. Until he heard that Avenda, the cancer drug his wife took when just diagnosed with a melanoma, may have killed her. When he found out Merck pharmaceuticals of nearby Whitehouse Station, had made the drug, falsified the trials, and starting reading more about the case, he got his energy. The energy for revenge, the energy to take away from their lives what the drugs had taken away from his.

“Those sons of bitches,” Jim thought as he read, “they knew this drug could be a killer and they said it would create miracles, I now know what I can do.”
Forget lawyers, forget hitmen, the house has an arsenal under lock and key, Jim had been a marine himself once, he may be 60 now, but what he learned in Vietnam could revenge his beautiful Margaret’s death. And who would think a sad, slow, old man with weak knees could be an assissin.

Yes, yes, I thought, revenge is a dish that will warm my heart. Their families need to know the loss, I know, blood is warm, death is cold, jail is just waiting.
Why do these songs of bitches, need some fine or some freaking little jail sentence, what they need to get is some pain, some hurt, some loss, for all they have inflicted.

The knew Avenda didn’t cure melanoma. It is supposed to be a cure, not supposed to spread the cancer. They are sons of bitches, they are scoundrels, they need to know that some pains aren’t curable.

Life goes on, but the hurt never goes away. I need to know stories, I need to find out what they did, I need to restart my life.

Jim’s estate had money, most of which he put in a trust, doing good works no one knew about in town. Trying to cure cancer, trying to help the families afflicted.
“I may not be able to do much anymore, but my foundation can do great things.”
He believed in medicine, he believed in progress, believed in ghosts , and knew that physical pain didn’t last as long as emotional scars.

He knew he needed to leave this house with all of its pain, but had no idea where to go.
This is where his wife lived, this is where his life was.
There is where it can begin again.
He knew of the sins of his grandfather, he knew of scandal, he knew his life needed to begin again.

----
Anyone have any thoughts of how to continue -- feel like there is more here but curious what y'all think. -- Edmund

I have no taste

2010-08-10T00:06:00.001-04:00

I have no taste
makes shopping cheap.

Rice cakes tastes the same as steak.

Water tastes cold as does Natty Light, why not?

Tastless comedies as good as classics
Dr. Strangelove naaah White Chicks just as good.

A 1985 Bordeaux, no need Thunderbird is just fine.

It sure is cheap to be a man with no taste.

Across the tops of cities contemplating jazz.

2010-08-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

Across the tops of cities contemplating jazz.

The rooftops of New York, old buildings with grand roofs.

Jazzmen practicing, knowing the way in, knowing the sound.

Practice space, naah, who cares, this is SoHo this is out there, this is Tribeca.

The artists like the music, said it helps them paint. Be abstract. Be different. Be unique, be themselves.

The whole neighborhoods are cooking with a boho slaint. Poor kids, dreamers, artists.

New York – big, huge, a dream.

A place of wonder. A place where if you can make it there you can make it anywhere.
Cheap lofts. Old tenaments. Lots of space, high ceilings, old, really old.

Chipped paint, rusty walls, rusted metal.

Found objects, cheap paint, make do. Hope to impress someone, hope to sell something. Don’t come here to just wait tables, wash dishes, do the dirty work.

No the is a place to dream, perchance to love. The big apple, the big, rotting, crazy, manic apple.

These were places of horrors, of heat, of low wages, of manipulative bosses. Dirty lower Manhattan. Sure there was Warhol. He was famous. Then shot, then faded away. The factory making crap, had his name wasn’t really his.

There was Jackson Pollack, mad man of the Hamptons. Crazy man, poor man, not beloved until later. Much later, after death. Things which he would have sold for a meal, a month’s rent, now worth thousands, millions.

The dream of being remembered. The dream of being something, anything, not just some farmer’s kid destined to live his life on a tractor, in fields of shit and pesticide.

The was a time of dreams, many broken in drugs, in despair, in lost hope.

It brought cool to the neighborhood, brought money, brought excess, bought out the artists. Bought out the jazz men, bought out the soul.

The little dump of a shack in the Hamptons torn down. Huge mansions come up, ostentatious wealth, hedge fund traders, bragging with their money, but empty.

The artists New York. A dream. A dream still out there. A place that is no more.

Funny how that works.

25/31 Things about me

2009-01-11T15:09:00.001-05:00

Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.

Saw this from Kayt Sukel's note on facebook.

1. I am a dork and a geek ... Used to worry about this but embrace it now.

2. I love Philly sports .. especially the Eagles and Phillies .. have since I moved to NJ.

3. I was born in Madison, Wisconsin but only lived there for 2 years .. Visited once about 10 years ago looks like a great town.

4. Lived in Montgomery Township, near Princeton from 7 to in my 20s ... Have many thoughts about the place but definitely think it has grown for too much with country clubbers .. HS class was 106 in 1992 and in the 400s now .. Did love the hills there though.

5. Started college at the University of Chicago .. was there for 2 years .. .found it to be the school where 19 year olds acted like Ph.D. students .. which I don't think is healthy ... Although I have never seen a place where people were so wanting to answer questions and get in the debate.

6. Finished my schooling (undergrad) at Rutgers University. I really enjoyed my time on the banks although like at Chicago I had way too many incompletes .. my advice to future college students .. .just write the damn paper even if its total crap.

7. I really wish I took so time off between HS and college ... Montgomery was a very sheltered place and I think I could have used some time abroad.

8. I considered joining the military many times. My dad wanted me to join the NJ National Guard. I think I would have made a very good officer in the Air Force. I also thought very early on that Iraq was a new Yugoslavia. You have a strongman dictator (Tito and Hussein) who kept a country together by fear where the people hate each other.

9. I have considered getting a Ph.D. many times ... The absolutely dreadful market for professors in the Humanities and Social Science have dissuaded me about this.

10. I have an MBA. Although I enjoy the studies at Claremont/Drucker-Ito School .. I think it was generally far too easy and gave me far, far too much student loan debt. Although I really enjoyed the strategy management portion of my degree.

11. I have declared bankruptcy before the law changed. I was underemployed for a long time and got far too much credit card debt. I just wish the student loan debt was dischargeable. I also think we need too make it easier for people to declare bankruptcy. Especially how many people get into it for medical reasons.

12. I really think we need to divorce health care/insurance and employment. I think this would increase the velocity of employment (how long people are unemployed between jobs) and would allow people not to worry about getting sick.

13. I am really, really happy my parents had great insurance when my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer (GBM) this summer. He was in neuro ICU for almost 4 weeks, and his bills were close to a million dollars. I am happy they were able to remove the golf size tumor and that is was reachable in the front of the brain. My dad is doing very well now and it makes me very greatful.

14. I am really happy to be married to my silly, crazy, awesome wife Lanna. We love to laugh and love together and its just awesome.

15. I have found that I have felt more grounded, at peace and grateful then I have for a very long time. My dad is doing well after his cancer (taking chemotherapy drugs and no recurrence yet), I have a wonderful wife and I am employed.

16. I have tried a very, very long time to be more patient. I think patience is a hard thing to learn but extremely important.

17. Favorite films all time: Brazil, Ran, Intolerance, Empire Strikes Back, Apocalypse Now(which I can never spell right), Rear Window, Vertigo, Citizen Kane, GoodFellas, Dr. Strangelove, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

18. I root for Rutgers athletics hard. I wish more people would go to see C. Vivian Stringer coach the always intense Rutgers women's basketball team, and am really happy to see Greg Schiano turn the football program around.

19. I really enjoy campy things .. Marilyn Monroe (both music and movies), Judy Garland, Madonna (for a long time), old musicals, etc.

20. I play Magic the Gathering .. .Its a fun game but I wish it was more contained sometimes .. you can spend an unlimited amount on it.

21. I live in Southern Maine now ... I enjoy it here but it feels very anglo after living in Hyde Park (Chicago), Claremont, CA (S. Calif), Washington Heights, NYC, etc. ...

22. I really miss good Mexican food .. the local food in Pomona, CA (which is more then half mexican) was just awesome. And usually the less you paid, the better the food was .. ie little taquiras with all spanish on the menu wiht a $1 taco would be awesome .. the anglo sit down restaurants kinda sucked.

23. I feel really grateful and lucky for all the support my parents have given me over the years.

24. I would like to travel more .. although I have lived in NYC, Chicago, NJ, Maine, LA, etc. would love to live overseas.

25. I think airline security (the 3 oz bottles and removing shoes) is a total farce ... There are so many better ways.

26. I was a republican until September 11, 2001 ... When GW Bush started trampling on the 1st Amendment and the Bill of Rights I was gone.

27. I am really hopeful of the Obama presidency will be peacemakers and increase the size of diplomacy and the State Department and decrease the spending on military and fancy toys. I think the US spends more on defense then the rest of the world combined.

28. I like ellipses (...)

29. The internet saved my dating life (always shy asking women out and fearful of rejection) .. its where I met most of the women I have dated and my wonderful wife).

30. I love my DVR and the ability to pause and record TV. I also have pretty severe ADHD /clicking around when watching TV shows and have for a long time. I think I may be ADHD spectrum as well.

31. I reveal too much when I do these and never stop at 25.

Edmund

Happy December

2008-12-02T00:31:00.001-05:00

Happy December .. that came fast.

Been on the facebook a lot of late.

Working 11 out of 12 days too from Nov 25th to Saturday ... but a bunch are half or short days so not so bad ...

Nice to see the parents too .. and that my dad's Glioblasoma Malforma (nasty form on brain cancer) is still in remission... He can drive, alert and that makes me very thankful.

Also went to great church service on Sunday with the 'rents and was thankful that I am good at being alone and embracing the peace that can bring (service was Embracing Loneliness)

And if you get a chance to take your parents out for dinner and drinks I highly recommend it (even if makes them pay for things they really don't have to.)

edmund

p.s. Promise to do more blogs besides just SG

My favorite Concerts Ever!

2006-07-05T00:59:00.000-04:00

So while I was driving back from Camp and the family reunion every July 4th in Central Maine, I listened to my wife's IPod and heard Man or AstroMan?

The wife has been getting into Tenacious D and there is only so much I can listen to of it ...

But it made me think how great Man or Astroman were at Pomona College in 2001 and think of my favorite live shows ever.

There are two artists I saw twice both were awesome live.

One is the immortal legend of Rock and Soul, Ray Charles .. once in New Brunswick, NJ at the State Theatre (around a 2,000 seater) in an amazing about 75 minute set ***** .. One of the great shows I ever saw .. I think it w as in the mid-90s? ...

Another was later in Ray Charles's life in a free show outside in Pasadena, CA in 2001 ... It was a fun show but not as amazing **** ... I think its awesome I saw one of my favorite performers of all time live twice.

Another group who was ASTOUNDING live is Living Colour (Cult of Personality is their big single) .. I saw them once at the University of Chicago in Fall 1993? at Mandel Hall, in a 1,000 seat theater usually reserved for classical shows ... Just awesome and insanely great ... Had a "seat" in the pit and had an absolute blast .. One of the best shows ever ***** ...

I also saw them before my really bizarre trip to London in the Summer, 2001 in North London .. They were brilliant there too but the crowd acted posh, and distant ... I loved it though, and thought it was awesome I saw they were in a show in the free paper ****

Other great shows were Lollapolloza 2 at the JFK Stadium Grounds, Philadelphia, Summer 1993 ****1/2 .. A wonderful, hot exhausting show, with Tool, Dinosaur Jr, Fishbone ... Was in the pit a good 5 hours before I just had to get water...

Another was U2 in the Summer of 1992, in the ZOO TV tour, at the floor of Veterans Stadium, Philly ... I had seats about 8 rows away in the acoustic set at the end of a long runway .. Great stadium show *****

Also the Little Steven Underground Rock Festival at Randalls Island, NYC in August? 2004 ... Great show, the Misfits and MANY others were great .. Do wish there was more then one stage ... Lots of fun ... Would have saw Iggy Pop if I wasn't there for 12 hours already, the Strokes didn't play WAY too loud (posers) and there wasn't a hurricane warning out ... And of course the wife wanted to go home .... ****

Awadagin Pratt (classical pianist) given ticket at Mandel Hall, Chicago, 1993 ... ****1/2

BB King blues festival, Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ .. mid-1990s? ... .Buddy Guy was unbelievable so was Koko Taylor (also saw her at the U of Chicago) .... Fun show ****

Also saw Paul Simon live twice (once at the concert in Central Park ****) and once with Bob Dylan in Holmdel ****

What are some of your favorite shows ever?

ecq

Wrote some poems .. here you go!

2006-05-02T22:03:00.000-04:00

Saw the absolutely brillina Hiryo Mirayaki film (sp.) ... Howl's Moving Castle ****1/2 .. It was lyrical, beautiful and awesome ...

I would also HIGHLY recommend that you watch his movies in Japanese (with subtitles) with the original actors .. Disney has gotten big name actors for the roles, but I much before Miyake directing them...

I liked it more then Princess Mononoke ****, but probably not quite as much as the amazing Spirited Away ***** ....

Haven't seed My Friend Totaro yet and some others .. love his films thoug ...

Also wrote some poems ....

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

May 1st poems

Time

Time goes slowly

Tick, dribble

Just waiting

Shift 5 hours to go

Nothing to sell

No one to talk to

Not allowed to read …

Beach

Beach

Glorious Beach

Filled W/ Dogs

Sun, Surf, Walking

Cairning, Stacking Rocks

Lovely Sunday,

Contemplative, Restful

Rocks

Rocks
Surf Crashing

Tell the story of ages

Worn by the sea

Low tide, high tide
Spring and Fall

For millennia they linger

What stories could they tell

As we wander towards the vast ocean

and this one is my favorite so far ...

Wasted Day

Standing around
Hoping to chat with ..someone

Job says I sell commission vacs …

All I really do is stand

Sometimes I sell, usually I waste time

Vacs and stuff
I sell things that suck

Sometimes they work,
Sometimes they don’t suck and come back

Got the vac salesman blues

And my feets are aching

The time doth go so slow

Waiting til 9, then home I go …

Edmund 5/1/2006 …

I also wrote these two last night and today ...

Treats

I'm a SUCKER for my cat

When he meows
.... I move

What does .. he .. want ..

Some food ...

No treats
.. Kitty Treats ...

Meowing at the man ...
.. Meowing at the drawer ..

Time for treats
...... GIMME MORE!!! ... (typed with Hunter on my lap)

and one at the vac store

Slowlllly

Time
... goes

SLOWWLLLLYY

2 hours to go

waiting
standing

Why am I here ...
.... Where oh where do I go ...

................

In other news sold 2 mattresses with a $400 commission right after I wrote the last one ...

Blessed be ..

Happy May day and Mid-Spring...

ecq

Oscars -- Post-Mortem

2006-03-06T00:38:00.000-05:00

Oscars -- A Rant ....

Oscars ... A Rant

I think John Stewart did a very good job, much better then I thought he would ...

It was also very very odd to see Ben Stiller's package in a green jumpsuit.

Why oh why for the love of god, are they playing music DURING the beginning of the speeches ...

It is so mean, and annoying ...

There were so many bloated tributes on this show, why cant they give the winners 2 minutes to speak ...

Good speeches especially by Clooney and the foreign film winner ...

Was also lovely to see how nervous Philip Seymour Hoffman was ...

Next year director and Conti .. let people talk ...

Ang Lee just won for Brokeback Mountain, I bet he will win for Best Picture now too ...

Even the music over Ang Lee ... Never started the speeches with music before... I cannot say how annoying this is.

I do need to see Brokeback Mountain too, have only seen Crash among the best picture nominees ...

Walk the Line still my favorite movie of the year *****

WOW Crash won for Best Picture.. Its the only one of the nominees I have seen ...

I will be interested to see what Haggis writes or directs next after Crash **** and Million Dollar Baby **** ... Two straight Best Pictures written ...

Congratulations Paul Haggis and Crash...

edmund davis-quinn

p.s. How for the love of god did the cut off the Best Picture speech .. I really hope they fire the director Horovitz and Bill Conti for that ... That was simply atrocious ...

I loved John Stewart but there was 8 montages, and very short speeches ... Why did they play music on every speech and cut off the Best Picture speech ....

I liked Crash and need to see the other best picture noms to give an opinion ... I guess a lot of people didn't like Crash ...

100 Things about me ... no make that 112

2006-01-24T02:46:00.000-05:00

I originally posted this in my main blog .. http://edmundcquinn.blogspot.com

100 Things about me ... 1-25

I got this idea from the fantastic blog Mainely Midge ....

http://mainelymadge.typepad.com/mainely_madge/

1. I am a night owl.

2. I am a media junkie.

3. I went to Rutgers University

4. I am listening to ITunes right now .. Doors in Concert .. I used ITunes once more when I wrote my novel.

5. I wrote 56,000 words in November for No Filter but have wrote much less in the last 2 months.

6. I am a HUGE Rutgers sports fan.

7. I will listen to Rutgers football, and womens and mens basketball on the Web Radio ... http://scarletknights.com, http://nj.com/wor (mens basketball and football) and http://nj.com/wrsu ...

8. I look at http://nj.com/rutgers nearly every day to see if there are any stories about my alma mater ....

9. I really like the website Suicide Girls .. I started it to enjoy the women .. I have kept at it with the discussion groups.

10. I run the Non-Fiction, Documentaries, and Basketball groups on that site ...

11. I compulsive rate things and love to make lists.

12. I loved hearing about Nick Hornby's character make lots of lists in the book "High Fidelity"

13. I am a Philadelphis sports fan

14. I love the phillies

15. I majored in Political Science and am one credit short (a world history (the class is China's Foreign Relations) from a second major in history...

16. I have an MBA ... I have gotten much from it except debt ....

17. I loved Claremont .. Went for an MBA there and became more of an academic and less interested in money.

18. I love my wife Lanna dearly ...

19. I love seeing my cat Hunter "Socks" Thompson post in his kitty blog .. http://huntersocksthompson.com

20. My favorite movie this year by far was "Walk the Line" *****

21. My original review for "Walk the Line" was ****1/2 .. I need to think about a movie before I can give it ***** ....

22. I hated that Peter Travers of Rolling Stone went away from the 5 star reviewing system which they still use on LPs ...

23. I prefer saying LP to CD

24. I love vinyl

25. I collect things

26. I find it hard to pay full price for a book .. but if its a quarter I will grab lots of them.

27. I have difficulty throwing away newspapers ....

28. I seriously want to read every article and will even if the paper is years old ...

29. I sometimes feel more comfortable in academia then the real world...

30. I wish I traveled more ...

31. I have been to Oxford, London, Geneva, Moscow and St. Petersburg .. As well as Monterrey, Mexico ...

32. I have also been to Tijuana, Ensanada and Mexicali but hardly consider that leaving the US...

33. I honeymooned in Quebec and Montreal ...

34. The best meal I had on that trip was in a small resteraunt in a strip mall about 8 miles east of Trois Riverois ....

35. I wish you could drink in public

36. I love beer.

37. I have a beer blog .. http://mainebeerguy.blogspot.com

38. I love Maine beer but wish there was a store that had lots of non-regional beers ...

(a break)

39. The Great Lost Bear in Portland is one of the great beer bars in the world ...

40. My other favorite beer bars are Lucky Baldwins -- Pasadena, CA ...

41. The Old Bay Resteraunt -- New Brunswick, NJ .. home of Rutgers University (BA Political Science '98)

42. The Blind Tiger Ale House -- Greenwich Village, NYC

43. I stay awake much too late ...

44. The Great British Beer Festival was going on a ten minute walk from me when I was in London but I didn't go ... I immediately regretted this ...

45. I love the song "Happy Happy, Joy, Joy" from Ren and Stimpy

46. I have bought DVDs of seasons of the Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy, and Ren and Stimpy but rarely watch them....

47. I love all of these shows.

48. I have been to a few big concerts in my life .... Genesis -- 1991 (after junior year of HS) .. U2- During the Zoo Station tour (I believe 1992) on the floor of Veterans Stadium

49... I am listening to "One" off the "Achtung Baby" album right now which I heard Bono and Edge do acoustically about 5 rows from me in the Miss America type catwalk in the middle of Veterans Stadium.

50. I liked old Veterans Stadium ... I saw a few Phillies games there and always loved the 70s multi-purpose stadium ...

51. I saw David Cone get 20 strikeouts against the Phillies while he played for the Mets and rooted him on the whole way ...

52. My favorite baseball park I have been to is Wrigley field

53. I loved the big urinal trough at Wrigley ...

54. I go to minor league games now since I went to a Trenton Thunder game about 5 years ago ...

55. I have never been to a hockey game

56. I plan to go to a Portland Pirates game soon..

57. I live in Westbrook, ME just West of Portland, ME

58. I misss NYC sometimes .... There was so much to do there...

59. NYC frequently exhausted me

60.. My parents recently moved to Allentown, PA but still consider them living in NJ ...

61. I grew up in Skillman, NJ just north of Princeton

62. I cheer on the Princeton Tigers, although not as much as the Rutgers Scarlet Knights

63. I watched the Tigers beat UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on the Princeton Campus at the old student center

64. I think Princeton University's Chapel is one of the most beautiful churches in the world ...

65. My kitty thinks the Christmas tree is the best toy ever and loves to roll the ornaments around

66. Luckily we have very few breakable ornaments...

67. Its January 23rd and the tree is still up

68. The most beautiful church I saw was a small one adjacent to the Tetrikiaov Gallery in Moscow, Russia ...

69. Another stunning church inside was St. Paul's Cathedral, London

70. I started University at the University of Chicago ... Gray Gothic looks lovely in the summer ...

71. There is not a worse place to be depressed then wintertime at the University of Chicago .. Gray Gothic is really depressing on a cool winter's day ...

72. I love the blues

73. I was under 21 when in Chicago and didn't go to nearly enough blues clubs ...

74. The Blues and Beer celebration at Chicago at Ida Noyes Hall was the best festival of its type I ever went to .. I love just having 4 bands play on 3 floors...

75. I was a virgin until 23.

76. I met my wife over the internet .... I was on nerve.com/ and she was on bust.com (Spring Street Personals)

77. I went to Lollapalooza 2 and was in the mosh pit for 3 hours ... That was fun ...

78. Living Colour is one of my all time favorite live bands .. I have seen them twice .. Once at Mandel Hall, University of Chicago in 1993 .. once in London in July, 2001 ...

79.. I love the web comic Questionable Content ... http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1

80. Me and Lanna (my wife) moved from NYC in January, 2005 .. We haven't been back since ...

81. Boston is only 2 hours away but for some reason Monson, ME (31/2 hours away) seems closer ...

82. I was married in Monson, Maine on July 3, 2004 ... the town where my wife grew up ...

83. I was married outdoors with a Pig Roast and DJ equipment lent by a friend ... I would recommend this to anyone

84. The minister who performed at our wedding was excellent .. and it was her first time performing at a wedding ...

85. I thought I would only do 25 of these at a time but up to number 85 ... cool ..

86. I have a feeling I will do more then 100 of these

87. My favorite film all time is Brazil...

88. My kitty loves playing fetch with furry mice ....

89. My cat is an indoor cat but travels very well ...

90. I interned at the NYC Fringe Festival 2003 .. .and saw about 30 pieces of theatre .. . I wished I did it in 2004 ...

91. I was interning at the NYC Fringe Festival during the 2003 blackout while the show Pinafore! (a gay take of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "HMS Pinafore) was going on .. the troupe finished the first act at the Christopher Street pier it was awesome...

92. I played Pedro (one of the muletters) in "Man of La Mancha" at Bar Mills Playhouse this summer ... It was one of my first times doing theatre and I loved it ...

93. I have done stand up a few times and killed and bombed .. When I have done well it was off the cuff and went a long time ...

94. One of these times was in HS (Junior year) at the Man of the Year contest, one was after Rutgers cancelled a game vs. #1 UMass because a student (one) sat in the center of the court..

95. This student was called "the Rosa Parks of Rutgers" by Newsweek .. but she probably shouldn't have been allowed on court with 8,500 students watching Rutgers leading the #1 team in the country at halftime .. especially considering she probably didn't pay for her seat...

96. I have difficulty letting certain things go ...

97. I think I want to go back to school but I am not sure for what.

98. I declared bankruptcy before the law changed.

99. I can't believe they are eliminating the Estate Tax (the main reason for such foundations as the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, creation of universities, Carnagie Foundation ...) at the same time they are eliminating the ability of people to simply forgive debt without credit card counseling

100. I couldn't believe how easy it was to go before bankruptcy court .. the whole thing took 2 minutes...

101. I wonder if I would make a decent lawyer.

102. I wonder if I should have went to Sloan for my MBA instead of Drucker (had a 700 GMAT)

103. I wonder about a lot of things.

104. I am having trouble editing my book .. I actually think its pretty good ...

105. I was a College Republican .. but now despise George W Bush ...

106. I was pretty sure the Iraq "war" would be easy but the peace extremely difficult before the US invasion

107. I think the documentaries "Control Room" and "The Corporation" are absolutely brilliant ...

108. I wanted to be a writer when I was in 3rd and 4th grade ...

109. I have some non-fiction in me and need to figure out how to write it.

110. I love the number 111 .. three consecutive numbers and stuff..

111. See I went 11 over ... I subscribe to the Financial Times but don't really like it (free from airline miles)

112. Can't stop typing .. I will add pennies to tips to come up with cool numbers .. ie 11.11 or 17.76 ...

113. I love making lists .. and would heavily recommend the Von Iglefeld series by Alexander McCall Smith

That was a lot of fun .....

Blogging rocks!

Too bad you have to worry about being dooced...

Top 10+ movies of the year ...

2005-12-30T12:08:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year/Kwanzaa/Hannukah/Christmas ...

Some new years resolutions ....

1. Write more

2. Do more art

3. Volunteer especially in mentoring and teaching ...

Seeing the parents was nice this weekend also saw three movies and willing to do an early top 10 list (incomplete)

I saw three this weekend

the first and by far the best and the #1 movie I have seen this year is "Walk the Line" ... ****1/2 ... this is an amazing biopic about June Carter and Johnny Cash and has amazing performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon .. see it Now!

The second movie I saw was King Kong ... Having seen bits of this I had monster expectations .. This one was lots of fun and very bloated. The movie was better as a sum of parts then as a whole ***1/2 (#8 of the year?) ... The special effects were awesome especially Serkis as King Kong and the rest of Skull Island ...

I also saw the Chronic .. Chronicles of Narnia ... It was very weird having a main character and [spoiler] chief weenie [/spoiler] as my namesake Edmund ....

The movie had nice effects and good acting but didn't really gel for me .. I give it a marginal thumbs up but **1/2 .. Lucy was well portrayed but the whole thing felt much too disney.

Without further adieu an incomplete top 10 ....

1) Walk the Line .. no doubt about it....

2) A History of Violence ... ****1/2 ... This one was very good and surprised me .. great acting by Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen among others .. the one movie I don't want to say much about ... if you have seen you can e-mail me though...

3) The Corporation (2003) .. ****1/2 ... This movie devasted me .. .Just a fascinating story of the power of the corporation and its medical diagnosis ... Psychopath ... Only concerned with Shareholder Equity and Profits ... although not technically a 2005 release I saw it this year ...

4) SavingFace ... ****1/4 ... Although this is officially a 2004 release .. the release was very limited .. a wonderful love story about two Chinese lesbians who grew up in Flushing, Queens .. there is a lot here about family too ... WELL worth seeing ...

5) Batman Begins ... **** ... I forgot about this one .. the best of the Batmans since Tim Burton directed them ... I really liked this one ... I probably liked War of the World better save the ending ... I loved the darkness in this one .. Christian Bale really worked ... Katie Holmes less so.

3, 4 undeserved by what I have seenof 2005 releases ... I hope there are movies I haven't seen that belong here ...

6) Jarhead ....**** .... The most existential war movie ever ... I loved the thoughtfulness of this .. I will pretty much see anything Sam Mendes does ...

7) The 40-Year Old Virgin ... **** ... Without any doubt the funniest movie I saw all year ... and lots and lots of heart ... Steve Carell is amazing in this one ... His relationship with Catherine Keener is beyond sweet....

8) The War of the Worlds ... **** .. . For the ending alone lost half a star ... This movie spellbound me and was a better scare fest then the more critically loved King Kong ... Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning are very good as was the creature designed ..> V.V. good (maybe 3rd best of the year) without ending .. this really should be a 6-7 pick ... I have not seen some movies that might belong here like Syriana, Brokeback Mountain, Munich and Cinderella Man

9) Sin City ... The most visually inventive movie of the year ... **** ... Mickey Rourke's best performance ever ... Very interesting movie to watch ...

10) In Her Shoes ... This may well be too high .. ***1/2 ... I really enjoyed this movie .. This was definitely one I saw with my wife's consent but I really enjoyed it ...

11) .. Star Wars 3/6: Sith .... ***1/2 ... Wow do I want to give spoilers on this one... I will just say outside the lines that this was my favorite of the 2nd trilogy .. It is nearly as good as Jedi ... Also one of the worst love stories ever .. ... Harry Potter 4 might take this spot ...

12) Fever Pitch ... ***1/2 ... A fun Drew Barrymore movie ... an odd retelling of the Nick Hornby though .. I enjoyed it but if you really want to understand the psychology of a sports fan read the book "Fever Pitch" by Nick Hornby about the horrors and joys of rooting for Arsenal Soccer Football in N. London ...

First Honorable Mention ...

13) Kung Fu Hustle ***1/2 .. Just a lot of fun .. I enjoyed Shaolin Soccer more but well worth seeing ... Stephen Chow is a joy to watch ... Just a fun movie ...

Highest expectations not quite met ....

14) King Kong ... ***1/4 .. not sure it belongs on the top 10 at all .. .Kong was one of the great special effects creations ever and it probably deserves technical awards along with "War" ... Way too long at 3 hours 20 minutes ... [spoiler] Why did the ship take an hour ... Not sure if I bought the romances either ... Had huge expectations and was disappointed ... [/spoiler]

An Honorable Mention to ....

15) Murderball ... ***1/4 ... This was a lot of fun .. I loved the hardcore Wheelchair rugby players ... Well worth watching ..

I also liked .... .
16) (to give 10 movies) Hitch .. *** .. This doens't really belong on a top 10 list at all but it was fun ... I enjoyed it ...

Please give comments and tell me more movies to put on the list ...

ecq

Yep now the list is even longer ... Haven't seen Wedding Crashers, or Penguins either

And yes .. there really is nothing about writing here ... Feels weird to write so little in December after so much in November ...

Back to Writing

2005-12-18T13:57:00.000-05:00

Starting to Write Again

Its hard to retrieve the writing mojo.

I am trying to type more today ...

It all went so easy during the month of November for NanoWriMo.... I was really enjoying my characters too... There was also a lot of therapy involved in No Filter ...

I am curious to go back through it ... there are a lot of scenes that I need to go back and add too ... Especially the ones of the naughtier variety ... I suppose there is something to be said for less is more sometimes...

Chris Beaty the author and creator of Nano recommends 2 weeks to a month before editing the book. I must say that is a big stop-off in writing.

I would almost recommend typing on other projects.

But going from 200 mph to 0 just feels weird.

On to some movies I saw recently.

I saw some interesting movies recently ... Murderball ****, Solaris *** and the surprisingly good SavingFace ****1/4.

Murderball is about wheelchair rugby or "murderball," which is a kind of smear the queer on wheels where the goal is to get the ball with your chair across the endline, and hit everything along the way. This is a lot of fun and has great special features, including the player commentary and the Jackass episode.

"Solaris" was very interesting and very slow. It was gorgeously shot by Soderbergh, but I am not sure I understand it. Nevertheless I liked it, it was good while I was reading stuff online ... Not one of Soderbergh's best but quite good ... ***

The best one of the week was Saving Face ****1/4 ... This one surprised me... It was a romantic comedy involving two lesbian chinese woman finding love in the repressive Chinese society of Flushing, Queens. It also involves a lot about mothers and daughters and what represents "ideal" society for the Chinese. This one was really good ... It surprised me how much I liked it.

It also sucks to be poor at christmas time. I am not subbing nearly enough, and have limited funds for Christmas.

I am officially bankrupt now too, I filed Ch. 7 bankruptcy on last Friday and met the judge. It was amazing how fast the preceding went. I was the second person in line and I was done in 5 minutes.

It was much harder to drive my car through the snow on December 10th. A rear-wheel drive 84 Mercedes 300D, doesn't always do so well in the snow. I was slipping and sliding everywhere, I also just got to court right at 9 am... The 15 minute trip to Portland took a good 40-45 minutes.

I also need to see some movies. King Kong looks ridicously awesome. Syriana very interesting, if convulted, Walk the Line looks great, and I have seen all the rest of the Potter movies. I think the movie of the week will be Rent.

Hopefully can see King Kong with the parents .... Off to Allentown, PA on Saturday to see my parents and have my wife visit their new house.

The kitty will miss us. This will also be Lanna's first christmas not with her brother.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Good Solstice.

Edmund Davis-Quinn

One week later

2005-12-08T13:34:00.000-05:00

It feels weird not to write so much.

I am trying to wait 2 weeks to start editing my book as Chris Baty suggests in No Plot, No Problem... But I miss my book ... I want to get back to it...

I signed up for National Novel Finishing Month ... http://www.nanofimo.org .... But I haven't doen anything yet...

Well I will see what it takes to get back to writing ... I also have a major event coming up tomorrow that I will be very happy to be done with.

Also need to go to Filene's this weekend and make some money ... It is tiring to work the holidays but so it goes .. I am not subbing near enough and need to find the next gig.

It would be nice to have a real job and not just be temping/subbing.

Edmund Davis-Quinn

Wow its December

2005-12-01T13:28:00.000-05:00

Well I guess NanoWriMo is over ...

I really enjoyed the writing and accomplished so much ... 56,500 words ... And probably somemore to come filling in scenes and such ...

Went out with some of the NanoMainers last night, the internet was not there as promised, so my wife headed home to finish the last 3,000 words of her book.. and Edmund here couldn't listen to the Rutgers-Temple game... (Rutgers won)

So I said bye and she called me about 10:35 .. she had reached 49,000 words and her computer refused to work .. so I had to get back and give her my laptop, which I was tempted to give her at the Great Lost Bear before ....

So I got back around 11:00 and Lanna typed furiously ... she got to 50,000 words on Word (50,111 on Nano) and submitted her wordcount at 11:53 pm. She was a winner only 7 minutes from the deadline .....

It was unbelievable .... So we both won ... I had a nice start with very steady writing ... My wife was only around 24,500 words on Saturday Afternoon, did 7,000 on Saturday and just kept pushing through Wednesday... If you want to read her blog its... http://jesterfest.blogspot.com

edmund davis-quinn
Novelist ..

I am also posting something I posted earlier in the Nano-Maine blog ... http://nanomaine.blogspot.com .... I do wish I could cut and paste and blogger and keep the returns ...

Its all over!

What an adventure!
What awesome people us Maine writers are...
And so many winners ...We had 1,829,641 words as a state!!! .. Which is #34 of all regions in Nano!!! ... Great job ...Me and my wife also got 50,000 words as did Kendra, WriAnimator .....

We beat Sweden and Philadelphia .. and missed beating Oklahoma by only 12,000 words ...

Here at the Maheux/Davis-Quinn house, we were both winners ...I ended up with 56,695 words and Lanna had 50,100 ....Lanna wanted to make sure she had as much drama as possible ... She had under 25,000 words at 2 pm Saturday ...

Since then she has been on a tear with 7,000 on Saturday and 4,000 or more every other day .... She had only 1,000 words left around 10:30 and then her computer refused to work ...

I unfortunately was at the Great Lost Bear and had to run back and give her a computer ....She got to 50,000 on her book from Microsoft Word wordcounter by writing the very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very end ....I am so proud of her .. .She was officially a winner at 11:53 pm ... just 7 minutes before the deadline ..

Lanna Maheux-Quinn rocks ..

So there are 50 Winners in Maine!!!! WOWWWWW!!!!! ...

50 of us passed 50,000 words out of 207 in the state . .Give yourself all a hand!!

Well I will see you all tomorrow at the Village Cafe in Portland ..... Village Cafe is on Newbury St. in Portland. ... The thank god its over party starts at 5:30...

It was also great to meet some more of you at the Great Lost Bear! .... That is one of the great beer bars in the country #4 in America according to beeradvocate.com
And Maine is #1 in the country in cool writers.
edmund davis-quinn
Novelist

I know it repeats some stuff .. I am just so proud of the NanoMainers!

p.s. I also post at http://edmundcquinn.blogspot.com
and my beer blog ... http://mainebeerguy.blogspot.com

cheers!

The End

2005-11-30T00:09:00.000-05:00

I think I have finished my book....

I might have an Epilogue in Edinburgh but not sure...

I have to fill some things in too...

Here are the last few paragraphs ...

Mathilda and Timothy decided to hold each other for a few minutes, shower together, and then walk around Oxford.

They kissed and then went out to the Oxford morning. There was a story in The Independent, and a picture in the Sun, “The Magnificent Life of Timothy Higgins.” Tim and Mathilda were very happy to see them.

Tim and Math went out to breakfast outside. It was 70 outside, a little crisp and beautiful. The couple couldn’t have been happier together. They loved each other, and were blissful.

THE END

It ends very sweet ....

The final count officially will be around 55,555 ... barring any more filling in tomorrow ...

Its been a blast.

I am considering some other projects in a few months...

One is Aviatic Park (working title) ... which is about genetically engineered birds from the military going hangwire in S. California and throughout the world.... Why would the Dep. of Defense do militarized bird research

Another is the Magnificent Life of Mathilda Fitzgerald ... a sequel from Mathilda's perspective ... and there could be a lot others....

Will be fun to see how this edits.

edmund davis-quinn

3 more Maine winners today

2005-11-27T22:48:00.000-05:00

At our meet up at Panera Bread in Westbrook, 3 more people crossed the 50,000 mark and are Nano Winners....

I couldn't be happier!!

Also turned the cable back on which is nice.

My wife has also kicked serious butt with 7,000 words yesterday and another 5,000 today... I am so proud of her.

My book is currently just under 54,000 words but still has a ways to go. Its going to be hard to let the Fitzgeralds go. I am really enjoying interacting with them through my fiction.

And of course, the strange case of Timothy Thomas Higgins, from an amazingly awful week, to a terrifically great one.

Cheers!

edmund davis-quinn

I'm a Winner!!! 50,300 words

2005-11-23T12:14:00.000-05:00

With a 1,000 words today I am well past 50,000 words. I will even cross it on the Microsoft Word, Word count in 300 words ...

Of course I have been cheating with Author's notes but that doesn't add up to too much.

Lord Edmund, Mathilda and Timothy Higgins have now met. Here is my most recent excerpt ... Chapter 13, where I passed 50,000!!

Chapter 13
2:45 pm, The Fitzgerald Group, London

Wow, Tim thought, I am actually going to meet the head of the multi-billion dollar firm, Lord Edmund Fitzgerald. Even stranger I was invited by my current girlfriend, and his second wife.

He called Mathilda on the phone 45 mins ago, and she said to meet her in the lobby about right now. It was nice to be able to talk to her on his cel phone and be in reach. He wasn’t sure if this was an interview or just a discussion, he had a feeling it was both. Tim didn’t always interview well, he was sure this was going to go much better then Birmingham.

The morning had gone pretty well, the Mirror had a page 40 story saying that Math’s new love was an American, basically a repeat of the Sun story. Other news with David Beckham, George W. Bush, Tony Blair and Julia Roberts had trumped the Math Fitz story. He had a feeling this wouldn’t hold forever.

“Hi Math, nice to see you here. How do I look today.”

“Tim, you look great, give yourself two long breaths and we will go upstairs. How is your morning going so far? Nice to not be the cover story in the tabloids.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t make lunch with you, I had to eat at my desk so we could spend this time with Lord Edmund. I had more work then I thought I would, what have you been up to.”

“Well, I made it over to the British Museum for a few hours and looked at all the things the British Empire stole from the world. That place is wild. Its too bad the British Library is in that boring building though.”

“How are your feet doing?”

“Pretty good, I have been soaking them a lot. Thanks for letting me sleep in at your place for a few hours. Its nice that the tabloids are less interested too.”

Mathilda then gave Tim a kiss and said, “Well, Sir Edmund is waiting for us. He always thought the title of Prince was too much anyway.”

Tim and Mathilda went up the elevator to the 35th floor. They needed a key to get up to the executive offices, which Mathilda already had. “Tim, I love you. Be calm and you will be fine.”

When they reached the top, they saw Lord Edmund was waiting for them. It was 2:55. “Wow, Mathilda, you are a little early. This must be Timothy’s doing. You were never on time with me.”

“I assume you are Timothy Thomas Higgins… I quite like your suit. Mathilda has told me a lot about you, so try to be calm. I am Lord Edmund Fitzgerald, the Duke of Edinburgh, and ex-Prince when I was married to the Lady Quinne. The Queen didn’t like it very much when I divorced his niece.”

“Shall we go into my office.”

Mathilda whispered to Timothy, “You are doing fine so far, just keep your composure. I love you, keep smiling, and laughing and you will do great.”

Lord Edmund Fitzgerald’s office had an absolutely commanding view of the Thames and the City of London. “So what do you think of the top of this old building. When you have been in business as long as the Fairchilds and DeBeers, and other such holding companies, you accumulate some things.”

Tim thought it was like going to the British Museum again. So many amazing antiquities and early stock certificates. “Sir, I must say this is a beautiful office. And a most amazing view of the city.”

“I agree Mr. Higgins. I especially like viewing over St. Peters and the City of London. People thought we were crazy to make a 35 story building in 1890, but there are many higher buildings since.” Lord Edmund pointed to the Docklands and all the cranes building even more throughout the Eastern end of London to Greenwich. “Its quite amazing how London has grown as a banking center.”

“When I was a young lad, this was one of the higher buildings of London, and most of the financial district was near the walled City of London. Its amazing how much the financial district has grown eastward. And how much the Fitzgerald Group has made providing those loans.”

Tim couldn’t help but be impressed. Everything was immaculate, everything was perfect.

So there it is Edmund Charles Davis-Quinn ...

Novelist!

ecq

I passed it around 11:55 today here in snowy Maine.

Another 2,000+ words day

2005-11-22T20:50:00.000-05:00

I am up to over 48,500 words ..

50,000 feels close.

Been a tough day.

I woke up with a flat tire.

The right front. The same one that I fixed 8 days ago!!!

But I did get a nice writing session in.

I got another 2,200 words or so in today.

It looks like I will pass 50,000 tomorrow as scheduled ;))

Here is an excerpt . It is PG-13 ...

Chapter 12
Chelsea, 7 pm ….

Tim found his way back to Math’s fabulous flat.

He smelled something wonderful cooking.

“Hi, Mathilda, Its Tim.”

“Hi, Tim, how do I look …” … Mathilda looked absolutely delightful to Tim. She wore this absolutely lovely slip that showed off her legs to full effect, and quite well showed her cleavage.

“I love this dress, but its too much sometimes for the tabloids. I bet you like it though.”

Tim tried hard not to put his tongue from waggling. He gave Mathilda a big kiss and a hug, and then said “you look radiantly beautiful tonight. The kitchen smells great too, what are you cooking.”

“Well its Vermicelli with Sausage, Spinach and Bacon. Its absolutely delightful. After that I think we should just hang out in bed and enjoy each other’s company. I also got some wonderful IPA to go with it. I sense that you are as much a beer guy as wine guy. I after all did meet you at the Great British Beer Festival. There is some Dead Guy Ale from Rogue in America and some Monty Python Bring Out Your Dead Ale from Cambridge. Didn’t we try the Bring Out Your Dead Ale after one of our many dances at the GBBF.”

“You have to respect a woman who knows her beer. Those are both quite good beers, the Monty Python stuff is absolutely amazing. As are you.”

Mathilda couldn’t believe the closeness she felt with Tim. The Sausage and Bacon were smelling wonderful, and he just loved spending time with this young man.

“So, Tim… I got you something today. Its wrapped on the counter. Why don’t you open it now while I finish dinner.”

Mathilda opened up some of the Bring Out Your Dead Ale and put a little in with the pasta. She then gave Tim some.

Timothy opened up his present. He saw a new Virgin Mobile phone. “I guess you want me to be able to keep in touch. Thank you very much, so you use so much a minute on this I guess.”

“Yes, Tim and its free in the UK to be called. The minutes cost a lot outgoing, but if this works as well as I think it might, I will get you a real phone soon.”

Thanks babe, Tim grabbed Mathilda’s butt and then licked the back of her neck. This made her squirm and jump a little.

“I like that Tim. Why don’t you sit down and make yourself comfortable. There is some baseball on the tele.”

Tim turned the game on … It was an afternoon Cubs-Cardinals game just starting. He started to watch it, but couldn’t help admiring Mathilda’s gorgeous ass. He decided to turn off the tele and get close to his girl.

“Hi, Mathilda, thanks for the present. Tim then moved his arms around Math’s waist, I hope its OK, if I help you finish dinner.”

“Its almost ready Tim. I just have to finish with the bacon and combine the meat and pasta. This stuff is really yummy.”

“Not as yummy as you, babe.”

“Thanks. I can turn the burner down for a second.” Mathilda then grabbed Tim and hugged him hard, she wanted to feel his cock squirm by her embrace. She devoured him with kisses and wanted to make his knees buckle. With this she was successful.

“Wow, Math, that was a kiss. I do love the way that dress hits your curves. Do you mind if I expose your breasts, and give them a kiss.”

“In a minute darling, let me finish dinner. You could show me your cock if you want though.”

Timothy did as he commanded, he showed Math his cock. Math looked over and said nice, she then exposed her gorgeous size 36D breasts and showed them to Tim. The seducing had already started.

Mathilda finished dinner, and went to sit next to Tim. She loved being so close to him.

“So Tim any thoughts on what you might like to do this week. I would like to spend as much time with you as I can. I enjoy every minute that we are together.”

“Well, I would love to spend time with you too. I also wish I could go back to Oxford with pride not shame. Looks like Tuesday I am meeting Edmund Fitzgerald, Wednesday we are both meeting Amanda,” Timothy can’t help smiling there, its just so naughty. “I don’t know after that, might be fun to go to Scotland. I also need to keep seeing my shrink.”

Mathilda then fed Tim some of her dinner. “Mmm, Math that is delicious. Thank you so much. Very yummy.” They then kissed again, and enjoyed some beer. The couple could not help but paw each other.
“I love kissing you and having you next to me Tim. You make me so happy. I can’t remember being happy like this in so long. But, you should eat before it gets cold.”

Tim loved this dinner. It was so yummy and so simple. Just some pasta in a cream sauce with some grilled bacon, sausage and spinach. It tasted just delightful, so did the beer, and so Mathilda’s kisses.

“So tell me something about Lord Edmund Fitzgerald. I know we are meeting tomorrow. Is there any further plans? Is there some hints you can give me? I don’t have your ass and kissable lips, but you obviously think we will like each other.”

“Well that is an excellent question. Edmund and you both have devilish senses of humour, you are both quite smart too, although I doubt you know Scottish history as well as Lord Edmund, I am not sure anyone in the world does. I would say dress impeccably, shave, listen and try to keep your emotions in control. How are your medications working out?”

“Well, the Xanax and the Risperdal make me feel pretty loopy, and I haven’t sensed anything from the Neurotonin yet. But, you’re a better medication then any of them.”

Mathilda couldn’t help but smile. Still she worried about Tim. She had heard about what happened at Oxford, and it didn’t seem the same young man as the one she had come to could she even think it, love. He was so sweet. One of the sweetest men she had ever met. And she knew that Tim and Sir Edmund would like each other, it just seemed like such a good match.

“Well, I know Sir Edmund is always looking for good talent. What do you know about Scottish History?”

“Well, I know “Braveheart”,” Tim laughs, “but seriously I know there is different regions that each produce different Scotches. I also know that the Scotch aren’t too fond of their British overlords. Scotsman and Scotswoman have always had quite an independent streak.”

“That is a good start Tim. I can tell you more over bed. So why don’t you finish your writing and we can play some Trivial Pursuit in bed. Feel free to paw me while you play.”

Tim finished his plate. It was very good. He was quite looking forward to having time with Mathilda on the bed though.

First he decided to turn on some blues and dance though. Mathilda looked so beautiful in her slip and it made Tim want to dance. He took her in her arms, gave her a full kiss, and said, “Would you like to dance, you wonderful cook.”

Mathilda blushed. Its was so sweet. “Of course, darling, but I warn you I can be pretty frisky.”So Tim and Mathilda felt the blues, sometimes dancing close, sometimes just having fun. They kept kissing and touching each other. There was also laughing, lots of laughing.

Let me know what you think.

edmund davis-quinn

Today no typing yet

2005-11-21T18:59:00.000-05:00

Getting so close to 50,000...

I want to see if I can get the Nano graph working ...

Lets see if spaces make the difference.

I am loving this project so far.

edmund

Well I did get 300 words in a little later ....

Its hard when you don't feel great ...

Up to 46,219

2005-11-21T01:08:00.000-05:00

Although I feel terrible today I got another 2,400 words in.

Around 600 this morning and another 1,850 in a good run at Panera.

I love the Nano Maine crowd there.

You all right good this week you hear...

Enjoy thanksgiving y'all..

I only have 3,781 to 50,000 ... That is just unbelivable .. I am like 92% to my goal ... Two decent days and I am there...

And then there is probably another 10,000 to 15,000 words until the end ;))

edmund

No words yesterday!

2005-11-20T12:32:00.000-05:00

After my writing dynamo this month, I did no words yesterday!

Zero.

If you wonder why, its because I had a full day in retail.

I was there from 9:15 to 6:15 with a one-hour lunch.

It was the "best sale of the year," meaning lots of customers. I also desperately need to get new dress shoes, so my feet got really tired.

By the time I was home about 6:40 I watched just a bit of the Auburn-Alabama game. Auburn was leading 28-10 and won by the same score.

I just wanted to lay down. By 7:45 I went to bed.

At 8:00 my mom called, it sounds like she totaled her car and now drives a 2001 Chrysler Concorde, I was barely there and just slept.

I kinda half got up at 12:30 and with the Kitty's urging at 6:00 .. but didn't really wake up until 8:20 am or so ....

I have choir at church today, and had to wake up after sleeping for more then 12 hours. I did get 630 words in this morning though. This means even with yesterday, I only have 700 words to 45,000 ...

I have a lot of church today, and work retail from 4-9 tonight. I should have an hour and a half to type with the Nano Mainers at Panera ...

Hopefully that will get me over 45,000 words, and I will have some energy tonight.

I still want to pass 50,000 by Wednesday.

Edmund Davis-Quinn

Another 1,000 words in

2005-11-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

Just did another 1,000 words.

This book continues to amaze me ...

I on page 17 on overall words counts ... which places me I think #827 ranked overall in Nano .. which is amazing with the nearly 60,000 participants...

My current word count is ... drum roll please... 43,673 ...

Which means even after the full day at Filene's .. I will only need 1,327 for 45,000 and a mere 6,327 for 50,000!!!!

Its getting wicked close but I think the book needs at least 20,000 more words ... I hope I can do a lot over Thanksgiving, even with the 'rents coming up ...

This has been a simply joyous experience.

I think I will continue to write.

I love Nano!

edmund

42,000 words

2005-11-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

I got another 1,300 words in this morning.

The book is going very well.

I also find that I find other writing easier.

I am becoming a blogging fool.

I am also applying to work as a reading specialist/ed tech III in South Portland, ME school district. I think it would be great to work with first graders and improve their reading.

Wish me luck.

edmund davis-quinn

Wow 40,000 words!!!

2005-11-17T18:40:00.000-05:00

Wow officially at 40,000+ ...

Already did 2,000 words today . I could fill in a lot of sex scenes too .... 40,589
... And still 13 more days!!!
Its amazing to think I have only 9,481 left ...
And I will probably do another 10,000+ after that :))

edmund

This feels really good, there is a lot of tenderness between Mathilda and Timothy.

It is starting to feel a lot like my wife and me.

Its nice to have them just massaging each other.

Tenderness is such a lovely thing.

I am really liking my book and have ideas for others.

I really can't believe how much fun I am having!!

And under 10,000 to go (plus likely to write 10,000 after that)..

edmund davis-quinn

Another 2,000 words

2005-11-17T04:38:00.000-05:00

I am now up to 38,859 ...

Of course that is only 1,800 today more or less...

Having a lot of fun with the new characters that keep coming in ...

My main man Tim is definitely quite the man-slut ... Here is an excerpt ...

He is having a lot of fun though ...

I have even figured out how I will end it ...

quick question .. should Lord Edmund Fitzgerald, Duke of Edinburgh, be a prince ...

Duke Of Edinburgh I found out is Prince Philip's title ...

I am tempted to say he had to drop the name Prince after marrying Mathilda.

I hope this makes sense to y'all ...

I hope to post the whole novel somewhere at some point ...

Its not all ready for prime time though ...

Here is the promised excerpt .. it is rated R I would say.

“Oh you know that. Lets say I have had an odd week. I think I will leave it at that. Things are definitely surreal right now.”

“That makes sense to me Tim. What are you doing with Math tonight, yes I know that is where you are off to next … I am a very perceptive woman.”

“Well, Amanda we are off to the Lotus Flower. Mathilda said it will knock my socks off.”

“MMM, that is very good. But, if you ever need a friend let me know. You are the lead in the London tabloids, it will only become more and more. Don’t worry, you’ll survive it, but you will definitely need a friend. Keep your room in Imperial College and hide if you need to.”

Tim, a tall 6’4’ man with brown hair who had become a relatively svelte-210 pounds since he had been manic, quite liked the quite cute 5’5” Amanda. She was quite British, cute, round face, brunette, with brown eyes, a nice round butt and lovely probably size D tits.

She is the very cute college girl, that many men like. If not for Math, Tim would be all over her. I mean she was sweet and totally adorable. Tim had to admit, he would love to see her naked. He was almost curious to ask Math about this, even more curiously he thinks she would probably say yes. Especially if she could see her herself. Although, she really wasn’t sure what Math type might be in women.

Mathilda Fitzgerald was a star in Britain. Tim was just an American having a bizarre week. It did feel lovely having a pint of Boddington’s with Amanda though. Maybe they could go check out some films later. He had to admit that he was quite attracted to Amanda. He didn’t know what to do, lets just keep it as friends he thought. But, he still longed to kiss her. He couldn’t help himself.

“What you thinking about Tim?”

“Oh, just how surreal this whole week has been. It is hard to be next to you and not want to kiss you.”

“Tim, you are very sweet. I would recommend against that. I am drawn to you too. Maybe you could ask Math about it. I always thought she was so sexy in the tabloids.”

This was something Tim didn’t expect. Amanda was bi??? He thought she was the “good” girl, I suppose there are always multiple levels of good. Tim had to admit that this situation sounded very “good” to him.

“Well, maybe I will ask about that. I know she has succomoned to the pleasures of woman flesh before. I have to admit that sounds like a very hot scene. I will also have to warn you that Math is quite kinky. Especially 3*3.”

“Oh mr. Tim, you are definitely a dork. Its so sweet. I could see why a woman like Mathilda Fitzgerald would be drawn to you. I expect you have had a very hard week but you are sweet, adorable, tall, and have a devilishy cute smile. I would be up for a threesome if she was.”

Tim simply couldn’t believe his luck. He didn’t know where next to take this. So he simply asked, “You wouldn’t have a picture on you would you. Wait I have my camera. I suppose a picture would be faster.”

“Strangely enough Tim, I have some school pics right here. They are very proper, but I think pretty adorable. I am definitely game. Here is my number.”

Tim felt quite conflicted. His first instinct was to smother Amanda with kisses. He really liked her. This whole weekend has been unbelievably titillating. “For some reason, I really feel like a cigar. Know any good places around here.”

“Yes Tim, I want to kiss you too. Lets just go for a little kiss. And lets step out for a bit.”

This whole thing felt very naughty to Tim. Math and Tim had never even thought of being exclusive, but this still felt a little wrong. Tim and Amanda found a little package store and had a kiss. It was quite a kiss. After it Amanda simply said, “Tell Math about me, and call me later and let me know how it went. I need to go right now, I want to take you home and have my way with you but I think you need to wait. So instead I will just go home and furiously masturbate, thinking about you and Mathilda. And of course, my chance to lick your cock and taste her pussy. I really like you Tim, but I have to go.”

“I understand. I will try to call you tonight, if not tomorrow morning. Thanks for the great day, and understanding ear.”

With that Amanda left … Tim’s watch from Geneva said 3:45. He wondered what was happening in Oxford.

He also found what he was looking for a Hoya de Monterrey double corona, and a nice coffee shop with outdoor seating. Tim put on his shades, grabbed his hat and gave himself time to smoke a good cigar. He had the book “Fever Pitch” by Nick Hornby to read, and just needed to calm down his libido for a minute. He knew it would be ignited again soon enough.

As Tim lit up his cigar, he was surprised to see his friend Catherine.

Catherine was a fellow Friedman MBA and a very nice woman. He asked how it was going.

“Fine, Tim, how are you doing. We missed you in London earlier.”

“Well that is a long story. They kicked me out. So I moved to London. Pick up a copy of the Sunday Sun and I can tell you more. Notice the cover.”

There was a newsstand right next door. “Holy shit, Tim… Is that you? Who is the foxy redhead you are with.”

“Well, if you read more you will find out that she is Mathilda Fitzgerald, the ex-wife of Lord Edmund Fitzgerald, Duke of Edinburgh.”

what do you all think ...

edmund

Tabloid Tim

2005-11-15T20:46:00.000-05:00

Looks like Tim is a tabloid star.

This book is getting very interesting.

Have done almost 3,000 words today ...

I only have about 13,000 to go.

I didn't sub today but did have really good beers at the Great Lost Bear ...

I also put an application in for LL Bean at the CareerCenter in Portland.

Not making any money this month, but I have a novel dammit.

Also need to pay $125 in excise tax for Westbrook .. .my car is 20 years old!!! .. c'mon!!

edmund

Tim-Math are in the Tabloids ...

2005-11-15T04:07:00.000-05:00

Well evidently Mathilda Fitzgerald it a big player in the London Tabloids.

Are the papparazzi took a picture of Tim and Mathilda.

So now Tim and Math are in the Mirror and the Sun....

Here is an excerpt (so far) ...

Chapter the Ninth
Oxford, Sunday Morning, 8 am

One of the Thomas Paine students Lisa decided to pick up the tabloids today.

While she was looking at them, she saw the oddest thing.

She could have sworn she saw Timothy Thomas Higgins in the Sun and the Daily Mirror.

She had to ask Amelie. “Amelie, is that Tim? I could swear that is Tim.”

Ami had just started having her toast and coffee, her and John had a lovely night, and Amelie’s rememberances of Tim made it hotter. “Holy shit that is Tim. Who is this Mathilda Fitzgerald they are talking about?”

Lisa added, “It says here that she was the 2nd wife of Edmund Fitzgerald, the Duke of Edinburgh. Holy shit, that makes her royalty. Ms. Fitzgerald never received titled status as she was a 2nd marriage. Sir Edmund’s first wife, Magdalene Quinne, Lady of Hampton Court never allowed it.”

Alex overhears the conversation. He thinks they must be full of shit. This must be someone else they are talking about. Timothy Higgins, that piece of crap that broke down in Birmingham on Tuesday, is now on the front page of the paper? “Let me see that?”

Alex roughly grabbed the paper from Lisa. “Hey we were reading that, what’s wrong with you? Does it piss you off that you didn’t break the boy more?”

Alex yelled back, “Fuck, that is Tim. Look at the woman he is with. Maybe I helped him out by helping to get him out of this program. You know Amelie, I did help persuade Huxtable that Tim needed to be out of the program. I bet you didn’t know that. I mean the dude threatened me.”

Amelie interjected, “Alex, you are a first class asshole. Get the fuck away from me and the table.”

At this point John came in. Although he was usually a peaceful man, he always supported his wife. “Is there a problem here? Any fight with my wife goes through me? Please go back to Jane over there. And kiss her too, she really likes you, why I have no idea.”

“What’s up Ami?” John asked, “You usually don’t get riled up, like that.”

Amelie asked Lisa Cohen for the paper. “Sure sweetie, go ahead and borrow the paper. We can talk more later.”

Amelie had grown close to Lisa in London and on Tuesday. She needed to talk to someone about Tim. Lisa always seemed very sweet, and they had liked each other in the past. “Thanks Lisa, we will talk more later. I have to show John this it’s a trip.”

So Amelie and John found a table and Amelie thought, “This could get really weird, really fast John, look who is on the front cover of the Sun and the Mirror. You see that gentleman coming out of Southwicks? That is none other then Timothy Thomas Higgins.”

John interjected with a smile, “Its clear he has excellent taste. First my wife and now the trophy wife of Sir Edmund Fitzgerald, this boy Tim seems both blessed and cursed.”

“Well, John grab a little food and some tea, I want to get out of here and show you some of Oxford before too many others find out about this. I know a few students are getting back from London today. I also want to shove this in Huxtable’s face. Although who knows what that prick might do. I really thought he was a decent guy back in Fairfax, but he has been a dumb ass here.”

Ami then gave John a very nice kiss. “ I must say I am very curious what is going on with my man Tim. He is a sweet guy, troubled but sweet. I know you would have love to see him make love to me too. Lets get out of here, I want to walk around and kiss you around town. Then I want you to take me. Tie me up, and make love to me.”

John liked this part of her wife. She didn’t show it often, but when she did it was intense fireworks. They both were quite insatiable in bed, and loved to fantasize. “That sounds like a date.” John grabbed some ham in toast and had some coffee to go.

London, walking from Chelsea to Imperial College, 9 am

Timothy had an amazing night. Just unbelievable. Mathilda Fitzgerald may be one of the most exciting women, Tim has ever met. He didn’t know the backstory yet.

Tim had started to make a habit of the London tabloids.

What he saw there startled him.

First, he noticed that heads were turning toward him. Then when he was about to get a copy of the sun after first seeing a back page story about David Beckham and a Premiership preview he saw the cover.

“MATH’S NEW LOVE?”

Why would a picture of the kiss, Mathilda and I had last night be in the paper. Tim had noticed the photographers around, but assumed they would be far more interested in Mick Jagger, Tony Blair, or Meg Ryan. Why would there care about me and Math? This was truly bizarre.

And the Mirror had a similar but quite different cover. Showing another kiss, and Tim’s hand on Mathilda’s neck.

“WHO IS THE NEW MATH LOVE?”

Ok, Tim was now officially freaked out. He decided to hurry it over to the Imperial College cafeteria, since he knew there breakfasts were big and cheap.

Wow Royalty Showed Up

2005-11-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

Somehow when I was typing today at Sam's Club of all places, royalty showed up.

It turns out that my character's current love interest as an ex-husband who is Sir Edmund Fitzgerald, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Evidently the press still follow Mathilda around and are curious what she is up to.

It looks like Timothy and Mathilda are going to be on the cover of the Sun and The Mirror tomorrow in my book.

I also have almost 2,000 words today to bring the total official wordcount to 32,855

I will update things as they progress.

I am having quite a history for Mathilda as well. I guess she is going to be a BIG part of the story.

Excerpts will come later.

ed davis-quinn

Busy day

2005-11-13T18:50:00.000-05:00

I have been at church all day today almost.

I got 455 words done in the morning and past 30,000 ...

I was in church all day today there was a lovely service at 11, then I had a nice late breakfast around 1 pm, and the minister was officially "inducted" minister of the Allen Avenue UU church at 3 pm today.

I am so happy about how the church is going.

I am planning to go to choir practice on Thursday night. I really wanted to sing with the choir today. They had such wonderful musical selections. Including, "Down it the river to pray," a spiritual sung in "O Brother, Where Art Thou"

So I got another 600 words done after church, and am debating about going to a holiday party to Filene's.

I have to dress up and have already had quite a day.

Might have dressed up earlier if I knew.

Think its time to dress to the nines.

I am not even at home or dressed and its already 6:56 ..

Probably won't get there until 7:30.

At 31,000 words .. .

Peace y'all

edmund davis-quinn

29,974 words

2005-11-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

So I only got to 1,152 words today ...

Of course, I do plan to do another 500+ words tonight ...

I will probably do a 10 minute challenge .. and then a little after that ...

Today I worked at Filene's .. Slept in and also got my wife a car radio ...

I also got some presents for my sis/bro-in-law and my bro-in-law (ie wife's brother) ....

I also bought a quite cute San Drive for myself.

Of course I did make the mistake of saving to that and not the C drive. I probably lost 50 words or so.

I am quite confident that when I post in an hour or so I will be well over 30,000 .. but right now short by 26 words .. Of course I just wrote a lot more then that.

Edmund Davis-Quinn

I just passed 26,000 words ...

2005-11-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

First, I went past 25,000 words today, and then wrote another 1,000 words.

I thought I would give everyone an excerpt.

Enjoy!

Really Imperial College isn’t the worst place to be. The Great British Beer Festival is going on not far away this weekend. Tim Higgins had always been a beer junkie, and this festival by CAMRA and the Society for Real Ales, is considered one of the best in the world. Waterloo is quite close, and this might be a good place to go. Tim hopes being in the fraternity of beer drinkers will improve his spirits but that is tomorrow.

Going to London is feeling like a fresh start.

Tim decides to find Imperial College, drop off his stuff and take a nap.

6:00 … Imperial College London…

So here we are at the beginning Tim wondering how he got here and you humble readers wondering what might happen next.

So lets just find out.

Tim can’t decide what he wants to do tonight. He would love to run into some of this fellow Oxonians around the college, but the place is vast. He decides he would like to go out on the town. His feet are still blistered and he decides to take the tube to the West End Theatre District.

A good play would make him feel good. He has his student ID so can get a good deal on a rush ticket.

He looks at the time and realizes its already 6:00 pm. He feels quite proud of this decision. He decides to go to a non-licensed conveince store get a pint of cider and make a trip on the tube. He looks at the local free paper and sees whats playing. There are lots and lots of shows.

One called “Love Letters” sounds good and by his luck there is tickets at 7:00 still available for the 7:30 show. He finds his seat not long later and finds he his student rush tickets are 3rd row far right… Although this is an awkward angle he is practically right on stage. This is just what Tim needs a comedy.

He feels more comfortable in his skin since he has since Geneva. He wishes he could have done something like this with Amelie and John. He really cared for Ami and with or without romantic entanglements, he thinks she is a mighty good friend. This is something there are far too few of in this world.

Tim feels very nice when he leaves the theater. He feels calmer and decides it might be nice to take a little stroll. He also decides to buy a little pot for ten quid (pounds) and have something to smoke. This was an odd thing for Tim to do, Timothy would sometimes toke with his buddies back at UNJ, but would rarely want to carry anything. He thought it might calm his mind though. Everyone and everything seems beautiful. Tim knows the best thing to do is go to bed though. He also doesn’t want to fight the bus system after the tube closes at 1 am…..

He finds some nice souvlaki and has a nice snack. It feels good and he decides its time to go home. He is planning a great day tomorrow.

Imperial College, around 22:00 …

Tim picks up a copy of the Independent of Manchester and decides to read a bit. He also rips off a piece of the paper he has finished and decides to smoke up a little. The floor he is on is quite quiet as he asked for a higher floor and some space. The short toke he has feels good, and Tim feels mellow.

He decides to take a bath, and let the worry depart a little. After all the visual stimulation, Tim decides to masturbate in the tub. He rolls through his head thinking of images. He really wonders what he was thinking of with Mikela. Something surprised Tim though, it wasn’t Danielle he was thinking about but Amelie. They really shared some special times together. Some of the most erotic times Tim can ever remember. Tim thinks these may have some of the most erotic times he has ever had.

His feet are also quite glad to find a bathtub. They need it after this much time on their feet. Tim could have done much worse and decides to have another quick hit of pot. He feels very mellow. He decides he will try to get a head shrinking appointment in the morning.

After 20 minutes or so in the tub, Tim decides it’s a good time to take a nap, he tries not to think too much. He had one hell of a tough week. So far London has been good to him. He hopes this can continue in the morning.

Saturday, August 19, 2001, around 8:00 am
Imperial College London

Tim talks to the front desk. He asks if he can arrange a psychiatric appointment.

The person on the counter with a nametag that says Amanda, says, “Lets see sir, yes I could arrange one for 4:00 pm today, he had a cancellation, and the health service is a block over, let me draw you a map.”

Tim thinks Amanda is very cute, but just says, “Thank you very much. Is there a place for breakfast you could recommend?”

Amanda responds, “Sure sir, there is a cafeteria one block ahead, the prices are around 2-3 quid for breakfast and you get a discount by staying here.”

Tim also asks, “Is there a place I could send stuff home, I have accumlated too much stuff already and have a long journey ahead of me.”

Amanda, the 21 year old doe-eyed British girl with brown-green eyes responds, “There is a British Post 3 blocks ahead, and then one block to the right. Is there anything else, I can help you with anything at all.”

Tim thinks Amanda is flirting with him and quite likes the compliment, he decides he will calm things down for now. “No, I am fine for now,” he says, “Thank you for all your help, you have a just adorable smile too.”

“Thank you, sir,” she replies.

Tim then leaves and decides to get some breakfast.

The beer festival doesn’t start until 11 am and the first session ends at 3 pm, which should give him plenty of time to see the shrink.

After Tim leaves Amanda asks her associate Samantha about Timothy. “He seemed cute and very nice,” she thought, “I wonder why he needs to see a shrink.”

Samantha replies, “You don’t want to get involved with these Americans, traveling through Amanda, they will only be here a few days anyway, you are right though he was very cute. If we see him around again, maybe we can invite him for a drink at the pub.”

Amanda smiles and thinks, “Ok, I like that idea. I hope this Timothy Higgins feels better soon. I wonder what he is up to today.”

Breakfast, Imperial College Commons .. 08:30

Yesterday, was a tough night to sleep. As you can tell I have had a tough week so far. Last night around 2:00 am, I got up and was tempted to go run around London. Considering that Tim had just been kicked out of Oxford, he realized this was a bad idea. He also knew that today would be a great day to try out some new beers and meet some beer snobs. He thought this would be wonderfully grounding.

So was the breakfast. The British/Irish breakfast of fatty meats, potatoes, tea and toast, was just what Tim needed to wake up with. The fat felt good and Tim knew that he would be trying quite a bit of beer today. He hoped this wouldn’t be a problem with the shrink. It might be interesting to have a shrinking appointment a little plastered.

That was no matter though. He was going to the GBBF(Great British Beer Festival) and that was that.

In other tables, he saw a few tables of young Americans. He said hi to the leader, and asked what they were up to. He found out that at 2 pm tomorrow the choral group was going to perform at Westminster Abbey. He decided he should try to remember that on his schedule.

He also thought the girl at reception was quite cute, was he just being flirted with? Tim had always been very bad at judging women’s signals. He was starting to think while he was manic, that every girl wanted him. The truth was clearly somewhere in the middle. Maybe, he might stop over there later and find an excuse to say hi.

Tim grabbed a copy of the Sun, London Times, and The Independent and did too much newspaper reading for his own good. He had an hour and a half before the GBBF opened and wanted to take it easy.

He really liked his tea too, it was much, much better then the stuff he had back home.

9:15 am, walking around S. Kensington

Tim really liked the Sun, there was something quite lovely in opening the front cover of the newspaper and seeing tits. He wished America was more open.

Tim’s feet still hurt. He decided to go into a local discount store (similar to the American dollar store) and find himself some cheap flip-flops and slippers to wear when he was just hanging out in his dorm. He also wanted to get himself a chocolate.

He got himself a Bounty bar, and then pondered Britons obsession with chocolate. Although Americans quite liked chocolate, he didn’t remember seeing Hershey machines in the subway in New York, like you see Cadbury machines in London. He also quite liked that it was no big deal to drink in public, he didn’t understand why Americans were obsessed with prohibition.

By this time it is almost 9:30 … time to jump on the bus and get to GBBF … Its not far away at all.

The bus comes 5 minutes later, and then 10 minutes after that Timothy is at the GBBF. Considering this might be the 2nd most famous beer festival, after the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado, Timothy is ecstatic to be here.

This is it, the campaign for Real Ales, Great British Beer Festival. Timothy pays the ten pound entrance fee, get his 10 drink tickets and his official GBBF glass. This makes him very happy, and he feels less naughty about it then the glass he stole with Jose in Geneva. What a cool souvenir.

The festival doesn’t open for 10 minutes, but Tim just talks with the beer geeks. He sees a neat couple behind him, and asks where there from.

“Australia,” the couple responds, “My name is Marcus, and my wife’s name is Trudi, we are spending a holiday in Europe and flying back to Perth tomorrow. We scheduled the GBBF to be on our last day in Europe. We have already visited Paris and Berlin this week. Its been a great ride.”

“Where did you enjoy seeing there? Did you guys visit some wineries or breweries on your trip so far,” Tim asked.

“Its funny you asked,” Marcus said, “We just spent some time in the Burgundy and Bordeaux regions, they were lovely and very nice. Of course, Australia makes some great reds too. How about yourself, having a good trip so far.”

Tim had to think for a second on this. He didn’t want to get into it too much, “Well I tried to some great wine in Geneva, and had some very nice beer in Oxford at the Young’s Pub, and other bars.”

“Did you go to that one that Inspector Morse visited,” Trudi asked.

“Yes, I did .. the had some lovely beers, including a (23,741) badger beer, which I found quite funny since I was born at Madison, Wisconsin the home of the Wisconsin Badgers. The outdoor patio there was lovely, and there was some quite fantastic beer. I am looking forward to trying a lot of beers today I have never had before. Any favorite brewers you want to try today?”

“Well there is of course Samuel Smith’s and Young’s and there are lots and lots of really great British brewers. There are going to be a lot of really interesting small-batch producers today. And most of it will be hand-pumped, why don’t we stay in touch throughout the day and compare beers,” Marcus said.

“I will do that … and I see there are more tickets available for one quid each, or 6 for five quid,” Timothy remarked, “Cheers.”

With that the door opened, and Timothy entered an exposition center practically filled with beer. This made Tim feel very nice, he felt bad that he couldn’t show some more of the Oxonians what was here, he was sure guys like Amelie, and John, and Matt, a democrat from Tennessee who Tim quite liked.

Tim loved this place, so many choices so few tickets. He saw a brewery he had never tried before out of York, England, Tim’s Special Brews included a porter, an ESB(Extra Special Bitter- a very popular beer in Britain, and IPA (India Pale Ale- a very hoppy brew). He decided he would try the porter, it was lovely, rich, thick, black and full of flavor. Tim felt a little naughty about drinking at 10 am, but it was very nice. The brewer also offered a small taste of IPA, which was lovely, hoppy and quite rich. Tim thanked the gentleman and kept going. He gave the Porter a 90 and the IPA a 92, on the Wine Specatator/Cigar Afficiando scale, 90-95 being excellent, 95-100 superb, 85-89 very good, 80-85 good, 76-80 above average, 70-75 average, 65-69 fair, 61-65 not good, under 60 horrible…. He didn’t think there would be too much under the 80 range today… for Tim a bud might be a 72, a coors a 76, a Guinness a 92, 95 in Britain, he hoped to find some beers he would be happy to get in the 94+ range, such beers were rare and wonderful.

He then saw the Monty Python brewery in Cambridge, evidently Eric Idle, and Terry Gilliam had decided to open a brewpub/brewery in Cambridge, and they had quite imaginative labels and pictures. The Nasty Rabbit ale, Tim tried was very rich and quite outstandingly tasty, it was rich, had some chocolate flavor, hoppy and quite unique, Tim was very happy with this one and gave it a 96. Wow, was that a good beer. He hoped it might be available in the US. But, he then saw there was only 5,000 cases produced worldwide. MMM, yummy …

It was so nice to see the Waterville festival hall filled with brewers both macro, like Guinness, Youngs and Sam Smith’s and very, very small. Brewers with less then 1,000 cases that decided to bring some small kegs for judging.

Tim felt very happy here and was as happy as he had been in over a week. It was authentic happiness too, not just the joy of mania. He thanked the brewer, Thomas Smith, saying, “This is absolutely wonderful, do you have anything else I can try.”

Mr. Smith said, “Sure we have a little bit of the Bring Out Your Dead Ale, its very strong almost 8% alcohol in content, its nearly a Barleywine. We at Monty Python Brews really like a good strong beer.”

Tim always liked a good barleywine and strong brew, he had a taste and said, “This is absolutely fantastic, mmm, one of the best brews I may have ever had, thank you so much, I will give this a 98, this might be one of the best beers I have ever had. I wish I was a judge here, I would give this a gold medal for sure.”

Smith said, “Thank you, very, very much. We try, try out St. Andrews brewery, those Scotsman make very, very good strong brews. I appreciate your comment so much though. Have a great day today, sir.”

Tim said, “Thanks so much, that was really great.”

Tim ran into Trudi wandering around, “You have to try Python Brewing, their Bring Out Your Dead Ale is one of the best beers I have ever had. How is your luck going?”

“Its going great Timothy, try out King Arthur Breweries from Glastonbury, really yummy yummy stuff.”

“Thanks Trudi, will do.”

The music then started up, it was nice folk-rock and quite a bit of fun. He was tempted to find a comely lass to dance with. What a great day he was having, he felt wonderfully grounded.

He then asked Marcus if it was OK if he danced with Trudi. As most Aussies would, they said sure. He then danced with Trudi, and had some fun. There was no romantic entanglements, just joy in playing with the music. Trudi said thank you, stepped out and decided to dance with her husband, Marcus.

Then a very tall, leggy Scottish girl named Matilda, decided to step in. Tim was quite taken with this red haired beauty, and she seemed to taking a liking to Tim. She didn’t even ask Tim if she wanted to dance, just danced with him.

Her name was Matilda Fitzgeald, and she spoke huskily, “I saw you dancing and thought you might like a partner, I like tall men and see you have some good choice in beers. Are you with anyone today?”

Timothy replied with a smile, “I am alone, just wanted to try some good beers, I couldn’t believe my luck in being in London, the same weekend as the GBBF, what brings you here?”

Matilda looked at Tim askew and said, “the beer silly. What do you think? I do respect a man who can dance though, especially tall, goofy Americans.”

“How did you know I was goofy,” Tim laughed, “Have you had a lot of the beers here before?”
Matilda said, “Sure, but you look more interesting to me then most of the beers, here.”

Tim couldn’t believe his luck. Maybe he was more appealing to women. Tim didn’t think himself, so handsome that he would be picked up by such a radiantly beautiful Scotchwoman. He had some very attractive women in college, but his Frat brothers helped him out there. What a great day he was having, the horrors of Oxford already seemed a long way from here.

Tim then responded, “You look a lot more interesting then beer too, lets dance, have some beer and have some fun.”

“Sounds like a date,” Matilda sighed.

Tim felt daring and gave Matilda a peck on the cheek. She responded with a full-blown kiss. He couldn’t believe his luck. It was quite a kiss too, and knocked Tim back a bit.

“So, Matilda, aren’t you the aggressive one, quite a kisser too.”

“Timothy, you will find I am aggressive and quite good at lots of things. Do you want to do something after this?”

“Mathilda, for now lets hang out, and we can meet for dinner after if you would like. I am staying in South Kensington at Imperial College and could meet you near there, I have an appointment at 4:00 but could meet you somewhere at 6:00 or 7:00 or so.”

Mathilda, quite frankly wanted to get into this Yankee’s pants, he respected his discretion though. Most men would have just followed her bidding after a kiss like that, Mathilda knew she had power over men and liked to wield it. She was hoping she might find a nice fling today, and found a very attractive 27 year old American, he was even in good shape and 6’4”. Considering she was 5’11” herself, a tall man was quite nice to find, she could also feel when she danced closed to him, that he likely had a very nice penis. She was quite curious to test this out in reality.

Mathilda responded, “I know a very nice resteraunt about a block away from Harrods that is quite close to Imperial College. Its called Southwicks, and has lovely seafood. And Don’t worry, I will cover the bill. Now lets get some great British beer.”

Mathilda felt Timothy’s rump. He wasn’t used to having women this aggressive. It was clear Mathilda could have had most any man here, at least the straight, single ones, and felt quite nice to be with her. “Ok, Southwicks, at 6:30 then.” He then kissed Mathilda back and gave her a neck massage.

“Most Americans are not as smart as you, young Timothy, they would follow me around and I would get bored with them soon. You seem quite worldly for a Yank.”

Tim then felt her ass, and it was round and quite nice. She had curves, and Tim liked them. She wore a lovely blouse and quite a nice knee length skirt. She also had a gorgeous Onyx necklace that slipped into her quite ample cleavage. This one was a stunner, lets try to keep your head, Tim.

Mathilda just giggled, and held Tim close, Tim mentioned the Monty Python ale, and shared some of the Bring Out Your Dead ale with Mathilda. She also quite liked it, gave him a nice hug, and then kissed him again…. What a day and it wasn’t even noon, yet.

Tim knew though he had to keep his head, he really did need to see the shrink today. He needed to get meds, although the alcohol might not merge with them well, he also needed not to get overexcited and find his way back into the abyss.

Let me know what you think!!

edmund davis

21,000 words + but getting harder

2005-11-09T17:32:00.000-05:00

I have gone past 21,000 words now .. probably around 21,600 by the official Nano meter ...

The writing is getting harder now ... Yet I still keep hitting my quota.

Tried to get some more hours at Filene's today, but they were mostly filled.

I am very tired, and wished I subbed today.

I need to get into the traveling adventures too, where I decide not to go back to NYC and NJ and eventually California but into the new adventures of Europe.

So far 17,000 words

2005-11-07T13:01:00.000-05:00

I hit 17,200 words on the book yesterday... That means I am a third the way to my goal!!

So far its been an interesting trip.

I hope it continues that way.

edmund davis-quinn
author of
No Filter: A Travelogue of Madness

First Day

2005-11-02T13:02:00.000-05:00

I did over 4,000 words on Day 1!!!

I was freaking out the night before about getting started but I thought I did pretty well.

I would have liked to have subbed today but got a lot done.

Here is an excerpt:

No Filter:
A Travelogue of Madness

A Novel by Edmund Charles Davis-Quinn
Written for National Novel Writing Month
November 2005
Introduction

This novel is based partially on my life and partially is pure conjecture. It is set mainly in the very odd time of July/August 2001-October 2001. I was taking a class at Oxford from my business school leaving Claremont and New York in Mid July and planning to return to New York from Rome on October 5th.

This was the “grand tour” of Europe I had planned to do for quite some time. I was 27 just finishing my last MBA class and looking for one big trip before the world of responsibility, apartments, girlfriends and living life.

This month in Oxford shook me and I ended up going home in late August, 2001. I have often regretted this decision. My wanderlust is still there, as I think it will always be.

In September, I flew back to Claremont, to crash at the house I shared, before I left the lease in July. My first images of September 11th came at about 9:00 AM PST on a small black and white TV. Growing up in Montgomery Township, NJ about 45 miles away from the World Trade Center, I could see the World Trade Center on a clear day on the top of Sourland Mountain Rd. Although I did not see the planes crash live into the Twin Towers, I was struck by how surreal the moment was. Especially on the black and white TV it did not seem real. There have been so many disaster movies like Armageddon, Deep Impact or Independence Day, when landmarks had been blown up by forces of nature or aliens. It wasn’t until I went to a prayer service at Claremont Theological Seminary, across Foothill Blvd from where I lived that things started to become more real. Then I went to the student lounge at the seminary and saw the image in colour. After my weird month, at Oxford the whole experience threw me even more.

I dedicate this novel to the memories of those lost in a few minutes in 9-11, and all of those wounded by the event, whether they knew someone or just saw the images on TV. You cannot have a war on terror; any more you can have a war on poverty, drugs, or too much television. Let’s help people heal from such events, help those impoverished, help those hurt by the scourge of drugs, and hurt by terrorism and fear.

So let it be.

Word Count = 429
(might want to add more to this section)

Chapter the First
Imperial College, London, Saturday, August 11, 3:00 pm

How did I get here? What am I going to do now? I had these months all planned out; I would spend a month at the Oxford class at St. Thomas College with my colleagues at the Friedman School of Business in Janeville, California as well as the students from Thomas Paine University in Alexandria, Virginia. After the class ended, I was going to take a flight out to Edinburgh, Scotland in a week on the 26th on EasyJet and enjoy the Fringe Festival. Of course, I didn’t have reservations there but so it goes.

Instead though, a week before the final class in my coursework, I was told it was time to leave and sent out to Imperial College. Although, the location couldn’t be more central, near the Royal Albert Hall and just south of Hyde Park, in my current state I just couldn’t deal with it.

In a normal state, I would have taken the bus to London on Wednesday with my classmates, which I almost did, and gone to the London lectures that were part of the class. Instead after feeling hurt and lost from Tuesday’s misadventures in Birmingham, I couldn’t deal with the group when they left for London.

I regretted the move, and said I would take my own bus and catch-up. Instead I strangely threw away of pair of beat up shoes and walked around Oxford shoeless. Although, the walk was lovely, it was the walk of a little boy lost. I knew I was not feeling myself, I knew I made some bad choices, but I had no filter to block my thoughts, nor a filter to take the nasty thoughts and actions of others.

We need this filter to get through the oddities of this bizarre life we lead. This morning, I talked to the head of the Thomas Paine part of the Oxford class, Dietrich Huxtable and he manipulated me to leave. Instead of taking me to the headshrinking I so needed at this point, he told me to pack up in a few minutes and leave. This may have been the hardest and meanest thing ever done to me and I am still not recovered 4 years later.
Hi, my name is Timothy Thomas Higgins, and I am 27 year old near MBA, from the Princeton, NJ area who is currently houseless.

This seemed like a wise decision a month and a half ago when I left Janeville in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California, “the land of trees and Ph.Ds,” to embark on this 3-month adventure. I had always dreamed of going to Europe ever since I was a High School student. As a junior in High School at John Quincy Adams High School in Adamsburg, New Jersey I had been scheduled to be in an exchange program in Hattesburg, but my exchange partner cancelled at the last minute. I now have the plans to go explore Europe with a month and a half of time on my own.

Then why am I not excited. All I feel is dread, confusion, loss and pain. I just spent more money on Oxford crap and such then I have had any right too. This is the worst buying spell since that beanie baby insanity at the end of my studies at Rutgers. Why is it that I have such a hard time finishing with school??

I don’t think I am ready to leave the womb of graduate school. But here I am adrift in London without my independent study paper and the students I had liked and hated at my Oxford class many students but I had gotten to know them. I thought the powerpoints about the business we visited would be deathly dull, but they would have been interesting. Whoever though PowerPoints were a great way to give a presentation, deserves a good kick in the arse. If anything is more boring then looking at someone’s notecards on a computer screen I don’t know it.

Ok so I am here, I am in London. For most Americans, having sometime to wander around London would seem ideal. Catch a show in the West End, See Big Ben, Go to a bunch of museums; buy overpriced suits in Saville Row ….

I have always had a weird relationship with this city though. I first visited it in mid-January, 1998 after an enchanting week and a half in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. I had fun, got to see the sights, but after the excitement of Russia, London seemed like NY but with the prices in pounds, not dollars and the people less friendly … I have a theory that the farther you get from London the nicer people get in the UK. Even more specifically, Zone One-London on the tube, otherwise known as the international tourist zone.

November 1, 2005 -- 10:13 pm EST

The problem with writing a neo-memoir is there is both you and a fictional you. I might butt in at some points and say hi. This was a weird place for me … As they say in the song .. Should I stay or should I go…. At this point in our adventures, Mr. Higgins didn’t know which way he was going. He was just booted from Oxford just about finished with his MBA. He was told he would get a B in the class, which pissed him off because he had done A work, before the Birmingham incident (which we will get into later), he had written what he thought were some of the best writings of his life.

At this point, part of him wants to go back to Oxford and figure out what next, part wants to get some medications (he had taken bipolar medications, and anti-psychotics in the past), and part just wants to keep running. And there is part that is just devastated and needs to cry, which has already happened today.

There is also the question of this European adventure, does Mr. Higgins want to roll with the mania and travel around Europe and see what misadventures he wants to get into? Does he want to go back home to relative safety in Adamsburg? Does he want to go back to Claremont and do even more graduate school, and accumulate more debt??

Why do I ask so many questions?

The narrator of this story, which I guess is me, (this whole thing is a bit-meta) … Just saw another remembrance of the past while cleaning his messy room, full of half-read newspapers and magazines, that he can’t quite bear to throw away. A opened pack of Boots Lights Cigarettes from Mexico, picked up on a class at the Monterrey Institute of Technology (Tec de Monterrey) while he took a class in November, 2000 (5 years ago)… Your trusty narrator just had a smoke of 5 year old cigarette and it agreed with him well …. And it is much easier to justify smoking at $8 a carton then $60 now in Maine.

So I will now I have Mr. Higgins in a completely different part of the story.

Lets say for background, November 2000 in Monterrey, Mexico

November 14, 2000, Tec de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico

This campus really impresses me. They manage to send their business knowledge throughout Mexico, Central America and South America in distance-learning… and ITESM (the b-school of Tec de Monterrey) is the most wired campus I have ever seen (including Harvard, Princeton, MIT, etc.).. There are laptops everywhere and docking stations even in the benches….

The Montana Mountains are pretty, the businesses doing well…. Mr. Higgins wonders whether he should get a 1-year degree here… He would have to improve his Spanish but it would give him an international dimension he does not have… Tom also thinks that the Friedman school should set up a joint major with Tec ….

He wonders about the Oxford program he decided not to take this last summer and decides he will definitely pursue it next year. It will be expensive, but will get him to Europe and travel and all of that. And if he graduates at the end of the summer, he can get full financial aid on that semester … Although, he will be missing Strategy by the great Mr. Singh, who the students like so much they are telecommunicating with his class at Tec ….

If this weekend in Mexico is so great and so much fun, how great will Oxford be with all of its history, and the chance to “network” (man I hate that word) with all of the Wharton School types….
And so now readers if you aren’t lost enough lets go back to the future-past to Mr. Higgins’ arrival in fair London….