Mad Macedonian

Get Out....A Poem About Getting Outdoors and Exploring

 While on Facebook, this morning, a status update from a friend, Molly Allman Smith, inspired a bit of writing before I head off to work.

It was a poem by an unknown author and gave me an idea for a bit of a re-write.

As I have written, before...

When I walk or bike I go where ever the spirit or even, muse moves me to plan an excursion to, or where personal needs lead me to on a shopping expedition, appointment, or other business.

I can feel just as comfortable in and inspired by, a beach, a park, and on a mountain road as in a mall, a bookstore, thrift store, grocery store, or big box store. Something in an office or at an event can inspire me as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get Out By Kiril Kundurazieff

 

Get out of your

apartment, of your

                      safe space.

Get out of the place you feel

               comfortable, of the place 

        you are alone.

Get out and go walking,

                      go for a long bike ride.

                          Be curious, be creative,

bring a pen, or a pencil, a notepad,

           and do not  forget your camera.

Go exploring, set aside your

                 worries and concerns,

and get living, dear friend.

 

 

World Poetry Day 2017: The Mad Macedonian Theme Song

Happy World Poetry Day!

So what is this day all about?

"UNESCO first adopted 21 March as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard.

#WorldPoetryDay is the occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing, and teaching of poetry....

The United Nations also has a page devoted to the event, with messages, multimedia, and resources.

As they say on their page...

"Poetry reaffirms our common humanity by revealing to us that individuals, everywhere in the world, share the same questions and feelings. Poetry is the mainstay of oral tradition and, over centuries, can communicate the innermost values of diverse cultures."

I have been sharing my poetry and song on my various blogs since 2002 and never actually got around to an actual theme song that I recall; At least a piece that I called by such a name.

Let me know what you think, hee, hee!

Are You Up to Channeling Your Inner Dr. Seuss?

  Dr. Seuss would have been 113 years old on Thursday, March 2.

Dr. Seuss Day is a fun, creative way to remember the wit and fun of Dr. Seuss!

It is celebrated with funny photos, writing a silly rhyme, and many other ways!

The one time I joined in the annual celebration of this great poet, rhymer, and storyteller was in 2012 on my cat blog.

The first time I channeled my inner Seuss, though, was in 2008.

I wrote a poem based on Green Eggs and Ham.

I was mad at Dan Rather for some reason. :-D

When I was reminded, yesterday, that this fun day was fast approaching I was inspired to write new poetry to celebrate the day and encourage anyone who came across this blog to get in touch with their inner Seuss.

So, here you go, my latest effort to channel Dr, Seuss and to encourage creativity in others.

 

A Bicyclist's Lament: Houston Edition

I have lived in Houston since Sept. 2012 and traveled the streets of the city by bike the whole time, though not nearly as extensively as I have hoped.

I have shared my bike rides and also shared my thoughts on cycling in Houston...

"Houston, you are a huge ol’ place, you cover a lot of ground. You started small, but now you have grown so big that motor vehicles compete to make the loudest sound.  It’s said you give bicyclists lots of space to ride around alongside bayous, large and small.

Multi-use trails do abound but I ask, is that all? Is that the only option for me to saddle up and pedal toward? Can I also safely share the road with motorists and trust my precious life on your many, varied, city streets?"

In Sept. 2013, In response to the article “Helping Mass Transit, Bicycles Work Together” (Houston Chronicle Print Ed.), AKA "Bike-bus syncing an uphill climb, but getting there", by Dug Begley,  I wrote an essay from the perspective of a life-long bicycle commuter and user of mass transit who has never driven a car.

The piece was never published by the paper and I have no idea if Begley ever read it.

The Cycling Dude Responds to Dug Begley on Bike Commuting in Houston

In May 2007 I went on a Ride of Silence in the OC, shared photos and shared a poem I wrote ( With sincere apologies to Francis Henry Maynard, Arlo Guthrie, and the short song The Streets of Laredo. )

This morning I decided to do a long overdue re-write in honor of my cycling life in Houston.

Thanksgiving 2016: Peddling Positivity Poetically

 

 

Thanks for the inspiration goes to the Facebook page "Dodinsky" and this posting.

 

This piece is dedicated to the memory of my old faithful, Cleopatra, and all the adventures we shared with each other over the years.

I currently have no pannier, or odometer and my current bike (an old, refurbished, bike that has seen better days) is in no condition to do a century, though 7 to 15 miles a day (what my one way or round trip work commute is) are manageable.

My cell phone camera is not suited for the type of photography I have long been known for on my various blogs over the years.

This image and poem express my hopes for the future and a return, someday, to the type of cycling adventures I have long been known for going back to 2003.

The Cycling Dude

 

 

Travelin' Caterpillar

 

Today I returned to work from my vacation, but my recent creative spurt has still not run its course.

 

In an earlier post I shared  photos that led me to write what can be termed an "ekphrastic poem".

This is just a fancy way to describe using a piece of art, or even a photo, to inspire a poem.

This morning, a half block from work, as I was walking under a freeway underpass, something hauling ass up a nearby wall caught my attention.

 

 

 

It was a Caterpillar!

 

This little creature was absolutely determined to make it to someplace and its journey had led it from who knows where to where it found itself when I encountered it....

 

climbing a very high wall with no idea what it would find once it reached the top.

 

I grabbed my cell phone and, as I spent 5 minutes observing its efforts, took several photos.

 

During my breaks and lunch, at work, I thought about how I could turn the journey of this beautiful creature into a poem or song for this blog.

 

One song title kept coming to mind, though I could not recall where I'd heard it, or how long ago.

 

When I got home a Google search turned up several songs of that title, by different artists.

 

I checked out the lyrics for one whose performer was someone I was familiar with and knew this was the one to serve as my inspiration...

 

I hope you enjoy the 4 photos and the song they inspired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vacation Day 5: A 1 Hr Tour With a Mad Macedonian Brave and True

 

Day 4 of my vacation was spent going to a pair of Food Pantries and preparing photos for sharing.

Day 5 saw me return to my adventures in an entertaining way....

Interested in my earlier vacation adventures, this week? Begin here.

The other day my creative friend Amanda Socci encouraged me to try my hand at the latest writing prompt by the great Robert Lee Brewer, of  Writer's Digest and Poetic Asides Blog.

As Robert explained:

"write an ekphrastic poem. Ekphrasis sounds kind of complicated, but it’s just a fancy word for using a piece of art to inspire a poem. I’ve included a few images below, but feel free to use your own, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures."

I got to thinking about this and decided to used the first 2 photos below as  my inspiration...

Enjoy! And let me know what you think in the comments.

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

 

Just sit right back and read this tale, a tale of a short but interesting trip,

That started from the Houston Port, aboard a small, but comfy ship.

The crew were friendly sailin' folk, the Skipper steered straight and sure.

A hundred passengers set sail that morning for a 1 hour tour, a 1 hour tour.

 

 

 

 

Getting there on time was a little tough, I almost got lost.

The gatekeepers wouldn't let me walk through, but I vowed to make it at all cost, make it at all cost.

A ride I soon found and got on the boat with a happy smile.

 

With the tour guides, the Skipper too, some old folks full of life,

Travelers from afar, students and yours truly, a creative writer man,

We left our cares behind for a little while.

 

 

 

Playing With My Ding A Ling in Support of CMN Hospitals

  Good morning, Houston!

Are we happy this fine September morning?

In the mood to support a worthy cause?

No, I'm not talking about your favorite local college football team.

Don't let the UH victory over Oklahoma over the Labor Day weekend go to your head...Lamar could kick the Cougars over-confident asses next week and then what do you think will happen to that  high spot in the new polls?

Hee, hee!

 

No, I'm talking about the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

I'm writing, this morning, because I want to encourage you to help me play with....

 

My Ding a Ling (With humble apologies to the great Chuck Berry!)

When I went to work at Wal-Mart one late Summer day
My CSM brought me something with which to play
Black, with a white handle, it was a cute little thing
I call it my ding a ling a ling

Parents came shopping for school
Buying supplies to help Junior learn and not grow into a fool
When they paid and donated a dollar, making my register ring,
I'd grab and wiggle my ding a ling

Then a love struck boy came looking for the perfect jewel
But he was undecided so bought a garden tool
When he paid and donated five dollars my register would ring
And I began swinging my ding a ling

Once things were slow as I waited for y'all
Climbing a ladder, stocking a shelf, I slipped and had a terrible fall
I fell against the counter and my head did ring
but at least I didn't damage my ding a ling

I remember a woman who came to my store
Bought lots of things to clean the kitchen floor
She donated ten dollars and I thought it was such a wonderful thing
That I happily wagged my ding a ling

A man came to get a license to fish in the Bayou
Catching his own dinner was what he wanted to do
Buying a rod & reel he donated fifty dollars when he paid for these things
So, with both hands, I enthusiastically waved my ding a ling

A young girl with long flowing hair
Strutting her stuff so big and bold
Wanted some beer, but I told her "you're not that old"
Such vile words you wouldn't believe can come from such a sweet young thing
Since she didn't donate I sadly couldn't shake my ding a ling

This here song I hope it makes you glad
Supporting a cause that I think is rad
Shopping at Wal-Mart please consider donating when you buy something
So you can tell your friends you saw me ringing my ding a ling

My ding a ling
My ding a ling
You saw me ringing my ding a ling

Oh my ding a ling!

My ding a ling!

I love ringing my ding a ling...!!!

 

 

 

 

The Boogie Woogie Walmart Cashier of the Houston Scene

 

In recent days our store was doing a promotion and associates volunteered to don the costume of the Olaf character in Frozen and go around the store making friends with the kiddies and posing for selfies.

 

One day, as I manned the self check-out lanes one of our female associates came by in the costume and the urge to have a little fun came over me....

Business being extremely slow I tossed an associate my cell and asked her to take a quick photo....

So, what does she do? She sees me dancing with Olaf and decides to make a one minute video...and I posted it on my Facebook since I apparently could not save it to an email.

Forget Fred & Ginger...Get a load of Kiril & Olaf !! 

 

Dancing With the Stars-worthy ya think?

 

Yesterday, watching the video again, I was inspired to poetic creativity....

 

Sit Spot Challenge - Summer 2016: Meyerland Musings 7

 

Sit in the same spot for anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour...for days on end? And write?

As I mentioned at the start of this series I have done this before...twice.

(You can read Day 1- 2016, here)

I work 5 days a week and I decided to loiter in a nice spot off to the side of the parking lot at the Walmart where I work.

The past 3 days have seen more terrorism, , first in Nice, France, as a Muslim terrorist used a truck to kill more than 80 people and injure a couple hundred more, then this morning in Baton Rouge, LA....another Black on Cop mass killing, this time ending with the death of killer.

Like many people I kept up with news and stories and essays, and that meant spending my lunch time at work, doing so at my Sit Spot.

 

 

I found this posted on Facebook and it sums up what needs to be done, perfectly....Until the West stops making excuses for our enemies and destroys their sorry asses like The Greatest Generation did, then the march of Islam across Europe and Great Britain will continue and come to our shores in America, the violence will continue across Europe, to Great Britain, and to America in greater forms than we have seen already.