Things that have made me mad in the world this week

1. Christian bashing- There seems to be an ongoing thing where it's almost progressive or politically correct to bash those practicing Christianity. While it's very politically incorrect to bash other religions. For some reason, even though most other religions hold even more socially conservative values, bashing Christians is OK. I think this is because other religions are seen as a minority and Christians aren't, so they're safe and people need someone to vent their anger at. The fact you need to vent at a general group of people is bothersome. The fact you'll pick what people won't get mad about and bash that group is cheap. By the way, I am not a member of any religion.

2. Sexist guys- Look, as far as women's rights go, forget about changing laws. What needs to change are attitudes. I am now sick of hearing from so many men about how they want to stuff their sausage in that and how they want a piece of that and how they want that girl's pussy. I hear about all these men glorifying playing women from their own mouths and it bothers me. This is out in public I see it and not just in rap videos. I'm not advocating celibacy or denying each other as sexual beings. But can you not see the opposite sex as something just a little more than meat?

3. black-focused schools- I realize this such a touchy issue and we're all entitled to our opinions on this. But was a lot of blood not shed once upon a time to end this? Those against religious schools, be aware. This issue is coming back. This will be a slippery slope where everyone is going to need their school funded. I'm against funding black schools, white schools, Catholic schools, Muslim schools, Jewish schools, satanist schools, green schools, blue schools and most importantly, purple schools. Greenlandic and Mongolian-centric schools might be OK with me. But kidding aside, I want kids learning together. How do we ever get rid of racism by segregation? I have no doubt racism exists, but this plan is taking the easy way out. This plan is like separating two groups of people to avoid racism so we can sweep it under the rug and pretend there's no place for it to exist anymore. It's similar to my stance on those who have hateful views. Let's let them say, "I'm dumb enough to believe the holocaust wasn't real" and then unite and show the world that this sort of thinking exists and then, of course, expose them for the fools they are rather than sweeping them under the rug. Laws and procedures will do nothing to stop racism if attitudes are not willing to change. If we start separating children into different groups based on race and religion (yes, even Greenlandic and Mongolian kids), it's going to be that much harder to co-exist in the adult world. Perhaps I'm naive or a hopeless romantic, but it's not the Canada I dream of. I just see no progress in segregation. I feel like today is such a sad day in my city and country.

Just a thought

Ever notice how Barack Obama and Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson have almost the exact same voice? If he wins, I want Barack to dedicate his victory to "the millions and millions of Obama's fans."

Band Names I'm Copyrighting

If you're starting a band, you're no longer allowed to use these names as they are now property of Mike Lipsius. Using them will require a fee of a case of beer and then a bunch of money if you ever get big.

1. The Cadaver Family Flower Shop
2. Hindus of Scotland
3. Both Hearing-Impaired Leopard and Hearing-Impaired Leppard, Hearing-Impaired Leopyrd remains free as someone else thought of it for me.
4. Jewish Priest
5. Semi-Autistic Machine Gun
6. Sawed Off Arm
7. (for the female punk band out there) Clit 'R' Us, though Cliteracy remains free as I didn't think of it either.
8. Jesus Hates Brampton, Brampton Hates Jesus

As an addendum, also add Jesus Hates Scarborough, Scarborough Hates Jesus and Jesus hates Whitby, Whitby Hates Jesus. Jesus hates Mississauga ...is too long so you can have that if you want.

Copyright Mike Lipsius ©2008

More to follow

Life Calls for Forgetting You Have a Blog

So I'm posting here about two weeks after my last post. Really, I've been extremely busy with work and such. I've also been focused on writing poetry and really haven't had time to bother with a blog.

I went to the slam on Sunday, right after about a foot of snow had fallen. I entered, after not thinking I would enter. I scored two tens and still didn't make it to the second round. Ah, the piece I did about working in a corporate call centre and comparing it to rape and sodomy is a piece you either love or hate.

Something I've observed about Toronto. Many, many people love this city. They've all lived here at one time or another. Many people absolutely despise this city. They've never tried living here. Long live Toronto. To the detractors, we'll be fine without you.

Time Kills Everything

Blanks are fired from the mind's machine gun.
The gun is empty.
The holes in the bottom of the Uzi
kind of look like my brain,
though I've seen as much of it
as I have of God.
Both are thought-based representations.
My mind feels like a tree so decayed,
one can see through me.
Perhaps it's like that tree in South Africa.
There's a bar inside. Really. I read about it.
I've never been there.
Perhaps my head's like memories of Chuck E. Cheese.
Holes I could walk through and get lost in.
Everything seems so big when you're six.
I remember quarreling with a friend
over He-Man figures.
We vowed to never speak again.
Later that afternoon,
our excursion to Chuck E. Cheese came.
My first valuable lesson in life came at age six
and took 20 years to accept.
Good and bad.
Wellness and sickness.
Happiness and anger.
Time kills everything.

A Ramble

So tonight I was sitting down and writing poetry. Microsoft Word did not recognize what I thought was a word (gover). I went to a few online sources and they pretty much told me I was nuts for thinking it was a real word, though I'm sure I'd heard it before. So I went to my ol' Oxford dictionary, which is quite old now and it confirmed gover is not a word. However, I stumbled across an interesting definition of goth (keep in mind this dictionary is from the late 80s). It's definition:

Uncivilized or ignorant person, comparable to Goths who invaded Roman Empire in 3rd-5th c.

Quite humorous. I imagine a newer version would be different. Which means perhaps I should pick up a newer version that's from the 90s, at least. But it reminds me of a book a friend once showed me which they picked up at a book sale. It was written in the early 60s by some psychologist and was about methods of curing homosexuality.

I was hearing good reviews of the film Control. I'm a Joy Division fan and finally did get to see this tonight. A friend and I have wanted to see this together for some time, but our schedules never matched. Overall, I wasn't too impressed. The cinematography was quite basic and the movie didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know about Ian Curtis or Joy Division and the performances were average and nothing to rave about.

It's Been a Week

It's been six days since last Tuesday, which must mean it's Monday.

I have been meaning to rave for a week about the experience I had last week. On Tuesday I was at the Plasticine Poetry Series. Yes, there were good performances by Kate Marshall Flaherty, Phlip Arima and Myna Wallin. However, one performance stood out above all....my open-mic performance...was not it. It was the performance of Lara Bozabalian. She's a Toronto-area high school teacher. I've heard her read at various open mics and poetry slams. Now, I always thought her work was good, but could never say, until last Tuesday, I was blown away by her work. I was especially blown away by a piece called Eraser Marks, which deals with adults putting pressure on children, at least that's my interpretation. I've never been a fan of reviewing poetry in depth as there can be many interpretations and it's almost unfair to even attempt to deconstruct one's work when you're not even sure if you're going about it the right way. Sure, we can comment on the use of imagery, overall message, if there is a very clear one, and use of language, but to go in depth and discuss whether or not someone is "hitting the point" needs ability to read the mind of the poet. I know of one poet here in Toronto who is a professional tarot card reader, so that may count for something (Clara Blackwood. Go to her book launch for Subway Medusa next Wednesday at Bar Italia. Buy me a drink while you're at it as I'll be there. Kick some ass Clara.)

Let me get back to Lara. As I told her, she's no longer just pretty good, she's pretty great. Her reading style at first may lead you to believe she's either incredibly nervous or broken-hearted. I can't comment if either is true. All I know is it's her style, unique and she need not change it.

So I was in Peterborough this weekend visiting friends and family. On Saturday night I discover a couple of guys who occasionally busk outside the liquor store around the corner (a stone's throw away if you have a quarterback's arm) were actually from Peterborough and I walked into their gig at The Pig's Ear Tavern. They're a bluegrass band called The County Boys. They're quite good. Afterward at the Spill some garage rock band were playing who were quite good. I have no idea who they were and likely never will.

On Sunday I sat down with my father watching the Grey Cup. My father's drunken commentary as if he was an expert on the CFL was more entertaining than the game, and that wasn't saying much, though the game did pick up the pace toward the end. At one point I joked my dad should go apply for a coaching job in the CFL or to be a commentator. But afterward we watched the end of the Sunday night NFL game, which was much more exciting, to be honest.