“half my life is an act of revision.”
-john irving
"my bout with depression lasted 5 chambers"
-raymond pettibone

-david wojnarowicz,
"arthur rimbaud in new york" (duchamp, pier), 1978-79
jambalaya:
william t vollmann.
started reading the "vollmann reader" today.
i know i know. started? today?
hey. 15 or so years of drinking doesn't
exactly lend itself to reading pal.
i have catching up to do. patience.
i read "whores for gloria" some years back
but don't remember it. (see above)
anyway. the vollmann reader.
figured it's a good "intro".
(note: there are two 4-yr-old girls
behind me as i type this. one is mine.
my daughter i mean. sicko.
anyway, they are screaming and singing.
loudly.
one now understands why burroughs always
carried a gun. i mean i wouldn't....)
where was (am) i?
vollmann. ah yes. william t.
genius. madman. both? neither?
probably a genius and likely the
best (and certainly most prolific)
writer of his generation. readable?
dunno. yet.
great writing (for me) is that which
has less to do with the words on the page
but where said words takes one. (?)
you can utilize a host of pretty adjectives
adverbs nouns and such to describe some
intense vile (or loving) act. or.
you can be just be blunt and honest.
honest writing (and art) is always best.
always.
honesty can be poetic.
as can a drive-by.
it's also a bitch to produce consistently.
the honest art i mean.
bill burroughs did.
chuck palahniuk does.
bukowski. check.
vollmann. ditto.
honesty is tough in all things. it hurts.
but mom was right. it's best.
that's what vollmann seems to nail. brutal
unflinching stripped down truth.
beautiful or despicable. take it or leave it.
i am trying. and failing. but working.
i will get back to ya on ol' vollmann
as i ingest a hearty serving in the
months to come.
more on that honesty thing later too.
footie:
arsenal got throttled 4-1 at liverpool.
ouch!
we have only one able striker.
hopefully we can limp to the finish line
and hold on to 4th place.
(insert prayer here)
gotta go... it's my turn to sing my abc's.
brickwallboy.
over.
out.




