Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, #15
Dear Kelly,
Very powerful set of blogs on the Sept. 11th events. Maybe some of the most powerful think I have read on the subject. I bought this large coffee table book in 02 put together by...hell, I forget, but it was over 500 pages of photos from that day and the following weeks. There were the violent ones--the planes actually hitting, the Falling Man- and then there were the ones that spoke volumes in silence, like this little accountanty looking guy in a suit, covered in dust, his glasses fogged up, with literally thousands of pieces of partially burnt paper falling around him. He was looking down at one of these pieces of paper, which he had picked up, reading it. Like, he was in such a state of shock that reading that paper was the most imporant thing in the world. It was my favorite photo. My Sept. 11th story is nowhere near as dramatic as yours, obviously. I was in Waco at Baylor. I was supposed to be at my apartment, but I was really at a girlfriends. (please don't post this, as I was technically going out with the woman who was to come my fiancee at the time, and we are getting along very well right now and I don't want her reminded of my...ah, failings) I had worked late the night before at the bar, and didn't have class until 10, so I planned to sleep until 915ish. Alexis woke me up at just before 9, screaming to come look at the tv. It was totally surreal. We watched the second plane hit, just standing there in her living room, not a thread of clothes on, now really knowing what to do. I left pretty quickly, went to my apartment and packed a jump bag (survival shit, mostly) and set out for Houston, a trip of about 3.5 hours. I thought the possibility of any attacks in Houston were slim, as there are not too many serious militarily valuable targets there, unless you count the fact taht most of the companies which own the power grid are based there. But I knew that if something did happen in Texas, it was likely in Houston, probably via the Port. So I drove to my girlfriend's work , and then went to her house. She had just graduated and was living alone for the first time ever, and we just watched television all day. Her college roomate from UT eventually called us from NYC to tell us she was fine. We were glad to hear from her, because her cell wouldn't work, and she only lived like 20-30 blocks from the WTC. Maybe I'm wrong on that, how far is Tribeca from WTC? I know its not far, like on the other side of Chinatown from there, right? It's been a few years since I was there. It is odd that we both had the same thoughts about Bush being our president. Maybe not odd. Accurate.
8 years later, the violence of that initial act has compounded exponentially, though of course most americans don't care, as the thousands of dead muslims in the Iraq/Afghan wars are not really important to them. We could have cemented our place as a moral nation by a systematic disemboweling of the terrorist networks, but no, we went for the american option, mainly bombing the fuck out of everyone. And how look at us. Massive debts from the war, a truly impossible task of national building in Afghanistan, and maybe even larger task of having to make up for our mistake on the glogal stage. Sure would have been nice to have that 1 trillion dollars we spent in Iraqz in the national coffers right about now, huh?
Anyways, sorry Reid turned out to be a wussy. Ensure, huh? There was a guy with AIDS who lived next to me in the country jail who was given that shit. I guess he needed it. Besides vitamins, what's the point? There was a time my freshman year when I was lifting weights a lot, and I made these whey protein shakes. That is the only supplement that I have ever tried personally, but it does work, IF you really push yourself.
Thanks again for the article on Willingham. I ended up getting about 20 copies of that sent to me, but you were first. Very disturbing story. Rick Perry has a tough primary battle coming next year...he is tied up on the polls with Kay Bailey Hutchison, one of our senators. We all need him to lose, and lose badly. I'm not thinking that a democrat has much of a chance here in Texas, but if that primary battle gets real ugly, it might give a leftist candidate some ammunition.
It's cooled off there? Not here. Still hot as fuck. You know, you could use your India story for transformation, with a little tweaking. You could pretend that the experience transformed you into a vegetarian. :) Even the brujeria story could be a transformation from a believer in the occult into a skeptic, or vice versa. I mean, that is the point of stories, isn't it? The selective re-imagining of history? However you do it, I'm sure that you will do well.
Ugh, the Tyra show. I'm glad to hear you aren't participating. That has got to be the worst excuse for a television program currently on the air. That's not fair. I am sure there are worse. There is a television peace program in most of the jails I was in, which balanced the desires of the whites, mexicans and blacks. The Tyra show was always on, every day for the blacks. Why these hard-core gangsters gave a shit about the perils of menstruation (one of the shows, I'm serious) is beyond me. Maybe she has gotten better since 05/06 . None of those shows are worth anything to me. They are the softest of the news programs, to the extend that I don't even classify them as news. Pop-culture nonsense. Ha, now who sounds like your grandfather? Pass me an Ensure, please.
I'm trying to imagine what saffron pears would taste like. I've made a saffron risotto before, many times. Pears. I can see that, sure. As you can imagine, we don't see saffron too often on the trays there. Hell, around here, ketchup is considered a delicacy on par with white truffles.
It's about 2am right now. They were supposed to execute a guy I knew at 6pm yesterday, but we still have not hear anything about it. We are on lockdown, and they cut the radio feed 7 days ago, so only those of us who know how to build AM radio antennae are able to pick up the news, but none of them have reported anything. It's just not news down here. I'm guessing they got him. His "homies" all believed he would get a stay, but I don't see it. His last issue was technically valid, but his application of the issue was pretty tenous, and we all know the CCA could care less about such things. I just don't see it. I guess we will find out tomorrow.
Glad to hear work has picked up. I finally got to meet my new stepmom last week. She seems very nice and pretty quick. Good memory, which is vital because my dad has the tendency to forget stuff. Kind of cute, too. I guess that is a sign (another one) that I am getting to be an old fart, if I can say that about a 50-something. That, or I am just really, really deprived. Maybe both. They decided to stay an extra month in CO, so they won't be back until OCT now, but they did come back for a few days to look at a house they want to buy in Sugar Land and come to see me. She was pretty easy to talk to, which is good. She seems to make him happy, which is all that is important. I'm not sure if I mentioned that they are writing some christian book together or not. Something about hope. Yay, more hope. Just what we need. I am sure it will sell well.
Have you much experience with Craigslist? You mentioned it in your last entry, but it was not in existence when I was out there. How much does an ad cost? Is it free? Would a listing for my website profit from putting an ad up? I heard you have to pick a single city for the ad...I would probably pick NYC for a variety of reasons: largest media concentration in the US, reliably blue city/state, higher amount of liberal activist types, etc. etc. What do you think?
I got to see the season finale of Breaking Bad in the hospital. The last few minutes of the most recent season were...powerful, to say the least. I won't ruin it for you, but its a good example of how evil acts multiply exponentionally. It will affect you, I think, due to 9/11.
So Reid was too wimpy: What does Mr. Perfect look like to you? You have had a pretty varied life, so I'm curious to hear what your ideal mate would look like.
All right, I'm off. I hope that you are doing well, and that the warm weather lasts as long as possible for you. I would trade you any day. Be safe.
T
Just received your Sept 15th letter tonight...I will answer that soon! Thanks for the web address!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #49 & 50
#49: Letter dated Sept 19, 2009
Not going to transcribe this one as there isn't much noteworthy. He discusses MAD MEN in depth. Makes a few comments on a letter I sent him using some Gossip Girl references to discuss it. Is interested in learning of the current state of corrective surgery for the eyes. Discusses current movies and an old one I just saw, Loving. Briefly discusses his views on depression. Talks about the deaths of DJ AM and Patrick Swayze. Ends with stamp and pen shortage.
***
#50:
Dear KK---
Scarcity of stamps be damned--two letters from you deserves a prompt reply (unlike my sorry performance last week...) Plus your writing tends to have a way of demanding that it be answered and commented upon. What is the band's name---Jane's Addiction? Call this"Kelly K Addiction" - the only "cure" (a temporary fix to be sure!) is TO WRITE!
And there is much to write about, Kelly. Let me begin with the eternal topic of the weather, since you mentioned the onset of autumn. You have such a lovely way of putting a poetic touch on the seasons:
I love this: Kelly's Definition of FALL:
"Everything dies and it always seems dark."
Please give me the KK definition of winter. I'm sure it's life-affirming!
Anyway, just north & west of here, winter follows summer, or so it seems. Up in the high country on Pike's Peak (elev 14,000) they had several inches of heavy wet snow on Sun & Mon- also in other elevations down to about 10,000. Near freezing this morning.
But I know you stay for the City, not the weather. Given a choice between New York @30 degrees & East Texas @ 80 degrees, I think you'd choose NY.
One final weather note: I lived just south of Atlanta for over a year. That flooding these past few days has been incredible. With its interstates flooded, that whole metro area will be at a standstill. Mass transit is a joke. Plus most areas had never flooded before, so most homeowners have no flood insurance.
I cannot claim to be a real art museum/exhibition aficionado, even in better days. However, I saw a brief article about a William Blake exhibition "A New Heaven is Begun" at your Morgan Library & Museum. Blake is just unhinged & phantasmagoric--such bizarre & often powerfully religious visions of the world. You might recall that it was his stunning work "Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun" that played central role in Thomas Harris's first "Hannibal Lecter novel": RED DRAGON.
Anyway, Kelly, if you have the time or inclination to see Blake at the Morgan, let me know what you think.
I was very glad to be wrong about that teen slasher/comedy "Jennifer's Body" Turned out to be a box office dvd. Not surprising was that the other "J" movie--Jennifer Aniston's latest, also fell flat. Someone needs to get J.A. some meaty roles outside of romantic comedies. Best I've seen her was in a film almost no one saw: "The Good Girl", where she played a plain Jane in a dead-end job with a pothead husband. Unless she demands it & takes some chances, she'll do romantic comedies her whole career. She needs some Charlize Theron roles. Speaking of which, what do you hear about "THE BURNING PLAIN" with Theron & Kim Basinger? I've seen the ads, but no review.
Quick item from the "MAD MEN" two weeks ago--when Betsy gives birth. Did you notice the glass IV bottles? Plastic IV bags didn't come until the 1970s. Attention to detail...
Thanks for the 3 JUN 63 date of death of John XXIII. Fits in perfectly with the timeline. [Ed.: I am omitting long discussion of Mad Men.]
***
Now onto your letters [see what you do to me?] Yours dated 11 SEP: yes, I was in jail. Saw the whole nightmare as it unfolded, and didn't sleep for 48 hours...The Kennedy Assassination of our lifetimes..so far...
OH MY GOD, KK--Thank you for your amazing and emotional blog entries from 9/11/01 & 9/12/01. To me those first person raw reactions to what was happening at the moment in real time, are the true history of that day, or any day, for that matter.
I have some comments, but let me wait until a 2nd or 3rd reading. Thanks again.
[Say what you will, I have no doubt you & I would have been good friends & probably more in another universe. To quote our man Desmond on "LOST" - "in another life, brother...]
***
Congrats on your 2nd place Story Slam showing with the OUTLAW theme. Given how well and colorfully you write, I am not at all surprised at how well you do at these things, but I am so happy for you!
I agree: P F __ G! [Ed. I do not know what this means or what he is referencing here.]
Should I have sent in a couple of stories? Just kidding...
You must tell me the story: your blog=police questioning? How did that happen?
Continuing with your letter: "TRANSFORMATION" is a heavy theme for the GrandSlam. My God, KK, you have transformed yourself and your life continuously since you left home. But "DARK SIDE" is definitely more your cup of tea! Good luck with both.
Sounds as though work is better. Has the real estate/publicity business left its worst days behind it? The economy seems to be recovering in fits & starts.
Yes, I have been to New Orleans. At Mardi Gras, no less. Amazing city. Of course it was tied to a truly lovely girl at the time. So much of what men do throughout our lives, Kelly, is tired to and controlled by the female sex. Really, you have no idea... Can talk about that interesting but potentially sexual OMG - Red Alter/Red Alert> topic much more if you want...Women have tremendous power, but many don't ever realize it...
You are so totally Super Type A, Kelly. Where do you find the time, with all you have going on, for Cooking School and Memoir Writing?!
And constructing pastries?
Do you read to the blind in your spare time?
To quote a "Seinfeld" episode...I have a friend who couldn't do in a month what you do in a week!
Need to wrap this up and get it in the mail to you, but a couple of film notes:
[Ed.: I am omitting film notes.]
Still have more to talk about-so once again this is Part I. Hope to get another letter off to you before the weekend.
So take care, keep slammin'! and know I"m thinking of you. Stay healthy, KK.
Yours,
Michael
P.S. Thank you for the column about the new massive tome of J. G. Ballard's short stories. Already on my future paperback reading list.
Not going to transcribe this one as there isn't much noteworthy. He discusses MAD MEN in depth. Makes a few comments on a letter I sent him using some Gossip Girl references to discuss it. Is interested in learning of the current state of corrective surgery for the eyes. Discusses current movies and an old one I just saw, Loving. Briefly discusses his views on depression. Talks about the deaths of DJ AM and Patrick Swayze. Ends with stamp and pen shortage.
***
#50:
Dear KK---
Scarcity of stamps be damned--two letters from you deserves a prompt reply (unlike my sorry performance last week...) Plus your writing tends to have a way of demanding that it be answered and commented upon. What is the band's name---Jane's Addiction? Call this"Kelly K Addiction" - the only "cure" (a temporary fix to be sure!) is TO WRITE!
And there is much to write about, Kelly. Let me begin with the eternal topic of the weather, since you mentioned the onset of autumn. You have such a lovely way of putting a poetic touch on the seasons:
I love this: Kelly's Definition of FALL:
"Everything dies and it always seems dark."
Please give me the KK definition of winter. I'm sure it's life-affirming!
Anyway, just north & west of here, winter follows summer, or so it seems. Up in the high country on Pike's Peak (elev 14,000) they had several inches of heavy wet snow on Sun & Mon- also in other elevations down to about 10,000. Near freezing this morning.
But I know you stay for the City, not the weather. Given a choice between New York @30 degrees & East Texas @ 80 degrees, I think you'd choose NY.
One final weather note: I lived just south of Atlanta for over a year. That flooding these past few days has been incredible. With its interstates flooded, that whole metro area will be at a standstill. Mass transit is a joke. Plus most areas had never flooded before, so most homeowners have no flood insurance.
I cannot claim to be a real art museum/exhibition aficionado, even in better days. However, I saw a brief article about a William Blake exhibition "A New Heaven is Begun" at your Morgan Library & Museum. Blake is just unhinged & phantasmagoric--such bizarre & often powerfully religious visions of the world. You might recall that it was his stunning work "Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun" that played central role in Thomas Harris's first "Hannibal Lecter novel": RED DRAGON.
Anyway, Kelly, if you have the time or inclination to see Blake at the Morgan, let me know what you think.
I was very glad to be wrong about that teen slasher/comedy "Jennifer's Body" Turned out to be a box office dvd. Not surprising was that the other "J" movie--Jennifer Aniston's latest, also fell flat. Someone needs to get J.A. some meaty roles outside of romantic comedies. Best I've seen her was in a film almost no one saw: "The Good Girl", where she played a plain Jane in a dead-end job with a pothead husband. Unless she demands it & takes some chances, she'll do romantic comedies her whole career. She needs some Charlize Theron roles. Speaking of which, what do you hear about "THE BURNING PLAIN" with Theron & Kim Basinger? I've seen the ads, but no review.
Quick item from the "MAD MEN" two weeks ago--when Betsy gives birth. Did you notice the glass IV bottles? Plastic IV bags didn't come until the 1970s. Attention to detail...
Thanks for the 3 JUN 63 date of death of John XXIII. Fits in perfectly with the timeline. [Ed.: I am omitting long discussion of Mad Men.]
***
Now onto your letters [see what you do to me?] Yours dated 11 SEP: yes, I was in jail. Saw the whole nightmare as it unfolded, and didn't sleep for 48 hours...The Kennedy Assassination of our lifetimes..so far...
OH MY GOD, KK--Thank you for your amazing and emotional blog entries from 9/11/01 & 9/12/01. To me those first person raw reactions to what was happening at the moment in real time, are the true history of that day, or any day, for that matter.
I have some comments, but let me wait until a 2nd or 3rd reading. Thanks again.
[Say what you will, I have no doubt you & I would have been good friends & probably more in another universe. To quote our man Desmond on "LOST" - "in another life, brother...]
***
Congrats on your 2nd place Story Slam showing with the OUTLAW theme. Given how well and colorfully you write, I am not at all surprised at how well you do at these things, but I am so happy for you!
I agree: P F __ G! [Ed. I do not know what this means or what he is referencing here.]
Should I have sent in a couple of stories? Just kidding...
You must tell me the story: your blog=police questioning? How did that happen?
Continuing with your letter: "TRANSFORMATION" is a heavy theme for the GrandSlam. My God, KK, you have transformed yourself and your life continuously since you left home. But "DARK SIDE" is definitely more your cup of tea! Good luck with both.
Sounds as though work is better. Has the real estate/publicity business left its worst days behind it? The economy seems to be recovering in fits & starts.
Yes, I have been to New Orleans. At Mardi Gras, no less. Amazing city. Of course it was tied to a truly lovely girl at the time. So much of what men do throughout our lives, Kelly, is tired to and controlled by the female sex. Really, you have no idea... Can talk about that interesting but potentially sexual OMG - Red Alter/Red Alert> topic much more if you want...Women have tremendous power, but many don't ever realize it...
You are so totally Super Type A, Kelly. Where do you find the time, with all you have going on, for Cooking School and Memoir Writing?!
And constructing pastries?
Do you read to the blind in your spare time?
To quote a "Seinfeld" episode...I have a friend who couldn't do in a month what you do in a week!
Need to wrap this up and get it in the mail to you, but a couple of film notes:
[Ed.: I am omitting film notes.]
Still have more to talk about-so once again this is Part I. Hope to get another letter off to you before the weekend.
So take care, keep slammin'! and know I"m thinking of you. Stay healthy, KK.
Yours,
Michael
P.S. Thank you for the column about the new massive tome of J. G. Ballard's short stories. Already on my future paperback reading list.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #48
Dear KK,
Not sure if you've been following the very strange disappearance of that Asian med student at Yale in New Haven, CT. She was last seen this past Tuesday at 10am broad daylight entering a lab building. After that...nothing. And what has made this a national media obsession is that today was supposed to be her wedding day on Long Island. I know the NY tabloids have gone nuts over this story. So you have the whole "runaway bride" potential...or just another urban homicide.
The "Lives" column on "Truck Stop Girls" in Swaziland was darkly & brutally correct. It shows that the norms of poverty & sexual behavior have changed little since I was in southern Africa. Beyond the understanding of most Americans...
Great story "What A Wonderful World"... "a shrill loon, full of coarse white hair and overly-long toenails poking out of nylons." Her description perfectly captures her underlying insanity.
AND the locksmith never says a word! AND your own thoughts screaming in your head about the utter absurdity of the situation...
Still another entry in your book of collected essays. You have it half-written already!
On a serious note-when I was in med school, the young sister of a very close friend died of ovarian cancer. She was only 16--and had been ill for several years before. Very sad. Tragically, the detection & Rx of the disease has not equaled the advances in other types of cancer. Made quite an impact on me then--still does today.
So for you-a WSJ article on detection of ovarian cancer. Do read it, please.
Thank you for the David Sedaris story "Laugh, Kookaburra".
[Made me think of LOST again and wondering if it is a huge hit there with its Sydney connection?]
Anyway, you take care & hope to hear from you again soon.
Be well, Kelly.
Yours,
Michael
Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #47
Dear KK---
Hey sunshine! If you are into numerology, today is your day. 9/9/09... locally we had a baby born at 9:09am.
This will probably be "Part One" of my letter. I just received your letter written on one of your "glorious solo Saturdays"--so I want to make sure I get something in the mail to you before the end of the week. As I've said before, these "short mail weeks" tend to disrupt/delay service. So--will probably be more over the weekend... :)
Your first paragraph was classic K----! A Luddite harangue about technology that I'm sure many people would be sympathetic to, because I am sure many consumers feel similarly overwhelmed. Again-perfect for inclusion in your book of essays, columns & blog entries.
In all the ads I see, these electronics shops say they send tech geeks out to your house or apartment to hook everything up. Music to your ears, I am sure!
OMG! Kelly--You were the kind of person that Blackberrys & mobile email were invented for! You know--the career woman with a busy social life...Hope your research and budge allows you to do so.
Wow! Clandestine meetings with Reid in dark, romantic coffee shops, and you wearing hot, sexy leather pants... [And, OMG, Brittany, did you hear that he likes her, he like likes her*!!]
*SEE the Seinfeld episode "the Doodle"--George and the woman who is in Elaine's art class. "You like him?? Yeah, George is cool!"
The death of DJ AM is a bit more complicated than most. You may recall that executive plane crash last September, a flaming disaster, in which two members of Limp Biscuit and two pilots were killed. The only survivors were DJ AM and the band's lead man. Both were severely burned and spent weeks/months in burn units, hospitals & rehab.
More on this when I continue next time. Plus, Reid's science fiction novel. My first thought was the girl made into a vampire (at age 12) in Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire. Made into a movie with Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt & Christian Slater in 1994.
The girl is of course increasingly bitter that she cannot age physically or sexually past age 12. As you know---Sex is a huge part of Vampire lore & literature, past and present.]
Great trivia question: Who played the 12 y/o vampire in the film?
<answer on reverse>
My physician friend sent me this article on migraines from the Times. I'm sure you saw it, but I wanted to send it to you anyway. Any chance you could be a candidate for a treatment trial?! i.e. no cost to you!
Believe it or not, I have immense sympathy for all sufferers of migraine.
Thank you for the Andrews & Thomson article on depression from Scientific American. I've only just skimmed it--but it's a most interesting outlook. Full comments to follow after I read it in detail.
Must get this in the mail, but obviously more of your letter to talk about. Plus I think I have a couple of things to send you as well.
So take care, my lovely Luddite, Please send full details of you & Reid. It's better than "Gossip Girl" ... Thinking of you, and hope to hear from you again soon.
Yours,
Michael
*KIRSTEN DUNST played the lovely little vampire girl. I know many will disagree, but I love her as an actress & believe her best roles are ahead of her.
Hey sunshine! If you are into numerology, today is your day. 9/9/09... locally we had a baby born at 9:09am.
This will probably be "Part One" of my letter. I just received your letter written on one of your "glorious solo Saturdays"--so I want to make sure I get something in the mail to you before the end of the week. As I've said before, these "short mail weeks" tend to disrupt/delay service. So--will probably be more over the weekend... :)
Your first paragraph was classic K----! A Luddite harangue about technology that I'm sure many people would be sympathetic to, because I am sure many consumers feel similarly overwhelmed. Again-perfect for inclusion in your book of essays, columns & blog entries.
In all the ads I see, these electronics shops say they send tech geeks out to your house or apartment to hook everything up. Music to your ears, I am sure!
OMG! Kelly--You were the kind of person that Blackberrys & mobile email were invented for! You know--the career woman with a busy social life...Hope your research and budge allows you to do so.
Wow! Clandestine meetings with Reid in dark, romantic coffee shops, and you wearing hot, sexy leather pants... [And, OMG, Brittany, did you hear that he likes her, he like likes her*!!]
*SEE the Seinfeld episode "the Doodle"--George and the woman who is in Elaine's art class. "You like him?? Yeah, George is cool!"
The death of DJ AM is a bit more complicated than most. You may recall that executive plane crash last September, a flaming disaster, in which two members of Limp Biscuit and two pilots were killed. The only survivors were DJ AM and the band's lead man. Both were severely burned and spent weeks/months in burn units, hospitals & rehab.
More on this when I continue next time. Plus, Reid's science fiction novel. My first thought was the girl made into a vampire (at age 12) in Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire. Made into a movie with Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt & Christian Slater in 1994.
The girl is of course increasingly bitter that she cannot age physically or sexually past age 12. As you know---Sex is a huge part of Vampire lore & literature, past and present.]
Great trivia question: Who played the 12 y/o vampire in the film?
<answer on reverse>
My physician friend sent me this article on migraines from the Times. I'm sure you saw it, but I wanted to send it to you anyway. Any chance you could be a candidate for a treatment trial?! i.e. no cost to you!
Believe it or not, I have immense sympathy for all sufferers of migraine.
Thank you for the Andrews & Thomson article on depression from Scientific American. I've only just skimmed it--but it's a most interesting outlook. Full comments to follow after I read it in detail.
Must get this in the mail, but obviously more of your letter to talk about. Plus I think I have a couple of things to send you as well.
So take care, my lovely Luddite, Please send full details of you & Reid. It's better than "Gossip Girl" ... Thinking of you, and hope to hear from you again soon.
Yours,
Michael
*KIRSTEN DUNST played the lovely little vampire girl. I know many will disagree, but I love her as an actress & believe her best roles are ahead of her.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Letters from the Outside, In, KK to Swango, #30
Sept 25, 2009
FRIDAY
Dear Michael:
Wow! Feast or famine. For the whole week no letters and then today THREE from you!
So much to discuss. How overwhelming! I have a little dog at my feet; he turned five last Friday. Such a cute, but annoying, animal. I got home late last night from a slam and stayed up even later watching taped Project Runway. I had a drink so I was tired and wanted to sleep late, but of course, a stupid fucking telemarketer called me at 8am! Then the dog was awake and barked for the next hour. Ugh.
The slam last night was on the theme the Dark Side. I was planning on telling my Brujeria story but my name was not selected so now I know that I will tell that story for the GrandSlam on Monday. The theme of that is TRANSFORMATION and the story fits well as I was given the chance to change my life and remove the darkness by washing myself in steak blood, but opted not to. I aborted the chance of transformation.
I have still not gotten the Blackberry or new laptop, but have plans to do so in early Nov. Windows 7 comes out Oct. 22nd, so a month after that seems appropriate. Blackberry in time for holidays too.
So much darkness lately: DJ AM, all these celeb deaths, the Yale girl murdered and now the Essex Hotel murder—did you hear about it? I passed it just last week after the murder. I fear I will be murdered. In fact, on my blog a few times a year I do an update about if I’m found murdered or dead under mysterious circumstances, I list all those who’d be suspects. You know, just to be safe…
There is much to tell about Reid, and I know you are enjoying your own little lit version of “Gossip Girl” so I’ll recount it all to you later in the letter after I address some of the other things you’ve asked or commented on in the three letters I just got. I’m trying to type quickly as I have many things I must do today. I am trying to head out to lunch shortly---starving!---and then see September Issue. Have you heard about it? Only reason I’m seeing it is, because it has come to the theater by my house.
I will read this Times migraine article later. I had not seen it, so thank you for sending it along.
I have been loving Mad Men. The loss of the foot to the Deere tractor was so darkly funny! Such amazing writing.
I will also read this ovarian cancer article; I have had several ovarian cysts. When I was 15 I actually had to have laporospic (sp?) surgery to remove one. Not fun.
I have been watching Glee and while I hate musicals there is something endearing that makes this show very easy to watch. Very relaxing.
I have recently seen: Jennifer’s Body (dumb!) & the Informant (just ok). I was disappointed with Jennifer’s Body b/c I found Cody’s first, Juno, so good. I think she may be a one-hit wonder. Maybe she should try a dark sitcom next instead of long form. I want to see Coco Before Chanel. I will probably go see it on Sunday. It’s playing at the Angelika in Soho. I would also like to see Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, the movie based on the David Foster Wallace collection. However it is playing at only one theater in an inconvenient location so I will have to wait for the DVD. I would also like to see Bright Star, but again, I think I will wait for the DVD.
I’m sure you will be pleased to know I have started watching Breaking Bad. It is a very good show. Very dark. The only issue I have is the meth head who helps Cranston out by partnering with him---the actor is overacting the part. It seems inauthentic. Still, I have heard he gets better in Season Two. I have only watched the first 3 eps of Season One so I have a long way to go. I’ll let you know if it remains compelling viewing.
The NY Comedy Festival is coming in November to Carnegie Hall and I got a ticket to go see Tracy Morgan perform. Bill Maher, Ricky Gervais, & Andy Samberg are also performing but I can’t afford to get those three other tickets. I’d love to see them all though... 30 Rock is going to start again soon. I like that show a lot. SNL is also debuting its new season this weekend. Do you watch that show?
I continue to enjoy America’s Most Wanted and 48 Hour Mystery. A friend turned me onto a new true crime show called First 48. It’s live and real-time coverage of gruesome crime scenes. I really love watching True Crime stuff but it creeps me out. I wonder if I have ever met anyone who has actually killed someone else. You have---and this may be inappropriate to ask, but I am wondering if you could tell me what it feels like to take another’s life. I know it’s a dark, creepy question, but I’m very curious how you feel about this. I know you cannot give details of any crime b/c of legal reasons. I’m not asking for that. I’m just asking for the deep thoughts, psychological pinings, you have regarding this. How did you decide to first do it? What did you feel as you were poisoning someone? Afterwards was there guilt? Remorse? Confusion? Again, I’m not judging, although I am firmly against anything that is illegal in any way, but still you are one of the few people I have access to that can tell me these things first hand.
Speaking of death—how’s this for a segue?---I watched the new HBO series, Bored to Death. It was boring. It takes place in Williamsburg, a place I hate only less than the people that inhabit it. I also hate Jason Schwartzman with his disconcerting hair and garish features. I’ll watch one more ep. to see if it gets better. The critics seem to like it…
I have a copy of Rachel, Rachel on dvd and it reminds me of the Seinfeld movie reference---a young girl’s erotic journey from Moscow to Minsk! Ha! I tried to watch Night at Marienbad but it was just bad sans Marien. Just saw the Drowning Pool starring Paul Newman. So sexy he was! Saw Sugar---boring. And the Valentino documentary---beautiful clothes and kinda funny how he and his boyfriend interacted with each other.
I do not like that show Curb Your Enthusiasm. It’s always the same boring formula, but I am going to try to watch this season just because there are five eps. that include all the Seinfeld characters as a sort of reunion. Can’t miss that! Still, Larry David’s everlasting curmudgeon of a character bores me. Oh, and I have Flash Forward taped. Can’t wait to watch it later. I’ll let you know what I think. Did you get to watch it? What are your thoughts on this?
Gosh, still so much to say! Recently I started looking for some people I went to grammar school and high school with. A few have friended me and man, it’s amazing. In those years I was nerdy and ugly and made fun of. I had thick glasses, spaced teeth and a big nose. But man, I look at what these people who were so cool and popular look like now and it is shocking. They are all old and dumpy. Compared to them I am a supermodel. Sounds immodest, I know, but I’m NOT exaggerating. I have style for miles and am trim, up to date and well groomed. Up on culture, pop and otherwise, and am quicker than ever. I know I’m tooting my own horn, but I am just shocked at how different we are now. I think they are shocked too. Several commented on how how different I look and how they didn’t recognize me without my glasses. Ha!
And in closing, I’ll give you the Reid update. So since the Ensure incident the crush is OVER. I told him so and he didn’t believe me so I had to get a bit harsh and tell him about the Ensure. He laughed it off and says he still thinks if he breaks it off with his g/f he and I will be dating in a minute. Not true. I’m so totally turned off by him now—not just b/c of the Ensure---but he won’t take no for an answer. He has become quite co-dependent and I think I really dodged a bullet. I can’t believe how enamored I was for two months and how quickly it has gone completely in the other direction. I find him slow and annoying like an old wash woman. He second guesses me and is always proven wrong. It’s exasperating!
He keeps trying to flirt and I keep telling him very honestly I want no part of that anymore. That it’s dead now. He doesn’t get it. I told him he had a two-month window and that window is sealed shut now. I’m SO glad he didn’t leave his g/f for me b/c then I’d be stuck with him and he’d annoy the shit out of me.
Last night he came to a slam with me b/c his g/f cancelled like she always does. I’m beginning to think she is happy to get rid of him for a night. Either that or she is even more annoying than he is. He likes to complain about her and his life with her and the cats but does nothing to fix it.
I have OCD and like to get to non-reserved events an hour early. The Moth slams fill up quickly and have a limited number of seats. At almost 40 I want an actual seat. I like to get online at 6pm and be one of the first 10 to ensure a seat. Anyway, b/c of him being late last night we were 200th in line and it was awful. I was sweaty and panicked and he suggested just leaving but I really wanted to tell a story. Luckily he found two small tables so we moved them and sat on them. But really…so annoying.
Then afterwards I mentioned I was really hungry and would love a small fries. I rarely eat fast food but was in the mood… And he said no and started lecturing me about how bad they were yet he had just had a GIANT BROWNIE for dinner in front of me. WTF?! And then drank a coke. Couple that with the Ensure drinking and I eat way healthier than him. Jeez. So I didn’t get my fries but told him when I got home all I wanted to do was kick back with a Smirnoff Ice --- it was the only cold alk beverage I had at home--- and he was hemming and hawing how alcohol dehydrates you. Duh, I know this but I was going to be HOME where there is tons of water too. I do not want someone trying to control what I do or offer constant commentary about it, and I am pretty dominant myself and do not like being monitored.
Anyway, enough venting. I think you get my drift.
I have to run and get some Mexican food and see that movie. I hope you are doing well and that you will write me again soon!
--- KK
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Thomas Bart Whitaker, #14
Dear Kelly,
Hey. Sorry its taken me so long to write you back. I have been feeling very laconic lately. I am nowhere as strong as I pretend to be sometimes, and writing always seems to take something from me. Someday they will have Mood Organs like in Philip K Dicks books, where I can just press "Happy" and a little injection later, Happy will I be. I guess there is prozac, but they don't exactly sell that on the commissary around here, do they? Received your cut-outs from the New Yorker article on Cameron Willingham. He was before my time, of course, but I know of him via the rumor mill. Everyone has long known him to be innocent around here, but I was surprised to see a major publication do an article on him. We don't get much in the way of that type of press. I am doubtful that Texas will ever admit that he was innocent, though. The DP is biblical law down here in Redneckland, and a few stories printed by the "Liberal Media" are not going to change anything. Just recently, they agreed to give John Penry a life sentence, if he agreed to sign a form saying that he was not, and has never been, retarded. His IQ is well below 70, and consent was not his to give, as he was incapable of knowing whether he was retarded or not. But such is the way of things down here. Tell me: can you find me the link of this story on the New Yorker's website? I'd like to talk about it on mb6, but it would be easier to reference if I had the address, rather than having to scan and paste these pages. If you can't find it, that's ok.
Breaks your heart, doesn't it? I get...angry, sometimes, and often I don't even know why. I think it must be stuff like this, simmering on some subconscious back-burner, never leaving me be. Because they are still doing this. These legal games, all designed to justify some perverted and archaic ideology that is completely inscrutable to me. Me, the supposed bad-ass sociopath, can't figure out why they are so despicably blood-thirsty, so fucking callous. I'm supposed to be the bad guy. If I were keeping track of such things, and I were really interested in taking lessons on being a bad guy, simply looking at my prosecutor and the system around me would be all the lesson I could ask for.
Anyways. You asked what I have been reading of late...not much. They finally re-opened the library again after summer break (thought I can't figure out why a prison library would require such a break), so that should guarantee me two books a week, but they are running slow again, so I haven't been able to get anything since mid-August. I was reading the Harry Potter books in Spanish, which is surprisingly fun. The translator went to a lot of effort to convey a real sense of "british-ness" throughout the work, which is not at all easy, as you know. I was hoping to get something with a little more meat on it this week, but we will see. I have some money coming later this month, as my Bronx Bombers have clearly run away with the .. East. I had a bet with a good friend of mine, who is a Sox fan. When we set the bet, I was 2.5 games down, but I kept the faith. So, I've got at least 50 bucks coming, which is a big deal to me. Not sure what I'm going to ask for. Maybe some Dawkins or Victor Stenger or Bart Ehrman...something like that. Any suggestions? As you might guess, I am somewhat outside of the mainstream when it comes to hearing about new literature.
How did your visit go with your friend from Portland? Ha, you have a crush on a guy with a girlfriend? You strike me as being a little too smart for crushes, but whatever floats your boat. Who can control the heart (or all its other vaguely connected organs?) I guess love is the best game/show in town, though I think that says far more about the quality of the town than the show. Fucking cheerful, aren't I? I'm so glass-half-empty, I make Robert Malthus look like a naive optimist.
Anyways, something more cheerful, since I've already managed to bash the south, the Sox, and love and life in the space of 1.25 pages...saw my Dad a few weeks ago. He flew in from Colorado with his new wife to take a look at some houses in Houston. He came up to see me while she went to Dallas, and then they were back in Aspen. Still difficult for me to picture him as an Aspenite..horribly mixed mental images there. My Dad is not exactly pretentious, but I guess there have to be some normal people there. They seem to be writing some Christian book on the subject of hope. I am sure it will be fine, for all of the...ah, "minor" differences in opinion when it comes to such things. Hope is nice; a plan is better. Hope is, ultimately , wishful thinking. It asks that some power greater than ourselves--be it god or chance or Ed McMahon--intervene and save us from a problem which is usually of our own design. It is an irrational thing, hope. A plan, though, is simply a battle tactic for the future. If a hoped for event never materializes, i.e. God doesn't show, then what can you do? Toss up another prayer I guess? A plan, even a failed one, is always a learning opportunity, the same way that a failed hypothesis lets a chemist or whatever know he is missing something important. When a plan fails, I have no one to blame but myself. I think we hope far too much in this country. If we spent ten percent of the time we spend on hoping and praying on actual actions, we woudn't need a heaven in the skies. We'd have one right here. I don't' guess its any wonder most of my religious friends stopped writing me. People can put up with all sorts of deviance, if they think that you will ultimately reinforce what they already believe about the universe. I told one of them recently that everything I know about god leads me to believe that he would vastly prefer an honest, skeptical disbelief over a plastic, showy, Fox-News sort of faith. She replied with, "Well, I like Fox-News," thus totally avoiding the point of my comment. Pretty common occurrence for the far right, in my experience.
Pretty scary story you wrote about going to see the tarot reader. I saw a lot of that in Mexico, and heard quite a few stories. Old-wives tales, mostly, but a few of the narcos I knew swore by the stuff, claiming a bruja had gotten them out of legal problems many times. I was advised to see one, but I never made it down to see her. I don't' really regret it, but it might have been somewhat entertaining now that I have read your report. If it makes you feel any better, I would suspect that your "days of tears and ennui" probably have very little to do with the fact that you didn't rub raw meat all over your body. Its hard for me to imagine that god or spirits or whoever oversees such rules and regulations would be such a niggling, meddling little micromanager about a subject as huge as sadness. . If god really requires raw meat body wash to make you happy, then its no wonder I have such problems with faith. ") on the other hand, maybe raw pork is the perfect moisturizer, and you missed out on making a billion dollars setting the new health-care trends. Sounds right, doesn't it?
You mentioned you have been watching Mad Men. Seems like the kind of show that I would have liked, from what I have seen about it in the papers. There really isn't much on network TV that interests me anymore, although I would probably watch much of it, if they let us buy tvs. I got a new radio recently, and I have no decided whether I'm going to rig it up to receive tv audio or not. They got smart on us and changed the board up, so there is much less clutter, which means that its easier to see modifications done to it. Considering how long I have been without a radio, I'm not quite willing to risk it just yet. I will get bored with it soon, I'm sure. I've already built an AM antennae, since the one in our room is blocked from receiving AM. Not that there is much on AM radio in Texas, besides Rush and Hannitty and Glenn Beck. I flipped though their diatribes today, trying to find the sports channel, and they were all going on and on about Obama trying to inculcate our nations youth with his socialist agenda. As far as I heard, he simply told kids that they owed it to the country to stay in school. Socialist! Sigh.
What's new in NYC? My insomnia has kicked into some hyper-advanced state of existence...really kicking my butt. It's gotten to be pretty standard for me now to go 2 days without sleeping. I mean, I did that in college, too, but this is different. I got a friend to print me out some do's and dont's regarding lifestyle habits, which were supposed to help eliminate insomnia. They didn't work, although they did make good paper airplanes. Working out would help, but I am still waiting on my last doctors appointment and evaluation of my x-ray. I won't go through all this crap again, so I am playing it safe for now, waiting on the green light. Has it started to cool off there yet? It was only 96 here today! Huzzah for fall. Sigh again.
Well, I hope this finds you well, Kelly. Gotten your money from that deadbeat yet? I bet I could get it from him :) Haha, want me to get a bunch of losers to write him incessantly from DR? Might be kind of funny to see how long it takes him to get in touch with him. Stay safe.
--T
Hey. Sorry its taken me so long to write you back. I have been feeling very laconic lately. I am nowhere as strong as I pretend to be sometimes, and writing always seems to take something from me. Someday they will have Mood Organs like in Philip K Dicks books, where I can just press "Happy" and a little injection later, Happy will I be. I guess there is prozac, but they don't exactly sell that on the commissary around here, do they? Received your cut-outs from the New Yorker article on Cameron Willingham. He was before my time, of course, but I know of him via the rumor mill. Everyone has long known him to be innocent around here, but I was surprised to see a major publication do an article on him. We don't get much in the way of that type of press. I am doubtful that Texas will ever admit that he was innocent, though. The DP is biblical law down here in Redneckland, and a few stories printed by the "Liberal Media" are not going to change anything. Just recently, they agreed to give John Penry a life sentence, if he agreed to sign a form saying that he was not, and has never been, retarded. His IQ is well below 70, and consent was not his to give, as he was incapable of knowing whether he was retarded or not. But such is the way of things down here. Tell me: can you find me the link of this story on the New Yorker's website? I'd like to talk about it on mb6, but it would be easier to reference if I had the address, rather than having to scan and paste these pages. If you can't find it, that's ok.
Breaks your heart, doesn't it? I get...angry, sometimes, and often I don't even know why. I think it must be stuff like this, simmering on some subconscious back-burner, never leaving me be. Because they are still doing this. These legal games, all designed to justify some perverted and archaic ideology that is completely inscrutable to me. Me, the supposed bad-ass sociopath, can't figure out why they are so despicably blood-thirsty, so fucking callous. I'm supposed to be the bad guy. If I were keeping track of such things, and I were really interested in taking lessons on being a bad guy, simply looking at my prosecutor and the system around me would be all the lesson I could ask for.
Anyways. You asked what I have been reading of late...not much. They finally re-opened the library again after summer break (thought I can't figure out why a prison library would require such a break), so that should guarantee me two books a week, but they are running slow again, so I haven't been able to get anything since mid-August. I was reading the Harry Potter books in Spanish, which is surprisingly fun. The translator went to a lot of effort to convey a real sense of "british-ness" throughout the work, which is not at all easy, as you know. I was hoping to get something with a little more meat on it this week, but we will see. I have some money coming later this month, as my Bronx Bombers have clearly run away with the .. East. I had a bet with a good friend of mine, who is a Sox fan. When we set the bet, I was 2.5 games down, but I kept the faith. So, I've got at least 50 bucks coming, which is a big deal to me. Not sure what I'm going to ask for. Maybe some Dawkins or Victor Stenger or Bart Ehrman...something like that. Any suggestions? As you might guess, I am somewhat outside of the mainstream when it comes to hearing about new literature.
How did your visit go with your friend from Portland? Ha, you have a crush on a guy with a girlfriend? You strike me as being a little too smart for crushes, but whatever floats your boat. Who can control the heart (or all its other vaguely connected organs?) I guess love is the best game/show in town, though I think that says far more about the quality of the town than the show. Fucking cheerful, aren't I? I'm so glass-half-empty, I make Robert Malthus look like a naive optimist.
Anyways, something more cheerful, since I've already managed to bash the south, the Sox, and love and life in the space of 1.25 pages...saw my Dad a few weeks ago. He flew in from Colorado with his new wife to take a look at some houses in Houston. He came up to see me while she went to Dallas, and then they were back in Aspen. Still difficult for me to picture him as an Aspenite..horribly mixed mental images there. My Dad is not exactly pretentious, but I guess there have to be some normal people there. They seem to be writing some Christian book on the subject of hope. I am sure it will be fine, for all of the...ah, "minor" differences in opinion when it comes to such things. Hope is nice; a plan is better. Hope is, ultimately , wishful thinking. It asks that some power greater than ourselves--be it god or chance or Ed McMahon--intervene and save us from a problem which is usually of our own design. It is an irrational thing, hope. A plan, though, is simply a battle tactic for the future. If a hoped for event never materializes, i.e. God doesn't show, then what can you do? Toss up another prayer I guess? A plan, even a failed one, is always a learning opportunity, the same way that a failed hypothesis lets a chemist or whatever know he is missing something important. When a plan fails, I have no one to blame but myself. I think we hope far too much in this country. If we spent ten percent of the time we spend on hoping and praying on actual actions, we woudn't need a heaven in the skies. We'd have one right here. I don't' guess its any wonder most of my religious friends stopped writing me. People can put up with all sorts of deviance, if they think that you will ultimately reinforce what they already believe about the universe. I told one of them recently that everything I know about god leads me to believe that he would vastly prefer an honest, skeptical disbelief over a plastic, showy, Fox-News sort of faith. She replied with, "Well, I like Fox-News," thus totally avoiding the point of my comment. Pretty common occurrence for the far right, in my experience.
Pretty scary story you wrote about going to see the tarot reader. I saw a lot of that in Mexico, and heard quite a few stories. Old-wives tales, mostly, but a few of the narcos I knew swore by the stuff, claiming a bruja had gotten them out of legal problems many times. I was advised to see one, but I never made it down to see her. I don't' really regret it, but it might have been somewhat entertaining now that I have read your report. If it makes you feel any better, I would suspect that your "days of tears and ennui" probably have very little to do with the fact that you didn't rub raw meat all over your body. Its hard for me to imagine that god or spirits or whoever oversees such rules and regulations would be such a niggling, meddling little micromanager about a subject as huge as sadness. . If god really requires raw meat body wash to make you happy, then its no wonder I have such problems with faith. ") on the other hand, maybe raw pork is the perfect moisturizer, and you missed out on making a billion dollars setting the new health-care trends. Sounds right, doesn't it?
You mentioned you have been watching Mad Men. Seems like the kind of show that I would have liked, from what I have seen about it in the papers. There really isn't much on network TV that interests me anymore, although I would probably watch much of it, if they let us buy tvs. I got a new radio recently, and I have no decided whether I'm going to rig it up to receive tv audio or not. They got smart on us and changed the board up, so there is much less clutter, which means that its easier to see modifications done to it. Considering how long I have been without a radio, I'm not quite willing to risk it just yet. I will get bored with it soon, I'm sure. I've already built an AM antennae, since the one in our room is blocked from receiving AM. Not that there is much on AM radio in Texas, besides Rush and Hannitty and Glenn Beck. I flipped though their diatribes today, trying to find the sports channel, and they were all going on and on about Obama trying to inculcate our nations youth with his socialist agenda. As far as I heard, he simply told kids that they owed it to the country to stay in school. Socialist! Sigh.
What's new in NYC? My insomnia has kicked into some hyper-advanced state of existence...really kicking my butt. It's gotten to be pretty standard for me now to go 2 days without sleeping. I mean, I did that in college, too, but this is different. I got a friend to print me out some do's and dont's regarding lifestyle habits, which were supposed to help eliminate insomnia. They didn't work, although they did make good paper airplanes. Working out would help, but I am still waiting on my last doctors appointment and evaluation of my x-ray. I won't go through all this crap again, so I am playing it safe for now, waiting on the green light. Has it started to cool off there yet? It was only 96 here today! Huzzah for fall. Sigh again.
Well, I hope this finds you well, Kelly. Gotten your money from that deadbeat yet? I bet I could get it from him :) Haha, want me to get a bunch of losers to write him incessantly from DR? Might be kind of funny to see how long it takes him to get in touch with him. Stay safe.
--T
Friday, September 11, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #46
Dear KK---
No letters from you so far this week--perhaps tomorrow or Friday? In any event, wanted to get a brief note off to you before the long Labor Day weekend. Are you planning a final hedonistic sex/drugs/rock n'roll Bacchanalia as summer unofficially ends?!!
I didn't think so...I will be "near the mountains"... Really, Kelly, have to keep your sense of humor, even if it's the black, twisted kind you & I like in our films!
Ran across the most informative article on "Flash Forward"--the new ABC series you and I have discussed before. Very much like "Lost".
[Ed: I have cut out the rest of the Flash Forward commentary and subsequent Mad Men commentary.]
I admit it: Your "Rolo Dog" made me laugh! Does that canine realize how utterly spoiled life with Kelly is?
BRUJERIA: KK--this was a fantastic story--which totally held my interesting from beginning to end. Your descriptions of the roach-infected apartment "smelling of death, urine & garbage" made my skin crawl.
This is the sort of thing you are so good at KK. And I say again that a book full of these stories/columns/blog entries should definitely be on your radar.
Also enclosed --an article sent to me by someone who thought I was a watcher---of Project Runway. Feel free to keep me posted as the season progresses. Mi casa es su casa...
So--hope to receive letters from you tomorrow or Friday. Either way, will write again over the long weekend. Hope you get some sunshine.
Stay well. Thinking of you and hope to hear from you soon.
Yours,
Michael
No letters from you so far this week--perhaps tomorrow or Friday? In any event, wanted to get a brief note off to you before the long Labor Day weekend. Are you planning a final hedonistic sex/drugs/rock n'roll Bacchanalia as summer unofficially ends?!!
I didn't think so...I will be "near the mountains"... Really, Kelly, have to keep your sense of humor, even if it's the black, twisted kind you & I like in our films!
Ran across the most informative article on "Flash Forward"--the new ABC series you and I have discussed before. Very much like "Lost".
[Ed: I have cut out the rest of the Flash Forward commentary and subsequent Mad Men commentary.]
I admit it: Your "Rolo Dog" made me laugh! Does that canine realize how utterly spoiled life with Kelly is?
BRUJERIA: KK--this was a fantastic story--which totally held my interesting from beginning to end. Your descriptions of the roach-infected apartment "smelling of death, urine & garbage" made my skin crawl.
This is the sort of thing you are so good at KK. And I say again that a book full of these stories/columns/blog entries should definitely be on your radar.
Also enclosed --an article sent to me by someone who thought I was a watcher---of Project Runway. Feel free to keep me posted as the season progresses. Mi casa es su casa...
So--hope to receive letters from you tomorrow or Friday. Either way, will write again over the long weekend. Hope you get some sunshine.
Stay well. Thinking of you and hope to hear from you soon.
Yours,
Michael
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Christopher Porco, #1
If you aren't familiar with Christopher Porco, here is a bit about him and why he was sentenced to life in jail:
Wikipedia, Christopher Porco
TruTV: Christopher Porco Murder Case
48 Hours Mystery Porco Video
Times Union Archive: Porco
***
[typed on blue paper]
Dear Kelly,
Please accept my apology for not getting back to you sooner. I had originally planned on writing ot you when I got your note, but got sidetracked as I often do, and forgot about it until I was going through and tossing old letters out. Please don't be offended by that, I procrastinate way too often, and it usually ends up with me forgetting about someting I needed or wanted to do.
It was very sweet of you to take the time to write, I hear from peopole I do not know somewhat frequently, but rarely write them back, for a variety of reasons. More often than not, it is because despite my status as a guest of the state, I tend to get pretty busy, and don't write the people in my life as often as I should. You sound like a very nice person, one that I wuold love to correspond with, but I do have a concern when you mentioned your background in media. I don't think this was your intention, but I have no interest at this point in any type of media exposure. I didn't get the impression that was on your mind, but you just mentioned that you had some experience. What paper was your column in? I get The Post here daily, it's by far my favorite paper.
I want to keep this brief, but I will give you just a little background on who I am. You may have an idea from the stuff on TV, but unfortunately it is difficult for someone to get an accurate picture of a person through that lens. So if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I am currently appealing my conviction, the briefs are all submitted, and oral arguments shoudl be this Fall, we will have a date soon I think. The lawyers are confident that we will win, but they said that before trial too, so you never know.
I live in a cell block with about 250 other inmates here at Clinton. I think there are a couple thousand inmates total here. Beyond the fact that it is prison, and I am separated from my family and friends, it is not too terrible. After three years or so, I am mostly used to it, which in itself is a good thing. I am taking 15 credit hours right now through Louisiana State University, and am getting closer to a Bachelor's at the ripe age of 26. What is your educational background? Beyond that I just try to stay in shape, and live day to day. I am blessed to have wonderful family and friends, who have stuck around some really tough years.
I would love to hear more about you, where you work, go to school, just general stuff. Career aspirations? I would love to read some of your writing as well. That is, if you can get over the delay in writing slight.
I am going to end this for now, please feel free to write me if you get a moment, I would love to hear from you, and I promise to be better about staying in touch in the future. Feel free to ask whatever you want as well, I am a pretty open person. Take care of yourself, I hope you hear from you before long.
--Chris
P.S. Cute picture by the way...How old are you?
[Ed.: Excessive comma usage and typos are his.]
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #45
Dear KK---
Much to get to in your two letters, so let me plunge right in: Beginning with two "heavy" subjects-I very much appreciate your sharing:
I can totally understand your thoughts on children. However, I would add only one caveat. I have seen women and men more set against wanting children than you---who have changed their minds when circumstances changed. But you do seem fairly certain.
And I respect your thoughts on HIV and AIDS: But you are so right even though it is the leading cause of death among 3-=40 y/o African-American men in Washington DC you wouldn't know HIV/AIDs still existed in the US.
Again, my immersion in the disease and its devastating toll in Africa probably pushes me to keep it on everyone's radar. My apologies. For now I will demur on inflicting some of my harrowing stories from those years, out of respect for your feelings.
Well, that's a cheery start, isn't it?! I guess you're still waiting for your topic for your "Story Slam" on 28 SEP. How do they choose topics and who chooses them? Seems as though that could make a huge difference especially with HBO Specials & Hollywood careers apparently now in play!
Was able to re-read the article after you so kindly sent me a copy. It really is an entire sub-culture. Fascinating how these things develop. Now I have a much better idea of your surroundings when you perform at one of these. Takes guts, Kelly. Kudos.
Two more things about your "Slam Life". Did you or will you go to the "Moth Ball"? And I stand by my opinion (for what it's worth!) on your potential guy who lives with the ugly girl: The amount of attention he is paying to you shows he is quite interested and wants more. Unfortunately, one can be in a relationship and by coincidence or serendipity meet someone who just blows you away. It ain't pretty, it ain't convenient, but it happens. This is of course as obvious as it is true. Good luck--I will say again--you have everything going for you, Kelly: looks, intelligence, twisted sense of humor (the best kind!)...and (don't get upset please, I call 'em as I see 'em) and intense & inventive sensuality that explodes like a volcano for the right man...When you do find him, whether it's online scrabble guy or someone else, he will be very lucky if he has the energy to keep up!
***
(Ed.: The next part of the letter discusses MAD MEN and various movies. I'm cutting that out of the transcription here.)
***
Yours,
XOXO
Michael
Much to get to in your two letters, so let me plunge right in: Beginning with two "heavy" subjects-I very much appreciate your sharing:
I can totally understand your thoughts on children. However, I would add only one caveat. I have seen women and men more set against wanting children than you---who have changed their minds when circumstances changed. But you do seem fairly certain.
And I respect your thoughts on HIV and AIDS: But you are so right even though it is the leading cause of death among 3-=40 y/o African-American men in Washington DC you wouldn't know HIV/AIDs still existed in the US.
Again, my immersion in the disease and its devastating toll in Africa probably pushes me to keep it on everyone's radar. My apologies. For now I will demur on inflicting some of my harrowing stories from those years, out of respect for your feelings.
Well, that's a cheery start, isn't it?! I guess you're still waiting for your topic for your "Story Slam" on 28 SEP. How do they choose topics and who chooses them? Seems as though that could make a huge difference especially with HBO Specials & Hollywood careers apparently now in play!
Was able to re-read the article after you so kindly sent me a copy. It really is an entire sub-culture. Fascinating how these things develop. Now I have a much better idea of your surroundings when you perform at one of these. Takes guts, Kelly. Kudos.
Two more things about your "Slam Life". Did you or will you go to the "Moth Ball"? And I stand by my opinion (for what it's worth!) on your potential guy who lives with the ugly girl: The amount of attention he is paying to you shows he is quite interested and wants more. Unfortunately, one can be in a relationship and by coincidence or serendipity meet someone who just blows you away. It ain't pretty, it ain't convenient, but it happens. This is of course as obvious as it is true. Good luck--I will say again--you have everything going for you, Kelly: looks, intelligence, twisted sense of humor (the best kind!)...and (don't get upset please, I call 'em as I see 'em) and intense & inventive sensuality that explodes like a volcano for the right man...When you do find him, whether it's online scrabble guy or someone else, he will be very lucky if he has the energy to keep up!
***
(Ed.: The next part of the letter discusses MAD MEN and various movies. I'm cutting that out of the transcription here.)
***
Yours,
XOXO
Michael
