Author Archives: Kyle Kimberlin
boo, y’all
Over at Nothing But Love, Bill says he’s heard his first Christmas song of the season.
I can confirm that the holidays insanity is upon us here as well. I was in the local Rite Aid drug store yesterday and had to stop and check my watch: Yep, 9.7.2007 … Whew, guess I didn’t slip into a catatonic state for a month, again. (I hate it when that happens.)
I needed to confirm because there, amassed and arrayed before me, was a vast display of Halloween crap.
Later, in Starbucks, about a dozen teenage girls appeared, lookin for lattes in all the right places, and all decked out in their Halloween costumes. In fairness, that might have been something else, like freshman hazing maybe … still …
What pitiful manner of moron is so tickled by the itch of the world’s second stupidest holiday (the first being the running of the bulls in Pamplona) that s/he needs to costume up 7 weeks in advance?
Great googlymoogly. Western civilization is crumbling like a giant plaster wiener, atop an abandoned hot dog stand.
the pull
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull
of what you really love.”
–Rumi
a response to osama bin laden
On reading his invitation to “embrace Islam.”
I am by the Grace of God a Christian man, by my acts a great sinner. So like a thief do I confess Him: Remember me Oh Lord, when thou comest into Thy Kingdom.
I have never in my life treated a Muslim man, woman or child with disrespect; nor do I personally know any American who has, or would ever do so.
I believe it’s wrong to advise another man to renounce his faith and thereby surrender his soul. This is prelest, and it is evil.
Holy war is an oxymoron and a delusion. War, in any form, is hell come to earth.
I believe, and I will die a Christian, Insha’Allah.
one had to die
Well I tried the dualistic, yin-yang, mind-matter, no matter never mind, horns of the bull thing of writing two blogs for a while. I gave it a good run and I don’t like it.
I don’t like having two blogs, Sam-I-Am.
It’s been a metaphorical thorn in my paw for weeks, and for weeks I’ve pondered and puzzled and damn near struggled to decide which one to keep at home, and which one to drive way out in the woods and leave behind. The latter wound up being poor Peaceable.
I’ll miss it. The blog had some good content, I think, and an earnest message. So I’m not happy, not enriched or following my bliss. But maybe a little (en)lightened. If, as the Buddha said, enlightenment is no suffering, then I’ve got that going for me. Which is nice. Personally, I prefer philosophy that avoids negative definition, but that’s me. Maybe this works: So it goes. Everything is on it’s way somewhere else.
Holy crap, Kyle, why are you making such a big deal of this triviality that effects no one including, perhaps especially, yourself?
I don’t know, I’m just typing. Gimme a break. You got maybe something more important to read?
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want to see a cool photo?
200 in Sacramento
About 200 people gathered on the west steps of the State Capitol on Friday afternoon to lodge their protest against the Iraq war. Demonstrators represented a broad swath of area peace groups, as well as students, professors and religious groups.
Candy Anderson, one of the organizers of the protest, said similar events will be held across the nation in coming weeks, including a march and die-in in Washington, D.C., next week. [SacBee]
feeling AB positive
Want to see something really big and infinitely daunting?
It’s 16″ x 11″ and filled with absolutely nothing. It’s supposed to contain my ideas for the direction of a chapter I’m working on, in which my protagonist confronts the question of his faith in God and explores his mysticism. [Sigh] That’s OK, it’ll come. Probably in the morning. Many scenes require coffee.
I did some good work today and I got to donate blood. I always consider that a privilege if not a pleasure. And really it’s not a negative thing. The people at the blood bank are always very nice and professional. And it was different this time because they came to Carpinteria, my small hometown, in their special bus. The turnout was strong, so I was handed a reminder that people here are compassionate, as everywhere.
I have to confess that I did not heed the nurses’ warnings against physical activity for the rest of the day. I took a vigorous bike ride in the late afternoon. I was fine. It felt great. My bike had a tune-up this morning at the bike shop, and it was working like a Swiss car. Zoom.
crosses for peace
“As the city of Napa increasingly begins to resemble a cemetery, organizers of a silent anti-war protest are getting their point across.” Vallejo Times Herald:
on needing to be committed
I recently shared a meal with a loved one, who asked about the status of the book I’m supposed to be writing. When I said I am writing a new version, my loved one displayed profound exasperation. And later wrote to ask me in essence what in the wide world of sports is taking me so long. (S/he didn’t realize, first of all, that writers don’t just write everything at once at send the first draft to a publisher.)
I thought I might share here the thoughts in my reply:
Dear —–,
A serious, professional writer works on a novel full time, all the time. I’ve heard many claim to work 8-16 hours a day. Just like a serious pianist or cellist will practice, or painter goes through dozens of attempts and drawings before the final work — they throw themselves into their art. I work on my writing a few hours on a good day.
A really serious writer also gets rid of their TV, unplugs the phones while working, goes into their office and closes the door. “Do not disturb.” Even writers who have day jobs have to close themselves off.Any book or class on writing stresses focus, isolation, concentration. But I’ve never done any of that. I haven’t made the complete commitment necessary to writing a book in a reasonable period of time.That’s why it has taken me so long.
My novel is almost 100,000 words, about 10,000 lines of text. Every word carefully, thoughtfully chosen. In the past few years, I’ve also written over 40 short stories and a number of poems. So it’s not like I have nothing to show for myself; it’s just half baked. I also have a good familiarity with all the best that’s made for television. And I know a lot more about Lindsay Lohan, Anna Nicole’s baby, etc., than I could possibly justify. I think we all do.
That being said,. writing is what I really love to do. Even if it’s just in my spare time. I’ve loved it since I started writing poems in 1980. Someday, I’d love to make it a full time, paying job. We’ll see what God has in store, I guess.
Love,
anti-war protest in senate gallery
“About 20 people stood up in the Senate galleries, in violation of chamber rules, and were asked to leave. “They can’t stand up in the galleries,” Capitol Police … said.
After the group left without resistance, they were detained by several Capitol Hill police officers. Although several aides looked up at the demonstration, there were fewer than a dozen people on the floor at the time. …
“We tried voting. We tried marches. We tried writing letters and making phone calls. Now we’re coming to the House and Senate chambers. We’re done waiting for Congress to do its job.”
hey lawyers
Dateline, Cleveland: What happened to this guy is right out of the worst dream you ever had after staying up too late studying con law.
“I am interested in living my life on strong principles and standing up for my rights as a consumer, a U.S. citizen and a human being. Allowing stores to inspect our bags at will might seem like a trivial matter, but it creates an atmosphere of obedience which is a dangerous thing. Allowing police officers to see our papers at will might seem like a trivial matter, but it creates a fear-of-authority atmosphere which can be all too easily abused.”
He refused to let Circuit City inspect his bag and receipt, then he called the cops when store personnel physically stopped him from leaving. He hadn’t stolen anything, and did prove it, but was arrested for refusing to show a drivers license. Not a crime, since he wasn’t driving. Holy crap.
Metaphor 