Category: Travel and review

Posted on

Brandon Leake: America’s got talent Season 15 winner.

Congratulation to Brandon for winning America’s Got talent. I am proud to know Brandon and his poetic journey.

I met Brandon at Luna’s Cafe in Sacramento in 2016. He definitely has ambition and drive for Spoken word and Poetry. Plus, he is a Stockton native. 209 certified.

We both have been poets in Sacramento Poetry Community for several years. Brandon has performed in United States, New Zealand, and Europe. I performed in several cities in the United States. We both have hosted Poetry Shows and events. Plus, we are members of Sacramento Slam Team.

I have been honored to feature Brandon Leake at Sacramento Poetry Center Monday poetry reading show. I am also proud that he competed and won second place in SPC Quarterly Slam. We have been combatants, comrades, and diplomats of poetry and Spoken word.

The day Brandon told me he was a participant for America’s got talent, I was excited because I knew he could propel spoken word to the masses. Plus, this is a great opportunity for spoken word to come back to the mainstream was wild to me.

I am glad that he was guest on Iambic poetry podcast. We had a long discussion about his poetic journey.

Brandon is a man on a mission and America’s got talent is another step to push his message or poetry. I am honored to know him and to be called one of his friends.

Cheers to Brandon Leake. Check him out at http://www.calledtomove.com

Posted on

Contracts are lifesavers

I accepted a DJ gig with a local rapper because her last DJ was unavailable. So, we started to inform friends and figure out a rehearsal schedule. But a week later, she informs me that she talked her previous DJ and they agreed to do the gig together instead.
Okay, since I have no contract involved, I was not bound to do the gig. So, I withdrew.

But, in a few days, she has returned and requested me for her gig again because the previous DJ was not working out. I accepted but, I wonder. Should I draft a binding contract for her to sign? She released me once and I don’t fully trust her to not do it again.
So, I drafted a contract with a deposit to make it official. I was cautious not to fall into the same situation this time.

We had an excellent show and I have been the rapper’s DJ for all her show including the latest one in June 2019. But, I still draft a contract and send it to her to sign. So, she has proof and so do I.

Posted on

Christmas Misfit Mix

I like Christmas but I notice that they play the same songs all the time.  These songs have become a commerical money grab for the artist or music label.  Singers just sing a list of well known songs and put out a christmas album.  Simple.  But what about the songwriters that want to make a new song, where do they go?  Ah, the misfits that create a new song for the masses that only a few know about because radio does not play them.  So, I created a mix that features a few of unnoticed songs from the Christmas Misfits.

Posted on

Sushi (Day 8)

Let’s have sushi

She shouts with excitement

My mind ponders the notion

Okay, let’s do it

Curiously, she asked;

What do you like?

I am not sure

I don’t eat a lot of it.

Well, let’s try some

Okay. Poof!

dishes appear

Dragon, & Tiger

Each roll decked with

vegetables, rice, meat, peppers, & fruit

rolled up with a seaweed wrap

Eat one, pass; eat one, pass.

design with color and flavor

An artisan masterpieces

We raise our chopsticks

Kanpai

Our Selections; strategic

Power plays; epic

Chess pieces for dinner

A pacific rim commotion

Rook takes queen

send them passed the lips

Storm my mouth castle

Godzilla of flavors rain down on my tastes buds people

Destroy my palette dynasty

Fight my tongue shogun

Drum of tears and sweats

Pour from my pores

My face: a kabuki mask

The demon, shogun, clown, crying baby.

My anime eye envision Geisha

With Wasabi swords slice my senses swiftly

Touch, taste, sight, sound, smell

Separate sequentially.

Kanryo

We set our chopsticks down

She look at me and smile

Says something in Japanese

Grabs my hand and we sprint into the night.

silhouetted shadows surface swiftly

We wisp between stopped cars.

Damn you, gaijin

Gaijin? Shit.

I’m a ninja.

Into the alley, ascending steps.

We stand on Mount Fuji

Apartments

Her presence opens the door

And a fog of Smoke greets us

She giggles and disappears into the fog

I follow.

Dazed and confused

judo thrown onto a bed.

I lay down bewildered

Until the smoke clear

She appears

Naked

in front of the bed

With Wasabi and sake

She said,

Sushi?

Posted on

Silence at the railway station (day 5)

SILENO EN LA ESTACIÓN DE FERROCARRIL
By Sergio Raimondi
Acostado de lado, con un codo incómodo
apoyado en el cemento y la cabeza
tirada hacia atrás, duerme. Rodillas dobladas,
pies contra el culo, al aire la panza enorme,
boca abierta al cielo, chata nariz.
Esto es obra de dos o tres tetra-brik.
Si fuera de mármol estaría expuesto
en un museo de Roma, Londres o París
como ejemplo de arte helenístico.
Y no le molestarían las moscas.

Translated by me:

Lying on his side, with an uncomfortable elbow resting between the cement and his head, he lies on his back asleep. Knees bent, feet against his behind, huge belly to the sky, mouth opened, nose flat.

This is the work of 2 or 3 bottles.

If he were marble, he would he would be displayed in museums in Rome, London and Paris as an example of Hellenistic art. Plus, the flies wouldn’t bother him.

#writing #writer #poems #authors #railway #station #Hellenisticperiod #marble #rome #london #paris #napowrimo #napowrimo2018