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Yesterday’s Poem: New Edition

I got up this morning and the first thing I thought of was Talkinggrid.  I leapt out of bed and onto to my computer.  I hit the keys and before I knew it,

BAM!

I wanna thank Joe Rez, our Rock n’ Roll Music Specialist for sparking renewed interest in publishing, reading and writing Talkinggrid.

Oh! By the way, I promised you a poem.

Here it is:

Yesterday’s Poem

Eye see the day when we awake.
Shake off tarnished yesterdays and
Dance in the fountain of forgotten youth.

Ponce de Leon liked it just fine in Florida.

Until the crocodiles came and ate his fifteen minutes

He was left to legend and the late night healers
“Splash!” says the serpent girl, curled on the banks
Of the Henry Hudson River, with a view of the
George Washington Bridge, at sunrise.
She’s not voting. Mermaids don’t vote.
They float over and under the words of Hope
Promises sway Neptune’s trident in Shakespeare’s Tempest.
The world has become a parody of itself.
Yates said, “the center can not hold,” since
the lamest claiming “Supremacy,” and
The Orange Orangutan parading his Illegal Immigrant Bride.

On that Happy Note, I wanna continue.  Allow me to share with you,

Top Fifteen Things To Thank #DrabTrap 2016 For Now! 

  1.  D.T. helped me to instantly shed a lifetime of feeling weird, outrageous, and “flamboyant,” in my big floppy hats and striped beach cardigans.  Suddenly, I feel so normal, stable, and emotionally secure compared to the big Orange Turd.  I am a magnificent garden of peace in comparison to the manic monstrosity of amped up blond Ape machismo that the perverse one embodies.
  2. D.T. and his Immigrant Bride, how ironic! She inadvertently, but never-te he-less shined a spotlight on how amazing the first lady, Michelle Obama is.
  3. Allow me to see that my petty self-promotion is precisely that.
  4. You remind me to appreciate that I speak English and Spanish well.  Thereby reflecting an American ideal.  We see that speaking Spanish well is a plus on the campaign trail.  Bilingual people are more likely to vote than… not?  What am I saying?  I don’t know.  I’d like to thank DT for making me think about my multi-ethnic heritage and face it, in a white supremacist world, I’m not welcome.
  5. I appreciate, more than ever, those of us, incapable of erecting gold towers and sitting naked on virtual reality thrones made of tweets and clicks are not slow, most were taught not to toot their own horns. In other words, D.T. has devoted his life to bragging about assets that may be a mirage the size of Texas, for all we know.  Debt, being one of his best friends.
  6. Everyday, I become more American.  I’ve never before found the political situation worthy of my art focused, entirely self contained, and mostly maternal attention.  Suddenly, for the first time, I really care… oh wait… this is not true.  I cared before.  Obama.  Remember?  Hope.  Yeah… those were the days.
  7. It becomes obvious that we have freedoms, rights, and ground gained to lose.  We refuse with a BIG THANK YOU, to anyone that suggests that we are not invested and devoted to supporting life, love, and liberty to thrive within the existing political structure of American democracy.
  8. Allow us to see clearly how important it is for all to become politically aware and active, making it clear that WE stand together in LOVE and refuse to be bullied by liars we intend to manipulate public opinion.  We, Americans, that vote are not interested in politicians who want to reduce our rights and civil liberties, which are currently under attack on the streets, as men and women who are not white, are with shocking regularity abused by so call, “servants,” of the Law.  We are on the road to more mutual respect, not less.
  9. I’ve come to appreciate that being, “politically correct,” is a way to demonstrate caring for the sensitivities of others.  In other words, it is akin to being polite or well-mannered.  I don’t expect that everyone is suddenly going to become poised like Michelle Obama but we can try.  We can attempt to “go the high road.”  My mother, not my real mother, but the made-up mother I have inside me, always says, “take the high road.”  I’ve done that, most of my life.  However, I’ve slinked around—a bit—mostly for fun when I was an adolescent, runaway, punk-street-kid.  It was only fun in the summer.  As winter set in, fall really, I found I job.  Waitressing, no less… and the rest is…
  10. DT is proof that the history of inequality, violence, flagrant, systematic, and institutional exploitation of disadvantaged groups, all  best left in the past, has the potential to repeat itself. We must take action to address the needs of those that feel so insecure as to wish to carry weapons.  What is up with that?  Yet we are here now and determined to make a difference.  Voting has never meant more.  The choice between Evil and Maintaining our multicultural, vibrant, jazzy, rich American way of life is yours.  Vote with gusto and thank Delirium Trash-Muffin for motivating you to cherish our hard-won political and social status.
  11. DT reminds me how important it is to laugh at myself, my supercilious and pretentious attempts at grandeur, my New Yorker Naiveté, and my recent near death experience. Yes!  I am freakin’ hilarious!  Anyone who takes themselves too seriously is set to blow a gasket whenever the wind blows their fake hair or top rug upside down pineapple upon their orange mash potato face.  It is vital to keep laughing.
  12. Speaking of laughter, I don’t really find you funny at all, Punk, you suck!  However, I’m willing to admit that I’ve never felt so smugly superior in my life.  Compared to you my manners are impeccable, my education: stellar, my personal achievement HUGE, Dude, I’m everything you are NOT.  I am real.
  13. In the war between good and evil you White Nigger Gold Digger Dunce Dream Daddy Pimp Punk are not worthy of a name. Just because your wife was born and raised in a communist country and your associates love Russia and you love Russia and you birthed the birther nonsense doesn’t make you worthy of a name.  Please— slither—back under the golden turd you slithered out from under, pretty please.  Ha!  Ha!  Funny right… I know, I know… all jokes fall flat, when we consider, “The Horror!  The HORROR!”  It would mean the end of American, home of the brave, beautiful, countless cultures and endless rainbow of economic and social possibility if you, two-bit clown, became the representative of our GREAT NATION.
  14. That you are promiscuous and proud to father a bigamist’s dream of offspring with various women who you use and abuse at will is obvious.  And Dude, one has to admire the audacity of you.
  15. You are that which we thank god we are not.
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ASML Executive, Thunderstruck by Malaysian Plane Tragedy

On a flight out of San Diego, I spoke to Claus, first, I’m sure.  I don’t know what precisely about him said to me that it was OK for me to break the ice with a little conversation.  He had a friendly air, even though he appeared engaged with work on board the cross-country flight to Newark, New Jersey, where I would was to connect to my flight to long awaited, romanticized, and idealized PARIS.  He was busy being productive, clicking screens, texting with the air of business drive.  We were seated in the business section, after all.  So I felt compelled to write about my departure and surroundings, noting every fluctuation in group mood and seat mate’s work flow.  Charts and graphs, very important looking, lit up his lap-top screen.  I watched him work with growing fascination.  Taking a few notes about, “productivity,” and “dynamic people,” inspired by watching Claus blaze from file to file, taking in what looked like highly complex information, at a super quick rate.  I’m always curious about fellow travelers.  Yet, I don’t always engage others in conversation.  This was special.

He was wearing the black sports uniform of an affluent man.  He looked ready for a run in any of San Diego’s frightfully exclusive neighborhoods.  I felt an instant kinship with this man.  He being a “Road Warrior,” as I am well acquainted with his ilk of being constantly going, moving, creating, leading, and facing the ups and downs that life hurls at us all.  My husband is such a man and this man’s energy was much like that of my beloved Dr. Hartmuth C. Kolb.

In our initial banter, Claus made the following comment: “The stock market is where the world decides what is important.”  He was referring to his company’s performance as a world leader in high-tech semi-conductor business (forgive me if I failed to understand Claus’s business exactly, I’m sure that there will be corrections made to this initial draft, thank you for understanding).  His savvy comment really got my full attention.  I enjoy (for conversations sake) a good, solid blanket statement! I thought to myself, “What an interesting person!  I’d like to know more about him,” Thus began an unofficial, off-the-record interview with this tall, fit, senior executive at ASML.

I asked:

“How old were you when you built your first computer?”

In a blink and with a boyish smile, “Eight!” He answered and then his grin broadened and he said, “but it did not work!” with a laugh, he continued… “I just loved building things, taking things apart.”  We both laughed appreciating the beautify of assembling and disassembling, creating and erasing.

Then I asked Claus,

“So how old were you when you built your first working computer?”

“Over 18, in college, it was an assignment or something… but that was easy, by then I really had a sense for how these machines worked.”  Listening to him a felt a familiar rush of admiration, because I have nothing but affection and respect for intelligent people, the ones that invest their youth in learning, becoming social leaders and thereby providing jobs, products, and services to the world.

So, feeling this way, I asked him, “What three acts define you?”

Easily he answered, “One is building machines, the second is exercise/sports/fitness, the third is fuzzy… but clearly, his relationship to wife and child… filled the plane with warmth for his work, recreation, and family.  I felt myself to be in the company of a man much like my adorable husband. Therefore, I mentioned to Claus, that he reminded me of my Dreamboat.  They have much in common since my husband built his first working computer at age 18, while in the army, inside his private locker, for relaxation.  Ha!

Then I asked him, on a lark, “IF you were to get a tattoo what would it be?”

“I’d want a crude dagger henna tattoo, noting permanent!”  We both laughed again at his quick reply.

Then he gave me a HOT San Diego Tip: Go to Whole Foods in Del Mar at 1pm on Saturday, during the Del Mar racing season, which is now, and prepared to be amazed by all the BEAUTIFUL WOMEN!

Being that I love looking, I made a note of that and everything else Claus said.  He was funny, entertaining and then he went on, “These are not first wives…”  Hah!  “This are the second and third wives, the Mistresses, they are AMAZING!”  I thought, “WOW!  I really have to make a point of seeing this spectacle of fine females on parade while organic grocery shopping in one of Souther California’s most desirable locations.

“You know how you can tell that they are second and third wives, not the first time around?”  He asked me.  I answered, “Because they are way too beautiful to be affordable by young men, these are the trophy wives of the triumphant males.”  He seemed even more amused that I was not under any illusions about the facts of youthful beauty and its exulted status among those that can command dreams and shape the world to fit their fancies.  We laughed a little more, savoring the fact of knowing a thing or two about life and yet not feeling cynical about our own lives, observing the patterns of others.  Then he went on, “They say that the first wife is for love, the second for hope over experience, the third is a choice between rental and retail.”  Again we chuckled, because we have in common knowing these facts to be true for many, yet not having fallen for the social traps, since we are both happily married to our one-and-only first spouses with whom we have our respective children, a source of pride and outstanding joy.

Thus, he told me of his son’s computer building antics and the boy’s delight at bossing father, Claus, around.

I enjoyed every second of our jovial conversation.  Yet, just as we were parting, having turned on our phones to communicate with the world, Claus’s entire demeanor changed.  The Malaysia Airlines flight had some of his companies’ employees on it.  Claus was immediately crushed by the news.  I was there to witness his sudden encounter with life’s bitter, cruel, edge… taking notes and talking come naturally to me.  This person’s pain hurts me, too, and brings home the fact that we are all connected, involved, and politically intertwined ONE people of the world, wherever our location our lives are intertwined with those of others, around the world, through commerce and culture.

I send condolences to the Dutch people (I have family in Amsterdam).  I send condolences to all those affected by this senseless tragedy.

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A Lamentation for a DEAD BOY

photo-on-7-14-13-at-144-pm_med
Selfie by Frau Kolb, “IN HONOR of A Hoodie wearing human.” © 2013, all rights reserved

Dear Friends, Family, and OTHERS,

WE have come together on this morning to morn the death of a boy.  Yes, he was killed.  Yes, he was walking alone.  Yes, he had a pack of artificially colored, flavor enhanced, plastic coated candies in hand.  He did.  He did ALL of the above and NOW he’s DEAD.

Of course, his family are upset.  They say it isn’t fair.  They cry.  They hurt.  But, from a certain perspective, BROWN HUMANS serve well for target practice and the fact of killing unarmed brown children is A-OK in THAT twisted context.

NO PROBLEM!

NO ISSUE!

NO JUSTICE!

Ass, you can tell, I’m a little pissed about this latest NEWS story, butt I’m even more pissed to be pissed off angry, dejected, HURT by the NEWS of children dying just because, children killing is OK in video games and we all LOVE a good murder mystery.  WE delight in the viscous triumph of GOOD over EVIL.  To some people, Zimmerman, was justified in killing a traditional enemy, a pest, before it could grow more powerful and perhaps threaten the existing, “white,” power structure.

Now, I put “white,” in quotations, because I believe it to be a big part of the problem we face is that some people call themselves “white,” whereas others are NOT, “white,” they are sometimes called, “BLACK,” or “RED,” and even, “Yellow,” in the same color-coded system that divides the pie in uneven slices.  The function of the feast is to serve KINGS with almost the entire pie and for all the other people to get crumbs.  It doesn’t matter your “race,” if you believe this BS you short change yourself because YOU isolate yourself and miss out on all the abundance of universal LOVE and happiness that could be yours and is mine, on occasion.

Even today, as I write this angry letter to NO ONE in particular, I am content enough because I can write, read, and think.  Mostly, thanks to my beautiful father, who was once a poor boy, near starving, shining shoes to help feed himself and family, growing up in a famously corrupt colonial power and YET kept afloat by his staunch belief that EVERYTHING was somehow…always, weirdly and wildly… alright.

Forever,

Frau Kolb