31

Last day of oh nine.
I barely saw it coming,
but it's been a year.

30

Didn't leave the house
Drank tea, ate venison, and
Studied español.

29

Lean too heavily
Stand up, it's not what you think
Time passes, that's all

28

Anxious to get home.
Love Boise, but I'm worried
about my thesis.

27

Force brain to recall
Which names belong to which homes
In old neighborhood

26

I still laugh loudly.
I still would be a writer.
I still keep arms length.

25

My family's drunk.
SamMarkMomDad&Molly.
We've all done our part.

24

Luminarias:
paper bags with sand and flames.
My dad's tradition.

23

We're out on the town.
Hugs, laughs, pizza, beer, dancing.
Siblings and old friends.

22

This is Idaho.
Snowfall followed by blue skies.
(Chair creaks, I'm happy.)

21

Wake up this morning
So many trucks on Sunset
Filling in a hole?

20

Another home day
with friends coming to see me.
It's quiet. And calm.

19

Records play loudly
I'm sorting and checking off
Putting things away

18

Swooning hard, for real.
Reading fiction, feeling good,
free coffee, big smile.

17

Decided to quit.
So, no longer a baker.
I'll do something else.

16

Been pushing myself.
And today, the body said,
"Nah, that's that for now."

15

"How nice," I thought of
mother, child smiling outside.
Was a movie set.

14

Nine hours spent wrenching
And I'm proud and smiling big
Woah, this bike is fast.

13

(I like my roommate.
Too much, maybe, on some days.
I think about it.)

12

Happy Birthday dance!
There's three of us making moves,
and that's what matters.

11

Two men push a car
early morning in work clothes
through intersection.

10

FEAST (mashed potatoes
stuffing, sausage and eggnog.)
for Thursday TV.

9

Defeated like woah.
Bike building beat me badly.
Try it tomorrow.

8

gloves. hat. layered clothes.
not for outside. for inside.
typing my final.

7

Everyone will
talk of the rain, but not me.
It's just the weather.

6

cowbells in my hands
then, maple bar and coffee
not bad for Sunday

5

Ha! I'm still in school.
Somehow I almost forgot.
Though, it's all I do.

4

Please, be nice to me.
I'm working really hard here
to keep it afloat.

3

Short story premise:
What if we could have tested
the Lord's DNA?

2

strangers warm my heart.
so, it's deep breath, since my life
has fewer worries.

1

inverse of restless
dedicated homebody
soft songs early nights

30

Tom Waits kinda day,
or, if I controlled weather
it would be raining.

29

40 hour drive +
52 hour Sea-town romp
= need to rest.

28

He tells this story
It seems close to deja vu
I'm too tired to tell

27

Just like it has been:
late night, let's meet at Bauhaus.
Help a stumbling man.

26

drive, windows open
solo with seattle rain
small thoughts of old home

25

It's all smooth sailing
until it's not. Then I'm like,
must get out of car.

24

visits from Oakland
her old neighborhood, mine now
easy to catch up

23

bus ride is too long
even with lots to think on
and I'm really cold

22

we talked a haiku
but it doesn't work at all
plus, it's not funny

21

She rides the bus here
Sneaks in taco truck food, and
Buys our house some eggs.

20

Finally Friday
My longest day in a week
Just want to get home

19

Not sure that I'll be
a baker for much longer
I still like it though

18

Cooked an entire tongue,
Three pounds in all, for tacos
Felt like a badass

17

Chased down the mailman
Can I send these cards right now?
He said yes, perplexed.

16

Spilled my beer (times two)
But kept classy by drinking
it out of a straw.

15

wore Cleveland Browns shirt
they kept asking "is that home?"
(at least seven times)

14

It feels really nice
to have strangers love your work
so much they buy it.

13

Quiet alone day.
Made some decisions. Big ones.
Feel good about them.

12

We are overworked.
No, not that, just poorly planned.
I'll be fixing that.

11

My parents have been
married thirty-one years now.
Really proud of them.

10

Over anecdotes.
Could we talk theory, readings
Instead of bullshit?

9

I was thinking to
start the process again, but
I like where I am

8

Meant to sleep early
Practice for Apocalypse
Takes precedence now

7

Non-Projections Two
Host, in the kitchen, busy.
I just drink and watch.

6

"By decide, I mean
accept. I don't need all those"
"chances I won't get."

5

Data Collection
Making Frames To Fit It In
Coding X v. Y

4

Still not south of 10
but criss-cross city daily
bus TV repeats

3

I have some good friends.
A nice place to cook and sleep.
All I really need.

2

Ready to make this
I've got a plan and some will
A cyclist again

1

Oceanside Cross Race
We giggle and search for shells
Cow bell, chase racers

31

Slow day. Waking late.
Do a couple things, see friends.
Prepare to fall back.

30

I abandoned plans.
Instead, hardware store, records,
some thai food and beer.

29

Spider Bites Get Gross
Walk to see Built To Spill show
(I grew a Cankle)

28

Sort of depressing
to realize that bike legs
disappear so fast.

27

in my dreams, Michael
saved us by pulling up tree
which bled on inside

26

wake up. contacts in.
windows wide open, cool air.
stumble through readings.

25

accidentally
drunk on a Sunday (again)
with three bars conquered

24

What do you get when
you put a hot dog costume
on during bike race?

23

I wanted something
a bit more swanky, but got
nothing of the sort

22

same bar as last time
months ago we were restless
now, we're over it

21

First time blood donor.
And now, I'm in an alley.
Subconsciously scared.

20

Door opens. I see
year nineteen seventy-five.
It's the umbrellas.

19

we stuff some eggplants
with blended cauliflower,
tahini, almonds

18

At Oktoberfest
marching band on our table
polka-ing away

17

in el segundo
not thinking, speaking spanish
for a free health fair

16

first, I swam some laps
then, I talked and thought to read
last, I potlucked it

15

I'm tired. I'm cranky.
At work, not happy to be.
Deep breath, two hours left.

14

Two kids run about;
hide, seek in busy lunchroom.
I'm jealous, can't join.

13

echoing hallway
urinal-looking fountain
achy late night class

12

accidental drunk
and the bus ride home is lost
taco truck quickly

11

Read undated letter
References unknown emails
There was something there

10

Years and there he is.
I swoon, of course, thought I would.
Can we get married?

9

Jalepeño Open,
local bar, Jon Moreno's.
Where I will drink beer.

8

Running through busride
mindful of who's sitting by
and where they get off

7

Bowtied busdriver
stopping route to say hello
to mechanic friends

6

Hysterics again
Outrageous jokes and dirty
Normal roommates' meal

5

Checked new frame again.
I'll add wheels and handlebars.
Soon a bike I built.

4

testing the waters
at bike races, cocktail hours
to see where I fit

3

Square Dance! on Island!
(traffic one, downtown LA)
With a bluegrass band!

2

Not enough iron
in me to donate my blood.
Eat a hamburger.

1

Bicycle Kitchen
now I know how to fix bikes
help others fix too

30

cooking, reading day
more recipes than essays,
day ends with folk songs

29

Finally! Class starts!
I return to doing things
involving grad school.

28

I'm off to find out
what it takes to recover
from a shitty day.

27

Art of bartering:
I'm becoming a Master.
Hard work, charm, and time.

26

a new equation:
comfort food + record store
= perfect store.

25

Finally, a hike.
Walk up hill to see city.
I like it up here.

24

go to work early
just then, the block's power's out
and stays out, all day

23

roommates riding bus
glad to have one in this place
makes home much nicer

22

could be daily life
rush one place to next, and next.
for me, just one day

21

Working odds and ends
She wants office one door down
I move, organize.

20

Into bartering:
I sell produce at market
for vegetables.

19

Back on broken bike
Fifteen minutes only now
Brakes not working so well

18

Catching up with friends
Which doesn't always happen
even when we try

17

it's an hour to beach
then three or so hours of still
then back on the bus

16

sometimes I wake with
most recent dream still moving
inside of my brain

15

spend hours on the bus
and try to sort out something
school, or work, something

14

eating leftovers,
bus route planning, sleeping well
attempt decompress

13

I let too much slide
I don't think it was my fault
But so not ok

12

Made a feast for friends
All the recipes were great
Definite success

11

In my mind, like so.
And then in real life, not so.
At least now I know.

10

Finally hanging
posters on my wall after
finding no wall studs.

9

Daily Pint Tonight!
It's oh nine oh nine oh nine
So we'll drink new beers.

8

plane crash in my dream
and yellow tent dropped from sky
with a clean up crew

7

2 dollar colt x
10 dollars in cash =
one drunk evening

6

Thirty-two Chevy.
I get it how Sunday drive
can be pretty nice.

5

One song can do it.
Thoughts of JSIII brings tears
at Orpheum show.

3

when I don't leave here
my mind shrivels up, angry
Why these empty days?

2

talking to my limbs
physical therapy time
which i truly love

1

Blurred by airplane haze
Land below out of focus
Like contact-less eyes

31

We're here: ninety-one
fifty-nine, and twenty-five.
Three generations.

30

I have no reason
to leave the cottage today
big meals and card games

29

We walked down the pier
Thinking, maybe, we would see
Our Grandpa out there

28

Read to her all day:
Biography, newspapers,
letters, diaries.

27

Lake Erie Cottage
shower's outside, big waves and storms
playground memories

26

unplanned taxi ride
win nineteen at airport slots
some lost money back

17

today I tried a
funny film to feel better
something's in the gut

16

"It will be alright"
and the next day it seems true
but sort of heavy

15

LA's easier
(or injury's easier)
with good friends and laughs

13

play catch up with life
upload photos, add haikus,
read library books

12

Merle Haggard sings out
"it's not love, but it's not bad."
I think I get it.

11

A mental mindfuck
To be stuck instead of out
MoviesTVBooks

10

XRays, Lawyers called
Is that all I do today?
Pretty much, just that.

9

carried up the stairs
not from drink, but helplessness
up too late, too much

8

They said pain would hit
And it did, grit teeth, but saw
Dodos from wheelchair

7

Bike accident proof:
1 bum ankle, 1 bum wrist,
gear marks on my arm.

6

Did minor damage
To jeep that turned into me
Made me ER bound

5

We cook mac and cheese.
Roast beets, carrots. Buy ice cream.
Watch Say Anything.

4

wheelchair bound she asks,
what's today? I say, Tuesday.
She was mistaken.

3

I have halfway fears.
See, it's August, and I keep
losing direction.

15

Hazy from long week.
LA-bound, future unsure.
I think I meant it.

14

I've missed Elisa
walkwindowshopstreetarttalk
I'd like a FACT. week.

13

darkroom steam ran out
so it's joe bar coffee talks
then beer and scotch talks

12

Drunk with broken dress
Talktalktalked his ear off while
Curbside record plays

11

print some big photos
attend a wedding quickly
return to darkroom

10

Wake: Capitol Hill.
Drive: West Seattle. Bus: School.
Bus: Ballard. Drive: Home.

9

Bachelorette Party
Tequila Shots & Dancing
(just like any night)

8

It still acts like home
But I'm here on vacation
Because it's not home

7

Hiatus ended.
Two months sprinkled with one here,
one there. Daily now.

27

And back for real real
My daily routine again
Includes a haiku

19

calling to my mind
sick: Guatemala, last week
Food poisons innards

24

Me: "Hey-Seuss Chree-Stow"
Tired of sole adventuring.
Need partner in crime.

23

I biked by mailman,
as he read your magazine.
On a break, I guess.

22

Sam and I discuss
how we don't know what our lives
look like in five years.

21

Rudo y Cursi.
Got ourselves a sneak preview,
and I laughed out loud.

20

to do list too long
ignoring it is easy
but I shouldn't be

19

late night talks got me
I'm paying for it by day
in a hazy way

18

an LA tour guide
bus to Getty, drive to beach,
Koreatown drinks.

15

says "parentheses"
makes hands into the symbol
as he makes aside

14

say goodbye money
because I pay my taxes
(proof I had a job)

13

train from orange county
and bus from union station
shuttle to campus

12

up before the sun
for a quiet morning mass
as the sun comes up

11

sleep in, wake up, clean,
drive down sunset, eat omelet,
eat at gabbi's, sleep

10

birthday party today
so I cook new food to share
plug in disco light

9

twenty five today
ask parents where they were then
college, road trips, work

29

Not twelve hours back here:
Already a show, long drive,
and afterparty.

28

end of the road now
as we head back to our home
re-settle LA

27

coffee and donuts
as we stair sit and wait for
a man on a bike

26

made four rendezvous
this evening plus we met
some real good strangers

25

taking a sun-nap
made better on mountaintop
on way to San Fran

24

wine tasting's ok
picnics with Os Mutantes
in van make the day

23

rusty waterfalls
old redwoods sound like sad cows
long big basin hike

22

watching the surfers
with our homemade flag and stick
we sun, drink cola

21

lulu carpenter's
then, momentous barn square dance
(stinky pits and all)

20

love this girl so much
even when I'm in a funk
and we travel on

19

Tent piece is missing
Throw a blanket over it
Sleep fine in Big Sur

18

Lacking urgency
Wander a bit, sleep in sun
Sort of get to work

17

drinking wine in class
drunk bike to meet at sub shop
and then los feliz

16

Combine late night drinks
with late night paper edits
and seeing the town

15

sort of pace my work
because friend is coming here
and i want some fun

14

YRL just closed
Powell's still open, head there.
Campus smells like spring.

13

happily at home
paper writing friday night
i do love grad school

12

for big smiles, good show

elvis perkins in dearland

(seen them in three states)

11

Ok.  Hurry up.

Urgency returns to me.

Gotta write papers.

10

backing up from wall

final classes, speaking up, 

biking home, cooking

9

Today, massive wall

I'm done thinking completely.

Season of Dexter.

8

these slow moving books

make interesting boring

and me tired of words

7

work by giving out

samples of cookies I made

make lots of small talk 

6

Profeta sitting.

In walks David Hasselhoff.

He's tall, I'm starstruck.

5

lost on way to work

google maps is not perfect

just keep biking south

4

zone out with house chores

take up most of my night time

it's necessary

3

my city smells good

fresh and in bloom and alive

who knew LA could?

2

Classmate lent me book

I went to breakfast early

Read, drank coffee, smiled

1

Sleep schedule still off

Sleeping in five-ish hour shifts

Slept super soundly

28

We all partied hard

And I watched the sun come up

Started day sans sleep

27

she comes to my house

early this morning to help

me focus on work

26

post-de-stress last night

I bike here and there to learn

and work and progress

25

struck upon waking:
i am alone (not sad. true.)
my future unclear

24

they made pancake mix
he cooked, called them pancookies
i laughed and drank milk

23

Day starts: bike early.

Midday: on campus reading.

Late night: just started.

22

Mass is in Latin.

I can't pretend to follow,

but I recognize.

21

We get lost and talk.

I missed my train, traffic's bad.

They're late, it's okay.

20

what gets her down is

overanticipation

which always gets you

19

a craigslist meeting

'cause I "need" messenger bag.

the boy's cute.  make plans.

18

and reached my limit

salty with friends, ready tears.

deep breath.  another.

17

Airplane-like floor lights

I listen, not creating

(music, not travel)

16

meet at Profeta

my rainy days meet cupcakes

and they grade papers

15

work meeting because

three stores to seven happens

faster than we thought

14

for my heart shaped day

we're in a blues bar with wine

as some friends play jazz

13

Homeless man in front

and I, full of food, behind.

We ride the bus west.

12

another blank day

where the things that happened went

and i'm not sure what

11

Today my week ends.

Reset. Strange call. Done. Friend-talk.

New week. Starts over.

10

beat up from the work
but loving it all the same.
how far will i get?

9

focusing on day,
which is rainy, mostly blue,
and how I'm in it.

8

put the tape in deck

sings "it's just a fantasy"

me and billy joel

7

looking out of train

the kid was born in ninety

makes him an adult

6

one LA downpour,

and my bus leaks dirty rain

onto my left arm.

5

giving time to new station

(missing KEXP friends),

but glad to pledge drive.

4

cancelled class equals

some space to straighten, or try,

the start of something

3

frantically write

and then accept it's defeat

paper extension 

2

what doesn't matter

can overtake what does fast

so I'm adjusting

1

my sleeping schedule

cannot remain up til three

and sleep until ten

31

slow start to the night

then all of a sudden it's

dancing dance dance dance

30

she and I curb sit

cover spectrum of our thoughts

make ourselves honest

29

my validation

comes in the form of the words

"Get a PhD."

28

went for a bike part

stayed to make sure gears spun right

left with brakes that work

27

thought i was caught up
caught off guard with paper and
one more book this week

26

recoveration

was a success, memo done

book read on the beach

25

today began with

"why are you on the floor?" and

ends with "we're busted"

24

non stop excitement

"I'm so happy"s all day long

culminates in dance

23

LA rain falling 

which rejuvenates our minds

though I can't ride bike

22

my work for the day: 

finish a book, think on it,

be a paid baker.

21

racing through pages

and still missing words, or thoughts,

once i reach my class

20

Arising early

to see my president's live

inauguration.

19

laundry, bread making,

did little to no reading,

invite friend for tea

18

talking with Uncle

at the metrolink station

until my train comes

17

kids fight in bathroom

reptile's food chirps all night long

let's go to the beach

16

watching four children

an iguana and a dog

will consume weekend

15

weekday adventure

last night, bar one oh seven

friends with some strangers

14

swimming in the sun

with church-like-bells to say one

i lead a good life

13

again: I love school

again: I love the free films

again: I love sun

12

sometimes it's barely

the next day but I just want

to sit with a beer

11

Today, I read a

three hundred forty three page

book for Tuesday's class 

10

slept outside on porch

to see sunrise, wake early

another late night

9

five o'clock bike ride

UCLA USC

concert at museum

8

compare prices to

save fifty cents here and there

constant cutting costs

7

Back to bike riding

Taking care of business, school

Making my living

6

Something is sinking

The past sneaks up, I get hurt

I should know better

5

Glum. Tired. Plans. Leaving.

Fly into Pittsburgh, over

a cemetery.

4

Last full DC day

Watch the sun rise before sleep

Next, Seattle friend

3

Day: something is off

Night: Jim Beam milkshakes return

Sum: All rock and roll

2

All points have converged

LA neighbor is here too

The Raven is full 

1

Good start to oh nine

DC nights are good to me

Friends here are the best