Author: Mark J. Chmiel
Writing to Wake Up
1. Natalie Goldberg: I also place on the altar a photo of Allen Ginsberg in a yellow wood frame, sitting in a white shirt, cross-legged, his face captured in an uncanny smile. He is our…
On Bhakti Yoga
1. Allen Ginsberg: Well, the Hindus say that this is the Kali Age or Kali Yuga or Kali Cycle, and we are all so sunk in matter, the five senses are matter, sense, that they…
Share the Wealth with Oliver Clark: “The Other Side of St. Louis”
For our next Share the Wealth, Oliver Clark will be speaking about his experiences doing street photography in North St. Louis. In the past year Oliver has photographed the homelessness, drug addiction, abandonment, and recent…
Reading Dear Layla, While on an Airplane back to NYC
I read the whole thing on the way home I was simmering Simmering Simmering Shimmelstoy brought me to a boil –Katie Madges is a Social Worker (NYU, MSW, 2012) who lives in Brooklyn.
Tonight’s Share the Wealth
Tony’s sharing tonight on the municipal courts, racism and ArchCity Defenders work reminded me of the following lines from Bertolt Brecht: It take a lot of things to change the world: Anger and tenacity. Science and…
Word from Lindsey
“The best way to enjoy a great book from a great friend”
Itadakimas
Itadakimas is an important word in the Japanese language. Literally, it means, “I place this over my head,” and is translated as “I humbly receive.” It is the blessing which all Japanese, from the day laborer…
Beyond the Support the Troops Syndrome
I recently read a collection of essays in Brenda M. Boyle’s The Vietnam War: Topics in Contemporary North American Literature. Academics explored authors like Bao Ninh (The Sorrow of War), Michael Herr (Dispatches), Duong…