October 2009 - K. L. R. abstracts Review

Here it goes}

10th -"1,000 Points of Light" @ Bombadiers
Persian Themed, to help Laila get signatures to get her dad back from Iran
** Henna - one new design, Body Painting, Sept 2008 masks sold, Wrote/self-published/read New Poem

11th - The 1st "Night Owl's Market" @ Lips
Brett, Karime, Ray, Ben participating with host, Karla
movie shown} The Craft
art sold} caricatures and prints, plus some fun psychidelic shoulder painting

(at some point, went and checked out Kaletia Roberts' new exhibit at the Downtown - El Paso Museum of Art)

16th - "Purgatory" coordinated by DJ's Jakob Valentine and Stilletto @ Lips
** Caricatures sold, new ones kept in folio.

17th - "Skull & Bones" coordinated and hosted by Eddie Marquez, creator of Dead Boy comic book character
** Henna - one new design, Face Painting - Bloody Skulls and Candy Skulls, Caricatures, vendor trading

18th - Fundraising for Spirit of Children at Spirit of Halloween Store, with Sharon on East Side
** Spiders, Bats, Witches, Vampire girls, Skeletons

22nd - "Art Attack" coordinated by Galleria 300
* media interviews - Channels 7 with Selina Avila and 26 (Despierta El Paso)
- caricatures drawn at event
- One caricature STOLEN (someone really liked it!)

23rd - woke up at 9 a.m. and co-wrote song "Gorilla with an Alcohol Problem" with Chevalterre Nabil

24th - Special festivities at SGI Buddhist Center in Sunset Heights
* Vast field of young upcoming artists, UTEP students' live painting
*Fire dancing, and musical performances
Meditation and Feast provided by the center
** Face painting} Rainbows, Faeries, and Dragons for all ages; some of Sept '08 masks sold

Concurrent} Tuesday Night Open Mics @ Lips Lounge
time being set to 8:30/9 p.m. to start
Awesome Hip Hop, Rap, and Folk artists shown up. occasionally integrated with karaoke.
No artist named, show up to see who performs ;)

no program - **4 masks (Sept 08 and Aug 09) sold towards the end of the month
Clientele were excited to wear them coordinating with their attire at their Halloween parties.

30th - Pre-Halloween "Freedom" Open Mic , I was the guest host @ Public Grounds Coffee House
wonderful performances - belly dancing & poetry, gave birth to the new song "Gorilla with an Alcohol Problem" and had previously read selections from my new "Essence of Love" Chap book (print on demand/hand-bound & crafted) - will not reveal other performers... as amazing as they were, you had to be there!
* New caricatures done.
**(after hours) at O. P. - ghoulish face painting, and glowing tribal for party-goers

31st - "Bordello of Blood" @ Lips, hosted by the venue, M. C.'ed by DJ's Jakob Valentine & Joystyk
Integrated performances by HOT fire dancers, haunted house & the Corsette Kittens
** Face Painting} the Beach ;), my own costume} Thai Demon Mask with Horns
some more sexy caricatures

... And of course, I have to thank all the good connections ^_^

Though I am sad to have missed a friend's b-day... and missing two (Nov. 1 & 2 poetry readings at Percolator Cafe) :( - if you're able to I recommend you contact Miguel Juarez or Bobbie

All in All -
The whole month was amazing, got to run into so many good friends.

Peace and Harmony to all.
- K. L. R.

P. S. I'd like to know how your Halloween went ^_^

New Open Mics Starting Oct. 09

Performers are also welcome to contact kool_artist@juno.com
to be featured in the Night Owl's Market. ^_-

So you understand the blend here. A local friend and artist is organizing a movement via art, and I wrote the poem after remembering sporadic events and such. Hopefully I'll read it at the event, after many of my colleagues (powerful writers) will perform - I'll have my body art stand.



__________________________..________________________

“Sacrifice for Your Faith” (A blend of thoughts & memoirs)
Chevalterre Nabil 28 Sept, 09


Shorten your life
like a suicide bomber?
No.
And you don’t have to resist.
You have a life to live.

Shorten your hair
If you’re female or male,
they can take your State ID
for the one they’re saving
across the border.
But they will not take your dignity.
Cut your hair to look atypical.

Shorten your melanin.
They assume to know you
by your stamped face.
The darkness can lessen
with a cosmetic cream.
But not your eyes nor your nose.
But the sun’s loving rays always,
always reblossom your beauty.

Shorten your roots.
They think they’ve tracked you
as someone else.
Transplant them in Japan, Peru, Spain, U. S.
Change the wardrobe,
but do not become acculturated.
You’ll blend in just fine.

Shorten your tongue
Learning English/Spanish
– meant for business
and sometimes, for self-defense.
Speech lessons help.
Don’t worry about the accent.

Shorten your legs,
or hunt for a new set
if you stay.
They’ve got
rohypnol to slow you down
bombs at each stone and hedge.
Hatchets for your arms.

Shorten your name.
They check your Green I.D.
It has your rank, pay grade,
social security number.
Hajimosaraab …
Hajimo…
Haji..
Ha – Halt!

And what saved you,
your wife, and children
was to dial that encoded command number…
that week after 9 – 11…
and there was Captain Ziemba’s crew
over the land line.
“Yes, he is a United States Sailor,
He belongs to us!”

Let us be aware
when we have the opportunity
to do that again,
for another human being.

Mantras and Cookie Soup

(Hindi translations would be most appreciated)

Left Hand Mantra
Nandi - Carrier of Shiva

"ghantalankrta-kanthaya nilakanthasya vahine namas te dharma-rupaya kutashaya kakudmine"
Meditation: I offer salutations to the humped white bull, Nandi, whose neck is decorated with bells. He is the carrier of the blue-throated Shiva, the embodiment of dharma, as unshakable as the Himalayas.
Blessings:
1. Grace of Shiva and Parvati
2. Ability to carry out one's duty.
3. Ability for ever-increasing service.
4. Knowledge and understanding of one's duty.

Right Hand Mantra
Subhadra - Bestower of Devotion

"jaya devi bhakti-datri prasida paramesbari jaya subhadre tvam sarvesam bhadra-darini"
Meditation: "Glories to you, Subhadra, the bestower of bhakti! Be kind to me, O ruler of the universe! Please bestow auspiciousness on us all!" - Skanda Purana
Blessings:
1. Removal of illusion.
2. Worldly power and grace.
3. Blessings of devotion to ______ (Krishna)


Collaborative Recipe/Poem
"Cookie Soup"

by Chevalterre Nabil
avec Deejay Mindpool}

Best to serve coffee of your
favored flavour
into a soup-sized mug.

Crumble three delightfully
crunchy cookies

let them be cookies of any kind, too!

This is best enjoyed with a close friend,
a game,
and colorful toy spoons.

For ages 12 - 120!

You think it's funny?
Cute??
Come over and visit...
I'll be serving Cookie Soup!

(original is meant for coffee, for lilluns younger 'an 12, milk is recommended...
refreshing cold soy or rice milk (horchata too) is recommended for those lactose intolerant) ^_@

Come Join Us this Thursday

Chevalterre Returns to Tumblewords Project!!

Notes from the Yellow Composition Book:

Tumblewords Project - Saturday, 7 February, 2009

Presenter: Nancy Green

"African Voices"

'Wisdom is higher than a fool can reach." - Phyllis Wheatley

About Nancy: - Mexican woman of African descent -- Originally from Juarez and El Paso, later from Massecheusetts.

About Phyllis Wheatley: - born in Gambia. At age 7 became a slave. She's the first African writer. Purchased by the Boston Tea family... they taught her to read and write.

** Later, during the workshop, Nancy shares about Langston Hughes: - His father moved to Mexico city... He wrote "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

She even mentions Ahmed Sekou Toure (Guinea, 1922-1984)

From this, two poems have been written:

"Morenitos Are the Brothers" - prose, short story. - (1999 - 2001 Memoir)
My brothers, they were
all from the Deck department
of the United States Navy ship.

With a couple of sisters too.

We became quite a diverse family
in the last two years of the last millenium.

In all shades of skin color,
we matched in uniform.
Working under one Nation.

At least three languages we shared.
And translated for one another.

Different forms of racism
we experienced in Polynesian islands.
They, the darker ones laughed
because I worried.
- Antonio Cummings explained:
"WE have to deal with it. It's okay."
-- On occasion Sean Skeritt repeated:
"Worry about yourself, shipmate."
- Our youngest friend, would distract
each one of us...
making us laugh, to have a good time.
He, Stephen Wright...
who stepped in, one September morning
As we departed a Korean port
lost his legs and fingers.
But our other hero, Mr. Johnson
- the officer in freckles
and bright red hair "pelirojo",
lost a leg too
trying to help Stephen.

Our spontaniety died, but not our love.

We connect, and talk through
Yahoo, Myspace, Facebook...
searching for one and then the next.

Still searching for Wright or Johnson...

The darker ones, as I called - referring to
half the department, were not called
anything other than "el morenito" and
their family name.

" Two Little Girls on the Schoolbus." (A 1985 memoir)
Little girl,
why do you sit alone?
In the back of the bus
with your ashy legs
blocking others from sitting.

I want to sit next to you
and be your friend.
But your vibeis unfriendly.
Why should I bother?

One day our bus is packed
and your seat is the only one
with space for me.

I ask you to move your feet
I don't want to push you.
But mostly I don't want
the dirt from your shoes
on my "pompis".

Coarse is your hair, but I like it
because we both wear braids.

You sit there,
with your cheek almost stuck to the window.
And I secretly wonder about
the scent from your skin.

We could be friends or something.
But whatever your problem is, I don't know.
Cannot understand.

I tire from it...
bringing myself to honesty
telling you,
"I don't like you."

Your reply,
"I don't like you either."

I felt content...
because you finally spoke to me.

-------------------------

Some things that came up in conversation:

"Sacred Snacks" (thank you Donna Snyder and Gene Keller for the jokes)

The sacred confections
of Latin-America

one made with cacao
the other with corn

they are:
Cho-co-lah-teh
and
tostadas.

And wouldn't ya know?

Doritos
have chocolate as an ingredient!

------------------------------------

Thanks Cheval for helping me express this story and thought - it came up while meeting another musician last night at the World Music Tea DANCE PARTY - put together by the DJ HYPOCRITE ORCHESTRA - It was quite magical...

As I prance
on by...
I come to ask you:
"By any chance,
do you dance?"

... He then looked me
straight in the eye,
and answered:
"Yes!"

So I thank you (Ryan) for the dance.

-----> See you guys at Tuesday's rehearsal!