THE PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER (for GEORGE FLOYD)

100 MEN (THE DOCUMENTARY)

Hmmm. This is a quite curious question. I wrote a book back in 2009 about this very subject, and it was more than a bit difficult to track down all of my former lovers. Many had died of AIDS - most did not want to participate in the project, and the rest were nowhere to be found.

In addition, I had not actually slept with 100 men: I only used the 100 Men I have Slept With title because I was told it would attract a wide audience. This proved to be very bad advise. The book sold very few copies, and I received more ridicule and scorn than kindness and praise. I stopped blogging for a long while, and produced no new books.

Back to reality: I can say with complete confidence that I have slept with exactly 65 men in my life. All of this sexual frenzy took place in the Windy City during my wild youth. I have lived in the City of Roses for 22 years, and I have slept with only one person. Want to talk about hot and cold? I'm the expert on the subject.

Getting back to 100 Men: I am very grateful to have inspired Paul Oremland to take my humble book to the next level, and go places I never dared to venture. I suggest you take a long peek at this most insightful documentary. It is both witty and sad, wise and clueless, but remains entertaining to the very end.

My only criticism is that I did my best to focus on both the personal and the political in my book: Watching my 39 year old lover die from complications due to AIDS in the early 1990s. Clenching my teeth whenever heartless bigots like Ronnie Reagan and Anita Bryant appeared on the TV talking about family values and how AIDS only affected homosexuals, drug addicts, and people without Christian values (big goof there).

Matthew Shepard

In addition, I wrote about Matthew Shepard (1976-1998) and his horrific ordeal at the hands of  two sadistic homophobes. And even though I would have liked to, I never got to meet Matt. I only know that a beautiful soul was robbed of his young life by two very angry and violent straight men. End of story.

But music is life, and so it reflects the lifestyles we adjust ourselves to one decade to the next. Janis said it best:

I'd like to end this essay here. See the documentary - you won't be disappointed. But never forget the book: It's always a good thing to go back to the original source :-)

Dylan Mitchell

P.S. Scroll down to the bottom of my blog if you want to take a quick peek at 100 MEN I HAVE SLEPT WITH, 2009. Amazon still carries a dusty copy or two...

Brokeback Mountain: Iconic image

WHAT I'M WATCHING RIGHT NOW...

FOR MR. ROY...

I'LL BE WATCHING THIS TOMORROW BIG TIME!

Happy holidays to all my friends (Jon, Helga, Mr. Roy, Geo, Don, Charles, Susan, etc.) Plus anybody I forgot to mention. May all your dreams come true in 2019 :-)

LAST MOVIE I WATCHED: LIZZIE

I liked it. A lot. Not really sure what's up with the harsh critics? It seems like most of them saw a different movie.....

BEST SPANISH SONG EVER

HOW I LOVE IRONY (R.E.M. RULES!)

SUEDEHEAD (MORRISSEY MADNESS!)

James Dean: 1931 - 1955

MORRISSEY: EVERYDAY IS LIKE SUNDAY

WHAT I AM LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW: EMMANUEL

PSYCHO

I can see Hitchcock's bloated face on my aching knee:
I know it's just a bunch of wrinkles in the
frayed fabric of my jeans.

But what am I to make of the black
shoe I see when I shift my gaze an inch or
two toward the east? I don't wear black

shoes. Is Norman Bates' mother paying me a friendly
call? Will this be a Happy Halloween?
Is this meant to be my final scene?

And whatever happened to Janet Leigh?

Poem Copyright 2018 by Dylan Mitchell

WHEN TRUTH IS OFTEN A LIE (8 FACTS ABOUT FRANCES FARMER)

Frances Farmer: 1913 -1970

Frances Farmer never received a lobotomy. Also, (despite Hollywood) she was a quite successful stage actress and TV hostess until she lost her battle with cancer at the age of 56. Odd how these "minor" details were not mentioned in Frances (the so-called biopic about her life).

The two most well known books based on her life (WILL THERE REALLY BE A MORNING and SHADOWLAND) are more fiction than fact.

1. Frances was never raped by dozens of soldiers while she was in ANY mental hospital.

2. She was never a Communist.

3. She might have been an atheist during her youth, but eventually found faith in God.

4. Hollywood DID say she was as talented as Garbo, but started singing a different tune once Frances had her quite minor encounter with the police (a petty traffic violation).

5. She was not a "basket case" when she appeared on THIS IS YOUR LIFE in 1958. In fact, she was more than polite given how obnoxious the host of the program was to her (I would have slugged him).

6. Farmer's best movies: COME AND GET IT, RHYTHM ON THE RANGE, TOAST OF NEW YORK, SON OF FURY, and FLOWING GOLD.

7. Farmer's worst enemy was not Hollywood but her deranged mother.

8. Kurt Cobain helped to raise awareness about Frances Farmer's plight with his song: FRANCES FARMER WILL HAVE HER REVENGE ON SEATTLE.

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW: THE MONKEES

My sister was a huge fan of this Pop group. She bought all their records. She watched their popular TV show each week. She even signed up for a contest to win a date with Davy Jones!

I liked The Beatles best, and she and I would often argue about why one group was better than the other. I do have one confession: I thought Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith were sexy as hell. I didn't really know what sexy meant (I was only eight years old), but their deep voices and handsome faces always made me feel all tingly inside.

And this is their greatest song I still want to get up and dance around to big time...

Pretty crazy, huh?

P.S. Takes a few seconds for the video to start - but it does start. Don't let the alarming darkness get to you...

WHY SUICIDE IS A MISTAKE

1967 -1994

I can still remember when I first heard that Kurt Cobain had taken his own life. I went into a deep state of  mourning that lasted for a solid month. Why? He had great talent, a young child, and a wife that wanted to see him more alive than dead (many people argue this point - I don't agree with any of the conspiracy theories about Courtney Love). To each his own.

What I will always miss most about Kurt is the music: He still had plenty of new songs he could have written in the future, but there is no future once you have offed yourself.

I know he was in a lot of pain (his music made that clear). But I wonder what might have happened if he could only have given life another month or two?

The best tribute to Kurt on the internet is by the author of THE BASKETBALL DIARIES - Jim Carroll. He fought his own demons during his youth, but managed to hang in there as best he could. He wrote more songs and books. He wrote some great poetry. He did not become a member of the 27 club. I just wish Kurt could have known how much he was appreciated and loved by many: This is true for all people that leave the world much too soon.

Poem Copyright by Jim Carroll

Essay Copyright 2018 by Dylan Mitchell

JANIS JOPLIN: KOZMIC BLUES (FOR JON)

POETRY: THE MAGIC OF FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE...

I know poetry. I suffered through too many creative writing classes during my youth, and quickly figured out academic poetry is too false and easy: Where are the powerful voices: Keats, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Dylan Thomas, William Carlos Williams,  Charles Bukowski, etc.

You can scan and rhyme until the sun hides its face in shame, and darkness surrounds you forever, but without an authentic voice you might as well throw away your pen (or computer). This little rant is the result of discovering how the academic world continues to reward those poets with too many degrees (and very little talent) - and ignores the powerful voices that are out there both in book form and online:

Walt Curtis, Don Kloss, David Elsey, Jon Varga, Sherry Asbury, Virginia Davis, Douglas Spangle, Guy Kettelhack, James H. Duncan, E. D. Ridgell, Dylan Mitchell (yes, I dare to include myself because I know I ONCE had an authentic voice. However, it was gradually silenced by the academic world which only allows deluded members of quite expensive "workshops" to be called a poet).

Oh, and my best poems are hidden in newspapers, zines, and my private journals which will most likely be chucked down the garbage chute when I finally escape from this crazy money hungry world. Sadly, This is the fate of some of our most gifted poets.

Appreciate the great ones while you can! Don't let the academic world (and its many bitter critics) tell you what to read: Let your heart and mind lead you in the right direction. Trust me, you won't regret it:

Jon Varga, Don Kloss, David Elsey, Walt Curtis, Sherry Asbury, Virginia Davis, Douglas Spangle, James H. Duncan, Guy Kettelhack,  E. D. Ridgell, Dylan Mitchell (saved myself for last). If you like real poetry, these are the poets to seek out and discover what the meaning of life (and death's) really all about. Just do a quick Google search. It's as simple (and profound) as that.

Oh, and stay away from the pretentious University presses: That's where the worst poetry is found. And they charge an arm and a leg big time - just adding more insult to injury. Don't let them play you for a fool.

Poem Copyright 1934 by William Carlos Williams

Rant Copyright 2018 by Dylan Mitchell

THE STORY OF MY FATHER: CAT'S IN THE CRADLE - HARRY CHAPIN

I first heard this song on the radio in 1975. It totally reminded me of how my father (if you can call him that) treated me all of my life: I only actually got to meet him around ten times. He never paid child support. And my last "meeting" with him was during my late teens in which he took me to a bunch of bars and pool halls (where he liked to hustle people for money), and had no problem at all telling me my new shoes and long hair made me look like a faggot. Nice.

I decided right then and there that I no longer wanted to try and get to know this monstrosity of a man that had no business bringing children into this world ( because he was so good looking, he forever used women as a meal ticket). He couldn't care less about any of the many children he brought into this world.

Much later, I was astonished to receive a phone call from the latest woman he was involved with asking me to come and live with them to help take care of my dying father. I was polite to the woman, but when my "father" picked up the phone, I told him if he really wanted to know my feelings on the subject - then listen to this great Harry Chapin song. He didn't even know who Harry Chapin was. That speaks volumes alone. (My so-called father was a musician).

P.S. BTW, I am NOT saying Harry Chapin was related to me in any way. I am merely saying that his great song reminded me of my abusive relationship with my own father big time. Harry Chapin was a true artist. My father was a total bastard.

Music Copyright 1974 by Harry Chapin

EDWARD GOREY AND HIS CATS (FOR JON)

Click on image to make larger

FINALLY WATCHED LOVING VINCENT DVD...

This film is a miracle: It's like the best of Vincent's paintings come to life! If you love fine art, then I suggest you take a very long peek.

Oh, and the music is far from shabby: You cannot do much better than Don McLean's ode to Vincent:

Watch. Listen. Learn. Vincent's art and life will forever remain an enigma. His mystery continues until this day.

Paintings Copyright by Vincent Van Gogh

Music Copyright by Don McLean