Experienced

A few thoughts before I begin. I’m feeling pretty good about my initial capstone proposal. I have spent random free time over the past couple of weeks trying to find the perfect name for my pending folk-Americana appreciation page, and I am close to using “Mother Art Folk Review”. It’s hard to explain why I like this name so much, but it has a feel (when spoken or read) of somewhere between old-timey America and the 70’s. The other reason is that I wanted to find a name that really speaks to the mission of adding and introducing art to our cultural landscape. “Mother Art” was an idea I came up with to describe the wellspring of creativity that all artists share. Nothing comes from nothing, and all art has roots. This is still just a beta name though…

Secondly, I’m really glad I have chosen to include some music in my capstone project and presentation. At first I was a little nervous. I worried that music was going to steal my focus from intensive time spent on writing prose and poetry, but the decision seems to have invigorated me across the boards and I’m writing on all cylinders. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the sensation of accepting and embracing my role as multi-genre artist feels very empowering, and that sense of empowerment seems to be stimulating me creatively. Sweet!

I’m including a link in this post to a songwriter who is currently influencing my fiction and songwriting theory. Her name is Courtney Barnett and she wrote this song “The Avant Gardener” in a form that is more like prose-poetry than typical lyrical styling. The storytelling element blends in with the tone of her voice and the sparse guitar to weave a tale the likes of a 60’s Bob Dylan story song. She won all kinds of awards for this tune, so I’m not holding myself to the unreasonable standard of trying to invent something this amazing right away, but it’s a great creative direction to work toward.

I’m currently having a hard time writing the long-form story lyrics required to create a song like this, and it has occurred to me that maybe I’ll have to try writing the music first. For the time being I chose to write a prose-poem based on my concept of a common template for a Craigslist Ad. I’m hoping to expand and edit this as part of my capstone, along with some of the other work I’ve already done this semester. The idea is to blend hard hitting confessional type stuff seamlessly into a larger tapestry. There are some forms emerging that I am not yet able to describe, but I’m thinking that maybe, just maybe this could turn into a long-form piece for me.

Experienced Seeking More

Experienced liar seeks truth.

Experienced afternoon indoor shadow seeks soft outside light.

Experienced fire-starter seeks rain squall.

Experienced lazer gun in search of sci-fi battle. Emphasis on ducking and dodging.

Experienced rubber band flinger seeks location help behind couch, no shoot-backs.

Experienced quitter seeks long term solution, emphasis on hope, neatness, and ability to pay bills on time.

Experienced rage seeks peace.

Experienced echo seeks series of corners.

Experienced planet seeks new master race. Renewable energy fans and peace-niks move to the front of the line!

Experienced soloist seeks perfect moment.

Experienced moment seeks appreciative soloist, sympathetic players wanted.

Experienced debtor seeks credit relief. Also searching for general relief from stress, peer pressure, and otherness.

Experienced other seeks place in space.

Experienced friend seeks jumper cable for foundering relationship. Emphasis on ability to take back most of 2007. Time machine operators or wizards would be a perfect fit. Mystics and faith healers please apply elsewhere.

Experienced bleh seeks blah for help fixing grey afternoons and solving early a.m. alarm clock wars. Sheet de-tanglers, coffee makers and storytellers to make mornings memorable appreciated. Jerks need not apply.

Experienced positivity looking for sticky tape, old love letters, and belly laughs to help keep mental and emotional house afloat. If your paint is peeled just right, if you know a place where tall trees sway in the wind, if you meant to be kinder, if that was the wrong number- off by one digit, if you were open to suggestions until the point where your hands started hurting and the headaches began, if you want 1-2 roommates to help split the music, if you get the idea, if you’re ready, I’m in.

Experienced out, looking in. I used to do this thing in the 90’s. Might have lost the ability but still have reliable transportation and tools. Seeking a boss or lover that won’t break me down.

Experienced stoner seeks escape from alcoholic past. Colorado, California, Oregon and pipe dreamers, please move to the head of the line. Pleasant fictions are ok. Cats: purr. Dogs: woof.

Experienced nap wanted for R.EM. and general relaxation.

The Courtney Barnett Link:

(There are two songs on here, The Avant Gardener is the first one.)