Thoughts on Nothing (At All?)

Dear Readers,

Today I feel that I should make a blog post but I'm not sure what about. That really is quite a shame with all the things I could write about; Iron Man 3, the weather, mental health issues, politics, music etc. Instead I make this post rather selfishly for my own benefit and I expect no one else to get amusement from it because, like Sienfeld, this post is about nothing.

I think, in some strange twisted way, that that is actually what this post is about. A few years ago I would have been perfectly fine with something about nothing but looking back my only actual filler is about nothing. All my nothing has been terrible and their all things I can't believe that I have written. That may sound egotistical to many of you but take a moment and look at my other blogs. You will see a 365 challenge for writing. A 365 challenge that I completed when I was in high school. To top that off, most of the poems I wrote in that challenge I've effectively thrown out. That's right, I've written hundreds of poems and I've thrown out hundreds.

A few years ago, if some one told me they felt to restricted in their poetry style I would have been happy to tell them to do what ever they want. Now I tell them to change what they are doing entirely and learn a new format of poetry because making yourself be restricted in a way that allows for learning is the best way to feel unrestricted.

A few years ago, if I was writing a play I wouldn't put much (or any) thought into the visual proportion. I am currently writing a play based on "The Rock" by Harry Chapin- and while I am only half way through the first draft- and the opening stage directions are pretty explicit on how the lighting should be. Its pretty impressionistic and I am proud of that.

A few years ago, my research was looking up an article on Wikipedia. Today, I spend hours investigating a single issue and finding opinions from the community involved in that issue. Let us take an example, such as autism. For those who are not aware autism is a developmental disorder that is highly volatile in every way, shape and form during conversations. Why use autism you may ask? Good question reader I made up in my head; you see while doing research on the show Community I found a comparative essay about the character Abed on the former show and Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory and how the two characters engage in relation to autism. This piqued my interest and from doing more research I learned that Satashi Tajiri has Asperger's.

To those unaware of who Satoshi Tajiri is, he is the man who invented Pokemon. From there on out I have been attempting to research all the different opinions of people who have autism (or "autistic people" if you don't agree with people first. In my case I go by something that Edward Albee once said about how he is not a gay writer but rather a writer who is gay because one must transcend self) because I am convinced that in ten years time we will take away the microphone from groups and give it to individuals. From there we learn want the people want and not what we want. And of course there is a huge distinction: As such I want to urge my fellow artists reading this to hear the voices so that when the time comes we already know what we think and we can be ahead of the game. We can be a defining generation.

I don't think I'll put this up on Facebook (they only like me for my poetry),

Michael Hand

Waiting on Memories

Oh? I can see this clock
Tick away my every
Waking hour. So merry
Does time move (a dock)
And keep static (the rock)-
But not for poor Gregory.
He slowly waits on memory
Which will never knock.
The matters of the stars
Shall never rest upon the mind;
Which belongs to a measure
As singular as it is--------------------------far.
Abandoned by their treasure:
    ( Those who are lost shall never seek- to find.)

From which the horses drive

In the darkest hour
From which the Horses drive
Through the tunnels
Where time does not see.

From which the horses drive
I cannot tell;
Through the tunnels
The maze continues.

I cannot tell:
Through the tunnels
The Maze continues
In the darkest hour.

The Wisdom of Children

I saw across the landscape
A truly antique ruin of a kingdom.
The golden strands of tape
Laid across the wisdom of children
And my conscious did stir
When it appeared that one did move
However, when I was near,
I did see that there was no love present
Or that any did approve.
The look of true fear
And the lack of stony grooves
Only did steer
Me away on quick hooves.

Day Will be Here?

I: Don't know
What I: will do
Sitting across the wing
Off the hall.

Nothing is natural
Except for the Primal
Instinct to reach out
Towards what we don't have

With the knowledge
That soon after dark
We will feel the sun
Touch upon our skins.

But nothing is natural;
The nature is less than natural-
Divided among our tone
And sheathed swords.

I: Don't know
What we do-
Staring straight
Through the abyss

A darkness we all know
Encroaches as we stand.
Before long, nothing is there;
The desire to feel the Sun having faded.

The ease to stand
Alone in the darkness
Is much too desirable
And so we leave.

Night has lifted
The Earthly hues
Behind a mask and
The truth is beyond present:
The Deceiver clear.

And so we stood;
Alone in the darkness
With our swords sheathed
And the ever present reminder:

Nothing is Natural.
At least Day will be here soon?

A Basic Expose on the History of Horses

Dear readers,

Today I was informed by my Human Origins Professor that I will be giving a presentation on the history of the evolution of horses sometime this semester and so I would like to use this post as a starting point in order to get thoughts together on the issue.

First, my credentials: I rode horses in competition over the course of about three or four years and I have done barn work when I fed, watered and cleaned the horses and the stables. Over the course of this time I made a point of learning horse morphology and its origins and how we are effecting the horse today.

The sum total of what I know so far is that horses started as smaller, multi toed creatures. Over time they grew and kept only one toe, which is now called a hoof. The major issues of their morphology are that their eyes are on the side of their head (meaning that they have two blind spots; One directly in front of them and one directly behind them) and a delicate digestive system.

Perhaps the larger problem is the digestive system, although the ramifications of the blind spots will be touched upon next. The largest problem for a horse posed by its digestive tract is known as colic. Colic is an upset stomach which is a problem that is exacerbated by an inability for the horse to vomit. Colic can be caused by things as simple as overfeeding or missing a few meals so great care must go into making sure the horse eats the right amount.

On topic of the blind spots, they must be kept in mind when handling a horse. If you were to create a disturbance directly in front or behind a horse with out the horse knowing that you are there the horse may get spooked which will be trouble in close quarters as a kick will easily land you in a hospital.

As to what I know of our selective breeding of horses is that a lot of it has been for racing. The Thoroughbred, one of the most popular horse breeds, was bred to be good at racing. Race horses are characterized by lighter leg bones, which allow them to run faster at the price that they are susceptible to injury.

Before I close, I wish to give a safety note: Horses, ponies and miniature horses are not dogs. I know many people who seem to think that they are like dogs, although this seems to go for ponies in particular as not many people are savvy as to what a miniature horse is. All three of the animals I just mentioned are smarter and more dangerous than a dog. Dogs can bite you but so can horses. Horses can also kick you. People are often wary of this around horses but I will vouch from experience that all caution is thrown aside once a person is near a pony.

The problem this causes is that the pony to become spoiled and makes it more likely to act up. Anything a horse can do, so can a pony. As such, to prevent any accidents, I'd like to ask my readers to treat all varieties of horses as horses and not as dogs.

I hope I didn't bore you,

Michael Hand

Shadow in the Dark

I am a Shadow

In the Dark-

Clumsily waiting-

To see where I am

In the light.

The shadowy air

Shows in my breath

Which pulsates heavily

As our eyes lock.

What is less

Than myself,

I am forced to ask,

Than a Shadow?

If I’m a Shadow

Then what is less?

What is it that

I see in this darkness

And which sees me?

Then the great being

His endless shadow

Turns and gleams its teeth

Like scythes across a void.

They rip through the darkness

As more darkness rises

And all shadows eaten.

It smiles at me

And in those scythes

-Beady Eyes

Which show understanding.

Then I know what I am:

I am a Shadow

In the Light.