Maineland Election Day

The rain in Maine
falls Maine-ly on my head
until I get in my truck
then I realize it is falling on my windshield
then I realize I should get new wipers
(then I realize everyone elected for new windshield wipers)
then I realize the compost pile in the bed of my truck is coming along nicely


The rain in Maine falls and falls and falls and falls
on state election day
it is a beautiful Maine day
even with a slightly sore throat
we voted down a library expansion
and a Native American casino


The rain in Maine is falling so hard
when I leave the Maine State Library Museum Archive
that I can't see straight
'Ahoy. Is the parking over here?! The whole lot?'
I followed a lobsterman, a clamdigger, a Mainer
out of the sea of rain and past the waves
the Subaru waves
by the time we got to the open lot
only me and the lobsterman remained


The rain in Maine
drops/keeps falling on my head
my eyes are flailing through the sea of cars
automos, automos, everywhere. None of them mine.
I can't get a reading on my truck.
Can't see the horizon or the sun.
the stars blotted out by ... parking lot lighting!

MAINE!?

(curse and bless you)

Maine Modes of Transit

KV CAP, or Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (a nonprofit organization) is the public transportation around Augusta Maine. A pretty active public transit system for such a small place.


Backhoes are another way to get around Maine's developing territory.


'Dodging Skunks' or nighttime walking is another way to get around in Maine.

Maine: Day / Night

Today, in a way, the world is as small as a globe.
Living in Maine?
Yes. And you?


The Mad Tea Party from N.C., played at The Liberal Cup in Hallowell Maine last night. They played ragtime music, mountain music, Blue Ridge mountain music. Approximately five years ago I was at a music festival in Black Mountain, N.C., the Lake Eden Arts Festival, LEAF '02. It is a venue The Mad Tea Party now plays at. A mountain music festival.

Hurricane Noel Hits Augusta Maine

Hurricane Noel (pronounced Noll), by the time it reached The Maine land.*

Noel is basically nothing to Mainers. Need I remind you? brackish waters here.

*According to some historians Maine was named by sailors and fisherman off the coast hundreds of years ago. The sailors would refer to Maine in their manuscripts as 'The Maineland,' and on second reference often just 'Maine,' or 'The Maine.'


Canada is where we get our oil from here in Maine. Irving gas stations. Irving is based out of New Brunswick (I think). Irving is also where the Kennebec Journal gets its coffee. Well, sometimes it is brewed in-house or purchased at Tim's aka Tim Horton's. (Also of Canada.) ...

110207, Sewall Street

Santa looks out the window of a garage on Sewall Street in Augusta Maine.

Yesterday I mistook the low hum of a Chinese buffet for a small plane. I stopped on the sidewalk waited for the plane to fly over until I realized it was nonexistent.

I may start referring to all storms and natural disasters as "the wrath of god."

110207, Maine Captol

"Maine?!"
- Me

Augusta Maine Report, 103107

Development stops me from becoming a hippie.
I was thinking about becoming
a hippy and moving into the woods
behind the newspaper where I
work as a copy editor as a
way to save money. Or I
was, until the woods came
under development and is now
a shopping plaza w/ Lowes
Hardware, Best Buy!, etc.


Man continues to read his manuscript at Court & Chapel Streets in Augusta Maine.


I am reminded of America.

Exciting?: Usually Not Maine

I went to the University of Maine Augusta yesterday to see what kind of classes they offer. No grad classes at all at the Augusta campus. I might take Creative Writing II next semester. Classes are like $600 a semester. I think I still have some G.I. Bill money left.


Sometimes Maine is so boring I am happy to see the man at the corner of Chapel & Church Streets reading his manuscript, smoking a cigarette.


I record myself talking and play it back to myself in order to have a conversation in Maine. I am going crazy. It is comical.

Augusta Maine Report, 102907

1. Wal-mart provides me with monoculture. And a place to recycle plastic bags.


2. Lithgow Library provides me with worldly culture. I checked out a couple documentaries. It was the first time I had watch "Born Into Brothels." I would really like to teach a "Kids with Cameras" program. Maybe somewhere in the U.S. Like Maine.

Hallowell Maine, 102907

Hallowell Maine 102907 one.


Hallowell Maine 102907 two.


Hallowell Maine 102907 three.


Hallowell Maine 102907 four.

Day Off, Augusta Maine

1. Cooked rice.


2. Talked on Phone.
I was talking on the phone to my good friend Jabari. I was telling him about the unique lobsterman/agricultural/tree- and Wal-Mart-filled culture of Maine. Then I told Jabari about his own background. He has a great African-American background. He spent part of his childhood in Africa. He grew up in D.C. His parents live in Chicago. He now lives and goes to grad school in Manhattan. All places noted for their strong African-American Heritage (especially Africa). A perfect example of African-American culture.
I told him I am like the "Karate Kid" of culture. My mom, a single parent, drove us to Southern California to start a new life in the early 80s.
"But you never met Mr. Miyagi," Jabari said.
I took karate in the park. Is Miyagi that huge of a difference?