Microdosing Monday 4/29/24
Today’s date is a palindrome. Today is also Monday. It’s a rare treat that I know the day and date at the same time, and now you do, too. Let’s microdose it together shall we?
Last week I got in off the road from my big poetry tour, and barely got unpacked before heading down to Owensboro, KY Saturday for Bards & Busker Fest, an event featuring over 25 poets and three bands, organized by Kentucky poet Joseph Fulkerson. It was only five hours from where my camper is parked, so I drove down and back in one day, and spent most of yesterday paying for it.
I love being out on the road. Few things make my heart come alive like roadtrips, adventure, going new places, and meeting new people that you’d never find sitting at home. But I equally love being home, in my own space, with my comfortable bed and a shower nearby. I love sitting around and reading and dreaming about poetry, and spending hours and hours alone, listening to music, writing, reading books, staring at the clouds in the sky.
So, after the busiest month of my life traveling as a poet, a total of nine readings in 16 days, I’m looking forward to spending much time alone and home, doing my thing, and exploring the nearby creeks, bookstores, coffee dates with artist friends, finding local-ish readings and artist gatherings I can get to.
Unless someone comes up with tempting offers I can’t turn down for touring, I’m done and hunkering down until October/November when I plan to read in Nashville, then head out west for readings in Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Las Vegas and other parts yet not scheduled or known.
For now, and in the weeks ahead, I turn my focus to a dozen art projects that are all at various stages. There’s books to compile, and finish writing. A documentary I want to edit and work on. Some community projects and poetry performance ideas in the planning. I’m trying new things, and having fun with writing and art, and honestly, there’s so much work to do as an artist that it’s hard to get myself to focus on much else. If my goal was to someday be awash in nothing but art, community, poetry, performances, etc then I’ve been wildly successful.
One new idea I’m working on that I’m comfortable sharing with you on this mischievous spring Monday, if you’re a stoner of any caliber, it’s likely you’re familiar with the plastic tubes many pre-rolled joints come in. I am a stoner, and I’ve got a ton of those plastic tubes, and I’ve been wracking my brain to find a creative repurposed use for them. I finally thought of something fun to try. The Pre-Rolled Poem. I ordered 100 labels, and I’m going to order some fancy parchment style printing paper this week, and I’m going to print 10 copies of 10 of my poems, and roll them up in little ribbons, and there you go, a new, fun way to get poems in people’s hands. I’ll be working on the first ones this coming week.
Also, in the middle of all my wanderings, my publisher Roadside Press made a big announcement. They’re releasing a hard back edition of my most recent novel, The Dead and the Desperate. The book is on presale now for $25, and I will provide a link and photo at the bottom of this blog. This is the first time any of my work has been published hard back style, and this will enable me to get my work into a lot more libraries. Did you know you can request your local library to order books you want to read, including requesting them to order a copy of my book for their shelves? It’s true. You can. You could.
This week, if you’d like to join me in intentional practice of focus, I’m working hard at staying in the moment. It takes a lot of work for me to keep my focus and attention on the things I have, instead of the things I want, but when I’m grateful for what I have instead of focused on wanting things, my life is so much happier and easier to live. Staying connected and tethered inside each day keeps me from worrying and stressing myself stupid about the unknown days and weeks ahead.
So I’ve been working mindfully on enjoying this moment. The other day I forgot I’d bought a small can of Pringles for a late night munch. When stoned me found them again at 2am, comrades, those potato chips were an indescribable delicacy. I savored each salty bite, potato chip crumbs and flecks of fake cheddar seasoning collecting in my beard as I laughed with each crunchy bite. Life can be good, even in the hard times, if I let it.
Do good or do nothing.
-Dan
Hard back pre sale
Pre rolled poems coming to your pants pockets and purses soon.
Southern Indiana poet Michael Duckwall took this photo of me reading at Bards & Busker fest in Kentucky last Saturday