Vetiver

(Concert/Music Reviews)

I Know No Pardon had an enormous influence on me when I started writing songs and it is the only reason I went to see Vetiver last night. And as I listen to it now, it is as beautiful as when I first heard it. They made me wait a long time to hear it though, what with 2 openers and starting late. That was expected as evidenced by the inconspicuous, untraceable venue. It was so fucking hip I am reluctant to give away the location for fear that the plaided up-headband wearing-mustached hipster Gestapo will come a callin'.

It was worth it. They were tight and covered a great Townes Van Zandt tune: Standin'. A pattern that has not gone unnoticed: bands that cover Townes + hipsters, minus a card game = my general location.

About to go on a serious Gillian Welch bender,

B.

Goodbye Fox; Goodbye Crow

(Fiction/Poetry)

Dear mother,

The waters have grown black and deep and something wicked underneath stirs. Things have grown ugly and a storm is gathering at the edge of the world. The fox took heavy to spirits and seems to be falling apart rapidly. I couldn't take it any longer, and you were right, I should have never kept company with the crow. He was caught cheating an angry parliament of great horned owls. Only the crow would try such a move. He found himself in a 5 card stud marathon and couldn't help himself. They chewed off his left wing behind the towering red barn.

Can you imagine? Me underneath a howling moon threading a pine needle with a spider web, wondering where I went wrong? I tried like hell to sew a playing card (jack of diamonds) to the crow's body in place of his wing, but my efforts were no match for the river of blood. I tell you he had a good heart mother, but that wasn't enough for him; it's never enough for them. He died in my arms as the fox stumbled around muttering incomprehensible maxims. I left that muttering sonofabitch to his own devices.

I picked up a new blade at the country store and passed along your words to Jonas Steer. He's sending for you in a week. As for now I'm off to see a spider in the pines. Wish me luck.

Love,

B.

Cats and Birds

Praying for birds

Tifft Nature Preserve

Sizing Up Another Year

(Mix)

III.

Dearest mother,

I've been so busy with the end of the semester I haven't had the time to pen you. But school is tapering off like the winter's last snow and now I sit ready to pass the days in a sluggish torpor. I tell you mother, this business of card playing is some sort of devil. It has been a full 365 days and over 1,000 hrs. and like we thought, we are not rich, but we are not broke, and I suppose that is more than most in these curious times. Self destruction has pinned herself to my sleeve every once and a while, but don't you know, I've found ways to whisk her away like cigarette smoke? She comes scratching late in the evening and sometimes I curl up like I've seen a ghost, sweating, turning and tossing, but sometimes we waltz into the purple morning hours, carrying on like old lovers and rattling our old bones. However, we know it will never be, so I open the window and let her disappear into the world.

You might be surprised to hear that I have moved on from strictly playing Hold'em. The beauty of variation! I am getting to a comfortable spot in most games. I've learned and lost and won and studied. At the moment I am playing online in a cash game rotation of 8 of following games, 6 hands of each:

2-7 limit triple draw
Limit Hold'em
Limit Omaha H/L
Razz
Limit Stud
Limit Stud H/L
No Limit Hold'Em
Pot Limit Omaha

I do okay. The rotation has rekindled my spirit and thirst for no limit cash games as the past year I have focused primarily on learning the mixed limit games. I've really taken to Limit Stud H/L, mother. I don't play in many tournaments, but my only 1st place finish was in Stud H/L over the past year. Also came in 2nd in one as well. So I have been thinking about the World Series of Poker Stud H/L event. If I can go on a run here I may make a trip to mecca, but that is most likely not to happen because of school.

What do you think: do we have another year in us? I feel pretty good I must say. Taking care of school and getting outside and playing music and writing keeps me somewhat balanced. No worse than before anyways. There is this business about graduation at the end of the summer though, so I'll have to be moving on soon. We will be in touch, but for now give my love to all.

From the other side of the world,

B.