can it be? after all these years!

sulu, originally uploaded by carbonator.

it's official, Helmsman Sulu of the Star Ship Enterprise has come OUT. Here. We're even more proud of you, George Takei!

destruction

motelpoolawning, originally uploaded by carbonator.

you know, it's one thing to complain about the government's abyssmal non-response to hurricane Katrina but when the disaster happens to you personally, the complaints really take on another dimension. so, we survived hurricane Wilma and south florida took a royal beating. i want to thank fellow bloggers like Jean, Ivy, and Paolo who asked how we did during the hurricane. FEMA is still messing up while some people are dying out there. our governor jeb bush is blaming local officials for not preparing enough and he also has the gall to say that individuals should carry part of the blame for not stocking up adequate supplies. i know of several 90 year-old seniors who bought just one jug of bottled water and two loaves of bread because that's all they could carry up the three flights of stairs of their apt buildings. there are so many people that live below the poverty line who could not afford to buy four cans of SPAM, a flash light, and bottled water because they had to fill up their cars with overly high-priced gas. there is no electricity, no FEMA, no gas, no hope. again, the poor, the seniors, and the most in need during a disaster are not being helped by their federal government.

pole,giorgio's

pole,giorgio's, originally uploaded by carbonator.

down by giorgio's bistro bakery a pole leans dangerously . . .

carwindowdamage

carwindowdamage, originally uploaded by carbonator.

across the street parked cars all had their windows blown out. same side.

calmocean

calmocean, originally uploaded by carbonator.

our condo complex did suffer major structural damage. apts on the top floors were hit so hard by the winds that some hurricane shutters failed and actually sucked out the contents of the apts. this is the beautiful ocean the day after the hurricane.

poolfencedown

poolfencedown, originally uploaded by carbonator.

our upper pool fence knocked down. both pools are filled with muck, sand, pebbles, shutter parts, and fishies. they will have to be drained and cleaned.

restaurantwindows

restaurantwindows, originally uploaded by carbonator.

our little condo restaurant destroyed

women'sgym

women'sgym, originally uploaded by carbonator.

glass everywhere!

gymceiling

gymceiling, originally uploaded by carbonator.

view of women's gym from outside.

billiardroomdestroyed

poolroomdestroyed, originally uploaded by carbonator.

inside view of game room.

walkwayceiling

walkwayceiling, originally uploaded by carbonator.

our intrepid security/doorman Rolf looks over the heavy damage to walkway ceiling

a still from my film/visual poem:

still, originally uploaded by carbonator.

Can You Lower Your Trope, Please?

to be shown at the Luna Star Literary Salon
on Nov. 10, 2005
along with poetry readings by cool friends
David Trinidad and Jim Brock

770 N.E. 125th Street
North Miami, Florida 33161

Dia de los Difuntos, detail

collagebox,detail, originally uploaded by carbonator.

the poem is written on strips of film.

collagebox: Dia de los Difuntos

collagebox, originally uploaded by carbonator.

here's my latest vispo piece. my friend maureen seaton had put out a call for collage boxes for an upcoming exhibit in miami to celebrate Day of the Dead. i have an older poem that tackles that topic.

an awesome visual artist and a poet

Shirin Neshat on poetry and metaphor in Iranian art:

"Some tendencies are really inherent in an artist and I think the visual language, the poetics [in my work] is because I'm Iranian. Because of the way I deal with the world and because I'm so emotional and because of the way I express myself -- it is so Iranian. Maybe all the Iranians really like the poetic language. For me poetry is religion... Iranian people have also suffered many political hardships over the time of history and poetry has been a system that has allowed them to survive and transcend the pain, but also to express themselves."

At some point one must reveal the artists that one looks to that drives their own art. Aside from Shirin Neshat, there is Jenny Holzer, and the mesmerizing Sophie Calle.