Talking Points

* Kris Benson has been traded to the Orioles for cast-offs. The Mets should somehow figure out a way to keep Ms. Anna Benson.

* Was gonna spend a lot of time going insane about Legitimate Dangers, drawing cartoons, the whole deal: the full Jimmy. But I looked at it and I'm moving on (our bookstore only sold 50 [out of the 200 they'd wanted ordered] at back to back events Thursday and Friday, ugh. We might have to build a fort out of them.) Being in the anthology should be punishment enough for all involved. That Claudia Rankine blurb's a heavy anvil to carry, wear that GENIUS bling proudly.

* A new poetry tape by Al Queda dude. Maybe we could score him a week at the No Tell Motel and a New Voices page at Tin House. And he could cut this shit out.

* Someone was urging me to make fun of poets like Dan Beachy-Quick. Is it important that I make fun of poets like Dan Beachy-Quick? I live in a Dan Beachy-Quick Free Universe. I have no opinion on him, I don't think I've read more than one poem by him. I did do a cartoon about him: if I get hundreds of e-mails supporting the posting of the cartoon, maybe I'll throw it up. I'm told I'm much cooler when I attack the establishment. I don't really know who the poetic establishment is. I really like making fun of David Lehman.

* From the Jinx Department: we're cheering for Panthers and Steelers, although it would be nice for Seattle if they got into the Superbowl. Even though I think Holmgren is a complete fraud.

Without Peppers the Panthers might be vulnerable. And with Goings. But I have to think a groggy Alexander is gonna get hit in the helmet in the first quarter and will avoid contact.

* Theo's back and all is right with the Soxiverse. As soon as they get a major league CF and ss.

* Thinking of relapsing at some point after my 3rd year of sobriety. Not drinking has made me even more insane and dangerous than drinking, it seems. I haven't made any decisions yet but I'm frustrated that not drinking hasn't made me into the kind of guy I wanted to always be: I still have a lot of things to work on and I was hoping for such a quick fix. Like, why am I still such a little *asshole*?