notesong

As the yearly count down swags and boogies to electro-night club Dub beat around the county, tourists and locals--check out the smaller news print and online sources (like my favorites) Night and Day, City Beat, the Troubador, and the Reader. This New Year's Eve San Diego will offer a variety flavored evening ranging from traditional quiet bonding at home, church watch night services, public accessible open air park parties, to mega private expensive themed festivities: 2011 is ending in our Western measurement scheme called "time" that marks our existence. It has been an intense year. For those who want and like to laugh on New Year's Eve, try Horton Plaza's new comedy stage.  http://madhousecomedyclub.com/calendar.php Mad House Comedy Club is nestled between the Panda Inn and Nordstrums on the mall's upper level. It offers Lunch and Dinner daily with a menu of steaks, salads, burgers and much more. It is on the circuit, which means audiences can enjoy ...

Well, it's Veteran's Day and I have been walking to ease my mind. As I walked by the Midway Museum, one of our San Diego News 8 people, Larry Himmel, was getting ready to record a segment for the evening. I shared my thoughts about creating an amateur Veteran's Day 2011 video Journal. He said, "You know, sometimes images make the most powerful statement. Do it!" And so, I selected several video shorts to frame my day's experience. A teachable/mentor moment from a respected journalist who is community oriented. I decided to share a few with Carpenoctum readers.  It was a wonderful day. Thank you Mr. Himmel! Hope all of you experienced a Veteran's Day of remembrance and celebration. Delores Fisher

      Dr. David Ward-Steinman and Nadia Boulanger Photo: Al Fenn. Composing music is an interesting process, so many combinations of sounds and silence. Today's twenty-first century sonic landscape is replete with pre-packaged(sampled) as well as real time natural and artificial sound. Choices are extensive. Through the empathetic ears of a gifted producer and sound equiptment, our music receives its first filtering interpretation. Contemporary composers' mental roadmap(musical score/soundscape) is often assisted by producers who work many hours to shape the completed sound.  These full recorded works of collaborative creative expression are splashed onto the surface of our daily-real sonic wash, usually through the additional filter of earphones. It's a sonic moulding process of infinitessimal moments.The composer's roadmap is removed behind several layers . I enjoy this type of recording, however, I often prefer the raw, good and bad...

We sing together softly, on occasion, while searching through several boxes of  Popular piano and vocal sheet music for hours. Hushed laughter dances around jokes and anecdotes. It's difficult to contain my excitement. Today we are looking at pre- and turn of the Twentieth Century music. Mr. Meades gingerly removes the music from their containers and shows me the proper way to handle fragile pages more than a century old. What can I say about a man who shares his love of music so freely? Each moment he guides me through another box is like walking through a sonic looking glass. This treasure chest is the collection that he has graciously donated to the San Diego States Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. http://infotutor.sdsu.edu/scua/readingroom.cfm HERE'S A SHOUT OUT 'CAUSE: the Special Collections staff is extremely knowledgeable and patiently assist when Mr. Meades is not on site. Librarian Gloria Rhodes keeps me anchored when I need to proces...

Bay walking . . . Summer Break San Diego Bay early morning walks always rejuvenate. Bayside near the Embarcadero embraces gentle flow early morning clouds, screeching sea gulls swirling, fish scented seaside breezes, sweaty joggers and wharf fishermen. On a few occasions, guitar chords and voices serenade. One morning during the summer, a saxophone echoed its plaintive wail into the harbor gray silk sky. I followed the sorrow song to its source. A slender man with sandy hair and weary eyes held his axe against the wind. When he finished, we began to talk. His name is Christopher. One is reminded of the Joni Mitchell song "Playin' Real Good For Free." Chris has played clubs the world over, taught music theory at a university,and sat in with quite a few famous bands. In today's music circles, many still remember him. Now his sonic gifts create an outdoor club gig, signifying to the sky, donations accepted. And many oblige, thanking him for his sounds. Sitting on the...

Wednesday September 28, 2011    4:30 PM Mini-Banned Books Reading Marathon San Diego California Central Library 820 E Street                                                                     San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 236-5816 www.sandiegolibrary.org I am one of several poet/authors who will participate in a reading marathon at the San Diego Central Public Library. The event is free to the public and also has an open mic time slot for those who want to read from their favorite banned book.  (Link below supplied by librarian Jennifer Geran) http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/reason...

Well, by now most of you know that this show, this season, is an interesting melange of artistic endeavor. International judging team Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Mandel had their plates full as they participated in multi-genre delineation. As my readers know by now,  I am not a fan of such shows; however, I have been watching this season's "America's Got Talent." Everyone has a favorite. Mine is Team i Luminate. Technology can only extend to the limits of one's imagination. Choreotechorgrapher (Yes, I just coined a word) and i Luminate's leader Miral Kotb's work so far hints at future artistic terrains in process of becoming, anticipating media/art fusions. i Luminate technology is the world's first wireless lighting system according to the official website: http://iluminate.com Team i Luminate is an international modern/popular dance ensemble. It is one of several groups who have decided to further explore the concept and embed ...

As we approach the ten year memorial of 911, Americans and fellow global neighbors remember extinguished lives of individuals who died in that day's crashes and from the toxic atmosphere after the towers' collapse.   These lives represent a cross section of humanity. The were also acquaintances, co-workers, friends, family, community. When San Diego's poetry community came together to grieve, Marc Kokinos, a local spoken word Open Mic host for a weekly gathering called Poetic Brew,  invited us to create poems, songs, and inspirational perspectives. We sat in heavy silence at the start of the memorial. The room filled to overflow as we held each other and sat united at Claire de Lune Cafe. We were in community, group healing, group consolation.  Several guest artists were asked to speak. When I took the stage, it seemed as if a weight had settled about my shoulders. Struggling beneath the burden of my peers, this is my poem presented that evening.     Statis...

 It's August 2011and the poets are writing, speaking, and sharing their truth!                      Poet Delores Fisher in Tijuana during a Border Crossing Reading Exciting news from one of my poetry sources-- Olga Gutierrez Garcia  A movement is growing among young poets, including young women poets transcending de frontiera . Located in Tijuana and throughout Mexico, these poets are dedicated to reaching the masses with a message of  cultural critique, inspiration, hope, vibrancy, and creativity. According to Olga: "The young poets in Tijuana belong to a group called Colectivo Intransigente . They are all over the place, not only in TJ,  but all over Mexico. Many of the poets are multi-disciplinary musicians, dancers, video producers singers  etc."  Congratulations to the new trailblazers. My generation of US and Mexican poets have interacted over previous years in cultural artistic exchange that...

  Now that Comic-Con International after-glow is wearing off, I must admit July 20th(Preview Night)-24th was especially fun and exciting for San Diegans this year because of the event's scope. And for those early birds who plan ahead,Comic-Con's official website is already set up for next year's July 12-15 2012 registration. http://www.comic-con.org   This unconventional convention morphed into a city event as it utilized Petco Park and its parking lot, sprawled out onto East Village's J Street and was linked to the Red Carpet World Premier of "Cowboys and Aliens" at the internationally acclaimed San Diego Civi Theater which hosts a variety of stellar events including Opera and Broadway productions.  http://www.sandiegotheatres.org/ During Comic-Con,  San Diego's traditional tourist spots--the Convention Center, Seaport Village and the Embarcadero hosted thousands of attendees. Downtown streets were also flowing with resident and visitor Comic-Con at...