OMM (On My Mind) – February 2024 – #1
~ a curated selection of discoveries ~
::: The Open :::
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoy this weekly newsletter (published on Sundays).
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Thank you for reading and for your time.
With Gratitude,
Mark
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::: Personal Notes :::
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On Tuesday, 2/6 at 11am (EST) I’m holding a Q&A session (free!) to discuss upcoming workshops led by me. One initial workshop concept I have in mind is, broadly, ‘The Art of Poetry: Discussion & Critique”. My intention is that future workshops will be ‘Pay What You Can’ with a suggested price of $20-25/session.
If you’re interested, please contact me directly and I’ll provide you with a link to the Zoom meeting.
If you can’t make this first discussion session. I’m planning to hold at least one more free Q&A session to discuss workshop at a time when prospective participants will be available.
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Verse-Virtual – an essay of mine entitled ‘My History with Poetry Self-Help Guides’
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Rejection Nation: Honing Your Submission Process
~ On My Mind with Kari Ann Ebert ~
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A really good discussion about plagiarism on The Poetry Space_ hosted by Katie Dozier (KHD) & Timothy Green
I hope you'll consider taking time to listen – Apple / Spotify
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We went to see the Philadelphia Orchestra and one of the many highlights was seeing solo violinist Gil Shaham. At a loss for words to describe this level of skill. Here’s a link to Gil Shaham on Spotify.
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::: Music :::
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Boygenius Announce Hiatus: “We’re Going Away for the Foreseeable Future” (Pitchfork)
As others have also expressed— the hope is this means there are solo albums on the horizon from Phoebe, Lucy, and Julien.
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::: The Literary Community & Beyond :::
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The ongoing “John Kucera” plagiarism scandal…
Becky Tuch has been following this story closely—
How do we handle plagiarism in the lit mag community?
People are Strange When You're a Lit Mag!
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Discussion on The Poetry Space_ with Katie Dozier & Timothy Green
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‘2024 Workshop Calendar’ (Write or Die)
Write or Die and Chill Subs are hosting a series of workshops.
The first workshop, hosted by Benjamin Davis of Chill Subs, is going to be free.
“Sorry For The Inconvenience: A Submitter's Guide to Lit Mags”
A little bird has informed me that a certain article that a certain someone wrote may play a small role in this workshop. I’m very curious to hear how this all comes together.
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‘102 Traditional Poetry Manuscript Presses Who Do Not Charge Reading Fees’ (Authors Publish)
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Literary Community Drama
‘Couple working as chauffeurs accused of stealing $34M from Oregon publishing giant in exaggerated and bogus charges’ (NBC News)
“Win McCormack is a Democratic donor and writer who was the editor-in-chief of Tin House Magazine and was involved in the starting of Mother Jones magazine, according to his bio for Tin House. Though the court records did not name McCormack, his attorney confirmed that he was the alleged fraud victim.”
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Literary Scams
‘Bad Contract Alert: NovelSnack/AnyStories/Readink’ (Writer Beware)
I’ll add that I’ve received a number of literary scam emails recently. Some might argue that “scam” isn’t quite the appropriate word in some instances… to each their own.
One was from Dr. Karunesh Kumar Agarwal offering: “I wish to publish your small new poetry book of 50/60 poems on traditional basis.” This is associated with Cyberwit / Taj Mahal Review.
I’ve written about Cyberwit in the past in ‘An Exploration of Small Presses’ (Speaking of, if you have suggestions for updates—please do let me know.)
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‘The Accidental Plagiarist: The Trouble with Originality’ by Erik Campbell (VQR)
“It turns out that the “Abstractions That Society Gives a Damn About” breakdown yields very few surprises other than, perhaps, apodictic proof that I have far too much time on my hands. Still, there are over 3 million sites for Plagiarism, which means it’s a viable and important subject for inquiry, less important than Life, but more important than Fox’s hit TV series The O.C.”
“Put in popular culture terms, were I Sean “Puffy” Combs a.k.a. Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy a.k.a. Diddy, Stephen Dunn would be my Christopher Wallace a.k.a. Biggie Smalls a.k.a. Notorious B.I.G.”
“School of Rock? I’d never heard of it. I asked my wife what it was. She said it was a Jack Black movie and then told me that I read too damn much Stephen Dunn.”
“This chronically ill German with the crazy, bushy mustache and eyes full of falling angels seems to have presaged you. This sickly, delicate guy who, when he wasn’t writing epigrammatic indictments against everything connoting “weakness,” was busy alienating everyone he ever knew…”
“I stopped quoting Thoreau. I became manically mindful of my influences. In time everyone and everything seemed to overlap and bleed; everything suddenly became so irritatingly and inexorably symbiotic, derivative. I ended up spending many anxious hours interrogating everything I had ever written, searching for soft and hard echoes and intimations of other writers.”
“Every writer creates his own precursors.” - Borges
Hopefully these pull quotes pique enough interest to check out the essay in full.
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I missed the news about Jia Tolentino’s book ‘Trick Mirror’. Sounds like something I should read… but since a copy was not immediately on hand… I proceeded to take a deep dive into interviews with Tolentino when the book was released in 2019.
And more…
No conclusions… which, I suppose, aligns with authorial sentiments.
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Opportunities in February 2024 (Hyperallergic)
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‘Are We Really Still Doing White Feminist Shows in 2024?’ (Hyperallergic)
::: Health & Wellness :::
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The United States has a syphilis problem.
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‘The Nordic Way to Stop Bullying’ (Pocket)
Notably, this has been implemented with success in schools throughout Pennsylvania.
“Working with Olweus, Limber has tested the scheme in various settings, including a widescale rollout across more than 200 schools in Pennsylvania. Their analyses suggest that the program had resulted in 2,000 fewer cases of bullying over two years. Importantly, the researchers also saw changes in the school populations' overall attitude to bullying, including greater empathy for victims.”
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::: Small Explorations & Deep Dives :::
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“If you are unhappy with Iran today, first thing you should do is come out for funding Ukraine fully. Nothing will embolden Iran more than a Russian victory in Europe.”
-- Heather Cox Richardson, January 28, 2024
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Prison Workers put Dinner on Our Tables
‘Prisoners in the US are part of a hidden workforce linked to hundreds of popular food brands’ (AP News)
The article reminds readers about the Prison Industrial Complex origin story:
“Many of the companies buying directly from prisons are violating their own policies against the use of such labor. But it’s completely legal, dating back largely to the need for labor to help rebuild the South’s shattered economy after the Civil War. Enshrined in the Constitution by the 13th Amendment, slavery and involuntary servitude are banned – except as punishment for a crime.”
“Some prisoners work on the same plantation soil where slaves harvested cotton, tobacco and sugarcane more than 150 years ago, with some present-day images looking eerily similar to the past. In Louisiana, which has one of the country’s highest incarceration rates, men working on the “farm line” still stoop over crops stretching far into the distance.”
“While most critics don’t believe all jobs should be eliminated, they say incarcerated people should be paid fairly, treated humanely and that all work should be voluntary. Some note that even when people get specialized training, like firefighting, their criminal records can make it almost impossible to get hired on the outside.”
“In addition to tapping a cheap, reliable workforce, companies sometimes get tax credits and other financial incentives. Incarcerated workers also typically aren’t covered by the most basic protections, including workers’ compensation and federal safety standards. In many cases, they cannot file official complaints about poor working conditions.”
“Angola is imposing in its sheer scale. The so-called “Alcatraz of the South” is tucked far away, surrounded by alligator-infested swamps in a bend of the Mississippi River. It spans 18,000 acres – an area bigger than the island of Manhattan – and has its own ZIP code.”
“The former 19th-century antebellum plantation once was owned by one of the largest slave traders in the U.S. Today, it houses some 3,800 men behind its razor-wire walls, about 65 percent of them Black. Within days of arrival, they typically head to the fields, sometimes using hoes and shovels or picking crops by hand. They initially work for free, but then can earn between 2 cents and 40 cents an hour.”
It's a long read but I highly recommend taking the time to review the full article.
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This person deserves an award for bravery.
‘Other passengers support man who opened emergency exit and walked on plane's wing in Mexico airport’ (AP News)
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Most popular dogs by U.S. state.
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Neuralink has started something that may sound a little too close to Minority Report for comfort.
While I can see some unique circumstances, such as those who suffer from ALS, where the ability to make requests using only your thoughts would be a net positive—it’s easy to foresee all too many slippery slopes scenarios play out with this newfangled technology gone awry.
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‘Schools are 3rd-highest location for hate crimes: FBI’ (ABC News)
1 in 10 hate crimes take place in schools.
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‘The White House has its own pharmacy—and, boy, was it shady under Trump’ (Ars Technica)
“Another White House pharmacy staff member gave clues as to what the staff was doing with those brand-name prescriptions.The staffer told OIG investigators that ahead of overseas trips, the staff would prepare packets of controlled medications to be handed out to White House staff. "And those would typically be Ambien or Provigil and typically both, right. So we would normally make these packets of Ambien and Provigil, and a lot of times they’d be in like five tablets in a zip‑lock bag. And so traditionally, too, we would hand these out. ... But a lot of times the senior staff would come by or their staff representatives... would come by the residence clinic to pick it up. And it was very much a, 'hey, I’m here to pick this up for Ms. X.' And the expectation was we just go ahead and pass it out."”
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Beyond The Platitudes of McMindfulness
“The idea of inspecting one’s inner monologue shouldn’t sound all that unfamiliar to Westerners interested in Buddhism. But what’s left out of the McMindfulness, commercialized Buddhism playbook, which turns a profit by promising to eliminate individual suffering, is the realization that suffering is in fact inevitable: an omnipresent part of existence that can never be defeated, only overcome.” (Big Think)
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Advice from People with Limited Time Left to Live
(Guardian)
[For emphasis, I’ve rearranged these quotes from the order in which they appear in the article.]
“Initially I felt as if I had to cram the rest of my life into the couple of years I’d been given…”
“Now I give myself grace. I have learned not to compare myself with others. Find what makes you feel meaningful. Remember: you are enough, you are human, and you make a difference.”
“Accept yourself and your situation. Don’t waste energy fighting. The most important things in life are other people. Pay attention to your needs and do what makes you happy. Do something creative, learn something new, get involved in something that matters to you. Enjoy your life to the last breath.”
“It’s not about the quantity of time… it’s the quality.”
“Prior to getting cancer, I had ambitions of becoming a managing director or CEO; I wanted to achieve something in my career. Within hours of the diagnosis, that disappeared. I don’t care for work any more, but I believe strongly in having a sense of purpose, something to motivate and distract you, and bring joy and satisfaction.”
“When I watch really power-driven people who want more and more, I want to tell them it’s the small things in life that are beautiful. We live in quite a toxic world, but it’s your choice what you expose yourself to. I get up, I walk my dog, I listen to every single bird that chirps. I’m grateful for that.”
“We get pushed along in this world by consumerism, but it doesn’t matter what car or house we have, as long as we’re comfortable. What really matters is love, relationships, kindness, caring for people, being around people. I want to create the best relationships I can, and live the happiest life I can, because I no longer know what my timeframe is.”
“You can’t manage all aspects of your life. I’ve realised it’s not selfish to look after yourself first, that your friends and family will do a lot more if they know you’re open to receiving help.”
“You have to be authentically you. But try not to moan because there’s always someone worse off than you. Focus on the positives; there are always some.”
“One of my joys is a local poetry group that meets in the park. Sometimes we have an open mic. I guess I’m trying to say I’m a poet, too.”
“I enjoy the little things more, dare to have the difficult conversations.”
“Life is short and you should live it how you want, regardless of what people think. Don’t hold back. Say what you want to say and do what you want to do.”
I’m inclined to disagree with this, in part:
My mantra is to leave the damn house, because you never know what’s going to happen if you do. No interesting story ever started with, “I went to bed at 9pm on a Tuesday.”
In the end there is, of course, no right way to live just as there is no right way to die.
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‘Hundreds of NFL players diagnosed with dementia have been denied payouts’ (The Washington Post)
“Over 1,600 players have received payouts, but nearly 1,100 claims have been denied. At least 14 players died after failing to qualify, but were found to have CTE via autopsy.”
“The NFL settlement’s definition for dementia requires more impairment than the standard definition, a Post investigation found.”
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Drug overdose rates in San Francisco are double the average across the rest of the United States. This is a more recent phenomenon. The problem appears to have rapidly increased in recent years.
Awareness about signs of overdose is essential to avoiding overdose deaths.
Further, the availability of opioid overdose drugs such as naloxone (Narcan) are one of the many tools we have to prevent overdose deaths and give those with addictions the opportunity to decide they are ready for treatment and recovery.
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“Ukraine is defending itself against an invasion by Russia, but the struggle there is larger than one between two countries: it is the question of whether the rules-based international order put in place after World War II will survive, or whether the world will go back to a system in which stronger countries can gobble up less powerful ones.”
-- Heather Cox Richardson, 1.30.24
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‘Amber Glenn Is the First Out Queer Woman to Win the U.S. Figure Skating Title’ (them)
“Glenn, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, had previously come close to the title, winning the silver medal in 2021 and the bronze medal in 2023. This year marked the 24-year-old’s ninth time competing in the competition.”
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Queer Community Life Expectancy Crisis
‘Over a Third of LGBTQ+ Youth Do Not Believe They Will Live Past 35’ (them)
“Over a third of LGBTQ+ youth say they don’t believe they will live past the age of 35, according to recently published data from The Trevor Project’s 2023 National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People.”
“The findings paint a picture of how many LGBTQ+ young do not believe they will live long, full-filled lives, and point to systemic factors making their long-term survival seem unimaginable. From waves of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation to the onslaught of violence against trans people of color, our youth are enduring more and more stress.”
“If you talk with an LGBTQ+ young person and they say that they have a low perceived life expectancy, in this case meaning they don't believe that they're going to live past 35, or low levels of life purpose, that might signal that this person could be struggling with their mental health or suicidality. So, instead of having to ask a young person who's queer whether or not they attempted suicide in the last year, or if they're planning on attempting suicide, an alternative could be asking them about their perceived life expectancy and life purpose.”
How to ask about Suicidality without asking about Suicidal ideation
“As expected, individuals who typically experience more negative or stressful life experiences, which we can term as minority stress, had higher risk. For example, trans and nonbinary individuals, people of color, those aged 13-17, and individuals who are multi-sexual — which includes people who are bi, pan, and queer — all reported lower perceived life expectancy. These groups also consistently report higher levels of minority stress, which may explain these findings, as minority stress regularly predicts mental health concerns in marginalized groups.”
Queer Intersectionality
“Even within the LGBTQ+ community, there are specific subgroups that are even more marginalized. It's important to consider the impact of holding multiple minority statuses that intersect, and how that might impact someone's experience in their daily life as a queer person. Not only are they possibly experiencing something negative based on their sexual orientation or their gender identity; they may also experience something negative based on their race or their ethnicity or culture. Additionally, bisexual, pansexual, and queer people are often ostracized by both their heterosexual and monosexual, or gay and lesbian, counterparts due to not fitting into either group. Kids who are aged 13 to 17 also often report greater stressors in comparison to their older peers. These heightened rates of minority stress are related to mental health concerns and suicide, and would also likely be related to perceived life expectancy and life purpose.”
National and State Policies Make an Impact
“We have also seen that LGBTQ+ affirming policy, or policy that provides access to what I just described, is related to improvements in the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth. Given the strong relationship between perceived life expectancy and life purpose with suicide, we would hypothesize that similar policy would could impact these, as well. Future research should attempt to study this more directly.”
“Policy can have a direct impact on the mental health of any community and in this instance, queer youth. When we do pass more affirming policies for LGBTQ people, we see improvements in their health.”
Important Takeaways
“One main takeaway from this research revolves around how we can incorporate perceived life expectancy and life purpose when assessing the mental health of queer youth. Also, it is possible that by improving one's sense of life purpose, their mental health could also improve. Notably, in order for any intervention to be effective — whether that is a therapeutic intervention or a systemic intervention — the people that it's designed to impact must be deeply considered. If intersectionality is not part of the intervention, it will not be successful, especially for the people who are most marginalized.”
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“Rate cuts typically begin once the Federal Reserve has confirmation that the economy has slowed down and inflationary pressures have subsided. Nearly every interest rate cutting cycle has seen the economy enter a recession right before or after rate cuts have started.” (Visual Capitalist)
“There is always a delay between when central banks raise interest rates and when the economy feels the effects.” – Simon Rabinovitch
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‘Two chicken jokes’ (Seth Godin)
“The question exists to create instability, to cause us tension as we seek to find our footing in the face of an infinite loop.”
“Conversations and interactions become more than rote performance precisely because we can create, seek out and relieve tension.”
My understanding is that this is also part of how stand-up comedy works. Tension and release.
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‘I was puzzled by younger women’s reaction to Barbie. It turned out Gen Z men held the answer’ (Guardian)
“For some young men, the anti-feminist backlash seems to have been a gateway drug to harder views on issues from immigration to social justice.”
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::: News of the Weird :::
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Divorce parties are becoming a thing…
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::: Thoughtlets :::
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“Taco Bell's Innovation Kitchen has a Distinctiveness Rule that states that food items can change in taste or form, but not both.” (The New Yorker)
How does this relate to poetry?
Maybe you’ll find a few answers over at Taco Bell Quarterly (TBQ)
But not just poetry, of course. This is a good marketing instinct in many respects. You can throw a curve ball but if you get too creative all at once then you’re likely to throw a wild pitch.
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