World Sword Swallower's Day - Atlantic City, NJ

History of sword swallowing

Sword swallowing has amazed and entertained crowds for hundreds of years.  Normally, one would be able to find a sword swallower at a carnival or a circus.  The performer would usually look straight up with the chin in the air to provide a clear plane for the throat and carefully slide the sharp blade into the mouth and esophagus.  If a performer has shaky hands or misses by the slightest centimeter, it could mean injury at best or death at worst.

Modern-day practice

"Some people think sword swallowing is an illusion.  I'm here to tell you that it's not," said David Peyre-Ferry as he addressed a crowd of about fifty people in front of Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Atlantic City, NJ.

David Peyre-Ferry demonstrating one of his blades.

Peyre-Ferry is a sword-swallower who has been honing his craft for years.  On February 22, 2014, the day that commemorates World Sword Swallower's Day, he displayed then ingested swords of varying shapes and lengths, none of which were shorter than 20-inches, to mark the occasion.

"Are you going to die?"

"You're crazy!"

"Why would you do that?"

These were some of the responses from children present in the performance, and Peyre-Ferry, a budding showman, played to the crowd well.

Peyre-Ferry performing one of his feats as his father looks on.

He asked the youngsters "Does anyone want to switch?" as he was about to enter yet another blade into his mouth.  Not likely Mr. Peyre-Ferry, and some of the children were plenty vocal about their opinions, which mostly resounded in an overwhelming, yet adorable "NOOOOOOO!!"  Nicely said kids, nicely said.

What most impressed me about this back-and-forth was the emergence of wonder in the children's eyes, which for so long have been deadened by illuminated screens.  These little people, at that beautiful moment in time, not only knew that sword swallowing was dangerous and best left to the professionals, but were also spectators and inductees to one of the world's oldest (and oddest) skills.  There's nothing better than leaving a lasting impression on a crowd, and what better way to do that than to astound the masses with a reminder of how flexibly freakish the human body could be.

Lonely Hearts' Commune Club - Daegu, South Korea

Here's a photo of one of the venues my cover band played in while we were in South Korea.  I dug the energy of this picture, plus it helped having a few brews after our set :D

Teaching...

I’m having trouble differing between reality and fantasy again.  It happened again today.  I was teaching, looking at my students, and I just felt myself leaving my body.  Floating effortlessly, I wafted towards the chalkboard.  Looking at my surroundings, I finally focused on the back of my head. ‘You really have to stop giving yourself shitty haircuts, people will start to think you’re off the rocker…’  Who said that?  Regardless, it wasn’t such a big mystery.  

Everything always seems to have gone by in flashes, like a strobing light that casts these minutes of amnesia, as if the seconds in between them are actually hours, because before I knew it, I had left the classroom. I started watching myself through the glass from outside of the door as my corporal went through the motions and taught on the other side. I knew I had about 2 hours left of teaching period 2, so I left noticing myself jumping on the desk, getting the students all wild-eyed and rambunctious about The Tell-Tale Heart.  Yeah, he's got it under control...and I took off.

Walking down the yellow and gray hallway, my mind started to wander again.  I was looking down at the ground, counting the soundless thuds my faded, brown boots weren’t making on the scuffed linoleum.  ‘Yea, he’s got them under his thumb, especially that Tony Valdez.  I’ll just be gone for 10 minutes, run around the building or something.’ I said to myself.  Then I started to think, if I talk to myself, while having an out-of-body experience, does that mean I’m crazy?  Better yet, I’m having this out-of-body experience, does THAT mean I’m crazy?  

My mind has the tendency to travel light years ahead and make round trips into and from the realm of the forgotten.  I’ve been at this school for about two years now.  I can’t even believe two years have passed by.  At first, I was this clean-shaven, baby-soft shirt, tie, and pressed slacks-wearing rookie, nervous and sweating about the young minions about to devour my soul.  Now, I come in, I haven’t shaved for weeks, haven’t shined my shoes in months, and I’ve got those cherubic puppies eatin out the palm of my hand. The small people love me, and they do whatever I say, it’s bizarre.  

Lorca

Federico Garcia Lorca was a Spanish poet and theater director.  He traveled extensively from rural Spain to Argentina sharing his passion for the creative arts. He became prominent at a time when his country was under strife that led to the Spanish Civil War, which was fought for three years.  He was executed by Nationalist Forces whose motives, a subject of controversy, may have been to exterminate intellectuals from staging a revolt or to extinguish homosexuals from the public eye.

A talented musician and classically trained pianist, some of Lorca's poetry revolved around his love of music, and in this poem published in 1921, his adoration of flamenco guitar is a prominent symbol.

 Source: http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=24529 

 

Redface Ajusshi

Originally written January 7th, 2012 at 11:21 PM in Pohang, South Korea.

"Ajusshi" (아저씨) is the friendly term Koreans use to refer to an older man.

Drunken ajusshi getting by with a little help from his friendly policeman.

All characters portrayed in this image are fictional, yet completely factual.  Somewhere in Korea, this scene is unfolding.  No ajusshis were hurt filming this...

120107                            “Redface Ajusshi”                                  23:21

Well, it happened to us during our first year. 230AM.  Tuesday. Electronic wailing and banging.  He's baaaaaack.

 I remember hearing such a ruckus and thinking, "Why doesn't ruckus rhyme with tuckus".  Went outside, was assaulted in the face.  Soju.  Stinky killer.  I saw my next-door nemesis, Redface Ajusshi.  "Hey Redface, cut it out."  I poke him with my froggy foot.  Redface ignored me, his own consciousness, and his shoes which he conveniently took off.  

I tell my girl, "Baby get the phone...and the camera", but the rationale of a lovely young lady overpowers  a fool's potential source of entertainment tenfold.  I call the landlord, who was working the night shift.  He sends his young wife, strapped with baby on back and hand while packing baby bottle heat.  As the only guy and willing spectator to events involving the local police whom aren't looking for me, I call 119, Korea's emergency number.

I didn't know Korean at the time, but I managed to say my apartment building and "waygookin  eemneeda.  Hangookin Mani soju, balli wa (I'm a foreigner.  Korean, lot of soju, hurry)."  They NEH and hang up.  I go back to Redface.

At this point, Redface is in his soju slumber and thinks he's at a stripper's playground, because he's managed to not only slide down the stairs but also lose his jacket and tie.  It was as if there were different levels to drunkenness.  At the top flight of stairs were his shoes, a few stairs down his jacket and tie, and finally on the landing, him snoring.  This was a man sworn in and seduced by sleep, so what kind of person would I be to wake him?

I sit on the landing and am amazed by the velocity of his snores when the cops come 30 minutes later.  They do the whole laugh, saving face "Not all Koreans are drunks" grin and help him up.  I go to sleep.

Handwashing Whites...

Hmmm...hand-washing whites sounds more provocative than I had intended...therefore it SHALL remain!

It's my first time hand-washing my white clothes, and I'm a little curious about how the whole ordeal will unfold.  I mean, on one hand, I'm saving energy and seducing the environment and all that jazz.  However on the other hand, I'm probably going to have to buy some more white undershirts soon.

I washed my whites once with a half cup of detergent, wrung out the shirts and socks, dumped the old and added six gallons of new hot water, added a cup of concentrated bleach for the next phase.  Write now...Effing English.  Right now, I'm letting the clothes soak for about 15 minutes before I start washing and wringing again.

Yuengling Case

One bottle of Yuengling finished.  Nomnom!  Two bottles finished!!

Giverny

Giverny is located on the River Seine in Upper Normandy, France between the towns of Vernon and Gasny.  After Claude Monet, a famous French painter and founder of Impressionism, acquired wealth from the increased sales of his paintings, he purchased land and developed a large area into a floral garden.  This locale is best known as the location where Monet had created paintings mostly based on water lilies resting on a pond near a Japanese-style bridge.

I had a great day.  I went to the National Guard Recruiter in Woodbury, NJ and spoke with a staff sergeant about options, donated blood at the American Red Cross of Camden and Burlington Counties in Camden, NJ where I discovered the refuted term 'Golden Triangle,' and most importantly, met up with a much prettier, more soulful Bruce Leroy at the Philadelphia Museum of Art aka The Rocky Museum.

I don't want to shoot myself in the foot, but the singing birds returned after Cupid's lethal accuracy, and I'm so excited about what's to come!  (Full disclosure:  I'm seeking a better mantra than "Don't screw this up")