Crawdad Nelson
I'm a student, journalist, naturalist and forager. I've worked in a variety of occupations, from greenchain puller to small magazine editor, sometimes more than one at a time.
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- Contributor since
- 4/30/2006
Education/Experience
Sacramento City CollegeInterests
Literature, anthropology, sociology, history, sports, entertainment, cooking, mycology, meteorology, philosophy, advanced mathematics.Motto
Irony is a literary device, not a lifestyleAffiliations
Phi Theta Kappa
Fans
Featured Content (1 of 1)
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Displaying Results 1 - 131 (of 131) for All Content
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Squirrel StewAnderson Valley Advertiser, 4/18/2012. Satire, with truth blended in. Warning: do not take this content literally. Any statistics found herein are entirely fictitious.
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SorceryA few words about transformation.
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Celine and I Stay in a Residential HotelFor a month upon my arrival in Sacramento, I was obliged to stay at the Marshall. As published in Convergence
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The Foot in the Shoeroadside debris
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VoyeurLife in the Big City! As published in the Sacramento News and Review
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IncantationAs seen in Red Fez #37
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ObsidianWhat one sees near the river. As published in Susurrus
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Ishimy look at history through the lens of a hole in the ground, Winn Park, Midtown Sacramento
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Leave it to MeThere's value in used organic matter, in fact we can't afford to waste it. -
Two Rounds on the RoadsideMy daily bicycle commute through bucolic Bayside is transformed into a deadly adventure with tweekers. As seen in the Anderson Valley Advertiser.
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The Beggars at Sant FelieuxA little touristic snap from a day-trip into the old city of Girona, home of Dali. As seen on Sacramento Poetry, Arts and Music. -
The Second-to-Last ConniptionA look at the what business does to life. -
Gazing at the Ivory SeaAs seen in the March 17, 2011 Sacramento News & Review -
Cabazonethe potato patch -
EquestrianA quick look at a horse in the woods. -
WhistletownMarking time in the indurstrial era. -
Cold WaterProse poem from a series I'm working on. this is only part of the poem. -
HaywireA prose poem, which takes advantage of the mish-mash resulting from formatting problems in recent posts. I thought, why not take out the middleman? This is a work in progress, subject to revision. The opening image owes thanks to Dave McCain. -
BullfightWhile I'm digging in the garden, I often get complex ideas suited for this type of poetry. -
Skuntravel poem -
Black Widow HoleOut back and down below
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Stripped and Searched Mendocino County StyleThe evolution of marijuana culture.
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Meg Whitman's Mini-ScandalIt makes for better television than just more Meg commercials, but the nanny scandal won't change much. -
The Todd's Point LightsWe saw strange lights, and nothing actually happened, but 30 years later nobody has ever explained the peculiar pattern and movement above us. -
To a Dead RatWhere do all those almonds come from anyway? -
Giant Isopod SoupThose otherwise irritating little creatures that hop through your toes on beach outings may actually be welcome at your next clambake!
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Where the Bucks AreA poem about a hunting trip from a youthful point of view
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The Road to LegalizationSooner or later, weed will be legal everywhere in the US. Why not get started now?
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The Beggars at Sant FelieuxRebirth and the texture of eternity engraved in stone, ala Catalunya
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How to Write Better Poems in 25 Easy StepsAnyone can write poetry, but not before they are prepared. These simple steps take you from shmo to pro in the shortest time possible.
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Nothing Burns Hotter Than ManzanitaObviously, some things do burn hotter than Manzanita. But I was actually issued a poetic license in 1987, so I can make absurd statements such as this title. This one appeared in Susurrus a few years ago.
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Big DrinkIt's not every day a poem earns $500, but this one did. Published in Nota Bene, 2008, and winner of a Reynolds Scholarship from Phi Theta Kappa.
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Things We SeeWhat's art?
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Mushroom Arcaniain the woods, watching for secrets, one takes chances
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Working Class Infraction (2)One from a series of infractions.
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Working Class Infraction (1)One from a series of infractions.
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The LoversA noirish trifle. In the tradition of Patchen, more or less. As published on Sacramento Poetry, Art and Music site, 2004.
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Life at the Fort Bragg MillOriginally written for an published in The Redwood Coast Review; also appeared in the AVA in 2003.
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Insurgent MemoirsIn trying to plumb the depths of cognitive dissonance and the restructuring of language, one inevitably bumps into words which seem to mean one thing while actually meaning another.
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The BottomArcata is the best place in America, if you're from elsewhere. Stop by some time and have a revolution.
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DrunkAs Jack H. used to say, "Beauty is everywhere, Baudelaire!" And so it is.
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Gazing at the Ivory SeaA poem about an antique building in Kibessilah, a ghost town.
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How to Be a PoetA guide to poetic behavior.
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Four Way StopAren't all poems really about everything?
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I Get the Impression the World is Made of RosesA poem from the new chap, one of my favorites...giving thanks.
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Democracy Comes to AmericaPro athletes like Tim Lincecum have an important message for the insurance and medical establishments: roll your own.
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the LoversA little something noirish, in the vein of Kenneth Patchen.
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the Scientific MethodA short story
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BNSFA poem inspired by a typical on-the-grid Sacramento situation
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Wartime RationsA poem about the appetites of eternal conflict. As published in Sacramento News & Review Poet's Corner, 10 October 2007
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Changing the ChangerLast December, I entered the SCC essay contest. I had two days to write this before the deadline for entry. It's really just a meditation on change. It took first place, a $1,000 prize.
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Salmon as a Working ManA poem once used in a philosophy class at HSU. It probably wouldn't get through my editing process right now, but at the time it seemed to do something. Written in 1995 in my office above the Art Center Store in Old Town Eureka
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The Medieval City of GironaThe stone walls, narrow alleyways and massive stone building in the old city of Girona, Catalunya, have changed very little since the thirteenth century.
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How to Have Fun in Barcelona, SpainHome to some 3.5 million Catalonians and immigrants from around the world, Barcelona presents and intriguing blend of past, present and future.
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Ted Kennedy Looked Great in a Suit, but What Did He Actually Do for You?The Kennedy legacy seems to be glorious, but when we look at the facts, it's just more shady, back-room, cigar-chomping business-as-usual.
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Graffiti in Barcelona, SpainThe Catalan Independence movement comprises a major theme in the graffiti of Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia, but what makes it special is the quality of techique and imagination of display.
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Something About Iberian HamThe Old World is not exactly behind the times.
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Half Moon Bay: California's Pumpkin CapitolThis year Half Moon Bay will host the 39th Annual Art & Pumpkin Festival on the weekend after Columbus Day, offering something for everyone
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Who's Calling Please?He had a lot to think about, but had other things on his mind.
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WellShort poem about water in the woods
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When I DiedOnce in a while, the things you know and take for granted become unfamiliar and strange.
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Trees of HeavenA little poem about Sacramento's trees. Published in Sacramento News & Review, Nov. 22, 2007
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Olaudah Equiano and the Argument Against SlaveryLate in the 18th century, Equiano used moral persuasion based on his Christian faith as well as practical economic reasoning to argue against African slavery.
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Wobblies in the AtticI met and interviewed Wobbly rep Bill Robinson at an Earth First! Rendezvous in the Marble Mountains in 1989.
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Cherokee Removal: The Trail of TearsAlthough they expected to deal with the US government as a sovereign nation, the Cherokee discovered that, although many Americans endorsed their rights, the ones who counted had other ideas.
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Chairman Mao and the MountainIn Judith Shapiro's Mao's War Against Nature, four main ideas emerge to explain how China was persuaded to rise in unprecedented unanimity, and what it took to orchestrate such movement.
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How to Make Perfect Vegetarian Marinara SauceTomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper and mushrooms are obviously intended to go together. This is a great way to make that happen, and provide good meals for the off-season.
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Is Slam Poetry Really Poetry?Slam poetry has expanded the audience for poetry, but is it really poetry?
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Sinyone State Park--Best Day Hike in Mendocino CountyFar from the traffic and noise of other state parks in California, you can expore ghost towns and encounter deer, bear, elk and mountain lions in their native haunts.
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Another Dead SoldierLife and Times on the old veneer line and in the Big Mill
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To a Dead RatA little something about a dead rat, a racetrack, and Blue Diamond almonds.
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Urban MycologyShort poem about hunting mushrooms in the city.
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Top Four Things to Do in Fort Bragg, CaliforniaThere are actually five activities listed here, but mushroom hunting is not much of an option in the summer.
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King of Pop Had No SoulKing of Pop may have actually been Duke of Mindless Commercialism, doctors say
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Bigfoot is ContinuousA poem in which the idea of Bigfoot, rather than the fact of its existence, is considered.
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MoonshineA mediation of moonlight and life
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What Does the Hysteria About Michael Jackson Tell Us?Love of self, faith in superficial improvements, and an astonishing capacity for suspension of critical thinking in favor of short-term pleasure. It's got us where we are today. Thanks, Michael, for helping turn America into a cesspool.
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Oak Park DaytimeShort poem about Oak Park, Sacramento
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Bon FaireShort urban quasi-haiku
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Why You Should Vote for Pablo SandovalPablo Sandoval is not eligible for rookie of the year honors, but his statistics and playing style would have made him a favorite.
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King of Pop My EyeMJ was a business phenomenon who lost all claim to being a human being before Thriller ever came out
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Travels with CrawdadThe story of my bicycle trip from Arcata to Sacramento, as published in The Arcata Eye shortly after it occurred, July 2003
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Valerie Bertinelli's Weight-loss Secreta poem about weight-loss secrets of middlebrow tv stars.
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Earth to Earth First!The IWW has been kind enough to keep this on their site since shortly after it was published in the good ol AVA back in 1990. I still think it's as true as it was then, though EF! never really got the joke.
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Tutoring, Part 2: Lessons from the Real WorldA heartwarming tale of lowered panties and raised expectations.
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English tutor knows the past's tough times will continueI tutor immigrants at Sacramento City College. Folks from all over the world are streaming into this college in California's Central Valley.
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True Tales of the Colony InnThis was a job I had a few years ago. The article first appeared in The Arcata Eye in 2000. Caused some PR problems for the Colony Inn.
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Four Things About OwlsOwls occupy an important position in most cultures. So too in my world
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How Good is Tim Lincecum?Speed, control, and, most important, consistency have allowed Tim Lincecum to emerge as a true ace. Giant fans hope this will last for a good long time.
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LandingMy father earned his living as a logger for 25 years. This poem looks at that legacy.
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Bacon's RebellionIn 1676, Nathaniel Bacon and 1,000 colonists took over the government of the Virginia Colony, prepared to take on the British government in a class war that never quite happened.
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Birth of a PhraseThis is how language works: it's not clean or orderly, but it serves the needs of those who use it.
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Sacramento Tent City to Be DemolishedSMUD and the Sacramento Police face a difficult situation, but not as serious as the one facing the people living in tents
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Dustin Pedroia Boots One in the Hometown PressPedroia probably didn't realize that what he said to Boston would become fodder for the national press, but he should have realized the effect it would have on the place he grew up, where his family operates a tire business.
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How to Improve Your Diet with Wild Plants - and Save MoneyThey're free, they're delicious and they probably grown close to where you live.
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Style and Substance in Barack Obama's White HouseWe've been governed by style for too long. It's time for a return of substance to the White House
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How to Make Fish-Head SoupThe fat, brains and meat scraps of most fish are delicious. This recipe is a great way to get the most out of them.
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Wolverine Sighted in California in First Time in Over 80 YearsDespite persistent rumors of their existence in the wild northern parts of the state, wolverines had not been seen south of the California/Oregon border since 1922.
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How to Make Your Own CompostFood scraps and yard trimmings are too valuable to throw away.
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The Train is Departing Please Stand ClearPublic transit is a great way to meet those people you'd otherwise never talk to.
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Urban Composting: Letting Yard Waste Go to the Landfill Should Be Against the LawIt's easy, it's free and it solves at least two problems: what to do with yard-waste and how to supply nutrients for the garden.
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WaitingA story of love and longing among the tides
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Homage to Restless AcornsA poem in appreciation of the acorn.
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Piece of CakeWhen fuel prices doubled or tripled in a few short years it not only caused record economic inflation that has never gone away, but it exposed America's dependence on the unscrupulous international profiteering of the oil monopolies.
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Not Your Grandfather's DepressionTimes are hard all over, and the effects of the crumbling economy are showing up in ways that are becoming ever harder to overlook
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Gravity's Rainbow to the Ugly AmericanTwo novels that explore the causes and effects of declining morality in post-colonial, post-WW2 American foreign policy.
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The Best Broadcasters in BaseballLon Simmons, Al Michaels, Hank Greenwald and Jon Miller have brought the game to Giants' fans since the days of Dirty Al Gallagher and Jim Ray Hart. No fans in baseball have had it so good.
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Michael Phelps: Gutless WonderSmoking pot may be a crime in some backward states, but it's nothing to be ashamed of.
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Lovelove poem, very short
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I'm Not Ready for the Digital SwitchI'll have no further use for the TV, except that it will continue to work just great as a means of watching DVDs I can pick up used for four bucks.
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Show Me the NumbersIt's still the most fundamental philosophical debate of all time: what are we made of, and where does it come from?
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The Coldest WinterThe Korean War (1950-53)was America's complicated Cold War Secret. David Halberstam uses interviews and documents to make it comprehensible.
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Easy Shortbread: This Recipe Brings Back Happy MemoriesIt's one of the simplest but most delicious cookie recipes, easily customized with toppings, glazes, etc.
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America's Last Newspaper: There Are Other Papers, But Once You've Tasted Butter You Can't Go Back to MargarineThe role of the newspaper is changing, or being changed. One holdout practices old-fashioned journalism from the Old School.
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The PoetThe poet as archetype.
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Marcus Aurelius AntoninusIn the First Century AD, Marcus Aurelius inherited a Roman Empire apparently poised to rule the world in perpetuity, but in fact already battling the forces which would destroy it.
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How Tutoring Helps the TutorI've been tutoring English students this semester, but it's pretty obvious to me that I'm the one doing most of the learning.
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Improved Chef-Inspired Wild Mushroom Soup RecipeAn excellent wild mushroom soup recipe that also works well for many vegetables. It's vegetarian but not vegan.
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The Mushroom Pirates: My Experience Picking Mushrooms to Sell to RestaurantsHow I got started in the wild mushroom business and what happened next
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ManzanitaLove and baking: a poem.
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Sacramento as Peach PitA poem about Sacramento
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Pardon Me, Are Those Your Underpants?These days, we are looking at underwear in a whole new way
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LassitudeBuddha nature resides within all uniforms, public and private
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How to Be a PoetEver wanted to be a poet but weren't sure how? An experienced poet lays it all out for beginners: what you'll need to buy, how to act in crowds, plus tips on handling success, fame and wealth
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Can a Stripper Make Me Happy? I Mean Really, Truly, Happy?Can some scanty garments, a vertical pole, and a closed door make me happy?
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SilenceA poem looking into ideas about bigfoot, permanence, and transience.
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Where to Find BigfootYou won't catch Bigfoot unless you're ready.
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California ImprovedLobo isn't really his name, and he's really only in Arcata for the weed. But Lobo knows there's a deeper meaning. He's looking for love in the ancient forest but finding only decadence and girls in camo.
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Shut Up and Eat Your MeatI eat meat and I love it.
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Walking Down the Evolutionary Trail - Why are Human Beings so Unlike Our Nearest Relatives?The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis has been around for quite a while, and since Elaine Morgan's 1972 book The Descent of Woman, it has been the subject of much provocative discussion..
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It's Time to Outlaw MarriageMarriage seems to cause more problems than it solves. Why not do away with it altogether?