the smedley log - suburban scrawl

realistic romanticism

I will try to be
there for you if I can, but
what if I cannot?

walk a mile

remember those in
need, for someday you will need
remembering too.

vincent

seen him despondent
a few times of late; sometimes
love is hard to take.

(source lyric)

Paring down

I’ve been really busy lately. While I hate to disappoint the 12 or so readers who come by on a regular basis, I have some things to tend to, so posting will probably remain light for a little while. If you’re (for some inexplicable reason) dying to read more of my words, try this instead.

dark muse

if when the heart breaks
is the moment your soul wakes,
why does that inspire?

cancer 3

beware of feuding
friends and family today;
walk the other way.

When Wal-Mart apologists attack

I had adopted a policy of not actively trashing Wal-Mart here. But since a vested sympathizer of Big Blue paved the way, I figured it would be okay to just pass this story along.

Hezbocrats? Really? If I was writing a narrative designed to make proponents of Wal-Mart look bad, I doubt I could do much better than some of the stuff I’ve heard lately.

(via The Long Cut)

out of the corner…

when I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse in
my periphery.

Friday Random Ten
(in the belly of a black-winged bird)

1. Strong Enough – Sheryl Crow (Tuesday Night Music Club)
2. It Must Be Summer – Fountains of Wayne (Utopia Parkway)
3. Black the Sky – King’s X (Dogman)
4. 3 A.M. – Matchbox Twenty (Yourself or Someone Like You)
5. Wicked Soldier – Tonic (Lemon Parade)
6. Cold Cold Heart – Norah Jones (Come Away With Me)
7. Rain King – Counting Crows (Across a Wire: Live in New York)
8. Noah’s Dove – 10,000 Maniacs (Our Time in Eden)
9. The Wanderer – U2 (Zooropa)
10. Seconds – U2 (War)

Favorite: 10
Least: 1 (can’t place why, but I never cared for this song)
Reaps the biggest benefit by losing the twang: 6
Seen live and in person: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 (if just the singer counts), 9 (if just the band counts) & 10

Is there anybody out there: Ben, Brian, Ellen, Marisa, Matt, Sherri

vulnerable

why do those you love
break your heart? maybe they’re the
only ones who can.

Sorry if you’re bored…

A while ago I started 575, an attempt to practice some level of consistency over something in my crowded little life. My path to consistency was to write a daily haiku. One a day, every day. No more, no less.

Starting a haiku blog has had unplanned benefits, such as discovering just how extensive the online haiku community is. I’ve begun regularly reading a number of these haiku blogs over the past month and change.

One of the blogs that’s caught my attention is Sorry if you’re bored…, where the writer’s pseudonym is “liquidquick,” and the author’s writing is generally limited to popularized haiku format. Every entry and comment from the blogmaster follows that pattern. Of course, for me the irony of the blog title is that I’m not at all bored when sifting through liquidquick’s structured musings. You probably won’t be either.

Click here to visit Sorry if you’re bored…

cancer 2

correct protocol
will be important today;
observe etiquette.

set me straight

correct me freely;
I’m routinely mistaken
and needing guidance.

Storming the gates of Phillyville

(Karl came up with a great idea about helping local blogs gain more visibility, starting with the blogs chosen by the community over at Philly Future. To read more about it, click here.)

Welcome to Phillyville is the newest Featured Blog over at Philly Future. I’m not just mentioning it to promote Philly’s blog du jour, but also because Ruby Legs (Phillyville’s mayor, sort of) has been involved in an interesting little tussle with some die-hard cyber-Minutemen types.

As if their lack of familiarity with Philly weren’t already a given, one of them actually referred to Philadelphia as a “sanctuary” (not the full extent of the conversation, but still, ironic wording). Visit Phillyville for yourself and join the conversation if you have anything you’d like to add.

More healthcare curiosity

I’ve offered up a new version of the healthcare poll, following up on Spencer’s suggestion in the comments. The new question is, “If you have health coverage, who pays the premiums?” For the purposes of this question, it doesn’t matter if you have an HMO, straight health insurance, etc., just who pays for it (or the majority of it).

Feel free to add answers if you think the ones provided are inaccurate for your situation. The question should stay up for at least a week or two.

distinction 1

manipulation
can be a good or bad thing,
healing or abuse.

spirits

look in the mirror,
but don’t mistake what you see
for reality.

wtc

in the theater were
two girls, laughing and joking
when the tower fell.

never been picked

my strange dream is to
be a juror, but alas,
I remain un-picked.

Friday Random Ten
(’cause it’s almost over)

1. Melissa – Allman Brothers Band
2. Throw It All Away – Toad the Wet Sprocket
3. Self-Made Trap – 77’s
4. Once – Pearl Jam
5. Casimir Pulaski Day – Sufjan Stevens
6. Sweet Illusions – Ryan Adams
7. Who Will You Love? – Bill Mallonee
8. Lonesome Johnny Blues – Cracker
9. Too Much – Dave Matthews Band
10. The Ghost of You – My Chemical Romance

Favorite: 2
Least: 4
Seen live and in person: 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 & 9
Explanation of the title quote: forthcoming

Other acts of randomness: Ben, Brian, Coffee Girl, Ellen