856th Post

April 3rd was the birthday and my Fourth Year on Substack

First, is there anyone on Substack who has written 856 published posts? Remember that each post is a deep dive into my soul or a penetration of pop culture and politics. I walk the waterfront, swim in its polluted water, and investigate the deepest depths of my misery. In other words, it’s an adventure narrative.

Writing to me is an addiction. Ever since I was a teenager, I had to keep a journal, write something down on paper, or use the much-missed medium of the typewriter. Since 1993, I have been writing on a computer, always an Apple, but I think it was in 2012 that I became a decent writer. Before that, I was exploring the world, and then took a sharp left to look within, which became an endless source of subject matter to comment on and think about. There is no right way of approaching a material of interest, either through writing or reading, but you must commit to sticking with it until the end.

My first (and only) book of poetry, The Plum in Mr. Blum’s Pudding, came out in Japan, Moji-Ku, published by Cole Swift and Sons. A press my wife and I started in 1989 and went on until 1990. We only published one book, and it was my book of poems, which were primarily written in Japan, and some go back to my High School years at Taft High School in Woodland Hills. So, I think there is a connection between life in Kyushu and the San Fernando Valley school life. The publishing name came from Cole Porter and Jonathan Swift, which I read extensively in Japan. Those two writers and Osamu Dazai made a significant impression on me then. And I was 36 years old.

My second book came out when I was around 60, and that was Sparks-Tastic, a series of love missiles to the band Sparks. Then came TOSH: Growing Up in the World of Wallace Berman. So, my writing life became focused in my senior years. Knowing that you are facing immense darkness shortly is a real kick in the pants for finishing off various writing projects. Also, since I have become officially old, I have been dealing with depression (which I think is the natural reaction in the 21st century) and multiple phobias, so in a sense, I have become a teenager again.

There is no sense of relief or peace; finding a path that works for you is still an ongoing process. We are all on uncertain ground and don’t know when the rug will be pulled away from us. We consistently have to focus on moment-to-moment, and there is something beautiful about reaching the 856th post because who knows what tomorrow will bring?