The Constorium of Greater Minds

be back in a while. bye!

My mother always said I had good taste in office supplies. I used to think that it was just one of those things that my mom said because I was her son. Things like I could be anything, do anything, or go to any school I wanted to. Fortunately for me, I’ve recently discovered finer writing instruments and stationary products. That just about redeems my mother for those other things being less true.

On a recent trip to little Tokyo in LA, I came to Kinokuniya bookstore.

Read the rest of this entry »

jotted this down after stumbling across shinjuku goen yesterday following some holiday gift shopping. i can’t belive it’s taken me this long to discover what is probably the most beautiful park in the city. all the flat ground a man needs to roll bocce, beautiful winding paths, coy ponds and ancient trees dazzling in their fall colours. one old man of the forest in particular struck me with much awe and i sat for quite some time in a wooden pergola overlooking the japanese maple on a hill above a large coy pond. the juxtaposition of the bustling city shopping block and the meditative repose of the park shocked me out of the consumer stupor i had been in all morning and afternoon.

blood red maple

blood red maple
raging fire in my veins
burst forth from a wooden nervous system
burst forth from roots as old as
time

in the autumn of your life
warmed by the heat of a thousand suns
wise old man who has lived through so much
who has seen so much

emperors are born and die
under the shade of your wooden arms
battles are fought and empires crumble
in the impenetrable shadow of your mighty stalk
history is etched in your very skin
and your blood is the blood of a nation
proud and mysterious
it is the blood of the shogun
the samurai
it is so much the blood of the peasant

blood red maple
in this the autumn of our life
which was predicted in the first shoot of your might brow
and now smolders
in the raging fire of your bloody cannopy

you who have heard so much
the confession of murderers
the cooing of lovers
a mother’s tears as they fall in pond of coy

blood red maple
if you could speak on the eve
of our great demise
what would you say to a deaf man

several weeks ago, my man adam and i hit up the gan ban night in chiba. all night dj festival featuring the likes of Justice, Vitalic, Crookers, Basement Jaxx, Busy P of Ed Banger, etc.

i think there were three stages and so much music…ended up sleeping in an internet cafe at 4 am waiting for the first train…good experience, but chiba is just too far!

Read the rest of this entry »

a lot of backed up posts from the two month period the COGM was down. here’s a few more photos from my time in newport.

Read the rest of this entry »

what up, kids. just pulled up pier side in yokosuka after 15 days underway to hong kong. spent four days in the city eating and drinking well, hitting the tailor one final time, making amends with friends and saying goodbye to the people and places i’ve become familiar with in the three trips made to the great city over the last year. i must say a big thank you to the no longer infamous holly suan gray – you showed me a good time and what do you know, we get along pretty well! thanks for showing me a new side of the city and for all the great words over tofu scramble at 5 in the morning. i’m sure i’ll be seeing you again in the future…perhaps ny? also, what up to roshan, the son of sam – once again you were right. the black velvet, one button is too legit (credit to adam for the idea). and as always the rest of the jungle crew made it a memorable last port call…the new year will bring several more. just a few photos of the city. PEACE!

a few shots from my first weekend in newport. a manikin with gas mask in the surface warfare school building, the marina and downtown newport.

here i come, family!

mom and dad allen were in japan in july for the first time since meeting one another in nippon over 30 years ago…my how things have changed…and no, i’m not meeting my future wife here. some photos, many more to come

Whats going on consort? Your boy has just finished his move to the d.c. metro area over the weekend. The work grind starts sept. 2, so just enjoying life until dooms day. Pictures of the apt and area will be coming soon, so stay tuned for some new eye candy. O, and welcome to the group R Saguin and D B Johnson.