Reading Early Bukowski

Here's the thing
about Bukowski:

sure,
     he is an asshole

,

but you can kind of tell

he wasn't

always

      that way

and probably

has

his reasons.

--SS

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“Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty.”

- Jon Krakauer, Into the Wil

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Poetry News, At Last

My free verse poem, "Haunt," has just been published in ChiZine, the online journal of horror fiction and poetry. You can read it by clicking the link below:

"Haunt" by Scott Standridge on ChiZine

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I *Wowed* 'Em!

Review of my reading Saturday night at the Arkansas Times' annual Pub or Perish event.

Well, not "review" so much as a "mention," but I'll take it. More info here at the Sonnet Project, where you can also download audio of the entire reading--if that's your thing. :)

Thanks again to David Koon of the Times for making it all happen, and to all my friends who came out to drink and lend their support--not necessarily in that order. ;)

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Poetic Recognition in the Blogosphere

"Whiskey Wisdom, #113" was selected by Charles M. Rowland II as his "Poem of the Week" on Friday, February 20. I can't log in to post a thank-you comment, so I'll do it here: Thanks Charles! It's good to know somebody's reading. :)

Poem of the Week: "Whiskey Wisdom, #113"

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Things I Might Lose This Year

My keys. My wallet.
The money inside.
Or just some spare change.

Articles of clothing:
socks, underwear, a shirt.
Perhaps (inexplicably) a shoe.

A few pounds.
Internet passwords.

The one screw I need
to hold it all together.
The need for that screw.

Friends.
A loved one.
More than one.

My job. My fear
of losing my job.

My conviction that I should
be something I'm not.
My state of not being that thing.

My nerve.
My hesitancy.

Seconds. Minutes.
Hours. Days.

My sense of failure.
My fear of same.

Everything.

Nothing.

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International Review: Undead Vol. 3

Well, in the U.S. it's all about the poetry these days, but today's vanity-googling turned up a very nice review of Undead Volume 3: Flesh Feast from HorrorScope, a horror website based in Australia. The good news is, they LOVE me down under!

Scott Standridge’s ‘If You Believe’ is a chilling tale that may have you blocking up your chimney this Christmas. It begins gruesomely, and gets worse. Ramsey Campbell would appreciate the sense of dread with which the author manages to imbue one of our beloved festive icons.

I admit I get a really big thrill from the idea of ANYBODY reading what I wrote and liking it, but that thrill is augmented even more by knowing the person enjoying my writing is on the other side of the world--I feel like I'm really reaching out, I guess.

So thanks to my Australian friends--I love your beer!

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