NoMyths' Face The Board Answers

[Antmeister]

This week's participant has a lot to be proud about. After recently learning of his recent accomplishments, it shows that we have a diverse group of talented and interesting people on the board. Now we get a chance to hear from an old timer (in regards to how long he has been part of FOFC), who many of us know little of his background. So sit back and enjoy the mad ramblings of a poet.

FOFC FACE THE BOARD RESPONSES

I'd like to thank Schmidty and Antmeister for being interested in having me participate in FTB, as well as stevew for esoteric reasons. I appreciate the good wishes and interest so many of you have shown -- thanks as well.

Faces and darkness separate us over and over.
--Sylvia Plath, "Mirror"

BIOGRAPHY

What's your background, i.e. where did you grow up, give us a basic sketch of your family, what's your schooling background, what's your career path been?

I was raised in and outside of Leavenworth, Kansas. My parents still live there. I received my B.A. in Literature and Creative Writing, where I was awarded the Lamb Memorial Award for being named the outstanding student in the Creative Writing Department and which, in alternate years, is given to a member of the men’s basketball team. While at KSU I won an AWP Intro Award for my poetry, which in combination with my writing, studies, and a professor who was a friend and mentor, convinced me to pursue my work in graduate school. I chose to attend Purdue, where I received an M.F.A. in Creative Writing while teaching composition and creative writing.

Since then, I moved to South Carolina to live with a girl, and over three years later we’re together and living interesting lives. I have taught classes at the Charleston Air Force Base (which was a real pleasure), as well as Trident Technical College. Currently I work for a non-profit organization.

As mentioned in this thread, my first collection of poetry won the National Poetry Review Book Prize, and will be released in late June as Lucktown. My poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in many journals, including Crazyhorse, New Orleans Review, River Styx, Bat City Review, and Poetry International, as well as online by Blackbird and Verse Daily.

Married, single, live-in or other?

Non-marited. I’ve lived with my girlfriend for over three years now.

What is your occupation?

Poeting and working for a non-profit because I’m do-gooderly like that.

What kind of music do you like? Who are your favorite bands?

All kinds, but with a special affinity for singer-songwriters like Elliott Smith. Band-wise, my favorites include Yo La Tengo and The Dirty Three, while Nirvana was important early (as well as my first concert). Soloish, I’m a fan of Cat Power, David Gray, Neko Case, and Tom Waits, among many, many others.

Favorite memories of your childhood?

I remember almost nothing of my early childhood. Probably moments of overwhelming friendship with people I enjoyed, but those are seekrit.

What is something you fear the most?

That I won’t leave a lasting record that I lived.

Admit it, you're ashamed that you went to Purdue.
Why won't the Bears give Kyle Orton a chance?

My only embarrassment in regards to Purdue was the fact they beat my beloved Kansas State Wildcats in the Cotton Bowl the year we should have played for the National Championship, at which point I’d sworn to hate them. Then they paid for me to write poems for three years and I came around.

Orton? He’s an average QB that benefited from the Purdue system. I take my joy from Drew Brees these days, whom I watched during his senior year when he led us to the Rose Bowl.

What is your best absynthe story?

As some here know, I have a taste for absinthe. So: the night some friends and I had been indulging and were watching Mulholland Drive when a rocket fell out of the sky into the city of Lafayette, Indiana. Or anyway, that’s what it looked like—it was post-September 11th, my vision was colored green, and we charged outside to see what would come next. Outside, an ambulance waited, lights flashing, as the groaning cries of a clearly disabled man echoed through the apartment hallways and into the cold night air as he was strapped onto a gurney.

It was probably a meteorite.

What's your favorite story from your college years/early adulthood?

I’m not telling.

Describe the happiest moment of your life.

The day an anti-depressant I was on kicked in, and to which I had a severe allergic reaction the next day. For two days I understood what it was like to have energy and be happy, and that I could never have it again.

(There, uh, have been a lot of other moments that were great as well)

Who are the people that have molded your personality?

I really couldn’t say, in part because I’m not sure if the outside molding was more positive or negative. I’ll say that my closest friends have certainly had a major influence.

How did it feel when you turned 30?

Hearing that I’d won the book prize two weeks earlier took the edge off dramatically.

Is there one moment in your life that drastically formed your core beliefs?

No.

When you think about home, where and what does that mean to you?

In some ways I think of Kansas and distance, night skies spattered with stars, bare tree branches, wind.

How long have you lived in South Carolina?
Getting muggy in South Carolina?
Where and what do you currenly live?

Nah – weather’s been great, outside of the tropical storm recently. Excepting the summer, Charleston’s weather is enjoyably temperate...last night, in fact, my girlfriend and I ate downtown, where all of the restaurants had their doors thrown open, and the cool night breeze carried the scent of the ocean past the palmetto trees and gaslights.
What do I currently live? The life of a young poet in an ancient city by the sea.

Had you parents ever thought that you would end up where you are today?

More often than not.

What are you hoping to accomplish in the future?

Keep being able to make work that I think is interesting and satisfying, while doing my best to be a good man.

Do you have any odd or disgusting quirks?

I write poetry.

Does it suck having a birthday so close to Christmas?

Absolutely and unyieldingly.

Any bad encounters with bugs or animals?

I don’t dig on spiders so much, for reasons that would be horrifying to relate.

Funniest moment of your life?

At my best I try to bear in mind that most things about my life are absurd.

What is your favorite lineup of TV shows at the moment?

The Sopranos and The Office.

Did you or any or your family serve in the Armed Forces?

My father was a highly-decorated hero in Vietnam.

I've been to South Carolina. Have you ever been to Missouri?

My father’s family is from Missouri, and I spent a significant amount of time in the Ozarks as a child. Kansas City was only a thirty minute drive (as well as my favorite pro teams). Did inventory at a string of grocery stores in Columbia. Also was accepted in MU for an MA, but chose the Big 10 instead.

You mentioned that you had almost spent a decade on this fan site (going back to the Sideline days). How much have you changed personally since you first joined the board?

Hard to say. I’ve lost some faith in certain aspects of things, both here and offline.

Do you have any spiritual or religious beliefs?

I am a spiritual person, but not a religious one.

Strangest thing you've ever seen?

SkyDog in his patriotic undies.

Are you embarrassed by what you have become?

>.>
<.<

Most proudest moment of your life thus far?

Surviving, every day.

SCREEN NAME

What does your name mean?
Screen name explanation?
What if I was Heathcliff?
What if I were Romeo in black jeans?
What do you have against myths?

My screen name has been around since an early e-mail address of mine...was trying to think of something interesting, and so NoMyths comes from the following reasons:

1) I'm a poet. Further, I cannot abide Greek mythology in poetry. Thus, a kind of mini ars-poetica.
2) Once upon a time there was a song called "No Myth" by Michael Penn, and since a) I liked the song and b) his last name is my nickname (though minus the extra "n"), it seemed fitting.
3) Something about the idea of troof, as it's called.
4) If you were Heathcliff Romeo, she’d definitely just be looking for someone to dance with.

POETING

Why poetry?
Were you a poet and didn't know it or did you always have an interest in poetry?
When did you discover that you wanted to be a poet?

Because I’m compelled to write it. I’ve written stories since my earliest memories, although I came to poetry later first in middle-school, and more strongly in high school, after discovering Yeats.

What were the biggest influences in your life regarding your choice of career path?

Growing up in Kansas and realizing I was destined for more, discovering my love for writing, and being mentored by a poet I deeply respect in college, who convinced me that I would be an interesting poet. In a month, that man’s blurb will be on the back of my first book, declaring me a better poet than Richard Hugo. Surreal.

If you could live the life of any poet from any era who would you choose?

I’ll take Yeats, please, at whose grave I’ve stood while thanking him.

Can you post one of your poems?

How about a handful?

Are you strictly a poet or do you write other forms of literature?

I’ve dabbled in other forms, including interviews and scholarly work. I have affairs with fiction once in awhile, but haven’t sought to publish any.

Who/What is your biggest literary influence?

Probably the poet Richard Hugo, whose voice seized me while an undergraduate. His “Degrees of Gray in Philipsburg” is a lovely, shambling poem.

What poem are you most proud of?

It’s like asking for which child you’re proudest. Which means the real answer is that you’re disappointed a lot, but you love them fiercely all the same. That said, I hate it when poets dodge the question. So I’ll only half-dodge: I always enjoy what I experience and see when I read “Goodbyetown”. But there’s a big secret at work for careful readers of the entire book, and that is probably the craftsmanship of which I’m most proud.

Many would say that poetry, at least in its historic role, has been supplanted by things like popular music, movies, television, other print/prose and more widely-availed media. What are your thoughts on the current and future of artistic media, like poetry, that are apparently no longer a central part of most people's culture?

I’m at ease with poetry’s second-place (or forty-second place) status in culture. All art goes in and out of fashion. But when I saw A.J. reading and reciting Yeats’ “The Second Coming” on The Sopranos Sunday night, my heart grew warm. There is still a place for poetry, and remember: great successes don’t come without an unfavorable situation from which to emerge.

Let's have your mount rushmore of poets.

Homer, Shakespeare, Milton, Whitman

I've seen some contend that there are no lyrics in popular music that can be considered "poetry". What are your thoughts?

Oh, there is absolutely great poetry to be found in popular music. Dylan is probably the most famous example, but I’ve been personally moved by lyrics from Adam Duritz on the first Counting Crows album, Fiona Apple, and Elliott Smith, among many, many others. I love music, and I love great lyricism even more. The argument is made for some rappers as well, but that’s outside of my tastes and so I couldn’t say. At the end of the day, barding is barding – some artists just have an affinity for lyricism that outstrips the vast field of their contemporaries. The trick, of course, is that musicians have music as a tool – poets have to get the music into their poems with no instrumental accompaniment.

Can you describe the process of writing a poem? If you get inspired, do you drop what you are doing and jot things down and then refine later? Do you set aside specific writing time and attempt to write about a specific theme or idea?

Sure: I sit down, imagine interesting images and language, and articulate my experience of that atmospheric dreaming. Generally at the keyboard for longer passages, longhand when something strikes me, which is often. Always drop nearly everything to write a great idea or line—you’ll forget, or the spirit won’t move you in the same way, later. I try to write as regularly as possible, and can’t recommend setting aside regular time daily if possible to work. Sometimes I write what strikes me and other times I work from notes and lines I’ve brainstormed in other moments.

Our current Poet Laureate has written extensively on baseball, including a biography of Dock Ellis, the only player we know of to throw a no-hitter under the influence of something a little less banal than steroids. Do you plan to cover the world of sports with your work in the future?

It’s hard to say—I have a deep love for aspects of sport, and can envision interesting projects. The closest I’ve come, though, is an unfinished poem about a football player.

Do you think (as Hall does) only another poet can truly understand a poet?

Not unless he means a poetic spirit, and not only a scribbler. Sometimes poets can be the worst judge of their own work. I think poets are certainly more sympathetic to the lifestyle of a poet, but like most writers many can be selfish and territorial. The best I know are generous and forgiving.

Can you work in a busy atmosphere? Do you set aside regular times during the day to write, or can you only write when the mood hits you?

I cannot—I require as much isolation as I can get. My efforts at regular writing schedules haven’t been effective, but I try to write often, if at no set time. I try to bear in mind that if I write a bad poem, it’s good that I’ve gotten it out of my system. The joy in a strong poem is merciless.

Have you actually had any of your poems performed as songs?

Not exactly, but from time to time I read poems aloud while a friend plays guitar.

Will you do us the honor of writing an FOFC poem?

I’ll leave such lyricism to masters like Ant.

WITHOUT LOOKING IT UP, HOW MUCH IS A STAMP?

Heh—not a tricky question for a publishing writer. When I send out a batch of poems, I’m usually mailing around 50-60 letters. Frankly, I’m thrilled that the forever stamp is around – I can now forget the stamp costs $0.41, whereas before I always had to waste a second stamp because there was no easy way to tell what many of the old first-class stamps were worth.

As a professional writer, what is your biggest grammar pet peeve?

That on the Internet, which is overwhelmingly a text medium, experienced users still make mistakes like “your” for “you’re”. It’s a sign that they don’t bother to read carefully, and by extension that they don’t value the thoughts of others very highly. There was a time when folks would be embarrassed about appearing ill-educated in public, but now it’s almost a badge of honor, and as someone who values communication, it bothers me to see people continue to be willfully sloppy. For further elucidation, see this thread.

What is your writing ritual?
Do you carry a journal or notepad around?

The only real ritual I have is always carrying a pen, and a small notebook or paper when I remember (you can always find something on which to write). I like candlelight from time to time, and I always have music (generally non-lyric) on while writing.

What are you favorite genres to read outside of poetry?

Primarily non-fiction these days.

How long has it taken you to develop your own "voice"?

My whole life.

SPORTS

If only one team you supported could win a world (or national) championship title in your lifetime, what team would you want to see win most?
What team do you never want to see win a world (or national) championship title? Why?
What sports did you participate in your lifetime?

Though I’m not as vocal as some around here, I follow Kansas City in the NFL, and dig the Colts. Was a Royals fan as a child (saw them win a World Series over St. Louis—just imagine that today), when George Brett was god, but what they did to the team and the strike drove me away. I cheer for Kansas State and Purdue collegiately, as well as KU in basketball.
Win: Kansas State Wildcats in football.
Never Win: Oakland Raiders
I’ve played high school football (WR & CB), soccer, and wrestled for a year, and tore my knee up playing intramural college soccer. Some summer softball in a city beer league when I was in college as well. Lots of pickup lot basketball in grad school.

Do you play any softball?

I have, but no longer.

POLITICS

Describe your political philosophy and how it has developed over the years to end up where it is now.
Do you have a political affiliation?

When I was in high-school I was a Rush Limbaugh fan, and even made an etching in art class of a symbolic U.N. ripping America apart while Uncle Sam tried to hold her together. Then I grew up some, learned more about the world and other people. Went to college. The more I learned about history, the more I grew disappointed with those that never learned the larger lessons of history, such as the current administration.

Long story short: I am a registered Independent, and wary of the fact that the government’s increasingly blind focus is on keeping our economic machine strong, which has positives and negatives. But the last seven years have been an unmitigated disaster.

My interest in history and my political involvement covers areas other than failed presidents, such as the crisis in Darfur and the Holocaust, as well as the American Civil War. I am convinced that the mistakes of the last several years will lead to the major tragedies of our remaining lives, as well as the next generation if not beyond. This does not merely apply to the Iraq tragedy – I mean the endless scandals and secrets, missing documents and incompetent leadership, a New Orleans and Gulf Coast still ruined, a thousand future politicians and suicide bombers studying American cities or learning English or being taught to walk by a young widow with no future that isn’t torturous. There is no comfort in being right. I protested the Iraq war when I was in the 20% of Americans who opposed it, and I can take little comfort in the polls’ reversal. The damage is done, perhaps irrevocably. Hundreds of thousands of people are dead at my country’s hands. And I can’t believe our president when he tells us we are more safe. As someone who loves this country and believes in what it can be at its best, I am sick at heart.

How many ego points do you get for posting all of those pseudo-intellectual political threads?

Heh.
To kind of respond to a serious version of that question, though: it’s a sad thing to be correct. It begins with nobody listening and ends with everyone decrying responsibility and still not listening. If I liked myths I might mention Cassandra, but that may just be a hooker I used to know.

FOFC

What is your favorite thread on FOFC?

Maybe “How Long to Call?”, since I’m old-school like that, but I’ve never really fixated on one thread over another so much.

What is your favorite thread of all the ones you started?

Part of me thinks the one where I figured out that HornsManiac was stealing his Speed Seduction shtick, and called him out publicly – not only was the ensuing disaster a lot of fun, but it ended up leading to his bannination from the community – but I can’t remember if I started the thread or added on to one of his. I’m also proud of standing my ground as one of the most visible (and rational) political thread posters, but I can’t really single one of them out over the others (esp. as they didn’t accomplish much).
The best answer, though, is this one.

What's your sports gaming background that led you to FOFC?
What was your first version of Front Office Football?

Back in the day I was trying to track down a text boxing sim I’d heard about called Title Fight Pro Boxing. I wasn’t even much of an NFL fan in those days, but a Google search led me to a thread on the old Sideline site, and the recently-released FOF2. I purchased it, and the series has become the only computer game I have regularly played for many moons now.

What was your reaction when you found out you were chosen for FTB?

I’m pleased folks seem to be interested.

Where did you stash the hookers and blow when you left the FOBL?

Once upon a time I was a founding member of the Front Office Baseball League – even drafted the first Constitution with some help from kurtism and a survey of what was available Internet-wise about online sports leagues. Back when I had enough free time to participate I had a blast with those guys, and FOFC has been diminished by the loss of many of them.

Oh yeah have you met anyone from FOFC and how did it go?

I spent a great afternoon with Shaw (basset197-something or other) and Malificent at a South Carolina game—wonderful guys, who I hope to see again down the road a piece.

SkyDog, Shaun Sullivan, Easy Mac, and I live within a twenty-minute radius of each other, but meets have never worked out for various reasons. Maybe they’ll come to my book release party.

MEMENTO

Memento is probably my favorite movie of all time. I was more than ticked off when my DVD was stolen on its way to Africa last year.
Sammy Jankis. Really or made up?
Same notion, is Leonard's wife dead or alive?
I think the two questions are tied together because Teddy claimed that Sammy was made up. Personally, I believe Teddy to be lieing to try and save his life. He knows Leonard won't remember what he's telling him. Because he is in a panic, Teddy doesn't remember that Leonard could leave himself a note.
Why would Leonard put on the dead man's clothes?
Teddy. Cop or a fake taking advantage of Leonard?
If Leonard's memories are of what happened before the assault, why does he firmly believe the police made mistakes in the investigation? If Teddy is a fake, how did Leonard receive the police reports that he has?
If I recall correctly, Leonard comes to the realization that he may never know if he kills the right man. If he does realize this, do you believe Leonard would consider turning himself in to the police or psychiatric facility?

It is one of mine as well. I made a point of teaching it in some of my classes, and so I may be of help in clarifying things.

Spoiler

1) Sammy: real in terms of existing and faking his illness, made up in terms of killing his wife, which is the story Leonard convinces himself to believe after actually killing his.
2) Leonard’s wife is dead.
3) Teddy was definitely lying until the end when he tells Leonard how it really is. I believe we’re meant to understand that scene as the ‘truth’, since it fits the noir pattern, but weren’t equally meant to distrust it for the same reason. Room for doubt is created.
4) Clothes: perhaps because at the end he wants to be ‘caught’, since after killing Teddy he no longer needs to search for John G.; alternately, because he needs a change of clothes, for a couple of easy to guess reasons.
5) Teddy: former cop who went bad by taking advantage of Leonard’s condition to kill drug dealers and steal their money, although he asks us to believe he began by truly trying to help Leonard. This is where understanding noir doubt comes in, and one can bitterly conclude that Teddy never really cared, but this is not unarguable.
6) Mistakes: because he and Teddy has obscured enough facts in the documents to keep Leonard always looking for a fairly generic John G.: a drug-dealer that Teddy robs after tricking Leonard into murdering them. His reason? To keep from remembering that his wife survived the attack, and he killed her later with insulin. The documents come from Teddy, a former cop who worked on the case (or found out about it).
7) No. Because he is clearly okay with continuing to lie to himself to keep the realization that he killed his wife and cannot heal. It’s necessary. He will continue to hunt John G. – but he remembered enough, for long enough, to take revenge on the man who was using him for evil, and not justice. Even though the concept of justice is in question by the end.

Hope these thoughts are helpful.

FUN

What was the 1 cartoon you used to wake up early on a Saturday morning to watch (like when you were a kid)?

I did love me some Dungeons and Dragons when wee. Later on, the only cartoon I can seem to remember is the Alf one, and it was never a favorite.

WHAT BETTER:
BEACH OR MOUNTAINS?
Console or PC?
Coffee or Tea?
CRUNCHY OR CARAMEL chocolate?

Beach, but mainly because I’ve never been around mountains.
PC (not much of a button-masher).
Tea (too much coffee tears my stomach up); I also dig yerba mate.
Crunchy on the chocolate, but that’s about a once-a-year thing.

Favorite movie and TV show as a kid and favorite movie and TV show now?

As a kid: probably either Red Dawn or Watership Down for movie, and V (the one with the lizard aliens masquerading as people) for TV, although I did enjoy watching Tour of Duty and The A-Team with my dad.
Now: several films are among my favorites, but I think I love Memento and The Sweet Hereafter the most.

WHEN A WOMAN WEARS A WHITE TSHIRT BUT A BLACK BRA, IS IT TACKY OR
INCREDIBLY SEXY?

It all depends on how well she carries the look off. But there is generally something sexy about most women.

Arlington Road. Great movie or what?

The best thing about that movie is that the terrorist graduated from KSU. Go Wildcats!

Would you help me move on Friday?

Sorry, I’m busy that week ago.

Are pugs the ugliest dogs known to man?

I vote Chihuahua.

I've got to paint two rooms this morning. If I finished early enough, I could potentially play some softball this afternoon. Should I aim for quality painting and missing the games or quick paint the rooms and head out for softball?

Pain is temporary—art is forever.

DO YOU LAUGH WHEN SOMEONE FALLS OR ASK IF THEY'RE OKAY?

I’m a helper...I hate to see people hurt or in trouble.

FMK: Madonna, Tori Amos, Bjork. Defend your choice.

I’m actually most interested in this game because it encapsulates the sterotypical male approach to women: madonna, whore, and violence towards them. I tend to be kind of creeped out by it, I’m afraid. Nevertheless: since I met Tori Amos (and she held my hand while we chatted), she’s a personal favorite – also the best marriage choice, as she’s very career-focused. I like Bjork’s music, but she doesn’t strike me as being very stable, and since I don’t care for Madonna at all, if she were to disappear into retirement I’d be content to never hear of her again.

If you could have dinner or a drink with 3 people (live, dead, or fictional) who would they be?

Jesus, Mohammad, and Pope Benedict. It would be a long dinner, and I would speak as little as possible.

If you could live anywhere in the world without worrying about money, where would it be?

Oh, I do love America, but I haven’t lived in a city here yet that has made me want to stay forever. I spent a month backpacking around Ireland in 2000, though, and if I were to leave this country, I would love to live there for awhile. But if money were no object? Let’s say Hollywood, for both good and terrible reasons.

So is Quizno's still your favorite sandwich place?

Quiznos is great, but I haven’t eaten there in ages – I’ve actually been on a weight-loss kick this year, so such meals are reserved for special occasions. Also, food service in Charleston is generally putrid, and I’ve had some unfavorable experiences at the Quiznos nearby that turned me off them a bit.

Favorite food, beverage, desert?

Favorite alcoholic beverage? Favorite non-alcoholic beverage?
When is the last time you had a Big Mac?
Finicky eater or willing to try any type of food at least once?
I haven’t had a Big Mac in probably half a decade or more. I’m also relatively adventurous about food—frex, when in Ireland I made a point of trying the black pudding, which is made with blood and is exactly as terrible as you’d imagine. The white pudding (with milk) is pretty decent, though.
Food-wise, I don’t have a favorite, but I enjoy pizza (Andolini’s here in town is the best I’ve had) and a good steak.
Drink-wise, I love sweet tea, which is only available south of the Mason-Dixon Line but is bliss in a glass. Spiritedly, I enjoy Guinness beer, and my favorite hard liquor includes The MacAllen and The Balvenie single-malt scotches, as well as Deva absinthe.
Desert-wise, probably the Kalahari, because the indigenous natives speak in clicks.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, AY WOT

What's the URL for your website? I lost my bookmarks.

www.losttimepoetry.com

[Toddzilla]

Admittedly, I knew very little about NoMyths up until now, and as always it was a fascinating look inside a fascinating man. Thank you so much for sharing with the board.

[Drake]

Shit! The one question I forgot to ask:

Who's your favorite science fiction writer who used to be in the FOBL?

And you'd better get that one right, sucka!

Great answers, NM, even if your soft poetical heart makes me want to kick you in the balls sometimes.

[Logan]

Great stuff. Thanks.

[flere-imsaho]

Great read! Thanks for sharing.

[Antmeister]

...Desert-wise, probably the Kalahari, because the indigenous natives speak in clicks.

LOL! Nice job. That's one great desert. It would also be a nice place to eat some sort of cold dessert.

[Poli]

Excellent answers to my questions, particularly Memento. I'll take that class, any time.

[JeeberD]

Great stuff, NM. Nice to learn so much about you...

[Schmidty]

Thanks for the great answers, NM. This was very enjoyable to read.

[Subby]

NoMyths = The Shit

[JediKooter]

Awesome read NoMyths. Congrats on your work being published.

[NoMyths]

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

Oh, and everyone should check out Drake's work too, because he's kicking it writing-wise as well.

[Drake]

*slips NoMyths a $50*