This is a poem I wrote 26 years ago yesterday. I found it last night in one of my old notebooks and typed it up for your enjoyment.

The Zombie Birdhouse

In a very bad part of the worst of your mind,
Down a dark, foul street, to the apartment that’s rundown.
Where skeletons dance because the blind fish can’t,
And the toothless old men rap with junkies.
Tired old whores get cash for their sores,
And their Johns walk away bleeding.
The pimp just laughs as he collects the cash,
The man he sleeps with is clean.
The cops always stop at the end of the block,
They won’t go near that place.
So the Zombie Birdhouse goes through the day
As if it were already tonight.

Now the junkies and zombies talk one on one,
They relate to each others thinking.
And the toothless old men and the tired old whores,
sleep and don’t wake again.
The pimp who laughed, got stabbed in the back
By a man who had caught a disease.
“Stone-Eye” Dick smoked a bird with the fish,
And the dead cat got high off the fumes.
Sister Lucy, who used to be Bill,
Has just fooled another lucky young man.
And so the Zombie Birdhouse goes through the day
Just like it will tonight.

The man on the can says he’s with the band,
As the point of the needle hits home.
The Acid Freaks speak with the Krishna Elite,
And create their own religion.
The skeletons and fish think this place is a mess,
What happened to this place they called home?
Two dead men told tales that pirates thought safe,
And the stuffed parrot told what he saw.
The Jamaican men sung a zombie hymn,
And the junkies joined in the chorus.
So the Zombie Birdhouse went through the day,
As if it were already tonight.

The band played all night to the zombies delight,
They grooved on the funky bass lines.
Disco Sam danced with whomever he can,
and especially the younger men.
Jimi and John sang a protest song,
As Janis and Jim sat and took hits from their bong.
The Acid Freaks and the Krishna Elite
Chanted where they thought it fit in.
Sister Lucy danced with “Stone-Eye” Dick,
And the dead cat strutted his stuff.
And so the Zombie Birdhouse played that night,
And in your mind it will always exist.

© onehumanbeing.com

About The Poem And It’s Name

For some reason I had the poem stuck in my head yesterday, and when I found it I realized it was exactly 26 years, to the day, from when I wrote this: May 11, 1986 – nice synchronicity!

Back then I played keyboards in a band called Zombie Birdhouse, which our drummer had re-named. Previously we were called Sounds In Silence – probably one of the worst band names ever…

The name Zombie Birdhouse came from the title of a 1982 Iggy Pop album (shown below):

I left the band in May or June of 1986, and concentrated on a music project I was working on called “Eccentric Activities.”

This poem was not typical of my writing at the time (or since), and it was one of those times when the words flowed out as fast as I could write them.

Enjoy!

Bonus: Here’s a drawing I found a few pages earlier in same notebook as this poem:

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Post tags: 1986, birdhouse, blind fish, dead cat, eccentric activities, funky bass lines, hymn, junkies, krishna, old whores, poem, protest song, sister lucy, skeletons, zombie, zombies

Tania has started posting a random photo of the day on her Facebook page, and because you might not be her friend on Facebook I wanted to post the photos from this last week, along with her captions… Enjoy!

Friday, January 27th

above: random photo of the day is RAS from Long Beach Shortbus playin’ us all a song (formerly of Long Beach Dub AllStars) at our “between the buildings bon voyage bbq” for Cristi Hebert and Louie Hebert back in July 2007…

Thursday, January 26th

above: random photo of the day is at the library coffee house down broadway (local LB!) back in february 1993…

Wednesday, January 25th

above: random photo of the day- stayed at mcnally’s lodge on the kern river back in october 2001- jon took this as we were exploring- i love his hand shielding the light from the camera over me…

Tuesday, January 24th

above: random photo of the day is from september 1992- (wow was that 20 years ago?!) jon taking a break from painting silkscreen art walls he was creating to put up for our wedding warehouse party…

Monday, January 23rd

above: random photo of the day – wedding party joy aboard a yacht floating around newport harbor back in august 2005…

Sunday, January 22nd

above: random photo of the day – at the santa paula airport on the way back from the gram parsons tribute show… watching planes land and take off. i remember this way-too-hyper slick lookin’ guy coming up to jon and i and offering to take us flying- right then- out of the blue. we declined. too fast, buddy. too enthusiastic. whatcha been sniffin’?

Saturday, January 21st

above: random photo of the day – self portrait in santa barbara for the gram parsons tribute show “return to sin city” at the santa barbara bowl from july 2004…

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Above: A two-headed dragon toy Tania had when I met her. She got it from her younger brother Derek.

Happy New Year!

The Year of the Dragon starts today with the New Moon, and continues until the 9th of February, 2013. In the Chinese horoscope there are five different dragons – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. This year is the year of the Water Dragon.

From Wikipedia:

Persons born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the “Year of the Dragon,” while also bearing the following elemental sign:

• 16 February 1904 – 3 February 1905: Wood Dragon
• 3 February 1916 – 22 January 1917: Fire Dragon
• 23 January 1928 – 9 February 1929: Earth Dragon
• 8 February 1940 – 26 January 1941: Metal Dragon
• 27 January 1952 – 13 February 1953: Water Dragon
• 13 February 1964 – 1 February 1965: Wood Dragon
• 31 January 1976 – 17 February 1977: Fire Dragon
• 17 February 1988 – 5 February 1989: Earth Dragon
• 5 February 2000 – 23 January 2001: Metal Dragon
• 23 January 2012 – 9 February 2013: Water Dragon
• 10 February 2024 – 28 January 2025: Wood Dragon

A Two- Headed Dragon In A Human’s Body

I was born in June of 1964, in the Year of the Wood Dragon, and I have been very proud of being a dragon my whole life.

When I was very young I believed I was a dragon (also “The Kid From Next-Door” and a few others), so I asked my mom to help me find a book at the library that would show me how to be a good dragon. I grew up in a house filled with books and book-shelves which has instilled a lifelong belief that there’s probably a book about anything, somewhere, and if you just look for it long enough, you’ll find it.

I remember that after some searching we eventually found one, but I don’t recall it’s name anymore. I think it was something like “How To Be A Dragon” or “The Dragon Handbook“…

Besides being born in the Year of the Dragon, I was born in June, with all my houses in Gemini, so, as I see myself, I am a twin dragon or a two-headed wood dragon – a special kind of dragon indeed.

More Dragon Information

Here’s some information I found googling “Year of the Dragon” – the source is a bridal guide, the Chinese horoscope section: http://www.usbridalguide.com/special/chinesehoroscopes/Dragon.htm

The Dragon

The Dragon is a creature of myth and legend. A symbol of good fortune and sign of intense power, the Oriental Dragon is regarded as a divine beast – the reverse of the malicious monster that Westerners felt necessary to find and slay. In Eastern philosophy, the Dragon is said to be a deliverer of good fortune and a master of authority. Therefore, those people born in Dragon years are to be honored and respected.

The Sign of the Dragon

The key to the Dragon personality is that Dragons are the free spirits of the Zodiac. Conformation is a Dragon’s curse. Rules and regulations are made for other people. Restrictions blow out the creative spark that is ready to flame into life. Dragons must be free and uninhibited. The Dragon is a beautiful creature, colorful and flamboyant. An extroverted bundle of energy, gifted and utterly irrepressible, everything Dragons do is on a grand scale – big ideas, ornate gestures, extreme ambitions. However, this behavior is natural and isn’t meant for show. Because they are confident, fearless in the face of challenge, they are almost inevitably successful. Dragons usually make it to the top. However, Dragon people be aware of their natures. Too much enthusiasm can leave them tired and unfulfilled. Even though they are willing to aid when necessary, their pride can often impede them from accepting the same kind of help from others. Dragons’ generous personalities give them the ability to attract friends, but they can be rather solitary people at heart. A Dragon’s self-sufficiency can mean that he or she has no need for close bonds with other people.

IN YOUR ELEMENT

The characteristics of the Dragon Sign are tempered by one of the five Chinese elements of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth overlaying a 5-year cycle of characteristics on the original 12-year cycle.

THE METAL DRAGON 1940 AND 2000

Truthful but extreme, courageous but unyielding, Metal Dragons have a strength similar to the Dragon fire. Metal Dragons succeed through determination. They are mighty and respect people who stand up to them. In troubled times, these Dragons make great allies, but become ferocious challengers. Metal Dragons can often calm others through their forceful personalities. They seek action, and things are never better than when they are defending a thought or belief about which they have complete faith. Metal Dragons like to lead, and have an affect that makes others want to follow them. Yet even if they attract no support they will fight alone.

THE WATER DRAGON 1952 AND 2012 [This Year]

Water has a calming effect on the Dragon’s fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people. However, their actions can go wrong if they do not research or if they do not finish one project before starting another.

THE WOOD DRAGON 1904 AND 1964 [Me]

Wood has a modifying influence and brings creativity to this sign. Questioning and liberal, Wood Dragons enjoy talking about original ideas and are open to other points of view. They are innovative, imaginative practical and appreciate art in each of its forms. Generally less pretentious than other Dragons, Wood Dragons have an ability to get along with other people. They have the essentials to build a prosperous and happy life for themselves. Still, Wood Dragons are outspoken and at times a bit pushy to quell everyone, even in the most friendly quarrel.

THE FIRE DRAGON 1916 AND 1976

The Fire Dragon is a powerful force to be reckoned with. This is a Dragon doubled! The Fire Dragon can move from calm and collected to combustible in a matter of seconds. In some ways the Fire Dragon is his or her own worst enemy. These Dragons cannot help feeling they are valuable and all-knowing. When they are right their vehemence and vigor is an asset to the cause, and though they value objectivity, they do not always employ the best decision-making measures, and sometimes jump to the wrong conclusion. They also suffer from recklessness and quick tempers. Yet, when they do keep their temper, emotions, and rivaling spirit under control, they emanate a commanding influence on other people.

THE EARTH DRAGON 1928 AND 1988

Earth Dragons make great managers because they are practical, levelheaded and demonstrate a knack for organizing. They still have the need to dictate and be admired, but they are affable, congenial and supportive. Compared to other Dragons, Earth Dragons are less likely to breathe fire at the least irritation. They will work diligently to complete their life goals. The Earth element adds a greater portion of self-control to the Dragon’s personality and usually the Earth Dragon is deserving of the respect he or she desires. These Dragons take their life and romantic responsibilities quite seriously.

read more: http://www.usbridalguide.com/special/chinesehoroscopes/Dragon.htm

Various Dragon Postings

If you spend much time on my website you’ll find I make references to dragons quite often because it’s such a strong part of my self-image. Here’s a few links to a few stories from the past couple of years:

Self-Portrait as a Two-Headed Dragon

“Here’s a sketch I did last night in my notebook, thinking about my story and allowing the picture of myself as the two-headed dragon I’ve been writing about to pour out of my pen on to the paper.

You can see the left head (our right) seems to be very delighted with these new wings. The new wings have been perplexing and filled with mystery at this point…”

read more: http://onehumanbeing.com/central/2009/10/28/self-portrait-as-a-two-headed-dragon/

Rising From The Ashes

“The true Phoenix is a wondrous creature of such benevolence and majesty that you can not help but feel as if you are in the presence of an ancient emperor. Indeed, every Phoenix reigns over it’s own worldly kingdom.

Dragons, like myself, consider them great beyond great, and practice the Phoenix’s dance so we can gain it’s wisdom.

During the long life of the Phoenix it builds a nest of great riches, fine spices and priceless jewels, and there it produces the Egg of Empires…”

read more: http://onehumanbeing.com/central/2010/08/26/rising-from-the-ashes/

Enjoy the reading and have a Happy New Year!

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This has been my favorite spoon for about 25 years now. It was Tania’s spoon, but I adopted it as my own soon after we started to live together back in 1987.

Tania got it when she was a little girl, flying back to Minneapolis with her parents, as they did every year when she was young.

This was back in the day when they still gave away “wing pins” to kids when they flew, free decks of playing cards, and real stainless steel knives, forks and spoons – truly a different time.

The D.B Cooper Tie-in…

I was watching a show the other day on D.B. Cooper, the American sky pirate who pulled off the only unsolved airline hijacking in U.S. history. This crime was committed in 1971 and the F.B.I. still has the case open.

Watching the show I learned that the flight D.B. Cooper hijacked was a Northwest Orient 727 – and I thought to myself, “Northwest Orient? My favorite spoon is a Northwest Orient spoon…”

A little investigation online and I learned that my favorite spoon is called “Northwest Orient 01 00105″ and is from the same era as the D.B. Cooper story.

The D.B. Cooper Story

From Wikipedia (edited): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper

D. B. Cooper is the name popularly used to refer to an unidentified man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft in the airspace between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington on November 24, 1971. He extorted $200,000 in ransom and parachuted to an uncertain fate. Despite an extensive manhunt and an exhaustive (and ongoing) FBI investigation, the perpetrator has never been located or positively identified. The case remains the only unsolved air piracy in American aviation history.

The suspect purchased his airline ticket under the alias Dan Cooper, but due to a news media miscommunication he became known in popular lore as “D. B. Cooper.” Hundreds of leads have been pursued in the ensuing years but no conclusive evidence has ever surfaced regarding Cooper’s true identity or whereabouts, and the bulk of the ransom money has never been recovered. Numerous theories of widely varying plausibility have been proposed by experts, reporters, and amateur enthusiasts.

The Hijacking

The event began mid-afternoon on Thanksgiving eve, November 24, 1971, at Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon. A man carrying a black attaché case approached the flight counter of Northwest Orient Airlines. He identified himself as “Dan Cooper” and purchased a one-way ticket on Flight 305, a 30-minute trip to Seattle, Washington.

Cooper boarded the aircraft, a Boeing 727–100 (FAA registration N467US), and took seat 18C in the rear of the passenger cabin. He lit a cigarette and ordered a bourbon and soda. Onboard eyewitnesses recalled a man in his mid-forties, between 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) and 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) tall. He wore a black lightweight raincoat, loafers, a dark suit, a neatly pressed white collared shirt, a black necktie, and a mother of pearl tie pin.

Flight 305, approximately one-third full, took off on schedule at 2:50 pm, local time (PST). Cooper passed a note to Florence Schaffner, the flight attendant situated nearest to him in a jumpseat attached to the aft stair door. Schaffner, assuming the note contained a lonely businessman’s phone number, dropped it unopened into her purse. Cooper leaned toward her and whispered, “Miss, you’d better look at that note. I have a bomb.”

The note was printed in neat, all-capital letters with a felt pen. It read, approximately, “I have a bomb in my briefcase. I will use it if necessary. I want you to sit next to me. You are being hijacked.” Schaffner did as requested, then quietly asked to see the bomb. Cooper cracked open his briefcase long enough for her to glimpse eight red cylinders(“four on top of four”) attached to wires coated with red insulation, and a large cylindrical battery.

After closing the case he dictated his demands: $200,000 in “negotiable American currency”; four parachutes (two primary and two reserve); and a fuel truck standing by in Seattle to refuel the aircraft upon arrival. Schaffner conveyed Cooper’s instructions to the cockpit; when she returned he was wearing dark sunglasses.

A Real Gentleman…

[Flight Attendant] Schaffner described him as calm, polite, and well-spoken, not at all consistent with the stereotypes (enraged, hardened criminals or “take-me-to-Cuba” political dissidents) popularly associated with air piracy at the time.

Tina Mucklow, another flight attendant, agreed. “He wasn’t nervous,” she told investigators later. “He seemed rather nice. He was never cruel or nasty. He was thoughtful and calm all the time.” He ordered a second bourbon and water, paid his drink tab (and insisted Schaffner keep the change), and offered to request meals for the flight crew during the stop in Seattle.

 An FAA official requested a face-to-face meeting with Cooper aboard the aircraft [in Seattle], which was denied.The refueling process was delayed, reportedly due to a vapor lock in the fuel tanker truck’s pumping mechanism, and Cooper became suspicious. However, he allowed a replacement tanker truck to continue the refueling—and a third one after that, when the second ran dry. By the time Cooper finished inspecting the ransom money and parachutes, refueling had been completed.

D.B. Cooper Has Left The Plane

At approximately 7:40 pm the 727 took off with only Cooper, pilot Scott, flight attendant Mucklow, copilot Rataczak, and flight engineer H.E. Anderson aboard. Two F-106 fighter aircraft scrambled from nearby McChord Air Force Base followed behind the airliner, one above it and one below, out of Cooper’s view.A Lockheed T-33 trainer, diverted from an unrelated Air National Guard mission, also shadowed the 727 until it ran low on fuel and turned back near the Oregon-California border.

After takeoff, Cooper told Mucklow to join the rest of the crew in the cockpit and remain there with the door closed. As she complied, Mucklow observed Cooper tying something around his waist. At approximately 8:00 pm a warning light flashed in the cockpit, indicating that the aft airstair apparatus had been activated. The crew’s offer of assistance via the aircraft’s intercom system was curtly refused. The crew soon noticed a subjective change of air pressure, indicating that the aft door was open.

At approximately 8:13 pm the aircraft’s tail section sustained a sudden upward movement, significant enough to require trimming to bring the plane back to level flight. At approximately 10:15 pm, Scott and Rataczak landed the 727, with the aft airstair still deployed, at Reno Airport. FBI agents, state troopers, sheriff’s deputies, and Reno police surrounded the jet, as it had not yet been determined with certainty that Cooper was no longer aboard; but an armed search quickly confirmed that he was gone.

note: this is an edited version of the current Wikipedia entry on D.B. Cooper – read the complete article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper

Meanwhile, Back At My Spoon…

Here’s my favorite spoon now, being used tonight to stir it’s 10,000th (that might not be an exaggeration) cup of coffee. And while drinking my coffee, I’ll do a little speculating into the fictional future…

Mad Men – Season 11

In season 11 (which would take place during the year 1971) Don Draper, the lead character, decides to complete his plan of running away, and comes up with a dare-devil hijacking scheme.

After carefully hiding all the money he’s been storing up, he flies to Portland where he boards a plane under the alias of Dan Cooper (Dan because it’s close to Don and Cooper because of his partner at Sterling Cooper.)

The episode would then follow the traditional “D.B. Cooper” story line until the very end, where D.B./Dan/Don jumps – and then it cuts to the falling image of Don Draper they’ve been using during the opening credits since the beginning of the show, and is being used for the poster for the upcoming season 5…

The End

PS. Mad Men – Season 5 starts on March 25th!

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Post tags: 727 aircraft, air piracy, airline hijacking, airline spoon, airspace, american aviation history, boeing 727, conclusive evidence, d.b.cooper, dan cooper, don draper, fbi investigation, mad men, manhunt, miscommunication, northwest orient, northwest orient 01 00105, season 11, season 5, seattle washington, stainless steel knives, unidentified man, wikipedia

An Introduction

Since 2007 I’ve been a member of a number of different collectives in Long Beach.

I’ve volunteered, built websites, taken photos of over 300 different strains of medical marijuana, and grown to care about a number of incredible people.

I’ve also watched one collective after another crumble under the burden of legal fees, changing city regulations and other costs associated with always having to fight to stay open…

My personal history with medical marijuana goes back much further than that however, back to when I first started using marijuana in 1983.

I’ve spent a lot of years watching the medical marijuana story get to where we are today, and in this series I share my motivation for being an activist, talk about being a collective member, and about my own medical use of marijuana.

And then there’s this – RIGHT NOW, in Long Beach, our collectives are facing the prospect of having our city council ban them on Tuesday evening, and all my thinking about this has given me the talking medical marijuana blues – Enjoy!

Talking Medical Marijuana Blues – Part One

Includes the story: The Man On The Other Side Of The Wall

“On Tuesday night, November 18^th, I got home from work, sat in my big chair, kicked back, and for the first time in my life smoked marijuana legally…”

Talking Medical Marijuana Blues – Part Two

I Get By With The Help Of My Friends - a brief look at my personal history with medical marijuana…

“There was a time, not very long ago, when I would often have to wait for days, sometimes a week to get my medicine. Sometimes nothing would be available from the few friends I knew, who knew a friend, who knew a friend who could get marijuana for them…”

Talking Medical Marijuana Blues – Part Three

Talking ‘Bout My Medication – looking at the different ways to use medical marijuana and how I use it…

“I wasn’t diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder until I was 33 years old. This revelation – that there was a medical reason, of some kind, behind my most confusing moods and actions – caused a paradigm shift that made me look back over my life through a new perspective…”

Talking Medical Marijuana Blues – Part Four

We Shall Overcome! – talking about the situation here in Long Beach, right now – about the City Attorney’s effort to ban the collectives, and how you can help!

“Rev. Martin Luther King stated over 40 years ago in a speech that “the arc of the moral Universe is long, but it’s bent towards Justice…”

During my long, personal civil rights march towards medical marijuana justice I’ve seen that this statement is true, just as I also believe that one day ‘we shall overcome!’”

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