Friday, July 10, 2026

My Friday Evening Music

Madonna back so soon? Well she has a new album! Enjoy.

 

 


A Chariot of Wisdom

Bruce Wises and his Wise Words poem column closes out Oddball Magazine.

Thanks for reading us this week.

 

Positive Outcomes

Here's Janet Cormier with Bamboozled No More! at Oddball Magazine. 


Happy Birthday, Ellyn Maybe

 

 


Happy Birthday, Patrick Thomas Jeffries

 

 


Happy Birthday, George Bilgere

 

 


Happy Birthday, Peter Bates

 

 


Happy Birthday, Mona Zamfirescu

 

 


Prepping

I have a lot going on.

Scheduling posts now. 

I’m not sure if I’ll be back today.

The News is Real!

I really think so!

 


My Friday Morning Music

Another new song. This time from Kay Perry. You've been warned. 

 

 


Leopards Eating Faces Update!

 

Behold! The latest article focusing on bad people who feel slightly bad making bad decisions but not as bad as they should feel or (hopefully) are going to feel sooner or later.


Thursday, July 09, 2026

Introducing Chuck Berger

The only final act that makes sense. 

 


Breaking! Mitch McConnell Holds a Surprise Press Conference!

He's showing greater mobility. 

 


Tonight: Laurin Becker Macios at the Virtual Dire Literary Series

Hosted by Timothy Gager. Click here to join the group and get information on how to join the call.


Riots

 

Check out featured poet Keith Newton at The Arts Fuse.


These Current Age Days of Rage

James Van Looy's It's All One Thing poem column returns.

Read it now over at Oddball Magazine. 


Happy Birthday, Kevin Coyne

 

 


Marking It

Today would have been Deta Galloway's birthday.


Ha!

Even when I have Stone Soup off, I still can't start updating until after 9:00.

I need to up my game.

 

Last Week I Learned

I'm in a better mood on Thursdays when I'm not wearing gray. 

Wednesday, July 08, 2026

Again, No Stone Soup Tonight

I have the week off. 

We'll see you next Wednesday with Mary Ann Honaker.


Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Explosions

The Chad Parenteau's Lost Causes newsletter for July 8 is up now at Substack.


A Day of Firsts

Another first time contributor, poet Loki Kone, graces our site with photographer Bonnie Matthews Brock. Thank you for reading Oddball Magazine this Wednesday. We'll see you again soon.


Quick Reminder

Marc Goldfinger returns to Stone Soup Poetry two Wednesdays from now.

Flyer: Now Marc Goldfinger Rides Into Stone Soup - Stone Soup Poetry welcomes Marc Goldfinger, Stone Souper, Highway Poet and Poetry Editor of Spare Change News. - Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 7:00-9:00 P.M. ET - Open mic included! Donations appreciated! - Visit https://stonesouppoetry.blogspot.com/ for the Zoom link

Wednesday Abides

Poet Tabitha Morris gives us her first contribution for the morning alongside photographer Jennifer Matthews. Welcome to Wednesday over at Oddball Magazine. 


WAYTA, 7-8-26

Life: It writes itself.


Hey, Tom!

 

Tom Driscoll is this week's Lyrical Somerville contributor for The Somerville Times. 

Hey, Another One

Presented with no additional comment. 


I Like the Hidden Message

Found while walking in JP.

A Moment of Comics

A group of white people with Superman powers trying to preserve their alleged genetic purity by plotting to destroy the planetary equivalent of the United Nations? How did comics suddenly get woke over thirty years ago? From Legionnaires #27, written by Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw (who also did coloring on the issue),  penciled by Mike McCraw and inked by W.C. Carani.
 


American Haiku: Trump Does a Negotiation

When I started my Sarcastic Haiku series, I wrote my first American Haiku. An American Haiku doesn't care about tradition, formality or history. it takes as long as it wants to make its point because America. You can read others I've written since by clicking here and scrolling down. 
 

American Haiku: Trump Does a Negotiation
 
It's deal and no deal!
Peaceful bombings continue
until America reenters World Cup!

Happy Birthday, Christopher Kain

 

 


Zoom Drawing


No Stone Soup Poetry this week, so here's a depiction of regular Richard Spisak as drawn by Stone Soup sketch artist Jacklyn Bookshester.


Mostly Blues

It took some rain, but most of the hydrangea have gotten their blue and violet mix.


Your Wednesday Morning Poetry

Pride Month is done, but I'd like to feature Emma Wells, a Pride staple at Oddball Magazine. Her poem "Fall" comes courtesy of Spillwords.


Tuesday, July 07, 2026

Mitch McConnell Reached!

A felon can't vote, but they can hold office. Same with dead people.


Perseverance

Jason Wright's latest Jagged Thought poem column is out now over at Oddball Magazine. 

 

This Thursday: Laurin Becker Macios at the Virtual Dire Literary Series

Hosted by Timothy Gager. Click here to join the group and get information on how to join the call.


Still Keeping Up with Patreon

May Contain Traces of Me, Part Three: Going Unheard. Read it on my Patreon.


Never Too Late

Patricia Carragon has an anti-ode to America turning a wizened 250. Glad to have photography paired  paired with her work this Tuesday at Oddball Magazine. 


This Week's Most Distinguished Network Names

It's amazing what people will name their online networks. I'm always trying to hijack Wi-Fi when I'm commuting, so I often come across a number of interesting names. Every Tuesday, I post the most impressive and/or cringe-inducing names.

Network Names: House of Enchantment, Rainbows and Butterflies and Together with Jesus
Enough with the fantasy stuff!

Happy Birthday, Lillian Ann Slugocki

 

 


Obligatory Southpark Follow-up Post

I don't need to work that hard today.


Monday, July 06, 2026

Excess!

Oh well. Probably won't get to the 300th anyway.

 


Oddball Stories with Madeline O’Neill

Thank you for reading Oddball Magazine this drawn out Monday.

 

Busy Monday

A lot has happened while I was away. While I was away from the computer, John Patrick Robbins published my poem "Your Job That Will Be Erased" over at The Crossroads. Thanks to him and Crossroads readers.


Have a Flea-Filled Monday

 

 

"Retribution" is my latest poem for the micropoetry journal Five Fleas (Itchy Poetry). Glad to be in the Monday post with fellow poets Noah Berlatsky, Ruth Holzer, Marie Derley and many others. Thanks to Roberta Beach Jacobson for putting this group together.


Playing with Blocks

Another Anne Skove's comic on the (lack of) creative process in this week's "She Who Laughs Lasts." Read it now over at Oddball Magazine. 


Keeping Up During Break

 

It's Later Now, Part Forty-Four: And Another Thing. Read it on my Patreon.

Aaaaahhh!

Post July Fourth Mike Mesterton-Gibbons gives us lighter subject matter for this Monday. Welcome to Oddball Magazine. It's like we never rest.

 

Two Tuesdays from Now

Mary Ann Honaker features on July 15 when Stone Soup Poetry returns.

Flyer: Visiting Stone Soup from Another Realm - Mary Ann Honaker reads from her forthcoming collection as Stone Soup Poetry’s first July feature. - Wednesday, July 15, 2026, 7:00-9:00 P.M. ET - Open mic included! Donations appreciated!  - Visit https://stonesouppoetry.blogspot.com/ for the Zoom link

Red Burst

When I visit my Mom for July Fourth, we go watch the fireworks because they are literally walking distance from my childhood house. Normally, nearly all of my fireworks photos are subpar because I don't want to stand up and block people's views. Luckily, it started raining by the time the show started, so the field wasn't as packed.  I took a few photos like this one that I'm happy with.


July 22: Marc Goldfinger Rides into Stone Soup

Poet, author, columnist and editor Marc Goldfinger has been a multiple time feature during my tenure at Stone Soup Poetry, and he has always been generous enough to share the spotlight with colleagues from fellow Boston poets to fellow members of the Highway Poets. This time, on July 22, we're giving Marc the full feature spotlight online. Join us for the local legend's performance.

Join us on Wednesday, July 22, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM ET by clicking this link.

The meeting ID is 832 0056 5037

Password: stonesoup


Happy Birthday, Bonnie Matthews Brock

We need to work together again soon.

 

Happy Birthday, Angela Ball

 

 


Happy Birthday, Shamenaz Shaikh

 

 


Getting Around

Amazing to see a Big ⇡ 02130 sticker in Kenmore Square during the spring.


This Week's Friendly Reminder

I love that a store put this sign up. More should do likewise.

Sign: Private Property - Absolutely NO I.C.E. ALLOWED - I.C.E. AGENTS MYA NOT ENTER PRIVATE AREAS WITHOUT A JUDICAL WARRANT - WE DO NOT CONSENT TO ANY SEARCHES WITHOUT LEGAL AUTHORITY

My Monday Morning Music

New music from established. First is Bootsy Colins with Eric Gales.

 

 


Sunday, July 05, 2026

WAYTA, 7-4-26

Must have been a bad lip read.


July 15: Stone Soup and Mary Ann Honaker Return!

Mary Ann Honaker has graced Stone Soup Poetry's real space and virtual space podiums. On July 15, she makes her virtual return with poetry from her new collection, Night Is Another Realm Altogether (which you can order here). Support the work of a prolific poet and be in the Zoom audience for her.

Join us on Wednesday, July 15, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM ET by clicking this link.

The meeting ID is 859 5282 8229

Password: stonesoup


Late Wisdom

Bruce Wise's Wise Words column was lost and couldn't be put up on Friday. Putting his column in today as a late entry marks what might be the first time Oddball Magazine has published seven days in a row! History made!

Thanks for reading us this entire week.


Chad the Grad

Here is a still shot from Mom recording my graduation from Framingham Sate College back in [REDACTED]. I'm thinking of writing a story for The Moth about something that happened the day right after I graduated. Writing my intentions down now in the hopes of fulfilling them sooner rather than never. 


Trump Shuts It Down

Well, that's it for freedom.

 


Grab Your Shovels

Too many people who don't really understand journalism use the term "burring the lead."

From a recent Yahoo story, starting from the lead paragraph.

Donald Trump has hailed the "unmatched achievement and unlimited potential" of the US in a triumphalist address marking the country's 250th anniversary.

In a late-night campaign-style speech in Washington DC on Saturday, the US president claimed his country was "just getting started" as he vowed to take it "to new levels".

Celebrations have been marred by extreme weather, including a dangerous heatwave in recent days, and a passing storm that delayed Trump's speech. An apparent white nationalist march through the streets of Washington also caused alarm.

Folks, this is what's called "burring the lead."


Happy Birthday, Maxwell Kessler

 

 


Happy Birthday, Colorado T. Sky

Been a while!

 

Happy Birthday, Doug Holder

 

 


Your Weekly Dose of God

Found another standard "God Bless America" pamphlet they print out every June. God better hurry up and bless us. I don't know how much longer we have.