Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Turn Turn Turn

Shipshape in a Sh-tstorm, Part Ten. Seasons Pass. Read it on my Patreon.


Not Free

Happy to provide a photo for Peter F. Crowley's poem in this Tuesday morning's portion of Oddball Magazine. 

This Week's Most Distinguished Network Name

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 Name: Brother May I Please Have Some Oats
And now I know all about this meme.

Happy Birthday, Poetik Desire

 


Happy Birthday, David Valdes

 


Happy Birthday, Michael C. Keith

 


Saying Happy Saint Patrick's My Way

Goofing around with family. 


Saint Patrick's Day

I can't think of anything more Saint Patrick's Day and Bosotn than a bit of graffiti celebrating Boston next to a bit of graffiti saying "Where the Hoe's at?!" 


Happy Evacuation Day

 

 


Yeah, I Know

Exhausted. No breakfast. No lunch. Went to bed very early.

I'll be posting a bunch today.

 

 

Monday, March 16, 2026

Oddball Stories with AJ Hardcastle

Thank you for reading Oddball Magazine this Monday. 

More Coming

Come back later. I'll not only be posting Saint Patrick's parade stuff but news for April. I can't post anything until I get home. 


Can't Go There

An I.C.E. inspired poem by Susan Isla Tepper with photography by Phoebe Wilcox gives us our three o'clock highlight over at Oddball Magazine. 

 

New Work from Rick

To get an advanced sneak preview of Rick Christiansen's more recent work coming to Stone Soup on Wednesday, check out his newest published poem, “Latency (Outbreak)," on the Masticadores Taiwan page. 

 

DIY Muppets?

Anne Skove shares a comic zine on how to make felt. Anne Skove gets educational in this week's "She Who Laughs Lasts" over at Oddball Magazine. 


A Post-Oscars Video

Just a little fun at the expense of horrible people. 


This Monday Thing


It's Later Now, Part Twenty-Eight: The Key. Read it on my Patreon.

 

Not Formerly Known As...?

Poet Mike Mesterton-Gibbons writes on what ol' Andy hasn't lost. That's how we kick off Monday and the week over at Oddball Magazine. 

In Case You Forgot

Rick Christiansen features at Stone Soup Poetry this Wednesday.

Flyer: Stone Soup Walks Through the Forest with Rick -  Rick Christiansen stops by Stone Soup Poetry to feature his latest work, including a new chapbook. - Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 7:00-9:00 P.M. ET - Open mic included! Donations appreciated! - Visit https://stonesouppoetry.blogspot.com/ for the Zoom link

Haiku for March 16

Ides of March went by
and nothing special happened.
If you know, you know.


Good God, I Have More!

I posted video yesterday of yesterday's Saint Patrick's Day parade on my TikTok, Intagram and elsewhere. I thought I was done, but I'm not. Plus I have to post my videos here, which I'll do tonight.


Happy Birthday, Cassandra de Alba

 

 


Surprises Me

Somehow, the work of the Big ⇡ 02130 artist survives in Brookline. the most graffiti unfriendly area in the entire Boston area! 


This Week's Friendly Reminder

Haven't posted a BLM reminder since last year. Luckily, JP's activists do a good job keeping these signs up even when everyone else forgets.


My Monday Morning Music

A group of us went to see the Dropkick Murphys last Friday. This week I'll feature some of the songs I heard for the first time. Then for the following two weeks, I'll feature music from their opening acts. 

 

 


Sunday, March 15, 2026

This past Saturday, I spent time in Bell Street Chapel in Providence, Rhode Island  for the funeral of a friend's mother. I enjoyed the introductory sign once I entered.

Chalk Board Sign: Welcome to Bell Street! - Love is the Spirite of this church. And serice is it's law. This is our Great Covenant - To dwell together in peace, To seek the truth in love, And to help one another.

Friday, March 13, 2026

My Friday Evening Music

I've been sitting with the music of this album and only now finished listening to it. After hearing this song and seeing the video, I'm pretty sure I'm going to try and write about this album.



Chapter 25

Steven David Justin Sills has come out with Chapter Twenty-Five of his ethics treatise with more artwork by Richard Spisak. Enjoy both now over at Oddball Magazine. 

Tonight: Lisa Borders 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.


Manic Wisdom

Here's Wise Words with Bruce Wise at Oddball Magazine. 


Keeping It Short

 
 
My one line poem about Spring is up now at Smols along with a plethora of other micropoets up today. Thanks so much, Robert Beach Jacobson. 

Taking a Moment to Reflect

My Dilbert essay from January has gotten what I think has been the best reaction of all my Medium articles. The fact that it's not monetized tells me that might have something to do with it (and also doesn't tell much good news regarding any future I have as part of Medium). Take a read if you haven't already over at  The Ugly Monster and consider subscribing to me or the Medium journal.

 

Remember

Janet Cormier's Bamboozled No More! is up for Friday at Oddball Magazine. 


My Friday Morning Music

"Song of the Future" is a funny title coming from what's now a classic rock act. But it is in fact a song for the late Iranian activist Sarina Esmalizadeh. I don't know if U2 was expecting things to escalate the way they did in Iran when this album was released.

 

 


Leopards Eating Faces Update!

 

Erika Kirk's appointment is a leopard feeding in the making. Trump's making another Kristi Noem, another person out of their element and unprepared for the backlash of simply following Trump's  orders and taking heat off of him. 

How could fascist America turn on a woman who's a widow to a pro-fascist podcaster? Oh, come now. You underestimate the MAGA base's willingness to turn on each other in a moment's notice. 

Like Kristi Noem, she'll be guilty, but she'll also be a patsy. Just wait.

 

Thursday, March 12, 2026

My Andrew Take Cold Take



Family Fun

 

Thanks to John Mulrooney and the rest of the crew at The Arts Fuse for accepting "Disown" as their latest featured poem of the week.


Addicted to Winning

James Van Looy keeps it quick this week with his poem column. Read It's All One Thing, up now at Oddball Magazine. 


Happy Birthday, Mitchell Waldman

See ya at Stone Soup some time?

Happy Birthday, John Patrick Robbins

 


Happy Birthday, Blackbyrd

 


Stone Soup Poetry All Open Mic, 3-11-26

From this week's online gathering. Poetry, music, drama, and Sean Connery impersonators. Wait...

 

 


A Wave with New Friends

Old friends, new friends. The makings of a good all-open mic night. Thanks to everyone who came out last night. Come back next week as Stone Soup features Rick Christiansen.


Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Let's Get Out of Here

I'm done. 

So done.

Done done done. 

Let me go home and prepare for Stone Soup Poetry.

It's an all-open mic tonight. 

I hope you join me tonight. 


I'd Rather Watch Trainwrecks Than Be Another One

 
The Chad Parenteau's Lost Causes newsletter for March 11 is up now at Substack.

 

This Friday: Lisa Borders 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.


Pride Now

We end now with flash fiction by Zoe Carver and photography by Jennifer Matthews. Thanks for reading Oddball Magazine this Wednesday. We'll miss you until next time.

New Review Up

I reviewed the first two issues of Babs: The Black Road South by Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows. Read my newest piece for The Ugly Monster and pick up the comic before the third issue comes out.


America

Welcome new contributing poet Caleb Merritt with returning photographer Glenn Bowie. Let's make this Wednesday a good one at Oddball Magazine. Glad you're with us.

Springing Into March

North of Oxford has come out for March. Read this month's collection of poetry and reviews compiled by g emil reutter and Diane Sahms.


The Book Man Cometh

 

Tom Lyons, one time owner of the New England Mobile Book Fair, shares his poetry in this week's Lyrical Somerville. Read it now over at The Somerville Times.

Next Week!

Rick Christiansen features for the first time at Stone Soup Poetry.

Flyer: Stone Soup Walks Through the Forest with Rick -  Rick Christiansen stops by Stone Soup Poetry to feature his latest work, including a new chapbook. - Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 7:00-9:00 P.M. ET - Open mic included! Donations appreciated! - Visit https://stonesouppoetry.blogspot.com/ for the Zoom link

You Are Here

They just try to make you think you're in a different town or state. 

Graffiti on sidewalk power box: Hell

A Moment of Comics

I have a feeling that there's not going to be a lot of inspirational war stories this time around. More people are going to end up like the "heroes" in Greg Irons' "Raw War Comics," published in the underground comic Hydrogen Bomb and Biochemical Warfare Funnies.


News from the Front, 3-11-26

Thank you! Buy my merch!


American Haiku: Slightly More Dignified Transfer

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: Slightly More Dignified Transfer

Where is Trump, you ask?
At the consignment table
ready to sell his hats after the show!


Happy Birthday, Jerome Daly

Keep writing.


Happy Birthday, Stacy Esch

We miss you.


Still Life After Breakfast, Part 167



Your Wednesday Morning Poetry


Iranian American Kaveh Akbar is featured this week with his poem "Do You Speak Persian?" courtesy of the Split This Rock website. 

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Go Me

Another of my poems was accepted yesterday.

It will be published in September.

And it's a paying publication.

 

Displaced Markers, I Guess

These weren't even near any streets known to have markers. What happened here? 


My Lindsay Graham Take, Same as a Decade Ago

Call 'em as I see 'em. 


Mister 600

Congratulations to Jason Wright for his six-hundredth poem column. 

Read his newest Jagged Thought now at Oddball Magazine. 

Good job, Jason.

Another Attempt to be Topical

 


Tough One to Get Through This Week

Shipshape in a Sh-tstorm, Part Nine: Family Still Tries to Recruit Me. Read it on my Patreon.


So Easy to Die Here

Luis Lázaro Tijerina speaks on Iran and America this Tuesday at Oddball Magazine. Hope you're all doing okay.


This Week's Most Distinguished Network Name

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 Name: goredsox or Go Red Sox
Too soon! Also, when you write it this way, it sounds like "Gored Sox."

Happy Birthday, Daniel Lynn Watt

 


Tuesday!

For the first time in weeks--WEEKS--I don't have to help dig out a parking space for my girlfriend at work!