Do you remember that time in 1987 when you held soul music up to your ear and heard Billy Ocean? Do you remember a few years later when you held Billy Ocean to your ear and heard the Fresh Prince? Do you remember how this is really how you got into hip-hop? Do you want to come over to my house and say marina to each other again and again until we do?

Marina. Now you go. Marina. My turn. Marina.

Yesterday I went the broken bird zoo. Do you know what happens when birds who eat flesh break? They keep trying to eat your face and you get real glad there are signs that say "Do NOT Put Hands and Face Into Cages." You normally aren't that good with signs, but the weather was just right today and so your face was always safe. Still, you can't help but be startled.

Startled. Try that one. Startled. Today you startled me. She has a startling present. She startles with presents. But you can never promise to startle. I will startle you. Being startled comes from a lack of expectations. If you expect a startling, it will never come.

They have no starlings at the broken bird zoo. Because they are passerines and have strong feet. Eagles eat passerines. I eat nectarines, but not like an eagle eating a passerine because I don't eat anything the way an eagle eats passerines.

Do you remember when I was looking for a job? Turns out I was really good at that. I have two jobs now.

I like that...

Jobs are busy things. I'm new to this bustling and I like it. Sometimes I try to be cute when I should be more smart. My body is frequently more busy because of it. There is much to be doing, but I'm still waiting for paychecks. In the meantime, I busy myself with bike riding.

Last week was pleasant in all the best lunarways. The moon was almost full. The moon was full. The moon rose and I smelled the best apple smells ever. I had a birthday party and the moon waned the whole time. It was still a very good party.

Right now, I kind of want to go to bed, but that is an involved process and so, it seems, I am not going to bed just yet.

These are things I ate at the State Fair: a turkey leg, a funnel cake, fried Oreo cookies, fried pickle spears, more turkey that had a stick added to it after the fact, a few bites of ice cream and a gross slushy that didn't taste like what I thought strawberry lemonade should taste like. There were many other things I was going to try, but instead, I didn't. I feel good about a lot of decisions. That remains one of them.

The most important question you may ever face: Why not get an airbrushed tattoo of 2pac? As in, congratulations, Poet, here is your airbrushed tattoo of 2pac! Or, if that doesn't tickle you, what about 2pocahontas? That tickles me. Also, saying the word, Okoboji. It's like saying, Okay BJ, but different.

I started a new job today. Actually, if you ask the federal government, I started a job today, having had no former job (in the last 18 months). You can't be unemployed if you are believed to have never been employed to begin with. I wasn't unemployed, no, I was simply not employed. But that's over now. I'm totally ambient.

Today I cut myself twice on the same door. There is less of me now than there once was. I have less Benjamin to speak of. However, the door has a tiny bit more. Or, I guess, since it didn't have any before, it has some. Some Benjamin. The door, it seems, is basking in my newly found ambiance.

Ohio is the worst. I've said it before, but feel a more permanent record is needed. Anyway, as I've said before, Ohio is the worst. Driving through Ohio is like driving through a Larry The Cable Guy album. You don't mind it at first, but by track 2, man, you can't wait for this shit to be over. That's when you realize you're only in Cleveland and the CD player is broke and the only way to get to the next disc to let it play. But then, just before the last track is over, it stops and charges you $20 for having listened to the CD all the way through. Ohio...you're the worst.