"Bones" Video for Poets Walk Rochester's Neighborhood of the Arts

I would like to proudly say that my "Bones", an ASL poem in a video, is confirmed and will be presented for the Poets Walk for the Rochester's Neighborhood of the Arts related to ArtWalk Extension project (new sidewalk and streets with sculptures, benches, and etc) along Goodman St., University Avenue area downtown Rochester sometimes next year. Here is a note from Paul Way, ArtWalk Extension Manager:

It is my please to forward to you the attached letter from Rochester Mayor Thomas S. Richards. The letter notifies you that a poem you submitted has been chosen to be included in Poets Walk in Rochester's Neighborhood of the Arts. Congratulations!

Please take a few minutes to review the poem you submitted and the bio on the Democrat & Chronicle’s ArtDrop website: artdrop.org/poets-walk

I also encourage you to participate in a celebratory Poets Walk Poetry Reading to be held on Sunday, November 13^th from 2:00 to 5:00 at the Memorial Art Gallery.

I join the Mayor in thanking you for your contribution to Poets Walk. Below is a list of all the chosen poets and their poems.

Sincerely,

Paul Way

City of Rochester

Art Walk Extension Project Manager

2 Gay-Themed Computer Generated Images

This summer, I played around with PhotoShop and Illustrator software in my Mac computer to create 2 gay-themed images for fun. First is "Proud Eddie"and the 2nd one is "Angel Dude". The first one was created using both, Illustrator and PhotoShop. I created curved lines of a body in Illustrator. I also used an image of the skyscrapers and used Illustrator's "Live Paint" effect, which reduced the details of the skyscrapers and only made them black and white in high contrast. I then imported the linear curved lines of the body and the "Live Paint" skyscrapers into PhotoShop. I then added a face of myself and put that on top of the body. I put the skyscrapers behind me. After that, I used PhotoShop's special effects for colors, shades, warps, and etc. Took a while for me to figure out how to make the figure of myself and the skyscrapers become distinguishable. The effort was done as best as I could to make that work. The image of an angel dude is actually a statue at the American Portraits Museum in Washington, D.C. I got rid of the background and manipulated the statue with PhotoShop's special effects to make it look like it's flying. The only challenge was the face, which turned out not so crisped clear. Tried several ways to solve that, but I decided to leave it that way, figuring that it is flying away from us and should be hard to see up in the air anyways.

Science Poetry Cover Design Completed and My Poem In the Publication

I received a jpeg image of the new book cover of "Science Poetry", which will have my "New Ways" poem published in the book very soon. The publication is located in Ontario, Canada. Such a beautiful design.

Here is the poem that will be in the book:

"New Ways"

New ways, new ways,

My mind is charged in wires.

I feel like an android, ready to hum into life.

Hear strange white noise of a new refrigerator, a science fiction sound effect.

Sunlight beams down to a polished wood floor,

Miraculous light heading toward the future.

New ways, new ways,

My insights are turning into reality

Like holograms finally becoming possible.

See two new modern blue bar lights

Glowing above a new bar table,

A 21st Century blue-eyed child

Looking into the future.

New ways, new ways,

New Mac laptop stirs into life

With its radiating phosphorescent light,

Playing its electronic violin sweetly.

Walk through a new space of the place

Like exploring through the tunnel into the future.

New small magical cell phone

Beeps its ethereal sounds,

"Star Trek"-like gadget that kisses my digital hearing aids.

New fancy video-phone comes into life in my living room,

A journey through cybernetic landscapes.

New ways, new ways,

My mind is charged in wires.

DeadMau5 Head Piece Design Contest

I submitted this design for a well-known Canadian DJ called DeadMau5, an electronic music genre. He, the DJ, usually wears Micky Mouse-alike head pieces while he plays his electronic music on stage. A DeadMau5 website posted a contest for anyone to join and come up with a design on DeadMau5's head piece. If a person wins the contest, the DJ will wear the head piece that the winner designed. The winner also would get 2 free ticket to see DeadMau5 concert in LA plus free trip as well.

I wanted DeadMau5's head piece to have its ears and eyes all lit up in rainbow, which is a message upon respect toward diversity and freedom. I also wanted the words reading, "Love, Peace, and Harmony" in red LEDs in the mouth area. The rainbow lights would blink or animate. The ears would have the rainbow go up or down. The eyes would have the rainbow swirling in circles constantly. The head piece, itself, could be shiny black plastic or silver chrome, either one. I shall see whether I win or not. Let's wait and see. The announcement of the winner will be sometimes in the middle of July or end of July.

RIT NEACUHO ASL Poetry Successs

The performance for RIT's NEACUHO conference went very well. CJ, Ariel, Joe Fox, Conrad, Chrissie, and myself did ASL poetry, storytelling, and signing to songs. Did my 3 original poems in ASL and went smoothly. The rest of the performers did great. Had nice dinner afterwards. Then we presented a workshop at the Global Village area at RIT. The workshop was great fun. Enjoy the photos of the event.

ASL Poetry for RIT's NEACUHO

I and a few other performers will present ASL poetry and skits for Rochester Institute of Technology's (RIT) NEACUHO - North East region of the Association of College and University Housing Officers on June 8th, 6:00 PM. It's an Annual Conference full of opportunities for professional development, networking and reconnecting with colleagues, as well as entertaining activities that will assist them in reflecting and rejuvenating.The social workers from mostly northern regions of United States will attend the three days conference on campus. RIT came up with an idea of exposing them the sole existence of deaf culture on RIT campus where NTID (National Technical Institute for the Deaf) is under. I will perform my 3 original poems in ASL and others will do famous poets' classic poems, sign along songs, and do traditional A,B,C and numbers ASL storytelling. After the banquet, we all will present a workshop on hand shapes and other ASL-related issues.

There are 3 videos of my ASL poetry performance that I will present on June 8th: "Angel's Suicide", "Money", and "Bones". There are also 3 videos of Joe Fox, who also will perform, doing his ASL skit signing along Josh Groban's "To Be Loved" song, his original poem titled "13" and A,B.C sign language titled "Callie Lee Fox". There are other performers' videos, which you have to click on "Click Here to Watch" under 4 more items are available.

To see those videos, click on: https://mail.google.com/mail/shva=1#inbox/130537fd4ae0d643

ASL Poetry Performance at Delilah's

I performed my ASL poems at Delilah's downtown Ithaca, NY on May 15th. I presented some of my work in spoken words and sign language simultaneously, some in pure ASL without a voice, and some along my original composed electronic music. Other performers performed there, who are singers and musicians: Luane Davis Haggerty, Jai, Susan, and Rose. They were great performers. I received a very positive response from the audience, even though I screwed up a spoken-English poem/sign language translation of Allen Ginsberg's "Holy" poem. I was even paid to perform and didn't expect that, and I and the performers received a half priced dinner at Delilah's. That was a great treat. Delilah's is a cool place to perform, set up as a club with tables/chairs around the room with food/drinks served.