“Like most Americans, I live in a world that cannot see the point in work that doesn’t bring in money or instant prestige. I myself can’t see the point in work that doesn’t bring money or prestige, yet I keep doing it, day after day, year after year. At a place like Bread Loaf, I can see up close that people not all that different than me have turned this queer habit of mine into a job that gives them money and prestige. But — and this is the great secret — I also meet hundreds of other people just like me, who will never make money as writers, who will never win a Pulitzer Prize or be the poet laureate, but keep on writing because they love it. And, seeing them, I know I am not alone.”
—Keeping the Faith – The Millions’ Michael Bourne goes to the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and leaves with a reaffirmed sense of purpose.
Also see Paul Graham on the false allure of prestige and Ray Bradbury on doing what you love.
“I’m a genius, I’ve been quietly telling myself for the past 13 years, and nobody even knows it.”
—My New Year’s Resolution: Read Fewer Books by Michael Bourne
Embracing The Other I Am; or, How Walt Whitman Saved My Life
themillions.comThis, I think, was the magic of Walt Whitman for me. Here was a poet who seemed on intimate terms with the darkest, most secret side of himself, but who, instead of running from that scarifying Other, embraced it, even celebrated it.
— Michael Bourne at The Millions, 4 July 2011 (via Shorty)
Nov 5, 2012 - IRL FILM
At the beginning of the summer I got the opportunity to work on what turned out to be an outstanding project. I got asked to style the hair for the film IRL, directed by Grant Singer and written by Patrick Sanberg. When I received the briefing of the film it all sounded awesome not realizing the epic proportions of what this all may come to. The film starred Sky Ferrieria, Michael Bourne, Chris Wetmore, Whitney Vangrin, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Damien Echols, Liza Thorn, Matt Koshak and many more. Wardrobe was super on point to perfection by Haley Wollens, makeup by my lady Terese Bennett and hair by Yours Truly. So basically I was working with some of the most talented young people in the industry today. My best gal Sandy Kim was to thank for introducing me to Grant and this wonderful crowd, not only did she play a cameo in the film, she also shot these amazing stills for the film…
Here’s a little teaser trailer for the film, stay tuned and be on the lookout for the full film soon..!!
Ciao for now,
Machine Darine
From Michael Bourne’s “Fear and Loathing at 40,” at The Millions:
“Unlike the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, however, who were under no illusion about what they were up against, the leaders of the Peace Generation were by and large children of privilege who believed that if they spoke truth to those in power – who were, after all, their parents – they would be heard. But once the Flower Children had finished sitting in and singing mean songs about the president, when their parents, Nixon’s Silent Majority, went ahead and fought the war anyway, most cut their hair and found jobs.
But not Raoul Duke, our latter-day Don Quixote who drives into Vegas with his 300-pound Sancho Panza and a head full of acid to figure out what went wrong. Duke is a horror show – violent, misogynistic, full of a manic male rage that is fueling his appetite for drugs – but in a world of hustlers, pimps and bullshit artists, he is an honest man. He lies constantly, but never to himself, or to his readers. He understands how destructive he is, and he describes, with almost compulsive honesty, what it must feel like to totally lose faith in one’s self and one’s country. In the end, he is demoralized, smashed against the rocks of history, and though he never comes out and says so, one suspects that one of the reasons he’s so heartbroken is that he knows he has no one to blame but himself.
This may explain why Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas made such a stir when it first came out: it not only sounded the death knell of the 1960s, but also helped make sense of its ignominious end. Raoul Duke is no Flower Child, but he is the freakiest of the Freaks and he believes, with his own freakish fervency, in the nobility of what his generation was trying to achieve. What he sees from that hilltop in Vegas, despite the fistfuls of drugs he takes to obscure his vision, is that his side has lost, not because the cause wasn’t just or because the enemy wasn’t evil, but because he and his compatriots were too self-involved, too drunk on their rightness, to fully appreciate the power of their opponent.”
Feb. 10, 2013
The biggest thing in baseball going on today is the king Felix drama. The Mariners put the brakes on reports the 7 year 175 million deal has been finalized. The reason why is being reported there maybe something wrong with Felix’s elbow. The Mariners are disputing that he has an injury.Wow that would be bad news for the Mariners and Felix. Elsewhere the Indians are trying to capture some old magic by signing Dice K and Brett Myers today. On the Free Agent Front Michael Bourne is still unsigned. The Mets seem to have the only interest in him but they do not want to surrender the 11th pick of the draft to get him. I also dont think MLB will overturn their draft pick compensation. We are down to 11 days until Spring Training begins! Random fact of the day: The City of Los Angeles has 3 times more automobiles than people. Shouldn’t be hard to find a ride to the Dodger games.
MLB HOT STOVE: Top 15 Free Agents
This is fairly simple enough. Rank the top 15 nosebleed hooligans free agents, bet on how much they’ll make and for how many years, and for which team they’ll be making it with.
I reserve the right for a part two, because 15 might have been too hasty a decision. Look for a top 30 to follow, with profiles of key free agents.
It’s going to be a boring ass ride but it’s not without intrigue.
