I'm From Driftwood

At 28, Nathan Manske-- the creator of I'm From Driftwood, a website that publishes true stories by gay people from all over the world--has dedicated the last six months to developing this website and it's quickly gaining a lot of attention.

What recognition? A month ago, the Advocate.com, a lgbt publication, caught up with Manske about his Harvey Milk-inspired vision. And on Thursday night, Oilcan Harry's, one of Austin's first gay bars, hosted the live readings of first-person accounts from IFD.

What amazed me the most? Most of the narratives were surprisingly optimistic, hopeful accounts. The majority of the stories ended in a parable-quality, leaving the entertained audience responding with an, "Aww."  And, aw is right! These swift stories say more with less.

Overall, the reading was not just great, but inspiring. So if that's part of Manske's vision, then well done. These far-from-fiction accounts were so good, I had to share one with you.

Note: To read more of these stories, visit the IFD website.

People don’t usually ask you what it’s like to be gay. They ask you how your parents reacted when you came out to them. They ask you when you knew. But they never ask what it feels like or what it means to you. When I tell straight people that I’m gay, sometimes they fall all over themselves trying to let me know that it’s okay with them. Sometimes, they get really quiet and end the conversation. Lately they’ve been asking if I got married before Prop 8 passed...

Just a Little Bit: Poet, Carrie Fountain

While some may feel that poetry is a dying profession, it is proving to be the contrary for St. Edward's own faculty member, Carrie Fountain, who was one of five poets to recently win the prestigious National Poetry Series's 2009 Open Competition. (Open, meaning anyone and everyone can compete. Big deal!)

The five winners of the competition are published with one of five leading publishers. And Fountain, a former fellow of the Michener Center for Writers, picked up what's arguably the most honorable publisher: Penguin.

Do I hear a resident faculty position in the near future? I wouldn't be surprised.

If you're interested in hearing some of Fountain's award-winning Burn Lake, she'll be reading at St. Edward's tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 24th at 7:30 p.m. Free.

Austin's Music(?) Café

After the movie (see previous blog), my friend and I headed to Music Café on South Lamar (right across from Olivia—my favorite restaurant). I've been here a few times before and the great atmosphere is what keeps bringing me back. With trendy black couches, round, french tables and a soft lit patio, this wine and coffee bar is the perfect place for a drink after dinner or a coffee while studying—offering from my favorite teas (Mighty Leaf) to their great house wine... Not too wet, not too dry. Just right.


However, like anything great, the café has its drawbacks. For the cheese-hostile person (a.k.a. lactose intolerant) such as myself, there is absolutely nothing to order for food but chips. For you, I recommend having dinner or lunch before camping out and making ground here.

Sadly, another drawback is their low-quality sheesha (both the water pipe and tobacco). And having traveled the Middle East for approximately two months, I can confidently say I know what a good sheesha (argila, hookah, water pipe, etc.) is. These sheeshas aren't smooth, flavorful, relaxing sheeshas.

So, I know what you're thinking... where's the music in this? Good question. I have no idea! I've been there about five times now, and there is never live music there. I must be choosing odd nights to go. And while they do have a lineup about every other day, I feel the café has yet to earn the word "music" in their title. This is a quick fix. If you absolutely must hear music, check the lineup beforehand.

Albeit, it pains me to mention the ugly because I really enjoy coming back to this Eden like environment, sitting under trees with grapes hanging on every entrance. And they have a friendly staff. And really, I just want to like the place. Ultimately and unfortunately, their food selection is limited and their sheeshas, mediocre. But for the cheese-lover and non-sheesha-smoker, this is a place made in heaven (Austin).

A Little Review: Inglorious Basterds

After a month of its release and not having read a single review, I finally watched Quentin Tarantino's new film, Inglorious Basterds. One thing was sure, I experienced the movie in three phases—(1) the preview, (2) the plot, and (3) the verdict.

Phase 1: In the preview, I mostly witnessed Lt. Aldo Raine's (Brad Pitt) speech to a group of eight soldiers, the Inglorious Basterds themselves. A pacing, intimidating Lt. Aldo led me to believe that this was anything far from a laugh-inducing moment. In the midst of his speech, snippets of terrorizing scenes would flash on the screen. The preview left me curious about Tarantino's interpretation of elite Nazis versus the Jewish-American Basterds. (It was later brought to my attention that there were other previews that more accurately illustrated the movie's spirit. Why I didn't see any of them? I don't know.)

Phase 2: The movie began with a familiar structure to that of Kill Bill, another QT film that is subdivided into Chapters. Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time... in Nazi Occupied France. It was one of my favorite chapters; from exposing a multilingual cast to a 1941 green, French farm landscape to the introduction of Christopher Waltz's character, Hans Landa—an expert at locating Jews and killing them.

During Chapter 2: Inglorious Basterds, Lt. Aldo opens with the speech from the preview. Having just witnessed a somber opening of Chapter 1, I hesitated laughing during parts of Lt. Aldo's speech, parts of which were meant to be comical, even if only for a second. I laughed anyway, and to my relief, I wasn't the only one. It still felt a little awkward. For purposes of not telling the entirety of the movie, I digress at chapter two.


Phase 3: The following is not meant to insult your intelligence nor is it supposed to come off as condescending. But after reading mixed reviews and watching the movie, I think it's important to know that this is a Quentin Tarantino film; not an documentary. Therefore, yes, it is a little too gruesome for some (especially the annoying girl to my right). And, yes, the movie has vivid images of shootings, brutal beatings, spies, scalping of soldiers, betrayal, and of course, lots of blood. Also, no, this is not meant to be an accurate account of history. But, I believe Tarantino meant to tell a story, with other stories weaved within. Tarantino uses abrupt flashbacks, discrete humor, slightly more-than-necessary dialogue and chapters to develop an intricate story--it gave the film a page-turner-like quality.

Needless to say, I didn't put it down. And it especially didn't feel like 2 1/2 hours.