Timothy House the Writer

New Story October 7th and latest news

2011-01-19T10:24:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has had a good start to the new year. First I'll start with some news. In a previous post I discussed a new book cover for Definitions. That cover had a photo from Ocean City MD, however the picture was too dark when printed so I opted to go with a beautiful autumn photo of Wolf Creek in Norton, OH instead.

Also due to demand I have created a paperback version of "Love Notes". The book contains "Love Notes" and nine other short stories that also appear in "Apollo's Flame". The book is available at Amazon.com for $5.99 and will be available at Barnes & Noble and other retailers soon.

Last but not least, It is my pleasure to present my short story "October 7th" in honor of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday. Enjoy...

October 7th

October 5th:

While waiting for a cab outside Camden Yards I was bumped by a peculiar man in a beige trench coat. Immediately I felt different, very strange. I thought It might have just been some bad clams and stress from a long day at work. We were testing waste material from a UN team that was monitoring nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea. I was planning on going down to the waterfront but took a cab home and decided to rest instead.

As I arrived home my cat was sitting on the kitchen counter staring at me with a smile, an evil smile. I noticed my favorite slippers were missing. I suspected the cat of stealing them, but he's just a cat how could he possibly do something like that?!? At that time I had developed a cough and a fever. I took some aspirin and had some tea before going to sleep.

October 6:

I awoke to find blood spatter on the wall and ceiling. I quickly looked at the bed and checked myself, but nothing. Across from the bed was the cat, with that evil smile, licking his chops. I felt what I thought was two pin holes in my side. I ran to the bathroom to vomit and then call the police. "Stay away from me you blood sucking cat!" I screamed at him.

As I returned. The blood was gone and the cat was still sitting there like nothing had happened. Wagging his tail licking himself just like he does after he eats. I sprayed luminol on the ceiling and got my black light out but there was no blood. I don't know how he did it, but he made that blood disappear.

Then I noticed a symbol on the wall. A purple circle with an orange triangle in the middle. The writing below looked like ancient Egyptian. I looked up the symbol on the internet. It was the symbol of alien society that was thought to come to the Earth thousands of years ago and operated under a deep cloak of secrets. They had a logic above the capabilities of humans. It was thought that they lived among us since they had first came. They possessed a strange type of energy thought to be atomic which humans just in recent decades had discovered.

All of the sudden I became very dizzy, I decided I needed to go to the hospital but I was unable to reach for the phone. Instead I passed out on the floor. As I faded out of consciousness I saw that damn cat running over and then he poked me with his paws. Probably checking to see if I was dead yet. To think I took that little bastard in from the cold last winter.

I woke again hours later in a pool of my own vomit. I ran to the fire escape. The cat was laying on my bed sleeping like nothing had happened. As I made it to the street I ran out screaming,"help, help, the aliens are trying to kill me!" People just ran away! I became weak and fell face first in the alley. The cat watching on from the window above with that evil smile on his face.

I was able to get up and run away somehow. I saw a path drawn out, it was 2 yellow lines that went down the hill to a circular building with a triangle on top. It was the hospital but I can't go there the damn aliens are there. The plan seemed to come to light now. The man in the trench coat drugged me, the cat watched over me and now they were trying to send me to this "hospital" that's where the cat came from. Cats are the alien species. They must be able to take human form and now that I know the truth they had to kill me. I became dizzy again and fell down. As I looked up I saw what I thought were lights from a police car. Maybe I'm saved after all.

October 7:

I awoke again, tied to a bed needles in my arms pumping their poison into me. Men in white coats standing over me, the coats looked just like the man in the trench coat except his was beige. They were asking me questions, trying to keep me awake so they can scan my brain with their lights. The lights round with triangles in the middle. They walked out of the room and all I could see was their coats, their faces blurry and their hands were cat paws with sharp claws.

So it looks as if the end is near. Here I am strapped to this bed with the lights blinding me. Forced to stare at their disgusting symbol as it scans my brain. I wonder how the hell I got here, veins bursting, the walls closing in on me and I'm powerless to stop it. So my tongue slithers down my throat as I choke...and so it is, they win, those bastard doctors, the man in the trench coat... the aliens! The worst alien of all, that damn cat the one I took in only to have him murder me. They have programmed my body to betray me and so it has. I'll see all you bastards in hell!

Note from Doctor Morrows:

Subject Alfred expired at 5:00 Hours October 7th. Cause of death: poisoned by radioactive isotope. Subject suffered from extreme paranoia found wandering the streets of Baltimore in a state of delusion. Warned of an alien civilization taking over the Earth. We have classified his death as a murder and possible terrorist attack. We have turned all data of subject Alfred to the FBI. It is also entirely possible that he may have been exposed to it in his lab as well. We were unable to determine either theory and will leave it to the proper authorities.

Supplemental note: some of the staff attending to Alfred complained of fever and anxiety. An unusually high number of them in fact. I believe it can be attributed to the stress of dealing with such a difficult subject. Seeing him in the condition he was in and the way he finally died. The hospital has adopted Alfred's cat. Call it strange but this cat appears to be smiling. I think he will be good for the patients.

Story Notes:

A few things inspired the writing of this story. First the date, which was the date Edgar Allan Poe died. He was found wandering the streets of Baltimore. Second was the cat, which spawned from Poe's quote,"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat". He also described veins popping as a symptom his wife suffered from tuberculosis and later died which inspired the end of the story.

New Cover art for Definitions and more

2010-12-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone and I hope you're enjoying your holiday season. First thing I'd like to announce that Barnes and Noble is carrying the print version of "Apollo's Flame" with the nook version coming soon. Barnes and Noble is also now carrying the nook book "Love Notes" for just $.99.

People have told me they wanted to read a sample of my books before buying them and they can't do that online. Not true, there are many different ways in which you can sample, every retailer has a sample. Amazon has a "look inside" feature. This allows you to read a portion of the book. By default it shows about 40% of the book including the front and back cover. It also has a search feature. Kindle will allow you to download a sample to your device (Kindle, iPod, iPad, computer etc.). The Apple iBook store, Kobo, Smashwords, and others also allow you to download samples to your device. As with all ebook devices, if you like the book you can purchase it and keep reading. Barnes and noble doesn't have an "inside the book" feature yet but nook users can download a sample. Unique to Barnes and Noble; nook users can go into the store and read the book for free. Chill out in the cafe, have a coffee, and check out my books or any other ebook Barnes and Noble offers. Below are some links to my books on both Barnes and Noble and Amazon. feel free to check it out. The other cool thing that is in the works is an electronic library service which works much like music sites such as Rhapsody, Napster, Jango, and Pandora. These sites allow you to check out the book and read it. This is a pay service but is much cheaper than buying lots of books. I foresee the major retailers jumping onto this bandwagon soon enough.

The last bit of news is the new cover for Definitions, my first book of poetry. The picture was taken in Ocean City when I was there to shoot the cover for "Love Notes". This is a sunset picture bay side. The book with the new cover should be available within a couple of weeks. I'm offering a special deal for those who have already purchased the original book. If you catch me at a poetry reading or book signing after the first of the year and you bring your first version of "Definitions" you will get a new copy for free and I'll sign them both.

Links:
Amazon look inside link Apollo's Flame
Amazon look inside link Definitions
Amazon Kindle link Apollo's Flame
Amazon Kindle link Definitions
Amazon kindle link Love Notes
Amazon Kindle link Old Man and the Moon
Barnes and Noble nook link Love Notes
Barnes and Noble nook link Definitions
Barnes and Noble nook link Old Man and the Moon

Apollo's Flame is not yet available for nook, Apple iPad, Sony Reader, or Kobo but will be soon.

Apollo's Flame is now available

2010-10-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

On a hot summer weekend in Georgia at the Roswell Storytelling Festival in 2009 the idea of Apollo's Flame was born. Today the book is available in paperback and kindle version at Amazon.com. This book features over 100 poems including Haiku, Senryu, Tanka, and Cinquain. Along with the poetry are nine short stories including the mini novel Love Notes. The book also has an afterword that explains the ideas behind many of the poems and stories.

Love Notes is now available

2010-10-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

Love Notes is now available at Amazon.com for just $.99. It will be available at other retailers shortly such as: Apple iBookstore, Kobo books, Sony Store, and Barnes & Noble.

Today I'm going to discuss a little about how the story was conceived, places it was written, and a little about the story.

First the story is set in modern times in mainly Elkton and Ocean City, MD. The story is about an average couple. They begin a romance, marry, honeymoon in Paris, then have children. Things are great until tragedy strikes and their marriage is put to the test but in the end they stay together. Later their son becomes a Major League pitcher making his parents very proud. His dad remembers the first day he put on a baseball cap and couldn't hold the bat straight. The story ends at the end of main character Mia's life after her husband dies. She reflects on their life together, all the poems they had written each other, and their adventures. The story is told through their emails, love notes, and poems to each other.

The idea for the book was originally very different. It was conceived as I did an interview with an elderly couple to develop characters for a story. The idea was always to write a life-long romance but in the standard style of face to face dialogue. However, in the interview, they spoke of how they left love notes for each other with poetry. Being a poet, this intrigued me. After the interview I thought of how I could tell an entire story through just love notes sent to each other but realized I couldn't do dialogue very well this way. Later that day it occurred to me in this day of blackberrys and other mobile devices a story using email to communicate is very true. I carry conversations all the time emailing back and forth. Therefore the idea was born.

The setting was chosen because I was working around the Baltimore and Delmarva region. I stayed in Elkton, MD and quickly became enamored with the entire area which is tucked at the top of the Chesapeake bay. While working in the region I also made a visit to Ocean City, MD. I had first discovered the city on a trip in high school years ago. I was curious about it so I decided to visit and do some writing there and it became apparent that this awesome place had to become part of the story. It is a big part of the story. The picture on the cover is the pier by the carnival at the end of the boardwalk. Mia and Peter first discover the area while vacationing there and decide to move to Elkton after Peter takes a job in Baltimore. Other areas with significance to the book are listed below.

I am the type of writer in love with interesting places and find inspiration in my surroundings. I often write in places "with a great view". This story was no different. With laptop in hand I wrote on the beach in Ocean City, MD. In and around Elkton, MD including Chesapeake City, MD and Elk Neck state park which is where the Elk river meets the Chesapeake Bay. This is a wonderful unique area of the United States which I encourage people to see. Other places I wrote the story include: New York City, Liberty Park in New Jersey, Delaware Water Gap on top of the mountain, at a park on the banks of Susquehanna River in PA, in and around Nashville, TN and many other places. While not part of the story these place always help me with creative flow.

Below is a list of different characters and settings:
Main characters:
Peter Sargent
Mia Sargent
Stephen Sargent
Veronica Christa Sargent
Veronica Sargent (granddaughter)

Other Characters:
Peter's best friend Bob
Gina Sargent
Mia's mother

Main setting:
Elkton, MD
Ocean City, MD

other settings:
Phoenixville, PA
Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore, MD
Pullman, WA (WSU)

Below is a link to purchase. This version is only available via ebook. However it is also part of a larger book coming soon titled "Apollo's Flame" which contains poetry, prose, and more short stories. No release date yet but it will be out very soon. This story will also be part of another fiction book coming later which will just have short stories. Details on that book will be posted as the writing for it is completed.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the story.

New Track available

2010-09-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

Whispers of 9-11 is now available at Amazon, iTunes, Napster, Zune, and emusic. This is a piece about 9-11 with Tim reciting the poem with a lone clarinet in the background playing "America the Beautiful". Tim is also the clarinetist. The poem is a reminder of that fateful day when the US was attacked by terrorists.

In addition for a limited time you will be able to hear "Dear Muse", a comedy piece that will be on the Apollo's Flame album but you get a sneak peak at that piece now until Friday September 10th. Poet Puma Pearl accompanies me on this piece as my muse.

Update

2010-08-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of updates to discuss. First Old Man and the Moon is now available in the UK Kindle store. This story is only available on ebook format but will be part of the upcoming poetry book Apollo's Flame. If you don't like poetry that's not a problem either, I will have a book with just short stories and short novels coming too and this story will be it that book too. Both books will be in print and and ebook. The ebook forms will have special features including more visual art with the stories and poetry. The short Novel Love Notes will be available shortly on ebook also.

One of my final shows (for the meantime) will be Brunswick Art Works at Kelly's Cafe in Brunswick, OH on October 14th. I will be taking time to work on future projects such as the aforementioned books as well as writing songs and poetry with music behind it. The album for Apollo's Flame. Some of the tracks have been recorded and a couple of them will be available soon.

I will leave you with a couple of poems,

Pit in My Stomach

That pit in my stomach

chill down my spine

the memory of your whisper in my ear

that kiss on my lips

your soft hands caressing me

I reach for you and realize you are not there yet I feel you

but you are here...you are like a living ghost and these feelings are really you deep inside my soul

drawing me near to you

when I say I can't get you out of my mind it's because you live deep inside

the piece of your heart that you gave to me

telling me you love me, guiding me back to your arms

giving me that pit in my stomach every time I think of you

Subway of Dreams

Waiting on that big thing to happen
it seems to have no end

It's like waiting for the subway to take you to dreams
it can take forever or so it seems

So as you sit there in that station shivering and cold
remember that patience is a commodity more valuable than gold

You want that train to be there now
sitting in the cold with that sour frown

That train never comes on time
and it sickens you to watch as the other trains go by

They whisk others off to their destination
but not you, you're still waiting for a chance to bask in the sun

What if I came by to keep you company
share a smile and a hot cup of coffee

Remind you that that train will be here sometime
it is almost never on time

So I will wait with you until it comes by
we will talk of the weather, of summer, and of apple pie

And when that train comes rolling down the track
I will walk you over and carry your pack

And as I watch you from the other side of the door
You say, " Thank You" and I wink and reply," baby, that's what I'm for"

New short story available

2010-08-09T08:59:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to announce that I have a new book available at Amazon.com. Old Man and the Moon is a short story available for $.99. This story will only be available as a digital download, but will also be part of future print books Apollo's Flame (poetry and short stories) Right now it's only available at Amazon but will be available at iBookstore, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and Sony store

An old man and great inventor is in the hospital dying as family and friends gather around. They speak of his accomplishments as an engineer but the old man is saddened because he wishes them to remember him for the relationships he had and the lessons he taught. He enlists the help of the moon.

Don't have a Kindle? That's okay, do you have a PC, Mac, Blackberry, Android, iPod, iPhone, or iPad? Then you're in luck, all you have to do is download the software and download the book. The software is free and you can download anything in the Kindle store.

Purchase Old Man and the Moon at Amazon.com

Old Man and the Moon was written in Memphis, TN a place where I have written many poems, stories, and songs. It has a special place in my heart and is always an inspiration.

Speaking of Memphis, I have a new song and some new single audio poems with dialogue and music coming soon. Whiskey on a Heartache is a blues song where a hard luck lover comes down to Beale and his now former love throws his flowers in his face. The girl next door gives him a bottle of whiskey and he goes to drink his trouble away. The song features alternative artist Parzival, Geoff Koval from The Fifth Wheel, and Laurie Webb from Lollievox. Whispers of 9-11 is another single a 9-11 poem with a solum tone and lonely clarinet in the background.

Definitions the Album is now available at Zune

2010-06-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I'm happy to announce that Definitions the album is now available for purchase on Zune.
Purchase Definitions on Zune

Interview with Tim House at Wilderside Studios in Nashville

2010-05-03T16:41:00.000-07:00

http://bijoumedia.net/Podcast.htm

On Monday May 3 I did an interview with Laurie Webb at Wilderside Studio in Nashville. In the interview I talk about the upcoming book, some things that inspire me, my touring, the cover artwork and artist. etc.
I also read a few of the poems that will be in the book.

Click the link above and check it out

Casey at Bat

2010-04-05T04:33:00.000-07:00

In honor of opening day for MLB, the classic poem by Ernest Lawrence Thayer.

Casey at Bat
The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, "If only Casey could but get a whack at that —
We'd put up even money now, with Casey at the bat."

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat;
For there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile lit Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt.
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance flashed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped —
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one!" the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore;
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted some one on the stand;
And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said "Strike two!"

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered "Fraud!"
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

The sneer has fled from Casey's lip, the teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.

Apple iPad

2010-04-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

Today Apple released its iPad available at Apple retail stores across the US. It can also be ordered online here at the online Apple store. In addition to the new device Apple also has a book store called ibooks. I'm proud to announce my book Definitions is part of this store. In order to purchase the book you must download Apple reader and then go to the book store. From there the easiest thing to do is search "Timothy House Definitions" where you can purchase the book to read on your iPad. The Apple price is $3.99. Here's a better description of the store on Apple's web site. Now if you still prefer using Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble that's okay too, you're covered. The iPad, like the iPod, has Kindle for iPad, and also Barnes&Noble reader. The book is also available at both Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.

The book is not all that I have available for you and your iPad. I also have my poetry in audio digital download. This is not an audio book but the poetry recorded to sound effects and music in a performance style. The CD (or digital download) has been critically acclaimed as widely entertaining. Tracks have been sold in over 19 countries. This isn't the same old boring poetry CD. You can purchase at iTunes here. Done yet? Hardly! More Apple stuff includes my "Timothy House App" which has updates, sample tracks, news, and tour dates. Timothy House App

The iPad is great for watching video, and in working with Apple we tested last years slide show "Akron in Autumn" on the iPad and it is spectacular on the device. With that being said I am currently in production of another slide show which will be a much wider geographical area, in fact it will include scenery from over 15 states in the springtime! The slide show will be available on PC also. Music from Joseph Lamm, The Fifth Wheel, Lollivox, and Arrested Development to go along with the scenery.

In addition to Definitions, all my upcoming books and recordings will be available on Apple's iBook, and iTunes as well as Amazon and Barnes&Noble. I have a number of projects that will be coming to market within the next year including my next book of poetry, "Apollo's Flame", my short novel "From My Heart to Yours" (only available in ebook form) and two novels I am working on with release dates to be determined. There will also be a CD production of Apollo's Flame which will be even bigger and more theatrical than Definitions is.

2nd annual Almost Famous Authors' Faire

2010-03-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

I was an exhibitor at the Almost Famous Authors' Faire in Clarksville, IN which is just north of Louisville, KY. Here are some pictures:

This is legendary poet and philosopher George Lysloff and me. George is the author of several books , speaks five languages, and writes poetry in French and English.

Some of the other exhibitors

My table

This coming week I should have a schedule of the Austin International Poetry Festival. I am also working on some more poetry on photos. I will have a number of them available for purchase at the signing in Michigan May 8th at Goldfish Tea. More on that venue later.

I like to give out recommendations and recently I have had the chance to meet some very talented poets. If you catch one of these poets on the scene be sure to pick up a copy of their works. The first is legendary George Lysloff 's "Letters to My Beloved Ghost". In the book he writes of a romantic journey, the original poems were written in French, but George translated them to English. The poems are in both languages. He writes of his romance back during occupied France in WWII, and Germany. If you are a hopeless romantic (okay I'll admit to that) this book is filled with romance, heartbreak,and stories of a war-torn continent. The second is MW Hothi's "A Ghosts Reflection". His lyrical poetry tells a story of the struggles of life. Another legendary poet is Vlad Swirinsky's "Sitting on Concrete Ready to Saddle the Whirlwind". He also has two CDs which he performs poetry to jazz. I highly recommend them. Vlad opens a window to his life in his poetry. His gritty and often humorous poetry is filled with twists and lots of dry humor. If you enjoy dry humor, his poetry is full of it. Vlad will be performing in April at Poet's Haven. The show will be at the Root Cafe 15118 Detroit Ave. Lakewood, OH April, 17. Vlad is a great performer so you'll want to check him out. The last one is NYC's own Puma Pearl's "Knuckle Tattoos". Puma Pearl tells the story of her life in an often dark, but is a story of survival. Puma is also a tremendous performer and she can be seen at venues across NYC. I have some others to recommend as well but in another addition.

It's the 90s again

2010-03-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

It's the 90s again

Do you ever notice how a decade repeats itself 20 years later?
So that means it's the 90s again, I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

We have a Democrat in the White House again, a health care bill
no women on the side this time, but the 1996 PGA rookie of the year has taken over that honor
Lebron James is the next Michael Jordon and Albert Pujos is an even better Mark McGuire
Payton Manning this decades version of Steve Young
The economy sucks just like it did when we entered the 90s
and we're back in Iraq
Politicians are still lying but then again that's an age old tale
Yes Bill, you did sleep with that women
Hillary's Walmart is still taking down small town America and now she's the secretary of state
The Grunge rush is over, but not on my iPod

Seattle still rocks, and the latte fad still hasn't thinned
email is king now
Thomas Kinkade is still a millionaire
Spam is still more than a shitty processed food it's shitty mass marketed unwanted email
No more Power Rangers though, and thank God for that
Law & Order still going strong, no not the real thing, the show
Cell phones have replaced landlines
China took over Hong Kong and now is taking over the World
We could use more hooked on phonics today though, but spare me Y2K bullshit
shorthand is king these days like in the 90s

I miss the 90s, I had more fun those days, It was a Titanic decade, I was down with OPP, Cool Spot, Austin Powers, Xfiles, Duke Nukem, but I didn't dance with Macarena though she was muy buena, I miss the Bay Watch babes, Seinfeld, Friends, Beavis and Butthead, and yes I went Office Space on that copier too, but don't cry for me next door neighbor
Just show me the money!

So... if it's the 90s again then why am I not 20 years younger. What's my age again, What's my age again?

With a new decade arriving we tend to look back on the decade 20 years previous. This poem was inspired by a recent conversation with a friend of mine who was a member of a 90s band and is planning a come back. In discussing that with him I made the comment that it's now time to look back at the 90s. The conversion turned into a trip down memory lane, OJ, Bill and Monica, and a whole bunch of other things came up. Lets take a trip down memory lane shall we.

Who can forget Slick err uh Bill and Monica. The Ken Starr Fiasco.

Of course we now know today he did have an "inappropriate relationship" with miss Lewinsky.

The 96 Democratic convention brought the Macerena fad. The song was played over and over and soon became a smash hit on the carts and dance floors. The song propelled Los Del Rio to huge success in the US, but this would be the only hit in the States.

Probably the biggest event of the 90s was the OJ trial. The chase, the bloody gloves, Sony got a nice endorsement, and free I might add, The dream team, etc etc. The trial brought out the worst in the legal system and a light on the LAPD. Even worse a smug OJ wrote a book and went on with his life and Marcia Clark who totally screwed up a case with so called "mountain of evidence" and then went on a speaking tour and wrote book. The case that she totally botched made her a millionaire.

The 90s came in with a bang and ended with one. A mere couple of months before the decade came the Berlin Wall fell which sparked the beginning of the end of the so called "Cold War". As the Cold War was ending another war was beginning. Iraq invaded Kuwait. Later in 91 The US would join a coalition force to drive Saddam Hussien out of Kuwait. Operation Desert Storm started and 100 hours later Kuwait was liberated. The Hubble Telescope was launched in 1990. 1991 saw the collapse of the Soviet Union and the countries of the Eastern Block. In 91 the World Wide Web became available. 92 was the year of the LA riots in response to LA police officers who were found not guilty in the beating of Rodney King. The largest mall, the Mall of America, in Minnesota opened. The mall is still the largest in the US. Bill Clinton is elected President and the first Democrat in 12 years. As 93 came around, The year would mark a lot of tragedy and fighting. Massive floods in the Midwest, The massacre at Waco, TX when cult leader David Koresh held up in a compound from federal authorities set fire killing dozens. The Israeli PLO peace agreement was signed. Czechoslovakia splits and the World Trade Center is bombed. In 94 NAFTA was signed into law. The Republican party took control of the House and Senate. The East Coast of the US and Canada are hit by a massive ice storm that leaves millions without power. Former President Nixon dies at home in New Jersey of a severe stroke. 95 was the year of the Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVey and Terry Nichols were convicted. The bombing was in response to the government's handling of the Branch Davidians two years earlier. The Trial of the century concludes with OJ being found innocent. Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime-minister, is assassinated. The Aum Shinrikyo cult releases sarin gas in a Tokyo subway killing 8 people and injuring thousands. Yahoo and Netscape debut and Windows releases Windows 95. In 96 Theodore John Kaczynski, the unibomber, is arrested. The Olympics come to Atlanta and a bombing occurs. Jon Benet Ramsey is found murdered in her parents Colorado home. Madeline Albright is the first female secretary of state. Bill Clinton is elected to a second term. In 1997 Dolly, the cloned sheep is born, she is the first cloned mammal. Princess Diana is killed in a car accident while trying to escape the paparazzi. The Heaven's Gate cult creates a mass suicide to ride the Hale Bopp comet to heaven. Mother Theresa, loved worldwide for her contributions to the poor, dies. Hong Kong is returned to China from Britain. The unmanned Pathfider lands safely on Mars, it is the first probe to land on the Planet's surface. North Hollywood shoot out, Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Matasareanu got in a shootout with LAPD after robbing a bank and used fully automatic weapons against police. Both robbers were killed. In 98 was the infamous Lewinsky affair. Later Congress would improve impeachment hearing for Clinton. The House votes to impeach him but the Senate does not. US embassies in Africa are bombed by Islamic extremist. The Northern Ireland peace agreement is signed. James Byrd Jr was murdered in Texas by members of the Klu Klux Klan. At a Jonesboro Arkansas school two teenage boys kill five at an Arkansas middle school. George W. Bush announces his candidacy for president he would later be elected in 2000. Google the search engine is born. 99 finishes off the decade with the infamous Y2K scare which turned out to be a big hoax, not officially though. The Y2K bug was a glitch that some computer clocks didn't have the new millennium programed and would stop working. Governments and companies spent billions to fix the so called problem. Many warned of a doomsday scenario which never happened. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill 12 at Columbine High School the worst in a disturbing string of school shootings in the 90s. By treaty, the Panama Canal is given back to Panama.

TV brought us mega hits like Seinfield, Friends, Xfiles, Law & Order, and Beavis and Butthead. Many of the shows went on to make movies though none had much success. Many of the actors and actresses went on to have big careers on the silver screen though.

...and now one of my favorite Beavis and Butthead episodes...

Budweiser had a string of iconic comercials which sent a wave of sayings through pop culture. The biggest one being, "wazzup" Yeah, I admit it I did it too.

The 90s gave us some great memorable movies like Independence Day (still today one of my favorites) Jerry Maguire with the iconic quotes, "Show me the money" and "You had me at hello", A few Good men, "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH", There's Something about Mary, Forest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, which was heralded by WWII veterans as a very real recreation of D-day. Star Wars made its return with the prequel episode I. One of the biggest films ever was Titanic, a tale of a forbidden love aboard a doomed ship that was deemed indestructible. Titanic is still acclaimed by some as the greatest movie of all-time and kept a box office record for nearly 13 years until Avatar, another James Cameron film broke the record. Oddly enough Avatar was conceived in 1994 and was supposed to have been filmed in 1999. Cameron thought that the special effects technology did not support the story at the time and decided to put it on hold. The 90s was a great decade for special effects as the afore mentioned Saving Private Ryan and the effects heavy Independence day however.

Another film which was a flop at the box office, but soon became a hit on DVD was Office Space. The film became an instant hit among office workers. You can't forget the scene where they smashed the evil copier! Don't we ALL want to do this...

The 90s would bring us lot's of comedies like Ace Ventura Pet Detective, Tommy Boy, Men in Black, The Mask, and many more.

The 90s brought us a vast range of musical stylings which started in the early part of the decade with Grunge which existed as primarily bands from Seattle. Pearl Jam, Sound Garden, Alice in Chains, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots. Heavy metal groups included a completely new sound from Metalica (which they were often accused of going commercial), Marilyn Manson, White Zombie, and much more. Madonna, Garbage, Savage Garden, and more. Here is a list of 100 greatest rock bands of the 90s according to Digital Dream Door.com

I saw the sign from Ace of Base which I referenced in the poem

Pearl Jam had one of the biggest hits of the 90s in Alive

Just like movies song quotes caused a fad also like Will Smith's "Getting Jiggy wit it" And who can forget Naughty by Nature's "Down with OPP"

The 90s had its fair share of tragedies among celebrities. Probably the biggest was the suicide of Kurt Kobain the lead singer of Nirvana from suicide. Selena, a popular Tejano singer was murdered after she had fired the head of her fan club for embezzling money from the fan club. Shannon Hoon, the singer of Blind Melon died of a drug overdose. Michael Hutchence, the singer of INXS, committed suicide. Jerry Garcia, the frontman of The Greatful Dead, dies of a heart-attack while in drug rehab in CA. Rapper Tupac Shakur was murdered in Las Vegas. Rapper Notorious B.I.G is also murdered a year after Tupac. The murders are suspected to be related. Chris Farley the actor died of a drug overdose and John Candy died of a heart-attack while on location. Gianni Versace the fashion designer was murdered.

What history regards as the greatest Sportsmen shined in the 90s. Michael Jordan, who's is regarded the greatest basketball player ever, was a 6 time champion in the 90s with the Chicago Bulls. He was a 6 time MVP also, 5 of them in the 90s. Tiger Woods began his career in 1996, won the PGA rookie of the year, and won his first major, The Masters, in 1997. He would win the PGA Championship in 1999. He won the majority of his majors the next decade but won many other smaller tournaments in the 90s and Player of the Year awards too. Pete Sampras dominated Wimbledon in the 90s capturing the title six times and winning the US open five times. Sampras would capture 13 grand slams in the 90s. The NHL saw a mix of different teams win championships, but the greatest story was probably the NY Rangers who won their first title in 54 years. They haven't returned to the Stanley Cup since. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Redwings tied for the most Stanley Cups with 2. Mario
Lemieux was the top player of the 90s and was called by Bobby Orr as the greatest player he had ever seen. Lemieux received numerous scoring titles. The 90s also saw another one of the greatest NHL players ever in Wayne Gretzky who retired in 99. Gretzky was traded from Edmonton to LA in the infamous card game between owners. Gretzky would only appear in one Stanley Cup in 93 when the Kings lost to the Montreal Canadiens. In the NFL the biggest story was not so good. The Buffalo Bills appeared in 4 consecutive Super Bowls only to lose each one. The Bills have never returned to the Super Bowl and have never won a Super Bowl. To add insult to injury OJ Simpson, the franchise's star running back in the 60s was indicted for murder in 95. The Dallas Cowboys won the most Super Bowls in the 90s taking home 3 Super Bowl titles and defeating the San Francisco 49s 2 of the 3 times in the NFC Championship. San Francisco is often regarded as the team of the 90s appearing in 6 NFC Championships but were only able to win 2 of them. It was a colorful decade for MLB with the great chase of the home-run record between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. To add fuel to the fire McGwire played for the rival St. Louis Cardnals of Chicago Cubs which Sosa played for, and McGwire would hit his 62nd HR to break the record off pitcher Steve Trachsel of the Chicago Cubs. Sammy Sosa also broke Maris' record with 66 HRs, but was just short of McGwire's 70 HRs. In 99 McWire and Sosa again hit over 61 HRs and McGwire once again beat Sosa. The other big event of the decade in baseball was the strike in 94 when the World Series was canceled. The Atlanta Braves appeared in 5 World Series but were only able to capture one title. The Toronto Blue Jays were the first team outside of the US to win the World Series in 92 and 93. The NY Yankees won the most titles with 3 in 96, 98, and 99. The NHL also had a lockout in 94. 94 was a bad year for sports though the NHL did resume and had a Stanley Cup that year.
The 90s saw some of the greatest athletes of all-time in every major sport.

Well, I hope this was a great trip down memory lane. I think the 90s was a pretty cool decade.

Upcoming events:
I finish up what has been a busy March with The Almost Famous Authors' Faire in Clarksville, IN on Saturday the 27th followed by a show at the Monkey Wrench in Louisville, KY on Sunday the 29th. April will be an explosive month with the Austin International Poetry Festival in Austin, TX. I will be part of one of the largest poetry festivals in the world. I will be one of 250 poets and (as of right now) the only poet from Ohio. It doesn't stop there though. I will have shows in Memphis and Nashville, TN. The long awaited show at The Edge Coffee House in Memphis. You know I love you Memphis, and Nashville too. That's it for now.

Winter Scenes and some more stuff

2010-03-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

Wintery scenes. I'm not sad to see winter go, but there is some beauty to it. Here are some winter scenes from the Jersey Shores and Delaware shore. The first three are from Delaware just east of Dover and the last is from the Jersey shore. All the pictures were taken at the end of January 2010

Also, Facebook users you can follow the blog by clicking on the widget on the right side of the blog and when it is updated you will get a notice on Facebook.

iPhone, iPod users, I have an app which also keeps you informed on news, tour dates and links to check out the tracks. You can go to the iTunes app store here http://itunes.apple.com/app/timothy-house/id360537060?mt=8 or go to the app store on your iPod, search Timothy House and download the app. I'm looking into similar apps for other devices, and I'll keep you posted when I have some news on that.

The end of the Poets Stage

2010-03-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

The Poets Stage has been online since 2006 created in a Memphis hotel room and each month I featured a new poem of mine. In 2007 I published my first book and I'm well on my way to publishing my next book of poetry. Today I have created a CD plus I am touring the country. I am promoting my poetry in a new way with blogs and other websites. I don't update this site very often and I have decided to take it offline and sell the domain. Don't worry, I still post poetry and my tour schedule but I created a blog on blogger that really covers all you need to know. The marketing of my creative material has taken a different direction and this blog will best fit the need to keep fans informed. I will take the site down at the end of March.