the world of gretchen cello

The novelty of being able to escape to my parents’ crib in the forest to rework my words and adjust how my head is screwed on, any time at my leisure, makes me very happy.

I spent seven years with a 10 000 mile gap. Ninety minutes travel these days ain’t nothin.

I met someone from Turkey yesterday and we discussed what it’s like when you leave your entire family for a whole new country on your own. It’s one of those topics where, when you find someone else that’s done it, you immediately begin gesticulating wildly with wider eyes. Continue reading…

Tomorrow I have an appointment at Columbia University to discus their MFA program. I already have an MA but in the world of getting paid to lecture I’ve learned an MFA is required. Apart from the bazillions of dollars universities suck dry out of us, I enjoy studying. I need to stay in school. It brings a unique structure to my work, and learning stuff is fun.

And imagine if I got into Columbia? Talk about some shit… Continue reading…

Namaste cult dwellers, I hope you all had a lovely weekend! How nice was the WEATHER local ones?

I spent my time frolicking around with camera: watching, listening, snapping, scribbling…

There’s heaps more work I didn’t do this weekend, so I kind of have to do it right now. Here is a taste of what has been swirling around me for the past 48-hours… while I really thought about doing work… but simply couldn’t commit myself to longer than five minutes indoors. Continue reading…

Some of you might recall the collaboration Real People previously posted that was written with Ricardo Perez. Our latest creation is a different style that combines our two voices. In the first piece we each wrote a clean half. The following work is a tangled mesh of both our phrasing and feelings.

… I’m quite pleased with it actually. Shout out Rick! Shout out to the Writers! Continue reading…

Namaste blog family

I think I might use this photograph for the artwork of the spoken word flyer I’m attempting to invent. This is what the sunrise looked like around 5 to 6ish today from Astoria Park. It left me breathless and writing.

I’m in Manhattan at the moment, literally sitting in Times Square. Considering that I started this entire webpage to get to New York City and bust writing – to say that sitting here is surreal would be like saying ‘it’s pretty cool.’

Stories and projects and job things and running – amazing food, hot beats, late nights, early mornings? Continue reading…

I actually wet my pants in the stationary shop on 6th Avenue yesterday when a glorious Cambodian man presented a silver Parker pen with a wide, white tooth smile and simple statement of ‘Nine dollars, thank you.’

So far I’ve shown my pen off to two friends that both commented on how light it is. I thought that was cool because I never really considered why I prefer a certain instrument, I just know what I like… which seems to be something light weight and clicky… with refillable blue gel ink. Continue reading…

I have been so off my face with jobs and books and running and ranting I didn’t even notice my 300th post straight come and go! Usually I make note when I flip a hundred… like here and here … Continue reading…

Namaste my beloved cult clan

First: I was published this week in the extremely dope lit mag Short, Fast, and Deadly. I learned about SFD after reading a piece by Senior Editor Joseph A.W. Quintela that was published with another one of my favorites, Bananafish Magazine. While you are clicking around gobbling word goodies, do make sure to catch up on the writing of Bananafish Editor Daniel McDermott as well. Feel free to run off for coffee first… I’ll wait here… Continue reading…

Suitcase packed, writing books (check), laptop – sorted… in we go!

Right. In a few hours temporary residence in Queens will be going down. Does this seem sudden? It totally is… cheers to the Universe for subscribing me a soul tribe that can still manage to figure me out even when I lock myself away for hair pulling, word pounding, and nervous break-downing. Continue reading…

New York City sounds like steel drum buskers echoing in subway tunnels. It tastes like iced coffee on a hot summer’s day; smells like dry cleaned suits shuffling about downtown; and looks like mobs of camp kids holding hands singing songs in praise of a few months break from school. Continue reading…