FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Writing is an elixir for me. It helps me to feel better about my craft and myself.
When the storms of life try to overwhelm me, I write to release the pent up emotions that I may feel. When my heart is bursting to say something, pen and paper provide the backdrop to which I can craft word pictures.

TODAY'S WORDS

AFFECT
To act on; produce a change in; to influence; to pretend

EFFECT
A result; a consequence to bring about; accomplish

TODAY'S WORDS

BAIL
Money to release a prisoner; to remove water.

BALE
A large, bound package, as of hay.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

DID YOU PAY ANYONE A COMPLEMENT FOR A JOB WELL DONE?

TODAY'S WORDS

CALLOUS

Unfeeling, emotionally hardened.

CALLUS

A thickening of the horny layer of the skin.

TODAY'S WORDS

BLANTANT

Offensively noisy or loud; brazenly obvious.

FLAGRANT

Disgraceful; monstrous; shockingly evident.

TODAY'S WORDS

ABSORB

Assimilate;consume;soak up.

ADSORB

Gather a substace on a surface.

TODAY'S WORDS

COMPLEAT

Highly skilled and accomplished in all aspects.

COMPLETE

Finished;ended; having all parts or elements.

TODAY'S WORDS

EARTHLY

Earthbound; worldly; mortal; mundane.

EARTHY

Unrefined; realistic; practical; lusty

TODAY'S WORDS

FAUN

A woodland deity.

FAWN

1. A young deer.
2. To court favor.

TODAY'S WORDS

ACCEPT

To take or receive; to agree to; acknowledge.

EXCEPT

Leave out; exclude; to object to

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

You will know that forgiveness has begun
when you recall those who hurt you and feel
the power to wish them well.

-Lewis B.Smedes


TODAY'S WORD

-CIDE
The killing of a person, animal, etc.
Ex. homicide, fratricide, parracide, regicide, genocide

TODAY'S WORD

MACHIAVEL

A person who acts on principles recommended, or supposed
to have been recommended, by Machiavelli in his treatise on
statecraft; an intriguer or schemer.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality,
it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.

-Jesse Owens, American Athlete (1913-1980)

TODAY'S WORD

SENTENTIOUS

1. Using pompous language.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A different world cannot be built by indifferent people.

-Peter Marshall, American Leader (b. 1930)

WEEKEND

FRIDAY

Son of a Pony!
Featured poets and the best open mike in NYC
5:45pm sign up-limited spaces

The Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street bet. W4th/Bleeker

$7 Tel. 212-989-9319

SATURDAY

I Speak of the City:A Celebration of New York Poems

Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowey @Bleeker

F train to 2nd Avenue 6 train to Bleeker

TODAY'S WORD

DESCRY

CATCH SIGHT OF

SAME SOUND, DIFFERENT SPELLING

Complement; compliment
Currant;current
Wood; would
Way:weigh

TODAY'S WORD

QUIP

Makes a clever remark--often used with "at".


FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Be as smart as you can, but it is better to be wise
than to be smart.

-Alan Alda, American Actor (b.1936)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

You can't help getting older,
but you don't have to get old.

-George Burns, American Comedian (1896-1996)


TODAY'S WORD

BANAL
Ordinary and uninteresting;commonplace, trivial, petty, trite.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A POET DOESN'T INVENT. HE LISTENS.

-Jean Cocteau, French Director (1889-1963)


PLACES TO GO

Son of a Pony
@ Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street bet. Bleeker & w.4th
6pm

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A government that is bid enough to give you all you want
is big enough to take it all away.

-Barry Goldwater, American Politician (1909-1998)


TODAY'S WORD

EFFICACIOUS, adverb

1. That produces, or is certain to produce, the intended or appropriate effect;
effective.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized
than true friendship.

-Saint Thomas Aquinas, Italian theologian (1225-1274)

TODAY'S WORD

VENERABLE

1. Deserving of respect

TODAY'S WORD

TODAY'S WORD

MORPHEME

Meaningful linguistic unit that contains
no smaller meaningful parts.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Just because something is not discussed does not mean
that it has not happened or does not exist.

EAST VILLAGE

FRIDAY NIGHT @10PM

NUYORICAN POET'S CAFE
236 EAST 3RD STREET

POETRY SLAM

TODAY'S WORD

LAMENT

1. Mourn
2. Express sorrow for

TODAY'S WORD

PEDANTIC

One who is too concerned with or shows off his learning.



FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A great story teller is someone who makes you feel that you are one of the characters in it.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language.

-W.H. Auden, English Poet (1907-1973)

Anything Goes

MAD HATTERS REVIEW
@ KGB BAR
85 EAST 4TH STREET

7PM

TODAY'S WORD

ASIDE

1. A private remark especailly of an actor to the audience.

PLACES TO GO

TONIGHT
@ THE POETRY PROJECT

Reading, film and music

ST. MARK'S CHURCH
131 EAST 10TH STREET @ 2ND AVE.
10PM

SATURDAY

BOWERY BOOKS: The Poetry Release Party & Show

@ The Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery @ Bleeker Street 8Pm

TODAY'S WORD

INIMICAL

1.Hostile or harmful.

TODAY'S WORD

CONCISION

1. Archaic: a cutting up or off.

2: the quality of being concise

COMMENTARY

Characters are what make a book, novel, or story interesting.
A boring and uninteresting character makes for a poor story
and readers will quickly put it down and move on to something
else.

Everyone likes particular types of characters that they can mold into
whateever image they desire. I like weak people who are
dominated by stronger characters for a time. Eventually, they
develop their strength and resolve to live life without being a
co-dependent of the strong protagonist.

One such character is Daphne, a young woman in on of my short stories
who trying to find out who she is. She is being pulled by forces and people
stronger than herself. In the end, Daphne not only discovers who she is,
but she lives her life on her own terms. I have a belief that no matter how
far down a person is, they can rise above their circumstances and live creative
and fulfilling lives.

It is important to create characters who are believeable. We like our characters
to be someone with whom we can identify with at some point. We want to root for
that person to succeed or we want a character to get their just rewards. Whoever
the character, make them memorable and believeable.

TODAY'S WORD

LABYRINTH

1. A system of intricate, confusing passages or paths; maze.

2. Any intricate or perplexing set of diffficulties.

TODAY'S WORD

EPILOGUE

1. A short section appended to a novel, poem, etc. by way of commentary.

2. A short speech appended to a play.

Also epilog


FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Story ideas can be right before our eyes.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

SOME OF THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL TIMES IN LIFE ARE THOSE

TIMES WHEN ALL SEEMS FUTILE.

POETRY NIGHT

POETRY NIGHT @ OZZIE'S 8PM

251 5TH AVENUE @ GARFIELD PLACE
BROOKLYN

FREE SIGN UP AT 7:30PM

BRING SOME POEMS AND READ TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT

TODAY'S WORD

DISCORDANT

1a: BEING AT VARIANCE:DISAGREEING Discordant opinions
b: QUARRELSOME EX a quarrelsome family

2: Relating to a discord A discordant tone

-Discordantly adverb

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A PROVERB IS A SHORT SENTENCE BASED ON LONG EXPERIENCE.

-Miguel De Cervantes, Spanish novelist (1547-1616)

More Words

Serial; cereal.

Moat; mote.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

READING AND WRITING ARE LIFETIME ACTIVITIES WHICH INVOLVE

REDEFINING ONE'S GOALS, CHANGING SOME HABITS, AND NOT BE AFRAID

OF USING NEW FOUND KNOWLEDGE.

Sound the Same, Spelled Differently

Idol; idle

aisle; isle

Ale; ail

Poll; pole

Hymn; him

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly,

but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.


-Langston Hughes, African American poet (1902-1967)

TODAY'S WORD

CLAIRVOYANT

Able to preceive things beyond the senses.

TODAY'S WORD

INTERSECT

1: Cut across or divide

2: Cross



COMMENT

Hi, everyone. I'm back! I have thought of some new things that you will see on the Mocha Literary Lounge. There will be a once a week essay, poetry, commentary, places to go, and educational features. As in the past, I hope to make this blog one that is challenging, intellectual , and introspective. Just because something is intellectual does not mean that it has to be beyond one's understanding, something I avoid at all costs. There are people of all capacities, talents, gifts, and ambitions. I hope and pray that this blog will help in your understanding and education.

Date moved back

I was supposed to start posting again here today. However, some circumstances in my life came up and I have to move the starting date to next Monday, August 20th. I'm sorry that this has happened but it was situation out of my control. My humble apologies.

Will Be back on August 13th

Good News! The Mocha Literary Lounge will be back on Monday, August 13th. There will be more literary items and some added features. One thing that I hope to accomplish is to educate, challenge and encourage you of the literary society. I would love to ge more comments from you and email will be made available.Be seeing you.

Under Construction Still

I'm still working on what I want to put on the blog site. Besides 'Today's Word' and 'Food For Thought', I will add a biography, an essay, and commentary. The bio will be a once a week event. I will add more reading and writing venues as I get them or depending on the level of interest.

I will let you know in the next blog when I'll start posting again on a regular basis.

NOTHING NEW TODAY

I have nothing to post today. I'm trying to get more creative with this site. I have been pretty busy this past month. I'm looking for poetry, essays, commentaries, places to go and other things. There will still be 'food for thought' and 'today's word'. I will be adding some other things too. I'm still very positive about this blog because I believe there is an interest in literature and the written word. Keep looking for updates.

-Mocha

PLACES TO GO

FRIDAY

PINK PONY WEST Open mike
@Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street bet. Bleeker and West 4th 6pm
$7. Sign up before 6PM

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Know first who you are and then adorn yourself accordingly.

-Epictetus

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

ALWAYS STAY POSITIVE!

TODAY'S WORD

ETHOS

One's basic beliefs and guiding principles.

TODAY'S WORD

EXPROPRIATE

1. Deprive of possession or rights.

2. take (property belonging to another) into one's own possession or use.

TODAY'S WORD

EUPHEMISM

Substitution of a pleasnat expression for an unpleasant or offensive one.

TODAY'S WORD

-ISM

Dinstinctive doctrine, cause, or theory

ex. racism, classism, ageism

TODAY'S WORD

LIBERATION

1: the act of liberating: the state of being liberated

2: a movement seeking wqual rights and status for a group ; women's liberation

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Look at the dry times as a time of reflection, refreshment and renewal.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.

George S. Patton, American Soldier (1885-1945)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.

Albert Einstein, German Physicist (1879-1955)

TODAY'S WORD

SIC

Intentionally so written-used after a printed word or passage to indicate that it is intended exactly as printed or to indicate that it exactly reproduces as original.

TODAY'S WORD

ANDROCENTRIC

Dominated by or emphasizing masculine interests or a masculine point of view

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We consume our tomorrow fretting about our yesterdays.

-Aulus Persius Flaccus, Italian poet (34-62 AD)

TODAY'S WORD

PURPORT

1:to have the often specious apperance of being, intending,
or claiming (something implied or inferred).

2: INTEND, PURPOSE

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A MIGHTY FLAME FOLLOWETH A TINY SPARK

-Dante Alighieri, Italian poet (1265-1321)


TODAY'S WORD

POST- prefix

1a: after: subsequent: later b: behind: posterior: following after


POETRY ON WEDNESDAY

Grad Poet Series
@ Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia St. bet. Bleeker and West 4th. $6.


PLG ARTS POETRY NIGHT
Amy King, Todd Colby and Ray Pospisil
& open mike (6pm sign-up)
@ K-Dog and Dunebuggy
43 Lincoln Road, Brooklyn
718-282-7139 FREE Q train to Prospect Park

TODAY'S WORD

FIFE

A small transverse flute with six to eight finger holes and usually no keys

FAVORITE AUTHOR

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR?

BOOKS

HERE ARE A COUPLE OF BOOKS THAT I RECOMMEND:

PARADISE LOST-JOHN MILTON

THE MAN WHO WAS THURSDAY-G.K. CHESTERTON

TODAY'S WORD

DOXOLOGY

A usually liturgical expression of praise to God.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Life without love is like a tree without blossom or fruit.

-Khalil Gibran

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

WRITNG AND READING GO HAND IN HAND.

PLACES TO GO

TONIGHT!
PINK PONY WEST
@Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia St. bet. Bleeker and W.4th
6pm $6.

FRIDAY NIGHT POETRY SLAM
@Nuyorican Poet's Cafe
236 E. 3rd St. Bet. B & C
10pm $10

TODAY'S WORD

JURISPRUDENCE

1 a: A system or body of law b: the course of court decisions

2: The science or philosophy of law

3: A department of law (medical~)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A good novel tells us the truth about its hero;
but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author.


Gilbert K. Chesterton, English author (1874-1936)

TODAY'S WORD

EBULLIENT

1. BOILING; AGITATED

2. HAVING OR SHOWING LIVELINESS AND ENTHUSIASM

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

ALWAYS KEEP EDUCATING YOURSELF!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The way I see the world now, more people will have to speak up on behalf of those who are being ignored.

POETRY READING

Last night, my wife and I attended a poetry reading at Ozzie's. This is a coffe shop located in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. I have wanted to go there for a while. Eight people read their poems, including my wife. We will be going again in a couple of weeks.

There are a lot of poetry venue in the city. Ozzie's has their readings every Friday night at 8pm.

OZZIE'S
251 5TH Ave. @ Garfield Pl.
Brooklyn, NY

SAME SOUND, DIFFERENT SPELLING

1. tray, trey

2. roll, role

3. pole, poll

4. peek, peak

5. break, brake

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

YOU ARE UNIQUE AND WONDERFULLY MADE.

TODAY'S WORD

COPIOUS

1. Very abundant.

SYNONYM: many, abundant, multifarious, multitudinous.
numerous, quite a few, a lot of.

TODAY'S WORD

PROPITIOUS

1. Favorable; boding well

SYNONYM: auspicious, encouraging

ANTONYM: ill-omened

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What I like about narrow trails is that there
is something new and different as we travel
along it.

Same Sound, Different Spelling

pail, pale

beet, beat

cite, site

wait, weight

waist, waste

pear, pair, pare

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

READING ALLOWS US TO TRAVEL TO PLACES WE MAY NEVER GO.

SAME SOUND, DIFFRENT SPELLING

reel; real
week; weak
led; lead
read; reed
cell; sell
fete; feet; feat
seer; sear
troop; troupe

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed.

-Henrik Ibsen, Norwegian Poet (1828-1906)





MEET THE PRESS

Monday
The Poetry Project
131 E. 10 Street @ 2nd Ave.
$8/$7 students and seniors; $5 members

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

No amount of popularity, possessions, or praise will satisfy a heart that is discontent.

TODAY'S WORD

SEPTUAGENARIAN

1. Of or containing seventy.

A person whose age is in the seventies.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I find writing to be therapeutic when I'm anixous, troubled, happy, have inner turmoil, or need to share something with others.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

NO MAN WAS EVER WISE BY CHANCE.

-Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman
(5BC-65AD)

TODAY'S WORD

SCURRILOUS

1 a: using or given to coarse language b: vulgar and evil


2: containing obscenities, abuse, or slander


DON'T FORGET...

TOMORROW NIGHT

Open poetry slam @
NUYORICAN POET'S CAFE
236 E 3 ST (B+C)
9PM $7 Sign up and Slam!

TODAY'S WORD

MON- or MONO

1. Consisting of or having only one; single

2. By or from one only



PLACES TO GO

FRIDAY JANUARY 26

PINK POETRY WEST Poetry
Hosted by Jackie Sheeler
featuring Samantha Burrows-open mike
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street
$6. gets you free drink

Subway: A/C/E/F to W. 4th St.
1 to Christopher

NUYORICAN CAFE Poetry slam
Karen Jaime - host
236 East 3rd St. (B+C)
$7. each show 212-505-8183

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

VIGOROUS WRITING IS CONCISE

-William Strunk, Jr.
American Writer (1869-1946)



PLACES TO GO

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 24
Reading: The Poetry Project @ St. Mark's Church
131 East 10 Street @ 2nd Avenue 8pm
New York,NY
Readers: Alan Gilbert, Bill Mohr, and Roberto Tejada


POST MFA/PRE-FIRST BOOK Poetry
Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street @ Bleeker Street
(A,B,C,D,EF,V to W. 4th St.)
6pm, $6. cover includes one drink.

SAME WORD, DIFFERENT MEANING

CURRENT

1. A flowing; as of a river.

2. A part of a large body of water or air moving in a a certain direction.

3. The movement or flow of an electric charge.

4. A general tendency; currently.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A sympathetic friend can be quite as dear as a brother.

-Homer, Greek Poet


PLACES TO GO IN NEW YORK CITY

THURSDAY

PO'JAZZ
POETRY AND JAZZ
@ Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street
$15, $10 (students/seniors)

FRIDAY

Nuyorican Poet's Cafe
Poetry Slam
236 E. 3rd Street (Bet.B & C) $7. 10 PM

TODAY'S WORD

INEFFABLE

1. Incapable of being expressed in words.

2. Not to be spoken.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Writing can inspire, create, provoke, unite, and change others.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It is the ability to choose which makes us human.

-Madeleine L'engle, American Novelist (b. 1918)

TODAY'S WORD

QUARTO

1. A book size of about 9 1/2 x 12 inches determined by folding
printed sheets two times to form four leaves or eight pages.

2. A book of this size.


I have written a couple of short stories and am progressing with my playwriting. Developing
characters is pretty easy for me. Developing a plot is another story. I want to make the play come alive. I am currently reading William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. I have read plays before but now I'm dealing with a different language and metaphors. I have always wanted to read and study Shakespeare's work.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Growth itself contains the germ of happiness.

-Pearl S. Buck American Novelist (1892-1973)


NEW YEAR'S GREETING

A Happy New Year to one and all. I trust 2006 was good to you, and that 2007 will be even better. I haven't blloged her as much as I used to because of school and my computer being out of commission. I will have my computer up shortly but in the meantime I am seeking new ways to inform, encourage, and enlighten my readers. Happy New Year.

BOOKS

I just finished reading War In Heaven by Charles Williams. It is a good read with a surprise ending. I am presently reading William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. I have always wanted to read his work. Later this year I will read Othello. I love plays because the format has always fascinated me. If I were a actor, the stage would be my home.