Uncategorized – Bill Abbott, poet, web page

Star Wars, Again

48 years ago, Star Wars happened, and it changed my life entirely. I wasn’t there on the first day, but a few days later, the family was taking my brother to Philadelphia to learn about therapy, which my parents would do with my brother for years after. They should take me, of course, so IContinue reading “Star Wars, Again”

Professor Abbott

I’ve been teaching for 20 years. The first six were at for-profit colleges, which were problematic. I was a great instructor, and I have numerous students who believe that. Miller-Motte Technical College in Chattanooga, Miami-Jacobs Career College in Dayton, Fortis in Dayton. I got a 7-12 teaching certificate along the way. But working at theseContinue reading “Professor Abbott”

Alexa, Set a Timer

I’ve had an Echo (Alexa) for a few years now. Actually, I eventually added a second one in my bedroom. My first is by the TV in the living room, which led to that moment when I was watching Mr. Robot, and Darlene, having a romantic discussion, said, “Alexa, play Faith Hill” (I swear, inContinue reading “Alexa, Set a Timer”

Saturday Night Live

I’ve always disliked SNL. I was a bullied kid for much of my childhood, traumatized at home as well, and I didn’t like the spotlight because then the bullies would see me. And when I hit the age where I noticed the comedy stylings of SNL, it was too adult for me. What I doContinue reading “Saturday Night Live”

Music

Music, especially rock music, has been a big part of my life. Huge. I found my way into rock at Lake Junaluska, NC, as I said in a previous post. It led me to everything else, and it left me with some specific songs that have nostalgic places of honor, even if I didn’t loveContinue reading “Music”

Got a Devil’s Haircut in My Mind

Since I discovered rock music in my teens, I sought it out heavily through my thirties (and still do, but not as aggressively). In the summer of 1996, I heard the local station play something unlike anything I’d heard to that point, but I had no idea what it was called. It was “Pepper” byContinue reading “Got a Devil’s Haircut in My Mind”

Kerran

Today, I want to remember Kerran Brady. In 1992, when I found the poetry slam in Johnson City, TN, on that first night, the winner for the evening (and never again) was Kerran. He walked in and, despite the rule that you had to memorize, read his poems on paper. I guess they didn’t thinkContinue reading “Kerran”

Heroes, Felons, and Fiends

This weekend is seriously a set of high holy days for me and a few hundred (thousand?) fans. Starting tonight, at Third and Lindsey in Nashville, The Floating Men will be playing again for three nights. They last played more than a decade ago. The last time I saw them was in June of 2006Continue reading “Heroes, Felons, and Fiends”

John Lennon

I was a preacher’s kid, grew up in the church. The family music collection was heavily the Gaithers on vinyl. My parents, much later, would discuss how they listened to a little Simon & Garfunkel. Mom remembers the song “Downtown” being big. In the last few weeks, I transcribed all of my parents’ love letters,Continue reading “John Lennon”

Tracy Chapman

It’s so good to see Tracy Chapman get such acclaim for “Fast Car” again, even if it took a white guy to get her there (and all the hostile social media posts about how they let her on stage with him, when she’s just some affirmative action “minority” or whatever as opposed to the originalContinue reading “Tracy Chapman”