i'm a poet, now you know it: happy #worldpoetryday

In honor of #worldpoetryday this March 21st of 2016, I've decided to dust off an old poem I wrote initially entitled "points of view" and write a companion piece entitled "reflection":

perception

(a.k.a. "points of  view")

i am who i am perceived to be,

i am who you perceive me to be,

your perception of me is who i am,

i perceive you to be who i am,

who i am is a perception of you,

          and you are the perception i would like to be.

i am not who you perceive me to be.

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reflection

i once told a man that i loved him like a statue.

           upon reflection, i realize that was not quite true

a mirror

i love(d?) him like a mirror

like narcissus, my perception of the reflection drew me in

nearly drew me under

a (funhouse) mirror in which to peer

an idealized, (un?)realized version of my self in which to gaze

take caution not to drown

i should have left town

his waters may be still
(not quite sure if they run deep)

"i wish i had a river to skate away on"

i wish i knew how to swim in a river whose current i have yet to properly gauge 

my reflection distorted, unsure of what is being reported, i found myself enraged

how many years of bad luck have i doomed myself to

                  by finding this mirror to be cracked

i'd like to tell myself to give approximately zero fucks

                  but i am unsure of whether or not i can manage a different tack

tipsy televisualist: Your Oscar/Leap Day 2016 Edition!

How long has it been since I did a tipsy televisualist post?  Hannibal was still on the air & inspiring cocktail creations.  While it will be sorely missed, we should focus on the good things that Saint Chiara, the patron saint of Television (yes, really), brings us.  

Like the Oscars!  Which, for as much as I snark on them, I do actually have a great deal of affection for them and the telecast as it was basically the equivalent of Christmas Eve/Day in my house, with my parents letting me stay up as late and as long as they ran.  Plus? Sometimes deserving stuff actually wins!  Or someone has a cool dress!  Or makes a good speech!  Yes, they're horrible and awful and silly, but once you accept that they can be both silly *AND* sublime, watching can be a great deal more fun.  Why not have a little bit of faith that the Leap Day lining up with the end of the festivities and AMPAS making membership changes might help us make a leap forward in terms of representation in the nominated films?  And, if they don't, we always have snark and a stiff drink to cope. 

So no matter who you're rooting for or how they turn out, you will either need to drink from joy or to drown one's sorrows, so let's break out our best mixologist outfits and hit the red carpet stumbling.  The following cocktails should help you endure however long the telecast runs over and might help make you the host/hostess with the drink mostess of any Oscar Party you're throwing:

What You Need:

• A Publicist
• A thoughtful speech that you wrote down and pretend to have forgotten while acting fake humble
• A Bottle of Gin
• A Bottle of Grand Marnier
• A Bottle of Cuervo
• A Bottle or Two of a dry-ish Prosecco/Cava
• A Six Pack of Kaliber, by Guinness
• Sugar Cubes
• Bitters - Orange, but pick up Angostura while you're at it
• Fresh Lemons/Limes (or the Real Lemon/Lime Juice bottles)
• A Cocktail Shaker - the Metrokane Bullet is the one I swear by

Optional:

• "The Perfect Drink For Every Occasion" by Duane Swiercynski
• A lovely Champagne Pommery tray, to remind you of one of cinema's greatest drunk/hungover performances - Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story"
• F. Scott's "On Booze" - to remind you to moderate yourself, lest you end up as a dead failed alcoholic screenwriter 

The Drink: Kaliber Beer, by Guinness:

inspired by: Brooklyn, Sobriety

        

the backstory: I know you're thinking "wait a minute, Hunter, the first tipple you're 

recommending is non-alcoholic beer?"  What the heck?  So I've been on new anti-depressants these last few weeks and have been trying to take it kinda easy,  drinking wise.  During this time, I've gotten to know and loathe many a N/A beer.  This?  Is different. Makes you feel like you're actually drinking a real beer.  It has the weight/heft and taste profile of Guinness, not sad malt flavored water.

drink whenever: Brooklyn is mentioned/wins, someone thanks their sponsor/etc., someone mentions on the red carpet that their fur/jewelry is faux, a celeb's substance abuse issues are joked about by a presenter/host/etc.

The Drink: French 75:

the recipe:

• 1.5 ounces of gin
• one sugar cube
• 3/4th ounce (fresh, preferably) lemon juice
• Put the above into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice, shake vigorously to chill the mixture and to dissolve the sugar cube, pour into a champagne flute and top with the Prosecco/Cava.

mixologist note: While the stars may be sipping Veuve & Cristal, you shouldn't be.  It is foolish to waste a good champagne on a champagne cocktail that is gonna add sugar & gin to the mix.  Stick w/ a moderately priced decently dry bubbly.

drink whenever: a European wins or presents, a non-American name is mispronounced/mangled, the award is given to such an undeserving winner that you wish to throw your hands up and surrender, as the French are wont to do.

The Drink: the Leap Dave Williams:

the recipe:

• 2 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
• 1/4 oz. lemon juice
• Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, along with a citrus twist.

mixologist note: this recipe is adapted from the aforementioned "Perfect Drink for Every Occasion" - which states its origin as the Savoy Hotel in 1928.  I've renamed it in honor of one of 30 Rock's most delightful spoofs.

drink whenever: you escape from Mickey Rourke's sex dungeon, the sight of Julianne Moore or Boston being mentioned (re: Spotlight) triggers terrifying flashbacks to her accent, you find yourself thinking wistfully about Tracy Jordan's EGOT, someone does not employ the correct pronunciation of the word "camera," someone is being played off:

         

The Drink: Cuervo with No Chaser:

the recipe:

• duh

drink whenever: #OscarsSoWhite has you so exasperated that you find yourself turning to praying to Queen Bey to give you/us strength so that we can get in formation.

Not a cocktail person?  More of a wine guy?  Well, there's only one to serve.

Find out who your true friends are.