Awful writing from 1999 on, when I should have known better.
My Pals Sonic YouthA visit to the concert hall.
Solo in GraySea Lions in the park. What do my words mean here? I use the word pinnepedal. Why? Oh, God.
PredictionThe only point of this piece is to demonstrate what a jackass I am.
Citizen DarthTrashing the new Star Wars movie. It deserved trashing.
ArtAn essay on the arts scene and what it meant to me in 1999. Of course, when I'm writing these summaries (mid-2000) I care not at all.
Here We Go AgainI broke up with a girl and had to write for the sympathetic Internet audience about my deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep feelings.
FantasyA dumb little story with one or two good lines, based on a completely predictable joke.
CreatedWhat's wrong with the world? An attempt at a non-answer in a few short words. Reading over these archives, I want often to say shut up, fellow. Why didn't I?
Mirror Only Slightly AngledThe online journaler, a strange creature of odd habits.
SamplerAll the things in my head all at once.
Rein, carnationA goofy fiction.
WiresA series of little narratives, all glued together
An Ending of SortsClosure on the Internet
My Favorite VariableGeeking out.
Tracking My ChangesA few absolutely shitty literary thoughts.
ArchivePrior Iterations of Ftrain, created in blind ignorance but with great hopes, and information on the site itself. My advice, which you should feel free to ignore considering the source, is to start from the very end - to read the new stuff first, when I'd actually learned a little bit about writing, and then if you can stomach it, move backwards.
11 Aug 98Acting my age
LitanyA sad whine about work, written in the "high amateur" style that so much of my prose favors.
Cliches, some with ExamplesHow many can you spot? And when is a cliche a characteristic?
CommercialAh well. Sometimes the writing turned to squalorous sloppiness. Here's a good example.
First DaySo now, I decided to become autobiographical. I thought I'd write my whole life's story in about 3 hours, but I didn't get far. Here's the first piece.
CarpointOh, I am a didactic bastard. What was I trying to accomplish with my mini-lecture on automotive environmentalism?
SmallA New York moment of no note.
BeforeA moment of waiting for the emotions to settle.
BurdenSick of writing, I write about being sick of writing. Result? The audience is sick of me.
The Voice in the EarTalking, talking back, and so on. Taking it all too seriously.
MonologueWriting on writing about writing. Kill me.
Shut Up, PaulWhat he said.
I Believe (a comic gothic, first draft)A little fiction with a high "yeah, whatever" quotient
Study HallWorking and what it's like to work and whatever.
OverdueA little apology to a woman who's long, long gone.
The Ftrain Temporary FAQOut of ideas, I began writing about Ftrain itself. Bad sign.
Staten IslandMiddling writing about a nice day.
Lost WeekendI was just fucking with people here, writing nonsense, talking crazy talk.
BloodlifeIn my modern era, love begins with diagnostics.
Location x 3Ask an idiot a simple question, and see what happens.
Explosion on FtrainRelaunching the Web site.
Republican National ConventionI'm trying to unrust my chops, so I wrote down some thoughts on the RNC. It's hard to connect ideas; I'm struggling with the words.