A Kick In The Head

"Readers will have the good fortune to experience poetry as art, game, joke, list, song, story, statement, question, memory. A primer like no other." — School Library Journal (starred review) In this splendid and playful volume — second of a trilogy — an acclaimed creative team presents examples of twenty-nine poetic forms, demonstrating not only the (sometimes bendable) rules of poetry, but also the spirit that brings these forms to life. Featuring poems from the likes of Eleanor Farjeon (aubade), X. J. Kennedy (elegy), Ogden Nash (couplet), Liz Rosenberg (pantoum), and William Shakespeare, the sonnet king himself, A Kick in the Head perfectly illustrates Robert Frost’s maxim that poetry without rules is like a tennis match without a net. Back matter includes notes on poetic forms.

The definitive study of arranging by America's premiere composer, arranger and conductor. A "must" for every musician interested in a greater understanding of arranging. Includes chapters on instrumentation, orchestration and Nelson Riddle's work with Sinatra, Cole and Garland.

This year, the fireworks will be red hot… Skates Farrington is a changed man. Gone are the smart suits, the dull meetings and the extra pounds. Nowadays, he gets his thrills at the skate park and from whatever substances his dealers send his way. The only thing missing from his life is his ex-wife. She’s shacked up with a respectable partner in an isolated farm and striving to create the perfect life. Skates is convinced that she will come back to him when she sees his new self, but when attempts to win her heart all over again are thrown back in his face, he decides a little gentle persuasion is in order. Now he can include murder and abduction among his new-found skills. DI Oliver Wilson, leading the investigation, has more than a few things on his mind. The case and imminent arrival of his third child should be at the forefront of his thoughts, but the arrival of a sequence of unusual gifts is making him nervous. The packages are sending him a message, he just can’t work out what they’re trying to say. Ain’t That A Kick In The Head is the explosive follow up to Let It Snow and My Funny Valentine. Praise for AIN’T THAT A KICK IN THE HEAD: “Nigel Bird knows his characters inside and out—what they want, how they think, how they grow and how they fail. Ain’t that a Kick in the Head might be his best work yet. A convincing, engrossing portrayal of what life is like for cops and criminals alike.” —Chris Rhatigan, All Due Respect Books publisher “One of my favourite contemporary crime fiction series.” —Colman Keane, Col’s Criminal Library

In stories that are as diverting as they are disconcerting, Steven Rinehart plumbs the psyche of that most perplexing beast: the American male. Set against a stark Midwestern landscape dotted with trailers, guns, cars, and crashed, these are deftly crafted and oddly resonant portraits of men behaving badly and men who have it bad—usually at the same time. A Boy Scout struggles through a bizarre boys-to-men ritual. A man starts a love affair with a diabetic who prefers booze to insulin. Another man who's finally enjoying his first sex-only relationship destroys it by clinging to a white lie. From the high school teacher battling his attraction to a troubled student to the patron who becomes a conspirator in a violent outburst in a bar, these are guys who have a lot to learn and seem to insist on doing so the hard way. Linked throughout the collection in surprising ways, Rinehart's stories ultimately form a cohesive work that introduces his as a writer of striking vision and offers a sharp-focus snapshot of men who need a kick in the head—and get it when they least expect it.

Nong Vang dreams that one day he'll be an MMA superstar. He can trash-talk with as much force as his deadly kicks. But being a hero in his real life hinges on more than his first amateur MMA fight—it means struggling through school and protecting his family from his bully big brother. Can he find the courage and skill to succeed inside the cage and out?

This book shares proven techniques for stimulating creativity and innovation.

SUCCESS BEGINS WITH ATTITUDE. Yet a truly positive, resilient outlook—the kind that just won't quit—often takes training, self-reflection, and practice. But staying positive in tough times isn't easy. If you've experienced a setback at work, suffered a personal loss, or struggle to make it through the monotony of the workday, A Kick in the Attitude is for you. What jumper cables are to a car battery, this book is to your attitude. It's the positive charge you need to break out of the trap of negative thinking and get back on the track to achieving the success you deserve. What if you already feel happy and successful? You will still benefit. A Kick in the Attitude is that positive charge that will catapult your life in a positive direction. It will recharge your batteries and keep you thriving through all life's ups and downs. It shows you how to develop the kind of positive, resilient outlook on life that keeps you going—with just a little training, self-reflection, and practice. A Kick in the Attitude describes the concrete, proven principles that will put focus and vigor back into your life and work. It gives you the tools you need to revive your attitude with passion and purpose—to make your attitude work for you rather than against you. This is a simple, straightforward guide that will let you convert adversity into new directions and new opportunities; improve your productivity and teamwork in the office; and bring passion and confidence to everything you do in life. Featuring eighteen principles for living and working with enthusiasm and positivity—this is just the kick-in-the-pants we all need.

Skateboarding enables a rare few individuals to live a carefree life, traveling the globe for free while less fortunate others have no other option than to jump through the hoops of everyday living. I'll Kick You In The Head With My Energy Legs depicts the coming of age, travels and traits of a group of skateboarders from London, who managed to escape the grips of a nine-to-five. Each character offering a different dynamic to the ongoing story; Be it walking along the sludge covered beaches of the river Thames in search of an American visiting friend who happened to be taking an 'emergency shit' after accidentally drinking an entire bottle of laxative, or a journey to the hospital to fix a dislocated elbow, or playing with a dead pigeon. Shot over a period of three years by London born photographer and skateboarder Jonnie Craig who rose to light at the age of 18 after having been picked up by Vice Magazine. Jonnie quickly established his name within photography releasing his first book with Morel in early 2009 which proceeded to sell out shortly after.