The Everyday Bite // T.J. McGowan

🚨 Really Cool News Alert 🚨 For those that ask when I’ll have a poetry book out, just a little more patience is needed. I’m overjoyed to announce my full-length poetry manuscript, A Funeral of Strangers Gathered Over a Body of Thought was picked up and will be published by @centavebooks . It’s a book I’ve been working on for the last five years and I can’t wait to bring it to life. A huge thanks to Michelle for believing in this manuscript and giving me such a wonderful opportunity. A younger T.J. who penned away his inner monologue in his journal to escape the world dreamed of moments like this. Stay tuned! . . . . #centralavenuepublishing #newbookalert #poetrymanuscript #bookannouncement #centavebooks #newpoetry #publishersmarketplace #publishingdeal

I got to perform on @bronxnettv OPEN Friday with @rhinavalentin for #NationalPoetryMonth. Thanks for the opportunity. Watch me yell my feelings right here. #openartistspotlight #bronxnettv #openfridaywithrhinavalentin . . . . #spokenwordpoetry #spokenword #spokenwordpoet #spokenwordartist #poet #poetsofinstagram #poetrycommunity #poetrylovers #poetrygram #poetryofinstagram #poetryislife #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writtenword #writerlife #bronxpoetry #bronxpoets #bronx #bronxartist

What’s up beautiful people. For those asking how to get themselves a physical copy of the album, I’ve got good news. It Is Love, signed copies are now available for purchase and shipment within the US. Just click the link in my bio. If you are a friend outside the US who’d like to cop one, just DM me and I’ll figure it out with you. #itislove . . . . #albumrelease #newmusic #newalbum #signedalbum #etsy #meditative #meditationmusic #physicalmedia #subtlebodies #spokenwordpoetry #spokenword #meditativemetal #psychedelicart

How the world makes me feel. If it makes you feel the same and you want to yell into the void below to vent about something bothering you, feel free. Get it off your chest for #mentalhealthawarenessmonth. I’ll start: fuck that motherfucking fuck in charge of fucking every fucking thing the fuck up! 📸: @elmzqphotos P.S. if you zoom real close and squint you might be able to read a poem or two from my upcoming book with @centavebooks . . . . . #emotionalrelease #catharsis #letitgo #poetry

About two summers ago @destinypoet and @johnsonsoldout popped by @dfnymusic ’s studio for a few sessions and together we recorded whatever felt right at the time. This kicked off a series of collaborative projects with poets from all over the world that are currently in the pipeline. But the first batch of what we conjured up with Destiny & Johnson drops on June 5th in the form of Umbra. We hope you’re as excited to listen as we are for you to hear it. #umbra #subtlebodiesandfriends #meditativemetal #newmusic #newpoetry

A few weeks ago @clippercoffeeny let me host a writing workshop to help usher in the Spring. A huge thanks to Pete for opening his doors to us and to those who came out to support. Thanks for engaging with the prompts and sharing your writing. And to @alise0x for doing some live painting that night. Go pop by the Clipper and share a coffee with her fish! Brainstorming doing some more of these kinds of workshops in the future. Stay tuned. #writingworkshop #clippercoffee #cityislandbronx

The world is fucked up. Which means people are feeling fucked up about it. Mental health is important every single day but since it’s mental health awareness month and I’m someone who has seen their fair share of fucked up days and somehow came out the other side a little better, I feel compelled to say something. But it’s hard to say the right thing because everyone’s fucked up days require different paths to healing. Plus, I’m no mental health expert. I am no more important than anyone reading this or have any golden key or guidelines or made up overpriced lessons for you to buy. Which is part of the fucking problem, that fucked up times in a capitalist society become commodified by “healers” and coaches and podcast hosts and sociopathic granola people co-opting indigenous spirituality at retreats on lands that exploit local cultures. Which makes it difficult to navigate what you say to people because what worked for me might not work for you. In all honesty, it’s hard to start on a path. Because this fucked up country doesn’t make it easy to get help. And many people on the path end up not being a good fit which makes the journey to find the right path cumbersome and often disparaging. Because if you’re fucked up, chances are you do not have the bandwidth to find what will work for you. Our tax dollars should be used for the coverage of mental healthcare (instead of blowing up children overseas and ballrooms for reality tv shithead presidents) so this burden of searching for the right path to healing is lifted and you don’t have to fall down a trap of narcissists on the internet or behind a mic that will never help you get better and only sell you an illusion. I’m just here to say I get it. I feel you. I’ve been there. It’s a hard road, especially if you’re walking it alone. If you’re feeling fucked up - I love you. You deserve joy and happiness and new days. The right path is out there and I’m sorry it can feel near impossible to find it. Don’t give up. And never trust someone with a funnel website to the “answer” with no upfront costs or endgame in sight. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth

This sucker has been out in the world for four whole years. Which means it’s been four whole years since @elmzqphotos and I had a little fun paining experiment. Yes, the sequel inches closer, but for right now - if you’ve never read my first novel, I think it would be cool to give a few copies away for FREE. They are literally collecting dust in my closet and I’d love to introduce people to these characters and world I hold dear to my heart. So, you want a chance at a copy? Drop a comment of a song you’ve been really into lately and this weekend I’ll compile all the songs on a playlist and hit shuffle. The first four songs that play I’ll ship you a copy of Timeless Gardens & Other Beautiful Miseries on me. Who doesn’t like free shit? Play along. #freebooks #timelessgardens #freeshit #bookgiveaway

Our first date was a @florenceandthemachine show a few years ago. We were just a couple of poets who met at an open mic that discovered our shared love for Florence and were looking for someone to go to a show with. The literal beginning to our love story was via Florence’s magic. We decided for Flo date night 2 to get up close and personal @thegarden . Powerful. Ethereal. Overwhelming. I was in awe the entire time. Couldn’t wrap my head around getting to be so close and to have her greet @alise0x and I in the crowd, I’ll never get over it. One of the greatest to ever do it. We are still atop the cloud she put us on. Flo date night 3 loading for @barclayscenter . #florenceandthemachine #florencewelch #everybodyscreamtour #everybodyscream #witchdance

We look like we are starring in a sitcom about a vibrant and talented, but slightly green go-getter, who finds herself launched into leading a writers room at a once hit show now on the down slope, and has to contend with the rebellious, chubby-but-charming down-and-out comic vet still on payroll, who has lost his spark. At first they can’t stand each other, but understand they NEED each other to survive the workplace and keep their jobs. Beneath the spats, barbs, and begrudging partnership, there’s potential… to reinvigorate the show to what it once was… and maybe ignite a different kind of spark along the way… 😏 The Writing’s on the Wall coming this fall to NBC! 📸: @elmzqphotos (thanks for the fun shoot) #photoshoot #headshots #writers

And that’s a wrap on principal photography for Bacon, Egg & Scream. Back in September @thisguybx , @landijerry and myself had a convo that turned into a challenge. Could we make an anthological horror comedy with only the gear we already own and shoot it completely in our neighborhood on City Island in the Bronx, while bringing some of the community into the fold. Turns out, we could. With the help of family, friends, and neighbors we shot weekend warrior style over the last six months (12 total shooting days) utilizing every home, office, apartment we had access to, and every relationship we had with actor friends to lend us their time and energy, even jumping in front of the camera ourselves. We shot everything practically. We shot everything economically and efficiently. The three of us got to write and direct our own portions, while being support crew for the others when not directing. Full on collaboration. It was fast and fun and we can’t wait for people to see it. Make weird shit with cool people! #baconeggandscream #diyfilmmaking #indiehorror #indiefilmmakers

Hey hey writer friends! I will be putting together a one-off free writing workshop to help ring in spring. It will be at @clippercoffeeny and @alise0x will be doing some live painting to set the mood. The plan is we hang out together, explore a prompt or two, take some time to write and maybe read a few of them. A low/no pressure evening of seeing where the writing takes us. Hope to see you there! #inbloom #writingworkshop #writerworkshop #cityislandarts #clippercoffee