Welcome to Word Gnosh!

This is the first of what I hope will be many randomly posted posts. Word Gnosh's intent is to be a site where intellects, aficionados, academics, low lives and the streets come together to chew on the tools of American language. Most of what you will find here will be ruminations on pop culture - music, art, trends, anti-trends, etc. - though, you might find some occasional political commentary, short fiction and/or non-fiction, food writing and brief, mostly meaningless daily observations as well. I'm going to warn you right now, I'm a poet too. So, the event that you'll find yourself reading poetry here is also likely. Even more likely is that it will be mine. I'm not apologizing, just warning you.

So, who am I? My name is Ryan Bunch, I am fond of my middle initial, A., and frequently include it in the spelling of my name. I am the Arts and Entertainment Editor for both Toledo City Paper and Ann Arbor Current newspapers. The first is a weekly, the second a monthly. I am also a student at the University of Toledo, currently in my third year as a senior. I'm a firm believer that higher education is a racket and I'm comfortable taking it slow, so save your judgments if you have them. I am a publishing poet, recently at GloomCupboard.blogspot.com and at PoetryMidwest.org in issue #20. You can read more of my work, as well as a couple of interviews and other writings on my other blog at www.myspace.com/kyrux. I've been fortunate to interview a handful of my musical heroes, including Aesop Rock, Lou Barlow, John Sinclair, Wayne Kramer, Daniel Johns, Honeboy Edwards and friends like The Hard Lessons, We Are The Fury and Stylex. You can search those interviews at http://www.toledocitypaper.com/. Though, the chance that they are archived is highly unlikely. Sorry. I will work on getting some of those interviews and stories up on here.

That said, I'm glad we're acquainted and I look forward to posting more products of my mind here on Word Gnosh. While the regularity of the posts can't be promised, the quality can. Stop by soon.

Sincerely,
Ryan A. Bunch