discussing a skunk they'd seen in the yard the night before:
"He was just gassing out a stink!"
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
mockingbird
A cloud of birds has always surrounded our child.
Hummingbirds and mysterious yellow finches heralded its coming, blue jays followed me around the yard providing advice and last week a red tailed hawk landed next to the wife at a cafe and communed for a while.
For about the last month there's been a mockingbird in the neighborhood singing non-stop. This is usually a pleasant backdrop to our day (and night, and morning) but around 6am today he woke us up from a dead sleep- it sounded like he was sitting at the foot of the bed.
I ventured forth au natural and found him sitting in our walnut tree, on a brand reaching toward the kitchen. Shooing didn't work (I guess it's hard to take anyone seriously when they're stark naked), so I pitched a branch into the tree.
He decamped for a nearby (but not too nearby) power line, singing all the way.
We went back to sleep.
As I write, he's still out there promoting his creed.
Hummingbirds and mysterious yellow finches heralded its coming, blue jays followed me around the yard providing advice and last week a red tailed hawk landed next to the wife at a cafe and communed for a while.
For about the last month there's been a mockingbird in the neighborhood singing non-stop. This is usually a pleasant backdrop to our day (and night, and morning) but around 6am today he woke us up from a dead sleep- it sounded like he was sitting at the foot of the bed.
I ventured forth au natural and found him sitting in our walnut tree, on a brand reaching toward the kitchen. Shooing didn't work (I guess it's hard to take anyone seriously when they're stark naked), so I pitched a branch into the tree.
He decamped for a nearby (but not too nearby) power line, singing all the way.
We went back to sleep.
As I write, he's still out there promoting his creed.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Pelf in Action
He's written an adaptation of Jim Carroll's classic Basketball Diaries that's being performed in New York by a real company, with music by Patti Smith's band.
Several companies are doing productions of Impending Rupture, including these cats.
And the dudes who published Impending Rupture (now in its second printing) are going to put out FREAKSTORM, one of his older plays that was conceived during our trip to Vegas for my bachelor party.
Hopefully this means my FREAKSTORM tee shirt will become a valuable collectible...not that I'd ever sell it, of course!
Several companies are doing productions of Impending Rupture, including these cats.
And the dudes who published Impending Rupture (now in its second printing) are going to put out FREAKSTORM, one of his older plays that was conceived during our trip to Vegas for my bachelor party.
Hopefully this means my FREAKSTORM tee shirt will become a valuable collectible...not that I'd ever sell it, of course!
book news
Just sold previously featured Baxblog titles Nurse on the Run and Nurse in Danger to the same gal.
Maybe a nurse?
Maybe a nurse?
Monday, June 23, 2008
book title of the week
The Quaint Sayings of Old Jeff the Postman
I'd provide a sample homily, but Old Jeff is sadly long-winded.
I'd provide a sample homily, but Old Jeff is sadly long-winded.
George Carlin RIP
Religion convinced the world that there's an invisible man in the sky who watches everything you do. And there's 10 things he doesn't want you to do or else you'll to to a burning place with a lake of fire until the end of eternity. But he loves you! ...And he needs money! He's all powerful, but he can't handle money! [...] I've begun worshipping the sun for a number of reasons. First of all, unlike some other gods I could mention, I can see the sun. It's there for me every day. And the things it brings me are quite apparent all the time: heat, light, food, a lovely day. There's no mystery, no one asks for money, I don't have to dress up, and there's no boring pageantry. And interestingly enough, I have found that the prayers I offer to the sun and the prayers I formerly offered to God are all answered at about the same 50-percent rate. [...] Religion is sort of like a lift in your shoes. If it makes you feel better, fine. Just don't ask me to wear your shoes. And let's not nail the lift to the natives' feet.
And you can't ask for a better epitaph than
shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Return to Perfection
Ah, paradise!
A pleasant 80 with a nice ocean breeze today.
Spent last night at the coast, dangling our feet in the pool, watching the kids run around and enjoying the respite.
After it cooled down a bit we dined on salad with cold shredded chicken & I enjoyed a couple of Boomsma gin and tonics on the patio.
Line of the night went to the Fiend, who delivered a package of cookies to the Burl with this query:
"Mama? Can I have a lot of them?"
We tried to watch Lars & the Real Girl, but Timmy waxed belligerent & we switched it off to spare ourselves continued exposure to his expansive repertoire of groans, sighs & snorts, punctuated by ostentatious inspections of his wristwatch and pained denials that he was anything other than fully engaged with the film.
Instead we swapped Depraved Childhood trading cards (free therapy in every pack, collect them all!), which was more edifying and entertaining than any movie, even one where a guy invites his sex doll to Sunday dinner at his brother's house.
A pleasant 80 with a nice ocean breeze today.
Spent last night at the coast, dangling our feet in the pool, watching the kids run around and enjoying the respite.
After it cooled down a bit we dined on salad with cold shredded chicken & I enjoyed a couple of Boomsma gin and tonics on the patio.
Line of the night went to the Fiend, who delivered a package of cookies to the Burl with this query:
"Mama? Can I have a lot of them?"
We tried to watch Lars & the Real Girl, but Timmy waxed belligerent & we switched it off to spare ourselves continued exposure to his expansive repertoire of groans, sighs & snorts, punctuated by ostentatious inspections of his wristwatch and pained denials that he was anything other than fully engaged with the film.
Instead we swapped Depraved Childhood trading cards (free therapy in every pack, collect them all!), which was more edifying and entertaining than any movie, even one where a guy invites his sex doll to Sunday dinner at his brother's house.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
record heat
111 here yesterday, one degree off the all-time record.
Retreat to the coast wasn't much of an improvement- it topped 100 at the beaches.
My Plan B fantasy of incarnating a British officer during the Raj, stoically confronting the heat with gin & tonics and contempt for the wogs, didn't pass muster with the wife.
So we were routed by nature and the day became a desperate quest for air conditioning.
After hopping around with varied, generally unsatisfactory results, and with both our tethers fraying, we said "fuck it!" and got a hotel.
Today isn't as horrid- work is a bit stuffy but bearable.
Tonight we'll probably head off to the coast again to reprise our wading pool idyll at the in-laws.
Retreat to the coast wasn't much of an improvement- it topped 100 at the beaches.
My Plan B fantasy of incarnating a British officer during the Raj, stoically confronting the heat with gin & tonics and contempt for the wogs, didn't pass muster with the wife.
So we were routed by nature and the day became a desperate quest for air conditioning.
After hopping around with varied, generally unsatisfactory results, and with both our tethers fraying, we said "fuck it!" and got a hotel.
Today isn't as horrid- work is a bit stuffy but bearable.
Tonight we'll probably head off to the coast again to reprise our wading pool idyll at the in-laws.
Friday, June 20, 2008
News of the day
The weather was superior on the coast.
I lazed on the back lawn, my feet in the wading pool, my niece scoring occasional hits with her squirt gun (it shoots a magic potion, ingredients and effects unknown. The wife is keeping a weather eye out for any unusual changes in my deportment).
Our evening decision to watch the 'perfect movie' drew us into the vortex of Con Air, a cinematic Everest it takes a well supported team to conquer. Happily we were well fortified and up to the challenge.
I'm pretty sure they cast it by throwing handfuls of darts at a wall of head shots and calling the people they missed. The music sounded like it was jacked from an 80's arcade game, Contra or something, all squealing hair band wah-wah guitar.
I know they got their script by tossing random pages of dialog from the top 50 grossing action films of all time into a blender and hitting 'puree'. And it was clearly plotted by a room full of speed freaks, all fiendishly intent on one-upping each others deranged coincidences and contrivances (over Vegas and low on fuel? fuck the desert, land it on THE STRIP!)
Miraculously, the whole is vastly greater than the sum of its misshapen parts.
It's as if a semi hauling a double load of propane crashed into a bus load of nuns after being rear-ended by a dumptruck and the wreckage formed an exact replica of Michelangelo's David in the middle of the 101.
Bravo, Simon West, Bravo.
I lazed on the back lawn, my feet in the wading pool, my niece scoring occasional hits with her squirt gun (it shoots a magic potion, ingredients and effects unknown. The wife is keeping a weather eye out for any unusual changes in my deportment).
Our evening decision to watch the 'perfect movie' drew us into the vortex of Con Air, a cinematic Everest it takes a well supported team to conquer. Happily we were well fortified and up to the challenge.
I'm pretty sure they cast it by throwing handfuls of darts at a wall of head shots and calling the people they missed. The music sounded like it was jacked from an 80's arcade game, Contra or something, all squealing hair band wah-wah guitar.
I know they got their script by tossing random pages of dialog from the top 50 grossing action films of all time into a blender and hitting 'puree'. And it was clearly plotted by a room full of speed freaks, all fiendishly intent on one-upping each others deranged coincidences and contrivances (over Vegas and low on fuel? fuck the desert, land it on THE STRIP!)
Miraculously, the whole is vastly greater than the sum of its misshapen parts.
It's as if a semi hauling a double load of propane crashed into a bus load of nuns after being rear-ended by a dumptruck and the wreckage formed an exact replica of Michelangelo's David in the middle of the 101.
Bravo, Simon West, Bravo.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
what is this BS
It's supposed to be ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR here today.
Eff that!
We're heading out to the coast to BBQ and enjoy the soothing sea breezes.
Reports will follow.
Eff that!
We're heading out to the coast to BBQ and enjoy the soothing sea breezes.
Reports will follow.
manifestations
Ok, this must be the weirdest pregnancy thing ever.
The wife now craves the smell of gasoline.
She agitates to fill up the tank when we're about an inch from full. We were wandering around a hardware store yesterday when she cried out "ACETONE!" in a voice mingling equal parts wonder, longing and discovery. She took up a container with the mingled yearning and reverence of a priest clutching a reliquary containing the toenail of St. Augustine.
Her disappointment when she couldn't get the lid open was acute.
"What good is this place if they won't let you smell anything?"
A while back I caught her clutching my bottle of lighter fluid, wild eyed.
"I just want a little sniff!"
She scrabbled open the lid and took a short huff. Her eyes rolled back with pleasure and I actually heard her mouth watering- she had to suction up the involuntary gush of drool
She's like William Burroghs in the throes of junk lust.
I'm wondering if I need to send her away for the Chinese Cure.
Hopefully it'll pass, like her decree that I make her tater tots at 4am every morning.
In the meantime I've secured all household solvents under lock and key.
The wife now craves the smell of gasoline.
She agitates to fill up the tank when we're about an inch from full. We were wandering around a hardware store yesterday when she cried out "ACETONE!" in a voice mingling equal parts wonder, longing and discovery. She took up a container with the mingled yearning and reverence of a priest clutching a reliquary containing the toenail of St. Augustine.
Her disappointment when she couldn't get the lid open was acute.
"What good is this place if they won't let you smell anything?"
A while back I caught her clutching my bottle of lighter fluid, wild eyed.
"I just want a little sniff!"
She scrabbled open the lid and took a short huff. Her eyes rolled back with pleasure and I actually heard her mouth watering- she had to suction up the involuntary gush of drool
She's like William Burroghs in the throes of junk lust.
I'm wondering if I need to send her away for the Chinese Cure.
Hopefully it'll pass, like her decree that I make her tater tots at 4am every morning.
In the meantime I've secured all household solvents under lock and key.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
attn BOBO
folk paying to avoid Vista.
Brilliant planning by MS- make an operating system so turgid and unlikable that people will cough up a premium to use your old one.
Brilliant planning by MS- make an operating system so turgid and unlikable that people will cough up a premium to use your old one.
musical comment
listening to Arcade Fire on our way to mail today the wife had this to say:
I wish they'd sing more in French.
Geez, talk about a tough audience.
I wish they'd sing more in French.
Geez, talk about a tough audience.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
tunes: Elliot Smith
I've had the posthumous New Moon on heavy rotation this week, and it's even better than I originally thought.
There are no duds, a lot of strong offerings and a couple of tracks (New Monkey, All Cleaned Out) that are as good as anything in his catalog. And this is high praise coming from a guy who thinks he's the greatest American songsmith since George & Ira Gershwin were still lighting up broadway.
It also provides a hit for both sets of Smith fans- electric and acoustic.
Check it out.
There are no duds, a lot of strong offerings and a couple of tracks (New Monkey, All Cleaned Out) that are as good as anything in his catalog. And this is high praise coming from a guy who thinks he's the greatest American songsmith since George & Ira Gershwin were still lighting up broadway.
It also provides a hit for both sets of Smith fans- electric and acoustic.
Check it out.
Monday, June 16, 2008
book stuff
Things people firmly believe should inspire me to buy their crappy books:
1: Age
But it's 100 years old!
2: Cover price
But it cost $34.95!
3: Size
But look how big the pictures are!
Feh.
1: Age
But it's 100 years old!
2: Cover price
But it cost $34.95!
3: Size
But look how big the pictures are!
Feh.
an edda for our time
dig if you will the poetic stylings of leather-hatted Dick Sutphen, from the slim volume of verse A Deep Breath of Yesterday (key blub: "Dick Sutphen communicates....and he'll touch you"):
Oh, and there's more where that came from.
So don't sass me!
I have all the characteristics
of a gentle vocano-
and
sometimes
I
scare
myself.
Oh, and there's more where that came from.
So don't sass me!
more cooking MORE
Made fajitas for my first Father's Day bbq last night.
It's my favorite kind of recipe- delicious and criminally simple.
1: Take a big flank steak, trim off any fat & douse it with about 2 tbs of lime juice. Season well with salt and pepper. Let rest while building the fire.
2: Make a fire with plenty of charcoal and heat the grill.
3: Slap it on once the coals have a nice ashy coating, cook 5-7 minutes on each side for medium rare. Let it rest 10 minutes under a loose canopy of aluminum foil, slice thin across the grain and serve with whatever condiments you prefer.
I grilled some onions and made a couple of different salsas to go with, both really easy:
simple Tomatillo Salsa:
Husk and wash a bunch of tomatillos. Split a couple of chilis (serranos or jalapenos work great here) and remove the bulk of the seeds (unless you like it hot- I usually leave about 1/4 in place to give it some bite), and a couple of cloves of garlic if you like. Toss it all with a couple of tablespoons of oil, lay out on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until things start to char, 5-10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through.
Dump it all in the food processor with about 1/4 cup of water or stock and puree. Salt to taste and serve.
Simple salsa roja:
Seed and dice a bunch of tomatoes.
Dice one small white (or yellow, whatevs) onion & garlic to taste (I like two or three cloves). Chop up a handful of cilantro & one or two seeded chilis. Combine it all in a bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of lime juice, 1/4 cup of water and salt to taste, then let sit for 30 minutes or so to marry the flavors.
It was my dream meal- all prep and almost no cooking.
Oddly that red salsa gets more rave reviews than anything else I make. For this I sincerely thank the tremendous reservoir of crap salsa out there.
When I need to cut corners and use store bought I recommend Trader Joe's Salsa Especial (in the deli case). It's fresh, well balanced and happily bereft of the chemical tang & over processed tomato-sauce texture that afflicts most commercial salsa.
It's my favorite kind of recipe- delicious and criminally simple.
1: Take a big flank steak, trim off any fat & douse it with about 2 tbs of lime juice. Season well with salt and pepper. Let rest while building the fire.
2: Make a fire with plenty of charcoal and heat the grill.
3: Slap it on once the coals have a nice ashy coating, cook 5-7 minutes on each side for medium rare. Let it rest 10 minutes under a loose canopy of aluminum foil, slice thin across the grain and serve with whatever condiments you prefer.
I grilled some onions and made a couple of different salsas to go with, both really easy:
simple Tomatillo Salsa:
Husk and wash a bunch of tomatillos. Split a couple of chilis (serranos or jalapenos work great here) and remove the bulk of the seeds (unless you like it hot- I usually leave about 1/4 in place to give it some bite), and a couple of cloves of garlic if you like. Toss it all with a couple of tablespoons of oil, lay out on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until things start to char, 5-10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through.
Dump it all in the food processor with about 1/4 cup of water or stock and puree. Salt to taste and serve.
Simple salsa roja:
Seed and dice a bunch of tomatoes.
Dice one small white (or yellow, whatevs) onion & garlic to taste (I like two or three cloves). Chop up a handful of cilantro & one or two seeded chilis. Combine it all in a bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of lime juice, 1/4 cup of water and salt to taste, then let sit for 30 minutes or so to marry the flavors.
It was my dream meal- all prep and almost no cooking.
Oddly that red salsa gets more rave reviews than anything else I make. For this I sincerely thank the tremendous reservoir of crap salsa out there.
When I need to cut corners and use store bought I recommend Trader Joe's Salsa Especial (in the deli case). It's fresh, well balanced and happily bereft of the chemical tang & over processed tomato-sauce texture that afflicts most commercial salsa.
That doesn't mean what you think it means...
A lot of evangelical/fundie stuff comes in and ends up on the junk pile, and it's often good for a laff.
This one is particularly rich: Be Intolerant (because some things are just stupid) by Ryan Dobson. Classified as 'Christian Living' by the publisher.
I mean, c'mon now.
Oh, here's a gem from the back cover:
Finally someone has the courage to point out that some ideas are simply stupid.
AT LAST!
Truly, Ryan Dobson is a conduit for divine insight, the Thomas Merton of his generation!
This one is particularly rich: Be Intolerant (because some things are just stupid) by Ryan Dobson. Classified as 'Christian Living' by the publisher.
I mean, c'mon now.
Oh, here's a gem from the back cover:
Finally someone has the courage to point out that some ideas are simply stupid.
AT LAST!
Truly, Ryan Dobson is a conduit for divine insight, the Thomas Merton of his generation!
Title of the Week
NURSE IN DANGER by Jane Converse
Whew, that's a mouthful.
The gripping story of a beautiful nurse who dared defy a ruthless racketeer who was corrupting a brilliant young doctor, destroying the man she loved!
Whew, that's a mouthful.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
True Customer Tales
overweight 50-ish dude in shorts and a ballcap walks in and picks up an audio copy of Obama's Audacity of Hope.
"Is this on CD?"
"Yep."
"Y'know, I was born half black!"
"Mmm."
"Yah, I'm a reverse Oreo! Ya know what that is?"
"Mmm."
"White on the outside and BLACK on the inside! HAAAAAAH!"
"Mmm."
"Ya know how I know?"
"Mmm."
"CAUSE I LIKES TO GET FUNKY!!"
You just can't make this shit up.
/edit
he returned a bit later with a gal, still talking non-stop.
After a few more "zingers" in the same mold he made his way to the counter and commented
"She laughs at my jokes."
The least offensive reply I could come up with was
"How nice for you."
"Is this on CD?"
"Yep."
"Y'know, I was born half black!"
"Mmm."
"Yah, I'm a reverse Oreo! Ya know what that is?"
"Mmm."
"White on the outside and BLACK on the inside! HAAAAAAH!"
"Mmm."
"Ya know how I know?"
"Mmm."
"CAUSE I LIKES TO GET FUNKY!!"
You just can't make this shit up.
/edit
he returned a bit later with a gal, still talking non-stop.
After a few more "zingers" in the same mold he made his way to the counter and commented
"She laughs at my jokes."
The least offensive reply I could come up with was
"How nice for you."
Friday, June 13, 2008
FOOD POST
It's been too long, now you suffer!
Wehani & Roasted Mushrooms
I'm going to cheat here by using my sexy rice cooker:
Rinse two scoops Wehani well, fill rice cooker to 'brown rice: 2 1/4 cup' line and cook on brown rice setting.
For the mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 450.
wash, stem & chop a pound of button mushrooms- white or crimini work great. You want uniform chunks so they cook at the same rate, so chop small ones in half, medium ones in thirds and big ones in quarters.
throw them in a bowl, add two tablespoons of olive oil, season to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp salt) and toss to coat.
Spread evenly in a single shallow baking dish or pan & bake for 15 or so minutes, until they start to release their juice. Turn over and bake another 10 minutes, until they look browned and ready.
When the rice cooker dings and switches to 'warm' mode pop the hatch, dump in the roasted mushrooms and mix well. Close the cooker and let everything sit for 15 or 20 minutes to let the flavors marry, then dig in.
I baked a couple of chicken breasts to chop up and slap on top, but it's strong enough to be a stand-alone entree.
Wehani & Roasted Mushrooms
I'm going to cheat here by using my sexy rice cooker:
Rinse two scoops Wehani well, fill rice cooker to 'brown rice: 2 1/4 cup' line and cook on brown rice setting.
For the mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 450.
wash, stem & chop a pound of button mushrooms- white or crimini work great. You want uniform chunks so they cook at the same rate, so chop small ones in half, medium ones in thirds and big ones in quarters.
throw them in a bowl, add two tablespoons of olive oil, season to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp salt) and toss to coat.
Spread evenly in a single shallow baking dish or pan & bake for 15 or so minutes, until they start to release their juice. Turn over and bake another 10 minutes, until they look browned and ready.
When the rice cooker dings and switches to 'warm' mode pop the hatch, dump in the roasted mushrooms and mix well. Close the cooker and let everything sit for 15 or 20 minutes to let the flavors marry, then dig in.
I baked a couple of chicken breasts to chop up and slap on top, but it's strong enough to be a stand-alone entree.
True Customer Tales
older fella:
I'm looking for Zorro?
me:
It'll be in fiction, through that doorway and to the right.
older fella:
No, I'm looking for the person.
He said he was gonna be here.
Do you know him?
me:
No.
I'm looking for Zorro?
me:
It'll be in fiction, through that doorway and to the right.
older fella:
No, I'm looking for the person.
He said he was gonna be here.
Do you know him?
me:
No.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
more hippy stuff that works
We graduated our BIRTHING FROM WITHIN class this week, and it was a great experience for both of us.
Our teacher was the excellent Carrie Foster Evans, who the wife formed a spiritual connection with and ended up hiring to be her doula. We were lucky her due date fell later in July, after CFE returns from shepherding her two sons to bagpipe camp.
The class dovetailed nicely with my feeling that it's an unknowable process you can only prepare for in the most general ways, like rafting down an unexplored river gorge. The class taught us how to pick a good raft, how to strap into your life vest and ways to navigate around the worst rocks and waterfalls.
The best part for the wife was the emphasis on trusting your body and your intuition, and constant positive reinforcement that it's something women have been doing since the dawn of time.
We're behind the whole attachment parenting/continuum concept route of childrearing and Birthing From Within was right in the same zone of trusting ancient human practices over the invasive, control-freaky attitudes of many Western doctors & child psychologists.
We've done the prep, now we'll see what happens!
I'm hoping my Couvade goes away after the blessed event, or I'm gonna have to buy some new pants. =(
Our teacher was the excellent Carrie Foster Evans, who the wife formed a spiritual connection with and ended up hiring to be her doula. We were lucky her due date fell later in July, after CFE returns from shepherding her two sons to bagpipe camp.
The class dovetailed nicely with my feeling that it's an unknowable process you can only prepare for in the most general ways, like rafting down an unexplored river gorge. The class taught us how to pick a good raft, how to strap into your life vest and ways to navigate around the worst rocks and waterfalls.
The best part for the wife was the emphasis on trusting your body and your intuition, and constant positive reinforcement that it's something women have been doing since the dawn of time.
We're behind the whole attachment parenting/continuum concept route of childrearing and Birthing From Within was right in the same zone of trusting ancient human practices over the invasive, control-freaky attitudes of many Western doctors & child psychologists.
We've done the prep, now we'll see what happens!
I'm hoping my Couvade goes away after the blessed event, or I'm gonna have to buy some new pants. =(
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
vacation pt 3
Bobo made it over toward the end of our stay and we hung out a bit and had lunch.
The internet has had a strange impact on these sorts of get togethers- I'm in such constant contact with all my close friends that actually seeing them is sorta anticlimactic.
I still love it, but compared to the old days when all that connected us were infrequent letters and phone calls (note to my Young Friends(tm): I predate both the internet and cell phones) it's missing some pizazz.
Since we chat and email every day there isn't much in the way of discovery. I'm probably a little fatter than the last time Bobo saw me, he's probably a little grayer than the last time I saw him, but our interior lives are already completely synched up. And that's the main fun of seeing someone for me, getting back that 'closeness'. When you've already got that it's more like bumping into them at the grocery store than having a reunion, even if they live 400 miles away and you haven't 'seen' them in six months.
Given all this arranging a physical meeting has a ritualistic, slightly anachronistic quality, like dressing for High Tea.
It's something you do because it's what one does.
Alas that I have no lingering doubts about the fundamental power of the internet for this realization to shatter.
note to ANNER:
I left my memory stick at work yesterday, so you get no PIX.
Will try to rectify this evening.
The internet has had a strange impact on these sorts of get togethers- I'm in such constant contact with all my close friends that actually seeing them is sorta anticlimactic.
I still love it, but compared to the old days when all that connected us were infrequent letters and phone calls (note to my Young Friends(tm): I predate both the internet and cell phones) it's missing some pizazz.
Since we chat and email every day there isn't much in the way of discovery. I'm probably a little fatter than the last time Bobo saw me, he's probably a little grayer than the last time I saw him, but our interior lives are already completely synched up. And that's the main fun of seeing someone for me, getting back that 'closeness'. When you've already got that it's more like bumping into them at the grocery store than having a reunion, even if they live 400 miles away and you haven't 'seen' them in six months.
Given all this arranging a physical meeting has a ritualistic, slightly anachronistic quality, like dressing for High Tea.
It's something you do because it's what one does.
Alas that I have no lingering doubts about the fundamental power of the internet for this realization to shatter.
note to ANNER:
I left my memory stick at work yesterday, so you get no PIX.
Will try to rectify this evening.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
old timey dust jackets
(click for uncompressed view)
One of the best things about the book biz is that every day I come across fantastic stuff I've never seen before.
true customer tales!
poly gal:
Where's your non-fiction section?
me:
everything in the store is non-fiction...except the fiction.
What are you looking for?
poly gal:
Uh...like, literature?
me:
That's fiction- right this way.
(later)
poly gal:
I'm looking for, uh, Rilke?
me:
He's usually in poetry...
poly gal:
Oh, I'm looking for a novel- where's the non-fiction section?
me:
.......
THIS IS NOT A HOAX, NOT A DREAM, NOT AN IMAGINARY STORY!
Rather it is a verbatim transcript of our sanity-shattering conversation.
We as a race are extremely lucky breathing is an autonomic function.
Where's your non-fiction section?
me:
everything in the store is non-fiction...except the fiction.
What are you looking for?
poly gal:
Uh...like, literature?
me:
That's fiction- right this way.
(later)
poly gal:
I'm looking for, uh, Rilke?
me:
He's usually in poetry...
poly gal:
Oh, I'm looking for a novel- where's the non-fiction section?
me:
.......
THIS IS NOT A HOAX, NOT A DREAM, NOT AN IMAGINARY STORY!
Rather it is a verbatim transcript of our sanity-shattering conversation.
We as a race are extremely lucky breathing is an autonomic function.
vacation pt 2
If I didn't live where I do I'd miss the hell out of Hermosa Beach.
If I were coming from the central valley, or god forbid the midwest, it would seem like paradise on earth.
But head to head there's isn't much to choose- they have perfect weather, we have perfect weather. They have great beaches, we have great beaches. Their Walk score is 89, our walk score is 92.
And we've got the advantage of being able to drive five minutes in any direction to get out of town. Bobo's trip home took an hour and a half, navigating solid city the whole way.
But novelty has its own charm.
Someone else's beach, someone else's restaurants, someone else's neighborhood, it's an interesting change(this is one of the things I hate about the corporoatization of the country- chains generic everything they touch). Even a predictable-holic like me can relax and enjoy the occasional shift of gears.
Fortunately there were still plenty of niche businesses to explore in Hermosa.
Our fave eatery was La Playita Cafe, a little Mexican joint literally across the street from our balcony. The menu was standard issue with a happy emphasis on breakfasts. The house specialty was their mole sauce, which was savory, complex and joyously lacking the cloying sweetness of most restaurant mole.
Foodie aside: an excellent recipe that doesn't take 100 years to make & tastes fantastic can be found in Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless, my go-to guy for all things south of the border down Mexico way.
For a brain-blastingly authentic and labor intensive take (schedule a few days of prep time), Diana Kennedy has your back.
The dining area was tiny, but they had a great plant-lined patio with a nice beach view. If I lived there it's the kind of place I'd probably hit twice a week.
(to be continued)
If I were coming from the central valley, or god forbid the midwest, it would seem like paradise on earth.
But head to head there's isn't much to choose- they have perfect weather, we have perfect weather. They have great beaches, we have great beaches. Their Walk score is 89, our walk score is 92.
And we've got the advantage of being able to drive five minutes in any direction to get out of town. Bobo's trip home took an hour and a half, navigating solid city the whole way.
But novelty has its own charm.
Someone else's beach, someone else's restaurants, someone else's neighborhood, it's an interesting change(this is one of the things I hate about the corporoatization of the country- chains generic everything they touch). Even a predictable-holic like me can relax and enjoy the occasional shift of gears.
Fortunately there were still plenty of niche businesses to explore in Hermosa.
Our fave eatery was La Playita Cafe, a little Mexican joint literally across the street from our balcony. The menu was standard issue with a happy emphasis on breakfasts. The house specialty was their mole sauce, which was savory, complex and joyously lacking the cloying sweetness of most restaurant mole.
Foodie aside: an excellent recipe that doesn't take 100 years to make & tastes fantastic can be found in Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless, my go-to guy for all things south of the border down Mexico way.
For a brain-blastingly authentic and labor intensive take (schedule a few days of prep time), Diana Kennedy has your back.
The dining area was tiny, but they had a great plant-lined patio with a nice beach view. If I lived there it's the kind of place I'd probably hit twice a week.
(to be continued)
Monday, June 9, 2008
how not to grade used books
courtesy this Ebay listing.
the image:
the description:
Professional opinion:
That wear is anything but "minor", ditto for the stains.
"loose on one staple" is a pretty serious manner when the whole thing is held together by TWO staples.
And how can you say "no rips or tears" with a straight face when the front cover is MISSING TWO CORNERS?
EPIC FAIL.
It might as well read "devoured and shat out by my dog, otherwise very clean!"
the image:
the description:
Here is a vintage Dungeons & Dragons Judges Guild City State Of The Invicible Overlord, it has minor wear around the edges and minor stains on the front cover, also loose on one staple, otherwise very clean , no rips or tears or scribbling,
Professional opinion:
That wear is anything but "minor", ditto for the stains.
"loose on one staple" is a pretty serious manner when the whole thing is held together by TWO staples.
And how can you say "no rips or tears" with a straight face when the front cover is MISSING TWO CORNERS?
EPIC FAIL.
It might as well read "devoured and shat out by my dog, otherwise very clean!"
vacation pt 1
All we did was laze around for days, as is our habit while vacationing.
It was ideal- we parked the car, checked in and didn't go anywhere we couldn't reach on foot for the rest of our stay.
Most people seem to 'do' things when they go on vacation, which seems the anathema of rest and relaxation. We spent the first leg of our European sojourn a few years back with German friends we met it Holland.
They were great do-ers of things and our contentment with relaxing in the scenic seaside village they'd chosen bemused them to no end.
But what wasn't to love?
There was a big ass cathedral in the middle of town, a couple of great cafes and an awesome bakery just down the street. They were all excited about the beach, but coming from California....well, let's say it was underwhelming and move on.
When we finally landed in Paris we hit the high points, but even there we spent more time happily sitting in cafes and parks reading than chasing around. The wife was especially fond of the cafe in the Luxembourg Gardens where her Asthmatic spiritual mentor Proust once cavorted, before taking to bed and composing his masterpiece. This was the location of my favorite comment in Europe, when a little old French lady at the next table exclaimed when I stood up "My God, he must be more than two meters!" (translation courtesy of the wife).
So why would we treat Hermosa Beach any different than the City of Lights?
The beach was at our doorstep and the hotel was crusted with shops, cafes and restaurants like barnacles on a piling. The view from the deck was stunning, the sea breeze was refreshing and the maids kept re-stocking the refrigirator with cold drinks.
It would have been positively irresponsible not to sit there for hours on end.
(to be continued)
It was ideal- we parked the car, checked in and didn't go anywhere we couldn't reach on foot for the rest of our stay.
Most people seem to 'do' things when they go on vacation, which seems the anathema of rest and relaxation. We spent the first leg of our European sojourn a few years back with German friends we met it Holland.
They were great do-ers of things and our contentment with relaxing in the scenic seaside village they'd chosen bemused them to no end.
But what wasn't to love?
There was a big ass cathedral in the middle of town, a couple of great cafes and an awesome bakery just down the street. They were all excited about the beach, but coming from California....well, let's say it was underwhelming and move on.
When we finally landed in Paris we hit the high points, but even there we spent more time happily sitting in cafes and parks reading than chasing around. The wife was especially fond of the cafe in the Luxembourg Gardens where her Asthmatic spiritual mentor Proust once cavorted, before taking to bed and composing his masterpiece. This was the location of my favorite comment in Europe, when a little old French lady at the next table exclaimed when I stood up "My God, he must be more than two meters!" (translation courtesy of the wife).
So why would we treat Hermosa Beach any different than the City of Lights?
The beach was at our doorstep and the hotel was crusted with shops, cafes and restaurants like barnacles on a piling. The view from the deck was stunning, the sea breeze was refreshing and the maids kept re-stocking the refrigirator with cold drinks.
It would have been positively irresponsible not to sit there for hours on end.
(to be continued)
Sunday, June 8, 2008
shameful secrets of the trade
Even booksellers order stuff from Amazon.
=(
In our defense, we only order stuff we're never going to see in the normal course of events. Bruce picks up a lot of very specialized art books (we almost literally never see anything on contemporary west coast painters) and I pick up very specialized cookbooks, and sometimes books of woodcuts.
The rule of thumb in the business is that the more specialized a title is the less chance you have of finding it used.
A cookbook?
Sure.
A book on rice?
If you're really lucky.
A book on making stuff with your rice cooker (or your pressure cooker, etc etc)?
Don't hold your breath.
=(
In our defense, we only order stuff we're never going to see in the normal course of events. Bruce picks up a lot of very specialized art books (we almost literally never see anything on contemporary west coast painters) and I pick up very specialized cookbooks, and sometimes books of woodcuts.
The rule of thumb in the business is that the more specialized a title is the less chance you have of finding it used.
A cookbook?
Sure.
A book on rice?
If you're really lucky.
A book on making stuff with your rice cooker (or your pressure cooker, etc etc)?
Don't hold your breath.
fat flickr vacation update!
attn ANNER!
Spent the week in a hoity toity seaside hotel in Hermosa Beach courtesy of our friend Dixie.
She 'owns' one of the rooms and can decree occupants at her royal whim, happily for us.
Our major occupations were walking on the beach (which we could hardly avoid given our proximity), watching Top Chef marathons on Bravo & testing out neighborhood eateries.
Stories will follow- I didn't want to choke anyone with a wall of text update.
It was an interesting place & we had a good time.
Spent the week in a hoity toity seaside hotel in Hermosa Beach courtesy of our friend Dixie.
She 'owns' one of the rooms and can decree occupants at her royal whim, happily for us.
Our major occupations were walking on the beach (which we could hardly avoid given our proximity), watching Top Chef marathons on Bravo & testing out neighborhood eateries.
Stories will follow- I didn't want to choke anyone with a wall of text update.
It was an interesting place & we had a good time.
Monday, June 2, 2008
cover blurb of the week
from A Snowflake in my Hand by Samantha Mooney:
- the Washington Post
This book is not only for cat lovers, it is for lovers of life.
- the Washington Post
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