A podcast about books & life — not necessarily in that order
Ahoy, ahoy, dear readers! I’m trying to upgrade the code for this blog a little, so if you have some problems with viewing posts or pages, drop me a line. At the moment, I’m trying to restore the super-awesome banner without having it show up on the iPhone version of the site.
Speaking of which, check out this site on your iPhone! The new code makes it a lot smoother than the old version!
I didn’t get a chance to check in on my Google Reader while I was in New Orleans this week, so when I got home last night, I discovered that there were 4,082 items stacked up and waiting for me. Here are some of them.
Continue reading “Unrequired Reading: November 19, 2010”
While I was busy having a fantastic dinner at August last night, my pal Sam bumped into Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, in town to watch his team take on the Hornets tonight.
Sam  & I will be at the game tonight, and I’m hoping his new pal moves us up to the good seats. (Editor’s note: this is the fourth basketball arena Sam & I have visited, but we’re just friends. I swear!)
Also, I picked up some Cafe Du Monde for breakfast today and brought it back to my hotel room. I laid out a hand towel on my desk, nommed away, and left such a mess that I put the following note on the towel after I deposited it on the bathroom floor: “This is only coffee and beignets! No hazardous material!”
What I’m reading: The Odyssey
What I’m listening to: The Lady Killer
What I’m watching: Week 2 of season 1 of In Treatment, the finale of Eastbound and Down, and a catch-up of Bored to Death episodes. On Sunday, I caught The Social Network at The Theatres at Canal Place, and enjoyed that. I haven’t liked Jesse Eisenberg in any previous film, but he did a great job with the role. The movie’s last act was kinda weak and, well, it just sorta stopped, but it was a fun ride.
What I’m drinking: Beefeater & Q-Tonic (on Sunday evening; there’ve been various other gins over the course of the week, including Fifty Pounds, Citadelle, and an alleged Hendrick’s)
What Rufus & Otis are up to: Lamenting the lack of a farmer’s market and missing their Sunday hike, since Amy wasn’t going to jam them both in the back of her Mini while I’m away.
Where I’m going: I’m in New Orleans, after a delayed Saturday night flight.
What I’m happy about: Just being in New Orleans. I know New York is the Greatest City Ever, but New Orleans is still my favorite. Oh, and getting to see Paul play on Sunday. That was just rapturous for me.
What I’m sad about: Being here without my wife. I’ve traveled to a lot of cities on my own, but it doesn’t feel right to be here without her. When I got in late-ish Saturday night, I went out from my French Quarter hotel to get some dinner. I ended up getting a fried catfish po-boy and Abita at Primo’s on Decatur St. I had a table on the balcony, and looked out to the river, and realized that I was across the street from the place where we got married. I felt a few moments of elation, recollecting that weekend five years ago. Then a guy down on the sidewalk began bellowing in a rage at someone on his cellphone, and the moment snapped.
What I’m worried about: Getting instant-onset diabetes from those beignets at Cafe Du Monde.
What I’m pondering: Whether the idea I had at the jazz club Sunday night for a movie script is totally awesome or just the hack result of too many G&Ts and an excessive emphasis on the romance of New Orleans.
Sorry I haven’t done much non-Unrequired Reading posting lately. I’ve been kinda busy with work, but also back to thinking about writing and other projects. Anyway, enjoy this week’s links. I’m off to New Orleans for a conference tomorrow, but maybe I’ll come back with a crazy travelogue or something!
Continue reading “Unrequired Reading: Nov. 12, 2010”
“With a hint of maple*”
What I’m reading: The Odyssey
What I’m listening to: BLACKsummers’night
What I’m watching: The first week of season 1 of In Treatment (I’m intrigued enough to stick with it; also, I’m a huge mark for Gabriel Byrne, ever since Miller’s Crossing). On Saturday night, Amy & I tried giving Avatar a try on HBO. After 45 minutes, we were so bored we decided to take our chances with The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which turned out to be a lot more entertaining and inventive.
What I’m drinking: Citadelle & Q-Tonic.
What Rufus & Otis are up to: Nothing exciting. They took a shorter-than-usual but vigorous hike up in Wawayanda on Sunday, and they were kinda bummed that there was no farmers’ market to visit on Saturday. Seriously, they seem to have figured out a 7-day week, and got all agitated when a Saturday morning went by without a trip down to the market. Poor boys.
Where I’m going: New Orleans, for the AAPS annual meeting.
What I’m happy about: I had an idea for a recurring podcast segment that I thought would be awesome. I shared it with a few potential interviewees and they were all thrilled by the idea.
What I’m sad about: Having to learn how to be a good audio interviewer in order to execute that aforementioned idea. For my day job, I do my interviews on the phone and then transcribe them for the magazine/website. I always shudder at the sound of my own voice and the vapidity of some of my questions, but then, maybe I’ll be more engaged when the topic is something I’m more interested in. And I can use a voice-distorter to sound like a kidnapper or something, instead of my occasionally “nasal wraith” voice.
What I’m worried about: Not following through with this awesome idea. It’s a recurring problem of mine. I’m hoping that I’ll overcome it by watching lots of In Treatment.
What I’m pondering: Going back to wearing glasses occasionally. I realize that my midlife crisis is manifesting itself in a desire to dress well (within a budget), which I think is a lot healthier than my dad’s version — buying a Corvette and a motorcycle and dating an 18-year-old hairdresser. So I’m thinking of buying a pair of these, because I need to look more bookish (?).
I’m the guy who put Maxwell’s BLACKsummers’night
Let’s kick off with a whole bunch of articles and posts about books and bookstores! (then back to the other craziness for which I’m renowned)
Continue reading “Unrequired Reading: Nov. 5, 2010”
What I’m reading: The Odyssey
What I’m listening to: A bunch of Anthony Hamilton records. Whoa, nelly.
What I’m watching: Outside of American Splendor (on Halloween, because we didn’t get around to watching it on Harvey Pekar’s birthday earlier in October) not much of anything, besides some World Series games.
What I’m drinking: Fifty Pounds gin & Q-Tonic.
What I’m eating: A peach and blueberry pie. It’s the last one of Farmers’ Market season, which saddens me. It was my Saturday tradition (formerly our Saturday tradition, but Little Ms. Gluten-Free Diet can’t participate anymore), picking up a 5″ fruit pie from the Concklin Orchards stand for weekend devourification. The dogs will be sad/confused, too, since they somehow figured out the 7-day schedule and knew that Saturday mornings were when they get to promenade around the market and get love and affection from unsuspecting locals.
What Rufus & Otis are up to: They enjoyed some longish mid-week walks, courtesy of some unseasonably lovely weather. And when things started to cool down again, they still managed to get in another 5-mile grey-hike! Pix here! Spex here! And then, they got dressed up for Halloween . . .
Where I’m going: Back to Ithaca, even if I didn’t think too much of this essay.
What I’m happy about: Getting that first podcast out of the way. Also, discovering that Tyler Brule of Monocle has many of the same poor mannerisms that I do when conducting interviews/conversations: too many “um”s and “you know”s and a tendency to speak in full — and multiple — paragraphs.
What I’m sad about: That he’s much more successful than I’ll ever be. Also, that whole peach and blueberry pie thing.
What I’m worried about: Writing two articles in the next two days to wrap up my Nov/Dec issue. So, um, don’t call, okay?
What I’m pondering: Whether to consider the Odyssey in terms of a whole with the Iliad, or whether to contemplate the Iliad on its own, without considering Odysseus as an alternative to Achilles as Best of the Achaians.