Tag: R. Crumb

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What It Is: 9/28/09

What I’m reading: The new issue of Fantastic Man. Because I’m a fantastic man.

What I’m listening to: Essential Michael Jackson.

What I’m watching: A bunch of NFL, and The Rachel Zoe Project, which remarkably didn’t make me feel appreciably dumber. I guess it’s partly because, outside of the silly reality-show dramafication, the show also contains enough of the day-to-day aspects of Zoe’s job to be a little informative.

What I’m drinking: Red wine, although I don’t recall any of the labels. I didn’t drink too much during the conference-evenings, which is good. We took out a bunch of our event sponsors on Thursday night, and I managed to keep it down to 1.25 G&Ts, because our restaurant only had Tanqueray Ten on hand.

What Rufus is up to: According to my wife, he was pining for me while I was away at the conference. Thursday was the first time we used a dog-walker since Rufus got attacked last May. My brother took him outside once when he was here in July, but otherwise, it’s been me and/or Amy every day for 4+ months. Ru & the walker were fine.

Where I’m going: Nowhere, but my pals Ian & Jess are coming in for an overnight on Friday; we’re planning to take ’em to one of our favorite restaurants before seeing them on their way bright and early Saturday morning.

What I’m happy about: Our conference went off without a hitch! It just goes to show you what four micro-managing control freaks can accomplish when they all pull together! (Also, Crumb’s Book of Genesis is supposed to show up at my door sometime today! I’ll have some post-Yom Kippur reading that’ll actually be kinda Jew-y!)

What I’m sad about: Bill Safire died. And I’ve already started thinking about the speaker lineup for next year’s conference.

What I’m worried about: One of my speakers won’t show up.

What I’m pondering: Whether my body will manage to mistake nicotine (in the form of Ozona snuff) for the caffeine that I’m doing without for my Yom Kippur fast. I doubt it, but that’s why it’s a day of afflictions.

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What It Is: 9/14/09

What I’m reading: This note about the 400th anniversary of the death of Rabbi Loew inspired me to re-read Introducing Kafka (mainly for R. Crumb’s drawings & strips). I also read Locas II, a huge collection of Jaime Hernandez’s comics. Occasionally I forget how wonderful it is to live in an era when artists like Xaime are doing such fantastic work (and making great illustrations).

What I’m listening to: A great B.S. Report podcast with Patton Oswalt, and an okay one with Bill Hader.

What I’m watching: The Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2009 induction ceremony, in which I learned that John Stockton can be kinda funny, Vivian Stringer had a tough life, Jerry Sloan has enormous hands, and Michael Jordan cannot handle retirement. Also watched a ton of NFL, and the Vandy-LSU game.

What I’m drinking: Cascade Mountain & Q Tonic.

What Rufus is up to: Meeting a ton of greyhounds at the annual grey-picnic in Bridgewater, NJ on Sunday. Pictures to come. (Here’s one from my wife!)

Where I’m going: No plans! Got any ideas?

What I’m happy about: Writing those Gary Panter & Gillian Welch posts last week.

What I’m sad about: Norman Borlaug’s death. He did have a full life, reaching 95 years and saving countless lives, but still.

What I’m worried about: Not my conference next week. At least, not as much as past years. We’ve already taken care of a lot of the things that usually get taken care of late in the game — the USB drives are much better than last year, for example — and our attendee count is surprisingly good, esp. given the economy. I’m sure something crazy will happen that throws everything askew, but I’m less nerve-wracked about things. Now I just gotta hope all 11 speakers actually show up for their sessions.

What I’m pondering: Whether I’m too old to start a band called Umvelt of the Dog.

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What It Is: 8/24/09

What I’m reading: Moby Dick and The Jew of New York.

What I’m listening to: The Lexicon of Love, by ABC, and Give Up, by The Postal Service.

What I’m watching: Inglourious Basterds at a 1:30 p.m. matinee on opening day. I enjoyed the heck out of it, but it really wasn’t about the Basterds and the baseball-bat-to-the-head marketing of it. I don’t really get the spelling thing, but “Variations on Interrogations” probably wasn’t commercial enough. And, yeah, Christoph Waltz’s performance is fantastic.

What I’m drinking: Cascade Mountain Gin & Q Tonic.

What Rufus is up to: Meeting his cousins in New England! (pictures to come)

Where I’m going: Up to Wappingers Falls next weekend for my friends’ 10th anniversary bash. Rufus will have to deal with another longish car ride (as in, over an hour).

What I’m happy about: Having dinner with an old pal from grad school, getting to see my cousins in CT, and seeing an old college friend, all in the span of 65 (or so) hours.

What I’m sad about: That the position at which I lie on my loveseat in order to rub Rufus’ belly and still read from my laptop is wreaking havoc on my neck/shoulders.

What I’m worried about: That realism isn’t realism.

What I’m pondering: What it means that the only book I’m interested in from either of these previews (1, 2) of next season’s releases is R. Crumb’s Book of Genesis.