I became disenchanted with Mel Gibson when all his weird X-treme Catholicism beliefs came out around the time of The Passion. And when he was arrested and spouted his anti-Semitic and sexist remarks, I was Out. And now that we've heard more evidence of his ugly personality... bleh. Bird on a Wire is on TV and... bleh.
I apply a certain amount of disassociation between an artist and their work, but there gets to a point where the artist's life becomes Unignorable. Mel! You're just GROSS!!!
Finished re-reading Frederica. So good, and often cited as a favourite by Heyer fans. Also read a lot of Aurélie today--will probably finish it tomorrow.
Bought some more music, just singles mostly.
Right now the balcony door is open and it actually feels coolish.
She put in a few samples and came out as Stephen King, JK Rowling, and a "dash of Dan Brown." Which means she's going to be rich!
I put in my personal blog, the edited version of a story I wrote for Nanowrimo in 2002, the novel I finished-finished this past year, and the unedited first draft of Henry V written for Nanowrimo in 2009.
The blog + unedited Henry V = David Foster Wallace = when I don't edit, I'm bound for awards! critical acclaim!
The finished-finished romance novel = Margaret Mitchell = immortality! Or maybe I'm just racist.
The somewhat edited romance story from 2002 = HP Lovecraft = cult following but fame only after death.
To test The Machine I put in some HP Lovecraft text, and the answer did at least come out right. And I know The Machine has Wodehouse in there, cause I entered some Wodehouse text and it came out right. However, I begin to suspect it since Georgette Heyer came out once as Shakespeare, twice as Charles Dickens.
Anyway, now I know what I need to do--just keep rewriting my works, and plugging them into this thing, until they come out as Wodehouse. I suspect if I remove all contractions from my writing, I'll achieve the status of Dickens. Or Shakespeare.
Have I ever? There was a time in high school when I started churchifying and wanted to stop swearing. I swore like Eddie Murphy, so this was a big accomplishment. My school friends went along with me--we used the word banana instead. It amoozed us.
An album by a Parisian band I'd never heard of, Caravan Palace. It's 1920s X techno. 1920s steampunk.
The new Big Boi album. But I'm still getting into it, so not much to say, except I like this song.
A Nigerian-French singer named Féfé:
He sang the French version of "Wavin' Flag."
I downloaded another single from Hawsley Workman's Meat.
My best discovery of the week, though, was Greek-Welsh singer Marina and the Diamonds. "She has cited a wide-range of influences such as Daniel Johnston, Blondie, The Distillers, Patti Smith, Tom Waits, Nirvana, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, Yann Tiersen, Elliott Smith, Dolly Parton and Madonna.[7][8]" (wiki) Well! Can't complain about her influences!
In video news...
Justin Bieber & Usher's latest single is cute-ish, but the video is worth watching cause it's full of old America's Best Dance Crewers! I love watching dance crews. Sometimes I wish artists would get out of the videos and let me just watch a great dance routine.
Especially in this case cause their hot dancing just shows how forced Bieber's is. Stop dancing you little goof! And pronounce your TH's. You're from the nabe, not the hood.
There's a new boy band in town (from the UK.) They're boring, don't watch this.
And finally, leave it to the Canadian Tenors to produce The Only Version of "Hallelujah" That Totally Sucks. "Hallelujah" is one of those songs I thought you couldn't ruin. You could give a mediocre performance, but the song itself would carry a certain weight. It's even survived Idol treatment. It's even survived Il Divo!! Whoever produced this, they managed to turn a masterpiece into a completely bland and passionless piece of blargh. And the real shame is that it's Canadians ruining a Canadian song. Get out of there McLachlan! Save yourself!!
While I admire Piggy, I don't remember explicitly having a favourite on The Muppet Show. Probably Gonzo. Nowadays, the old men in the balcony, and Rizzo the Rat. On Sesame Street, it was definitely Snuffy.
What's the habit you're proudest of breaking?
What's your favorite Web site?
What's your favorite school supply?
Who's your favorite TV attorney?
What was your most recent trip of more than 50 miles?
What's the best bargain you've ever found at a garage sale or thrift store?
Where were you on September 11, 2001?
What's your favorite tree?
What's the most interesting biography you've read?
What do you order when you eat Chinese food?
What's the best costume you've ever worn?
What's your least favorite word?
If you had to be named after one of the 50 states, which would it be?
Who's your favorite Care Bear?
Describe something that's happened to you for which you have no explanation.
If you could travel anywhere in Africa, where would it be?
What did you have for lunch yesterday?
Where do you go for advice?
Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?
Have you ever been snorkeling? Scuba diving?
Have you ever been stung by a bee?
What's the sickest you've ever been?
What's your favorite form of exercise?
What's your favorite Cyndi Lauper song?
What did you do for your 13th birthday?
Are you afaid of heights?
Have you ever taken dance lessons?
What's your favorite newspaper?
What's your favorite Broadway musical?
What's the most memorable class you've ever taken?
What's your favorite knock-knock joke?
What's your favorite commercial?
If you could go to Disney World with any celebrity alive today, who would it be?
Do you prefer baths or showers?
Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?
What's your favorite breakfast food?
Who's your favarite game show host?
If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Do you like guacamole?
Have you ever been in a food fight?
Name five songs to which you know all the lyrics. (Better yet, sing them.)
What's your favorite infomercial?
What's the longest you've ever waited in line?
What's on the cover of your address book or day planner?
Have you ever taken a picture in one of those little booths?
I'm so upset! Harvey Pekar has died! SADNESS!! Pekar is my favourite graphic novelist, since seeing American Splendor years ago. I was hoping to enjoy his biographical stories until he was an even-grumpier 90 year old!
Aw menowz. His writing was so honest and vulnerable, and even though he was a depressed and sad guy, and depressed about the world, he still viewed it with a lot of compassion.
Fernando and I saw the movie when it came out, without knowing anything about it other than it had good reviews. We lurved it, and I ran out and bought the American Splendor collections and read them all. I still have one left that I haven't read, and I'm sort of treasuring it.
Do see the movie, it's so good. And of course, I recommend the comics themselves.
I became disenchanted with Mel Gibson when all his weird X-treme Catholicism beliefs came out around the time of The Passion. And when he was arrested and spouted his anti-Semitic and sexist remarks, I was Out. And now that we've heard more evidence of his ugly personality... bleh. Bird on a Wire is on TV and... bleh.
