"We never used to identify songbirds, we used to lump them and listen to them sing. But my wife, through a stroke of ill fortune, somehow got hold of a book called A Field Guide to the Birds -- Including All Species Found in Eastern North America, by Roger Tory Peterson, and now we can't settle down to any piece of work without being interrupted by a warbler trying to look like another warbler and succeeding admirably."
* * *
I'm almost done with "One Man's Meat," and will immediately thereafter move on to "Moby-Dick, or, The Whale," hopefully finishing before February is out. Spring is coming, and Heather will be back on this continent, and while the reading of so momentous and slow-moving a text could survive either of those impending changes, the simultaneous arrival of both will be so exhilarating as to force to me to read lighter, springier stuff.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Chalkboard TV
During one of my first weeks in town, I found a flat-screen TV in a dumpster. On the off chance that it worked, I hauled it into Nathan's car, and we took it home. It didn't work, so I decided to make it into a chalkboard.
I was hoping to put a step-by-step description here on the blog. Sadly, Flickr (where I host my photos now that I've filled up my Picasa account) and Blogger don't want to work together. So I'll provide the link to the set here -- view the descriptions to read a step-by-step outline of the process.
I was hoping to put a step-by-step description here on the blog. Sadly, Flickr (where I host my photos now that I've filled up my Picasa account) and Blogger don't want to work together. So I'll provide the link to the set here -- view the descriptions to read a step-by-step outline of the process.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Oscars
 |
| "James Franco killed my Pa, and I'm gonna find him!" |
Mostly this post is an excuse to share the list of nominees, my picks (see below), and to mention an interview I heard with True Grit's composer, Carter Burwell. Stay tuned for the second half of the show where Zlatne Uste, hosts of my favorite music festival, the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival, play live!
Greg's (undoubtedly biased, uninformed, and skewed) Oscar Picks
Best Picture: Social Network (though I'd love if Winter's Bone -- or anything else, really -- won)
Actor in a Leading Role: James Franco in 127 Hours
Actor in a Supporting Role: John Hawkes in Winter's Bone
Actress in a Leading Role: Natalie Portman in Black Swan
Actress in a Supporting Role: Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit
Animated Feature Film: Toy Story 3
Art Direction: The King's Speech
Cinematography: True Grit
Costume Design: I Am Love
Direction: David O. Russel for The Fighter
Documentary: Exit Through the Giftshop (though I'd love if Gasland won)
Documentary Short: I have no idea. In the interests of a full slate, I'll pick Killing In The Name
Film Editing: 127 Hours
Foreign Language Film: (also no idea) Incendies
Makeup: Barney's Version
Music (Original Score): Inception
Music (Original Song): Coming Home from Country Strong
Short Film, Animated: Day and Night
Short Film, Live Action: God of Love (chosen solely for its synopsis)
Sound Editing: True Grit
Sound Mixing: Inception
Visual Effects: Inception
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Winter's Bone
Writing (Original Screenplay): Another Year
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Ur-Texts: One Man's Meat II
I: Quotes
I may run afoul of copyright lawyers for posting this many excerpts from this book, but it seems the only way to communicate the charm of these essays is by quoting them.
From "Compost," the most disjointed of the essays:
On joining a "Friends of the Land" club:
"I suspect I joined my club only because I was rattled. When I am composed I feel no need of affiliating myself with anybody. There is a lot of the cat in me, and cats are not joiners."
On learning that old clothes are in fashion among the elite:
"It must raise the spirits of the millions to whom old clothes come naturally and inevitably to learn how blue their blood has been these many years."
On the ideal army:
"They will be imaginative, bold, and alive, but their minds will not be on conquest nor will they confuse raw materials with the good life. They will be trained to attack today's injustice rather than to repel tomorrow's invasion."
Following immediately after "Compost" is "Freedom," another of my favorites:
"If it is boyish to believe that a human being should live free, then I'll gladly arrest my development and let the rest of the world grow up."
"For as long as I can remember I have had a sense of living somewhat freely in a natural world. I don't mean I enjoyed freedom of action, but my existence seemed to have the quality of freeness. I traveled with secret papers pertaining to a divine conspiracy."
II: Formative Words
Coming from a program in media studies, it is hard for me to remember that, in this Ur-Texts project, I am writing about formative texts and not favorite texts. My experiences in media studies classes remind me that, as a member of the audience, my preferences (that is, favorites) matter; what they do not remind me is that I have been formed by these texts.
The above quotes, while certainly among my favorites in this book, were selected because they are ideas that rang entirely true with me when I first read this book. In contrast with my re-reading of The Dharma Bums, I find myself not re-evaluating this book as much as remembering it. These phrases are phrases I had, at various points, memorized, and used to direct my actions. Some of them, in particular the last quote from "Freedom," still strike me as beautiful and noble ideas that should be better integrated into my life.
I may run afoul of copyright lawyers for posting this many excerpts from this book, but it seems the only way to communicate the charm of these essays is by quoting them.
From "Compost," the most disjointed of the essays:
On joining a "Friends of the Land" club:
"I suspect I joined my club only because I was rattled. When I am composed I feel no need of affiliating myself with anybody. There is a lot of the cat in me, and cats are not joiners."
On learning that old clothes are in fashion among the elite:
"It must raise the spirits of the millions to whom old clothes come naturally and inevitably to learn how blue their blood has been these many years."
On the ideal army:
"They will be imaginative, bold, and alive, but their minds will not be on conquest nor will they confuse raw materials with the good life. They will be trained to attack today's injustice rather than to repel tomorrow's invasion."
Following immediately after "Compost" is "Freedom," another of my favorites:
"If it is boyish to believe that a human being should live free, then I'll gladly arrest my development and let the rest of the world grow up."
"For as long as I can remember I have had a sense of living somewhat freely in a natural world. I don't mean I enjoyed freedom of action, but my existence seemed to have the quality of freeness. I traveled with secret papers pertaining to a divine conspiracy."
II: Formative Words
Coming from a program in media studies, it is hard for me to remember that, in this Ur-Texts project, I am writing about formative texts and not favorite texts. My experiences in media studies classes remind me that, as a member of the audience, my preferences (that is, favorites) matter; what they do not remind me is that I have been formed by these texts.
The above quotes, while certainly among my favorites in this book, were selected because they are ideas that rang entirely true with me when I first read this book. In contrast with my re-reading of The Dharma Bums, I find myself not re-evaluating this book as much as remembering it. These phrases are phrases I had, at various points, memorized, and used to direct my actions. Some of them, in particular the last quote from "Freedom," still strike me as beautiful and noble ideas that should be better integrated into my life.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Protest
I'm holding the sign right above the letter 'R' in this picture.
This guy later ended up holding the sign as well.
More on the protest to come later -- I wrote a little something for publication. If and when it comes out, I'll re-post here.
This guy later ended up holding the sign as well.
More on the protest to come later -- I wrote a little something for publication. If and when it comes out, I'll re-post here.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Ur-Texts: One Man's Meat
"Clearly the race today is between loud speaking and soft, between the things that are and the things that seem to be, between the chemist of RCA and the angel of God."
or
"I don't take a night journey on a railroad for the sake of duplicating the experiences and conveniences of my own home. When I travel I like to get into some new kind of difficulty, not just the same old trouble I put up with around the house."
or
"I recall a twinge of satisfaction in having a book banned: it suggested that my stuff might be more substantial than it appeared at first glace."
But I don't only love this book -- then it would be merely a favorite book, not an ur-text. These essays opened me up to the possibility that non-fiction could carry the power of fiction, and endeared the short form (approx. 1,000 words) to me as a writer. The straightforward, self-deprecating style of E.B. White is something I strive to emulate whenever I write.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Maybe I'm Destined To Be A Film Professor
I) The Story
It began with a bet between Frank and Liz: "'Batman' is better [than 'Batman Returns']."
"Oh no," said Frank. "Oh no it is not. Danny DeVito as the Penguin? That's gold."
It was on. We screened 'Batman' at Frank's house after work one night. Frank welcomed us in with apple pie and a fireplace, and, after 45 minutes of work repairing the damage I'd done to the VHS tape, we watched 'Batman.'
VHS tapes, it should be noted, are more reparable than DVD players. It's not a fair comparison (we didn't have to repair the VCR, just the cassette), but it is worth pointing out: because of problems with the former, we delayed our screening and fixed the tape. Because of problems with the latter, we delayed our screening, moved the location downtown, and left the machine untouched.
We screened 'Batman Returns' in the basement of Sycamore House, a local Christian community house. Perhaps because we started later (and I fell asleep during the conclusion), I liked 'Batman Returns' less. It was, however, followed by a quick foray into the cold to watch the solstice eclipse.
The earth's shadow had just begun its transit across the moon, and we looked at the river. Liz said "Awww, guys."
Since we knew exactly what she meant, we all decided to continue this series of film pairings. We codified the idea at work one night "Not necessarily sequels or remakes," I said, "but films that have some sort of commonality. Some reason to watch them together."
"I like this," said Frank, who is always straightforward.
II) The Exercise
So now we've got some movies to watch, and I leave you, dear readers, with a task:
Name two movies that go well together for an unexpected or creative reason.
A few of mine:
It began with a bet between Frank and Liz: "'Batman' is better [than 'Batman Returns']."
"Oh no," said Frank. "Oh no it is not. Danny DeVito as the Penguin? That's gold."
It was on. We screened 'Batman' at Frank's house after work one night. Frank welcomed us in with apple pie and a fireplace, and, after 45 minutes of work repairing the damage I'd done to the VHS tape, we watched 'Batman.'
VHS tapes, it should be noted, are more reparable than DVD players. It's not a fair comparison (we didn't have to repair the VCR, just the cassette), but it is worth pointing out: because of problems with the former, we delayed our screening and fixed the tape. Because of problems with the latter, we delayed our screening, moved the location downtown, and left the machine untouched.
We screened 'Batman Returns' in the basement of Sycamore House, a local Christian community house. Perhaps because we started later (and I fell asleep during the conclusion), I liked 'Batman Returns' less. It was, however, followed by a quick foray into the cold to watch the solstice eclipse.
The earth's shadow had just begun its transit across the moon, and we looked at the river. Liz said "Awww, guys."
Since we knew exactly what she meant, we all decided to continue this series of film pairings. We codified the idea at work one night "Not necessarily sequels or remakes," I said, "but films that have some sort of commonality. Some reason to watch them together."
"I like this," said Frank, who is always straightforward.
II) The Exercise
So now we've got some movies to watch, and I leave you, dear readers, with a task:
Name two movies that go well together for an unexpected or creative reason.
A few of mine:
- True Grit (1969) and True Grit (2010) - too easy: a remake, but I still want to watch them back to back.
- Black Swan (2010) and The Wrestler (2008) - Darren Arronofsky's athletic/body-horror movies.
- The Fall (2006/2008) and The Wizard of Oz (1939) - so many reasons to compare these two: movies that are/about children and their stories, movies with stunning visuals, movies that are about a love of movies; but mostly because I suspect that the one that I like more (The Fall) is not the one that is, categorically, the better movie
- I'm still looking for a film to pair with Fatih Akin's hilarious 2000 romantic road comedy 'Im Juli' ('In July'). Maybe another road movie, or maybe a film that can be described as "I never thought s/he'd do this but..." (Akin, for those who don't know him, is known for dark movies about the struggle of working-class Turkish immigrants in Germany).
Monday, January 10, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Ur-Texts: The Dharma Bums II
At long last, I've finished my re-read of "The Dharma Bums." It was interesting to read with Joel's critical comments punctuating the reading (I also got to talk more about Kerouac with Joel at the New Years Party).
Whether because of those comments or because it would've happened anyway, I got really frustrated with Kerouac around the middle of the book. He goes home for Christmas, stays with his parents, and gets into stupid arguments with his older siblings. That's fine, if not in keeping with my vision of Kerouac the wanderer. It gets annoying when he tries to re-cast these struggles, including his own immaturity, as a deep spiritual quest. I realize that all young folks (myself included) tend to see all their problems as being writ large; my suffering as the suffering of the world (shout out to Ben Mazer, who made this plain to me when he described Tchaikovsky as "angsty teenager music"). That being true doesn't make it any more enjoyable to read.
The ending of the book, however, returns to all the things I loved about "The Dharma Bums" when I first read it. It may have been those last chapters alone that sold me on this book to begin with. Kerouac finds himself encamped alone as a fire lookout on Desolation Peak, and he communes with nature, which makes for lovely prose:
"In the middle of the night while half asleep I had apparently opened my eyes a bit, and then suddenly I woke up with my hair standing on end, and I had just seen a huge black monster standing in my window, and I looked, and it had a star over it, and it was Mount Hozomeen miles away by Canada leaning over my backyard and staring in my window."
It's that, coupled with Kerouac's pure religious sincerity, that I found enjoyable and meaningful in "The Dharma Bums" this time around. A lot of today's hipster/ironic culture takes its cues from the Beats, who, it must be admitted, could be incredibly ironic. What I love and, on my initial reading, embraced about this book was its sincerity. Nowhere does Kerouac seem to think that he is not on the true path to the Dharma, always becoming a Buddha. Everything in the book, even the annoying Christmas interlude that makes plain his privilege, is mapped onto this spiritual quest, which is never doubted or satirized. I find that admirable, and worth imitating.
I close with one of the book's last paragraphs, one of my favorites:
"Down on the lake rosy reflections of celestial vapor appeared, and I said 'God, I love you' and looked up to the sky and really meant it. 'I have fallen in love with you, God. Take care of us all, one way or the other.'"
Whether because of those comments or because it would've happened anyway, I got really frustrated with Kerouac around the middle of the book. He goes home for Christmas, stays with his parents, and gets into stupid arguments with his older siblings. That's fine, if not in keeping with my vision of Kerouac the wanderer. It gets annoying when he tries to re-cast these struggles, including his own immaturity, as a deep spiritual quest. I realize that all young folks (myself included) tend to see all their problems as being writ large; my suffering as the suffering of the world (shout out to Ben Mazer, who made this plain to me when he described Tchaikovsky as "angsty teenager music"). That being true doesn't make it any more enjoyable to read.
The ending of the book, however, returns to all the things I loved about "The Dharma Bums" when I first read it. It may have been those last chapters alone that sold me on this book to begin with. Kerouac finds himself encamped alone as a fire lookout on Desolation Peak, and he communes with nature, which makes for lovely prose:
"In the middle of the night while half asleep I had apparently opened my eyes a bit, and then suddenly I woke up with my hair standing on end, and I had just seen a huge black monster standing in my window, and I looked, and it had a star over it, and it was Mount Hozomeen miles away by Canada leaning over my backyard and staring in my window."
It's that, coupled with Kerouac's pure religious sincerity, that I found enjoyable and meaningful in "The Dharma Bums" this time around. A lot of today's hipster/ironic culture takes its cues from the Beats, who, it must be admitted, could be incredibly ironic. What I love and, on my initial reading, embraced about this book was its sincerity. Nowhere does Kerouac seem to think that he is not on the true path to the Dharma, always becoming a Buddha. Everything in the book, even the annoying Christmas interlude that makes plain his privilege, is mapped onto this spiritual quest, which is never doubted or satirized. I find that admirable, and worth imitating.
I close with one of the book's last paragraphs, one of my favorites:
"Down on the lake rosy reflections of celestial vapor appeared, and I said 'God, I love you' and looked up to the sky and really meant it. 'I have fallen in love with you, God. Take care of us all, one way or the other.'"
Monday, January 3, 2011
You Can Remember This For Next Lunching
I was recently in Philly with Heather. Since she had a gift card, and we're both pretty broke, we went to Wawa. Not sure if they had any locations in Center City, I used googlemaps, which revealed this hilarious description:
After we fell over laughing, we continued through the city to get bubble tea and the eighty-cent coconut buns at the Mong Kok Station, then, later in our wanderings, coffee at the (rightly) highly-regarded La Colombe. Yum food good indeed.
Our route: A - Market East Station, B - Wawa, C - Mong Kok, D - Rittenhouse Square, E - La Colombe.
View Larger Map
After we fell over laughing, we continued through the city to get bubble tea and the eighty-cent coconut buns at the Mong Kok Station, then, later in our wanderings, coffee at the (rightly) highly-regarded La Colombe. Yum food good indeed.
Our route: A - Market East Station, B - Wawa, C - Mong Kok, D - Rittenhouse Square, E - La Colombe.
View Larger Map
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