Woke up, put on clothes, went to work, ate oatmeal.
I hate August. It's boring and reeks of golden days about to end. Not a good month for all the shrinks to be away. But in eight days the month will be over, and it will feel like back to school (even if it isn't really).
8/25/2004
8/24/2004
Mickey writes: Good reporting involves more than this. Small details such as hot or cold, flavor and consistency add to the story and keep the attention of the reader. Take the story to the next level. Explain to the reader how the facts affect him or her. It requires a deeper look into the ramifications of such action upon society.
In other news... I got a lovely e-mail entitled "Your wonderful book" from a Pittsburghian, regarding my first novel. Thanks sooo much. It was sweet!
Some kids just came in to tour the newspaper. One precocious girl took delight in asking me questions that had nothing to do with newspapers:
GIRL: Do you like pizza?
ME: Yes.
GIRL: Do you like Care Bears?
ME: Uh...yes.
KIDS: Yay!
GIRL: Who would you rather have for president: Bill Cosby or Eddie Murphy?
In other news... I got a lovely e-mail entitled "Your wonderful book" from a Pittsburghian, regarding my first novel. Thanks sooo much. It was sweet!
Some kids just came in to tour the newspaper. One precocious girl took delight in asking me questions that had nothing to do with newspapers:
GIRL: Do you like pizza?
ME: Yes.
GIRL: Do you like Care Bears?
ME: Uh...yes.
KIDS: Yay!
GIRL: Who would you rather have for president: Bill Cosby or Eddie Murphy?
8/23/2004
8/22/2004
8/21/2004
THANK YOU.
The Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J. Aug. 20, 2004 — A judge on Friday ordered a psychiatric evaluation for a doctor who told reporters he had an affair with the former aide accusing Gov. James E. McGreevey of sexual harassment...
The mental evaluation was ordered after Assistant Prosecutor Judy Gagliano listed a series of what she called "bizarre" statements attributed to Miller, including that he was a CIA operative and that a tenant has al-Qaida ties and would blow up public buildings, including the courthouse where the hearing took place.
Miller, who was arrested at his home in Livingston, remained in custody on $500,000 bail...
Authorities started investigating Miller after he made threats beginning Aug. 12 that increasingly raised concern, acting Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow said.
"Our charges are not related to Golan Cipel," Dow said, "and we're not focused on that." Authorities noted that the investigation started before Miller made his statements about Cipel.
When asked how much general credibility Miller possessed, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said, "zero."
Now let's find out if he's still practicing medicine. The reason he left his wife and kids years ago is probably not because he is gay. He probably is not even gay. And quite possibly, Golan Cipel isn't either.
The Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J. Aug. 20, 2004 — A judge on Friday ordered a psychiatric evaluation for a doctor who told reporters he had an affair with the former aide accusing Gov. James E. McGreevey of sexual harassment...
The mental evaluation was ordered after Assistant Prosecutor Judy Gagliano listed a series of what she called "bizarre" statements attributed to Miller, including that he was a CIA operative and that a tenant has al-Qaida ties and would blow up public buildings, including the courthouse where the hearing took place.
Miller, who was arrested at his home in Livingston, remained in custody on $500,000 bail...
Authorities started investigating Miller after he made threats beginning Aug. 12 that increasingly raised concern, acting Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow said.
"Our charges are not related to Golan Cipel," Dow said, "and we're not focused on that." Authorities noted that the investigation started before Miller made his statements about Cipel.
When asked how much general credibility Miller possessed, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said, "zero."
Now let's find out if he's still practicing medicine. The reason he left his wife and kids years ago is probably not because he is gay. He probably is not even gay. And quite possibly, Golan Cipel isn't either.
8/20/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
Now the Associated Press has quoted the Post and Daily News as quoting the doctor who claimed to have an affair w/Golan Cipel. They didn't note that the guy claimed to be a CIA operative and raved in three languages during his half-naked press conference. O the hysteria.
Now the Associated Press has quoted the Post and Daily News as quoting the doctor who claimed to have an affair w/Golan Cipel. They didn't note that the guy claimed to be a CIA operative and raved in three languages during his half-naked press conference. O the hysteria.
8/19/2004
The Village Voice just HAD to use this photo from Getty Images...go to the column all the way on the right, eight down, page 4.
The New York Post has outdone itself this time.
Their cover story is about an N.J. doctor claiming he had an affair with Golan Cipel. It’s only at the seventh or eighth paragraph that it notes that the guy was raving in three languages during his press conference. He also was wearing only shorts.
The Daily News, on the other hand, did not put this story on the cover. And close to the top of the Daily News article, they note, “Miller also claimed to reporters that he is a CIA operative who takes pills doled out by the intelligence agency to make his skin darker so he can infiltrate unnamed groups. He offered no mementos, letters or photos as proof of his relationship with Cipel.”
You have to question why a guy would hold a press conference to say he was someone’s gay lover, anyway. The Post should have at least put the press conference in the context of the guy being a raving “CIA operative.” But they’re not exactly known for quality journalism.
Whaaaat's next?
Their cover story is about an N.J. doctor claiming he had an affair with Golan Cipel. It’s only at the seventh or eighth paragraph that it notes that the guy was raving in three languages during his press conference. He also was wearing only shorts.
The Daily News, on the other hand, did not put this story on the cover. And close to the top of the Daily News article, they note, “Miller also claimed to reporters that he is a CIA operative who takes pills doled out by the intelligence agency to make his skin darker so he can infiltrate unnamed groups. He offered no mementos, letters or photos as proof of his relationship with Cipel.”
You have to question why a guy would hold a press conference to say he was someone’s gay lover, anyway. The Post should have at least put the press conference in the context of the guy being a raving “CIA operative.” But they’re not exactly known for quality journalism.
Whaaaat's next?
8/18/2004
8/17/2004
8/16/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
(Okay - that announcement was pre-recorded.)
Several people have found this page by looking for McGreevey jokes and talk. The last few days' entries have had some. By the way, read my books. (Shameless.)
This is way fun to go to if you're in NY: Punkmetalkaraoke.com.
T-shirts spotted this weekend:
(1) On a girl: "No one knows I'm a Lesbian"
(2) On a different girl: "MY bush could do a better job as President"
I'm glad that instead of people making jokes about NJ being corrupt or ugly, they're doing gay jokes. It's a nice relief.
(Okay - that announcement was pre-recorded.)
Several people have found this page by looking for McGreevey jokes and talk. The last few days' entries have had some. By the way, read my books. (Shameless.)
This is way fun to go to if you're in NY: Punkmetalkaraoke.com.
T-shirts spotted this weekend:
(1) On a girl: "No one knows I'm a Lesbian"
(2) On a different girl: "MY bush could do a better job as President"
I'm glad that instead of people making jokes about NJ being corrupt or ugly, they're doing gay jokes. It's a nice relief.
8/15/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, didn't go to work.
Another major writing weekend. I want to get my book done by the end of October.
McGreevey joke of the day: "There were suspicious about McGreevey before. When they were trying to choose the state song, everyone else wanted 'Born to Run,' and he wanted 'Mandy.'"
Non sequitur of the day from a conversation with my dad:
DAD: What are you doing this weekend?
ME: Mostly working on my novel.
DAD: Well, if you decide to get an SUV, there's a lot of money off.
He also kept telling me different things that happened on the Ali G show and kept saying, in the middle, "It's funny," which actually was funnier than whatever he was saying about Ali G, which wasn't that funny. Despite people continuing to try to convince me that it's funny. But someday, I probably will see it, and I probably will think it's funny.
Another major writing weekend. I want to get my book done by the end of October.
McGreevey joke of the day: "There were suspicious about McGreevey before. When they were trying to choose the state song, everyone else wanted 'Born to Run,' and he wanted 'Mandy.'"
Non sequitur of the day from a conversation with my dad:
DAD: What are you doing this weekend?
ME: Mostly working on my novel.
DAD: Well, if you decide to get an SUV, there's a lot of money off.
He also kept telling me different things that happened on the Ali G show and kept saying, in the middle, "It's funny," which actually was funnier than whatever he was saying about Ali G, which wasn't that funny. Despite people continuing to try to convince me that it's funny. But someday, I probably will see it, and I probably will think it's funny.
8/14/2004
I got an e-mail forward. Here's an excerpt
Top 10 McGreevey jokes
10. The New Jersey state bird: swallow.
8. New Jersey raises terror alert level to lavender.
7. We know he didn't like Bush, but this is ridiculous.
5. What do McGreevey and the Israeli Navy have in common?
Jewish seaman.
Don't ask about the others.
Top 10 McGreevey jokes
10. The New Jersey state bird: swallow.
8. New Jersey raises terror alert level to lavender.
7. We know he didn't like Bush, but this is ridiculous.
5. What do McGreevey and the Israeli Navy have in common?
Jewish seaman.
Don't ask about the others.
One of the biggest McGreevey rumors went around two years ago. This is it, quoted from the Morris Daily Record of NJ (in a column yesterday): "When he broke his leg walking along the beach in Cape May shortly after being elected, the official line was that the governor was with his wife, Dina. Insiders told a more intriguing story. They said the governor was romping on the beach with another man, not his wife. Dina, the rumors said, had to be transported to the scene by helicopter."
Hours from now, I will wake up, put on clothes, and not go to work.
This storm will be pretty weak after traveling on land to get to us. It might still be a nice break from the heat, though. There are two more stirring behind it.
It's pretty early. Our fiercest ones come in early September. Beware!
This storm will be pretty weak after traveling on land to get to us. It might still be a nice break from the heat, though. There are two more stirring behind it.
It's pretty early. Our fiercest ones come in early September. Beware!
8/13/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
My main page has been getting a lot of hits for the last few days. I don't know if people are clicking on it to link to the hurricane maps, or what. I don't see anyone new linking to it, that I can tell. If you know, let me know.
My main page has been getting a lot of hits for the last few days. I don't know if people are clicking on it to link to the hurricane maps, or what. I don't see anyone new linking to it, that I can tell. If you know, let me know.
8/12/2004
People are saying McGreevey is "courageous" for coming out of the closet. McGreevey said his affair was wrong.
NO, that's not what was wrong.
He met a 31-year-old Israeli tour guide in 2000 when he was mayor, and then when he became governor, said tour guide was apparently flown to America at the expense of the Democratic party. McGreevey hired the guy in 2002 to be the state's Homeland Security advisor at a salary of $110,000 per year.
In a state that had seen about 700 people die from the terrorist attacks next door just the year before.
He hired a guy whose only experience was having been in the Israeli Army. Which you are required to be in if you are Israeli.
And that guy is being mentioned in the press as the one who is expected to file a sexual harassment suit against McGreevey.
Don't put an entire state at risk to give your "friend" a job.
If that's what happened, then what's wrong.
I'll bet the spin on this story will look very different in a few days.
NO, that's not what was wrong.
He met a 31-year-old Israeli tour guide in 2000 when he was mayor, and then when he became governor, said tour guide was apparently flown to America at the expense of the Democratic party. McGreevey hired the guy in 2002 to be the state's Homeland Security advisor at a salary of $110,000 per year.
In a state that had seen about 700 people die from the terrorist attacks next door just the year before.
He hired a guy whose only experience was having been in the Israeli Army. Which you are required to be in if you are Israeli.
And that guy is being mentioned in the press as the one who is expected to file a sexual harassment suit against McGreevey.
Don't put an entire state at risk to give your "friend" a job.
If that's what happened, then what's wrong.
I'll bet the spin on this story will look very different in a few days.
8/11/2004
Minimum wage is $5.15 an hour. If full-time work is 40 hours a week, that is about $10,700 per year.
$10,700 per year.
I started at my newspaper job at $17,000 a year. I earn more than that now, obviously, and what I earn - in my mind - is a decent salary. I don't have high expenses, I don't eat out all week, and until two years ago, I had a roommate.
But when I tell people what newspaper salaries are, they look at me in disbelief. "How can anyone ever LIVE on that?" ask these people.
Their comments are pretty obnoxious, because they're basically trying to make me feel bad about something I didn't feel bad about.
There are a lot of spoiled brats in the New York area. Many of them consider $30,000 to $40,000 - for example - a low wage. I consider those very high. They are certainly $20,000 higher than minimum wage.
The other day I got a really stupid poem forwarded to me via e-mail about how people on Welfare sit around and collect cash. Pul-eeze. Not only do the fortunate among us not have any idea what it means to be REALLY poor (and $30k a year is NOT poor!!) - they could never survive on public assistance (and that's all it is meant for - minimum survival.) If you are someone who considers $40,000 a poverty wage, then boy, you are in for a rude awakening if you ever REALLY fall into poverty.
And by the way, yes, I understand that this is the New York area, and to live in New York you have to pay high rent. But there is no reason that a single person anywhere should consider $30,000 or $40,000 a poverty wage.
$10,700 per year.
I started at my newspaper job at $17,000 a year. I earn more than that now, obviously, and what I earn - in my mind - is a decent salary. I don't have high expenses, I don't eat out all week, and until two years ago, I had a roommate.
But when I tell people what newspaper salaries are, they look at me in disbelief. "How can anyone ever LIVE on that?" ask these people.
Their comments are pretty obnoxious, because they're basically trying to make me feel bad about something I didn't feel bad about.
There are a lot of spoiled brats in the New York area. Many of them consider $30,000 to $40,000 - for example - a low wage. I consider those very high. They are certainly $20,000 higher than minimum wage.
The other day I got a really stupid poem forwarded to me via e-mail about how people on Welfare sit around and collect cash. Pul-eeze. Not only do the fortunate among us not have any idea what it means to be REALLY poor (and $30k a year is NOT poor!!) - they could never survive on public assistance (and that's all it is meant for - minimum survival.) If you are someone who considers $40,000 a poverty wage, then boy, you are in for a rude awakening if you ever REALLY fall into poverty.
And by the way, yes, I understand that this is the New York area, and to live in New York you have to pay high rent. But there is no reason that a single person anywhere should consider $30,000 or $40,000 a poverty wage.
8/10/2004
8/09/2004
8/08/2004
Okay, the poop (shi-poopie) on the chick-lit contest is that those really ARE the prizes. But the idea is that you get feedback from an editor and agent if you do well, and perhaps they will request more of your manuscript. If this interests you, click here.
Can you imagine if Cole Porter and Dorothy Parker had a baby?
I can't, because they're both DEAD.
Can you imagine if Cole Porter and Dorothy Parker had a baby?
I can't, because they're both DEAD.
8/07/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work...on a book. I can't work on books for an hour here, an hour there, which is why I don't write before or after work. I need hours of silence at a time.
I got my 50th Amazon review of Carrie Pilby, which is very nice.
I'm seeing school supplies back in the stores. It's that time.
I got my 50th Amazon review of Carrie Pilby, which is very nice.
I'm seeing school supplies back in the stores. It's that time.
8/06/2004
8/05/2004
8/04/2004
Don't hold back...tell us what you really think.
This week's New Yorker starts with a paragraph from editor David Remick:
"There's a case to be made that it hardly matters how eloquent or effective John kerry was at the Democratic National Convention last week. What matters infinitely more is that George W. Bush is the worst president the country has endured since Richard Nixon, and even mediocrity would be an improvement."
In other New Yorker news...
There is an article on Munchausen by Proxy syndrome, which I couldn't read because it completely grosses me out. There are few things that are so gross that I can't read about them, but this actually makes my blood bite my skin.
Then there's the article on the "comedian" who is very religious and plays Christian events. One of his jokes is, "They should handle homeless people the old way. Give them an ax and a tree and say, 'There's your duplex.' " Well, I agree. It would be better than what a lot of them get now. This dumbass is too stupid to know that he just advocated a gov't handout. I'm glad he understands that sometimes 'handouts' can help get people out of a bad situation. I wonder if he also knows that Habitat for Humanity actually requires poor people who get the houses to put in 800 "sweat equity" hours per year, meaning they have to work on their house for like 18 hours a week for a year, even if they have a full-time job and raise kids beside that. A lot of them do most of it on the weekend. I wonder if this guy forgets the part of his religion that calls for him to love and help other people. And if you throw the "give a man a fish and he'll fish for a day" thing in my face, I wasn't differing - for those who are physically AND mentally able to do the work to get themselves out of their mess. But some can't mentally do the work.
Example: There's a homeless woman who hangs out in the Hoboken train station who is a good writer. I told her I'd pay her $50 to write an article on being homeless for my newspaper. She said she would. Then when I asked her for her SS#, she balked. She couldn't tell me why. Well, she was probably borderline paranoid. To someone who wants to put the homeless into little neat categories, they'd see her on the street and think she was perfectly fine and should be working.
I wonder if Jesus thinks it's funny to tell jokes about the homeless. This guy also says in the New Yorker that we're going to hell if we don't believe in Jesus. Well, where do people who only believe in Jesus when it fits their philosophy go?
Man, I hope Blogger accidentally erases this entry.
This week's New Yorker starts with a paragraph from editor David Remick:
"There's a case to be made that it hardly matters how eloquent or effective John kerry was at the Democratic National Convention last week. What matters infinitely more is that George W. Bush is the worst president the country has endured since Richard Nixon, and even mediocrity would be an improvement."
In other New Yorker news...
There is an article on Munchausen by Proxy syndrome, which I couldn't read because it completely grosses me out. There are few things that are so gross that I can't read about them, but this actually makes my blood bite my skin.
Then there's the article on the "comedian" who is very religious and plays Christian events. One of his jokes is, "They should handle homeless people the old way. Give them an ax and a tree and say, 'There's your duplex.' " Well, I agree. It would be better than what a lot of them get now. This dumbass is too stupid to know that he just advocated a gov't handout. I'm glad he understands that sometimes 'handouts' can help get people out of a bad situation. I wonder if he also knows that Habitat for Humanity actually requires poor people who get the houses to put in 800 "sweat equity" hours per year, meaning they have to work on their house for like 18 hours a week for a year, even if they have a full-time job and raise kids beside that. A lot of them do most of it on the weekend. I wonder if this guy forgets the part of his religion that calls for him to love and help other people. And if you throw the "give a man a fish and he'll fish for a day" thing in my face, I wasn't differing - for those who are physically AND mentally able to do the work to get themselves out of their mess. But some can't mentally do the work.
Example: There's a homeless woman who hangs out in the Hoboken train station who is a good writer. I told her I'd pay her $50 to write an article on being homeless for my newspaper. She said she would. Then when I asked her for her SS#, she balked. She couldn't tell me why. Well, she was probably borderline paranoid. To someone who wants to put the homeless into little neat categories, they'd see her on the street and think she was perfectly fine and should be working.
I wonder if Jesus thinks it's funny to tell jokes about the homeless. This guy also says in the New Yorker that we're going to hell if we don't believe in Jesus. Well, where do people who only believe in Jesus when it fits their philosophy go?
Man, I hope Blogger accidentally erases this entry.
8/03/2004
It WAS too quiet. Now that 'tis the season, there's a baby brother following in Tropical Depression One/Alex's footsteps. This is Tropical Depression Two.
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
The talented Sydney created a graphic on her blog today encouraging people to come play trivia tonight, as Sarah and I will host!
If I look sick, it may be because right now I'm drinking a store-bought smoothie that claims to include spirulina, "open cell chlorella," "barley grass," "green algae," "echinacea purpurea extract," and "lemon bioflavonoids." The open-cell thing has me a little edgy.
Men couldn't seem to resist commenting on "pig benis." Someone said it's "pig Latin." Very funny.
The talented Sydney created a graphic on her blog today encouraging people to come play trivia tonight, as Sarah and I will host!
If I look sick, it may be because right now I'm drinking a store-bought smoothie that claims to include spirulina, "open cell chlorella," "barley grass," "green algae," "echinacea purpurea extract," and "lemon bioflavonoids." The open-cell thing has me a little edgy.
Men couldn't seem to resist commenting on "pig benis." Someone said it's "pig Latin." Very funny.
8/02/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
Awww. Little Tropical Depression One has become a full-fledged Tropical Storm named Alex! The forecast is for it to brush the Carolinas and calmly move east, out to sea, but it could still bring rain or even veer closer to us up here in NYC. One never knows.
T-shirt of the week: Yesterday, some guys in Hoboken were selling t-shirts with goofy sayings. One of them had a pig on it and said, "Pig Benis."
Awww. Little Tropical Depression One has become a full-fledged Tropical Storm named Alex! The forecast is for it to brush the Carolinas and calmly move east, out to sea, but it could still bring rain or even veer closer to us up here in NYC. One never knows.
T-shirt of the week: Yesterday, some guys in Hoboken were selling t-shirts with goofy sayings. One of them had a pig on it and said, "Pig Benis."
8/01/2004
Dan writes: Personally, I would like to see Carrie’s proficiency with a flame thrower and rocket launcher, used with MIT-like precision against a race of military cyborgs threatening to take over the streets of Las Vegas. I think that’s what’s missing from the chick-lit genre. My $0.02.
A lurker writes:The Pilby sequel has just made my week! Not only am i
thrilled for more Carrie, it will be released very close to my own college graduation date... Congrats and THANK YOU!
Mickey responds:Hot Damn!! I knew it!! Hello Barnes and Noble, yes I would like to order 100 copies of Adventures of Carrie in her latest exploit “Carrie Likes to eat Moo Shu Gai Pan”! And bye the way, do you folks sell Kleenex? I like to keep a box close at hand while reading, just in the event that I er, sneeze!
Men are such pigs...Anyway, thanks to all of you for the support of my writing habit.
A lurker writes:The Pilby sequel has just made my week! Not only am i
thrilled for more Carrie, it will be released very close to my own college graduation date... Congrats and THANK YOU!
Mickey responds:Hot Damn!! I knew it!! Hello Barnes and Noble, yes I would like to order 100 copies of Adventures of Carrie in her latest exploit “Carrie Likes to eat Moo Shu Gai Pan”! And bye the way, do you folks sell Kleenex? I like to keep a box close at hand while reading, just in the event that I er, sneeze!
Men are such pigs...Anyway, thanks to all of you for the support of my writing habit.
I promised a minor book-related announcement today, Aug. 1. So here it is:
I'm doing a Carrie Pilby sequel. It won't be full-length. It's going to be a novella, probably about 140-150 pages, and it'll go into a collection of three authors' novellas that Red Dress Ink will put out in time for the 2005 holidays, starting November, 2005. Mine will be the New Year's one, and other authors will contribute a Christmas and a Hannukah novella. I've come up with fun new Carrie Pilby stuff over the last year, and I couldn't resist writing it whenever I thought of it - so this isn't a case of them asking me and I decided to do it. I already had some interesting new exploits, but I wasn't sure if I'd have time to focus on a book. So this is a good way to find out what happened now that she's learned some lessons but is still geeky and pushing herself to get out. While this is still 14 months away, I'm happy about it.
If you want to read the original Carrie Pilby, click here. Amazon reports they currently have four copies left in stock - but more are on the way!
But that's not the only announcement... Yes, folks, it has begun. The next six or so weeks might bring hurricane hype. Right now, the aptly-named Tropical Depression One is sliding toward us from North Carolina, and might bring us some Dicey weather on Tuesday. Here's a map of its track. Keep watching. Hurricane season only comes along once a year!
I'm doing a Carrie Pilby sequel. It won't be full-length. It's going to be a novella, probably about 140-150 pages, and it'll go into a collection of three authors' novellas that Red Dress Ink will put out in time for the 2005 holidays, starting November, 2005. Mine will be the New Year's one, and other authors will contribute a Christmas and a Hannukah novella. I've come up with fun new Carrie Pilby stuff over the last year, and I couldn't resist writing it whenever I thought of it - so this isn't a case of them asking me and I decided to do it. I already had some interesting new exploits, but I wasn't sure if I'd have time to focus on a book. So this is a good way to find out what happened now that she's learned some lessons but is still geeky and pushing herself to get out. While this is still 14 months away, I'm happy about it.
If you want to read the original Carrie Pilby, click here. Amazon reports they currently have four copies left in stock - but more are on the way!
But that's not the only announcement... Yes, folks, it has begun. The next six or so weeks might bring hurricane hype. Right now, the aptly-named Tropical Depression One is sliding toward us from North Carolina, and might bring us some Dicey weather on Tuesday. Here's a map of its track. Keep watching. Hurricane season only comes along once a year!
7/31/2004
Woke up, put clothes on, didn't go to work.
I realized it's not fair for me to surf other blogs looking for people's roundups of the They Might Be Giants free show in Brooklyn without me adding mine. To sum up: They should have played more of their hits. They do a good job, but they goofed around too much. They made us call them out for a second encore in order to do "Istanbul, Not Constantinople," and didn't do the Malcolm theme, even though I imagine some of the parents in the audience said to their kids, "This is the group that sings the Malcolm theme!" But for a free concert, can I really complain? They have a new album out and they need to promote it.
Thanks to all the great friends who came out and shared food and wine!
I realized it's not fair for me to surf other blogs looking for people's roundups of the They Might Be Giants free show in Brooklyn without me adding mine. To sum up: They should have played more of their hits. They do a good job, but they goofed around too much. They made us call them out for a second encore in order to do "Istanbul, Not Constantinople," and didn't do the Malcolm theme, even though I imagine some of the parents in the audience said to their kids, "This is the group that sings the Malcolm theme!" But for a free concert, can I really complain? They have a new album out and they need to promote it.
Thanks to all the great friends who came out and shared food and wine!
7/30/2004
To all the people who come to my site by putting in "Is there no help for the widows son": First off, it's a Mormon and Freemasons thing. Secondly, after you're done with Dan Brown, you should read a fun book called Carrie Pilby, about a 19-year-old female genius trying to fit into NYC. Really!
Attn: Anyone interested in sit-com writing. There's a contest on the Bravo channel you'll want to check out. It's a reality show following people creating their own sit-com. You have to submit your idea and application by Sept. 18. There's money to win, too. Click here!
7/29/2004
Help/Hope is on the way...
"The future doesn't belong to fear. It belongs to freedom." - John F. Kerry, 7/29/04
I'm so glad he mentioned how all the senators have wonderful health benefits...meanwhile, so many people have none...and why is it that only the activists are raising their voices to complain about the lack of protection of our nuclear power plants?
Way to go, JFK!
Nomination night wrapup, for those who missed it:
'Dad hug'
Wet hamster
Bruuuuuuuce!
Born in left wing...er, West Wing
Help is on the way!
"The future doesn't belong to fear. It belongs to freedom." - John F. Kerry, 7/29/04
I'm so glad he mentioned how all the senators have wonderful health benefits...meanwhile, so many people have none...and why is it that only the activists are raising their voices to complain about the lack of protection of our nuclear power plants?
Way to go, JFK!
Nomination night wrapup, for those who missed it:
'Dad hug'
Wet hamster
Bruuuuuuuce!
Born in left wing...er, West Wing
Help is on the way!
A site called Preditors & Editors gives writers advice on who's legit and not legit in the world of getting published. Here is a link to their agents section, where they tell you who the rip-off artists are. One agency on there is being investigated by the cops for theft by deception. You can click a letter for an agency's name and check them out.
7/28/2004
Apparently, if you check out this site and click the button, it helps feed hungry animals. It's an animal rescue site. It takes like a second, so why dontcha. http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/
7/27/2004
7/26/2004
At Tuesday Night Trivia tomorrow, Michael Lynch will perform on his guitar and do a singalong after the game, as the musical act. So come and sing along!
I have some minor book news...nothing majorly major, but something nice. I will announce it August 1 in this spot. No, it's not that I've sold my 3rd book (I have to do a lot more work on it.)
Does everyone know that August starts this weekend? Can ya believe it?
That also means that this blog will soon start its annual hurricane watch. It's been a really quiet year for them so far.
Too quiet...
Does everyone know that August starts this weekend? Can ya believe it?
That also means that this blog will soon start its annual hurricane watch. It's been a really quiet year for them so far.
Too quiet...
7/25/2004
7/23/2004
Someone actually used, in my presence, the tired old saw that some of the homeless are homeless because they are "Too lazy to work." It should be obvious to anyone with a sense of logic that that isn't true. Most of the people who work mainly work to keep a roof over their heads -- because they are too lazy to be able to live on the street!!!!!!
7/21/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
From a wrestling article: "After much speculation, Brooke [Hogan] is NOT dating Aaron Carter, and Hulk said she is not yet old enough to date. Hulk claimed the Aaron Carter romance was a rumor started when they were in the recording studio at the same time..."
Then why was Hulk at Aaron Carter's concert introducing him and talking about them liking each other and stuff? Was it all for publicity? Well, before this blog turns into Teen Beat, I'll get off the topic.
From a wrestling article: "After much speculation, Brooke [Hogan] is NOT dating Aaron Carter, and Hulk said she is not yet old enough to date. Hulk claimed the Aaron Carter romance was a rumor started when they were in the recording studio at the same time..."
Then why was Hulk at Aaron Carter's concert introducing him and talking about them liking each other and stuff? Was it all for publicity? Well, before this blog turns into Teen Beat, I'll get off the topic.
7/20/2004
Recently I was in a computer room of a library. Someone who had used the computer earlier was still logged into AIM. So I got an IM from one of her friends. This conversation followed:
PERSON IM'ING: my cell got stloen this wknd.. i need ur # again
ME: how will ou be able to call me if yr cell got sstolen?
PERSON IM'ing: cause i ogtta get a new 1
ME: oh. well, i'm not the person you think i am...i'm at a terminal that someone left on at a computer library. sorry to hear about your cell tho!
PERSON IM'ing: if u dont kno my fried.. sign off under hin name
ME: that is a very good idea. i think i will. but you have to improve your spelling young man!
PERSON IM'ing: man?... im a girl.....
ME: Is MD103xxy your boyfriend? How romantic! He must be pretty smart to be able to use this computer. Bag him so he can teach you spelling!
PERSON IM'ing: stfu.... it was a friggin mistake.. calm the fuck down...
ME: I'm only kidding. Watch your language, silly. Anyway, you are full of mistakes. And your swearing is not ladylike. I'm signing off now, because this isn't my account, but your boyfriend deserves someone without a pottymouth! Bye. (And calm down too...I'm only kidding around with you)
PERSON IM'ing: im from nyc im possed to have a potty mouth
ME: Actually you're right
PERSON IM'ING: my cell got stloen this wknd.. i need ur # again
ME: how will ou be able to call me if yr cell got sstolen?
PERSON IM'ing: cause i ogtta get a new 1
ME: oh. well, i'm not the person you think i am...i'm at a terminal that someone left on at a computer library. sorry to hear about your cell tho!
PERSON IM'ing: if u dont kno my fried.. sign off under hin name
ME: that is a very good idea. i think i will. but you have to improve your spelling young man!
PERSON IM'ing: man?... im a girl.....
ME: Is MD103xxy your boyfriend? How romantic! He must be pretty smart to be able to use this computer. Bag him so he can teach you spelling!
PERSON IM'ing: stfu.... it was a friggin mistake.. calm the fuck down...
ME: I'm only kidding. Watch your language, silly. Anyway, you are full of mistakes. And your swearing is not ladylike. I'm signing off now, because this isn't my account, but your boyfriend deserves someone without a pottymouth! Bye. (And calm down too...I'm only kidding around with you)
PERSON IM'ing: im from nyc im possed to have a potty mouth
ME: Actually you're right
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
Sunday I took a Forgotten New York tour. I met several interesting people including the webmaster of this great photo site, and his friend who went to the inferior Princeton U. Hi.
Sunday I took a Forgotten New York tour. I met several interesting people including the webmaster of this great photo site, and his friend who went to the inferior Princeton U. Hi.
7/19/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
I forgot to point out yesterday that there are whole new directions in fast food! Click www.bkbeaver.com - it's not what you think!
I forgot to point out yesterday that there are whole new directions in fast food! Click www.bkbeaver.com - it's not what you think!
7/18/2004
7/17/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, didn't go to work.
My color palette is missing.
Today I got up early to do some revising. I think book 3 is 70 percent done. A first draft is hard because I start with nothing and have to create a whole world and backstory, even with a rough outline and specific goal in mind. There's a lot of stuff that ends up getting written and later discarded. When it's time to go back and revise and rewrite (like now), I have learned a lot about the characters and what happened to them, and then it's just a matter of finding the best way to tell the story - as if it's actually something that happened that I know all about.
Was that boring? After today's revision session, I decided at the last minute to go to the soup kitchen because I haven't been in a few weeks. I got to hand small bags of donated goods to people who were leaving. Today they got a bottle of apple juice, a canned ham, and a packet of evaporated milk. Often, they will reject an item and share their reason: "No apple juice. That's instant diarrheah." Today a man rejected the ham: "No teeth;" then he gave me a toothless grin. Someone didn't want the powdered milk: "Cows wouldn't drink that." And finally, another man rejected it after reading the packet: "I can't take things that were made in Alabama. You know what happened last time I was in Alabama? A cop said to me and my buddy, 'How long are you gonna be in Alabama'? I said, 'We're leaving tomorrow.' He said, 'Well, how about leaving now?' And I said, 'Okay.' "
Anyone who saw the documentary "Capturing the Friedmans" should know that Jesse Friedman has a legal defense fund (see www.freejesse.net) and if you donate $25, you get "Jesse's Last Night," a film shot by Jesse's brother in his room the night that they helped Jesse pack until 4 and 5 a.m. before he was to report to jail for six years or longer (it turned out to be 13 years). Compelling and heart-wrenching.
My color palette is missing.
Today I got up early to do some revising. I think book 3 is 70 percent done. A first draft is hard because I start with nothing and have to create a whole world and backstory, even with a rough outline and specific goal in mind. There's a lot of stuff that ends up getting written and later discarded. When it's time to go back and revise and rewrite (like now), I have learned a lot about the characters and what happened to them, and then it's just a matter of finding the best way to tell the story - as if it's actually something that happened that I know all about.
Was that boring? After today's revision session, I decided at the last minute to go to the soup kitchen because I haven't been in a few weeks. I got to hand small bags of donated goods to people who were leaving. Today they got a bottle of apple juice, a canned ham, and a packet of evaporated milk. Often, they will reject an item and share their reason: "No apple juice. That's instant diarrheah." Today a man rejected the ham: "No teeth;" then he gave me a toothless grin. Someone didn't want the powdered milk: "Cows wouldn't drink that." And finally, another man rejected it after reading the packet: "I can't take things that were made in Alabama. You know what happened last time I was in Alabama? A cop said to me and my buddy, 'How long are you gonna be in Alabama'? I said, 'We're leaving tomorrow.' He said, 'Well, how about leaving now?' And I said, 'Okay.' "
Anyone who saw the documentary "Capturing the Friedmans" should know that Jesse Friedman has a legal defense fund (see www.freejesse.net) and if you donate $25, you get "Jesse's Last Night," a film shot by Jesse's brother in his room the night that they helped Jesse pack until 4 and 5 a.m. before he was to report to jail for six years or longer (it turned out to be 13 years). Compelling and heart-wrenching.
7/16/2004
7/15/2004
Later this morning, I will wake up, put clothes on, and go to work.
In the meantime, check out my essay at Knot Magazine - "Little Darlings." It's about the time I took off from work for a month to spend four weeks as a counselor in a travel camp for OVERprivileged youths. Better than Bug Juice!
In the meantime, check out my essay at Knot Magazine - "Little Darlings." It's about the time I took off from work for a month to spend four weeks as a counselor in a travel camp for OVERprivileged youths. Better than Bug Juice!
7/14/2004
Damn... This comes to us from Publisher's Lunch:
John Irving's forthcoming novel is his longest-ever manuscript, at 345,000 words. But, "Twenty-eight days ago I woke up and said: It really should be in the third-person," he tells Toronto's Globe and Mail. "It's a first-person novel." Irving adds, "I don't normally like the first-person voice and I can't even remember what rationale led me to think this had to be a first-person novel, but for the five years I've been writing it, it was. And just one morning I woke up and thought: 'S--t. It's not right.' And it's already bought, you know? And I said: 'Well, too bad.' "
So he's rewriting, "eight to nine hours a day, seven days a week," trying to stay on track for publication next June.
John Irving's forthcoming novel is his longest-ever manuscript, at 345,000 words. But, "Twenty-eight days ago I woke up and said: It really should be in the third-person," he tells Toronto's Globe and Mail. "It's a first-person novel." Irving adds, "I don't normally like the first-person voice and I can't even remember what rationale led me to think this had to be a first-person novel, but for the five years I've been writing it, it was. And just one morning I woke up and thought: 'S--t. It's not right.' And it's already bought, you know? And I said: 'Well, too bad.' "
So he's rewriting, "eight to nine hours a day, seven days a week," trying to stay on track for publication next June.
7/13/2004
7/12/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
I found some old writing and posted a satirical piece I wrote in 2000 in www.carenlissner.com/writing. It's called "22 1/2 under 22 1/2." Didn't have time to format it, but enjoy it if you read it.
I found some old writing and posted a satirical piece I wrote in 2000 in www.carenlissner.com/writing. It's called "22 1/2 under 22 1/2." Didn't have time to format it, but enjoy it if you read it.
7/11/2004
7/09/2004
7/08/2004
7/07/2004
7/06/2004
Woke up, put clothes on, went to work.
I've been interviewed for Pif literary magazine (www.pifmagazine.com), so click there and read my interview. The word "oral" should say "overall," by the way.
I've been interviewed for Pif literary magazine (www.pifmagazine.com), so click there and read my interview. The word "oral" should say "overall," by the way.
7/05/2004
7/03/2004
The Italian cover (which I just found) of Starting from Square Two, a.k.a "I Play Alone," looks pretty good. Even though it certainly buries the young-widow aspect. Look at the girl's arm - it has a list of men crossed out on it.
I'm so proud to know such intelligent people - here's a good debate on Michael Moore's film, among friends. If the link doesn't work, go to www.genxmisanthrope.blogspot.com and go down four to the "Fanning the Flames" entry.
I'm so proud to know such intelligent people - here's a good debate on Michael Moore's film, among friends. If the link doesn't work, go to www.genxmisanthrope.blogspot.com and go down four to the "Fanning the Flames" entry.
"Will you forgive me for the things I said when I was drunk..." Who is going to see Lit? They must have at least another hit...
Woke up, put clothes on, didn't go to work.
Happy belated Canada Day! Especially to Canadians like Tony from trivia. Here's a primer.
So I'm in the midwest right now, and I look at the movie section of the paper, and an ad for one theater says:
"Refills of pop, free.
Refills of corn, 50 cents."
And I think: What does that mean? Pop corn is one thing.
Then I remember that when they say "pop," they mean soda. Those wacky Midwesties.
A girl named Caryn wrote to me to tell me that she is finding the name Gert distracting her while reading Square Two. I told her her name is weird, too.
I finished reading "Eats, Shoots and Leaves." The author makes note, as I did earlier, of the fact that people used "enormity" incorrectly a lot after 9/11. But in my dictionary it actually says, "Informal: Great size, immensity." Maybe it's becoming accepted.
What I didn't like is that the author made some joke about how grammarians were upset after 9/11 not by Osama, but by the incorrect use of enormity. Even though it's an obvious joke, it strikes me that it's a bit insensitive even if it didn't mean to be. It seems like people are starting to become desensitized to the events of 3 years ago now. Right after it happened, there was a question of how long it would take. With Michael Moore naming his film "Fahrenheit 911" and more casual references to it, maybe people are feeling it's ok to be a little more casual about it. I don't think I agree. I don't like the idea of accepting it as business as usual.
Happy belated Canada Day! Especially to Canadians like Tony from trivia. Here's a primer.
So I'm in the midwest right now, and I look at the movie section of the paper, and an ad for one theater says:
"Refills of pop, free.
Refills of corn, 50 cents."
And I think: What does that mean? Pop corn is one thing.
Then I remember that when they say "pop," they mean soda. Those wacky Midwesties.
A girl named Caryn wrote to me to tell me that she is finding the name Gert distracting her while reading Square Two. I told her her name is weird, too.
I finished reading "Eats, Shoots and Leaves." The author makes note, as I did earlier, of the fact that people used "enormity" incorrectly a lot after 9/11. But in my dictionary it actually says, "Informal: Great size, immensity." Maybe it's becoming accepted.
What I didn't like is that the author made some joke about how grammarians were upset after 9/11 not by Osama, but by the incorrect use of enormity. Even though it's an obvious joke, it strikes me that it's a bit insensitive even if it didn't mean to be. It seems like people are starting to become desensitized to the events of 3 years ago now. Right after it happened, there was a question of how long it would take. With Michael Moore naming his film "Fahrenheit 911" and more casual references to it, maybe people are feeling it's ok to be a little more casual about it. I don't think I agree. I don't like the idea of accepting it as business as usual.
7/01/2004
Woke up, bla etc.
Someone complained that my entries are too short. OK. Here are some literary thoughts...
1. A few days ago, I complained about writers needing to start their articles with a single dopey generalization before getting into the pith of their lead. I thought I had discovered one of these at the beginning of a New York Times book review, but I should have had more faith; it was meant to make FUN of the author for doing things like that.
Here is the sentence: "One reason it's tempting to follow the smart set -- that anxious clan of stylishly camouflaged, overeducated social maladapts that function in the literary world a lot like those guys sucking White Owl cigars do in metropolitan Off Track Betting parlors -- and flatly declare David Foster Wallace a genius and the greatest young fiction writer of his time, is that doing so is much, much easier than actually reading his sentences (compared to most of which this one is a haiku)."
That was Walter Kirn on David Foster Wallace's new book, Oblivion. He comes just short of skewering Wallace's "ostentatiously elongated, curiously bureaucratic, stubbornly overdetermined prose style" (as if that doesn't do it right there.)
I think I've lost half my readers, so here's something Howard Stern said today, from memory (so it might be a bit off): "90 percent of what I've been fined for are doody quotes. Doody. Doody. Making a doody."
2.I'm reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves, the hit punctuation book. I was reading it with a pencil, underlining things I like and even circling a grammatical error, when I got to this line: "Sticklers never read a book without a pencil in hand, to correct the typographical errors." Whoops! Actually, I almost never have a pencil in hand anymore, but I do for this book because it's good to remember this stuff as a writer and editor.
Someone complained that my entries are too short. OK. Here are some literary thoughts...
1. A few days ago, I complained about writers needing to start their articles with a single dopey generalization before getting into the pith of their lead. I thought I had discovered one of these at the beginning of a New York Times book review, but I should have had more faith; it was meant to make FUN of the author for doing things like that.
Here is the sentence: "One reason it's tempting to follow the smart set -- that anxious clan of stylishly camouflaged, overeducated social maladapts that function in the literary world a lot like those guys sucking White Owl cigars do in metropolitan Off Track Betting parlors -- and flatly declare David Foster Wallace a genius and the greatest young fiction writer of his time, is that doing so is much, much easier than actually reading his sentences (compared to most of which this one is a haiku)."
That was Walter Kirn on David Foster Wallace's new book, Oblivion. He comes just short of skewering Wallace's "ostentatiously elongated, curiously bureaucratic, stubbornly overdetermined prose style" (as if that doesn't do it right there.)
I think I've lost half my readers, so here's something Howard Stern said today, from memory (so it might be a bit off): "90 percent of what I've been fined for are doody quotes. Doody. Doody. Making a doody."
2.I'm reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves, the hit punctuation book. I was reading it with a pencil, underlining things I like and even circling a grammatical error, when I got to this line: "Sticklers never read a book without a pencil in hand, to correct the typographical errors." Whoops! Actually, I almost never have a pencil in hand anymore, but I do for this book because it's good to remember this stuff as a writer and editor.
