Movies Seen
Little Miss Sunshine
Recently-released family drama. It was cute and I loved the ending, but I wasn't laughing all the way through it like most of the senior citizens in the audience were. I think it was overrated. Still, I felt happy when I left, because of the ending. I would advise waiting until the DVD, but the critics seem to love it, so maybe you will disagree with me.
V for Vendetta
Just out on DVD. Great movie. I was glued to my seat, or actually, my mattress. Who would think I'd enjoy something set in the future in London, with a weird masked man? Anyway, it's an extrapolation of what would happen in a totalitarian society.
Godspell
My parents had the record of this musical when I was little, and the movie version used to be shown on TV every year. But it had been at least 20 years since I'd seen it, so when I noticed the DVD version at my local library last week, I picked it up.
I didn't really remember anything about the actual show, except for the amazing music. (I played the tape once in my dorm room in college and my roommate asked me what "group" it was.)
My first surprise was that it was shot in 1972 New York, and there was so much that looks similar to today, with a few things different. Right away, that was interesting. It's worth watching for the luscious New York scenery alone. The music was wonderful, of course. It's not very plot-based -- it's sort of a humorous retelling of the Bible, using New York hippies dancing around -- but I can say was that I enjoyed watching it anyway. There's some humor in it; a guy says "Jesus Christ!" and nearly gets slapped. Victor Garber is the star.
At the beginning, it shows the World Trade Center, and then you hear the sound of a plane and it goes to something else. That's kind of weird.
Godspell:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070121/
V for Vendetta:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434409/
Little Miss Sunshine:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449059/
8/14/2006
8/12/2006
8/11/2006
Forum up!!
A forum has been started for discussion of chick lit and the new book, This Is Chick Lit, in which I have a short story.
Cloudscapes and storm on the Barometer Blog.
Barometer blog
Hiss! Meow!
Article in the Huffington Post on the chick litters vs. the anti chick-litters.
A forum has been started for discussion of chick lit and the new book, This Is Chick Lit, in which I have a short story.
Cloudscapes and storm on the Barometer Blog.
Barometer blog
Hiss! Meow!
Article in the Huffington Post on the chick litters vs. the anti chick-litters.
8/10/2006
Court case decided by rock, paper, scissors
Story here (and it's true).
Thanks to Jon the Writer for sending that along.
Other
I was reading some of my entries from the winter, and boy did I sound boring! All the entries were about writing...and yeah, this blog is supposed to be about my writing, but...still, I apologize. I swear that in real life, I have a personality and soul and do other stuff besides writing...maybe.
I kept meaning to link to Chris's disclaimer on his blog, because I like it: "Mission Statement
The goal of the this blog is to help me write, not to hurt my family, friends and co-workers. Please contact me if I have written anything that you believe is inappropriate or offensive."
I told Chris I wanted to link to his blog several months ago, and then kept forgetting to.
Story here (and it's true).
Thanks to Jon the Writer for sending that along.
Other
I was reading some of my entries from the winter, and boy did I sound boring! All the entries were about writing...and yeah, this blog is supposed to be about my writing, but...still, I apologize. I swear that in real life, I have a personality and soul and do other stuff besides writing...maybe.
I kept meaning to link to Chris's disclaimer on his blog, because I like it: "Mission Statement
The goal of the this blog is to help me write, not to hurt my family, friends and co-workers. Please contact me if I have written anything that you believe is inappropriate or offensive."
I told Chris I wanted to link to his blog several months ago, and then kept forgetting to.
8/09/2006
Now I've heard everything
There are bars in Hoboken (and apparently other places) that are having Rock, Paper, Scissors tournaments.
And some people thought having trivia in bars was stretching it.
What's next? Red Rover in Giants Stadium?
There are bars in Hoboken (and apparently other places) that are having Rock, Paper, Scissors tournaments.
And some people thought having trivia in bars was stretching it.
What's next? Red Rover in Giants Stadium?
8/08/2006
Writing update (ho hum)
I have a book that is ready to go to editors. It is not the book I have been talking about on here for years.
It may take months for me to hear back on it, or weeks. I'm just glad that (hopefully) it's about to get out there.
I also have another book proposal nearly done that is to go to a specific editor. It also is not the book I have been talking about revising on here for years.
The book I have talked about revising here for years is about two characters who have a strong emotional connection to each other. It has been hard to get just right. I think I am much, much closer. But it will still take a little tinkering.
The books I care about emotionally are usually the hardest to get right.
I was always working on the other stuff, which is generally a good idea. If you hit writer's block on one thing, you can go to another.
However, I'm not sure that I've ever had "writer's block" -- just a period when I needed to take a break from something. As I've understood it, writer's block is something psychological. There have been times when I've become bored with certain books, taken time off from others, or simply run out of ideas, but I don't see any of that as something psychological.
For instance, right now, I am writing this blog and I just don't see how I could ever sto
I have a book that is ready to go to editors. It is not the book I have been talking about on here for years.
It may take months for me to hear back on it, or weeks. I'm just glad that (hopefully) it's about to get out there.
I also have another book proposal nearly done that is to go to a specific editor. It also is not the book I have been talking about revising on here for years.
The book I have talked about revising here for years is about two characters who have a strong emotional connection to each other. It has been hard to get just right. I think I am much, much closer. But it will still take a little tinkering.
The books I care about emotionally are usually the hardest to get right.
I was always working on the other stuff, which is generally a good idea. If you hit writer's block on one thing, you can go to another.
However, I'm not sure that I've ever had "writer's block" -- just a period when I needed to take a break from something. As I've understood it, writer's block is something psychological. There have been times when I've become bored with certain books, taken time off from others, or simply run out of ideas, but I don't see any of that as something psychological.
For instance, right now, I am writing this blog and I just don't see how I could ever sto
8/07/2006
You're the top
I had a great weekend. Hope you all did.
Nothing pithy to say, but if you're not familiar with the comedic genius of lyricist Cole Porter, here are some lyrics to make you feel good today:
You're the top!
You're the Coliseum.
You're the top!
You're the Lourve Museum.
You're a melody from a symphony by Strauss
You're a Bendel bonnet, A Shakespeare's sonnet, You're Mickey Mouse.
You're the Nile,
You're the Tower of Pisa,
You're the smile on the Mona Lisa
I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,
But if baby, I'm the bottom, you're the top!
Update:
I already got a very intellectual response to my post today:
"I don't recall all the lyrics, but I once wrote a more sexually suggestive version of the song which ended with "but if baby I'm on bottom, you're on top." Just FYI. -- The Anonymous Blogger
I had a great weekend. Hope you all did.
Nothing pithy to say, but if you're not familiar with the comedic genius of lyricist Cole Porter, here are some lyrics to make you feel good today:
You're the top!
You're the Coliseum.
You're the top!
You're the Lourve Museum.
You're a melody from a symphony by Strauss
You're a Bendel bonnet, A Shakespeare's sonnet, You're Mickey Mouse.
You're the Nile,
You're the Tower of Pisa,
You're the smile on the Mona Lisa
I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,
But if baby, I'm the bottom, you're the top!
Update:
I already got a very intellectual response to my post today:
"I don't recall all the lyrics, but I once wrote a more sexually suggestive version of the song which ended with "but if baby I'm on bottom, you're on top." Just FYI. -- The Anonymous Blogger
8/04/2006
An ode
It's almost like you can feel it.
The sun is going down just a little sooner at night. Kids are actually reporting to football practice.
Even if it's a hundred degrees out and still plenty of weekends left to enjoy the beach, fall is very very slowly sneaking up on us.
I don't mean to steal summer dreams from anyone. I like summer, too. It's just odd that I'm already seeing hints of that back-to-school time already.
There are stores with crisply folded sweaters and school supplies on sale. Freshly sharpened pencils and evenly lined notebooks. LL Bean catalogues with hues of navy blue, hunter green.
In a little over a month, the coolness will tumble beneath our ears in the morning like a barely perceptible whisper. We'll hear the buses starting and stopping outside, and we'll know nervous freshmen are heading that way.
It's always been the time to start again, to sit behind a desk and hope that each of our new teachers has a sense of humor, hope we're assigned in at least one class to sit next to that cute boy/girl we've been dreaming about for ages. This is the year we finally wise up enough to figure out how to get their attention.
Does this entry seem too wistful? Or is there a way to spin this feeling around and still look at every autumn day as new and colorful as the leaves?
Update:
I forgot that I have three sportswriters reading this blog (believe it or not). The female one writes:
> Kids better not be reporting to official, formal football practice yet. I believe the first day allowed by the NJSIAA is Aug. 21. These are just captains' practices, which "don't count." Except kids who don't show up likely won't be startin' in the fall!
It's almost like you can feel it.
The sun is going down just a little sooner at night. Kids are actually reporting to football practice.
Even if it's a hundred degrees out and still plenty of weekends left to enjoy the beach, fall is very very slowly sneaking up on us.
I don't mean to steal summer dreams from anyone. I like summer, too. It's just odd that I'm already seeing hints of that back-to-school time already.
There are stores with crisply folded sweaters and school supplies on sale. Freshly sharpened pencils and evenly lined notebooks. LL Bean catalogues with hues of navy blue, hunter green.
In a little over a month, the coolness will tumble beneath our ears in the morning like a barely perceptible whisper. We'll hear the buses starting and stopping outside, and we'll know nervous freshmen are heading that way.
It's always been the time to start again, to sit behind a desk and hope that each of our new teachers has a sense of humor, hope we're assigned in at least one class to sit next to that cute boy/girl we've been dreaming about for ages. This is the year we finally wise up enough to figure out how to get their attention.
Does this entry seem too wistful? Or is there a way to spin this feeling around and still look at every autumn day as new and colorful as the leaves?
Update:
I forgot that I have three sportswriters reading this blog (believe it or not). The female one writes:
> Kids better not be reporting to official, formal football practice yet. I believe the first day allowed by the NJSIAA is Aug. 21. These are just captains' practices, which "don't count." Except kids who don't show up likely won't be startin' in the fall!
8/03/2006
Too hot to blog
Agh.
I noticed a lot of homeless people just lying on the sidewalks in NYC this evening. I wished I had brought a list of free cooling centers to hand them -- although that may be simplistic. I know many of them aren't with it enough to get up and go, but maybe a few could have used the info. I'm not sure there is an actual list - since http://home.nyc.gov/portal/index.jsp?pageID=nyc_home only allows you to put in your address and find a center nearby.
Anyway, if you happen to live in a big hot steamy city and you see someone who looks like they need it, think about giving them a bottle of water. I'm gonna try it next time I'm downtown in NYC.
Agh.
I noticed a lot of homeless people just lying on the sidewalks in NYC this evening. I wished I had brought a list of free cooling centers to hand them -- although that may be simplistic. I know many of them aren't with it enough to get up and go, but maybe a few could have used the info. I'm not sure there is an actual list - since http://home.nyc.gov/portal/index.jsp?pageID=nyc_home only allows you to put in your address and find a center nearby.
Anyway, if you happen to live in a big hot steamy city and you see someone who looks like they need it, think about giving them a bottle of water. I'm gonna try it next time I'm downtown in NYC.
8/02/2006
In chick-lit news...
The segment on Air America this morning on This Is Chick Lit (scheduled to ship next week!) and This Is Not Chick Lit was pretty good. The astute host said that it seems like there's always a battle between so-called "literary" and commercial fiction, but what is "literary?" One of them said, laughing, something like: "Commericial means it sells."
They both mentioned several times that chick lit is what's selling now. I think both books will get good publicity over this.
Also, I have been informed that this month's Bust Magazine has a review of both books which says: "Like a lot of snotty literary types, I have often sneered at chick lit...I'm here to tell you: I was wrong...These stories, which take chick lit beyond its Bridget Jonesian beginnings, show that it's time to take this maturing genre a little more seriously. In this round of the culture wars, at least, the point goes to the chick-lit girls."
Some other news notes:
Track Tropical Storm Chris. Probably heading for the Gulf.
Because of the insanely high temperatures in NYC, several buildings (like the Empire State Bldg) and bridges (like the Brooklyn Bridge and GWB) will not be all lit up tonight, in order to conserve power.
Recently, the age at which you can join the Army was increased to 42.
Not in the news
I work with a guy in this cover band. I will probably try to catch one of their shows this month.
The segment on Air America this morning on This Is Chick Lit (scheduled to ship next week!) and This Is Not Chick Lit was pretty good. The astute host said that it seems like there's always a battle between so-called "literary" and commercial fiction, but what is "literary?" One of them said, laughing, something like: "Commericial means it sells."
They both mentioned several times that chick lit is what's selling now. I think both books will get good publicity over this.
Also, I have been informed that this month's Bust Magazine has a review of both books which says: "Like a lot of snotty literary types, I have often sneered at chick lit...I'm here to tell you: I was wrong...These stories, which take chick lit beyond its Bridget Jonesian beginnings, show that it's time to take this maturing genre a little more seriously. In this round of the culture wars, at least, the point goes to the chick-lit girls."
Some other news notes:
Track Tropical Storm Chris. Probably heading for the Gulf.
Because of the insanely high temperatures in NYC, several buildings (like the Empire State Bldg) and bridges (like the Brooklyn Bridge and GWB) will not be all lit up tonight, in order to conserve power.
Recently, the age at which you can join the Army was increased to 42.
Not in the news
I work with a guy in this cover band. I will probably try to catch one of their shows this month.
8/01/2006
Random images from my camera
Apparently my town has a welcome wagon:
Park in Jersey City yesterday:
Not long ago, I was in Hell's Kitchen and saw a group of cops and EMTs around a woman who was lying on her back on the sidewalk. The EMTs were doing CPR, pressing on her to restart her heart, as the cops surrounded them to keep people away. When I passed, I saw one of those striped, tattered tote bags that homeless women carry. There was a man guarding it. I also saw that they had her shirt off and she had enormous, beachball-shaped, probably fake breasts. So maybe she was a hooker (why else would she spend all her money on fake breasts?) At first, I worried that she was just a homeless woman who had fainted and had no one to care for her. The fact that she's a hooker didn't make me feel less bad, but...anyway, I was pleased that the cops and EMTs cared enough to bring her back to life.
Which they did. Sometimes we see the worst of society, but I saw some cops and St. Vincent's ambulance workers giving their best.
Only problem was...no one was appointed to clean up afterward. (I happened to pass again on the way home.)
Apparently my town has a welcome wagon:
Park in Jersey City yesterday:
Not long ago, I was in Hell's Kitchen and saw a group of cops and EMTs around a woman who was lying on her back on the sidewalk. The EMTs were doing CPR, pressing on her to restart her heart, as the cops surrounded them to keep people away. When I passed, I saw one of those striped, tattered tote bags that homeless women carry. There was a man guarding it. I also saw that they had her shirt off and she had enormous, beachball-shaped, probably fake breasts. So maybe she was a hooker (why else would she spend all her money on fake breasts?) At first, I worried that she was just a homeless woman who had fainted and had no one to care for her. The fact that she's a hooker didn't make me feel less bad, but...anyway, I was pleased that the cops and EMTs cared enough to bring her back to life.
Which they did. Sometimes we see the worst of society, but I saw some cops and St. Vincent's ambulance workers giving their best.
Only problem was...no one was appointed to clean up afterward. (I happened to pass again on the way home.)
.jpg)
Hey, chicks...
Tomorrow, August 2, Publishers Weekly editor Sara Nelson will be live on Air America Morning Radio at 8:30 am (Eastern). She will remark on the debate regarding women’s literary fiction vs. chick-lit, specifically discussing This is NOT Chick-Lit (Random House, August 2006) and THIS IS CHICK-LIT (BenBella Books, September 2006) respectively.
In NY, NY, Air America is WLIB 1190 AM. To find out your local station, go to www.airamerica.com
I'll be tuning in to hear what she says...
Tomorrow, August 2, Publishers Weekly editor Sara Nelson will be live on Air America Morning Radio at 8:30 am (Eastern). She will remark on the debate regarding women’s literary fiction vs. chick-lit, specifically discussing This is NOT Chick-Lit (Random House, August 2006) and THIS IS CHICK-LIT (BenBella Books, September 2006) respectively.
In NY, NY, Air America is WLIB 1190 AM. To find out your local station, go to www.airamerica.com
I'll be tuning in to hear what she says...
7/31/2006
Nice stuff in the mail today
Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you...
This girl used to work at my newspaper and wanted to publish a young adult novel. I stayed in touch with her...after many years of her hard work, she just got a two book deal! She announced it on a listserve I'm on:
"Okay, so... I know that most everyone is away at nationals, but I still wanted to share my HAPPY NEWS. My lovely agent, [redacted], has sold my YA novel, [Etc.], and its yet-to-be-written sequel, [Etc.], to [Etc.] at Berkley Jam. I'm over the moon!!It was almost a year ago that I found this group, and since then my writing career has taken off....a BIG THANKS to [Etc.] for helping me perfect the query letter that got me my agent; ...[Etc.] and to C*ren Li**ner for inviting me into my first writer's group and turning me on to this loop. You gals ROCK!!"
Fan letter
just wanted to say I really enjoy your photos (especially the BLOB) and I can tell from your postings that you are very sweet. Keep posting! -- M
Thanks, M! I think the blob made some people sick, but I like the letter! (M is in Canada, and thus safe from our American blobs.)
Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you...
This girl used to work at my newspaper and wanted to publish a young adult novel. I stayed in touch with her...after many years of her hard work, she just got a two book deal! She announced it on a listserve I'm on:
"Okay, so... I know that most everyone is away at nationals, but I still wanted to share my HAPPY NEWS. My lovely agent, [redacted], has sold my YA novel, [Etc.], and its yet-to-be-written sequel, [Etc.], to [Etc.] at Berkley Jam. I'm over the moon!!It was almost a year ago that I found this group, and since then my writing career has taken off....a BIG THANKS to [Etc.] for helping me perfect the query letter that got me my agent; ...[Etc.] and to C*ren Li**ner for inviting me into my first writer's group and turning me on to this loop. You gals ROCK!!"
Fan letter
just wanted to say I really enjoy your photos (especially the BLOB) and I can tell from your postings that you are very sweet. Keep posting! -- M
Thanks, M! I think the blob made some people sick, but I like the letter! (M is in Canada, and thus safe from our American blobs.)
7/30/2006
The glamorous life
A friend left me a phone message in which she said, "I wanted to see if you 'just happened to be on a yacht'..."
I guess that was a reference to my entry last Friday in which I was at a small gathering on a yacht. I think my life sounds a lot more glamorous than it really is. It was a small yacht, I swear!!
A friend left me a phone message in which she said, "I wanted to see if you 'just happened to be on a yacht'..."
I guess that was a reference to my entry last Friday in which I was at a small gathering on a yacht. I think my life sounds a lot more glamorous than it really is. It was a small yacht, I swear!!
7/29/2006
Clerks II*
It's time for ... my Clerks II review.
Hey, where'd everyone go?
First, I'll say that the heroic boy who took me to see it, who is lovely and cute and smart, is now quite disgusted with my taste in movies. Oh well. In my defense, many intelligent people liked it. A.O. Scott from the New York Times gave it an excellent review.
Now then.
I have to agree, the Boy was right - this one was kinda stupid.
The original Clerks was fresh and funny, with intelligent lightening-fast dialogue about all sorts of topics: The types of customers in a convenience store, movies, sex and relationships, dead-end jobs.
In this one, I was glad to see the lovable characters again: Dante, Randal, Jay and Silent Bob. But most of their lines meant for shock value. Some of it was funny, but most of it was just there to shock. The first movie didn't just scream "cock" in a crowded theater.
I think maybe Kevin Smith used up most of his material in his other five movies and the "Clerks" cartoon show, and these jokes were left in his basement.
I did like the new character, Elias, and his reasons for not being able to have sex with his girlfriend.
But I felt bad for that poor sweet donkey.
All in all, I give it two trolls out of five.
I still think "Jersey Girl" was an excellent movie.
*(Note: I had a snappier version of this review up earlier, and somehow, the file got corrupted and a photo of some guns and some Spanish words became part of the post. I swear. Maybe some Kevin Smith fans got into it. Anyway, I tried to rewrite it from memory.)
It's time for ... my Clerks II review.
Hey, where'd everyone go?
First, I'll say that the heroic boy who took me to see it, who is lovely and cute and smart, is now quite disgusted with my taste in movies. Oh well. In my defense, many intelligent people liked it. A.O. Scott from the New York Times gave it an excellent review.
Now then.
I have to agree, the Boy was right - this one was kinda stupid.
The original Clerks was fresh and funny, with intelligent lightening-fast dialogue about all sorts of topics: The types of customers in a convenience store, movies, sex and relationships, dead-end jobs.
In this one, I was glad to see the lovable characters again: Dante, Randal, Jay and Silent Bob. But most of their lines meant for shock value. Some of it was funny, but most of it was just there to shock. The first movie didn't just scream "cock" in a crowded theater.
I think maybe Kevin Smith used up most of his material in his other five movies and the "Clerks" cartoon show, and these jokes were left in his basement.
I did like the new character, Elias, and his reasons for not being able to have sex with his girlfriend.
But I felt bad for that poor sweet donkey.
All in all, I give it two trolls out of five.
I still think "Jersey Girl" was an excellent movie.
*(Note: I had a snappier version of this review up earlier, and somehow, the file got corrupted and a photo of some guns and some Spanish words became part of the post. I swear. Maybe some Kevin Smith fans got into it. Anyway, I tried to rewrite it from memory.)
7/28/2006
Six degrees of Kevin Smith
Lots of people who come from Central Jersey try to have a Kevin Smith story. Even the PSE&G repairman who saw my "Clerks" poster last year told me some things about going to high school with him.
Anyway, I can proudly state that besides having interviewed Kevin Smith many years ago when he did a screening of "Chasing Amy" in Hoboken, I was two years behind "Clerks" star Brian O'Halloran during high school. O'Halloran wasn't involved in a lot of things, but senior year, he won the lead role in "Snoopy" and gave a performance (and I'm not exaggerating) that you couldn't take your eyes off of.
Every time he whirled on stage in his collar, he pretty much commanded attention. As my drama teacher said, "All of a sudden you have this kid who comes out of nowhere, and he's great..." She said it because two girls in my class were talking about how O'Halloran wasn't sure what to do with his future, and might be going into the Navy or something (hey, it was a long time ago and my memory could be a little off.)
I'm glad he kept acting.
7/27/2006
Weeks We Should Get off Work
Week to catch up on sleep
Week to catch up on random books we think we should have read because people always mention them in conversation
Week to catch up on meaningless pleasure reading that doesn't apply above
Week to catch up on suspenseful cable TV series that everyone else talks about
Week to exercise (should be done while catching up on above, to make it less painless) or quit smoking
Week to write thank-you notes to people who went beyond call of duty, who we meant to thank or repay but never got around to it
Week to take lessons we always wanted to take (foreign language, instrument, or what have you)
Week for domestic travel (note: If living in NYC, may mean setting foot in a different borough)
Week for international travel
Week to clean house, paint stuff, and throw out old junk so that when it's time to move, we don't say, "Geez, it would have been so much more fun living here all these years if I'd fixed it up sooner"
Week to volunteer and donate to charities
Week to tell people in your life how much you appreciate them (note: may involve risk of said people deciding you're clingy)
Week to take care of your body with massages, manicures, etc. (Boys, you can just floss.)
Week to look up stuff in encyclopedia that you always wanted to know (Like, what is the difference between crumpled and crumbled?)
Week to watch and read news
Week for random other self-improvement (Boys, you can just floss.)
Week to find real O.J. killer
Week to finally introduce self to neighbors you've lived next to for forty years
Week to get revenge on all those people who wronged you whom you've been thinking about ...whoops, just kidding. I meant, week to hope for peace and love.
Update: Someone e-mailed me to ask if I'm OK. This post is meant to be lighthearted. Don't worry, I'm fine! Oh, the link to the Bible is also kinda a joke, although I do think I should read it again one of these days because I'm so Biblically ignorant.
7/26/2006
Thanking the driver
On Friday, I was at a small gathering on a yacht with some visitors from New Zealand. The inevitable discussion topic came up about ways people are different in New Zealand than here in New York. One of the Zealanders mentioned that people here are really polite, as evidenced by the fact that they were all thanking the bus driver as they got off.
This happens on every bus I take (to and from New York), and I've thought about it. It's not out of custom. I wasn't taught to say thank you to bus drivers when getting off the bus. I don't think other people do it out of custom or etiquette, either.
For some reason, it just seems like you have to do it as you get off, as you are passing the guy and it almost feels rude not to. We do thank the McDonald's cashier who hands us our fries, and the shoestore guy who puts our Jordans on. We don't thank the garbage men picking up our trash, but we normally aren't parked right next to them for a few minutes.
I think people thank the bus driver mainly because they're passing him and "thank you" feels like the appropriate thing to say. I don't think they're consciously expressing gratitude because he got them there. I could be wrong, but it just feels like politeness more than gratitude, not like something you do because your parents taught you it once.
Another view of New York
Us New York-centric people sometimes forget that the rest of the world doesn't think like us and doesn't live like us.
A reader of mine in Texas forwarded to me a story from the Times about apartment brokers, with the subject head "I don't get it," and this comment:
That article is about apartment brokers – people that help you find an apartment in NYC. I have never heard of such a thing – why can’t people find apartments on their own?
I asked him if I could post this so that New Yorkers can laugh at him.
For those interested in writing and publishing
How much are you willing to give up for your art? A young writer (early 20s I believe) has posted this e-mail exchange with his editor at a small press. Eventually, the editor stopped working with him.
He posted the exchange here on his blog (go down to the e-mail exchange) and he also has linked to some people making fun of him, like here.
My updates
I'm working on a few different novels right now - since last December, I've had an unusual spate of ideas that excited me. In fact, I'm about finished with something I'll call Project F. Hopefully news on that by September.
Meanwhile, the novel I've worked on for four years is STILL being revised by me, and maybe I can get it done this fall.
At what point
At what point do people give up on their dreams?
I've known someone since college, let's call him "M," who is tremendously talented and creative. (No, he doesn't know this blog exists.) These days, he works his job, goes home to his wife, and that's it. Maybe he's happy. But 30 years old is way too young to decide that you're giving up. Maybe you realized you're not going to get drafted by the Red Sox, but then coach Little League!
(And yes, I know that maybe he's happy just relaxing. And I'm all for that. Still, I don't want him to turn 70 and say, hey, what the hell did I do?!)
Clerks II
Yes, I'm ashamed to admit that the yacht party got in the way of my plan to see it opening night and support talented New Jerseyan Kevin Smith. But rumor has it that a heroic boy may be taking me to see it very soon. Review to come (of the movie, of course).
On Friday, I was at a small gathering on a yacht with some visitors from New Zealand. The inevitable discussion topic came up about ways people are different in New Zealand than here in New York. One of the Zealanders mentioned that people here are really polite, as evidenced by the fact that they were all thanking the bus driver as they got off.
This happens on every bus I take (to and from New York), and I've thought about it. It's not out of custom. I wasn't taught to say thank you to bus drivers when getting off the bus. I don't think other people do it out of custom or etiquette, either.
For some reason, it just seems like you have to do it as you get off, as you are passing the guy and it almost feels rude not to. We do thank the McDonald's cashier who hands us our fries, and the shoestore guy who puts our Jordans on. We don't thank the garbage men picking up our trash, but we normally aren't parked right next to them for a few minutes.
I think people thank the bus driver mainly because they're passing him and "thank you" feels like the appropriate thing to say. I don't think they're consciously expressing gratitude because he got them there. I could be wrong, but it just feels like politeness more than gratitude, not like something you do because your parents taught you it once.
Another view of New York
Us New York-centric people sometimes forget that the rest of the world doesn't think like us and doesn't live like us.
A reader of mine in Texas forwarded to me a story from the Times about apartment brokers, with the subject head "I don't get it," and this comment:
That article is about apartment brokers – people that help you find an apartment in NYC. I have never heard of such a thing – why can’t people find apartments on their own?
I asked him if I could post this so that New Yorkers can laugh at him.
For those interested in writing and publishing
How much are you willing to give up for your art? A young writer (early 20s I believe) has posted this e-mail exchange with his editor at a small press. Eventually, the editor stopped working with him.
He posted the exchange here on his blog (go down to the e-mail exchange) and he also has linked to some people making fun of him, like here.
My updates
I'm working on a few different novels right now - since last December, I've had an unusual spate of ideas that excited me. In fact, I'm about finished with something I'll call Project F. Hopefully news on that by September.
Meanwhile, the novel I've worked on for four years is STILL being revised by me, and maybe I can get it done this fall.
At what point
At what point do people give up on their dreams?
I've known someone since college, let's call him "M," who is tremendously talented and creative. (No, he doesn't know this blog exists.) These days, he works his job, goes home to his wife, and that's it. Maybe he's happy. But 30 years old is way too young to decide that you're giving up. Maybe you realized you're not going to get drafted by the Red Sox, but then coach Little League!
(And yes, I know that maybe he's happy just relaxing. And I'm all for that. Still, I don't want him to turn 70 and say, hey, what the hell did I do?!)
Clerks II
Yes, I'm ashamed to admit that the yacht party got in the way of my plan to see it opening night and support talented New Jerseyan Kevin Smith. But rumor has it that a heroic boy may be taking me to see it very soon. Review to come (of the movie, of course).
