Lists Upon Lists

I stumbled upon this interesting list of "future classics" and scanned it with interest. Is it just a sales pitch from Barnes and Noble? Or a clever way to spark conversations about what makes a classic and how one would recognize it in a contemporary novel that has not yet stood the test of time (one definition of a classic)?  Or maybe a little of both?

I'm proud to say that I've read quite a few of these--15, to be exact--and 9 more are on my TBR list. Thank you, list reading! You've really paid off by making sure I'm reading excellent books.

Life of Pi. Cloud Atlas. The True History of the Kelly Gang. Well chosen.

But also: A Brief History of Seven Killings. The Sellout. Even Bel Canto. Ummm, not so much.

Still, it's great fun to be nudged into adding just a few more books to the TBR list. And that's a classic experience, for sure!

The Possibilities Are Endless

Do you ever see or hear something that makes your mind expand like a loaf of bread rising?

Get ready to feel that feeling. There are so many applications of this simple, brilliant idea.

Enjoy!

(It has a surprising alternative ending, too. Wait for it.)

Outside the Box

In some ways, yes, I know this is a giant advertisement. But that doesn't stop it from being very, very interesting.

What better way to highlight the power and accuracy of your temperature control system than to create something that completely depends on it? You can't send someone a free sample of your cooled air, but this project gives them a memorable visual representation.

Perhaps most interesting to me is the example of how commerce and the arts can support one another instead of being trapped in the either/or mindset.

Brave and creative thinking, on display.

Summer Reading, Anyone?

In case you need some ideas, here's a fun flowchart from the awesome Strand Books. (Full size picture here.)

Weird Name, Great Product

I don't really do product reviews here at the Cafe, but when something good comes along, I'm happy to feature it. This wonder-in-a-bottle not only works great, but has a nostalgic (to me) backstory.  

Once upon a time, I worked for a law firm that kept case documents in notebooks. Reusing the notebooks from one case to the next meant labeling and re-labeling the spines, and that meant sticky residue.

Sometimes there was leftover glue around the edges of new labels. Sometimes the old glue was so old that the new labels refused to adhere. Either way, replacing the labels without removing the original glue was highly unsatisfactory.

The managing partner of the firm was quite meticulous (a nice word for various other expressions that mean "excessively attentive to details"). I could see his point, of course: when you need a particular set of medical records ASAP, what you don't need is a selection of sticky notebooks with no labels.

That's how Goo Gone came into my life. Now instead of being the notebook custodian's secret weapon, it comes in handy for books and the occasional thrift store purchase.

I'm not a big fan of the stickers they put on book covers after the fact. If I'm planning to keep the book in my permanent library, I remove the sticker. Provided I do it carefully and don't make any creases, using Goo Gone means that after I'm finished, you can't even tell the sticker was there.

Because about 95% of my books are used, sometimes other people have done a poor job removing the various promo or pricing stickers. Like this.

Or maybe like this.

And don't get me started on those nasty thrift store price tags that disintegrate into a jillion segments when you try to remove them, no matter how carefully.

So for all those uses, I heartily recommend Goo Gone, which is widely available and not nearly as well known as it should be. A bottle lasts a very long time and it has a nice orange scent, too.

A few drops, a momentary pause, a few swipes with a paper towel, and voila, the cover is as good as new.

Being a liquid, it only works on non-porous surfaces, but it's fine for a glossy dust jacket or the cover of a paperback. There might be a tiny sheen left behind from the citrus oil, but that disappears rapidly with a quick polish with a clean paper towel. (The faint stain here is from the sticker, I think, not from the product. I applied the Goo Gone over the entire word "of" and it wiped off without a trace.)

I keep my trusty bottle in a plastic bag, just in case of drips or leaks. Which have never happened, but seem like they might, someday when I forget to put the cap on tightly enough.

I know, I know. I'm pretty meticulous.

 

Younger Than Ever

I celebrated my birthday last month and as usual, made a point of buying myself some presents, or at least planning to buy myself some presents.

Traditionally, I buy myself presents like getting the car detailed. Normally I'm not very motivated to spend money on that, but between my birthday and Christmas, at least it gets done twice a year.  It's the Phyllis Diller approach, applied to the car:  "You make the beds, you wash the dishes and six months later you have to start all over again."

Anyway, purely as an impulse buy, I signed up for Merchbox, which has been described as a "music subscription for physical objects," hoping to salve my recent lack of musical awareness. Without any indie radio around here, I have been relying on Spotify for music, but that doesn't help when I'm driving.

Merchbox came to my attention at the perfect time, combining the ideas of musical upgrade and birthday present. I was also charmed by the idea of getting a tangible, surprising present in the mail every month, chosen (more or less) especially for me by someone who knows what they're doing.  That I have to pay a few bucks for it doesn't matter too much.

My impulsive decision was confirmed by the e-mail exchange I had with the proprietor when I signed up. Asked to give my age and my three favorite bands, I expressed some dismay at being solidly over 50 and liking Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Counting Crows and Red Hot Chili Peppers. I described myself as desperately needing a musical update.

Merchbox Mike approved of my choices and kindly and cleverly told me that "53 is the new 25, FYI."

That's when I knew I'd made the right decision.

Yesterday the goodies arrived. Today, thanks to two CDs, a koozie from a band nobody I know has ever heard of (yet), and a matchbox packet of lemony soap papers from the You Smell soap company, I'll be ready for my annual Fourth of July beer, and I'll sound and smell 25.

Really, Really Exciting News

Usually I am not gung-ho to see a movie when I've already read the book. But in this case I'll make an exception!

Cloud Atlas movie trailer

If you haven't read the book, you may find this preview unintelligible. The book is an amalgam of different stories and genres, too. But in a good way. Once you get in the swing of it, it miraculously works.

For an explanation of how the movie came to be, scroll down on the same page and watch the Directors' Introduction video. That will help.

Beyond that, you'll just have to trust me: All will be made clear eventually and the temporary confusion is totally, totally worth it.

And if you're not up for the movie, read the book.

"Deserving of a Wider Audience," Indeed

Sometimes things are just too doggone good not to share.

My most recent example comes from the fabulous blog Letters of Note and has nearly all of the elements that make for good reading: superb writing, the kind of intelligent cleverness that makes me think "Gosh, I wish I'd thought of that," and the come-uppance of someone who very much deserves it (bonus: who also happens to be a lawyer).

Click here for the whole deal: Steve, I've Got News

Well played, Ms. Klemt!

What a Surprise! Fiction is Good for You

Fresh evidence that literature rocks, from the Boston Globe: a nice, depth-y article on Why Fiction is Good for You, discussing some recent scientific studies that aspire to prove just that.

Not only does fiction mold how we think, what we believe, and how we behave, apparently it also shapes what we expect from the world and inspires us to act in ways that bring that happy ending about. Or so says this article.

I am still working out whether this positive influence also applies if you spend a lot of time reading, say, Edgar Allan Poe. Or Faulkner.

Quick, help me think of a novel where not a single one of the characters is admirable in any way. I am drawing a blank for any further examples where literature would not be redeeming.

(Hm. New theory in the making: what makes great literature great is having a basically good character trying to figure out how to cope with a basically bad/immoral/ challenging/crazy situation. It's the "good guy in a strange situation" that allows the story to be told in a way we can relate to. That could fit a lot of novels, couldn't it? Too bad I'm not writing papers anymore.)

Meanwhile, reading is making the world a better place in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. And isn't that a nice thing to think about!

Well, It's Official: I Love the Internet (Sometimes)

Much as I love books, much as I love conversation, much as I love photographs . . . . There's really no substitute for the immediate value and joy the internet can deliver when it's having a good day.

Thanks to Oreneta at Oreneta Aground for sending me to this fabulous website, Letters of Note, where you can find such gems as a letter from a former slave, Jourdon Anderson, in response to his former owner's request for him to come back and work for him, and the Nixon White House's contingency plan and speech, prepared in case the 1969 Apollo 11 moon mission killed its two astronauts.

No doubt I will be spending a lot of time reading those archives.

As if that isn't enough splendor for any one person, the creator of Letters of Note also maintains a letterhead collection, Letterheady, and a collection of fabulous lists called Lists of Note. Both are sure to prove absolutely addictive.

My first sample from Lists of Note is How to Write, which I will be keeping on hand for the future (and maybe putting into practice).

Oh sure, all of these probably have been in a book, or will be in a book someday, or they might have come up in conversation or been featured in some museum exhibit somewhere.

But thanks to the internet, they are already here, delivered right to my visual doorstep before it is even daylight on an otherwise ordinary Wednesday morning. How could I not love that?

Today's Boggle

Wow, I can't even begin to explain why this makes me so happy.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/09/12/140394807/extreme-tidying-up

Reminds me of yarn stores

(photo by gina pina via flickr)

and a 70's bath and body shop called H2O (Does anyone else remember this place? All the flavors of bath and body products were arranged in the color spectrum. Being in the store was like stepping inside the color wheel. So cool.)

and some of those inspiring book photos you can find on flickr.

(photo by juhansonin via flickr)

I used to work in an office where, just for fun, we would all agree to wear the same color on a particular day.  It was a small adventure to see everyone show up for work dressed in, say, purple. 

Wish I'd thought of the car parking idea. That would have been just as much fun. 

Instead of undiagnosed OCD, I prefer to think of this yearning for organization as a passion for order.  Not that you could tell it by looking at my desk, most of the time.

Maybe that's why I like this so much!  

Bow Down to Excellence

It comes in many forms, my friends.

Quotereflections post on Scottish cyclist Danny MacAskill, with very important video link. Don't miss it!

Random Reports

Too much going on for a coherent post right now . . . so just bits and pieces.

I saw the Prairie Home Companion simulcast Thursday night and it was worth every cent of the $23.00 theatre ticket. It was such fun to see what everyone looked like and realize who does which voices in the various skits, not to mention seeing how all those marvellous sound effects are generated. AND they included lots of English major jokes, the kind of clever humor I can't get enough of. (If you aren't a fan of the show you will have no idea what I'm talking about. Sorry.)

The musical guests (Old Crow Medicine Show, Joe Ely, Sara Watkins and Andra Suchy) were simply outstanding, brimming with the kind of effortless talent that made me yearn to have dedicated my life to the fiddle, the piano, or even the harmonica over 40 years ago so I could be really good by now.

The show was so enjoyable I'm glad it will be broadcast on the radio twice this weekend. I will probably listen both times. Other people must have liked it, too, because there will be an encore theatre showing on Monday. If you visit the website you can find a theatre near you. Again, well worth the bucks.

Just finished listening to the Yankees lose to the Rangers, complete with the satisfaction of a big fat K for A-Rod as the final out. Gosh, I love it when the Yankees lose. I just can't help myself. (In fairness, my beloved Red Sox didn't even make the post-season. But hey, it doesn't make me love them any less.)

Also struggling with the straightforward but still disturbing need to properly report a student who is blatantly plagiarizing papers in a humanities graduate program. I'm only the writing coach, not the professor, so I have to tread lightly. But I definitely must take action. Ugh! Why, why, why does academic dishonesty seem to be a reasonable alternative for some people?

To make matters worse, the source of the stolen material is Wikipedia! So it isn't even high-quality plagiarism, which you would kind of expect from a graduate student, you know? Doubly offensive. And vaguely insulting.

On that note . . . Off to dreamland, and not a moment too soon.

Too Funny

I just found out about this. Perhaps I am the last to know about it. However, it was a true day-brightener and therefore irresistible for sharing purposes.

Did you hear that some time ago Sarah Schmelling rewrote Hamlet as Facebook updates? NPR featured it recently.

There is a book, too, with lots of other works done in the same style. Incredibly clever and geeky book humor, yes?

Pardon me while I go add Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit Signs on to Facebook* to my Wish List.

* But shouldn't that be "onto"? Just asking.

The Right Way to Talk About Jail

(C.S. will probably wish he hadn't read this post, but what the heck?)

You might not expect it of me, but I am quite a fan of country music. I think it's because my musical teeth were cut on Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Eagles, James Taylor, and Jimmy Buffet, and country music is about the closest thing to that sound you'll get these days. Or a heck of a lot closer than hip hop, you know?

It could also have to do with my college friend who introduced me to Merle Haggard and David Allan Coe. My otherwise quite normal friend used to bring the house down at every campus talent show with his straight-up version of "Okie from Muskogee." This was during the disco era and I still can't figure out why everybody loved it so.

Anyway, if you're not a fan, I beg you, give it a try with this humorous sample of what country music is all about. (If the music drives you crazy in short order, skip forward to 1:19 and just listen to the talking and the final verse. Also keep your eyes open for a shot of Mr. Coe's sequined cowboy boots.)

Okay, all set?

You might not expect it of NPR, either, but as part of their new determination to be more hip (has anyone else noticed this?), they recently interviewed the lovely and talented Elizabeth Cook, who hails from my neck of the woods and has the twangiest Southern ack-seynt I have heard in a long, long time. She is intelligent and articulate and clearly a deeply feeling person. You can listen to the interview here. I particularly like the way she makes her daddy's time in the slammer sound like a poker hand.

Too Funny

This website isn't the only thing I learned about at a conference recently, but it's the only thing I learned that actually made me laugh out loud. Repeatedly.

The keynote presenter used a few of these slides in her PowerPoint, just to break the ice. It worked. We immediately knew that she was not only a genius, but also a fun person with a delightful sense of humor.

Many more of these are available at http://www.despair.com/. These are just a few of my favorites.

By the way, they also sell t-shirts and "glassware for pessimists" on the site. Go ahead. Look around.

Two of the Next Household Words

If you don't recognize the names Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, today's a good day to remedy that little gap in your knowledge. Even if you don't follow Thoroughbred racing, I recommend that you check out these two wonderful female athletes.

Rachel Alexandra embarrassed the top fillies in the country last May in the female equivalent of the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks. In the Preakness, she beat the top colts, too. She did it again in the Haskell.

Zenyatta is an older mare and she's beaten the boys, too, in the biggest race of the year, the Breeders Cup Classic. In 14 races, she hasn't lost yet.

For now, which one is better is pure speculation. Maybe this year they will race against each other for the first time and we'll get to see how they stack up.

Meanwhile, their separate 2010 debuts are live on the internet TODAY at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time. Click here to see that.

Mixed Review

I suppose you already know that Bob Dylan has a Christmas album out. Much as I enjoy Dylan in small doses, this is a concept I have trouble getting my mind around. The man can write a song, for sure. But the thought of a Christmas album in that distinctive voice makes my brain hurt.

Given my skeptical attitude, imagine my surprise when I found "Must Be Santa" on YouTube and actually enjoyed it. I'm a pushover for cumulative songs (I still remember one from my college days at Ye Olde Renaissance Faire) and this one has that going for it, along with a whole lot of bouncy accordion. Plus, what's not to like about a song that rhymes "Nixon" with "Vixen" in a presidents/reindeer rundown?

Clearly Dylan has a sense of humor. I suppose it's too much to ask that the man should crack a smile in his own music video. With that demeanor, as one review said, he makes "I'll Be Home for Christmas" seem more like a threat than a promise.

Too Good Not to Share

Good stuff on the radio yesterday: NPR radio program Studio 360 examined Melville's classic Moby-Dick with an intoxicating blend of education and entertainment.

Want to sit in at Julliard and explore how the novel relates to American jazz? Or perhaps compare and contrast the Pequod with the Enterprise, and Ahab with Kirk? Or hear how Ray Bradbury approached writing the screenplay for the movie? Studio 360 did all that and more.

If this doesn't sound like your cup of tea, do yourself this one favor: At least listen to everything you need to know about Moby-Dick in a two-minute monologue, complete with sound effects: Moby-Dude (scroll down a bit when you get there--it's the third clip).

Refreshing. Hilarious. A book lover's dream. Enjoy!

(image from www.sheilaomalley.com)

Dreaming of Florida?

I saw an interesting ad in one of the local free papers this week and it prompted me to visit this website: WinMyFarm.com. Looks good, doesn't it?

I'm not sure I am ready to jump in, though. My gut tells me this falls into the category of Be Careful What You Wish For, You Might Get It. This place is over an hour from where I work, plus I suspect the upkeep is pretty steep, not to mention labor-intensive. The taxes would be daunting. Not to mention that with hurricane season around the corner, I would think twice before moving into a mobile home. (More likely, I'd move into one of the stalls in the barn. You can tell this family spent all the right kinds of money to build the barn first, not uncommon among horse people.)

On the plus side, Eustis is a town I would happily choose for my home town, if I relocated anywhere in this area. Five acres is the perfect size. The barn looks really nice. And the property itself is beautiful in typical Florida style. Under the right circumstances, this would be a dream come true.

Let me know if you decide to sharpen your pencils and give this a try. The closing date is July 31. Who knows? This could be you.

(photo from winmyfarm.com)