As Seen, Posted Above a Urinal

Seems like the thread started with that just-as-witty shaving commercial -- something like, "the tree looks taller when the underbrush is cleared away" (was it Gilette?) -- is here to stay.

Keep it classy, Bally.

November 17

The pastry of my discontent sits in the fridge.

Was Martin Smid a real math student?
There's something that doesn't matter.

Rumors of impending doom for the late night.

I developed a taste for butternut, and I'm afraid the season's gonna pass me by.

That reminds me: get the pumpkin thing at the Helmand – everybody says so.

I'm going to just play louder and louder.
My nose is going to bleed and I'm going to play louder.
Things'll get caught in my throat and I'm going to play louder.
Gunshots, grocery stores, short walks, furniture, trains, cooking utensils, underground and over and I'm going to play louder.
I'm going to play louder and louder and louder.

Look in there. Just look.

Things Done, Things to Do

You should go see A Serious Man, the new Coen Brothers film. I was up in the air and haven't-seen-her-in-forever Tina said it was good, so I skipped staring at goats and went to this -- conveniently right around the corner from my place. What a great follow up to No Country. Am I the only one who thinks that? Same feel, only in a midwestern suburbs and very Jewish way. I'm sure a lot of the cultural nuances were lost on me, but damn was it good.

I went home and drank a beer in the backyard, standing on a chair and looking around the neighborhood over the fence. It's a momentary-perspective-shifter kind of movie... like The Wrestler without all the ugh, or Pecker. But maybe those are two more cases of "I'm the only one that feels that way."

Last night (Saturday), J and I checked out Times New Viking at the Talking Head. Also good stuff. You should check them out, too. Unless you don't like things that are fast, loud, and fuzzy. If you don't like those things, then you probably don't like me. Thanks for the much needed company J.

I Like Working with Good People Who Work with Good People

The Humane Society

I spend my days at Threespot (more or less), and I'm going to take the rare moment to give big ups to my colleagues. Check out this super-small sampling of client launches in these past 12 months. For the record, we aren't as always-left as this little portfolio would imply. But they are all names I'm guessing you know.

ACLU

If this makes you hungry, maybe you should come work with us someday. One of the mantras around the halls these days (did you start it Colgrove? is it a quote?), "Do good. Be great."

Planned Parenthood

Bragging now complete. And for the record I didn't get to make serious contributions to any of these due to commitments to other equally great clients, so it is only bragging-once-removed. Like when you talk about how a friend of yours is about to publish 2010's most important book of poetry (unless it comes out in 2009, wherein it will be 2009's most important).

I Haven't Written in a While, But I Have a Lot I Should Write About (Soon)

And Now Wunderkammer on JGP

Or at least Paula Gilovich on a picture of JGP that she didn't know was JGP. It's a great piece, and it's a picture of skinny ass me in an unflattering wrestling singlet... How could you possibly not click through?

"Writers as Kids: To Wrestle," Paula Gilovich (at Wunderkammer)

JGP at Wunderkammer

Here's the picture of Melissa Walker that I started with. Here's the piece I wrote.

Thanks again to Kathryn Regina for putting it together. Be sure to check the many other great ones in the series (since my last posting, I've really dug many but will call out the Christopher Higgs-Sam Pink pairing!).

Entire Contents of my Seven Year-old Daughter's First-Ever BCC'd Email

Writers as Kids (at Wunderkammer)

Kathryn Regina pulled together this great little series for a couple weeks of guest editing at Wunderkammer. She solicited photos of writers as kids and then swapped the photos around (without identifying who was in the pictures) within the group. The writers then wrote brief pieces (400 words or less) inspired by the pictures. I don't think it is great because I participated, but I can't wait for mine to show up.

This one by Della Watson (about a drawing of a photo of Matthew Savoca) is my favorite so far I think: OMFG, Outfield Again. (Been there.)

And the picture of Adam Robinson is adorable, don't miss it!

On the Way to San Francisco: Interim Update

O'HARE INTERNATIONAL: One of the women next to me was very afraid of flying. She clutched the seat in front of her a number of times, which was oddly nice for me, because she generally overflowed her seat and when reaching forward like that overflowed it less.

I'm glad she didn't get sick.

The i.e. reader looks good and the proof changes should be minor. But do note that pre-orders help pay for galley changes as well as the payments on the Narrow House corporate jet and corporate Miami-based cigarette boat.

Bananas are perfect.

I get a runny nose when I fly. The first thing I do after landing is go to the bathroom and blow my nose. Then I get incredibly dizzy for a bit.

I have my best run at an outline /sequencing for the heroine story. I, of course, put it together during the descent into O'Hare.

On Doughnuts

In keeping with Very Most Good's new brand promise (Taking on today's most pressing topics®), I ask:


Love,
Jamie

That's Some Serious Stop Motion

Wow.