Monday, January 28, 2008
Quick What-Up
I’m a ghost, typing for miles*, with miles to go*.
Just a quick sec then, to prove the existence of God (if god == teh Awesomeness), to help with your grammar, and help with your life.
Here is why people saw God move through Mozart, except in this case it’s the coolest Japanese girl ever, on a (modded? with special tones? watch her feet!) keyboard performing a spectacular rendition of a Kansas song.
In other news, from twitter, the blog Ars Grammatica was born overnight, in which a charming librarian I follow writes about grammar. I like it, and I know a thing or two about nerdy word blogs that don’t get updated for lack of time. If she keeps up this level of discussion, it will be more fabulous than the texty reference “The Blue Book of Grammar.”
What was that last promise? Oh, your life! (mine’s awesome, even with the exhaustion and scarcity hours in a day). Yes, Applying Unix Philosophy to Personal Productivity, via Lifehacker. Except for my ideas always getting psychically stolen and published, I heart this article.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Atlantic is Smart
Today I learned (via Kottke) that The Atlantic has dropped its paywall. All of its goodness is now available for us to frolic amongst, squish between our toes, or spread on toast.
Hurray for doing something intelligent.
I have a copy of their 150th anniversary issue and thought it was extremely cool. I spent a lot of time with the short essays and illustrations in the “The Future of the American Idea” feature.
I’m charmed that the editor uses the word “trenchancy” in his announcement. Reminds me of the Geico commercial with James Lipton that always makes me giggle. “I’ve heard they are also quite beneficent and magnanimous.”
Last night I regretfully decided I would not re-subscribe to New York magazine and The New Yorker. I like both of them so much but have too much else to read and can’t keep up. It breaks my heart, print publishing having such a hard time and now I’m part of the problem.
But you! you should subscribe to all of these magazines.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
When Nerds Find Each Other
I love people, especially nerd people who link to nerdy things I write.
Here is an older post by Eric Baković, a phonology professor exploring “miffled” as spoken by Tony Soprano.
More recently, I got a super nice email from Nicholas Whyte, who linked to my old post in a review he wrote about the lovely Kelly Link story The Faery Handbag.
thanks guys! xo
Holiday Blog Tag, Revisted
Before winter break, I was tagged by my friend Rebecca at Writopia Lab, when there was still all sorts of warm holiday spirit in the air. I was asked to do a post answering, “Who are the teachers who have most personally influenced you and how?”
At the time I was finishing a big paper and getting ready for Christmas and New Year travels. Down in Naples, Florida, a lamp post, some rain, and a bundle of cable got in an argument about race, so there was no internet for an eternity. On 01/03/08 I came home to properly celebrate the self-invented Misfits Day (138) and since then, have randomly declared myself to be On Vacation when I wasn’t working on wonderful things.
A few days ago I twittered thinking about an old teacher, snuggled back down into my delicious vacation, and knew that soon I’d get back to posting more than 140 characters at a time.
I have always wanted to thank my fifth grade teacher Ms. Criste for teaching my class grammar up through the eighth grade level. Not at all pushy or competitive, she made everything interesting, and was supportive and generous when it came to whatever interested us. I used to love writing these awful clause and preposition-laden sentences that I would then ask her to diagram on the chalkboard like this. Ms. Criste is undoubtedly the reason I was in advanced classes later, why I felt comfortable learning other “languages” (programming too) and probably the first person who pushed me beyond what would have been acceptable performance.
Before my MFA program there was lots of DIY workshopping, and it was lead by Rebecca Wallace-Segall, who is an amazing critic, teacher, advice-giver, truth-teller and friend. I met her with a few others every week for two years in her Upper West Side apartment. She helped edit some of my grad-school application manuscript, wrote me recommendations, and is currently inspiring me to teach. She also loves bunnies on the for real.
I’m not going to tag anyone, because it could feel like homework, but if anyone wants to keep this going I encourage it. Let me know if you do. xo
Monday, January 14, 2008
Seventeen Free Graphic Novels
It’s been ages, filled with wonderfully exciting and lovely events, and yet I don’t post except to link to Wil Wheaton’s blog (I follow his Tweets).
Yes, a list of 17 free downloadable graphic novels compiled by Daily Bits, including one from Neil Gaiman, one about a girl and her salamander spirit friend, and one that’s like a Choose Your Own Adventure book except cooler, and other comic and graphic type stories more akin to what you’d expect.
Hi!
I know.
and today I fell in love with MegaTokyo again, for reasons I finally understand. Falling in love again is phenomenal.
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