Today, it felt like spring. No, it wasn’t as warm as springtime often is. No, there were still mounds of snow in parking lots and a glaze of ice on the sidewalks. No, the sun was still far too low in the sky, and the clouds shifted awkwardly throughout the day. And yet! After weeksContinue reading “On Signs of a False Spring”
Author Archives: Allyn
On Reading The Right Stuff
As mentioned a few days ago, I picked up Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff at Border’s going-out-of-business sale. I cannot count the number of times I’ve seen Philip Kaufman’s film the past twenty-five years. Fifty times? I’d almost think that was too low. One of the first CDs I bought? A recording of Holst’s “TheContinue reading “On Reading The Right Stuff”
On Cinematic Insights
Ever have a moment of pure epiphany? A moment where, suddenly and without warning, you’ve thunk a thought that has never been thinked before? (Yes, I’ve had Dr. Seuss on my mind recently. Just let that go for a moment.) I had one of those moments today. It’s all to do with a movie, oneContinue reading “On Cinematic Insights”
On Monday Stuff
After changing the typeface for my blog to Georgia last week — because I wanted a serif font for the body text, rather than a sans-serif font — I changed my mind and went to Palatino Linotype. It’s nothing against Georgia. It’s a nice font. But Palatino Linotype is me. It’s what I work in.Continue reading “On Monday Stuff”
On the Closing of Borders
The local Borders is closing. I went to the mall last night. Years ago, Owings Mill Mall was nice, upscale, nearly 100% occupancy. These days, it’s run down, junky, and vast sections of storefronts stand empty. Mainly, I wanted to go to GameStop and cash out an old pre-order, which the employees wouldn’t do. IContinue reading “On the Closing of Borders”
On Twitterology and WordPressery
I have a Twitter account. I barely use it. I always forget about it. Yes, I have crossposters to move content from my blog to Twitter by Tweeting a link back to my latest post. Yes, I have a widget for Opera that lets me access Twitter easily with a nice windowed interface. I forgetContinue reading “On Twitterology and WordPressery”
On Rudolph Guiliani, Terrorism, History, and Narrative
Rewind two weeks. Mary Matalin, Republican strategist, said President George Bush “inherited the most tragic attack on our own soil in our nation’s history.” Rewind almost a year, back to March. Bush’s former press secretary, Ari Fleischer, chastises Chris Matthews with a “How dare you” when Matthews presses Fleischer on whether or not 9-11 happenedContinue reading “On Rudolph Guiliani, Terrorism, History, and Narrative”
Oscar November Tango Hotel Echo Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Mike Echo Mike Echo
Bravo Echo Charlie Alpha Uniform Sierra Echo India Tango India Sierra Tango Oscar Oscar Echo Alpha Romeo Lima Yankee Alpha November Delta India Charlie Alpha November November Oscar Tango Tango Hotel India November Kilo India Foxtrot Yankee Oscar Uniform Charlie Alpha November Uniform November Delta Echo Romeo Sierra Tango Alpha November Delta Tango Hotel IndiaContinue reading “Oscar November Tango Hotel Echo Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Mike Echo Mike Echo”
On Uninspiring Writing
I wrote this morning some dire prose. Dire it is. Honestly. Genuinely. Absolutely dire. I was on the train, I was bored, and I had my notepad with me. I had absolutely no thoughts in my mind at all. I decided I would write down words as they came to me. The sentence that emerged…Continue reading “On Uninspiring Writing”
On Silly Songs For a Wednesday
In lieu of any meaningful content today, because meaningful content eludes even the best of us sometimes, here’s George Harrison’s “The Pirate Song” from Rutland Weekend Television: And, just for the hell of it, some Lord of the Rings humor: Peace! :h2g2: