As tomorrow is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, here’s a quiz from the official website for all ye scurvy dogs! You are The Pirate Do you remember the last time you took a chance? It was when you decided to leave the security of your mother’s womb and headed for the bright light. It’sContinue reading “On Piratical Pirate-ness!”
Monthly Archives: September 2010
On a Book by the Mercury Seven
I walked to the Border’s near the office on my lunch break this afternoon, on the off-chance that they would have the newest issue of MOJO in stock, the one with the retrospective on the Beatles’ Let It Be album. I knew it was a long-shot, honestly; MOJO usually shows up on this side ofContinue reading “On a Book by the Mercury Seven”
On Contemplating Pseudonyms
Many years ago, when I was a manager for EB Games, I told a friend of mine that I did some writing on the side and that someday I hoped to be published. "Do you write under your own name? Or do you use a pseudonym?" he asked. "Under my own name," I said. "I'veContinue reading “On Contemplating Pseudonyms”
On Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Songs” Beatles Special
I invariably feel stupid when I spend money on a Rolling Stone publication. Fifteen years ago, even ten years ago, I subscribed to Rolling Stone year in, year out. What changed was that I felt that the magazine was growing increasingly fluffy (when I pick up a music magazine, I want to read about music;Continue reading “On Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Songs” Beatles Special”
On Weekend Writing Plans
This weekend looks like a writing weekend. The main thing on the plate? My self-appraisal for work. The company skipped reviews last year, due to the uncertain economic climate, so this year’s reviews are more thorough than previous years, as this review covers two years of employment. But that’s not the only thing on myContinue reading “On Weekend Writing Plans”
On Rereading Elric
Over the holiday weekend, I reread some of Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné stories. The proximate cause was my recent consumption of The Coming of the Terraphiles, a forthcoming Doctor Who novel by Moorcock. I was given an advance reading copy at work before the holiday; I alternated between reading that and George R.R. Martin’sContinue reading “On Rereading Elric”
On Looking Up Into the Sky
I had to go outside and put the car windows up. So I trodded outside, barefoot as is my wont, and walked around my grandmother’s car and up to mine, avoiding as much as possible the pine needle-infested grass in the dark. Yes, I’m a silly person. There was a light breeze and, despite theContinue reading “On Looking Up Into the Sky”
On NPR’s Lord of the Rings Audio Drama
When I was younger, in those days before the Internet made mail order shopping so ridiculously easy, my family used to receive the NPR Shop catalog. And the Barnes & Noble catalog. I don’t know which catalog I saw it in, but I’m sure it was one of those two — the NPR radio dramatizationContinue reading “On NPR’s Lord of the Rings Audio Drama”
On the Medal of Honor Controversy
We live in an age of artificial controversies and manufactured indignation. How else to explain the kerfuffle over the new Medal of Honor video game? Medal of Honor has, for a decade now, been one of the top military first-person shooters, all set around World War II. The first game was loosely based on SavingContinue reading “On the Medal of Honor Controversy”
On the Sarah Palin/Larry King Interviews
About two months ago, the Internet was abuzz with a computer-generated video of a feline-woman who went into a story to buy an iPhone 4, even though she had no idea what it was. Having worked in retail for more years than I would like to mention, I can tell you that these conversations happenContinue reading “On the Sarah Palin/Larry King Interviews”