Things I Like

Warning: This half-assed Friday post may become a weekly occurrence.

In light of the fact that the thing I actually want to write about on this here blog is not quite in the ready to write about category, I'm going to sell out and post links to other things.

So recently I've become slightly addicted to some of the videos on the Borders channel on youtube. They do this thing where authors/famous people that are making appearances at the mothership Borders in Ann Arbor walk around the store and talk about their favorite things. It's kinda like that one show Oprah does every year, but it's more believable that they actually do like the things that they're talking about. Also there's less "We've got John Travoooooooooooooltaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Oh, and it's awesome.

The best ones are Ira Glass and Wes Anderson/Jason Schwartzman. This may be simply because I love This American Life, and all Wes Anderson movies, not to mention my unabashed love for Jason Schwartzman. Jamie Lee Curtis' video is decent, but I can only stand her for about 2.3 minutes before ripping out my own hair.


Here's Wes/Jason.




Like I said, awesome.


In other "obsessed with" news, Jon Favreau had (has?) this show on the Independent Film Channel called Dinner For Five. Basically he asks four random actors (or comedians, writers etc.) to have dinner together and talk about their films, and other random experiences. Of course, during every single episode he talks about Swingers for about ten minutes, but it usually is really funny and very interesting. There aren't tons of episodes on youtube, but there are a couple of winners including the episode with Kevin Smith substitute hosting and the one with Henry Winkler as one of the guests. I've downloaded 3 or 4 from iTunes and there are some quality bits. Here's what I've learned so far:

Vince Vaughn is kind of a jackass. Ok, maybe I already knew that.

Kevin Smith is a lot funnier than I thought.

This was not in the actual episode, but comes from one of my favorites. It is, however, kind of hilarious.

Stan Lee = Awesome

Kevin Pollack does probably the best Christopher Walken impression I have ever seen.



Enjoy, and don't worry, I will update and you know, put some effort into this very soon.

For Your Information

Recently I have read a few lists of the "Top Ten" kind. Those of the cringe inducing absolutist variety like, for example, the 10 books not to read before you die, turning 30, having a child, graduating from high school, getting married, writing your own book....ad nausea.

I thought about adding my own little list, but realized that I really don't need to add gasoline to that bonfire. Favorite books (let alone good/bad/cliché /ripped off ones) are so subjective that it seems almost a waste of time to even make a list at all. Especially when every comment posted about these lists completely trashes half the books on each one before going on to suggest 3 that so totally should have taken the place of The Lord of the Rings or The Grapes of Wrath.

There are some books that are included on every must read list not to mention under everyone's favorite books that it makes me wonder whether or not people actually like these and honestly have read them or if they feel as though in order to be a respectable human being they are required to ABSOLUTELY ADORE (gasp, cry, clutch heart, slump over keyboard with hiccuping sobs) To Kill A Mockingbird, lest they be mauled to death by the ghost of Clark Gable. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with To Kill A Mockingbird, (Stay away, Gable. I have a metal baseball bat and I'm not afraid to use it!) but that there is something wrong with America that it is completely incapable of thinking of just one other compelling, heartbreaking, wonderful book to talk about and profess deep undying love for.

Luckily, I can.

And I'm just going to talk about one little (well, actually big) book, NOT a whole list, that I completely adore and think that more people should read and reread.


The Brothers K by David James Duncan



In my own personal top ten, this is very near the top, probably fighting for #1 with a pile of Dr. Seuss, a collection from Billy Collins and some E.M. Forster. At this point they are probably all out of breath, leaning against a brick wall somewhere, examining their various scratches and bruises. But I digress.

This book is a beautifully written, epic story of a family. It highlights their journey through the sixties and seventies related by one of the six children. It ranges from hilariously outrageous to jaw dropping in it's beauty and sadness. It's about history, love, religion, war, friendship and perhaps most importantly, baseball.

A few days ago I began to reread it and was reminded of exactly how much I thoroughly enjoy this book. It is a masterpiece in every sense.


You might want to think about reading it before you die. I won't make you, or anything, I'm just saying....

Brand New Day

This blog could probably be categorized as dead. Which sucks. (I had such great hopes for it!) I've been neglecting blogging in getting used to a new schedule and so the fault is solely mine. I am, however, determined to resurrect it, and in doing so, I must slightly change its objective. I had wanted this to be a log of books I read during the summer, but unfortunately I was a huge procrastinator and probably went to the beach too much to really do justice to my goal.

Henceforth, this will be a blog about both books and movies (maybe music?) that I'm currently enjoying or particular favorites that I want to highlight. I would promise to post well and often but I think I will pledge to not post often in hopes that I will in fact do the opposite. There.

Let it also be known that I am really proud that I used 'henceforth' un-sarcastically. Mostly, that is.