Kurt Vonnegut is a Dancing Animal

Vonnegut seems to be saying that TV shows and movies are better than written stories. Until the end, when he calls everyone a fool. (I believe this is something he likes to do in clever ways, and I think he should be allowed to do so as long as he will.)

I disagree about stories-that-move in some ways: one can become an extraordinarily active reader of moving pictures. The downside to doing so, of course, is that many moving pictures, little box or big screen, become more disappointing. But learning to read well has pretty much the same affect on many written stories . . .

The audio with the article includes KV's characterization of us all as "dancing animals," his praise of the mailbox as a technology, and the line "Cos I'm a crazy old man--haven't you ever heard of old men like that?"

and the shaman adresses his people

my tribesmen,
the time has come. it is now late october/early november. our instructors have raised there hands against us, and broight down the thunder of 12,000 papers. this has become painfully obvious for me at least. fear not my friends; remember who you are! You are member of a snooty english club. we all have the talent and the skill to throw up our noses, drink warm brandy out of snifters, and vaguley allude to obscure literary works. be encouraged my friends, for we are pure english glory! go forth proudly into the deep abyss of hell-month and show the lesser normal poeple what you can do. you are ETC.

~Mark out~

East Egg in the News

East Egg/Gatsby comment at my teaching-issues blog.

Top 100 Books

Time's Top 100 Books.

Like all such lists, this one is both interesting and highly debatable.

Sleep Cycles

As you balance your reading of Foucault, Baudrillard, and Derrida with your busy college social schedules, you may find this blog post on sleeping very useful.

That is all.

Word Spy

    Go here and just keep clicking "home" for more whimsical word fun.

nanowrimo

NaNoWriMo

anyone else up for this? i've been tempted in the past, but i've decided to say "what the hell" and give it a shot this year.

chances are it will mostly be me introducing characters only to mock them and then kill them off. it will suck horribly. that's why it will be on the internet.

To Secret and Not-so-Secret Harry Potter Fans

Go here to get your fix of interesting pre-final-installment HP thinkin'.

(Seriously: Janet Batchler is building a pretty interesting case for the skill of J. K. Rowling's long term plotting, character development, and reader engagement.)

PS: Bravo! for getting panels together.

a gift for fj

http://epilogue.toefur.com/20050519.html

~Mark out~

Ralph Waldo Emerson is the worst thing that has ever happened to me

i hate you emerson! why cant you ever be coherant? so many adjectives! so many strange refferances!
~Mark out~