Thursday, July 30, 2009

Proust, Pt. 1

I have 3 books on dogs to read and am enjoying them but can't stop myself from reading Marcel Proust: A Life by Edmund White. I feel an urge to read Proust now and that makes me uneasy. In Search of Lost Time--the Modern Library 6-pack is 4211 pages. Reading Proust is a near-compulsion that dissolves things like appointments, meals, work, hair-combing, writing....

Swann's Way in college, the first time around. The bulk of Combray in London, the second time around. I can almost feel the Proust swoon.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

MPB Writers: African American Writers uplinks

Anthony Grooms, Ravi Howard and I talked with Gene Edwards some months ago and now the episode is available, but only if you ask [read: convince] your local PBS station or stations to link up. Some details from a dearest fan:

Here’s what you do:
  • Call the station’s program director. In New Orleans, that would be Elizabeth Utterback at WYES (504.486.5511) and __________ at WLAE (504.830.3719).
  • Explain that there’s a Mississippi Public Television program you would like to see. It’s called Writers, and the episode “African American Writers.”
  • Note that Mississippi Public Television offers the program royalty-free to to any PBS affiliate across the country.
  • The standard uplink is scheduled for Sunday, July 19 @ 16:30 ET, SD 07.
  • The high definition uplink is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22 @ 17:00 ET, HD 03.
  • In New Orleans, emphasize the local angle: Dedra.
  • Elsewhere, just say it’s a kickass program and you’re itching for a compelling reason to donate to public broadcasting.

Take that last one how you will. I think a critical mass [?] could get WYES to broadcast it.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Cheryl Wagner's Plenty Enough Suck Left to Go Around : TPMCafe Book Club














An excellent, painful, smart book that's a joy to read. So read it. TPMCafe Book Club features it July 27-31.

I near-giggle when I say I know her, that she's a friend.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Where to Find Me Other than Facebook

I have left Facebook. I'm not a real social network person. But what drove me out was the 50+ requests to answer quizzes, play games, see who had a crush on me or thought I was attractive or thought I might join an ashram in 5 years. It was a lot of activity for very little real contact with the real people I miss. Every day, more people recommended people I should "friend" on Facebook until there were only a handful of people on my Friend list that really were friends or people I wanted contact with. And the people I remain in contact with I rarely if ever contact via Facebook. It was useful, I'm sure, for readers to find me there but they can find me in other ways.

Maybe, too, Facebook is getting to be passe. Everybody's grandmother and grade school chum and former student is on it. I guess I like less social or network in my social network.

Where you can find me:

Shelfari
Library Thing
Red Room
GoodReads
Blogger [right here]
Twitter