Nom de Plume

I got a very nice e-mail complimenting the blog–and then asking whether I would mention a book from a small literary printing press with no marketing budget.

I thought this was strange.

I’m sure it’s a great novel. (Aren’t they all?) But I am, like, 30 books behind on the reviewing cycle. And I really, really want to give a plug to a fellow writer who’s actually finished the damn thing. BUT.

Is it just me or is it really presumptuous to e-mail a stranger and ask her to mention your newly-released book? What about directing the aforementioned stranger to the library to get a copy of the book (blithely noting that if they don’t have it, they can order it for you)?

Yep. Pain in the derriere. Not going to do it.

On the other hand, if you want to send me your book, let’s talk.

I thought it was entertaining that this was posted on Craig’s List, of all places.

TEMPORARY JOB ON SHEEP AND TIBETAN YAK RANCH

I have a friend in Idaho that needs temporary help next month on his sheep and yak ranch. His name is Joe, and he owns hundreds of sheep and a small herd of Tibetan Yak. Starting the beginning of next month, his sheep will start to have their lambs and he will be going around the clock and needs help! He needs help for most of the month of May.Chores include some cooking and house cleaning, and then being available to help Joe with lambing – for example, might need to hold the animal, etc, but not expected to be able to pull a lamb!
Person does not have to have livestock experience, but that would be a plus! Job is in Howe , ID.

with our little L.A. Water thingie plunged into the rock pathway.

But check out these truly amazing manhole covers from Japan.

See the whole gallery. Via core77

Move over “What kind of alien lover are you.” Sayonara “What is your Star Trek horoscope.”

That’s because I am officially …

… William Wordsworth! You get a bad rap
these days, alas. Many people think you
oppressed Coleridge, but there really isn’t
much proof. You may have oppressed the women
in your life, but hey, everyone was doing it.
You honestly love nature, and admire an
aesthetic of simplicity and honesty. You love
Milton and human freedom, though some say you
sold out in the end. Oh dear. But you left us
“Tintern Abby” and “The Solitary
Reaper,” bless your heart.

Which Major Romantic Poet Would You Be (if You Were a Major Romantic Poet)?
brought to you by Quizilla

A burning question, I know.

This is Steve’s first attempt at making beer. I suggested calling it Pug Pilsner, but he looked down his nose at me and loftily explained that it was a bitter.

From the inbox:

Hey Zia,
My tale: I used the new Google Local to find trailer hitches in Seattle. My daughter and grandkids are moving to Portland, and I’ll do some hauling for them. I got a bunch of hits on U-haul, of course, but I like to buy locally so I noted the hit on Ballard Muffler. The guy wanted a deposit so I rode up there and gave him $50.00 cash, because his card reader didn’t work.

The place looked very dirty, and there was a very “Deliverance” looking guy staring at me from the back of a ’60 Chev pickup. The creep factor was arching to the right.

I’m scheduled to take the car in tomorrow morning for the installation, and I was getting a bit antsy. Then two things happened. I was relaying this tale to a friend who responded that he has always had good luck with the small businesses in Ballard.

And, a search for “ballard Muffler” took me to your blog and your happy tale.
I feel much better.

But, same friend and I were wondering something. If you have a 2002 BMW , whouldn’t the muffler be covered under warranty? The car is only 2.5 years old.

It’s really hard to justify the $600 for a Kamado grill, so I’m sure the Eva Solo grill is even more out of the question. But isn’t it pretty? Of course, we would be in danger of veering into the unbearably hip with this–and I’d have to haunt PCC for organic goods … (see previous post).

link

Funny that I just finished a novel about Orthodox Jews and Reformed Orthodox (I think that’s the term and yes, I PLAN to catch up on book reviews at some point), which goes into kosher and triefe and all that happy jazz.

Why, you ask? Because I went to PCC and was astounded by the sheer religiosity of the segregated scoops.

So for those of you who don’t know Seattle, PCC is a chain of health food stores where people fall into one of two camps: 1) They are vegan terrorists; or 2) They are ultra hip.

Because let’s face it. Most of the people buying organic stuff don’t really care that much about being organic. They care about being PC. They recycle religiously, they bemoan the use of pesticides, they hate Bush pillaging Alaskan oil fields. Of course, a lot of them drive Hummers and live in 3,000 sq. ft. houses too but that’s beside the point.

So I ran to PCC last night to pick up some tea from the bulk foods section. Most of their herbs, teas, spices and so forth are proudly emblazoned with those two magic words: Certified Organic. But lurking on the shelves were a couple of shamefaced commercial varieties.

Oh the horror. You mean my certified organic scoop could be contaminated?

Actually, no.

PCC has solved this pressing dilemma by providing not one, but two sets of scoops. One organic, the other not. Not only that, but the buckets were placed as far away from each other as possible.

Seriously.

Which is, in my mind, taking things a little too far. I admit to being a wannabe cool person. I admit to buying organic. (Well, when it’s cheap.) I admit to getting caught up in the whole Dwell magazine, yoga, buy local thing.

But if the 80s and 90s were about excess, the 00s are about justifying the excess with a backbreakingly expensive minimalism. Where are the gods? Where are the heroes? Its actually kind of sad that people feel so disconnected that organic is no longer something you buy; it’s something you worhsip. And the rituals that once surrounded religion are now found in the segregated counter of the organic scoops.

even though someone has WAYYYY too much time on his hands.

via the Seattle writergrrls listserve