Archive of 2009 November
Saddleback Leather Briefcase
November 27, 2009, 8:54 am View Comments
I am obsessed with this bag. It’s the Saddleback Leather Company’s briefcase, Made with high-quality boot leather and backed by a one hundred-year warranty (yes, that’s 100), this is the last bag you would ever need. Sure, it’s a little on the pricey side, but when I think about all the messenger bags and backpacks I’ve purchased that lasted only a few years before ultimately wearing out, I could easily spend just as much on sub-par bags in the next decade. The large size is big enough to hold my laptop, charger, and all the writing materials I carry around. Plus, it looks really, really sharp, so I could haul it to all kinds of situations, from formal to casual.
I mean, just look at it! It’s the kind of bag Indiana Jones would use. This bag could kick Jack Bauer’s bag’s ass any day. Time to start saving.
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Flash Fiction, Part Four
November 9, 2009, 4:27 pm View CommentsWake up and find the children, their bodies told them.
The rear half of the house belonged to fire.
Melissa, their youngest, raced outside with the dog.
The hallway belonged to toxic, inky smoke.
They found Ramona, frozen in bed.
Adrenaline made lifting her effortless.
The fire roared hungrily.
Outside, they huddled.
They watched.
Together.
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Flash Fiction, Part Three
November 9, 2009, 12:26 pm View CommentsMy dad always told me that carnival games were rigged.
I won Melissa’s stuffed bear in only six tries.
In her basement, she said she was pregnant.
Impossible, we were virgins until last month.
She cried and I held her.
She called from the doctor’s.
She couldn’t see me.
Her mom said.
I begged.
Wait.
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Flash Fiction, Part Two
November 9, 2009, 8:08 am View Comments“Withdraw as much money as the machine will let you.“
From the knife, I could tell he wasn’t joking.
“Are you sure you want to do this?“
He jabbed my neck to say yes.
Accidentally, I entered the wrong PIN.
The knife probed my back.
I tried once more.
Crisp twenties emerged.
He fled.
Richer.
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Flash Fiction, Part One
November 7, 2009, 4:21 pm View CommentsI recently did a series of flash fiction for my workshop class. A few of them turned out pretty good, I thought, so I’ll post them here. This particular exercise starts with a ten-word sentence, followed by a nine-word sentence, and so on down to one word.
It was bright, even for a Saturday morning in June.
Erica’s beauty gave me and my plan new strength.
Thank God I made it with enough time.
“Speak now, or forever hold your peace.”
“Yeah, I’ve got something to say.“
All faces snapped around, horrified.
What’s-his-face glared.
Erica’s eyes sparkled.
I spoke.
Persuasively.
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Jon Stewart Does Glenn Beck
November 7, 2009, 8:56 am View CommentsOh, Glenn Beck. This might be one of the most brilliant things I’ve seen on the Daily Show. If you’ve never seen Glenn Beck’s show on Fox News, yes, this is what he’s really like. It makes me wonder, if Beck had a live studio audience, would it be this hilarious?
Maybe it will turn out that Beck has really been doing comedy all this time, but it’s so advanced that our generation simply isn’t capable of appreciating it. Decades, perhaps centuries, in the future, he’ll be lauded as a humorist vastly ahead of his time. Maybe it’s an act, a character who is a paranoid, angry, emotionally unstable, vitriolic television show host with no clear area of expertise. Maybe that character will become the mold for all comedians in the future. Maybe he’s pulling a fast one on us. Maybe there will be a moment in the distant future when the people of the world will say in unison, “Ah, I get it!” and the resulting laughter will unify the planet in peace, ushering in a new era of reason, prosperity, and happiness.
No, he probably has very serious emotional problems. But just imagine!
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Put This On
November 4, 2009, 8:31 am View CommentsOver the past few months, I’ve developed a fairly sizable obsession with men’s clothing. I think it had something to do with moving. Sorting and packing my clothes forced me to take a long, hard look at how I dress myself every day. There were a few things I recently purchased that I’m proud of, but there’s still quite a lineage of clothing, especially shirts, that date back to college and that I still sometimes wear. The full horror of this becomes increasingly clear to me the closer I get to my thirtieth birthday. So, I’m trying to learn as much as I can about style and fashion in order to gradually give myself an upgrade.
Is this a normal thing for men to experience? The twenties are almost officially over, and I want to have a respectable wardrobe to match by the time I get there. Sure, I have a few nice shirts I wear to work, but I think I have a long way to go.
My recent interest in men’s style has led me to several fantastic blogs and sites. Yesterday, I discovered Put This On, a blog and video podcast hosted by the excellent Jesse Thorn and Adam Lisagor. They call it “A web series about dressing like a grownup.” Nail, head.
The site is very informative and cleverly written, and the first video episode is packed with fantastic tips and info on denim. It’s a must-watch for the guys, and a must-watch suggestion all the ladies should be making to the guys in their lives.
I’m hooked and can’t wait for the second episode. Here’s the first one for your viewing info-tainment:
Put This On, Episode 1: Denim from Put This On on Vimeo
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