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9 Jun 08 – A P1k3 Through My Heart
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| Brennen | the content and duration of any moment is no more constrained and regular than that of a street corner or an open door. |
I'm re-reading Brennen's chapbook, unrequited poetry. Above is a quote, rather obviously. Every time I do this, I'm reminded of why I love poetry, and why Brennen's such a great poet.
I'm buying another copy, to give to a friend who's developing an interest in poetry.
I figure it's worth grabbing any chance to expand one's horizons of great poetry.
30 Jun 08 – My New Podcast - Otaku, No Video
Saalon, a friend named Nick, and I have been working on a fun little project for the past month or so. It takes some time to get three people together on a regular schedule. Now that the schedule's stabilized, I'm now announcing our new podcast.
We're doing a podcast called Otaku, No Video, a series of hour-long conversations about the anime industry and specific anime series. We discuss trends in the industry, what we see as problems, potential solutions, and our thoughts on various anime.
Amazingly, I'm even happier with it than I anticipated. I enjoy re-listening to our talks. We have useful, interesting things to say, and the conversation bounces from topic to topic. We keep the conversation from getting too geeky, as well; pretty much anyone should be able to understand it.
So, please check it out and let me know what you think (especially now that comments work here). I'd love to hear your feedback on what we doesn't work, and what does.
(In case you're wondering about the name, it's a reference to a classic anime parody named Otaku no Video, or The Anime Fan's Video, which told the story of anime fans in Japan in the 80's. Quite funny, and an insightful look into what anime fandom was like back then.)
21 Jun 08 – Visiting a Local Carnival
For my weekly adventure, I checked Upcoming for a list of events in my area, and noticed a carnival nearby. So I went.
Carnivals are usually much more fun in memory than in present. Carnivals should be fun, exciting, lively, with a hint of danger. You always wonder what the carnies do behind the plywood. What lives do they lead, what secrets will they never tell?
This was a small carnival, and the company's based in this state. The website promises safety and courtesy, and that's what you get: about a dozen rides, half a dozen games of chance, and another half-dozen food stands. Nicely spread out, but at mid-afternoon on a hot day, the bright sunlight bleaches away the suspense and hints of danger.
So I had a hot dog, and a huge piece of frozen cheesecake on a stick, dipped in chocolate. The carnies were pleasant enough, if bored, and it was just too small.
Perhaps I should go back at night. Everything changes at night.
Either way, here are a few photos:
| www.flickr.com |
UPDATE: I went back the next night, and they closed at dusk. So I only got a few more photos of the rides as night fell. Disappointing, but at least I got a few interesting photos out of it.
16 Jun 08 – Voicemails
After listening to too many bad voicemails recently, here are a few suggestions when leaving a voicemail:
- Start with both names, yours and that of the person you're calling. How many times have you got a voicemail saying, "Hi, just letting you know everything's okay. Call me, okay?" Who is it? You have to infer from the voice. Not only is it nice to leave both names, it grounds the conversation in a particular person and gets my attention, so I'm able to tune in to the main point of the message without also trying to guess who's talking.
- Continue the conversation. Many voicemails are simply "Hi, this is Joan, please call me back." That's not very helpful, is it? When you call someone, it's almost always to ask a question or provide an answer, right? Please do so.
- Leave your phone number. I may have it...or I may not. If I do have it, it may be in an address book that I can't get to at the moment. Always leave your phone number, except with very close friends.
- Keep it brief. Since I started using these guidelines, I can't recall leaving a voicemail more than 1.5 minutes long. If you have a lot of information to provide, a voicemail's a poor place to put it. Leave a voicemail saying that you'll drop the person an email with all the details.
At least, that's what I think.