Bookmarks @ writerjax.blog-city.com

You mean not everyone knows there was arsenic in the cookies?

writerjax — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:17:00 GMT

Conversation, while watching Here Come the Newlyweds:

ArcherVision: That couple, the Freises - they look exactly like each other. Like brother and sister.

WriterJax: I know, they're so Flowers in the Attic. Paging V.C. Andrews.

{Pause}

ArcherVision: what?

Leave Comment

Related Entries:

Thirty-something Blogger Round-up: D - E

writerjax — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:22:00 GMT

Here's what some of the TS Bloggers are saying this week:

Damon Ledet clues the Applephiles in on some new Mac/Leopard updates;

DayBreak 1012 gears up - cautiously - for the return of the 2004/2007 MLB World Champions;

Big D (DGs World) examines the nuances of world travel and the fine art of peeing in a Japanese potty; and

Kirasha at Esoteric Renaissance deconstructs a WGA YouTube video.

Leave Comment

Related Entries:

The Machine Aficionado

writerjax — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:52:00 GMT

A few months ago, I received an advance copy of John Robison's new book, Look Me In the Eye: My Life With Asperger's.

I was excited to read it for a few reasons. First, Robison is a well-known business owner in Massachusetts and beyond; his company services and sells high-end and exotic cars like Porches, Rolls Royces, and Mercedes. I've interviewed him in the past, as part of an article on vintage auto restoration, so I already knew what an interesting guy he is.

Second, he's the older brother of one of my favorite writers, Augusten Burroughs. When I put the vintage car story together, he was refurbishing a Rolls for Burroughs, and when I contacted the latter to ask (timidly) for an interview -- vintage autos from the owner's perspective -- Burroughs instead e-mailed me a lengthy personal essay, which the magazine I work for published. It was just one of many articles and books I've read and loved by the author, so I was looking forward to seeing how Robison's writing voice compared to that of his kid sibling.

Finally, Asperger's Syndrome is a topic that I've actually covered as a writer before. In a different job a few years ago, I interviewed Tony Attwood , who is considered one of the leading experts on the condition. I read his book, too, and was amazed by this still largely misunderstood 'autism-spectrum disorder.' It's characterized by difficulty with social interaction, and by intense interests in very specific things, such as trains, planes, highway systems, electronics, sushi, you name it.

In Robison's case, his 'Aspergian traits' are seen in his proficiency and knowledge of all things automotive, as well as sound equipment and cameras. He calls himself a 'machine aficionado' to tie it all together.

I think the most notable thing about Robison is that he debunks the theory that all Aspergians are terribly clinical people who only understand non-human mechanisms and read stereo instructions for fun. On the contrary, he's one of the more colorful people I've ever interviewed. He's funny and sharp, and detailed as all hell, and that is an awesome thing for a journalist. He's got a resume that rivals most, too. His interest in sound equipment led to a gig with KISS, creating special effects guitars. Then, he worked for a major toy company as an engineer. He still attends Porsche shows all over the world, shoots amazing photos, rides around on his Harley in a keen leather vest, and now, he's a best-selling author with a book in its ninth printing in the U.S., and two more memoirs on the drawing board.

I can't imagine what John Robison is going to do next. But somehow, I feel like I haven't interviewed him for the last time.

Leave Comment

Related Entries:

War of the Words

writerjax — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:49:00 GMT

"O brave new world that has such people in it. Let's start at once."

Translation: The battle between Grammar G i rl and WriterJax is on.

Our blog names undoubtedly suggest that we are word nerds, if not word nerds that share a secret longing to become super heroes. It wasn't until last weekend, however, camped out in my home office, that we realized to what extent.

I believe we slid into the topic of our favorite novels after discussing the new offerings on PBS' Masterpiece Theater ('really?' you ask. 'This is really your Saturday night?' Don't even get me started. There were LPs of Edith Piaf playing too, and we were taking notes on our conversation. Really.).

As it turns out, my favorite classic novel, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, is the one that Grammar Girl likens to digging her retinas out with a spoon. Hers, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, ranks right up there with curdled milk for me.

And thus, the debate ensued.

In the interest of equal say, we each gave the other a chance to defend our respective titles. I said Brave New World is part of a sector of literature I've always enjoyed - the whole utopian/distopian society thing. I also think it's wildly innovative, not just in its subject matter but in the dozens of words and terms that Huxley invented to bolster the believability of his futuristic world. Ever taken a Soma to get to sleep? You have Aldous to thank.

Conversely, GG believes Wuthering Heights is, in essence, the first major feminist work due to its themes as well as the precociousness of its young author when it was written. She gets all dreamy when she talks about the moors and the complexity of Heathcliff and Catherine's relationship.

I proposed a draw: trade books and read them with each others' favorite aspects in mind. Discuss. That way, we're each being rewarded and punished at the same time.

Watch Grammar Girl and WriterJax in the coming weeks for posts on the War of the Words, or join in the debate. Have you read one or both of these books? Do you have a favorite? Does one make your skin crawl like a festering parasite?

Whose side are you on?

"Yesterday afternoon set in misty and cold. I had half a mind to spend it by my study fire, instead of wading through heath and mud to Wuthering Heights."

Leave Comment

Related Entries:

R.I.P. Robert Jordan (James Oliver Rigney, jr.)

writerjax — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:08:00 GMT

Steven over at ApeCod just penned a touching tribute to one of his favorite authors, Robert Jordan, on the occasion of his passing.

It makes you think...remember how great it was as a child to get a new book, crack the spine, and disappear?

<> Read it here.

Leave Comment

Related Entries:

Bookmarks

writerjax — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:54:00 GMT

I've been wanting to write more about the books I read and collect for a while now. My desk shelf is crammed with various theory books, organization manuals, vintage finds, and schwag -- books that have been sent to me as part of my job -- waiting to be blogged while the massive bookshelves in the home office creak in protest, straining under the weight of my Mighty Tomes.

While I thought about making a recurring post category, like Bookmark Mondays, I have another idea brewing for Thursdays that I think I'll pursue first. Instead, I've created a new category, Bookmarks, so I can share some of the cool things I see and read with my loyal readers.

All six of you. Hi Mom.

I'll start with one of my new treasures, snagged at the Whately Antiquarian Book Center in Franklin County, Massachusetts this weekend.

We saw this massive, brick building rising from the plains of rural Whatley and screeched to a stop, even though we'd been trolling for breakfast for half an hour.

My hunger resulted in the purchase of not one, but two cookbooks; one I grabbed immediately upon walking in, the other on the way to the register.

The first is The Small Kitchen Cookbook by Nina Mortellito, published in 1964. I was drawn in by the jubilant little cherries on the cover, but after leafing through (and noticing the original price on the book was $4.95 - I paid $11.75. 'the hell?), I realized that this is one handy little guide to Improvisational Cuisine.

"A small kitchen need not be a deterrent to preparing meals in the grand manner," assures the introduction, which is followed quickly by the reminder that "small kitchens and small budgets usually go hand in hand." How does Mortellito know I didn't choose a small kitchen because I like to feel cozy whilst I cook? Eh, who am I kidding.

The book begins with a chapter called Tips for Cramped Quarters, and there's nothing listed that I wouldn't fully expect to read in Real Simple. They're useful tips with a little bit of quirk; I love, for instance, that the author suggests a pegboard for kitchen accessories and is sure to add that "it looks quite decorative."

Mortellito was also an environmentalist before her time -- she recommends crushing cereal boxes before throwing them in the garbage -- and apparently a boozehound: "Serve inexpensive wine, and try buying it in gallons," she says (Lovely, reuseable decanters mask the quantity, I gathered).

Finally, the recipes are great for entertaining or inventing a meal when the only things left in the fridge are pre-wrapped slices of American Cheese and A-1 Steak Sauce. This is a common occurrence in my small-yet-cozy kitschy kitchen.

There are recipes for everything from potato salad to fritto misto, using relatively accessible ingredients. Want some spaghetti and out of sauce? All you need is some grated cheese, a few bits of bacon and a couple of eggs. Whip. Serve.

I'll leave you with one of the cooler cocktail party recipes as a treat:

Fast Cocoa Souffle

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

5 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 pint heavy cream

Sift together sugar and cocoa, beat 3 egg whites until stiff, add sugar mixture, beating constantly. Add vanilla and salt, beat until mixture points and peaks; Butter inside of 1 1/2 quart souffle dish, pour souffle into dish and place in a pan of warm water. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Whip heavy cream serve immediately with souffle.

Leave Comment

Related Entries: