Comments for I Just Read About That... http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com Te Occidere Possunt Sed Te Edere Non Possunt Nefas Est Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:22:38 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on David Foster Wallace–”Wiggle Room” & D.T. Max “The Unfinished: David Foster Wallace’s struggle to surpass Infinite Jest (New Yorker, March 9, 2009) by David Foster Wallace–possible excerpts from The Pale King: ["Three Fragments from a Longer Thing" (2000); "Good People" (New Yorker, February 5, 2007); "The Compliance Branch" (Harper's, February 2008); "Wiggle http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/03/06/david-foster-wallace-wiggle-room-new-yorker-march-9-2009/#comment-3637 David Foster Wallace–possible excerpts from The Pale King: ["Three Fragments from a Longer Thing" (2000); "Good People" (New Yorker, February 5, 2007); "The Compliance Branch" (Harper's, February 2008); "Wiggle Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:22:38 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=2535#comment-3637 [...] I reviewed this piece back in March. [...] [...] I reviewed this piece back in March. [...]

]]> Comment on Volkswagen: Your Owner’s Literature: Jetta: Replacing bulbs (2004) by Paul http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/volkswagen-your-owners-literature-jetta-replacing-bulbs-2004/#comment-3635 Paul Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:49:56 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=5547#comment-3635 Hey! Nice to hear from you. I'm not sure what it is about mu (our?) pride about not bringing in a car to get a light bulb changed, but I sure as hell wasn't going to do it! I don't know if its the price (how much would they bleed you for for that?) or just the embarrassment--I almost wished to have a major problem so that it could be dealt with at the same time. (almost). So, I just repleaced the other bulb (evidently you're supposed to change them both at the same time). AND, I changed a fuse (my kids put a penny in the lighter/power outlet and blew the fuse). In the past week I've become quite the mechanic. Next: an oil change (heh, just kidding) Hey! Nice to hear from you.
I’m not sure what it is about mu (our?) pride about not bringing in a car to get a light bulb changed, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to do it! I don’t know if its the price (how much would they bleed you for for that?) or just the embarrassment–I almost wished to have a major problem so that it could be dealt with at the same time. (almost).
So, I just repleaced the other bulb (evidently you’re supposed to change them both at the same time). AND, I changed a fuse (my kids put a penny in the lighter/power outlet and blew the fuse).
In the past week I’ve become quite the mechanic. Next: an oil change (heh, just kidding)

]]> Comment on Volkswagen: Your Owner’s Literature: Jetta: Replacing bulbs (2004) by infinitetasks http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/volkswagen-your-owners-literature-jetta-replacing-bulbs-2004/#comment-3631 infinitetasks Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:23:24 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=5547#comment-3631 Lol. I feel you. Last car I owned was a '78 Celica, I went out one day to change a headlight bulb and took off half the front end of the car (I'm not-so-mechanical but also not-a total-placebo). It was ridiculous! A few months ago, we lost a bulb in our '99 Outback. I ignored it for as long as I could stand, absolutely petrified of the idea of ripping this car open for the sake of a headlight, and loath to take it to a shop to have it done, which would have to be the most embarrassing thing since my wife took our dog into the vet (at emergency appt. rates) because she (the dog) had a slightly sprained wrist. So, I finally get up one day, bring out a few screwdrivers and other assorted tools, a couple extra cigarettes in case of frustration, some water and a couple towels, a pair of gloves. Opened the hood. Looked in. Looked at the instructions on the bulb package. Pulled out the old bulb. Plugged in the new one. Total time elapsed: 45 seconds. Lol. I feel you. Last car I owned was a ‘78 Celica, I went out one day to change a headlight bulb and took off half the front end of the car (I’m not-so-mechanical but also not-a total-placebo). It was ridiculous!

A few months ago, we lost a bulb in our ‘99 Outback. I ignored it for as long as I could stand, absolutely petrified of the idea of ripping this car open for the sake of a headlight, and loath to take it to a shop to have it done, which would have to be the most embarrassing thing since my wife took our dog into the vet (at emergency appt. rates) because she (the dog) had a slightly sprained wrist.

So, I finally get up one day, bring out a few screwdrivers and other assorted tools, a couple extra cigarettes in case of frustration, some water and a couple towels, a pair of gloves. Opened the hood. Looked in. Looked at the instructions on the bulb package. Pulled out the old bulb. Plugged in the new one. Total time elapsed: 45 seconds.

]]> Comment on McSweeney’s #2 [Blues/Jazz Odyssey? "Pollyanna's Bootless Errand."] (Late Winter/Early Spring 1999) by Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney’s Humor Category (2004) « I Just Read About That… http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/mcsweeneys-2-bluesjazz-odyssey-pollyannas-bootless-errand-late-winterearly-spring-1999/#comment-3620 Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney’s Humor Category (2004) « I Just Read About That… Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:39:13 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=2265#comment-3620 [...] KENNEDY-”I Know What You Did Two Moons Ago (The Revenge)” Reviewed here.  From McSweeney’s [...] [...] KENNEDY-”I Know What You Did Two Moons Ago (The Revenge)” Reviewed here.  From McSweeney’s [...]

]]> Comment on David Foster Wallace–[Final thoughts] Infinite Jest (1996) by chris forster · A Final, Belated, Infinite Summer Post http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/david-foster-wallace%e2%80%93final-thoughts-infinite-jest-1996/#comment-3610 chris forster · A Final, Belated, Infinite Summer Post Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:54:11 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=4228#comment-3610 [...] 17—Gately and Hal never really meet, and the various threads of the plot are left hanging. This blog post from “I Just Read About That” does a great job of summarizing the plot issues and [...] [...] 17—Gately and Hal never really meet, and the various threads of the plot are left hanging. This blog post from “I Just Read About That” does a great job of summarizing the plot issues and [...]

]]> Comment on McSweeney’s #24 [ "Trouble" and "Come Back, Donald Barthelme"] (2007) by Donald Barthelme–”Among the Beanwoods,” “Heather,” “Pandemonium” (Harper’s, November 2007) « I Just Read About That… http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2007/10/03/various-mcsweeneys-24/#comment-3608 Donald Barthelme–”Among the Beanwoods,” “Heather,” “Pandemonium” (Harper’s, November 2007) « I Just Read About That… Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:12:48 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2007/10/03/various-mcsweeneys-24/#comment-3608 [...] stories lying around for quite some time.  When I first saved them it was because I had just read McSweeney’s #24 which had a Donald Barthelme section in it.  I had read these short pieces then, but they [...] [...] stories lying around for quite some time.  When I first saved them it was because I had just read McSweeney’s #24 which had a Donald Barthelme section in it.  I had read these short pieces then, but they [...]

]]> Comment on Marisa Silver–”Temporary” (New Yorker, September 28, 2009) by Paul http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/marisa-silver-temporary-new-yorker-september-28-2009/#comment-3607 Paul Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:13:37 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=5134#comment-3607 Hey there you are. I just discovered your comment. Many apologies for not acknowledging sooner. I'm delighted to see you've still got your critical thinking cap on. As you can tell from my review, mine has been put on the shelf for a while. You read some really great insights into this story. And I think you're right that Vivian is more or less okay with what's happened. She's become a little wiser. Hey there you are. I just discovered your comment. Many apologies for not acknowledging sooner.

I’m delighted to see you’ve still got your critical thinking cap on. As you can tell from my review, mine has been put on the shelf for a while. You read some really great insights into this story.

And I think you’re right that Vivian is more or less okay with what’s happened. She’s become a little wiser.

]]> Comment on Zsuzsi Gartner-”Summer of the Flesh Eater” (The Walrus, September 2009) by Paul http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/zsuzsi-gartner-summer-of-the-flesh-eater-the-walrus-september-2009/#comment-3605 Paul Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:12:06 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=5258#comment-3605 Thanks Chris! And thanks for unlurking. I feel rather remiss in not pointing out Neko's lyrics on the album. I usually like to mention clever lyrics, and Neko's surely got them. Some particular favorites: from "Vengeance is Sleeping" "If by now you are not dead and buried, you are most certifiably married" and from Magpie in th eMorning" the whole verse of "The vUlture wheels and dives / something on the thermals yanked his chain / he smelled your boring apex / rotting on the train tracks / he laughed under his breath / because you thought that you could outrun sorrow." And of course, the way she belts out the last two words is magical. I had originally been thinking of checking out Neko's "Fox Confessor" but I kept putting if off until eventually Middle Cyclone came out. But now that I'm going on and on about this disc I'll have to do some back cataloging myself. Thanks Chris! And thanks for unlurking. I feel rather remiss in not pointing out Neko’s lyrics on the album. I usually like to mention clever lyrics, and Neko’s surely got them. Some particular favorites: from “Vengeance is Sleeping” “If by now you are not dead and buried, you are most certifiably married” and from Magpie in th eMorning” the whole verse of “The vUlture wheels and dives / something on the thermals yanked his chain / he smelled your boring apex / rotting on the train tracks / he laughed under his breath / because you thought that you could outrun sorrow.” And of course, the way she belts out the last two words is magical.

I had originally been thinking of checking out Neko’s “Fox Confessor” but I kept putting if off until eventually Middle Cyclone came out. But now that I’m going on and on about this disc I’ll have to do some back cataloging myself.

]]> Comment on Zsuzsi Gartner-”Summer of the Flesh Eater” (The Walrus, September 2009) by Chris Forster http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/zsuzsi-gartner-summer-of-the-flesh-eater-the-walrus-september-2009/#comment-3604 Chris Forster Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:12:09 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=5258#comment-3604 I too came to Neko Case through the New Pornos, but have since become a pretty dedicated fan. I think Case is phenomenal, but is often underestimated as a lyricist. She combines a wit that approaches that of Aimee Mann, with a sensibility that is less prone to irony (without ever lapsing into sheer schlock). In addition to songs like "Middle Cyclone" and "This Tornado Loves You" from the most recent album, her skill as a song-writer is particularly evident in the opening songs on her previous album ('Fox Confessor Brings the Flood'), "Margaret vs. Pauline" and "Star Witness." Consider the imagistic compression of "Star Witness": "My true love drowned in a dirty pan of oil / That did run from the block / Of a Falcon Sedan 1969 / (The Paper said '75)" or "Trees break the sidewalk / And the sidewalk skins my knee. / There's glass in the thermos / And blood on my jeans." (Love the blog--just peeping out of lurk-mode to share my almost irrational for Neko Case). I too came to Neko Case through the New Pornos, but have since become a pretty dedicated fan. I think Case is phenomenal, but is often underestimated as a lyricist. She combines a wit that approaches that of Aimee Mann, with a sensibility that is less prone to irony (without ever lapsing into sheer schlock).

In addition to songs like “Middle Cyclone” and “This Tornado Loves You” from the most recent album, her skill as a song-writer is particularly evident in the opening songs on her previous album (‘Fox Confessor Brings the Flood’), “Margaret vs. Pauline” and “Star Witness.” Consider the imagistic compression of “Star Witness”: “My true love drowned in a dirty pan of oil / That did run from the block / Of a Falcon Sedan 1969 / (The Paper said ‘75)” or “Trees break the sidewalk / And the sidewalk skins my knee. / There’s glass in the thermos / And blood on my jeans.”

(Love the blog–just peeping out of lurk-mode to share my almost irrational for Neko Case).

]]> Comment on David Foster Wallace Book Reviews (1990-2004) by David Foster Wallace–”Crash of ‘69″ (Between C & D, Winter, 1989) « I Just Read About That… http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/david-foster-wallace-book-reviews-1990-2004/#comment-3603 David Foster Wallace–”Crash of ‘69″ (Between C & D, Winter, 1989) « I Just Read About That… Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:53:11 +0000 http://ijustreadaboutthat.wordpress.com/?p=5210#comment-3603 [...] Turns out that there is a book of the Between C & D stories.  I can’t find out very much about it, but I’m going to try and interlibrary loan it and see what else I can discover.  If I’m reading what little information I have correctly, it appears that Kathy Acker & DFW may be published in the same book (which is of course funny given his review of her work here). [...] [...] Turns out that there is a book of the Between C & D stories.  I can’t find out very much about it, but I’m going to try and interlibrary loan it and see what else I can discover.  If I’m reading what little information I have correctly, it appears that Kathy Acker & DFW may be published in the same book (which is of course funny given his review of her work here). [...]

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