p.s. Hey. The writer, artist, and d.l. Jose has isolated some golden, dawning moments in anime and plucked them for you today. If you're an adherent to the glories of that medium like I am, dig the pleasure and selectivity, and if anime is a foreigner or strikes you as a lesser source of wonders, here's a chance to ease yourself onto the band wagon. In any case, thank you greatly Jose, and, as ever, thanks to everyone else out there for your attention and for any comments you might wish to share with your guest host. Oh, alert: You fans and potential fans of the spectacular work of the artist and d.l. Oscar B who happen to be in or near London this weekend are greatly encouraged to see a rare live Oscar B performance on this coming Saturday afternoon/evening, January 30, 4 to 11 pm, at Guest Projects Space, 1 Andrews Road (tube station: Bethnal Green). Here's some more info about the event. I'm not at liberty to describe the performance she's giving, but, trust me, if you miss it, you will miss it. After that, I am once again without things sufficiently newsworthy to pass along, so I'll proceed, and you are more than welcome to tag along. ** Esther Planas, Hey. Nice about your provider parents. Enjoy your respite, as will I, and it's great to see you, natch. ** Matt Bell, Hey, Matt! Thanks a lot for stopping by. Yeah, the new Lipsyte is really chewy and electric, him in top form, I think. And I think you'll probably enjoy the Sampsell and White. Hope your writing in general and the new novel in particular are going like gangbusters. Respect to you, and take care. ** Allesfliest, I think that sort of thing happens in the States' version of academia too. I'd give you some harrowing examples if I had the permission. I am happy I'm an artist, but I think of you as an artist too. It's just that you have that hard assed filter to cope with. ** Adjoun, I listen to some internet radio -- L@arstonovich's show, Steve Lafreniere's show, a few others, but I never seem to seek music via the actual airwaves these days, no. Witte de With is 20 years old? Wow, I remember quite well when it was just a twinkle in the art world's eye. You guys doing a show or any events to mark the occasion? ** Misanthrope, Is that really the end of that most marvelous, riveting and sensual of your characters? Well, if he has to go, at least he went out caffeined. More importantly, that is a fine piece, sir. I mean the piece of writing, not the piece of me. Your sleeping patterns and unholy, semi-conscious screams are so 'Avatar', man. ** Bollo, Oh, I guess I meant magazines that I make a point of always buying rather than magazines I decree worthy of being purchased, but, hm, the ones I always at least try to buy/get somehow are The Wire, Artforum/ Bookforum, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Haunted Attraction Magazine, Mojo, Yeti, ... usually but not always The Believer, Frieze, Filmmaker, Bomb, ... I used to be a Dazed & Confused addict too, but now I only buy it every once in a while. I almost always buy Another Man, I think. Before they went defunct, I used to always get Magnet, Per Lui, ... Those are the ones I can think of at the moment. And a bunch of literary journals. ** Tonyoneill, Oh shit, Tony, today's the dreaded day? Do it for your fans and the future and the better sex you'll get to have and all of that. I want to know how it went and how you are post-op. ** David Ehrenstein, That Polanksi/ Steinman thing got to Broadway? I didn't know. They showed some clips from a German production on Arte a while back, and it did look fucking dreadful. Really negative reviews over here on the new Honore and Garrell films. I still haven't seen them, but I will regardless. Very good early buzz on the new Ozon, which comes out here in a week or so. ** JW Veldhoen, That was an interesting take on mawkish. Kudos. Don't like Julie Taymor's stuff at all. Uh, I'm not sure on the flossbot investment. Too many pyramids out there. You can't be too careful. ** Statictick, 'Hosing it down', nice, I like that. You must have a really massive apartment. I guess I always imagined you did somehow. ** Alan, Lipsyte's prose is pretty tasty and weirdly chiseled, kind of rumpled and propulsive, and it is pretty funny in an odd way, or I guess that's what I think. I think you'll see why he's a hit with writers. ** Bill, I haven't seen at least the last three or four Egoyan films, not sure why. I've never heard anyone over here talk much about him. Wait, except Gisele, who really likes a couple of his films, especially 'The Sweet Hereafter', which, strangely, considering it's his hit and all that, is probably my favorite of his. Hm. An Egoyan Day is a good idea, yeah. Let me put my thinking cap on that premise, and I'll definitely hit you up for help if you don't mind. Still no word from the Recollets?! Okay, I'll go 'casually' bring up the subject today or as soon as Chrystel is in the office. You're dealing via email with Sonia mostly, is that right? ** Oscar B, Well, I snuck in a little surprise time with you at the last minute. Safe trip. I so, so wish I could see your London performance, and I will anticipate any possible documentation, and I will try to keep the Recollets in a single, recognizable piece while you're away. ** L'etranger, Hey. I guess none of the above on Cassavettes. I think he's terrific, don't get me wrong, but I've never felt the reverence most people I know/respect seem to have for his stuff, and all that reverence probably puts me off his stuff very slightly. So, long story short, he's obviously great, and I dig most of him, but my opinion contains no extremes either positive or negative. Is Brussels really the or a city of bohemian depravity? Or was that arch? I never saw that side, but I'm usually led around by my nose by others while there. I don't know Robert Omlit's stuff. Name's familiar. Looks pretty cool. Speaking of Peter Ivers, I was startled to see a poster yesterday for a big performance here by Lewis Furey, who I always confuse with Peter Ivers for some reason, and who I'd thought was either long dead or absolutely obscure nowadays, and whom I only really know from his first (?) album, the one with 'Hustler's Tango' on it? Blah blah blah ... but do you even know who I'm talking about? ** Stan_cz, You're back! Hey, man. Well, it sounds like things are proceeding apace, complete with a little hot water related disaster to get you started, ha ha. Hope everything goes well with the preliminary LACC stuff, and I'm sure it will. Yeah, I'm squared away in Paris again, doing my usual, and all is relatively well. ** Patrick deWitt, Hey, Patrick, thanks, man. Sampsell is a true gentleman. Oh, you'll be getting an email from me real soon, and thanks a lot for what you sent. It's great! ** Pisycaca, Oh, fuck, I didn't realize it was that potentially dire with your dad. That's so scary, but, you know, people can pull off amazing things that can dazzle and surprise doctors. I mean, my mom did incredibly better for a much longer time with her cancer than she was told she would, and it's even possible she might still be hanging in there if she hadn't broken her hip a second time. I hope your dad's body can coordinate itself re: the chemo. Let us/me know how it goes today, and take what strength I have in the meantime, bundled in love. ** Pascal, That's interesting about the newly collar-less, you-loving cat. I bet he/she ends up crashing at your place ere long. No, no cats in my universe. Friends have cats, of course, but, hm, actually I don't think any of my French friends have cats or dogs, which is strange. But, no, no pets for me. That's a really foreign idea. I really don't have even the slightest interest in having a pet, which is strange too, I guess. ** _Black_Acrylic, Art magazines are expensive enough, but I'm so hoping my gradually budding interest in fashion doesn't take off because ... you want to talk about expensive magazines? Fashion-related magazines are psycho expensive, and seeing as how most of them are 80% ads, there's really no excuse. Great, thanks for the dj set list. Being a body non-jacker, I've only even heard of two of those records. Everyone, feel like jacking your body or thinking about how your body would feel if it was being jacked? Then check out the playlist of the tunes _Black_Acrylic spun at a recent event, and let your imagination and whatever else run wild. ** Thomas Moronic, Hey, T. I especially like that particular Gary Indiana novel, 'Gone Tomorrow', and it's one of his least mentioned ones. Actually, my review of it is in 'Smothered in Hugs', so you can see if you agree. Is all else well? Are you working on any new writing that you're especially into? ** Kier, Tired you is definitely a whole better than no you. I'm counting the hours to my Sunn0))) blast off. That forest sculpture you made looks really good, charred and real and abstract all at once. Nice, very nice. Everyone, Kier made a great little forest, and you can look at it. That daylight lamp thing is a curious thing. It works? I'll be curious to hear. I'm not entirely happy because my novel is being really hard on me, but I'm not unhappy exactly either. ** Killer Luka, Hey. No, I haven't looked at my email this morning yet. More problems re: the letter: weird? Okay, I'll head to my mailbox as soon as I get through this, open your mail, and do whatever you say. Don't be sorry, pal. It's fine. Cornell just really needs to get themselves organized or something. ** Steevee, Yeah, the telltale signs are in some of his lyrics, for sure. Plus, if you read his interviews and stuff, he makes a point of his identity. ** Creative Massacre, Interesting. About the cotton candy process. Yeah, I thought it must be similar, but cotton candy is so delicate and fine, I wasn't sure. Thanks a lot for checking that out. That sucks big and time and is nerve wracking to hell about the hospital and chest pains combo. Dude, when you you going to get a break? This can't go on much longer. So how about today? Any better? ** Sypha, Well, with those anxieties and fears going on so heavily, yeah, you could do a lot worse for yourself than getting back into therapy. Like I've said a zillion times, mine really made a big difference for me, but you've got to give it some time to start working. ** Math, Hey. I guess because of that book coming out, I've been coming across more press about Patti Smith lately than usual, and I'm not getting why so much of it seems so hostile to her, with a lot griping about how she's treated with too much reverence. I mean, I don't get. She did some great work. What's wrong with some reverence? All kinds of musicians get treated reverently all the time, and what's wrong with her getting some? I don't know why I'm going off about that. The hostility just kind of bewilders me. I kind of sort of like watching other people play video games sometimes. Especially when I can't beat a level or a boss or something, and the person is playing my game for a while to help me out, ha ha. True, though. ** Chris, That Sarah is such a troublemaker, ha ha. And so is that Larry Kramer too, ha ha again. I remember you telling me in NYC that they were going to interview you. Glad that happened. I mean, it is weird that they reduced the name of the organization to mere letters. People are still going to ask what they stand for. I mean, what's the logic there, I wonder? ** Amccartney, Hey, Alistair! Yep, it's nice to be in Paris, which isn't to say I don't miss LA a lot. It's just that America is so generally fucked up and insane, it is nice to be over where things are fucked up but the far right isn't driving the car. My novel's giving me a hard time right now. So much work to do on it. I'm forging ahead, but I'm feeling more daunted at the moment. It'll pass. What Hedi said is really smart, yeah, no question. In fact, that very dilemma he spoke of is part of what is taxing me right now. I've got to haul up 'Fables ... ' from the storage bank and give it to my ears again. That sounds like just the thing. ** Laurabeth, Howdy, Laura. I'm back here again, yeah. Your card? I think I know where it is. Yury put a bunch of mail in one particular spot, and I keep forgetting where he said that spot is. I'll track it down today, and, if it's not here, I'll let you know. You good? How's school and everything else? ** Inthemostpeculiarway, So, today or tonight is the fun day or night. Cool. He just mentioned it yesterday, so hopefully he won't forget. Remind him, if he does. I've never ever watched 'Facts of Life'. Can you believe it? I have watched 'All McBeal' though, embarrassingly. Only a few times. And only because it was on right before another show I loved. 'Buffy', maybe? My day, hm. There was more uninteresting to relate blog and difficult novel work. I found a new fashion designer I like. I'm doing a post on his stuff, so I won't spoil the surprise. The little supermarket where I buy some of the non-vegetarian portions of my diet -- pasta, bread, cheese, etc. -- suddenly switched from their old, sturdy-ish plastic bags to providing these extremely flimsy, thin, basically useless bags yesterday, and, one after another, including me, customers would walk out of the store with their bagged purchases, and the bags would immediately rip open and drop all their food items on the sidewalk right in front of the entrance. So the store was full of angry people cursing in French at the check out people. It was very, very annoying, but I walked away cradling my items awkwardly in my arms without a word. I had a coffee with friend(s) on two separate occasions yesterday, first with Scott Treleaven, and later with Oscar and Kiddiepunk. Both times this happened at my new favorite nearby cafe, the relatively brand new Brasserie Flo in the Gare de l'Est. Let me see if I can find a picture. Oh, this is not a flattering shot at all, but here it is. So, that or rather those were nice. Yury came home from work and bolted to his laptop just in time to watch the Apple event unveiling their new tablet. I was working, and he watched that with his headphones on, and he announced each amazing new feature to me as it was unveiled. He was supposed to go to a movie with a friend, but he decided to stay and see the end of the Apple thing instead. That went on until pretty much my bedtime. The End. So, how was your hopefully Bendified day? ** Ken Baumann, Hey, Ken! Thanks for the back up on my future gig writing 'Avatar 2'. If I get that gig, Sam Worthington is so out of there, and you're so in, man. You've got my word on that. Wow, those are sublime. Hold on. Everyone, the mighty Ken Baumann directed attention to some really striking plates by Victorian anatomist Joseph Maclise, and let me second his recommendation by sending you here. You won't be sorry. Yeah, I can definitely think a bunch about them for my novel, and I will. Thanks, man. How's your novel going right now? I wondered if that gorgeous maze you posted over on HTMLG had anything to do with your novel, actually. Dude, as far as I'm concerned, absolutely on you getting first shot at designing the cover. We'll probably have to lobby Carrie hard due to HP's staff dudes who are expected to take care of that stuff, but I'm up for the battle if you are. Totally. ** Lord_s, Yum. I.e., your description of that eyehategod show. Dare I hope they'll ever play in Paris? Hm, about Sunn0)))'s occasion choice when playing Austin. I'll lobby Stephen on your and Austin's behalf when I see him. All right, I'll get that Liturgy album today. That's it. Done. And do send me your pop. I'd be most appreciative, sire. ** Casey McKinney, Well, hey there, Casey! Let's see ... No, I've never encompassed that trippy Rimbaud vid on my blog, although, hm, I think I might have use one starring ... Baudelaire once? In any case, it hit the spot enough that I'm just going to imbed the motherfucking right here. Everyone, see that imbedded video just an inch or so or less south of here? Casey McKinney found it, and I thought you needed to see it. And there it is. See it, and all thanks go to Mr. McKinney. Nice find, man. Yeah, the Michael Miller review of Mark Gluth's book is totally swell. That Miller guy rules. Well, next time I go to Georgia, whenever that may be, I'll do the civilized thing and fly in via Atlanta, which will make our get-together hassle free on your and my ends. Sounds good. Hope all's well there with you, Robin, and that big, big bump. ** Postitbreakup, Well, hi to you too, man. ** Okay, spend as much of the rest of your time here as you can digging through Jose's lovely anime-centric post, and I will naturally see you after the next spate of night has passed.