p.s. Hey. Well, again, there's nothing to report today that won't pan out naturally as I climb down the comments, so I'll do just that. ** David, Right, that's the 'Alex' movie I was thinking of. It's probably kind of interesting in an accidental way now due to the long lost Hollywood Blvd. street trade setting it tidies yet captures. Oh, I'll go check out those Roxy Music youtube clips. Joel's had that era of Roxy on 'genius' shuffle on the car's iPod in the past week and, dang, did it sound as great as I remember? Yes. ** Wolf, Well, ha ha, I see my lack of French speaking abilities as a kind of caretaker thing vis a vis France. Speaking of, did you see in the news yesterday that some high level UMP government someone is aiming to legalize brothels in France? Apparently, 59% of the French populace is in favor of the idea, so, well, that might be a curious turn. Well, on the interview thing, I don't think people realize how heavily involved I am in making the work at pretty much every level. I guess 'the writer' in most theater stuff usually signs off on their text and then shows up for the premiere. So, in that sense, interviewers' not feeling the need to know what I think makes sense, and I don't mind, although it usually works better when G. and I are interviewed together because she likes to go really abstract in her answers, and I tend to talk about the groundwork. Gisele's blush is a rare flower, but that Kinski line, which I will indeed pass along, will do the trick absolutely. ** David Ehrenstein, Oh, hm, maybe it wasn't the first issue of Inter/View, but it was an early one. I've got it around the apartment somewhere. If I can find it, maybe I'll scan the pic or other stuff in it for here. Those early issues of Interview have never been reprinted, I don't think? Pretty good female to male, yeah. Have you seen this zine 'Op: Trans Male Quarterly'? One of the editors gave me a couple of copies in SF. It's pretty cool. Sort of a 'Butt' magazine type of thing with a broader imagination. ** Slatted Light, Hey, David. It's awesome to see you, needless to say. Hm, I think this might be one of those rare occasions when I disagree with you re: 'Fences'. I'm not sure I can articulate the difference, but I didn't find the things you say were 'lame' and 'obvious' and 'simple' to be so, if I'm understanding your wheres and whys, or not so in a way that wasn't exciting and key to the interplay and construction of the work's space or something. There was a clambering, a spraying, a bravado, a mixed-up attacking and hiding and so on, less then more, obtuse then blurted, but I guess the fact that I was so exhilarated and absorbed by the work instilled a high level of trust in me, rightly or wrongly or whatever. I don't know. Anyway, yours was great response, and very inspiring. And how are you generally, man? ** Little foal, Spelling is so weird. I come up against it all the time here. There are words I use here pretty much constantly, and I still can't get the correct spelling cemented in my head. It just took me seven guesses on 'exhilarated' before the word stopped having the dreaded red WRONG line beneath it. I think you'll like 'Fences'. My instinct says so. Well, yeah, it's an awfully good thing that you saw through the 24/7/365 heaven/hell on earth proposition, my friend. 'Riven', exactly. I loved those 'Myst' games. I guess there've been a couple of sort of recent ones I've never played. And I know/played 'Dark Eye', believe it or not. I was really into 90s computer games. Games were really adventurous and the closest to art during that period. Some of my faves, if you know them, were '9', 'Dust', 'Alice', the first three 'Mysts' and a bunch of their knock-offs, and ... I'm forgetting. A bunch of weird Japanese import games that made no sense at all. Oh, nothing you said made me uncomfortable, trust me. Keep trusting your instincts 'cos they're very good ones. ** Alan, Hey. I kind of know what you mean about typography play. I guess I see it more as a fascinating literary possibility that's so hard to utilize without being gimmicky that the mostly bad examples have kind of condemned it. In the case of 'Fences', I think it's one of the most successful and justified examples I've seen, and I suppose finding the typography play employed so intricately and justifiably is part of the thrill the book gave me. It was one of the rare times when I thought the typography play worked in the way that the play of dynamics and sound levels do in recorded music. I don't know. I guess I'm saying the success of Brooks' use of typography and the feeling that it was necessary for the work at hand was a very interesting surprise to me. Yeah, Blake's poker/ fiction essay over at HTMLG was fantastic. I thought so too. How are you, A? Are you getting through your political work and getting closer to reengaging with the novel? ** Chris (British), Coincidentally or probably not, I was just yesterday reading an essay online that was positing that cricket is the most subtle and cerebral of sports, and that had me rethinking. Ha ha, it's funny that you're looking forward to having Doritos, and I guess also funny/nice that you haven't had them there. France has them. Aztecs is new to me. I don't think we have them here or in France, but now I will check. ** Justin, The seventh doll is the only one that's had a 'life' outside of our work. It/he was in a French film playing a sexually abused child. I guess the director thought it had just the right look on its face. ** Mark Gluth, Hey, man! Glad it sounds to have gone well in Portland. Any chance of a Seattle report or report-ette? Kind of melancholy that the tour's over, no? Oh, listen, man, I can't begin to tell you what an honor it is that I've had the opportunity to first bring your work to the book reading crowd. The gratitude is all mine. ** Misanthrope, Yeah, I'd give 'Fences' some leeway on the typography aspect at least until you read it. Like I said to Alan, I thought he made it work re: the novel both surprisingly and remarkably. Yeah, the 'street kids' piece is in 'Smothered in Hugs'. I think there are only two pieces from 'All Ears' that didn't make the cut. No, I haven't checked Rigby's blog lately for no good reason, but I'll jet over there a bit later. I know precisely what you mean about the style itself being the porn's lure, no surprise. Dude, send that cold of yours back to Hell today. ** Oscar B, You can borrow my copy of 'Fences' when I/you get back to Paris if you like. 'Portal' was news to me until it first popped up onscreen. I'd heard people mention it, and a few people have steered me towards it. It's kind of cold and serene, which I like. Yeah, everything's cool or rather warm here. There? ** Stan_cz, Yeah, SF is close/easy enough that you should try it out. There are people who fall in very love with it. I'm not among them, but I am in love with my friends there. 'Greenberg': never heard of it, hm. I'll check the LA Weekly. Writing on the floor sounds rough, yeah. I'm writing on the couch while I'm here, and even that's an 'oh my aching back' thing. ** Jose, Your positivity is a thrill, man. Obviously, feel completely free to talk that up and out as you see fit. I'm super interested in anything about it. ** Amccartney, Hey, Alistair! Oh, I'm still way into coming to see you in Venice. Joel and I were just strategizing about that last night, and I was already planning to finally call you today to make a plan. Sorry it took me a bit. Between jet lag and the events/tour, I got waylaid. So, yeah, expect to hear me on the phone in just a little while. ** Creative Massacre, Awesomeness about the better and better stuff. Isn't that amazing when you feel like you and someone new or relatively new are like the same person? Such a rush, and it's usually true in at least some respect. Oh, my favorite Ethiopian dish is actually the bread. It's called Injera. Here, hold on ... Here's a link to a description of it. It's really unique, thin and moist and rubbery. I love it. Hey, you have an awesome weekend too, my pal. ** L@rstonovich, Hey to you too, dude! I've been reading a little of your book, and, man, it's a fucking beauty. I can't wait for the related post whenever you're ready. ** Inthemostpeculiarway, I watched part of the clip. Enough to get a sense. Enough to feel determined to watch her show while I'm here and still in reach of its signal. Pretty funny, dry funny. I liked it. Well, yeah, I want to see your other or real or whatever writing badly, so make it happen. But no unpleasant pressure or anything. The Herzogs that are showing with him in attendance are, first night, 'Stroszek' (my favorite of his films) and 'Woyzeck', and, second night, 'Cobra Verde' and 'My Favorite Fiend'. My LA apartment is kind of like a little house. It kind of looks/feels like one, although I guess it's a bungalow apartment. So I sort of rent a house. I can't imagine ever renting a real house since I only want to ever live either here or in Paris, and the priciness of that dashes any prospect. Do you live in an apartment or house? I think ... the former? My day: Hm, kind of quiet, I think. What did I do exactly? I called a few friends, most of whom weren't 'there' or at least answering, so that didn't lead very far. Oh, ugh, there's the possibility of yet a new battle erupting in my family. It started to erupt, and maybe it'll go super volcano or maybe it'll end with a little spitting sound, I pray. It's about money, estate, between my psycho brother and my sister, and too complicated/ boring to go into, and blah. So yesterday involved a bunch of emails and phone calls and stressing out about that. If I had remembered that Xiu Xiu was playing last night at this club in Silverlake The Echo, I would have gone, but I didn't remember, so I didn't know what I was missing until this morning. I walked around outside a bit, just viewing the neighborhood and so on. I realized that I have to get my income tax stuff together while I'm here, which was a drag, but the remembering was, you know, good since I have to do that or, you know, else. I think I watched a little TV. I think it was mostly news. I think it was mostly about the health care vote thing tomorrow, no surprise. And I guess about Sandra Bullock's husband's horrible whatever. America is so fucking weird and not in the good way. I'm sorry, it just is. Uh, I think that's all I can remember. It was an in between day, I guess. I think I'll go do something or other today just so my next day report will have a slight sparkle. Okay, man, go. ** Blendin, You bet. Here or over there. BB or Cantor's maybe. Maybe not Cantor's, but I don't know. I know it's superficial of me, but I prefer Jerry's Deli. And not just because I saw Chuck D there once. ** JW Veldhoen, Rhyming slang, right, must be. Oh, I don't know, I think you have a magical evenness, actually. Maybe it's not in your narrative. Maybe it's in your typography? Hm. Say more about 'the writing doesn't work with the parts now' if you don't mind. Heartburn, yeah, kind of me too. I'm laying off Mexican food for a day at least maybe if I can. ** Bollo, The dolls' faces ... I should know that. I probably did at some point. I would guess, but I won't 'cos I have this wrongness thing going on in my guessing faculty when I dwell on the question. I'll find out. Oh, nice about the Gober show. New stuff, a survey, or what? May your weekend delight you onto an astral plane, man, if you like. ** James, James! Hey, man! How great to see you! You and Sophie are coming to Paris the same weekend I am, but you won't be zombies. Are you only there through Sunday? I get in Sunday early afternoon, but I'll pretty wrecked. Any chance you'll still be there on Monday? If Presences Electronique is the festival I'm thinking it is, I went last year, although I don't think that one was free. Isn't Autechre playing the PE too? Damn, I would love to see CP and Fennesz at least, but I'm betting the concert is on Saturday, no? Anyway, I would really love to see you guys if it's possible. Let me know. Do you have my cell number? ** Chris, Hey, Chris! Yeah, I'm here until the 27th. So far so good, yes. I've never been very interested in Cheever, but others who hang out here seem to like him a lot. I'd like to see Ed White's take, so I'll try to snag that issue. What conference? Work related? How's the music coming and going? ** Put The Lotion In The Basket, I do think you'd like 'Fences'. I do recommend it to you especially. A Eurovision Song Contest post? From you? Awesome! What a lovely idea. I haven't seen it yet, but I guarantee you that I want it badly. I'll check my mail and write to you. Wow, thanks so much, Nick! I'm going to go revise my will now and put you in it. What do you want? Name it. ** Changeling, So very true. And the requests to wear something slightly different, refresh the projection but not too much. But whatever you do, don't change your hair. The haircut is so weirdly powerful. I mean, the most common reaction to the escorts posts I do here is always interesting /vexing to me. Their minds and personalities and likes/dislikes are turned into an ambience if that. Less 'cross that bridge when I come to it' than 'you call that a bridge?' or something. The issue of which you speak is a huge one to me, and complicated, and I can write novels about it, but when I'm on my toes like now, that silencing form of objectification -- boring term -- inflicted on those who've wound up with some of the physical twists and turns that are considered 'hot' and 'cute' by the world confuses and disappoints and irritates the hell out of me. Anyway ... Oh, understood about the non-birthday thing. So, have you published your work? Are you angling towards a book of writings or a novel or anything of that sort? Do you have support for your writing among friends or strangers or whoever? ** Math, Fried pickles? That sounds too weirdly good not to bite into. Never heard of that idea, I don't think? Excellent on the news news. Say whatever you think best about that in whatever form you feel is best, and, for now, that's very happy making, pal. Mm, that might be another Robert Coddington. My RC is mostly kind of an archivist and expert on the art of drag and on the East Village scene of the 1980s, I guess. It's warm and prettier than shit (?!) here too. Fine weekend to you. ** Steevee, That film sounds very interesting. Hm, if it does get a release or if there's a way to see it, please let us/me know. I don't think Gus' reliance on teen stereotypes is ironic at all. Can be a real problem in his work sometimes, to me anyway. Bon weekend, S. ** And excellent weekends to all of you. I'm reviving (with some updates) my Duvall/Haas Fest of some years back. Hope it gives you everything you've come to expect from a post delivered by this place. On Monday, we will all reconvene here, yes? I will.