Like everyone who has worked in showbiz for the last 50 years, I got to work with M. Emmet Walsh on a movie called "The Music of Chance." My favorite memories are when he called the director's wife a bitch, and when he shouted "Aw, blow it out your ass!" after I told him it was a pleasure working with him. Truly one of a kind. And yes, I still have his resume (circa 1991) and my two dollar bill.
It takes me back to when I was in high school in the 70s.
From 2004 to 2008, I worked on a MFA in creative writing. Started in poetry, switched to creative nonfiction and never finished the final manuscript. ( Life was lifing) However, one of the poetry mentors insisted we memorize poetry. I’ll never forget Shakespeare’s Sonnet 65 about writing, aging, nature, and immortality. I think memorizing poetry is a good way to ward off memory loss and dementia.
SONNET 65
Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, But sad mortality o'er-sways their power, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, Whose action is no stronger than a flower?
O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out Against the wreckful siege of battering days, When rocks impregnable are not so stout, Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?
O fearful meditation! where, alack,
Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?
O, none, unless this miracle have might, That in black ink my love may still shine bright.
In general I’m not one to make playlists, but there was a time when I put a lot of time into making one. It’s all Nintendo 64 music and I love to listen to it when I’m reading or locking into a creative activity.
Thank you for the NYT list link. I read both Catch-22 and Something Happened by Joseph Heller in high school and they've been on my list of favorites ever since (~25 years later). Maybe because the humor was so different than the typical required classics. Excited to dive into some of these. ...and I've also added Rundell's Why You Should Read Children's Books and Tommy Orange's There There to my To-Be-Read list from this newsletter. Your newsletters are always a joy to see in my inbox.
Another great piece. I chased so many rabbits this morning and have plenty more to follow. So inspiring. Hockey, Barry, and Kleon. Keeping me going. Off to make …
As a lover of children's books (if not actual children), I recently added Maurice Sendak's previously unpublished TEN LITTLE RABBITS to my library. Recommended!
For #1 - I recently read Kate DiCamillo’s “The Puppets of Spelhorst” and JUST finished Dave Eggers’ “The Eyes and The Impossible”. I thought they were each pretty spectacular. In all the ways! (Even though I failed to convince either of my actual children to read them, I won’t stop talking about how delightful they are!)
And like you, Matt's motto has been "Keep Going." He was recently interviewed by Rachel Pierman on YouTube, which is very worth the time to view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcVGeyj67zk
I thought you would find this interview very relevant, especially as it relates to your own writing/drawing, but also as the father of "tweens." Let me know what you think. P.S. - it took me almost 15 years to write and publish my own book, "A Doctor's War" (https://adoctorswar.com), so I know a lot about patience and "keeping going." At age 75, I still have so much to say and write about before it's too late, literally.
Anybody ever read the children’s book The Mitten? Oh, it’s adorable and the graphics are gorgeous! It’s about a mitten that’s found in the woods by a small animal. They crawl inside to get warm, and then another and another until the mitten is stretched beyond its limit and they all get flung out! Too cute!
That article on Percival Everett will drive me to read him. This article left me feeling like his books would be impossible for some reason, impossible to tell if the book will be incredible or almost nonsensical.
Like everyone who has worked in showbiz for the last 50 years, I got to work with M. Emmet Walsh on a movie called "The Music of Chance." My favorite memories are when he called the director's wife a bitch, and when he shouted "Aw, blow it out your ass!" after I told him it was a pleasure working with him. Truly one of a kind. And yes, I still have his resume (circa 1991) and my two dollar bill.
Here’s one of my favorite old school playlists.
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/awb/pl.u-55D6ZD5UVmy6py
It takes me back to when I was in high school in the 70s.
From 2004 to 2008, I worked on a MFA in creative writing. Started in poetry, switched to creative nonfiction and never finished the final manuscript. ( Life was lifing) However, one of the poetry mentors insisted we memorize poetry. I’ll never forget Shakespeare’s Sonnet 65 about writing, aging, nature, and immortality. I think memorizing poetry is a good way to ward off memory loss and dementia.
SONNET 65
Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, But sad mortality o'er-sways their power, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, Whose action is no stronger than a flower?
O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out Against the wreckful siege of battering days, When rocks impregnable are not so stout, Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?
O fearful meditation! where, alack,
Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?
O, none, unless this miracle have might, That in black ink my love may still shine bright.
I love starting the day with your thoughts, Austin. Helps me remember there are things to be happy and excited about.
In general I’m not one to make playlists, but there was a time when I put a lot of time into making one. It’s all Nintendo 64 music and I love to listen to it when I’m reading or locking into a creative activity.
https://x.com/SteveCardosoX/status/1724620010814111752?s=20
Thank you for the NYT list link. I read both Catch-22 and Something Happened by Joseph Heller in high school and they've been on my list of favorites ever since (~25 years later). Maybe because the humor was so different than the typical required classics. Excited to dive into some of these. ...and I've also added Rundell's Why You Should Read Children's Books and Tommy Orange's There There to my To-Be-Read list from this newsletter. Your newsletters are always a joy to see in my inbox.
Another great piece. I chased so many rabbits this morning and have plenty more to follow. So inspiring. Hockey, Barry, and Kleon. Keeping me going. Off to make …
As a lover of children's books (if not actual children), I recently added Maurice Sendak's previously unpublished TEN LITTLE RABBITS to my library. Recommended!
For #1 - I recently read Kate DiCamillo’s “The Puppets of Spelhorst” and JUST finished Dave Eggers’ “The Eyes and The Impossible”. I thought they were each pretty spectacular. In all the ways! (Even though I failed to convince either of my actual children to read them, I won’t stop talking about how delightful they are!)
Playlists - each one inspired by the photo on the cover. (And never ever stop reading children’s books.)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4v2NltDBeewGH9AaGxpeen?si=M08cDxZ5RzuVnD9U5asxlQ&pi=e-LU4MUAnHQY-e
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3bZtAD8pIel9M3fDdeUtYz?si=NLHzlFzRTOyAanyNZLLPQg&pi=e-RaeKefGqSoSa
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2yJodQ7IR3zSLAeAvjqUH1?si=VYTNPO-7TAO5Xs0KAu5Whg&pi=e-Wu_f9ariQF-T
Hi, Austin. Don't know if you follow @matteicheldinger on Igram? If not, he's worth a look. I thought of you not only as an author/artist, but also someone with upcoming middle school age kids. Matt is a 6th grade teacher, illustrator, and now, author. His first book, that took 15 years to get published, was just released a few days ago: https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0zMsryIo3TzI3YPQSzE0sKVFIzUzOSM1JycxLTy0CALmiC2k&q=matt+eicheldinger&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS870US870&oq=Matt&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDAgBEC4YJxiABBiKBTIPCAAQIxgnGOMCGIAEGIoFMgwIARAuGCcYgAQYigUyCggCEC4YsQMYgAQyBggDEEUYOTITCAQQLhiDARjHARixAxjRAxiABDIKCAUQLhixAxiABDINCAYQLhiDARixAxiABDIGCAcQRRg80gEJMTQ0MzNqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
And like you, Matt's motto has been "Keep Going." He was recently interviewed by Rachel Pierman on YouTube, which is very worth the time to view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcVGeyj67zk
I thought you would find this interview very relevant, especially as it relates to your own writing/drawing, but also as the father of "tweens." Let me know what you think. P.S. - it took me almost 15 years to write and publish my own book, "A Doctor's War" (https://adoctorswar.com), so I know a lot about patience and "keeping going." At age 75, I still have so much to say and write about before it's too late, literally.
Anybody ever read the children’s book The Mitten? Oh, it’s adorable and the graphics are gorgeous! It’s about a mitten that’s found in the woods by a small animal. They crawl inside to get warm, and then another and another until the mitten is stretched beyond its limit and they all get flung out! Too cute!
Some of the old old NES games available on Nintendo Switch Online have really neat music.
That article on Percival Everett will drive me to read him. This article left me feeling like his books would be impossible for some reason, impossible to tell if the book will be incredible or almost nonsensical.
Love the article on David Hampton! I have a new hero to look up to. I want to be as sharp as he is when I reach his age! 😊 Thanks for sharing Austin…