People keep telling me they’d read more if they had time. That lame excuse no longer holds water. Behold Book-a-Minute!
Here’s one of my favorites (Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley and ultra-condensed by Andrew C.):
Walton
Dear Margaret: My ship picked up this guy. He RULES.
Frankenstein
I discovered the secret of life, and everyone died. (dies)
Frankenstein’s Monster
Inexplicably, I have become suicidal. (jumps out a window)
THE END
Johnston Printing’s latest edition of PROOF!—the fifth in a series—is now available. This issue features the work of Gary Kaemmer, an artist with a penchant for painting portraits of famous artists in their own individual style. With over 70 paintings under his belt, Gary demonstrates an amazing ability to work in a myriad of painting techniques.
PROOF! showcases the service offerings of Johnston Printing. As with all of the previous issues, AMD selects each subject, designs the tabloid-sized publication, and writes the narrative, offering unique insights into a talented regional visual artist. A special mention to J. Craig Sweat, who not only photographed our subject and his work, but also made the original suggestion to consider featuring Kaemmer.
To receive your own free copy of PROOF!, visit proof.johnstonprinting.com. And to meet the artist himself, join us on First Friday, September 2, beginning at 5:00pm at the Steam Plant in downtown Spokane. Gary Kaemmer will be on hand to share his perspectives about his Famous Artists Portraits.
In the memoir portion of Stephen King’s On Writing, there’s a great line about…well, let’s just quote the man, shall we?
The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time.…Substance-abusing writers are just substance abusers—common garden-variety drunks and druggies, in other words.
But then he really gets going:
Hemingway and Fitzgerald didn’t drink because they were creative, alienated, or morally weak. They drank because it’s what alkies are wired up to do. Creative people probably do run a greater risk of alcoholism than those in some other jobs, but so what? We all look pretty much the same when we’re puking in the gutter.
It’s not often that CK takes a vacation. Something about owning your own business. So when he scheduled this week off, we knew there’d be questions. To that end, we’re glad to offer the above photograph, sent via his iPhone, as evidence that CK is on a family road trip and not (a) in rehab, (b) scaling the 15,000-foot Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat, or (c) meeting with advisors in preparation for a possible third-party presidential run. With any luck, he’ll be back in the office on Monday.
According to a study conducted by the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University in Chicago, moderate drinking—defined as two a day for men and one for women—can increase your chances of maintaining optimal brain health, memory, and cognition by 23 percent.
Thank you, science!
Take the online color challenge to find out. –via Roslund Photography
Scientists have apparently been looking for beer’s missing link. After a five-year search, they’ve found it.
Build your own spaceship, courtesy of these NASA blueprints.
Lower Blossom Lake, Sanders County, Montana. Elevation 5673 feet.
Here’s a site devoted to “the chrome logos and lettering affixed to vintage automobiles and electric appliances—those unsung metal emblems and badges that are overlooked, forgotten, damaged, lost to time or the dump.” Shown is a 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint.
In an article on how to become a faster writer, Michael Agger quotes Stony Brook professor Robert Boice:
“Binge writing—hypomanic, euphoric marathon sessions to meet unrealistic deadlines—is generally counterproductive and potentially a source of depression and blocking.”
So if I look a little down lately, it’s because the AMD suits are unrelenting in their demands of me.
Even more interesting, however, is an observation by Saint Louis University psychologist Ronald Kellogg:
“Experts approaching a serious writing assignment may spend hours, days, or weeks thinking about the task before initiating the draft.”
That’s definitely my approach. Oh, and Kellogg also has some words for those of you—you know who you are—who think that this stuff is easy:
“Writing extended texts for publication is a major cognitive challenge, even for professionals who compose for a living.”
A while back we noted a study that found that, in every nationally televised ad during the first 11 months of 2010, those featuring celebrity endorsements performed either below average or equal to it. Sort of counter-intuitive, right?
It gets stranger.
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Abercrombie & Fitch has offered to pay cast members of “Jersey Shore” not to wear its product—because “[the] association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans,” according to a statement. This from a company not exactly known for its taste and decorum.
Now if someone will just pay Lady Gaga to stay home.
When I read this…
“Sometimes, when people think ‘outside the box’ the result is something interesting and revolutionary. And sometimes all they do is remind you why there was a box in the first place.” Rob Long, writer and producer
I was reminded of this:
“The most important lesson of the avant-garde was to be free of all pre-conceived ideas, particularly those of the avant-garde.” Valentin Silvestrov, pianist and composer
Today is my mother’s 80th birthday. As a number of family members and friends gathered to celebrate over the weekend, we were reminded how a life well-lived can impact so many people. So, in honor of this day, I say “Thank you” to my mom. While there are countless personal reasons for doing so, I have a few professional ones as well:
Thanks for a lifetime of support, Mom!
Looks like some do-gooders, aided and abetted by spineless bureaucrats, have banned another book. All because a character in a piece of fiction doesn’t dig Mormons. The way our public schools operate these days, it’s a wonder anyone reads anything anymore.
Reminds me of the MPAA rating descriptor for In the Shadow of the Moon: “Rated PG for mild language, brief violent images and incidental smoking.” OMG! Smoking! In the name of all that is holy, look away!!!
I know, I know—here at the last word we prefer to stay away from politics, but sometimes things are so fargin’ ridiculous that you can’t help yourself.
Excellent article on the state of restaurant website design. But the thing is, it’s not just restaurants. Some of the worst sites out there belong to universities and government agencies.
Bottom line? When you don’t have a basic understanding of what your customers actually want—and you stubbornly attempt to control every facet of the user “experience”—bad design inevitably follows.