I'm standing by the pool last week and a small flying insect flew into my ear. I immedieately stuck my finger in my ear and it flew in deeper. It got right up next to my eardrum and began fluttering.
It was really an unnusual feeling, having a bug inside my ear. Actually, it was kind of painful. I was running around kicking things out of discomfort. At my wife's suggestion I banged on the opposite side of my head to get it to come out. That seemed to make it angry and it began to flutter more.
It was still driving me crazy. My wife suggested banging on my head again, to which I replied, "I am not banging on my head again." It was a response remarkably free of profanity. Then my wife suggested pouring water in my ear, which we did, and the bug was killed and presumably came out of my ear when I tilted my head to release the water.
I have since been told to shine a flashlight in my ear and the bug will be drawn to the light and come out. To me it sounds more likely that banging my head would work.
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Monday, July 21, 2003
I like to watch golf on TV because, as my brother-in-law likes to say, "It works in well with a nap." While not a huge fan, I follow golf a little. I understand the following headline I saw on Reuters, but it sounds sort of silly, don't you think?
"Shock Winner Curtis the Best Prepared at Sandwich"
"Shock Winner Curtis the Best Prepared at Sandwich"
Monday, July 14, 2003
Thursday, July 03, 2003
I don’t know about you, but I get all tingly and excited when I see those automobile sales event commercials on TV. You know the ones, with balloons and lots of ethnically-diverse couples wearing business casual clothes, marching around looking excitedly at sticker prices. It makes me want to buy a car immediately. The only thing missing is the host. Remember Squire Fridell who used to host the Toyota Sales Event ads wearing a bad tux in the 80’s? A commercial with a host. Now that's cool.
Apparently, Squire and his wife are now owners of a vineyard in Sonoma County, called Glen Lyon Winery, a winery that contributes to Ravenswood’s Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon.
He also wrote a very popular book, Acting in Television Commercials for Fun and Profit. The book has lots of tips and trick for aspiring actors, but many transcend the industry of TV commercial acting, such as "Your nails should be neatly trimmed and clean."
Squire worked for six years as Ronald McDonald. Ronald wears yellow gloves, so it's not as critical that the actors who portray him have clean nails after all.
Apparently, Squire and his wife are now owners of a vineyard in Sonoma County, called Glen Lyon Winery, a winery that contributes to Ravenswood’s Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon.
He also wrote a very popular book, Acting in Television Commercials for Fun and Profit. The book has lots of tips and trick for aspiring actors, but many transcend the industry of TV commercial acting, such as "Your nails should be neatly trimmed and clean."
Squire worked for six years as Ronald McDonald. Ronald wears yellow gloves, so it's not as critical that the actors who portray him have clean nails after all.
Friday, June 27, 2003
I had the pleasure of attending a weekend workshop at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival in Iowa City, Iowa June 21-22.
It offered me a lot of interesting opportunities. First, I was able to hook back up with a writing buddy from college, Rusty Coats. Rusty's a great guy and an incredible fiction writer. We used to write and drink together as undergrads at Indiana University back in the mid-80's. I know only his short stories, mostly from that time, but they were incredible. Thiink of his stuff as what Steven King would write if he could write better endings. We picked up right where we left off, 16 years ago.
One night, by accident, we went up a ondescript staircase at a bar and discovered Iowa City's only Rap/Hip-Hop club. It was quite a scene. We were so out of place the bartender declined to serve us, saying "We're out of that," pointing my beer bottle. Downstairs they kept serving us beer, and the music was Good Charlotte and Twisted Sister. Sounds like an ersatz Hemingway anecdote, but we had fun.
Rusty and I both ocmmented that we had picked up right where we left off. Considering our shared sense of humor, our circuitous route to careers in technology, and our rekindled enthusiasm for writing, we talked like not much had really changed in 16 years.
The second opportunity the workshop afforded me was to go to Iowa City. I had never been there before, but I heard from many people what a cool place it is and what a great writing program it is. The person who kicked off the weekend said to those of us who were in Iowa City for the first time: "You will find this a fertile place for writers."
Down one of the main streets leading from downtown Iowa City to the campus of the University of iowa is the Iowa Avenue Literary Walk, which "celebrates, in bronze relief panels, some of the singular voices that have come together here, from Flannery O’Connor and Kurt Vonnegut to John Irving and James Tate." It's very cool.
Getting to Iowa City from Kansas City includes a great drive across I-80 through lots of rolling lush farm fields. It's a landscape I never get tired of. There are areas where you see for miles and miles with no manmade structures except for fences and an occasional collapsing barn. Iowa also has an interstingly-named chain of convenience stores. You have to wonder if they think it's a good name or maybe they are just used to it.
Finally was the workshop itself. I was a bit skeptical about the workshop. Rusty and I had planned in advance that as soon as it got boring we would leave. The workshop we signed up for was called "Character and Action." After 15 minutes it was clear we were not going to leave during the workshop, and by the end of the 2 days I wished it would go on another two days.
The instructor was the best writing instructor I have ever had, and perhaps one of the most inspirational instructors I have ever had in any subject. She taught the class with authority but never dominated the conversations. She taught with credentials, but never read her own work. She taught with experience, but never suggested her methods were any better than what had worked for us in the past.
My past experiences with creative writing classes at Indiana University had proved spotty. With a few exceptions, like Rusty and a some others, I generally did not think the other students had much talent, and I therefore did not respect any of the criticism they provided of my work. That was not a problem at this workshop. Without exception, I was blown away by the other writers in the class who read their work. It was unbelievably eye-opening. I truly feel I was the least talented person there. In a situation like that, you could not help but be challenged, inspired, and energized.
Overall, the experience had all of the characteristics of a pivotal event in my life: funny, inspiring, and mentally challenging. I will go back next year, and every year after.
It offered me a lot of interesting opportunities. First, I was able to hook back up with a writing buddy from college, Rusty Coats. Rusty's a great guy and an incredible fiction writer. We used to write and drink together as undergrads at Indiana University back in the mid-80's. I know only his short stories, mostly from that time, but they were incredible. Thiink of his stuff as what Steven King would write if he could write better endings. We picked up right where we left off, 16 years ago.
One night, by accident, we went up a ondescript staircase at a bar and discovered Iowa City's only Rap/Hip-Hop club. It was quite a scene. We were so out of place the bartender declined to serve us, saying "We're out of that," pointing my beer bottle. Downstairs they kept serving us beer, and the music was Good Charlotte and Twisted Sister. Sounds like an ersatz Hemingway anecdote, but we had fun.
Rusty and I both ocmmented that we had picked up right where we left off. Considering our shared sense of humor, our circuitous route to careers in technology, and our rekindled enthusiasm for writing, we talked like not much had really changed in 16 years.
The second opportunity the workshop afforded me was to go to Iowa City. I had never been there before, but I heard from many people what a cool place it is and what a great writing program it is. The person who kicked off the weekend said to those of us who were in Iowa City for the first time: "You will find this a fertile place for writers."
Down one of the main streets leading from downtown Iowa City to the campus of the University of iowa is the Iowa Avenue Literary Walk, which "celebrates, in bronze relief panels, some of the singular voices that have come together here, from Flannery O’Connor and Kurt Vonnegut to John Irving and James Tate." It's very cool.
Getting to Iowa City from Kansas City includes a great drive across I-80 through lots of rolling lush farm fields. It's a landscape I never get tired of. There are areas where you see for miles and miles with no manmade structures except for fences and an occasional collapsing barn. Iowa also has an interstingly-named chain of convenience stores. You have to wonder if they think it's a good name or maybe they are just used to it.
Finally was the workshop itself. I was a bit skeptical about the workshop. Rusty and I had planned in advance that as soon as it got boring we would leave. The workshop we signed up for was called "Character and Action." After 15 minutes it was clear we were not going to leave during the workshop, and by the end of the 2 days I wished it would go on another two days.
The instructor was the best writing instructor I have ever had, and perhaps one of the most inspirational instructors I have ever had in any subject. She taught the class with authority but never dominated the conversations. She taught with credentials, but never read her own work. She taught with experience, but never suggested her methods were any better than what had worked for us in the past.
My past experiences with creative writing classes at Indiana University had proved spotty. With a few exceptions, like Rusty and a some others, I generally did not think the other students had much talent, and I therefore did not respect any of the criticism they provided of my work. That was not a problem at this workshop. Without exception, I was blown away by the other writers in the class who read their work. It was unbelievably eye-opening. I truly feel I was the least talented person there. In a situation like that, you could not help but be challenged, inspired, and energized.
Overall, the experience had all of the characteristics of a pivotal event in my life: funny, inspiring, and mentally challenging. I will go back next year, and every year after.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
