Duane the Dancing Boy

I was in desperate need for a laugh today. Thank Jesus I found Duane:





Duane the dancing boy entered my life thanks to this Videogum post.

Do what you love?

Since I am clearly in need of some career advice, after reading a Slate interview with Penelope Trunk, the CEO of Brazen Careerist and author of book of same name, I thought I’d check out her blog and see what she’s all about.

I think I might have fallen in love when I read this post. And this one.

Of course, I still don’t have a career to speak of, unless you count my increasingly terrific skills as a waitress. But at the very least, I giggled loudly to myself when I read, “I am a writer, but I love sex more than I love writing. And I am not getting paid for sex.”

The woman has a point.

The Long Goodbye

Slate is doing a series on grieving, and the first two posts by Meghan O’Rourke are frank and well written. It really hit home with me for obvious reasons, but whether you’re “in the club” or not—and I hope that you’re not—it’s a worthwhile read.

It reminded me of this selection from Inventing Memory, by Erica Jong:

“I never thought my mama would die. She seemed immortal to me. Since she was the ground of my being, her death seemed unthinkable—however much she annoyed me at times. Now I am standing at the edge of the cliff with no one to catch me. I’m sure all daughters feel this way when their mothers die.”

Sunday Swayze Fest

After surviving my mind numbing drive from Indy to Chicago today, I was unpacking and glanced at Patrick Swayze’s beautiful face staring at me from my Dirty Dancing wall calendar. Yeah, that’s right, my Dirty Dancing wall calendar. Best Christmas present since North and South on DVD.

Anyway, all this inspired me to share a little Swayze with…umm, the readers of my blog? HA! Maybe if my “readers” are lucky, Swazye Fest could become an annual Sunday occurrence.

So, my Sunday gift to you: Orry Maine rescuing Madeleine. The Oscars have nothing on this scene. And if you have no clue who Orry or Madeleine are, well, you will after this.

Two Interviews, Two Kick Ass Female Artists

This probably warrants two separate posts so I can ramble on about each woman’s individual awesomeness, but, alas, I must go don a black apron and try to look cheery while delivering beer and burgers, so I don’t have time.

Time interviewed Erica Jong last week. She has a new poetry collection out—will someone buy this for me, please? —and without even reading it, I recommend it. I recently snagged her poetry collection “Ordinary Miracles” at Myopic and immediately read it cover-to-cover. She’s a genius.

Next up is the NY Times article “Wild Thing” about Neko Case. Her new album, “Middle Cyclone” comes out next month. Paste also had a great cover story on her this month. I’d link to the site, but it’s fucking terrible, so do yourself a favor and just go buy the magazine, because it’s fucking terrific.

I can’t believe I was two tables away from Neko at Kuma’s Corner this summer and didn’t take the opportunity to swoon all over her. But I did stare at her a lot while whispering, “I think that’s Neko Case! That’s Neko Case!”

But can you see why I might be intimidated?

More Lykke Li

Not that it was necessary, but here’s even more reason to love Lykke Li:

http://bitchmagazine.org/post/a-little-bit-of-lykke-li

Note that there was a kazoo solo, and at every concert, she wears a “signature jingle-bell-and-kazoo necklace.”

Sold.

YOU LOSE! YOU GET NOTHING!

All this Roald Dahl talk reminded me how fucking hilarious/fantastic Gene Wilder was as Willy Wonka.


Good day, sir! HA!