Everything Everything Everything Everything

I won’t be around for the actual contest, but based on...

Sat, 11 May 2013 17:30:15 -0400

I won’t be around for the actual contest, but based on preliminary videos here’s my Eurovision 2013 picks:

1. Margaret Berger, “I Feed You My Love” (Norway)
2. Moje 3, “Ljubav je svuda” (Љубав је свуда) (Serbia)
3. Alyona Lanskaya, “Solayoh” (Belarus)
4. ByeAlex, “Kedvesem” (Zoohacker Remix) (Hungary)
5. Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankulov “Samo shampioni” (Само шампиони) (Bulgaria)
6. Amandine Bourgeois, “L’enfer et moi” (France)
7. Andrius Pojavis, “Something” (Lithuania)
8. Hannah, “Straight Into Love” (Slovenia)
9. Who See, “Igranka (Игранка) ” (Montenegro)
10. Adrian Lulgjuraj and Bledar Sejko, “Identitet” (Albania)

11. Anouk, “Birds” (Netherlands)
12. Emmelie de Forest, “Only Teardrops” (Denmark)
13. Takasa. “You and Me” (Switzerland)
14. Eythor Ingi, “Ég á líf” (Iceland)
15. Farid Mammadov, “Hold Me” (Azerbaijan)
16. Cascada, “Glorious” (Germany)
17. Birgit, “Et uus saaks alguse” (Estonia)
18. ESDM, “Contigo hasta el final” (Spain)
19. Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis, “Alcohol Is Free” (Greece)
20. Bonnie Tyler, “Believe in Me” (United Kingdom)

21. Gianluca, “Tomorrow” (Malta)
22. Cezar, “It’s My Life” (Romania)
23. Valentina Monetta, “Crisalide (Vola)” (San Marino)
24. Aliona Moon, “O mie” (Moldova)
25. Natália Kelly, “Shine” (Austria)
26. Despina Olympiou, “An me thimasai” (Aν με θυμάσαι) (Cyprus)
27. Esma and Lozano, “Pred da se razdeni” (Пред да се раздени) (Macedonia)
28. Moran Mazor, “Rak bishvilo” (רק בשבילו) (Israel)
29. Klapa s Mora, “Mižerja” (Croatia)
30. Nodi Tatishvili and Sophie Gelovani, “Waterfall” (Georgia)

31. Ryan Dolan, “Only Love Survives” (Ireland)
32. Marco Mengoni, “L’essenziale” (Italy)
33. Dina Garipova, “What If” (Russia)
34. Roberto Bellarosa, “Love Kills” (Belgium)
35. Zlata Ognevich, “Gravity” (Ukraine)
36. Krista Siegfrids, “Marry Me” (Finland)
37. PeR, “Here We Go” (Latvia)
38. Dorians, “Lonely Planet” (Armenia)
39. Robin Stjernberg, “You” (Sweden)

So, some updates: 1. The new issue of Headmaster is out and available in maybe a dozen stores now,...

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:09:00 -0400

So, some updates:

1. The new issue of Headmaster is out and available in maybe a dozen stores now, with more to come in the next few days as the mail gets delivered. People seem to like it so far. We’re also giving a bunch of stuff away on the website for Teacher Appreciation Week.

2. Tomorrow at the Providence Athenaeum there’s a micro-memoir! workshop. The only one of 2013, in fact, so if you’re in the area and want to spend an evening very rapidly cranking out part of your life story you’re in luck.

3. I’m turning 32 on Sunday. Normally I fuss about my birthday quite a bit but this time, through an odd chain of circumstances, I’ll be spending the day in the Frankfurt airport. I haven’t left US soil since one mildly disastrous trip to France when I was seventeen, so this is exciting. I’m leaving Saturday night and arriving at my final destination, Bangkok, on Monday afternoon (Thai time). I thought we were flying west over the date line and that I might not have a birthday at all this year but no. I’ll be spending 11 hours in Frankfurt. Which I’m thinking/hoping is enough time to leave the airport even if it does mean a lot of customs bullhooey. We’re spending two days in Bangkok and then crossing the Laotian border for a few days in Vientiane (allegedly the world’s sleepiest capital city!) and then a few more in Luang Prabang before crossing back to Thailand and a few days in Chiang Rai. I get back on the 28th and possibly/hopefully won’t be on the internet at all for seventeen days. That might be fun. Or I might just melt down.

4. I’m hoping to make a tenth volume of No Repeat Workday, my birthday tradition, before then, but things have been way hectic lately and we’ll have to see.

New business cards! From Ladyfingers Letterpress. So much...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 11:42:58 -0400

New business cards! From Ladyfingers Letterpress. So much houndstooth. Very excited.

Press proof day! Scarfing down Dunkin Donuts and listening to...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:52:12 -0400

Press proof day! Scarfing down Dunkin Donuts and listening to some hardcore Boston accents.

FINALLY.

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:48:39 -0400

FINALLY.

I just took a nap and when I woke up I realized that Austria...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:04:42 -0400

I just took a nap and when I woke up I realized that Austria was, in fact, more amazing than Luxembourg in 1981. This choreography! So many things.

Eurovision 1981, from best to worst: 1. Jean-Claude Pascal,...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:01:00 -0400

Eurovision 1981, from best to worst:

1. Jean-Claude Pascal, “C’est peut-être pas l’Amérique” (Luxembourg)
2. Marty Brem, “Wenn du da bist” (Austria)
3. Tommy Seebach and Debbie Cameron, “Krøller eller ej” (Denmark)
4. Emly Starr, “Samson” (Belgium)
5. Modern Folk Trio and Ayşegül, “Dönme Dolap” (Turkey)
6. Linda Williams, “Het is een wonder” (Netherlands)
7. Lena Valaitis, “Johnny Blue” (Germany)
8. Carlos Paião, “Playback” (Portugal)
9. Sheeba, “Horoscopes” (Ireland)
10. Finn Kalvik, “Aldri i livet” (Norway)
11. Hakol Over Habibi, “Halayla” (הלילה) (Israel)
12. Yiannis Dimitras, “Feggari Kalokerino”(Φεγγάρι καλοκαιρινό) (Greece)
13. Island, “Monika” (Μόνικα) (Cyprus)
14. Björn Skifs, “Fångad i en dröm” (Sweden)
15. Seid Memić, “Lejla” (Yugoslavia)
16. Bucks Fizz, “Making Your Mind Up” (United Kingdom)
17. Jean Gabilou, “Humanahum” (France)
18. Bacchelli, “Y sólo tú” (Spain)
19. Riki Sorsa, “Reggae OK” (Finland)
20. Peter, Sue and Marc, “Io senza te” (Switzerland)

An odd year. I was torn between the 56-year old singing about how Europe is better than America and the Austrian song with the completely insane styling, ie. the backup singer in the American football helmet FOR NO REASON. Actually the styling was kind of insane all around. Portugal wore a bow tie on a t-shirt to sing about pre-recorded backing tracks, for instance. I could also make a joke about Finnish reggae, but I won’t.

Divinyls, “Back To The Wall” RIP Christina Amphlett....

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 07:37:00 -0400

Divinyls, “Back To The Wall”

RIP Christina Amphlett. Now we will never have lunch together.

Eurovision 1985, from best to worst: 1. Roger Bens, “Femme...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:03:13 -0400

Eurovision 1985, from best to worst:

1. Roger Bens, “Femme dans ses rêves aussi” (France)
2. Izhar Cohen, “Olé, Olé” (עולה, עולה) (Israel)
3. Kikki Danielsson, “Bra vibrationer” (Sweden)
4. Sonja Lumme, “Eläköön elämä” (Finland)
5. Mariella Farré & Pino Gasparini, “Piano, Piano” (Switzerland)
6. MFÖ, “Didai didai dai” (Turkey)
7. Vikki, “Love Is” (United Kingdom)
8. Bobbysocks!, “La det swinge” (Norway)
9. Paloma San Basilio, “La fiesta terminó” (Spain)
Lia Vissi, “To Katalava Arga” (Το κατάλαβα αργά) (Cyprus)
11. Al Bano & Romina Power, “Magic Oh Magic” (Italy)
12. Takis Biniaris, “Miazoume” (Μοιάζουμε) (Greece)
13. Margo, Franck Olivier, Diane Solomon, Ireen Sheer, Chris & Malcolm Roberts, “Children, Kinder, Enfants” (Luxembourg)
14. Wind, “Für alle” (Germany)
15. Linda Lepomme, “Laat me nu gaan” (Belgium)
16. Gary Lux, “Kinder dieser Welt” (Austria)
17. Hot Eyes, “Sku’ du spørg’ fra no’en?” (Denmark)
18. Maria Christian, “Wait Until the Weekend Comes” (Ireland)
19. Adelaide, “Penso em ti, eu sei” (Portugal)

This was the beginning of the deep downward slide in quality between the early eighties (really good!) and the early nineties (unbearably awful!) The top 4 were all good, and 5 and 6 weren’t bad for a ballad and a wimpy tropicalia number. Luxembourg, who called themselves Margo, Franck Olivier, Diane Solomon, Ireen Sheer, Chris & Malcolm Roberts, sang an inspirational song about children and surprisingly it was only the seventh worst song of the night.

Letters To Cleo, “You Dirty Rat” Twenty years ago...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:04:25 -0400

Letters To Cleo, “You Dirty Rat”

Twenty years ago there was another attack on/in Boston, at a women’s health clinic in Brookline. Two receptionists were killed and it was awful.

Kay Hanley from Letters To Cleo, who were one of the bigger bands in Boston at the time, organized a series of benefit concerts called Safe And Sound, and in 1995 or 96 an album to benefit Boston women’s health organizations was released. It featured Aimee Mann and Mary Lou Lord and Jen Trynin and Fuzzy and Scarce and, yes, it also also where the fucking Mighty Mighty Bosstones first released “The Impression That I Get”, but overall it’s a really good album and one that I might have to dig out of storage the next time I’m at my parents’ house.

Another Bad Creation, “Where’s Ya Little...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:32:25 -0400

Another Bad Creation, “Where’s Ya Little Sista?”

Their final single. Puberty didn’t strike them all at the same time, clearly.

"In another related story, Aided Derbforgaill (“The Death of Derbforgaill”), the..."

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:12:28 -0400

“In another related story, Aided Derbforgaill (“The Death of Derbforgaill”), the Scandinavian princess Derbforgaill, whom Cú Chulainn rescues from being sacrificed to the Fomorians in some versions of Tochmarc Emire, comes to Ireland with her handmaid, in the form of a pair of swans, to seek Cú Chulainn, who she has fallen in love with. Cú Chulainn and his foster-son Lugaid Riab nDerg see the swans, and Cú Chulainn shoots Derbforgaill down with his sling. The slingstone penetrates her womb, and to save her live Cú Chulainn has to suck it from her side, but since he has tasted her blood he cannot marry her. Instead, he gives her to Lugaid, and they marry and have children. One day in deep winter, the men of Ulster make pillars of snow, and the women compete to see who can urinate the deepest into the pillar and prove herself the most desirable to men. Derbforgaill’s urine reaches the ground, and the other women, out of jealousy, attack and mutilate her. Lugaid notices that the snow on the roof of her house has not melted, and realises she is close to death. He and Cú Chulainn rush to the house, but Derbforgaill dies shortly after they arrive, and Lugaid dies of grief. Cú Chulainn avengeds them by demolishing the house the women are inside, killing 150 of them.”

- From Wikipedia.

There's a Facebook event, too.

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:35:46 -0400

There's a Facebook event, too.:

If you like that sort of thing.

On May 9th micro-memoir! is back at the Providence Athenaeum....

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:33:43 -0400

On May 9th micro-memoir! is back at the Providence Athenaeum. It’s one of the most enjoyable events that I do, and also one of the most fun, because I get to work on it with Karen Donovan and Christina Bevilacqua (as opposed to most of the events I do where I just have a kooky idea and then ask someone with a venue to let me host it.)

In just two hours you can write about your life, edit it, and read it aloud to a room ful of strangers. It’s fun and not terrifying, but on the off chance that it sounds more terrifying than fun then be aware that there’s also free wine if you need it.

More info at thebuildings.org, a Tumblr I designed myself in such a way that I basically made it impossible to reblog anything.

I will be good at the internet one day. I hope.

The Chicago Tribune could maybe find a new weekend headline...

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:40:11 -0400

The Chicago Tribune could maybe find a new weekend headline writer. Especially considering the dead man’s last name, as Mickey points out.

Quick Headmaster news recap: 1. Headmasters no. 1-4 are 25% off...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:15:56 -0400

Quick Headmaster news recap:

1. Headmasters no. 1-4 are 25% off at the web store for the next few days. If you’d like to read Conner Habib’s essay about gay for pay porn performers, see Alan Cumming’s photo tour of New York men’s rooms, get Heyd Fontenot’s portraits of famous Texans (Beyonce! David Koresh! The Von Erichs!), see what the gay men of Beirut look like when presented in calendar form, or just see 35 other great photography, painting, writing, illustration, textiles, video, film, fiber, etc. projects.

2. Headmaster no. 5 is now for sale, too. The new issue features Dean Sameshima, Aaron Peterman, Ross Bleckner, Chris Bogia, Drasko Bogdanovic, and four others that we haven’t actually announced yet. There are exceedingly short interviews with these five on the website now.

Eurovision 1982, From Best To Worst: 1. Lucía, “Él”...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:45:00 -0400

Eurovision 1982, From Best To Worst:

1. Lucía, “Él” (Spain)
2. Stella, “Si tu aimes ma musique” (Belgium)
3. Avi Toledano, “Hora” (הורה) (Israel)
4. Mess, “Sonntag” (Austria)
5. Doce, “Bem bom” (Portugal)
6. Arlette Zola, “Amour on t’aime” (Switzerland)
7. Anna Vissi, “Mono I Agapi” (Μόνο η αγάπη) (Cyprus)
8. Neco, “Hani?” (Turkey)
9. Brixx, “Video, Video” (Denmark)
10. Nicole, “Ein bißchen Frieden” (Germany)
11. Bill van Dijk, “Jij en ik” (Netherlands)
12. Bardo, “One Step Further” (UK)
13. Chips, “Dag efter dag” (Sweden)
14. Aska, “Halo, Halo (Хало, хало)” (Yugoslavia)
15. Svetlana, “Cours après le temps” (Luxembourg)
16. The Duskeys, “Here Today Gone Tomorrow” (Ireland)
17. Kojo, “Nuku pommiin” (Finland)
18. Jahn Teigen and Anita Skorgan, “Adieu” (Norway)

The top three were all really good this year, but ultimately my favorite was Spain, even though Belgium probably had a better singer. There may or may not have been a kerfuffle about “Él,” since it was a tango and England (the host country) was at war with Argentina at the time. Which, how weird is it that England and Argentine were at war during my lifetime?

Norway is kind of amazingly wimpy, even more so since the song was apparently written specifically to avoid some of the harder-sounding Norwegian consonants. Blecch.

Sitting by the window proofing text for the 295827572757285837th...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:36:14 -0400

Sitting by the window proofing text for the 295827572757285837th time with this happening below me.

Anki Bagger, “Bang Bang” [1993] I like that someone...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:35:16 -0400

Anki Bagger, “Bang Bang” [1993]

I like that someone somewhere in Sweden heard this really sunny pop song and was like “You know what we need for this video is a lot of unexpected full frontal male nudity!” And then whoever at the label was like “Yeah! Okay. Sure, why not.”

Argggh.

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:16:32 -0400

I’ve been waiting since 8am for ups to deliver the proofs of the new issue. They’re not here yet, but what’s more worrisome is that there was some kind of underground gas leak across the street and now my whole street is blocked off and I have the feeling the ups guy is going to be like “OH WELL” and then not deliver the proofs. Argggh.