June 2006 Archives

And just like that, there it is: Week 14, in which the diverting advertures of these deathmarchers continue, along with other things that are really very worthwhile.

I'm dragging along a little behind agin' this week, but hopeful that an all-day trip tomorrow will be my key catch up time. Meanwhile, I've been enjoying the heck out of this week's exchange. Also: 13 comments in week 13 is an exact tie with week 13 of our original Deathmarch (Gravity's Rainbow), way back in April '05. What does it all mean?

Next Wednesday: It's on to the end of Chapter XLIV (746 Grossman), just before our encounter with the "perpetual discloser of the Antipodes, torch of the world, (and) eye of heaven." Finally!

Watching the movie
of your life and there's
your enemy repositioned as
the hero

he's a maverick
standing center
sympathetic

and she digs him

noble
pauses

and all.

Welcome to Week 13, regarding matters that concern and pertain to this adventure and this memorable online reading group.

Almost caught up -- got to about the halfway point in this week's reading. Over the last week or two the thing I keep coming back to is the feeling that DQ is really living the dream. He's not just a knight errant, standing up to lions, spelunking into the unknown, "brandish(ing) his lance with so much strength and dexterity that he filled all who did not know him with fear" -- but even better, he's become a knight errant of legend, literally a character in a book, which mebbe was his real dream all along.

Like I think just about everyone on the 'march, I'm finding Part II much more compelling and flat out fun than Part I. Besides all the neat meta moments, even the language has become more lively -- I find myself underlining some cool phrase on just about every page. Looking forward to seeing where this all lands.

Next Wednesday: Let's meet up at the end of Chapter XXXV (696 Grossman) where I'm thrilled to report that "there really was nothing that gave them greater pleasure."

"The Swedish Chef Sings Dave Matthews' Greatest Hits."

Matthews

Chef

There'd be so much money rolling in, I don't know. It would freak me out.

Welcome to Week 12, which recounts what will soon be commented.

I read 80 pages in the last two days, and I'm still a week behind. Not sure exactly how that happened. I blame a vile enchanter. But on the upside, I've gotten to really roll around in the first several chapters of Part II, which I think we'll all agree is filled with glorious stuff. And speaking of glorious stuff -- 18 comments in Week 11?! Gadzooks!

Meanwhile, as we mourn the loss of e and the good Captain, I'm hearing rumors that there are two or three folks racing through Part I at this very moment, in a zany, madcap effort to meet us at the finish line. Sort of like The Gumball Rally of literary deathmarches. Or mebbe The Cannonball Run of online reading groups? Either way, keep an eye on that rearview mirror....

Next Wednesday: Destination -- page 641 (Grossman) and the end of Chapter XXVIII, where, in a bit of eerie foreshadowing, we find ourselves "in that place [where] they would have raised a [mugnet] to their victory."

More excellent comments this week -- it looks like Part II is off to a rousing start. Me, I'm behind and a bit bushed, so I'm going to drop this placeholder here, with apologies, so new comments can start up. And I'll swap in hopefully somewhat more on topic verbiage by the weekend.

Next Wednesday: It's just a short hop over to Chapter XXI (591 Grossman) where an unspecificed hindering something or other is about to "be recounted below."

I voted today on plain old paper. No computers for Alameda County this time around. And I dug it. It was great, voting on paper. Some things are just better the old-fashioned way. Am I right?

For example, ice cream. I for one liked it better when ice cream was made by cows instead of by robots.

When the cows made ice cream, their hooves would go "puck puck puck." But when the robots make the ice cream, it's always "clang clang clang."

And I'm like: "shut up robots!"

On a somewhat related note, I voted for Angelides. Because I'm pretty sure Steve Westly is a friggin' robot.

Finally, So-Callled Bill has posted his Annual Report -- an excellent summary of the first year of his work over at The Philter. The market's are responding favorably. And I think you will too.

-Cecil

I saw Nipsey on the streets of NY once, sometime in the mid-80s.
I shouted, "Hey -- it's Nipsey Russell!"
And he looked over at me,
and for the first time I think in his whole life, Nipsey stopped smiling.

It was like I could hear the planet itself
slow to a loud, crunching halt, its rotation full-stopped
by the sour expression on the face of this game-show icon.
The air puckered.

And then some super villain -- I forget which, maybe Electro?
dropped down in front of me, picked up a car, and tossed it over my head.
OK, maybe it wasn't Electro then. He isn't that strong.
The Rhino?

Anyways, he tucked Nipsey under his arm
like a smallish bale of hay
and he was gone.

Sometime later the world started turning again.

But I never forgot that day.
And I'm pretty sure neither did Nipsey Russell.

Can you play a nun?
Can you play a nun's hand?

Can you play
a quirky nun's hand
so filled with life and laughter and the real stuff,
it can't help but make us smile?

"Say -- who was that?
Who just pinched me?
I didn't expect to be pinched like that,
much less by a nun's hand."

Oh that Robin Williams.