Oooooh yeaaahhhhh. I once went to a wedding where the bride had gone to NYU with all of those guys. In fact, Michael Ian Black was supposed to have been seated at our table, but he was stuck filming the pilot of "Ed" so he couldn't make it. He sent the Pets.com Sock Puppet (his collegiate invention) in his stead. It wasn't quite the same thing, but it was still all rather amusing.

*applause* And since I bet I'm not the only WWdN reader from Connecticut: Fellow Nutmeggers, don't forget to vote NO on Q1 tomorrow. This whole "constitutional convention" thing was primarily conceived as a back-door way to overturn a potential State Supreme Court ruling allowing gay marriage, which we got. Let's not lose gay marriage in CT before we even had a chance to implement it!

*applause* And since I bet I'm not the only WWdN reader from Connecticut: Fellow Nutmeggers, don't forget to vote NO on Q1 tomorrow. This whole "constitutional convention" thing was primarily conceived as a back-door way to overturn a potential State Supreme Court ruling allowing gay marriage, which we got. Let's not lose gay marriage in CT before we even had a chance to implement it!

I'm currently on an OCD-fueled journey through The Complete Works of Elizabeth Bear. Just finished "Undertow", am about to start "Hammered". I'm also reading David Sedaris' "When You Are Engulfed In Flames".

I'm currently on an OCD-fueled journey through The Complete Works of Elizabeth Bear. Just finished "Undertow", am about to start "Hammered". I'm also reading David Sedaris' "When You Are Engulfed In Flames".

Back in high school, I used to tape HBO comedy specials and watch them over and over memorizing them all until the tape died: Steven Wright. Bill Cosby. Emo Phillips. George Carlin. But don't forget the women of comedy!! The HBO special that I remember the best was called "Women Of The Night", hosted by Martin Short (who I never could stand, ugh) and featuring the HBO debuts of Ellen DeGeneres, Judy Tenuta, and Paula Poundstone. All three segments had me laughing until I couldn't breathe. (Oh, and no love for Robin Williams?? His "Live At The Met" was a staple of our dorm viewing when I was in college. To this day I have a TiVo Wish List set up to record any time he's a guest on a late-night talk show. That man never fails to make me almost piss myself laughing.)

Back in high school, I used to tape HBO comedy specials and watch them over and over memorizing them all until the tape died: Steven Wright. Bill Cosby. Emo Phillips. George Carlin. But don't forget the women of comedy!! The HBO special that I remember the best was called "Women Of The Night", hosted by Martin Short (who I never could stand, ugh) and featuring the HBO debuts of Ellen DeGeneres, Judy Tenuta, and Paula Poundstone. All three segments had me laughing until I couldn't breathe. (Oh, and no love for Robin Williams?? His "Live At The Met" was a staple of our dorm viewing when I was in college. To this day I have a TiVo Wish List set up to record any time he's a guest on a late-night talk show. That man never fails to make me almost piss myself laughing.)

I have been a besotted Sedaris fan ever since I heard that first fateful broadcast of "The Santaland Diaries" on Morning Edition back in 1992. I was late for work that day, b/c I stayed in bed too long first listening to it, then recovering from my hysterical laughter enough to get up. I saw him do a reading a couple years ago here in New Haven, at a sold-out Woolsey Hall at Yale (over 3,000 seats chock-full). Even in such a large space, he brought everything across brilliantly. I'm glad you got a chance to see him!!

I have been a besotted Sedaris fan ever since I heard that first fateful broadcast of "The Santaland Diaries" on Morning Edition back in 1992. I was late for work that day, b/c I stayed in bed too long first listening to it, then recovering from my hysterical laughter enough to get up. I saw him do a reading a couple years ago here in New Haven, at a sold-out Woolsey Hall at Yale (over 3,000 seats chock-full). Even in such a large space, he brought everything across brilliantly. I'm glad you got a chance to see him!!

Ugh. That's why I hate stadium shows, and concerts in large venues in general. The asshole quotient is just too damn high. (I saw The Police last summer, and we lucked out and were surrounded by mostly cool people ... but I've had my share of bad experiences, particularly of the "I'm a bigger fan of ___ than you are, which entitles me to be the biggest dickwad in the theater" variety.) But the comments I'm seeing here starting with "this is why I don't go to concerts any more" just sadden me. I work in indie music as a tour manager for an artist whose livelihood depends on how many people come to see her play. So I just want to stick in a little PSA, if I may: big shows might suck more often than not, but I can guarantee everyone reading this that any night of the week, chances are there's a great musical event happening in a small venue near you. It might just be the coffeehouse on the corner, but respectful listening is the norm in these places and if someone is being a dick, it's perfectly acceptable to call them out in front of everyone. And if you go to the show, you'll really be making a difference. Plus you can meet and talk to the artist after they're done playing, and buy a CD to help them get to their next gig.

Ugh. That's why I hate stadium shows, and concerts in large venues in general. The asshole quotient is just too damn high. (I saw The Police last summer, and we lucked out and were surrounded by mostly cool people ... but I've had my share of bad experiences, particularly of the "I'm a bigger fan of ___ than you are, which entitles me to be the biggest dickwad in the theater" variety.) But the comments I'm seeing here starting with "this is why I don't go to concerts any more" just sadden me. I work in indie music as a tour manager for an artist whose livelihood depends on how many people come to see her play. So I just want to stick in a little PSA, if I may: big shows might suck more often than not, but I can guarantee everyone reading this that any night of the week, chances are there's a great musical event happening in a small venue near you. It might just be the coffeehouse on the corner, but respectful listening is the norm in these places and if someone is being a dick, it's perfectly acceptable to call them out in front of everyone. And if you go to the show, you'll really be making a difference. Plus you can meet and talk to the artist after they're done playing, and buy a CD to help them get to their next gig.

Ah, the Star Wars toys. One of my best friends ended up with pretty much the entire collection -- his mom *way* overcompensated for family badness by buying him and his snot-nosed baby brother whatever they wanted, and of course the kids knew this. We loved going over to Gerry's house to share the booty. All I was ever able to convince my parents to get me was a TIE fighter one Christmas. It broke by dinnertime. I was never able to convince them to get me another Kenner product again. *sigh* But at least I could still go over to Gerry's house and play with his cool stuff. :)

Ah, the Star Wars toys. One of my best friends ended up with pretty much the entire collection -- his mom *way* overcompensated for family badness by buying him and his snot-nosed baby brother whatever they wanted, and of course the kids knew this. We loved going over to Gerry's house to share the booty. All I was ever able to convince my parents to get me was a TIE fighter one Christmas. It broke by dinnertime. I was never able to convince them to get me another Kenner product again. *sigh* But at least I could still go over to Gerry's house and play with his cool stuff. :)

I admire Scarlett Johansson on many levels, and I respect her as an artist. I just wish she hadn't sent her album to radio the exact same week as the artist I work with. Even in 2008 the general policy at radio stations nationwide (both commercial and non-commercial) is only to add one female artist (or female-fronted band) per week. And let's face it, when a Music Director gets in a CD by a 100% indie artist at the same time as a CD by a famous actress, well, really it's no contest. Artistic merit has nothing to do with it. Sigh.

I admire Scarlett Johansson on many levels, and I respect her as an artist. I just wish she hadn't sent her album to radio the exact same week as the artist I work with. Even in 2008 the general policy at radio stations nationwide (both commercial and non-commercial) is only to add one female artist (or female-fronted band) per week. And let's face it, when a Music Director gets in a CD by a 100% indie artist at the same time as a CD by a famous actress, well, really it's no contest. Artistic merit has nothing to do with it. Sigh.

I could never, EVER live in NYC, but you've managed to capture exactly why I love visiting it as much as possible. Which is fortunately easy to do, since my work is based there and I live just a train ride away. :) Mind if I ask which bar you ended up in at the end of the night? Sounds like one or two I've hung out in in that general area... Have you checked out Overheard In New York? I have the lj-feed on my friends-list there, and it never fails to crack me up on a daily basis. (I even contributed something once that got published. :)

I could never, EVER live in NYC, but you've managed to capture exactly why I love visiting it as much as possible. Which is fortunately easy to do, since my work is based there and I live just a train ride away. :) Mind if I ask which bar you ended up in at the end of the night? Sounds like one or two I've hung out in in that general area... Have you checked out Overheard In New York? I have the lj-feed on my friends-list there, and it never fails to crack me up on a daily basis. (I even contributed something once that got published. :)

Funnily enough, I was not five minutes ago re-reading this post by an lj-friend that might provide some food for thought on this topic...

Funnily enough, I was not five minutes ago re-reading this post by an lj-friend that might provide some food for thought on this topic...

I walk past that sign almost every day. If you really want a good shot, go to GCT any time after 11 pm. There will be so many people sitting/sleeping on the stairs around the sign, even if you wanted to use the stairs there would be no room to move. I must admit I'm guilty of sitting on those stairs at that time of night, after having just missed my train home to New Haven and having to wait an hour for the next one. (I've actually seen cops bug people to move, but usually when the sun is still up.) So are you still in NYC? I'll keep an eye out for you when I'm there tomorrow, just in case. *g*

I walk past that sign almost every day. If you really want a good shot, go to GCT any time after 11 pm. There will be so many people sitting/sleeping on the stairs around the sign, even if you wanted to use the stairs there would be no room to move. I must admit I'm guilty of sitting on those stairs at that time of night, after having just missed my train home to New Haven and having to wait an hour for the next one. (I've actually seen cops bug people to move, but usually when the sun is still up.) So are you still in NYC? I'll keep an eye out for you when I'm there tomorrow, just in case. *g*

Does the band name selector let you put umlauts in unnatural places? Because if I could have a band called Fridge Magnet (with umlauts over all the CONSONANTS), I would actually buy a game console and quit my job tour managing a real rock band, so I could play Rock Band. :)

Does the band name selector let you put umlauts in unnatural places? Because if I could have a band called Fridge Magnet (with umlauts over all the CONSONANTS), I would actually buy a game console and quit my job tour managing a real rock band, so I could play Rock Band. :)

June: A case study of a lesser-known artist trying the Radiohead/NIN model is Issa, The Artist Formerly Known As Jane Siberry (www.issalight.com). Several years ago she switched to an honor-system "tip-jar" model for selling her CDs. The jury is still out on how well that model has worked out for her, but I do know for a fact that her decision to literally sell everything she owned that wouldn't fit in her backpack and live on the road was made separately. Thanks for posting this, Wil. I have sent the link to both the indie musician I tour manage and my sister, who is a SF/F author still trying to find the magic formula almost 25 years after her first big sale. 1000 core fans is indeed an achievable goal, and the whole concept gives one both hope and a fresh perspective.

June: A case study of a lesser-known artist trying the Radiohead/NIN model is Issa, The Artist Formerly Known As Jane Siberry (www.issalight.com). Several years ago she switched to an honor-system "tip-jar" model for selling her CDs. The jury is still out on how well that model has worked out for her, but I do know for a fact that her decision to literally sell everything she owned that wouldn't fit in her backpack and live on the road was made separately. Thanks for posting this, Wil. I have sent the link to both the indie musician I tour manage and my sister, who is a SF/F author still trying to find the magic formula almost 25 years after her first big sale. 1000 core fans is indeed an achievable goal, and the whole concept gives one both hope and a fresh perspective.