Current Reads: Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts, Positively Fifth Street by James McManus
Movies this week: Incredibles, Bridget Jones 2
Song I get excited to hear: Johnny Cash, Fulsom Prison Blues
Next border crossing: Tonight. Dinner in Mexico
Pitches this week: 2
Assignments received: 0
Current writing: Vegas destination piece (8), GoNomad.com interview (7), Cheap Stingy Bastards (4), LP Humor submission(2), Backstory my publishing life journal (4)
Degree of easyness for above:(1=can’t do it – 10=I’m jammin!)
Pro Bono: TT newsletter Panties items, Panties radio pitches, Fancy Pants Contest, editing story for friend
Author events attended/gave: 0
What’s making me laugh: My family
Coolest website Flight 001
What I want for Christmas: an agent
Real Job: Thinking about becoming a chip runner in Vegas
Next paycheck: December
General level of enthusiasm: 8.5
Biggest accomplishment: Embracing my singlehood
Biggest decision made: Moving to Las Vegas in 2005 before and throughout the World Series of Poker
Gym visits: 4
Pounds lost: 2
Most inspirational travel writer: Frank Bures (I got his newsletter with all the things he’s written since this summer). Holy crap he gets busy.
Money won/lost gambling: + $388 holdem poker at Viejas, San Diego
$$ spent on books/magazines for research: $63.37
Times I worried I might be an American 1/2 Asian non smoking Bridget Jones: 2
Times I fantasized about naming my first son Colin: 1
Times I rewrote fantasy to naming first dog Mark Darcy: 1
Times I thought San Diego was gorgeous: 4
What are you up to?
Last week’s stats
My week:
Current book I’m reading: Black Lamb, Grey Falcon, a “classic” 1937 epic travelogue of Yugoslavia
Number of pages of said book I read each night before it causes me to nod off: 2
Expected date I’ll finish reading book: 2407 AD
Number of stories sent into LP humor anthology: 3
Self-rating for “humor” in a former job year-end evaluation form: “Exceptional”
Manager’s reclassification: “Above average”
Conclusion: maybe I’m not quite as funny as I think.
Free liquor update: Chivas scotch tasting and “education” evening at the W
Conclusion: scotch/apple martini grows on you after a few glasses
Number of times I heard or saw the word “backstory” and it made me cringe: 5
Ratio of cringing to usage: 100%
Number of Jen Leo stories I heard: 2
Ratio of stories involving alcohol and some sort of conflict: 100%
Times I fantasized naming my first daughter Chalupa: 3
Chance of any future wife agreeing to that: 0%
Self-inflicted injuries involving picture frames: 2
Carlos, Tito,
I’m so glad you play along. I’m going to keep doing these once a week just so you can crack me up. 🙂
And damn you for submitting three stories when I can’t fricking eek out one bad one. (I’ve got one 1/6 written)
I’m terribly saddened that backstory has become popular. But we’re several references from me renaming my journal something else. Ooh, I saw that cringe.
So, who is talking about me? They better be good stories.
Hey! I just got that the alcohol/conflict stories you were talking about related to me. I probably won’t deny them…but you’ve got to tell me which ones they were. Did someone get bit or their ass grabbed?
Current Reads: Paul Theroux’s Great Railway Bazaar, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond, The Essential Rumi
Movies this week: Ray, Kinsey
Song I get excited to hear: Y Control by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Pitches this week: 2
Assignments received: 1 ( freelance technical writing)
Current writing: memoir revisions (9), freelance technical writing (8)
Pro Bono: Video doc for an artist friend (https://www.seejennings.com)
What’s making me laugh: Paul Theroux telling it like it is / bluegrass version of “gin and juice” that’s going around
Coolest website: Canto do Brasil (https://www.hillerphoto.com/brazil/)
Real Job: n/a
Next paycheck: Received today
General level of enthusiasm: 9
Biggest accomplishment: sending proposal to agent
Biggest decision made: To run for public office some day
Genesis of decision: President Clinton’s Dedication Remarks (https://www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org/)
Gym visits: 2
Most inspirational travel writer: Theroux. The work that guy did in 1975 is still shocking, insightful, and lurid
Projected high points of weekend: Indian restaurant and show at the Milwaukee Rep tomorrow, birthday celebration with family on Sunday
Item wanted for my birthday: Dave Eggers’ new book (https://www.mcsweeneys.net/books/howwearehungry.html)
Quote of the week: “The next time your life flashes in front of you eyes, make sure you have something worth watching.”
Positively Fifth Street is a great read. Regarding the poker, sounds like you did well. Anytime you post a $300+ session it’s always a good one.
Current Read: Please Don’t Come Back From the Moon by Dean Bakopoulos
Caramel lattes consumed today: 2
Best quote overheard in the coffeeshop: “I have to go catch a taxi to play miniature golf.”
Plane tickets purchased this week: 3 (beating the past record by 2)
Likelihood the federal gov’t will think I’m fleeing the country: Elevated
Best free book of the week: Encyclopedia of Chicago
Number of times cursed at by elderly ladies in parking lots: 2
This week’s Favorite Bookstore: Adobe Bookshop in San Francisco for letting an artist color code their stock for a week. Pics: https://www.pushby.com/tomas/2004/11/15/index.html
Gym visits: 5 (we’re going every day on a one-week trial membership, I assume I’ll have dropped dead by Sunday)
Song I’m excited to hear: anything by Josh Ritter
Mike, Jay!
No way. I’m so happy you guys played along! Did you know I haven’t seen or spoken to either of you in near about the same amount of time? What are we going on now, six weeks? I loved your additions. Quotes, caffeine, etc. Mike, happy birthday and good luck with hearing back from the agent! You better keep me posted.