A round of Roulette gets creepy. I watch two great pictures. I finish three non-fiction books. Still revisiting the work of Bill Amend. I ride in a self-driving car.
Thank you for filling me in; most of this was news to me, including Veronica's given name. (I agree her stage name had more zing; I've always liked the name "Veronica" and have posted in Notes about some comics characters I created called Veronica and the Good Guys.)
I have not seen Sullivan's Travels, nor I think any of the films you mentioned. Except for The Thin Man, which is great, and I have read the novel as well. I will look into them; thanks for the recs!
If you're listening to KQED then you are in the Bay Area as well?
This is kind of random but just had to follow-up here. Do you remember what the name of your AV was?
I do not drive often enough into the city, but today I needed to for an appointment and I encountered multiple Autonomous Vehicles; it was just kind of wonderful to notice/observe them. I was quickly sandwiched between “Dolores” who I let enter the lane in front of me and then “Green Bean” followed behind me. Later, walking around I noticed so many more AV’s, and I just love the names, especially “Tonkatsu” and “Hera.”
The future is here, now, it seems, welcoming us all forward. And the vehicles’ capacity to sense seems so astute—it kind of cautiously, gently, thoughtfully proceeded at times while making quicker moves if/when safe to do so. Dolores immediately responded when some sirens sounded in the distance—her blinkers went on and she stopped; some/many humans do not do that, so it was all just so fascinating to see unfold.
I was going to share my 2 pics here but there isn’t an option to do so in the comments. Did you take a pic of your AV?
My quick take impression is that they do slow things down at times, and dear heavens, don’t we all need a bit more of that, especially when driving in dense surroundings etc.? Just kinda had to share here. Thanks again for writing about your AV adventure. 🚘✨
It was Cruise, the company/app I used. I found the autonomous car to be an outstanding driver. I captured a few throwaway videos for my buddy who gave me his spot on the list but I am planning to go out and take another ride or two tonight. If I do I will take some pictures for you!
I will slowly work my way through exploring your newsletters (this one was a wonderful read, kind of calmly captivating if that makes any sense) and I look forward to encountering Veronica and the Good Guys, a great crew I hope—I am curious to see what they are all about.
And I was born in PA and went to college there, but yes, I live in Albany (it is between Berkeley and El Cerrito); I have lived here in the East Bay since ~2004 and I love it here.
Some people think talking of the weather can be boring, but I kind of love it, and I just love the fog here. I do not think I could ever willingly give up regularly experiencing this magical🌁fog and the weather here overall (80 is “hot” here; we are spoiled and I am grateful for it everyday—it is total perfection for me.) I may consider moving over to Pacifica or Sausalito one day, who knows, I just need to live close to the water and Albany is small but has a great waterfront area. I imagine you love life/living in the Bay Area/SF as well?
Wow, it’s so mind blowing to me (living in rural England) that it’s possible to have a driverless car take you home (via a scenic route, while caring for your safety), it’s like something from a different planet. So fun, though.
I also really enjoyed the image of someone reading a book on how to relax while drinking two martinis, like maybe the contents of the book is just telling you to keep drinking martinis until you’ve relaxed...congrats on getting home safe & relaxed!
Hello there. This was such a fantastically detailed reading experience—so much great content here and I genuinely appreciate your writing style. Your experimental journey in the autonomous vehicle sounded awesome, definitely memorable. There was a program this week on KQED radio that discussed all the potential concerns (safety, encroachment, traffic etc.) with the vehicles but your experience sounded kind of ideal. I hope they soon gather the relevant data to figure out the necessary solutions so it can become more available/reliable to those who want to use it. Also kind of cool that you were part of the beta group of early testers etc. It just still seems kind of wild to me personally, but happy to hear your experience was so positive.
Also enjoyed reading your observations re the film I Married A Witch. I have a copy of that film—went into a deep dive of sorts these past 5+ years to kind of properly explore/enjoy lots of great films from the CC. Veronica Lake really does offer something extra unique in her approach/delivery/presence etc. and I appreciated the connections you made to L.A. Confidential and your in-depth description of the story overall—it’s a fun premise/take on witches. I imagine you may have already seen Sullivan’s Travels?, but if not I think you might also enjoy that one. Other than those two films I haven’t seen her in anything else. And her real name is Constance Frances Maria, but of course I am biased in my thinking that she chose a great stage/professional name.
And as for Fredric March, I really enjoy his whole thing / presence / approach as well. I have copies of Dorothy Asner’s two films, Dance, Girl Dance, and Merrily We Go To Hell, the latter of which he stars in and it is not for the faint of heart as they say; definitely a fascinating film, particularly re marriage/relationships, especially I think, for the time in which it was made (and being made by a female director etc., a rarity then but much less so now fortunately). Have you seen either?
Some of the older films from that era (1930’s) totally hold up so well it is just fascinating to me, nearly ~100 years later. I remember watching The Thin Man (1934) for the first time and just kind of being blown away by the pacing and quality of the dialogue and just loving it. Anyway, your writing here brought some of it all back to life again for me so thanks for that! And I do enjoy DePalma, but I kind of try to steer clear of horror, although I have seen Carrie of course.
Looking forward to reading more of your thoughts and discoveries, especially as you continue exploring great films in the bountiful Criterion Collection and well beyond that realm.
Tried to order Victory Cartoons from Amazon, but they are out of it. My local comic shop is on the case though. Hopefully, they’ll be able to turn up a copy. Honestly, I should have started with them first, but I wanted to point out the power of d.w.’s recommendation. Just a word from him here and Amazon sells every copy they had in stock.
I loved reading your diary of media consumption and about your adventures in a self-driving car. It’s reaffirmed the feelings that I first got from reading your Notes that we could hang out and get along well together in real life… or maybe it’s simply your manner of writing. Some writers are able to do that. They imbue their words with such a sense of their personality that just by reading alone you feel like you ‘know them’ or at least have a sense of what they would be like.
Can I ask why you have no interest in reading Carrie? I ask simply out of curiosity. Carrie is my least favorite of King’s books, but I’m a King junkie. So, it always fascinates me when I meet someone who just doesn’t enjoy his work. Not that I judge them or think less of them. Rather it interests me. So, if you’re willing, I’d love to hear more about your thoughts on King in general and your aversion to Carrie specifically.
If you're definitely only going to read one, I'd recommend American Tabloid. The Black Dahlia and The Big Nowhere would also be good places to start. Curious if Mills would concur.
I'm quite confident from your online persona that we would get along well! I'm really glad to hear that my writing gives you that impression though, and I can confirm that I think my writing voice is reasonably close to who I am in person. Didn't you spend time living in the Bay Area, and do you ever come back?
As a matter of fact I went through a big King phase in adolescence. I only read about ten of the books at most but I think I have some sense from other King fans over the years that Carrie is a lesser work that was eclipsed by the film adaptation (?). I do quite like some of his work, especially Misery and a number of his short stories. I was also fascinated and deeply moved by The Stand, which I think was my jumping-off point because the original TV miniseries captured my imagination as a kid and because I was morosely fascinated by eschatology around that time. I would like to re-read Misery some time. So it's not so much that I have an "aversion" to Carrie, more just that I did my time with King as a kid and that my interests have lead me to other areas these days. It's more a question of allotting of time! I'd be happy to have a longer King dialogue with you in some format; I think it would be fertile territory for discussion. I'll end by asking you a similar question: what King books do you suggest to people who have never read him?
Yes, I lived in the Bay Area for 16 years from 1987 up to the early 2000’s. I do go back from time to time. I still have family who lives in that area. So, it is quite possible that I will be back there at some point. If/when I do, I will be sure to make time to get up to San Francisco to see you.
As for which King book to recommend, that’s a tricky proposition.
Joyland, a short novel, is my go to recommendation for people who aren’t horror fans. It’s primarily a crime novel about a guy investigating a murder that happened at a seaside amusement park. It does have a very mild paranormal element, but it’s almost non-existent. It’s just a good character driven story. Nothing gory or scary about it.
If you do want scary, then, I would recommend either Pet Sematary (I think this is King at his scariest) or IT.
If you want to read King as a writer and see him doing neat things, I love how he handles the framing device in From a Buick 8 and the way he effortlessly changes from one point of view to the next really is a thing of beauty.
Delores Claiborne is another one that I feel writers would appreciate because it’s almost like he’s showing off. I kind of think this is his version of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody except instead of him saying, “hey, we’re going to write a single song in multiple styles from different eras” he decided to write a 500? 600? page book that is one long monologue. There is only one person talking the entire time. It amazes me how he is able to communicate the actions and words of others involved in the story without breaking from that one person’s point of view.
If you enjoy HP Lovecraft at all, you may like Revival. I’m cautious to recommend it because although it’s still good I’m not sure it’s one of his stronger works. That being said it does have some sections that are a pure love letter to Cthulhu-like creatures from beyond.
While I enjoy his novels, I think King really shines in his short work. To me, that’s him at his best. If you can handle bleak stories with very little hope, Full Dark, No Stars is a great read. Of course all of his collections have winners and losers contained in their pages. That’s how collections and anthologies work. You have to go into them with the realization that you aren’t going to love every story, but you will find some gems if you’re willing to explore.
lmfao this one was a total blast, big fun; I remember MDP being where I took a break from Ellroy too lol; I suppose that’s not surprising (and what memoir goals lol)
It’s either “Blood’s a Rover” or, if i finished it, “Destination: Morgue!” I guess! Clay lies still, man. Thich Nhat Hanh knows how to get there, but I don’t have the discipline.
Thank you for filling me in; most of this was news to me, including Veronica's given name. (I agree her stage name had more zing; I've always liked the name "Veronica" and have posted in Notes about some comics characters I created called Veronica and the Good Guys.)
I have not seen Sullivan's Travels, nor I think any of the films you mentioned. Except for The Thin Man, which is great, and I have read the novel as well. I will look into them; thanks for the recs!
If you're listening to KQED then you are in the Bay Area as well?
This is kind of random but just had to follow-up here. Do you remember what the name of your AV was?
I do not drive often enough into the city, but today I needed to for an appointment and I encountered multiple Autonomous Vehicles; it was just kind of wonderful to notice/observe them. I was quickly sandwiched between “Dolores” who I let enter the lane in front of me and then “Green Bean” followed behind me. Later, walking around I noticed so many more AV’s, and I just love the names, especially “Tonkatsu” and “Hera.”
The future is here, now, it seems, welcoming us all forward. And the vehicles’ capacity to sense seems so astute—it kind of cautiously, gently, thoughtfully proceeded at times while making quicker moves if/when safe to do so. Dolores immediately responded when some sirens sounded in the distance—her blinkers went on and she stopped; some/many humans do not do that, so it was all just so fascinating to see unfold.
I was going to share my 2 pics here but there isn’t an option to do so in the comments. Did you take a pic of your AV?
My quick take impression is that they do slow things down at times, and dear heavens, don’t we all need a bit more of that, especially when driving in dense surroundings etc.? Just kinda had to share here. Thanks again for writing about your AV adventure. 🚘✨
It was Cruise, the company/app I used. I found the autonomous car to be an outstanding driver. I captured a few throwaway videos for my buddy who gave me his spot on the list but I am planning to go out and take another ride or two tonight. If I do I will take some pictures for you!
I will slowly work my way through exploring your newsletters (this one was a wonderful read, kind of calmly captivating if that makes any sense) and I look forward to encountering Veronica and the Good Guys, a great crew I hope—I am curious to see what they are all about.
And I was born in PA and went to college there, but yes, I live in Albany (it is between Berkeley and El Cerrito); I have lived here in the East Bay since ~2004 and I love it here.
Some people think talking of the weather can be boring, but I kind of love it, and I just love the fog here. I do not think I could ever willingly give up regularly experiencing this magical🌁fog and the weather here overall (80 is “hot” here; we are spoiled and I am grateful for it everyday—it is total perfection for me.) I may consider moving over to Pacifica or Sausalito one day, who knows, I just need to live close to the water and Albany is small but has a great waterfront area. I imagine you love life/living in the Bay Area/SF as well?
Wow, it’s so mind blowing to me (living in rural England) that it’s possible to have a driverless car take you home (via a scenic route, while caring for your safety), it’s like something from a different planet. So fun, though.
I also really enjoyed the image of someone reading a book on how to relax while drinking two martinis, like maybe the contents of the book is just telling you to keep drinking martinis until you’ve relaxed...congrats on getting home safe & relaxed!
I love your views on both points.
Hello there. This was such a fantastically detailed reading experience—so much great content here and I genuinely appreciate your writing style. Your experimental journey in the autonomous vehicle sounded awesome, definitely memorable. There was a program this week on KQED radio that discussed all the potential concerns (safety, encroachment, traffic etc.) with the vehicles but your experience sounded kind of ideal. I hope they soon gather the relevant data to figure out the necessary solutions so it can become more available/reliable to those who want to use it. Also kind of cool that you were part of the beta group of early testers etc. It just still seems kind of wild to me personally, but happy to hear your experience was so positive.
Also enjoyed reading your observations re the film I Married A Witch. I have a copy of that film—went into a deep dive of sorts these past 5+ years to kind of properly explore/enjoy lots of great films from the CC. Veronica Lake really does offer something extra unique in her approach/delivery/presence etc. and I appreciated the connections you made to L.A. Confidential and your in-depth description of the story overall—it’s a fun premise/take on witches. I imagine you may have already seen Sullivan’s Travels?, but if not I think you might also enjoy that one. Other than those two films I haven’t seen her in anything else. And her real name is Constance Frances Maria, but of course I am biased in my thinking that she chose a great stage/professional name.
And as for Fredric March, I really enjoy his whole thing / presence / approach as well. I have copies of Dorothy Asner’s two films, Dance, Girl Dance, and Merrily We Go To Hell, the latter of which he stars in and it is not for the faint of heart as they say; definitely a fascinating film, particularly re marriage/relationships, especially I think, for the time in which it was made (and being made by a female director etc., a rarity then but much less so now fortunately). Have you seen either?
Some of the older films from that era (1930’s) totally hold up so well it is just fascinating to me, nearly ~100 years later. I remember watching The Thin Man (1934) for the first time and just kind of being blown away by the pacing and quality of the dialogue and just loving it. Anyway, your writing here brought some of it all back to life again for me so thanks for that! And I do enjoy DePalma, but I kind of try to steer clear of horror, although I have seen Carrie of course.
Looking forward to reading more of your thoughts and discoveries, especially as you continue exploring great films in the bountiful Criterion Collection and well beyond that realm.
Tried to order Victory Cartoons from Amazon, but they are out of it. My local comic shop is on the case though. Hopefully, they’ll be able to turn up a copy. Honestly, I should have started with them first, but I wanted to point out the power of d.w.’s recommendation. Just a word from him here and Amazon sells every copy they had in stock.
Get my book Mountebank while you're at it; from the same publisher, Fantagraphics. Both should be available through the Fantagraphics website too.
i will add it to my pull list. Thanks!
I’ve never read Ellroy. Where should I start?
I loved reading your diary of media consumption and about your adventures in a self-driving car. It’s reaffirmed the feelings that I first got from reading your Notes that we could hang out and get along well together in real life… or maybe it’s simply your manner of writing. Some writers are able to do that. They imbue their words with such a sense of their personality that just by reading alone you feel like you ‘know them’ or at least have a sense of what they would be like.
Can I ask why you have no interest in reading Carrie? I ask simply out of curiosity. Carrie is my least favorite of King’s books, but I’m a King junkie. So, it always fascinates me when I meet someone who just doesn’t enjoy his work. Not that I judge them or think less of them. Rather it interests me. So, if you’re willing, I’d love to hear more about your thoughts on King in general and your aversion to Carrie specifically.
If you're definitely only going to read one, I'd recommend American Tabloid. The Black Dahlia and The Big Nowhere would also be good places to start. Curious if Mills would concur.
I'm quite confident from your online persona that we would get along well! I'm really glad to hear that my writing gives you that impression though, and I can confirm that I think my writing voice is reasonably close to who I am in person. Didn't you spend time living in the Bay Area, and do you ever come back?
As a matter of fact I went through a big King phase in adolescence. I only read about ten of the books at most but I think I have some sense from other King fans over the years that Carrie is a lesser work that was eclipsed by the film adaptation (?). I do quite like some of his work, especially Misery and a number of his short stories. I was also fascinated and deeply moved by The Stand, which I think was my jumping-off point because the original TV miniseries captured my imagination as a kid and because I was morosely fascinated by eschatology around that time. I would like to re-read Misery some time. So it's not so much that I have an "aversion" to Carrie, more just that I did my time with King as a kid and that my interests have lead me to other areas these days. It's more a question of allotting of time! I'd be happy to have a longer King dialogue with you in some format; I think it would be fertile territory for discussion. I'll end by asking you a similar question: what King books do you suggest to people who have never read him?
Yes, I lived in the Bay Area for 16 years from 1987 up to the early 2000’s. I do go back from time to time. I still have family who lives in that area. So, it is quite possible that I will be back there at some point. If/when I do, I will be sure to make time to get up to San Francisco to see you.
As for which King book to recommend, that’s a tricky proposition.
Joyland, a short novel, is my go to recommendation for people who aren’t horror fans. It’s primarily a crime novel about a guy investigating a murder that happened at a seaside amusement park. It does have a very mild paranormal element, but it’s almost non-existent. It’s just a good character driven story. Nothing gory or scary about it.
If you do want scary, then, I would recommend either Pet Sematary (I think this is King at his scariest) or IT.
If you want to read King as a writer and see him doing neat things, I love how he handles the framing device in From a Buick 8 and the way he effortlessly changes from one point of view to the next really is a thing of beauty.
Delores Claiborne is another one that I feel writers would appreciate because it’s almost like he’s showing off. I kind of think this is his version of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody except instead of him saying, “hey, we’re going to write a single song in multiple styles from different eras” he decided to write a 500? 600? page book that is one long monologue. There is only one person talking the entire time. It amazes me how he is able to communicate the actions and words of others involved in the story without breaking from that one person’s point of view.
If you enjoy HP Lovecraft at all, you may like Revival. I’m cautious to recommend it because although it’s still good I’m not sure it’s one of his stronger works. That being said it does have some sections that are a pure love letter to Cthulhu-like creatures from beyond.
While I enjoy his novels, I think King really shines in his short work. To me, that’s him at his best. If you can handle bleak stories with very little hope, Full Dark, No Stars is a great read. Of course all of his collections have winners and losers contained in their pages. That’s how collections and anthologies work. You have to go into them with the realization that you aren’t going to love every story, but you will find some gems if you’re willing to explore.
lmfao this one was a total blast, big fun; I remember MDP being where I took a break from Ellroy too lol; I suppose that’s not surprising (and what memoir goals lol)
What's the Ellroy book that falls latest in his chronology that you have read in entirety?
It’s either “Blood’s a Rover” or, if i finished it, “Destination: Morgue!” I guess! Clay lies still, man. Thich Nhat Hanh knows how to get there, but I don’t have the discipline.