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May 15, 2001
Pool/Not Pool
Last night I met up with Patrick at the 7-11 club on Market. We were going to do our usual drink-a-beer-and-head-over-the-bridge-and-play-pool night. He was pretty tired when we arrived and said he wasn't really up for playing pool. We hung out for a while with his co-workers Kassie and Erin, talked about the fashion show a bit, and then I headed home. I've been reading a few books simultaneously - Kevin Canty's Honeymoon and other Short Stories and the new McSweeny's. The Canty book is much like his other novels and short stories, although this collection is not as gut wrenching or shocking as his others. His previous works of fiction, especially the short fiction, were powerful, hit-you-in-the-gut shorts. The new stories in this collection kind of meander, and you really never get the sense of character, you never really identify with them, and you really don't care about them. That might be his point - but I doubt it. His other works really were pretty good sketches of people in pain. Or, maybe, I just donÕt have life context to identify with these characters. That's always possible. The McSweeny's is a great issue. I've always been a fan of their published fiction, and think that that's where their strength lies. I like the selection of authors this time around, and was pleased to read something new by Zadie Smith. Her short was wickedly good, and quite a bit different from her longer fiction. This issue also has numerous pieces of artwork, and some amazing stuff including an excerpt of one of Candy JerniganÕs works. I really like her stuff - very obsessive-compulsive. I've been trying to think of some sort of artwork I could do that could tap into some of that, but I think you either have it or you don't. McSweeny's has alternately disappointed and amazed me. Sometimes it seems too close to an inside joke. I've had my fill on inside jokes, especially having worked at suck.com. They can be entertaining for a while, and then the charm wears off and it just seems desperate and contrived. All that said, I do like the most recent issue. I have to admit I haven't listened to the cd, though, and nor do I really intend to. I'm not really big of They Might Be Giants. But I like the cd-journal idea an awful lot.
Posted by tdotjay at May 15, 2001 10:18 AM
