And so it goes...

Just had a thought to not think too hard about what to blog about and to just do it.

I am at my desk at home, little James is in his room next to mine sleeping quietly, and the lady of the house is in her subterranean lair at the forge.

I have some Band of Horses playing and I'm working on the 2011 King calendar. Editing mostly, and some writing as well. It's all good for a cold Saturday afternoon.

Watched RocknRolla last night. Eh. Not bad, but certainly not Ritchie's best work. I have to see the new Sherlock Holmes soon to see what all the hubbub was all about. He does love to create crazy tough hitmen, those two Russian guys were crazy bad ass (although not as tough as Bullet Tooth Tony).

Anyway, work is good, and I've been reading a bunch which is one of the pluses of my express bus commute. By the way, waiting in the rain or snow for bus to arrive -- not so much an advantage of bus travel.

Excited that the SyFy channel is playing a sort of marathon of King-related movies and mini-series tomorrow. We've planned to use it as creative inspiration as we sort out essays for next year's calendar. A good weekend indeed.

Also, I started my writing fiction project (read more about it here). I rec'd my Moleskine notebook and I've started filling it with bits of scribbling and doodles. Maybe I'll show a sample here soon. Is it any surprise that the first bit of writing is entitled, "Snow"? Life in New York this month has been about little else.

Back to the keyboard--

I've also picked up something new..

Sure, I am trying to read all of the books I already own, a task many of us agree is difficult at best, but this didn't stop me from picking up a book I've heard a lot of chatter about, while I was while browsing through the aisles at B&N the other day.

And so far I'm enjoying The Silver Skull by Mark Chadbourn,  although I admit I've only just started it. Like many blog sites I decided to mention it early on, as I also plan to come back with a full review when finished.

Maybe I can get my author friend to loan me his copy of, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, and I can loan him this when we both finish our respective dips in the Pyr books list. Captain Lou [if I may call him that] is doing amazing things over at Pyr.

It is always exciting to try a new author, just as it is fun to return to old favorites. Not being a book club editor anymore, I'm not exposed to the plethora of early materials that I had become very much used to. After 10 years of that luxury, it is still hard to adjust to finding new reads by review or recommendation, like most everyone else.

I also look forward to reading the 1st volume trade paperback, The Unwritten by Mike Carey and Peter Gross, that I picked up a few weeks ago at the comics shop. I read a sample issue that was given out at the MoCCA Art Fest last year, and the trade release reminded me to check it out again.

I remember a nice mix of fantasy and reality in the book. Even a fare shot at comics conventions, which I can directly relate to having been to more than I'd admit.

I have plenty of good reading for the next several frosty bus rides in my immediate future, taking me into the Flatiron area where I work.

And today I saw Andy Rooney walking up 23rd street while I walked west toward the E train.

I love this town.

Reading what I own

Woke up to make coffee and re-read the 2nd half of the award-winning STITCHES graphic memoir by David Small. I talked about it here last year, after picking up a copy at the Book Expo convention. Then I placed the book in the attic library among my other treasures.

I was reminded of the touching and troubling personal story and why I left it on the night table, to re-read and browse through from time to time. He works magic with his ink and shading, evoking his troubled youth and his saving grace... ART. A reminder to us all, the importance of art in a young person's life.

Off to run some errands and hit the B&N in Bayside, to browse and pick up a few things.

Lazy Sunday, Big Game

Caught a little bit of Wonder Boys this morning on tv while coming to my senses, reminded me to attempt to 'read my own books' as I have many things on the shelves unread. In this case, I have a copy of Wonder Boys' signed by Mr Chabon, to Fotini, from when we met him at the 92nd street Y for a conversation about The Yiddish Policeman's Union, also on the shelf, signed, and unread. Need to fix that. Although in the case of TYPU, it is a wonderful bound galley with french flaps, and is almost too perfect to commute with. I'll think about it, the collector in me is hesitant to rough it up at all.

After talking recently with friends Kerry, then Matt, about making a resolution to 'read all the books you own' I obviously have my work cut out for me. And I'll be finished with Under the Dome tonight (after the game of course), and I look forward to jumping into reading other unread books that I already own.


I also caught most of the film, Emotional Arithmatic, on Shotime, which I hadn't heard of but was pleased to see it starred two of my favorite actors, Max Von Sydow and Christopher Plummer, in addition to the wonderful Susan Sarandon and Gabriel Byrne. The film told about the wartime relationship between Byrne and Sarandon in a prison camp during WW II, where they were looked after by Von Sydow. They reunite 40 years later, at a farmhouse where Sarandon is married to Plummer.


I couldn't help but think of the earlier roles of Plummer as Admiral Von Trapp from The Sound of Music, as well as Von Sydow's role as a Nazi officer in Victory. It is interesting that after even all these years, roles related to World War II come about for these veterans of stage and screen.


Alright, I'm off to prepare for a wonderful afternoon of football, and am rooting for the Saints this time around. Nothing against the Colts, but Payton has his ring, and the Saints impressed me this year with their aerial attack and scrappy play throughout the playoffs.