So I got my guitar, made it to the antiques fair and the Superbowel party all unscathed. Since I was on Alameda, I decided to check out another favorite book store. Wilmot’s in Alameda, California. It’s a small, cozy book store, but has a very knowledgeable staff and a great selection. I’m not sure who the owner, Tim, is but the gentleman I always see behind the counter is very willing to shoot the bull with anyone in the store.
The decor is warm wood, which gives it a homey feeling. I can hang out for hours just browsing the collection. It’s normally lacking the clutter that one typically finds at a used book store. I appreciate the neat clean appearance.
My wife and I were pressed for time so I didn’t get to spend much time temping myself. I really don’t need anything more to ready anyway. The rest of the day was spent watch the New Orleans Saints secure a very well deserved victory.
Posted in Books, Music.
By admin
– February 8, 2010
I really enjoy coming to Berkeley. The variety of food, all the great shopping. Unfortunately this usally means parting with some hard earned ducets. Today’s trip was made with the itention of spending a lot, I picked up my new guitar. I decided to make my way over to Telegraph and take in some sights, maybe get a little writing done at one of the million coffee shops to choose from. Making my way down the street I was reminded of one of my favorite ways to part with money, books.
I couldn’t make the show in San Francisco (see my last post) today, but I could pop into Shakespeare & Co. They are exactly what you expect and hope for in a used book store. The staff aren’t always the greatest conversatioanlists, but they are both helpful and knowledgeable. Since my pocket was already dry, I limited myself to perusing the collectibles and found myself sorely tempted by an early copy of Catcher In the Rye. Maybe I was inspired by Salinger’s recent passing. Though I don’t how much he will be missed by those close to him, it is a reminder that even the great will one day expire.
I apologize for the digression. Back to the point, Shakespeare & Co. on Telegraph is a great shop. Stop by and you’ll be sure to find something to add to both your collection and your stack.
Where’s your favorite book shop to spend your money.
Posted in Books.
By admin
– February 6, 2010
I am always on the lookout to find something to feed my need for constant stimulation. I have other things planned for this weekend, (including bringing a new guitar home to displace it’s predecessor, an antiques fair and a Superbowl party) but for those who find themselves still looking for something to do with their two days of freedom from corporate slavery, I give you San Francisco Antiquarian Book, Print, & Paper Fair. This looks like just the thing to warm the heart of any bibliophile in the Bay Area.
This fair has been in existence since 1979 and generally draws between 120 and 180 different vendors. If I was not already committed for the entire weekend, you would find me carefully perusing each and every vendor stall searching for first printings of Steinbeck and maybe another autographed treasure to add to my collection.
It is held at the San Francisco Concourse at 7th and Brennan streets this weekend, the 6th and 7th, 10-7 on Saturday and 10-5 on Sunday, and only $10. If nothing else it will be a nice place to pick up a few books for your stack and have some fun while staying out of the rain. It even looks BART-able from the Civic Center station.
I’m jealous to all of you out there who get to go, let me know if anyone is interesting in a guest blogger piece.
Feel free to share the treasures I missed out on.
Posted in Books.
By admin
– February 5, 2010
This news just came across my path - and it should take first in the “Silly Things People Do” department. Jimmy’s Old Car Picnic is an awesome, all inclusive car show that has been held every year in San Francisco, California for the past twenty one years. It’s a favorite show for a number of auto enthusiasts in the area and beyond. You will find cars of all makes and models at Jimmy’s, they’re not limited to just one make or time period. The cross section of people you find there is just as fascinating.
According to Laughing Squid Jimmy’s Old Car Picnic is in danger of being no more. The city of San Francisco has denied the permit application for this year’s show. Please, please help by going to Laughing Squid and signing the online petition to save Jimmy’s Old Car Picnic.
Posted in Musings, Silly Things People Do.
By admin
– February 4, 2010
I admit it, I read comic books. I have for years. It is a source of infinite embarrassment for my wife and equivalent enjoyment for me. See I’m full of surprises. Not only do I read comic books, but I’m married as well.
There are plenty of comic books out there are good for little more than light reading. Featherweight reading. Maybe even just for killing time. Some, however, are so much more. DMZ, for instance, is an amazing book. Writer Brian Wood mined the feelings and attitudes of post 9-11 New Yorkers to create a world where America is embroiled in her second civil war. Manhattan is caught between the united States and the Free States, and Matty Roth is the only embedded journalist. In the four years DMZ has been published Wood has shown impressive character development. Matty Roth has gone from the punk with a bad attitude whose daddy secured his internship, to a mature journalist who cares about showing the wider world the truth about what is really going on in the DMZ. Wood draws from the then, and still, current condition of the world and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for material and brings it home. The setting makes the story more accessible and Wood’s storytelling makes war a tangible thing to those who no personal experience with it.
I have been a huge fan of Wood and DMZ, until now. In the recent series, “Hearts and Minds”, which I will admit I have not read all five issues of, Matty’s development and the comic itself take a darker turn. It wasn’t exactly cheer before. Matty has shed his responsibilities as a journalist and has gotten involved with the politics. He is no longer concerned with telling the true story and has taken to aiding Parco, self-installed political leader of the DMZ, in his quest to establish the DMZ’s sovereignty. As a half-assed journalist myself, this hurts, but only because I am so invested in the character. I really wanted him to do some good as a journalist, but that’s just opinion. The development is realistic, just heart breaking. I don’t know what this move will mean for the over all story, I really need to finish that series, but it does show considerably development in Matty’s character.
I will continue to drink the Kool-Aid on this one. I like Matty’s character far to much to give up on him now. Besides, Wood has a habit of delivering in all of his endeavors (check his DEMO stories, a new series launches this week), so I will hang in for the long haul. If you haven’t done DMZ before, now would be a good time to start.
Posted in Comics, Writing.
By admin
– February 4, 2010
I don’t often find my self without something to read. In Stephen King’s book “On Writing” he mentions that one of the keys to being a good writer is to read, a lot. I am always in the midst of books which were gifted to me with various thoughts behind them. Ranging from, “I need a gift and I know he’s a reader so I’ll grab this book with the cool cover,” and, “I’m done with this book and thought you might want to read it,” to “This is my favorite author and I want to share.” All of which I appreciate. I also have stacks of books I have bought myself (usually things I think I should have read in college) and piles of comic books I need to catch up on.
Every once in a while though, I feel like I need to indulge in some modern literature. It’s an area I know surprisingly little about. I can wax philosophical all day about Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and Shakespeare, but I can hardly tell you who the hot pen is at the current moment. I have indulged in the Stephanie Myers devotion, but that was more out of idol curiosity than a quest for a great story. I have only made it through the first two, but I feel like I need something to clean my pallet between doses. We’ll get to that another time.
The practice I have when I am in need of something new and different, the supernatural and the fantastical can only hold interest for so long, is to sell myself to hype and look up the New York Times Bestsellers List. I know, great literature is not always what the unwashed masses are reading, but those titles are there for a reason. In my experience, if they are on “The List”, somebody is enjoying them. That means I might too. I don’t always find something that will go down as a member of the canon of great American literature, but I almost always enjoy the read. So next time you looking for something to read, take a leap of faith. Look up “The List” a make a blind choice. You might be surprised.
So, what have you folks read lately?? Let me know in the comments.
Posted in Blogging, Books, Writing.
By admin
– February 4, 2010
So NANO was a bust. Without going into too much detail, I had a number personal near-tragedies since November, some of which are still on going. In an effort to preserve what little sanity I had a slippery grasp on, I decided to take a break from a number of things. One of which was my fledgling blog.
I have clawed my way to the light and begun to emerge. I, and maybe even the world around, will be better for it all….. I hope. I have made a commitment to myself and to you, my tens of readers, to find my way back to my writing with the same dedication I left it back in November. First order of commitment, finish what I began with NANO. The next month will be spent in a pressured frenzy in an attempt to attain the lofty goal of 50,000 words that I set out for a long four months ago. I feel it still counts as an accomplishment, even if is to late to count. Right?? Who’s with me?? Second order of commitment will be to show this project the attention and love that it so richly deserves. That’s right my drowsy shiftless followers, the internet will once again be polluted with the ramblings of an over-educated cubicle slave. My apologies.
Posted in Blogging, Musings, Writing.
By admin
– February 3, 2010
At the close of NANO week 1, I have written written 8,657 words, been away from home five nights out of seven writing and I am still about 3,000 words behind. Not as far along as I would like to be, but better than I expected.
For those who don’t know, and I apologize for not announcing it sooner, I have signed up for the NANOWRIMO, National Novel Writing Month. I have joined about 120,000 people across the country in challenging our selves to write 50,000 words during the month of November. My story is going to need about 90,000-100,000 to complete it. I have high hopes I can pull it off this month, but it is only the first week.
Keep checking back for progress updates.
Posted in Writing.
By admin
– November 7, 2009
Cassettes were the pride of my generation. This was how we condensed our music collection to ninety minutes of favorites, how we shared the new music from the CD’s that came in the tall cardboard boxes and even how we declared our love a la High Fidelity, “Let me make ya a tape.” The tough question in highschool was: new Walkman, or new Discman. The Discman would of course play your CD’s, but you could record them to a cassette and play them in your Walkman. And then there was the car. Since I, and most of my friends, had an extensive collection of both CD’s and cassettes, the answer was clear. A tape deck in the car with accompanying Discman and cassette adapter.
Justin Cole has taken one of these outdated bits of technology and once again made it useful once again. I finally have a use for that tape deck in the truck. Thank you Justin.
Posted in Blogging, Carlin Quote of the Week, Music, Project Updates.
By admin
– November 6, 2009
It has been forever, sorry. Since you last heard from me, I have taken over all of the customer training at work and my family began to go into meltdown mode. I have, however, been getting a lot done. I have continued working for The Deli where I currently have a new CD review posted. Check it out and leave a comment or two.
The biggest news, November 1st I joined about 120,000 others for National Novel Writing Month. The goal, 50,000 words by November 30th. Currently I’m at 7,058 words. A little behind, but plenty of time to catch up.
Keep checking back for updates.
Posted in Project Updates.
By admin
– November 6, 2009
So I got my guitar, made it to the antiques fair and the Superbowel party all unscathed. Since I was on Alameda, I decided to check out another favorite book store. Wilmot’s in Alameda, California. It’s a small, cozy book store, but has a very knowledgeable staff and a great selection. I’m not sure who the owner, Tim, is but the gentleman I always see behind the counter is very willing to shoot the bull with anyone in the store. 
