‘Tis the time to nerd-out about the Hall of Fame. Bunch of stuff on Jeff Bagwell in the news. Steroid McCarthyism? You tell me.
Otherwise, Joe Pos has a three-parter on the Hall–one, two, three. Since baseball nerds are the only nerds who really get up for the Hall of Fame…have at it!
I don’t know from Jane Smiley’s work, but I dig her advice to writers over at Fictionaut:
Any favorite writing exercises?
Eavesdrop and write it down from memory–gives you a stronger sense of how people talk and what their concerns are. I love to eavesdrop! Gossip. The more you talk about why people do things, the more ideas you have about how the world works. Write everyday, just to keep in the habit, and remember that whatever you have written is neither as good nor as bad as you think it is. Just keep going, and tell yourself that you will fix it later. Take naps. Often new ideas come together when you are half asleep, but you have to train yourself to remember them.
Write everyday. Every. Day. Show up. Do the work. Show up.
Forgive me, I’m thinking out loud. But hey, I’ll take inspiration wherever I can find it.
“Girl with Braids,” By Amedeo Modigliani (1918)
I caught “The Kid Stays in the Picture” on cable the other day…I’d forgotten just how damn enjoyable it is.
And if you dig it, check out the audio cd of the book.
Deep in the heart of hipster Brooklyn you will find the Mile End Deli–Montreal Pastrami, go figure. I’ve heard mixed things about the place but I had one of their pastrami-on-rye sandwiches and thought it crazy tasty. Well worth the trip, man.
[Photo Credit: Smooth Dude]
Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t the Yankees look pathetic if the 2011 season rests on the arm of an old-timer like Andy Pettitte? I’m not saying Pettitte wouldn’t help, but if they can’t win without him, uh, didn’t someone take a left turn at Albeturkey?
Over at Pinstriped Bible, Jay Jaffe takes a look at the Yankees on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Coolin’ Out with Brother Jack McDuff:
Flipped:
Here’s hoping you all are having a great holiday.
All our best to you and yours.
Here’s hoping you all have a great holiday no matter what you are doing. I had a terrific pastrami sandwich today in Brooklyn and then saw “True Grit.” I enjoyed it–it was really funny and also brutal–though I don’t think it makes my Coen Brothers Top Five (which is, in no order, “Raising Arizona,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski,” and “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?”).
Now happy to be home with the Mrs and our kittens.
Merry Everything, folks.
Christmas Eve Day. Anyone got any shopping left?
I’m going to da movies. Be back tonight.
[Picture by Bags]
Okay, here she goes…
The beat of the day is brought to you by Jay Jaffe:
Sergio Leone once told Martin Scorsese that “The King of Comedy” was Scorsese’s first mature movie. There was no fancy camera moves or cutting in what I find to be one of Scorsese’s most disturbing movies. Over at The New Yorker, Richard Brody picks “The King of Comedy” as his DVD of the week. I haven’t seen it in years but I get the willies just thinking about it. Maybe it’s time to check it out again.
