“Aujourd’hui, maman est morte. Ou peut-être hier, je ne sais pas”
Almost a year ago I was in San Francisco at BloggerCon n and Jeneane told me to give Doc a hug for her. Mumbling ascii down the chat line to Jeneane, I allowed as how I like Doc a lot but we don’t hug, exactly… shucks. And Jeneane says, well I should give Jory a hug for her then and that was easier for me to — um — get my arms around. So there I was in an unconference room with Mike Arrington maundering on about how ill treated he is and how the meanies in his comment space make him feel bad and somehow that has something to do with blogging core values. Steve Gillmor was in a seat against the back wall wearing a scowl and in a mood as foul as Arrington’s. I split for the lobby where I wouldn’t have to listen to that crap. Jory was in the lobby, busy with business but gracious enough to allow an interruption and I gave her Jeneane’s greetings and she hugged me. It was a sweet hug after which the world seemed a nicer place. All this was before I received the phone call about Molly’s accident.
So I returned to the session where that old so-and-so Mike Arrington was rambling on about himself, kind of marketing his own conversation which — after all — markets ARE, conversations that is, even if you are only talking to yourself. And there he was stroking it in front of a room full of well informed people who had better places to be and better things to do than act as mirrors reflecting the anomie he projected. Arrington did set a tone for BloggerCon n and I think it’s no coincidence that my dog almost died that weekend.
Later in the day, I told Doc that Jeneane said I should give him a hug, and what do you know, there we were giving each other a hug. Now Doc’s not Jory, but he is a kind and giving man, and I felt rewarded by that hug, warmed.
A while back I listened to an old Gillmor Gang podcast, and Steve and Doc were saying fuck and asshole and all the other naughty words and if you listen carefully you will find that Gillmor sounds a lot like Madge Weinstein. Imagine my surprise a month or two ago when I heard that Gillmor was an old Firesign Theater guy. It’s true. You can Google it. I wonder if Madge hung out at Wally Heider’s?
My education has these huge gaps that you could put the entire Monty Python show into. I mean, I knew about the killer rabbit and stuff but I have come late to an appreciation of Cleese. The Firesign theater had my friends just rolling on the floor in the seventies. They were famously funny. But while I was aware of them, I wasn’t — you know — into them.
That day in San Francisco, Steve Gillmor seemed to suffer the same malaise that was plaguing Arrington. These guys were down. Something had them bummed out. Who knows what? But it seemed to be contagious.
Technorati Tags: ennui, anomie, borderline personality disorder, narcissism, occupational hazard, killer rabbit
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh! that Steve Gillmor is just a big grumpus bear of a guy. He just needs a big old hug. And a big old bear rug and a smackerel of honey. As I always say: anyone who invented the French Accent Institute is a o k in my book. (monitor)
Ingredients:
1. 3 tablespoons margarine or butter
2. 1 package (10 oz. about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
3. 6 cups KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal
Preparation Instructions:
1. Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cut into 2-inch squares when cool. Best if served the same day.
Serves: 24 squares
Microwave Directions:: In a microwave safe bowl, heat margarine and marshmallows at HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary. [1]
[edit] Cereal
Kellogg’s company came out with a cereal based on this treat, perhaps making the first cereal based on a dessert that was based on a cereal. Kellog’s Rice Krispies Treats cereal briefly surged in popularity, and received a 6 out of 7 rating on popular breakfast critic website Mr. Breakfast [2]. Recently this cereal has become harder to find, though a page on the Kellogg’s website can help make finding their rarer cereals easy[3].
[edit]
Serves: 24 squares
Serves: 24 squares
That Madge Weinstein is one funny funny broad.
Frank Paynter: Hug Proxie.
hey, did i ever say thanks for hugging doc and jory? If not, thanks!!