PicoBlog

Jonathan Lethem is the only novelist I can think of—although I could, erroneously, imagine others—who cites among his influences both Philip K. Dick and Barbara Pym. These names may seem at odds. Dick wrote science-fiction about paranoia and technology. Pym, mid-century comedies about the British middle-classes. But Pym was a secret modernist, and you could argue that Dick’s dystopias are satires of social anxiety. And Lethem—author of thirteen novels and counting, not to mention numerous short story collections and non-fiction books—is adept at turning genres and influences inside-out.

I first saw Miyoko Ito’s paintings in 2018, in a small show at Artists Space in New York organized by Jordan Stein. I knew nothing about the artist. I’d seen one painting on an email press release and had the caveman thought that I liked the colours and shapes and that I would enjoy seeing more of them because they suited my mood that day. I couldn’t pin down what Ito’s paintings reminded me of.

Persipan – the confection made with the seed inside a Peach Pit My brother Richard and I entertained ourselves with experiments when we were kids.  One of them involved whacking peach pits (we usually bought peaches from a roadside stand on the way to Rehobeth Beach) with a hammer to find out what was inside.  Well we found what looked like almonds inside—the peach seeds hidden behind the rough wooden envelope.

Sunshine Raisin Biscuit Sometimes you have to see something to realize you haven’t been seeing it.  While shopping at my favorite Asian grocery in Columbia SC I would myself in the cookie and candy aisle (an aisle I rarely explore since I don’t have much of a sweet tooth).  There I ran across Ego brand Sultana biscuits.  I had a flash of recognition: a version of my dad’s favorite cookie (or was it a cracker, or a biscuit?

In one of my alter-egos, I’m a songwriter. I began writing songs during my seven-year tenure as the lead singer in a rock ‘n’ roll band while in college and graduate school and I’ve been writing songs ever since. In 1992, while I was recording a full CD of originals, I wrote a song called “Preoccupied.” Its first two lines are “There’s a slow train comin’ it’ll be here soon, the engineer looks like the creature from the Black Lagoon.

ten years ago i graduated college with a degree i would never use (telecommunications and news reporting lmao) and moved back to my parent's home in wisconsin with zero job prospects, a confusing uncertain future, and a lot of desperation and anxiety (picked up a job working third shift at a grocery store - i lasted two weeks). basically a week after settling in, the national dropped their fifth album high violet.

What did we learn from the testimony of John C. Floyd III today at the hearing in Georgia?  Floyd, the father of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, was called by prosecutors defending Willis from charges that she has a conflict of interest in her prosecution of 19 defendants, including Donald Trump, that he led a “criminal racketeering enterprise” to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. One of Trump’s co-defendants, Michael Roman, a campaign aide to Trump, alleged that DA Willis had a personal relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor Willis had hired to help in the prosecution of Trump and his co-defendants.

“That’s oversimplifying it… but that’s it in a nutshell.” In its sixteenth season, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is giving off the air of a slightly bored championship team. Let me explain.  Think the 1950s-60s Celtics winning 11 out of 13 NBA championships, or the 1990s, Jordan-led Bulls, winning six of eight. All-stars everywhere, universal admiration, and aging superstars with no weak links and nothing left to prove. That’s the It’s Always Sunny core group at this point, except that none of them have whiffed like Jordan when they’ve ventured outside of their comfort zone; Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, and Rob McElhenney have proven that they can thrive separate from the filthy home court that brought them to universal acclaim.

In the movie Moonstruck, Loretta’s family celebrated her engagement (played by Cher) by dropping sugar cubes into their glasses of champagne. A sudden effervescent rumble of bubbles rose to the top of each glass, making the champagne even more bubbly and more of a party. That also happened at one of my dinner parties in France, when my chic friend Rachel brought sugar cubes and flower jam and sparkling wine for us to enjoy before we sat down.