Possible reading challenge for Dad and me next summer.

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Duff

Read all the books (that we haven’t read already) on the USA or Brooklyn map/list.

I’ve only been reading this book for five minutes and already I’m in love.

Posted on October 4, 2014 by Duff

As a mystery quietly begins.

Winter never altogether vanishes, even in the warmest summer. You can always find it lingering, if you look.

And a little bit later.

But when you find your soul, you have to go. When you find your true shape, when the wind lifts you up, when you remember who you are, you have to go.

Both from Summer and Bird by Katherine Catmull.

I really loved this little anecdote.

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Duff

There was a guy I was reading about in the 1700’s whose wife was 10 minutes late at the dinner table every [night] so he took those 10 minutes to work on a novel and he ended up writing 3 very successful novels that way by squeezing in those 10 minutes. I think that’s the trick is giving yourself that time and scheduling it in.

from this interview with Mark Frauenfelder.

I love that idea of even just in 10 (or 15 even!) minutes a day, you eventually DO have something to show for your time.

(It’s repeated again in this article.)

I got to both of these from this article, from this post by Maggie, whose blog I really love.

Ignore this.

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Duff

Just claiming my blog on bloglovin’.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The name of my next band will be…

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Duff

Smattering of Profanity, a quote by one of the interns on this All Songs Considered podcast.

Reason #468 why I need a yard.

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Duff

Because I really need a treehouse. C’est magnifique!

Pros, cons; six of one, half a dozen of another.

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Duff

Things I hate about this year: I’ve been to see/hear very little live music (so far) this year.

Things I love about this year: All the (FOUR) shows I’ve been to were magnificent performances by bands I love.

*Note: I do have tickets to Spoon in September! Or October. Can’t remember which. I have it written down somewhere.

Things I hate about this year: I didn’t see a single movie in April, and wasted my February movie-going energy on Wolf of Wall Street, a completely ridiculous movie with zero redeeming qualities if you ask me.

Things I love about this year: I saw Only Lovers Left Alive and Words and Pictures, two flicks which are still serving my soul with reminders of things I love, things that are important, things to strive for.

Things I hate about this year: It’s somehow so much easier and faster to record having read a book on goodreads than to take the five seconds longer than that to record it here and who knows maybe even a quick review.

Things I love about this year: At least I’m keeping up with goodreads.

Someone give me some money, I WANT IT ALL.

Posted on July 13, 2014 by Duff

All the albums that is. NPR’s All Songs Considered “The Year in Music (So Far) has a lot of super songs on it. I already own the Sturgill Simpson and Sylvan Esso albums. But dang, I want everything else they played as well! At least based on these songs.

Sometimes I really do love Stephen Thompson.

Posted on July 13, 2014 by Duff

For this sentence, this time: But, speaking as a parent, I can assure you that indirectly or accidentally exposing my kids to a bit of profanity in a Noah and the Whale song absolutely pales in comparison to the language they encounter during any of my attempts to move a large piece of furniture up or down a flight of stairs.

Hey I’ve got something for YOU.

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Duff

So my friend Megan published a book. Well she’s published two. One, that I adored a LOT, “Everyone Remain Calm” was only available on Kindle when I got it (looks like you can get a print copy now).

Her new book is out in paperback and I had actually preordered it on Amazon but then I went to hear her read live at Women & Children First (a great Chitown bookstore) and I wanted to get a book signed so I bought one there as well.

SO if you leave a comment and tell me your favorite book of short stories and/or a great “read at the beach” recommendation for my summer vacation, you could win a free copy of her book!

Here, let me give you a teaser. Go read this essay, then come back here and leave a comment, and I’ll enter you in a drawing to win this book! I mean considering how many comments I get these days, you may not have a lot of competition!!!