The Insiders

Cormac McCarthy Writes a Letter to The Editor of the Santa Fe New Mexican, by John Kennan

thanks monstromo for the alert!

overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out

• Arthur C. Clarke wrote, in addition to many books, stories & such, 2001: A Space Odyssey (along w/ Kubrick). Apparently very unhappy with how it all turned out, poor Art. I myself have not yet seen it; holding out until I can see it on the big screen.


• Charlton Heston. Had he not starred in one of the best films of all time I might not have such a tender spot for the ol' curmudgeon (Michael Moore's melodramatic exploitation of the early-Alzheimer's era Chuck likely contributed to the smooshiness).


• Albert Hoffman. What my teenage years would have been like without the work of this man, I can't say. Died a centenarian. Believed that natural scientists could not avoid becoming mystics. Worked in cycle after cycle with ergot fungus, one compound resulting in methergine, an effective treatment for puerperal hemorrhage. The 25th compound was lysergic acid diethylamide. [Interestingly, during my own puerperal strife I had a healthy injection of methergine that resulted in reminiscent physical sensations, sans psychedelia. Now *that* was trippy.]


• David Foster Wallace. No, I have not read Infinite Jest, and I'm not sure I'll ever read it in its entirety. But I appreciate that he did nearly everything, including writing, including tennis, and hanging himself (though this is the work I would have preferred he leave off in favor of writing another article for Gourmet about lobster season). Though I will never, ever appreciate the endless "brightest stars are always horribly tormented" eulogistic ranting all over the internet.


• Martha. I miss her.

barf on xmas eve

• Discussing forming a sibling book club; Brother suggests Vonnegut. I say 'Vonnegut makes me barf', and continue with the ways in which Vonnegut makes me barf, until Brother misunderstands and thinks my discourse includes the phrase 'insolent barf'. Someone else contributes 'insouciant barf'. Ultimately decide on a Cormac McCarthy novel. More on that, later.


• After the discussion including insouciant barf, the topic turns to food, and Father invokes The Beets and The Peas. Reminiscent of last year's culinary challenge of creating a dish using mushrooms and grapefruit, Brother presents another culinary challenge using the aforementioned barforifics. More on that, later.


• I suggest to Manfriend we make a pleasure trip to Costco: Interesting exercise in patience, people watching, and manipulating the emotional states of shoppers by making unexpected eye contact with strategic facial expressions ensuing. Plus there's all the stuff to look at. Purchase a large quantity of toilet paper. Manfriend is more animated with the shopping cart than expected, but no one is insulted. The scrapbook supply aisle reeks of a recent barfing. All in all a pleasant excursion.


• Withered Leg Reunion. Decide that some songs could be comprised of the title sung over and over and over, with generous refrains of "Oh Lord!" To make this topical, we should definitely do a number about barfing. And The Lord.