seeing other people
I had so much social activity this weekend I got over stimulated. I think the last time I saw this many people in so few days was the wedding, and it’s different with old friends, when you can just lay down on the floor and bullshit and watch folks fall asleep. Not that I’m complaining; it was good. I’m glad for the chances to connect. And it reminds me I’ve always navigated lots of different groups of people and I like that. I like that about myself and I like knowing a lot of people who wouldn’t necessarily know each other.
I just read David Foster Wallace’s essay on the Illinois State Fair, “getting away from already pretty much being away from it all“. I laughed out loud and I recommend it especially if you’re of the mind that he’s poking fun out of a reluctant love for the midwest. No, I’m not in a rush to go out and breeze through Infinite Jest, but I do have new affection for DFW, who before I could never get into.
DFW non-fiction = fantastic
fiction = eh, not so much. i gave Infinite Jest 50 pages to hook me and it just didn’t. no regrets.
same w/ david sedaris, for me.
agrees. i read a DFW short story a couple years ago and thought to myself, well, i thought that was crap.
and david sedaris. i’m kinda verdict out of him. i think the more he writes the less funny he is.
yeah, i’m sorry to say i agree – naked was the peak and it’s been downhill since then. but i still find him engaging – just not so funny. when it comes down to it, i want a writer to knock me down with laughter, and there aren’t many who pull it off.
i’m with you pep. dfw had me laughing out loud in that state fair essay. there was this one part about his friend riding the zipper. great stuff. a couple years ago gourmet sent out a summer reading digest and jane and micheal stern had this piece that had me rolling. i’d try and read it out loud to rachel and then i’d have to stop b/c i was laughing so hard i was tearing up. i dunno what happened to that digest. i really wish i would have kept it b/c a good laugh like that is worth a lot.