We took a marvelous land cruise to Northern California last month. The highlight of the trip wasn’t the Southern Oregon coast, the redwoods, Mendocino County, or Marin. Those were highlights, but the highlight was having dinner with friends in San Francisco on Friday the 13th.
Our friend Andy made a reservation for five at Lot 7 on Valencia. The place had me at Hamachi Crudo, but everything else was off the hook, as well. Including the ambiance, the oversized photographs of San Francisco in the 1930s, and of course, the company around the table.
Andy is a builder and an entrepreneur, so it’s always fun to hear what’s going on with him. He spent the past several years introducing the California market to the environmental advantages of kegged wine. In fact, Lot 7 carries Andy’s wine and I like how they make the most of the presentation, delivering the red liquid in an artfully designed carafe.
Feel this with me. The air in San Francisco is rarefied, and the light makes everything look rich. In other words, it’s not like other places. And one could, without hesitation, extend that thought to California. California is not like other places.
Andy asked me how things are going with Bonehook here in Portland, and I replied it’s going okay. He said many people in Oregon are coming from a place of scarcity, whereas Californians are all about abundance. He said, tell a friend in Oregon about your new business idea, and they’ll pause and eventually say, “that sounds hard.” In California, on the other hand, the friend gets excited, introduces you to their contacts in the field and encourages you to go for it.
This little tale of two states — the states of scarcity and abundance — lodged in my brain and I’ve been mulling them over ever since. While it is true that Oregon doesn’t have the number of jobs, the economic might, or the vast opportunities that can be found in California, it’s wrong to think of Oregon as a place short on resources. In fact, no place in the United States has the right to think it’s coming from a place of scarcity. Scarcity simply isn’t real here. All of America is awash in abundance. We haven’t spread the wealth to every person and every family, but that doesn’t mean the wealth of this nation is limited in supply. It means it we have a distribution problem.
On the way home last month, we recognized how good it felt to be in California, but it felt even better to return to Oregon. Would I love to see Oregonians become a bit more free-wheeling in their ways? Yes, I would. Would a more open and inclusive mindset — not just politeness, but genuine friendliness — also open Oregon up to bigger and better business opportunities? Of course. Bottom line though, I can only do what I can do about it. I can be more open, friendly and free-spirited, and I can build my business in Oregon, whatever the challenges.
Ray Bradbury is spectacular. His mind is immense and his advice for other writers is both generous and magnificent.
In 2001, Bradbury spoke at the Sixth Annual Writer’s Symposium by the Sea, sponsored by Point Loma Nazarene University. He was 80 years old at the time. Today is he 91.
During this talk, he says, “Writing is not a serious business, it’s a joy and a celebration. You should be having fun at it. It is not work. If it’s work, stop it and do something else.”
“I’ve never worked a day in my life,” Bradbury says “The joy of writing has propelled me from day to day and year to year. I want you to envy me my joy.”
Bradbury prescribes a routine that includes writing one short story a week. He also suggests that we fill our minds with lots of ideas from all disciplines, and that we read one short story, one poem and one essay each night before bed. He cautions that most modern literature will not suffice, because it is crap. To avoid the crap trap, Bradbury suggests the short stories of Roald Dahl, Guy de Maupassant, John Cheever, Richard Matheson, Nigel Kneel, John Collier, Edith Wharton, Katherine Anne Porter, Eudora Welty, Washington Irving, Herman Melville, Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. He also loves the essays of George Bernard Shaw, and suggests we locate a copy of Do we agree?: A debate between G. K. Chesterton and Bernard Shaw.
Bradbury favors the provocative statement, which make listening to him fun. For instance, he says writers should not attend college. He also says he doesn’t plan, or outline, a story. Rather, he discovers it as he writes.
Bradbury has a sign above his work station that reads “Don’t Think.” This reminds him to keep his intellect at bay, and feel his way through the narrative.
Frankly, I can’t get enough of this wise man’s counsel. Which is why I went from the above video to the following two treasures from the mid-1970s and 1963, respectively.
Another important note from this writer of Fahrenheit 451, Dandelion Wine, and many other books and screenplays deals with the dispatching of doubters. He advises that a writer can’t have any such people in his or her life, and that these friends and/or family must be fired if they insist on negative evaluations of one’s chosen path.
“Instrumental in traveling is the participation in it, the belief in progress, the witnessing of passage.” – Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers’ first novel, You Shall Know Our Velocity, is a travel journal with a lot of internal gyrations, a.k.a. dialogue from the narrator, whose mind “hovers and churns.” I just finished reading the 400-page book on the Kindle, and now I want to reflect on some of its themes and stylistic devices.
Will, the protagonist and narrator, departs Chicago O’Hare with his best bud Hand, for Senegal, Morocco, Estonia and Latvia. The trip is motivated by their friend’s death in a car accident and the consequent desire to offload $80,000 that Will came by unexpectedly (thanks to his silhouette being used on a new lightbulb package).
Adam Mars-Jones of The Observer notes that the book “might be a bleak and uneasy satire on American ignorance and cultural consumerism, with Will’s and Hand’s currency-scattering mission only slightly exaggerating the ridiculousness of over-ambitious holidays – If-this-is-Monday-this-must-be-Tallinn-or-maybe-Riga. Yet that doesn’t seem to be the intention. The title of the book is mystical-technical (finally explained as the motto of the Jumping People, an apocryphal South American tribe), but the style is pushy-flashy, dedicated to producing elaborate effects.”
That’s a solid read by Mars-Jones. The two characters are ridiculous in the way that two “normal dudes” who grew up in Milwaukee might be. Hand and Will are not Wayne and Garth, but they’re not all that far away from these overly-exaggerated characters.
Eggers makes some interesting choices in the construction of the book. He indicates to the reader when Will is talking to himself by placing an em dash in front of a thought. So, you’ll be reading along in a plot-driven passage, and then be dealt a series of dashes, with inner imaginings of the somewhat paranoid, totally addled narrator.
Eggers also time shifts the story, and puts the narrative in Hand’s hands about two-thirds of the way in, before circling back around for a Will-narrated finish. Which is weird, and a bit frustrating because Hand contradicts the things we as readers have come to believe. It does work to shed more light on the situation, but it’s not a fine light, where all looks happy and good.
Ultimately, You Shall Know Our Velocity, is a book with a message. The message is don’t waste time. And don’t run from things, like time, that can’t be outrun. It’s a wonderful philosophy, delivered by clowns in this instance, but that’s okay. We don’t always want our philosophies from a professor, poet or pundit.
Since moving to Portland, Oregon in 2008 I’ve been digging on emerging acts like Weinland, Blind Pilot and Blitzen Trapper. But some of top indie rocks acts in the world are also living and working in Puddletown, and their sizable ripples are being felt on coasts near and far.
Modest Mouse, The Shins, The Decemberists and Spoon are all tied to this two-rivers city in some way, and The Shins first new album in five years is on a lot of playlists right now, mine included.
The New York Times notes that with “Port of Morrow” James Mercer, 41, faces what could be his biggest challenge. “Since the Shins were last heard from he has dismissed the rest of the band and remade it as a semipermanent collective of well-traveled professionals, and also moved further away from the Shins’ scruffy origins with a tightly produced, eclectic record. Will his fans accept the changes?”
The touring version of the Shins includes the guitarist Jessica Dobson, who has played with Beck; the bassist Yuuki Matthews, of the band Crystal Skulls; Joe Plummer, the drummer in Modest Mouse; and Richard Swift, a songwriter and go-to indie producer.
The Times doesn’t mention anything about “Port of Morrow” reaching new fans. But I consider myself a new fan, even though I’ve been listening to “Chutes Too Marrow” for some time now.
Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune argues that the results are decidedly mixed:
Fans of the band’s relatively modest indie releases may find the production oddly sparkly, layered with keyboards, wordless harmonies, and exotic little noisemakers and ear-catching details. But Mercer’s gift for the insinuating melody remains acute, and his lyrics have never been more straight-forward.
I don’t feel that the results are mixed, but as I said, I am a relatively new fan, so I’m not carrying a cart full of indie rock baggage.
By the way, Port of Morrow, near Boardman, Oregon, contains all the industrial infrastructure you’ll need to grow your business.
Carlos Santana is one of my musical heros. He’s also a board member and part owner of premium spirits brand, Tequila Casa Noble.
I don’t drink a lot of tequila, and I can’t say that I have ever tried Casa Noble, but now that I know Carlos’ role in the company, I will give the product a sip or two. Yes, it’s that easy to get me to sample the product. We’ll see about cost, taste, availability and all the rest.
I have to say, I love that Carlos reveals himself in the video, but the construction of the piece isn’t beautifully rendered, as it needs to be. Premium brands need to go all out on their production values, or doubt creeps in.
Speaking of Carlos and doubt creeping in, did you hear he’s doing a two-year “residency” at House of Blues in Las Vegas? I may find myself attending some of these shows, but I can’t help reflecting on how this is an unfamiliar time in rock and roll. For one, ticket prices to live shows are freaking outrageous.
Grateful Dead’s bass player, Phil Lesh, is also about to embark on a residency program at his own venue, Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, Calif. His opening ten-night run is just about sold out, although it looks like there are a couple $300 VIP tickets and $150 general admission tickets remaining. It’s enough to lead a psychedelic rock fan to drink.
Digital Book World is running an interview with Seth Godin, author of several best selling business books, including Unleashing the Ideavirus, The Bootstrapper’s Bible, Purple Cow, All Marketers Are Liars, Poke the Box, and more.
Here’s a slice of the interview, where Godin advises writers to walk way from their financial expectations.
Q. Many authors hear your message about being willing to give away their books for free, or to focus on spreading their message but their question is: “I’ve got rent to pay so how do I turn that into cash money?”
A. Who said you have a right to cash money from writing? I gave hundreds of speeches before I got paid to write one. I’ve written more than 4000 blog posts for free.
Poets don’t get paid (often), but there’s no poetry shortage. The future is going to be filled with amateurs, and the truly talented and persistent will make a great living. But the days of journeyman writers who make a good living by the word – over.
I don’t know how these halcyon days of writerly bounty could be over, if they never existed in the first place. The great majority of writers have always struggled to earn their way in the world. They either work odd jobs like bartender or taxicab driver, or they find a way to apply themselves as a teacher, or in a commercial setting like advertising, publishing, journalism or entertainment.
The future is going to be filled with amateurs, says Godin. And Mathew Ingram of GigaOm, commenting on Godin’s piece, is right to note “the rise of the amateur, powered by the democratization of distribution provided by the Web and social media.” Although “amateur” sounds more and more archaic to my ear each day. I prefer the word “apprentice.” There’s pro, semi-pro and apprentice. Apprentice captures seriousness of intent, in a way amateur does not.
Certainly, there are plenty of amateur writers, amateur photographers, and so on. Which is great, people need enriching hobbies. But the premise is about getting paid to write, and that’s why it makes sense to reframe the discussion around pro, semi-pro and apprentice. These are the people hoping to make money from their writing, and the people equipped to do so, via a mix of talent, training and good fortune.
Regarding Godin’s advice to offer content for free, I agree, as long as there’s a mix of paid and free in the writer’s bag. He says he’s offered more than 4000 blog posts for free. Great, I have offered more than 10,000 for free, but he also sells books, and I sell advertising (on AdPulp) and my writing there sometimes leads discerning readers to hire me to write copy for them. In other words, we get paid to write for free.
Thankfully, the buzz around free is starting to fade a bit. I’m actually happy to see so many newspapers begin to charge for their online editions. When you have exclusive content, as many city newspapers do, you can and should charge for it. The rise of eBooks is another game changer, where authors can and should charge a small price for their homemade digital book or booklet.
I do appreciate what Godin is saying, and it is good to approach your craft with humility. At the same time, a pro is a pro, and pros get paid. As do semi-pros, and on occasion, apprentices.
Have you heard New Multitudes, a super group made of Americana torchbearers: Jay Farrar (Son Volt), Will Johnson (Centro-matic), Anders Parker (Varnaline), and Jim James (My Morning Jacket)?
The group’s new record is an intimate interpretation of Woody Guthrie’s previously unrecorded lyrics.
Parker, who I had the honor of interviewing in Sept. 2008, described his own and the band’s process in the Burlington Free Press:
It’s a distinct and singular honor to be involved in this project. Visiting the archives would’ve been enough. But setting Woody’s words to music has been a fundamentally life-altering experience. His words and music and the life he led are an inspiration, and the vibrancy of his being still resonates and shines. He’s a beacon.
New Multitudes cut some amazing tracks on this record. Parker writes about how natural it all was. You can hear it on “Old L.A.” and other tracks. The music sounds free and easy. It also sounds timeless, like the Eagles could have recorded the song in the 1970s or perhaps, Dawes today.
Of course, Billy Bragg and Wilco made two albums of unrecorded Woodie Guthrie songs in 1998 and 2000 respectively, and both Mermaid Avenue editions are stellar works at the very top of many an audiophile’s pile.
How many more albums will be pulled from the Guthrie slush pile? As many as humanly possible, I hope. When I posted the Burlington Free Press article on Facebook, my friend Kate replied, “Woody was the musical poet for the unions. We need to sing his songs again — for the good of men, women, children and our Mother Earth.”
Sounds to me like the Dog is filling the void, rather than being the void, but it’s clearly all good.
In other recently released album news, The Black Keys are back at it with El Camino, which debuted last December. I like this fuller Black Keys sound that the new band lineup affords.
Next up in the new record category is Galactic with Carnivale Electricos, which goes on sale wherever fine jams are sold this coming Tuesday.
I love when an environmental issue, or any issue, helps to melt the artificial construct of political lines between people and communities come together to face off against corporate agressors.
Thankfully, that’s exactly what’s going on in Nebraska, Texas and other communities that would be directly impacted by the proposed Keystone Pipeline.
Property-rights conservatives, water supply activists and landowners are banding together along the pipeline’s proposed route through Texas, challenging plans to claim land for the proposed pipeline that will run from Canada’s oil sands to Texas’ Gulf Coast.
“Crippling someone’s water supply knows no party line,” said Rita Beving, consultant to the bipartisan East Texas Sub-Regional Planning Commission. A Republican mayor and a Democratic city secretary lead the group’s fight against the pipeline.
In other words, cowboys ain’t taking any of TransCanada’s shit. Or Washington’s, for that matter.
“Lifelong Republicans are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with urban tree-huggers,” Malinda Frevert, a spokeswoman for BOLD Nebraska, said of that effort.
Trade magazine Power Engineering is celebrating the news that a new nuclear power plant will be built 26 miles southeast of Augusta, Georgia.
It’s official: Georgia will be the site of the nation’s first new nuclear reactors in more than 30 years.
The Washington Post, on the other hand, brings another, more balanced point of view to the news.
The new reactors, however, are no longer seen as the start of what the industry once predicted would be a nuclear renaissance. Virtually all of the 31 plants that had been proposed by 2009 have been shelved as a result of cheap natural gas, high construction costs, weak electricity demand and safety concerns following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in Japan.
The Vogtle project “survives only because Georgia regulators have agreed to make the customers pay for it regardless of the fact that its power is likely to be three times as expensive as other realistic combinations of alternatives,” said Peter Bradford, a former NRC commissioner and critic of many nuclear projects.
Jim Riccio, a spokesman for Greenpeace, said taxpayers were helping “to build new nuclear reactors that corporations would never risk building themselves.”
The agency’s vote is a “monumental accomplishment,” Thomas Fanning, Southern’s chairman and chief executive officer, said. “Anything that we learn from Fukushima, I assure you we will bring to bear,” Fanning told reporters.
The Vogtle site is already home to two existing nuclear reactors owned by Southern that began commercial operations in the late 1980s. The area of land adjacent to the Savannah River is also home to a Dept. of Energy managed nuclear site called Savannah River Site, which consolidates and stores nuclear materials.
I certainly wouldn’t want to be eat any fish or drink any water (treated or not) from said river, which of course flows toward the city of Savannah and the Atlantic Ocean beyond.
Politically, this would be an outrage if a Republican administration was pushing it through. Does Obama get a hall pass on this? I don’t see why.
Thankfully, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Friends of the Earth, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Center for a Sustainable Coast, Citizens Allied for Safe Energy, Georgia Women’s Action for New Directions, North Carolina Waste Awareness and Reduction Network, Nuclear Information and Resource Service and Nuclear Watch South are fighting the decision. The environmental groups are asking federal judges to require the NRC to prepare a new environmental impact statement for the proposed reactors.
