MOVING DAY:

That’s right folks. I’ve moved to a new url, new blog, so much NEW!!!

www.whitesnails.com

So click and save and click again. I am tired of this design and the constant whoring of this name wordpress. I am wordpress no more.

Links Galore:

What the internet knows about you.

I’m not sure why this is entirely necessary as an analysis. I mean how insecure can a guy be…apparently this insecure. Urinal protocol vulnerability.

Slang in the Great Depression. Less’n you’re a dumbcluck, you’re gonna open up that bazoo and speak the language that taught John Swartzwelder everything he knows.

I realize this is not a link exactly but it is still awesome.

Snark.

This blog is hilarious. And this post even more so: 60ish Literary Euphemisms for Masturbation.

Feeling overwhelmed and as such have not been as motivated to blog lately. Micro-blogging on facebook, twitter, and here at wordpress will have to suffice. Later.

Just finished Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind, and it feels good knowing that I’ve read a fantasy novel. It has been far too long since I read a good fantasy that I could sink my teeth into. I am going to jump right on into The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay, hopefully I can sneak a few more books in before school starts this September. Cheers.

Ernest Lessons:

Uncle Ernest’s Life Lesson of the Week:

“On my desk next to my typewriter I have the following words emblazoned on a plaque and whenever I find myself struggling with writer’s block, I turn to them and I inevitably feel more relaxed and more at ease with myself and my work, heed them well:

‘Remember the three M’s: Misogyny, Machine-guns, & Murder, as long as these three are present in a story, one is surely to never fail.’

Alas, the lessor known three N’s are not as reliable as the three M’s: Ninjas, Nickels, & Note-cards.

The three M’s though, these words have never failed me and I find that my readers are always pleased when these elements are in place. I mean afterall, who could say no to a story about a machine-gun? Would you?”

Nintendo DSi

I recently purchased a Nintendo DSi and jumping from a Sega Genesis to the DSi blows my mind. The fact that this hand held device contains more processing and gaming power than the monster of a box that was my Sega, astounds me.

I also love that I’m able to re-live all of my childhood gaming days with all of my favorites: Super Mario, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Kirby, etc. And the best part is that these games are so much more advanced and improved with updated story lines and graphics. I feel like such a corporate sell out talking about this because I want people to go out and buy their own, it’s so much fun and worth the cabbage you have to drop to get it.

I feel like a kid again and the portability is what really sells me on this system as I can take the fun with me.

I think I’ll play some Mario, off to rescue the Princess, cheers.

Currently reading Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet and I have to say it is an amazing mystery. Will write a review soon enough, just thought I’d share, cheers.

Dirda Asks:

Michael Dirda asks the following on his blog this week:

This past weekend I attended Readercon, a science fiction and fantasy convention held annually in the Boston area. Over the long weekend of the con a recurrent theme gradually emerged: What is the relationship of genre literature to so-called mainstream literature? Have any of the Reading Roomers ever reflected on this relationship between genre and mainstream? What so-called genre books do you consider major works of art? –Dirda’s Reading Room

I have had many different discussions with a lot of people about what genre essentially boils down to. For me, it is a question of power and authority because those in power and authority place certain books in particular positions and this inevitably influences how we read certain works. The English Literary Canon and I use capital letters because there are certain works that people have attributed with this standardized Canon, is made up of largely upper-class white British men from Great Britain. One has only to go trolling through history to see the apparent incongruity with the numbers of women or people of color who are represented as apart of the Canon.  That has changed recently and scholarship from the past few decades have unearthed a surprising amount of information about the fact that there have been many authors that represent groups not present in the Canon.

For me, it has always been about power and agency/access. Think of the recent rise and popularity of graphic novels and comic books. The Canon is quite fickle as now one is likely to hear or read phrases like: “Greatest Graphic Novel of All Time” or “The Grandfather of Graphic Novels”, etc. This genre is still for the most part looked upon with some suspicion but still now there are entire courses in various Academic institutions whose sole purpose is to engage in this style of reading. Why is this happening, because culture and society has changed, and the value placed on this type of reading, this particular genre has been given a new opportunity, as I said, power and agency/access.

Ernest Lessons:

Uncle Ernest’s Life Lesson of the Week:

“When you find yourself awake in the middle of the night unable to sleep, do not mourn the loss of your slumber, instead rejoice in the energy that you have been given and take advantage of the opportunities that surround you. I just took part in the most amazing opportunity, a once in a life time offer, 2 Sham Wow Systems for just $19.99 and this offer is not available in stores. Truly the middle of the night is wonderous, wonderous indeed.”

Feeling like shit lately, seems I’ve caught some kind of bug. I’m eating light and drinking lots of fluids, so energy is coming back quickly. As a result, I have not picked up a book in a few days. Still working my way through Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. Hemingway will have something to say soon enough I expect. Cheers.