SxSW, Here I Come!

So I’ve gone and done it. I’ve registered for SxSW 2001. I don’t know how I’m getting to Austin, or where I’m staying, but I’m now committed to attending. I’ve put all my business info on the registration, as opposed to my “blog” activities, so I hope I won’t just blend into the corporate background. Now I’ll have to convince my boss to pay for part of my registration, or flight, or hotel, or not charge the time as vacation days or something. I’ll tell him I’ll be schmoozing for the company. Yeah, that’s right…

Also, should mention I’m back at work today for the first time in over two weeks. The jury I was on deliberated for just under an hour yesterday before delivering a verdict of “Not Guilty” on all 40 charges brought against the four defendants. There was just not nearly enough evidence to determine what happened. I feel good about the job we did.

Opening of the Evangelical Mind

Good article in this month’s Atlantic magazine, entitled “The Opening of the Evangelical Mind.” It’s nice to see some non-derogatory press about a subculture with which I’ve spent about half my life struggling. One of the colleges mentioned in the article, Calvin College, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is where I attended teachers’ college. It is a fine example of a school where scholarship and faith are both treated with the highest respect.

Thanks Caterina!

Many thanks to Caterina for the link today. She also has an excellent blog, and I’m actually embarrassed that I haven’t added it to my little table of links. That is, until now. I really hope that I can meet some of you nice people at SxSW next year. It’s also thanks to Caterina that I discovered the comix genius of Chris Ware and Daniel Clowes. I’ve bought up a whole bunch of Eightball comics as well as Ghost World (Clowes) and also sprung for the hardcover Danny Corrigan (Ware). All excellent purchases and highly recommended, even to non-comix types such as myself (or maybe my former self, now…) And they will be doing a signing at local comix mecca The Beguiling next Saturday, September 30, from 3-5pm.

Also, on Sunday next week, I’ll be at Canzine 2000, a zine show being held at The Big Bop, at Queen and Bathurst. It runs from 1-8, with a huge fair of over 150 zine publishers. I’m there supporting Brooke and Jen’s new venture, Cherrymag. It will be live on that day, but bookmark it now! And drop down if you’re in T.O., and say Hi and get a Cherrymag sticker, and see our new iBook!

Sleater-Kinney OK!

Sleater-Kinney were better than I expected. The best thing about them was that they sold their own t-shirts. I bought one from the drummer. They sat at their merchandise table and signed CDs and chatted with fans until about 10 minutes before they went on. No rock star posturing for them. It was refreshing. I’m not a huge fan of their music (actually, it’s just the singing that annoys, they sound like a hard rock Go-Go’s), but they were so tight live that I actually enjoyed it more than the shaggy Modest Mouse show the night before.

Evidence wrapped up in the trial today. Tomorrow, we the jury face the closing arguments from 5, count ’em, 5 lawyers. That should take most of the day. On Monday, most probably, the judge will give us his final instructions and we’ll be sequestered until we unanimously decide on a verdict (on each of the 40 counts). Should be a blast…

Things bought recently:

  • Buzzcocks – Operators Manual – This is a great compilation with 25 songs from these Manchester punks. I’ve always been a fan but never owned any of their CDs. I also want to buy more from early Buzzcock Howard Devoto’s band Magazine.
  • This Is Spinal Tap – This brings to 8 the number of DVD movies I now own, without owning a proper DVD player. Sure, I can watch them on my roommate’s computer, but it’s not the same. Couldn’t resist this one. I even have the Voyager CD-ROM with the Quicktime version of the movie…
  • Please Kill Me, The Uncensored Oral History of Punk, by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain – This is a great book, compiled from many many interviews with pioneers of the mostly American punk scene in the 70s. There’s stuff here about the Velvet Underground, MC5, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, New York Dolls, Ramones, Bowie, Dead Boys, Patti Smith, Television, Blondie, almost everyone involved in the birth of the punk movement in the US. If only there were a book like this about the UK scene. Anyone know of one??