Chopsticks NY Reviews Tune in Tokyo

Ladies, Chopsticks NY is a bi-weekly magazine that covers all things Japan in NYC. Well, hold on to your bobby socks, because they've given Tune in Tokyo a great review! Go read it and patronize their sponsors or something!

Merry Christmas from See Tim Blog

Merry Christmas, world! (Sorry the sound is so squeaky, this was recorded on a dang Droid, gimme a break. At least I turned on the light behind me--that made all the difference. [I was inside way too long today.])

My First Japanese Media Interview!

Folks, you may have never heard of the Japanese website Axiom before, but you have now because I've told you about it. It's an awesome site! Anyway, they're running a fun interview with yours truly now and you should go read it and learn something about yourself and also me (mostly me).

New Interview Up Over at the Pubslush Blog

Pubslush Press is an interesting new publishing venture where writers can submit ten pages and a summary of a manuscript that will then be available to readers, and if the manuscript receives enough reader support it will then be published by Pubslush. And "for every book sold a book will be donated to a child in need." Awesome, no?

Anyway, so they interviewed me for their blog and its up on the site now here:

And here is a handy yootoob explaining the Pubslush deal.

Holy Crap, Tune in Tokyo Excerpt Is Up on Boing Boing!

Read it here.

TiT Love from Shelf Awareness

Tune in Tokyo has gotten a GREAT review over at Shelf Awareness, check it out immediately!

NYC Elevator Horror is the Latest Thing, Apparently

Good God, as if we need more reasons to feel twitchy in an elevator, now there have been two (2!) horrific elevator deaths in the past week in New York. The first? Oh just an ad executive lady who got crushed by an elevator that she stepped into last Wednesday morning. The second? Oh, you know, just your typical "crazy dude with a weird vendetta sprays flammable liquid all over his elderly neighbor then sets her alight with a Molotov cocktail. In the elevator."

I think I probably speak for everyone when I say, "I think from now on I'll just take the stairs to my 8th floor office." And polyester is hella flammable, yes? So also, "I think from now on I will change into my polyester pants after getting safely to work."

RIP to both of these poor women. Just awful.

Remembrance: Kirsty MacColl, Killed 11 Years Ago Today

Many folks who know me know that I'm a freak about this Kirsty MacColl lady that they've never heard of. I am! And if you are a fan of classic British pop, you should be one, too. Kirsty is best known in this country for her duet with the Pogues on their gorgeous Christmas song "Fairytale of New York" from 1987. She should have been famous for much more, but she never got her due, then she was killed in the year 2000 in a freak/horrific boating accident in Mexico. It's a sad, sad story that will never make sense. She was only 41. 41! Senseless.

But you can console me by exploring Kirsty's back catalog. I recommend, first and foremost, that you check out her final album, the sunny and celebratory Tropical Brainstorm, which she made with Cuban musicians. She was in saucy form, singing songs about sex and making love and doing it and shagging and f**king and other things like that. (My favorite track: "Us Amazonians") You should also get her album Kite, which is a great collection of British jangle pop that includes a great cover of "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby." Also, get Galore, her hits collection, which includes all the greats, plus spectacular early single "He's On the Beach," as well as a cover of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day," which she sings with Evan Dando of the Lemonheads, as well as "Caroline," a song she described as "Jolene's reply" to Dolly Parton. Also, here is a great BBC2 documentary about her life in music.

RIP, Kirsty. You are missed more as the years troll on toward oblivion, especially looking at how many dumb/tedious/idiotic/talentless pop stars are still alive.

Here she is with the Pogues in better days. Look for the cameo by Matt Dillon!

Shameless Plugs: Merry Monsters!

Folks, I think it's about time for another Tim Stamp of Approval because 'tis the season and all that. What, I can hear you asking, is my favorite new product on the market? The answer is going to save your Christmas: Merry Monsters.

These dolls are handmade, adorable, and best of all, they have hilarious backstories! Take Sasha, for instance:

Meet Sasha. She's a monster of the very kindest kind. Although most of her counterparts are ravenous carnivores, Sasha is a vegetarian. She is a friend to all animals and humans. She's never met a stranger. She's the monster that will approach you in the grocery store and advise you not to purchase the grapes because the current batch is sour. She's the monster that will sit beside you on the bus to talk about the weather. She's the first one at the water cooler to talk about last nights episode of "30 Rock". Don't worry, she understands quiet time too, always willing to just sit and hold your hand.

Sasha, who currently resides on my bed, obviously has great taste in teevee shows, and she's got Tina Turner hair to boot.



But things get even cuter, because here comes Iggy:

Meet Iggy. Iggy (formally Ignatious; although the only one who dares call him that is his mother. And she has refrained from doing so since the incident in 2003) has turned over a new leaf. Until now, the biggest commitment he'd made was to his punk rock LP collection. It turns out all the stage diving and mosh pits left him feeling a little empty inside. He wants you to fill the void. His exterior may seem a little rough. The truth is he has a heart of gold. He spends his spare time these days rescuing kittens from too tall trees, helping old ladies cross the street and volunteering at the soup kitchen. It won't take much to convince him to come live with you. In fact, you had him at "hello".

Yeah, Iggy and I used to go to the same clubs in the '80s. Anyway, Iggy and Sasha share a bed, but they are platonic, because they aren't really each other's type. But apparently they are both my boyfriend Jimmy's type because he clings to them at night like a lovesick fraggle.



Get your own Merry Monster here!

Tune in Tokyo Launch Party at Wix Lounge

The Tune in Tokyo book launch at Wix Lounge was a blast last Wednesday, and I want to thank everyone who came out and the folks at Wix for helping us put on such a great party! I hope everyone got to meet my mother and that she got a chance to tell you that she didn't raise me to use such awful language.

This photo was taken just a few moments before the microphone died because I was holding it too close to my mouth.

Rice cakes, Pocky sticks, sake, Japanese beer, some sushis, and paper plates were all on offer.

Some of my homemade (by that I mean "from a pre-made dough") Tune in Tokyo cookies.

Me signing a book while the cookies look on.

The crowd enjoys itself immeasurably.

Folks stone cold listenin'.

A great shot of me and momma, she in her lovely Christmas sweater.

I was briefly interrupted by a poltergeist during my reading.

The merchandise.

When party photography gets artistic.

You can see more pics on Wix's Facebook page here.