Wednesday, September 8

This Man's Thumb Has Been Where Yours and Mine Could Only Dream of Going



British Foreign Secretary William Hague and his thumb are a very busy man. Oh, and there's his aide Christopher Myers, with whom he has maybe been stone cold gettin' it on, in a gay way, probably all day long while Great Britain burns, or whatever.

Full disclosure: THIS IS JUST A NASTY RUMOR! Hague has denied the affair and proclaimed himself married. His aide has resigned. Nothing to see here. Except the above picture, which was just too good to not put on this blog. (Sorry, Mr. Hague. Call me, Mr. Myers.)

(Hat tip HilaryWrites for the hawt photo.)

Monday, September 6

Happy Birthday, Jimmy! UPDATED WITH BLINGEE



I'll turn this picture into an award-winning Blingee later, but we're off to your birthday cookout at Rachel's and I don't have time right now. Happy Birthday, and you're welcome for all your presents!

UPDATED! Jimmy, you were born many years ago, to a space monster. You deserve a world of Blingees. Here's one for you...

Jimmy B-Day
Add Glitter to Pictures

Saturday, September 4

Pimpin' a Book That's Not Mine: Kristen Hersh's Rat Girl!



Some of you obsessive-compulsive fans of mine might remember that I recently wrote about Throwing Muses' early song "Vicky's Box" on my music blog over at Deadbeat Bohemians. (Just kidding! I have no fans.)

ANYWAY, I meant every word of that post and I love Throwing Muses lead singer Kristen Hersh for life. (Though I must admit I love her drummer Dave Navarro more because teenage love never dies.) And I've just found out (hat tip: HilaryWrites) that La Hersh has a new memoir out and I CAN'T WAIT TO READ IT!

Since I always find out about fun things to do after they've already happened, I missed Kristen's appearance at Barnes and Noble at Union Square, where she was interviewed for about an hour, read a few passages, and played a few songs. Thankfully, B&N (whose site, by the way, also sells my book, if you're interested) have a video of the event, which I've embedded above.

The memoir is apparently about the year that Kristen was 18 and her world exploded: record deal for her band, bipolar diagnosis, pregnancy, among other things. (Just like me!) From the passages she read at the event it sounds like she's just as awesome/crazy/hilarious a prose writer as she is a lyricist.

I can't wait for her next memoir, which will no doubt have a chapter covering the time she met me, in 1994, when I was working as a barista at a terrible Starbucks knock-off in London's Covent Garden. I waited on her, her man friend, and my high school crush Dave Navarro. They were just getting out of a radio interview, had stopped into my place of work for an American coffee, and I had a real hard time hiding my fanboy hard-on for all of them. Kristen couldn't order anything with caffeine in it because (she told me in the strictest confidence) she was pregnant again HOW EXCITING! I made her a decaf sugar-free caramel latte with whipped cream because she deserved it: she'd written "Two Step," for God's sake.

I'm sure that experience has as special a place in her heart as it does in mine. And Dave's.

Thursday, September 2

New Fun Thing: glennbeckwarned.us



Folks, are you deathly afraid of what's happening in this country because of sociamalism and muslin Death Stars and health care for zombies and death panels run by the gayly betrothed? Of course you are. Also: you are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with the things that all us Americans should be feared of. Thankfully there's a new site that will help us remember—and to also never forget—these things. Because Glenn Beck is our profit prophet and he knows html, just like Jesus and Joseph Smith.

Just keep hitting "refresh" until the election and forward this site to your mom and her prayer circle along with a thoughtful message IN ALL CAPS.

Wednesday, September 1

Look, There Was a Tune in Tokyo Writing Contest!



My agent Janet Reid (courtroom sketch above) had a Tune in Tokyo-themed writing contest over at her blog. Entrants had to use the following words in a short piece of writing:

Jimmy
frame
viola
smoking
sword

The contest was announced on Friday night and the deadline was midnight on Saturday. Head on over to see the winners, announced today. The top prize goes to a lady by the name of Angela. She will get a copy of my book! (Poor thing.)