Author: James McNally

Blog Books

I just saw Salam Pax‘s book today. It’s the first time I’ve seen a paper book that is just a reprint of stuff that’s freely available online. I wondered when this would start to happen. Salam’s blog was the perfect vehicle to kick off this new publishing phenomenon. The book even has its own website, which strikes me as sort of weird.

Publishers, you know where to find me…(though if I were you, I’d publish only the early years. Everyone knows CC experienced a downturn in quality as soon as I stopped using Blogger).

Visit Mateusz

Mateusz was one of the more advanced students in our ESL camp in Katowice, Poland this summer. He’s been emailing us and commenting on our blogs since we’ve come home. And now he’s started blogging, in both Polish and English. I’d suggest you go, take a look, and encourage him. Yet another educational application for weblogs!

One Year

Brooke and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary today by running together in the Run For The Cure 5K. We did pretty well. Later, we’re going out for a romantic dinner. Running and marriage have a lot in common. Most of my metaphors are failing me right now, but I’m thinking about our first anniversary being like passing the Mile 1 marker in a marathon. Sure, we’re smiling now, but the important part is to be smiling at the finish line!

Hullo T’Jane

I’ve just found out that my brilliant journalist cousin Jane in London has a blog. She’s been keeping it since May, but since she works as an assistant editor for Web User magazine, I thought she would have been hip to the whole blog thing for much longer. Never mind. Welcome, Cousin Jane, to the sidebar!

A laurel wreath and a bag of salted peanuts to the first person who can figure out the reference in this post’s title.

A Dose Of Joy

Last night, I met up with Josie and Carla and we saw The Polyphonic Spree.

It’s not too often you get to experience a shot of joy. And that’s quite hard to describe in words, actually. The concert was great. A highlight was the cover of David Bowie’s “Five Years” and the harp lullaby at the end of the show. Another cover I fully expect to hear next time is “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In” by the 5th Dimension. I’m actually surprised I haven’t heard more comparisons between the two bands. And since I’m mentioning a song from Hair, how about a Broadway revival starring the Spree?

Openers The Starlight Mints were also very good, though we arrived halfway through their set.