Today I went with my friend, Shelley, to the Fall Muster (Civil War reenactment) at Beauvoir, Jefferson Davis' last home. It's located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Biloxi. I learned that Jefferson Davis' daughter, Winnie, wanted to marry a Yankee, but the engagement had to be called off after word got out and the family started receiving death threats. It's a beautiful home--right on the beach, which is why it was badly damaged during Katrina. It has lots of closets, which was a sign of wealth because closets were taxed. If you want to know more, take a look. http://www.beauvoir.org/ I will let the videos speak for themselves.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Dispatches from Buffalo, Part Three
Miscellaneous notes:
1. First cross-dresser sighted.
2. Writers don't respond well to outgoing personalities; they get a look that is reminiscent of a rabbit in a spotlight. (And, like a rabbit in a spotlight, I wonder if they think I will attack.)
3. I was going to give the titles of some of the odder books for sale in the bookfair, but I forgot many of the titles (one was called "Dead Dead," I remember that) and at least one was horribly obscene, anyway.
4. Time to go.
1. First cross-dresser sighted.
2. Writers don't respond well to outgoing personalities; they get a look that is reminiscent of a rabbit in a spotlight. (And, like a rabbit in a spotlight, I wonder if they think I will attack.)
3. I was going to give the titles of some of the odder books for sale in the bookfair, but I forgot many of the titles (one was called "Dead Dead," I remember that) and at least one was horribly obscene, anyway.
4. Time to go.
Dispatches from Buffalo, Part Two
Dear All,
Buffalo--you gotta love it. Last night, my acquaintances and I went to dinner at some restaurant that specializes in vegetarian cuisine. (NOTE: This morning, I went to breakfast by myself, and I felt rather clandestine when I began eating bacon. THICK-CUT bacon. And it was GOOD.) The restaurant was nice, the food was good (bear in mind that I'm not against vegetarianism; I'd actually really like to be vegetarian, if my hypoglycemia didn't occasionally demand massive on-the-spot infusions of protein, which meat works well for) (but, even though I want to be a vegetarian, I still like bacon) (I wonder if the breakfast buffet has closed...) and the restaurant was decorated with photographs taken by a local artist. The pictures fell into four categories: Niagara Falls, plastic professional wrestler figurines, bridges, and punk-rock shows. All in all, nice decor.
But here's where it gets good: On the way back from the restaurant, there was a billboard advertising a local rock group called "Mini-KISS." That's right--it's a KISS tribute band, made up entirely of little people. We all stared in awe.
Buffalo--you gotta love it. Last night, my acquaintances and I went to dinner at some restaurant that specializes in vegetarian cuisine. (NOTE: This morning, I went to breakfast by myself, and I felt rather clandestine when I began eating bacon. THICK-CUT bacon. And it was GOOD.) The restaurant was nice, the food was good (bear in mind that I'm not against vegetarianism; I'd actually really like to be vegetarian, if my hypoglycemia didn't occasionally demand massive on-the-spot infusions of protein, which meat works well for) (but, even though I want to be a vegetarian, I still like bacon) (I wonder if the breakfast buffet has closed...) and the restaurant was decorated with photographs taken by a local artist. The pictures fell into four categories: Niagara Falls, plastic professional wrestler figurines, bridges, and punk-rock shows. All in all, nice decor.
But here's where it gets good: On the way back from the restaurant, there was a billboard advertising a local rock group called "Mini-KISS." That's right--it's a KISS tribute band, made up entirely of little people. We all stared in awe.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Dispatches from Buffalo, Part One
Dear All,
It's been quite a while since we've posted, no? Much has happened, and it would be an exercise in futility to try and detail it all, so I'm just going to begin where I am now: Buffalo.
As in Buffalo, New York, that is, which made my life this past week wonderful, since I was able to say, with very little irony, "I'm shuffling off to Buffalo on Friday." No, really--I said it. Many times.
So here I am, ensconced in my suite at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo, the site of the 2009 &Now Conference, an academic conference devoted to experimental forms of writing. I'm presenting my work tomorrow. (Wait, you say. You? Experimental? Well, to be honest, I'm pretty tame for this bunch. Earlier today, somebody was doing "poetry and clarinet." However, it's a pretty big conference, and it's attracted some fairly big names--Brian Evenson and Percival Everett, to name a couple. I'm happy to be here.)
I forgot the camera, though.
One episode from an hour ago: As I went down to the first floor to use the hotel's gym, I found the hotel's lobby filled with people decked out in eveningwear; indeed, the hallway to the gym had been turned into a makeshift coat-check room. I went, exercised, and, as I was walking out, asked the coat-check lady (a somewhat grim-looking lady with short, steel-gray hair) what the event was. She quickly said something about a function. Looking down at my sweaty shirt and exercise shorts, I said, "Huh! I'm a little under-dressed!" She didn't even respond.
On a separate note, there are a few Indian restaurants in town; I'm hopeful.
More to come...
It's been quite a while since we've posted, no? Much has happened, and it would be an exercise in futility to try and detail it all, so I'm just going to begin where I am now: Buffalo.
As in Buffalo, New York, that is, which made my life this past week wonderful, since I was able to say, with very little irony, "I'm shuffling off to Buffalo on Friday." No, really--I said it. Many times.
So here I am, ensconced in my suite at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo, the site of the 2009 &Now Conference, an academic conference devoted to experimental forms of writing. I'm presenting my work tomorrow. (Wait, you say. You? Experimental? Well, to be honest, I'm pretty tame for this bunch. Earlier today, somebody was doing "poetry and clarinet." However, it's a pretty big conference, and it's attracted some fairly big names--Brian Evenson and Percival Everett, to name a couple. I'm happy to be here.)
I forgot the camera, though.
One episode from an hour ago: As I went down to the first floor to use the hotel's gym, I found the hotel's lobby filled with people decked out in eveningwear; indeed, the hallway to the gym had been turned into a makeshift coat-check room. I went, exercised, and, as I was walking out, asked the coat-check lady (a somewhat grim-looking lady with short, steel-gray hair) what the event was. She quickly said something about a function. Looking down at my sweaty shirt and exercise shorts, I said, "Huh! I'm a little under-dressed!" She didn't even respond.
On a separate note, there are a few Indian restaurants in town; I'm hopeful.
More to come...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)