Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Band practice last night. Still only two thirds of a band because Ruthie the bass player is out of town, so it's just me and the drummer Dennis for now. Dennis has a good ear for what each song needs, drumwise, and it's refreshing to hear my songs, old and new, with the beefed up arrangements. Finally they sound like real songs, and pretty rockin' ones too if I do say so myself.
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
Been listening to Reveille by Deerhoof all week. Really awesome stuff. Chaotic and cacophonous, but packed with hooks. I saw them play at Cornell recently and they put on a great show, despite the thinness of the crowd. The lead guitarist broke 5 strings during their short set.
Telephone exchange with Mr. Javier Roig
I just had a bizarre, but very entertaining conversation with Javier Roig, a former English major at Cornell, who calls from time to time to speak to his former professor, Jonathan Culler, who is an Associate Dean in this office. The guy is obviously cracked; Professor Culler thinks he may have a drug problem but that he's probably not dangerous. His tone is usually belligerent and somewhat accusatory, but I'm always happy when he calls because his skewed inquiries are supremely entertaining. He has a gift for immaculate absurdity. Last time he called he was very out of sorts because Culler had not responded to his (apparently incoherent) letter. However, he insisted the message I leave for the professor read simply, "Quote unquote". Another time he tried to involve me (and I think implicate me) in a conspiracy theory regarding Jacques Derrida and Cornell's apparent program to raise illegal funds for the government of Algeria. Javier harbors resentment towards Professor Culler because Jonathan continually refuses to accept the charges on his frequent collect calls from Europe.
Today's exchange went this way (Javier has quite a strong Spanish accent):
“Hello I would like to please speak with Mr. Jonathan Culler”
“He’s not in his office right now. Can I take a message”
“May I ask what is your capacity?”
“I’m an assistant in the Dean’s office. Is this Javier? I think I’ve spoken to you before”
“Yes, this is Javier, I had called before regarding an important letter.”
“Yes, I remember. Jonathan says he did receive your letter.”
“Ah yes, very nice of you to tell me. So you are an assistant in the Dean’s office?”
“Yes.”
“Can you take a message please for Professor Culler?”
“Of course, go ahead.”
“The message is: ‘Eel…’”
“I’m sorry?”
“Eel, the letter Eel.”
“Oh, L.”
(Abruptly) “What did you say?”
“L. Like Lucy.”
“Ah no no no… Can you think of a more masculine name?”
“More masculine?”
“Yes, yes, more masculine…”
“More masculine…” (thinking hard), “How about Lloyd?”
(Pleased) “Ah yes,” (with gravity) “Frank Lloyd Wright… So the message is L...”
(Teasing) “Okay, L. Like Lloyd, but not Lucy.”
“Excuse me?”
“Not like Lucy. You mean L like Lloyd.”
“Yes, yes, the message is L.”
“The letter L?”
“Yes, L. Thank you.” (Hangs up)
I just had a bizarre, but very entertaining conversation with Javier Roig, a former English major at Cornell, who calls from time to time to speak to his former professor, Jonathan Culler, who is an Associate Dean in this office. The guy is obviously cracked; Professor Culler thinks he may have a drug problem but that he's probably not dangerous. His tone is usually belligerent and somewhat accusatory, but I'm always happy when he calls because his skewed inquiries are supremely entertaining. He has a gift for immaculate absurdity. Last time he called he was very out of sorts because Culler had not responded to his (apparently incoherent) letter. However, he insisted the message I leave for the professor read simply, "Quote unquote". Another time he tried to involve me (and I think implicate me) in a conspiracy theory regarding Jacques Derrida and Cornell's apparent program to raise illegal funds for the government of Algeria. Javier harbors resentment towards Professor Culler because Jonathan continually refuses to accept the charges on his frequent collect calls from Europe.
Today's exchange went this way (Javier has quite a strong Spanish accent):
“Hello I would like to please speak with Mr. Jonathan Culler”
“He’s not in his office right now. Can I take a message”
“May I ask what is your capacity?”
“I’m an assistant in the Dean’s office. Is this Javier? I think I’ve spoken to you before”
“Yes, this is Javier, I had called before regarding an important letter.”
“Yes, I remember. Jonathan says he did receive your letter.”
“Ah yes, very nice of you to tell me. So you are an assistant in the Dean’s office?”
“Yes.”
“Can you take a message please for Professor Culler?”
“Of course, go ahead.”
“The message is: ‘Eel…’”
“I’m sorry?”
“Eel, the letter Eel.”
“Oh, L.”
(Abruptly) “What did you say?”
“L. Like Lucy.”
“Ah no no no… Can you think of a more masculine name?”
“More masculine?”
“Yes, yes, more masculine…”
“More masculine…” (thinking hard), “How about Lloyd?”
(Pleased) “Ah yes,” (with gravity) “Frank Lloyd Wright… So the message is L...”
(Teasing) “Okay, L. Like Lloyd, but not Lucy.”
“Excuse me?”
“Not like Lucy. You mean L like Lloyd.”
“Yes, yes, the message is L.”
“The letter L?”
“Yes, L. Thank you.” (Hangs up)
