kung fu grippe

a personal weblog,
or “blog,”
by Merlin Mann

October 9

“Hey Nineteen,” in Context

Google Docs - “Hey, Nineteen,” in Context

Hey Nineteen 7-inch coverI’m obsessed with calculating the equivalent years-difference between experiences people have had in different eras or generations (for example, my Mom’s “Time After Time” is my “Piña Colada Song”). Always have been. If pop culture has had the effect on you that it has on me, you probably do this, too.

But, if getting a little older has made you as intensely aware of these differences as it has me, you may enjoy some informal data on a song about this very topic: “Hey Nineteen,” a song written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagan from their 1980 Steely Dan album, Gaucho. Wikipedia says:

The song’s primary theme is generational differences. Most troublingly to the narrator, his companion is too young to “remember the Queen of Soul”, Aretha Franklin.

So there you go. I added a few hasty guesses on likely contemporaneous music (and added Tinysong links for each). I may work on it more later, but I think this gives you the gist: one gal’s “Glow Worm” is another gal’s “Pop that Pussy.”

October 5
Contemplating her hat by madmann
Contemplating her hat by madmann
October 4
David Bowie - “Oh You Pretty Things”
October 2

Bruce Springsteen - “Thunder Road” (Live, 1975)

At Hammersmith Odeon, London ‘75.

The last verse of this song — particularly in this performance — has become one of my favorite things ever.

There were ghosts in the eyes
Of all the boys you sent away.
They haunt this dusty beach road In the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets.
They scream your name at night in the street!
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet.
And, in the lonely cool before dawn,
From your room, you hear their engines roar on.
But, when you get to the porch, they’re gone on the wind. So, Mary climb in.
It’s a town full of losers, And I’m pulling outta here to win.

September 28

Life Hacking Documentary - You 2.0 Teaser Trailer

Apparently, Danny has been adopted by the Pernice Brothers.

September 27
A Real Cool Hand
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Hold Me Back!! by mgtrott I could see them eventually becoming a comedy team.

Hold Me Back!! by mgtrott

I could see them eventually becoming a comedy team.

September 15
Luckily, our own Jim Cramer’s here to lend today’s developments a much needed dose of sanity and perspective. And, when we return, Chriss Angel, Dr. Phil, and Flavor Flav join host, Corey Feldman, for a lively discussion of macroeconomics, fluid dynamics, plus 11 surprising new places where hot chicks tell us they love to tan.
September 14
Monty Python’s Flying Circus - “Raymond Luxury Yacht”
September 13

How to Blog

Here’s some totally choppy video of a dude named “Marilyn,” talking about How to Blog.

Hint: Van Hœt cameo at 32:07.

Look at me streaming!

TL;DW? Here’s everything that I know about blogging in one slide:

I like this talk. It felt great to do. I think it might be my secret love letter to Gruber, David Simon, and my boys on YLNT; they each make me want to be better.

Added 2008-09-15 04:13:54 EDT

Here’s my slide deck for this (cleaned up a little).

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HOWTO process your new hotel room Replace any partial roll of toilet paper with a fresh one Gather all signs, placards, ads, offers, “magazines,” Gideon Bibles, or other marketing materials strewn throughout the room; place in lowest dresser drawer; close (and optionally duct-tape) drawer Collect all fake plants, fake art objects, and other distracting kipple; place in closet; close closet door On one newly marketing-free surface, prominently place photo of family you miss Hang up thing to wear tomorrow; if wrinkled, hang in bathroom with shower running Google for local public radio or college radio stations; retune radio accordingly Set at least two alarms Call room service; order large pot of coffee to arrive 30 minutes before you plan to wake up in the morning (this becomes another alarm) Call family to say Good night Turn TV to wherever Law & Order is playing (somewhere, Law & Order is always playing) Wash hands Brush teeth Miss family Try to sleep without obsessing over who used the first half of that toilet paper. Then slept where you are right now. Maybe naked. Put on more layers; try to sleep again

HOWTO process your new hotel room

  1. Replace any partial roll of toilet paper with a fresh one
  2. Gather all signs, placards, ads, offers, “magazines,” Gideon Bibles, or other marketing materials strewn throughout the room; place in lowest dresser drawer; close (and optionally duct-tape) drawer
  3. Collect all fake plants, fake art objects, and other distracting kipple; place in closet; close closet door
  4. On one newly marketing-free surface, prominently place photo of family you miss
  5. Hang up thing to wear tomorrow; if wrinkled, hang in bathroom with shower running
  6. Google for local public radio or college radio stations; retune radio accordingly
  7. Set at least two alarms
  8. Call room service; order large pot of coffee to arrive 30 minutes before you plan to wake up in the morning (this becomes another alarm)
  9. Call family to say Good night
  10. Turn TV to wherever Law & Order is playing (somewhere, Law & Order is always playing)
  11. Wash hands
  12. Brush teeth
  13. Miss family
  14. Try to sleep without obsessing over who used the first half of that toilet paper. Then slept where you are right now. Maybe naked.
  15. Put on more layers; try to sleep again
September 12

Here's a life hack.

To determine within 75% confidence whether you were incredibly frustrated at the time you named a document, project, setting, or client file: check whether the name you chose begins with the adjective, “Fucking.”
September 11

⊗

Multiplied By

Not sure what this is yet. Just something I’m playing with.

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One approach
One approach
September 10

HOWTO: 149 Surprising Ways to Turbocharge Your Blog With Credibility!

Also there’s this.

John Gruber (DaringFireball.net) and Merlin Mann (43Folders.com) discuss the current state of blogging as a medium for creative expression, weighing the opportunities and challenges of building a thoughtful online presence in a world where everybody owns a printing press. They’ll consider the ascendance of Digg-friendly “problogs” and debate the subtler pleasures of careful writing that reaches smaller, but potentially less “profitable” audiences.