Some things are just too entertaining and… unclassifiable not to pass around. Hence: “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.” [Hat tip to Eileen of Speak Coffee to Me, temporarily coming out of... well, you know.]

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[The scene opens in the waiting room of Super Mega Giant medical center in a mid-sized city in northern Florida, USA. He is a middle-aged male, and has been for some time. This report includes two Shes: A, a medical assistant; and J, a nurse practitioner.] A: Mr. He? He: Right here. A: Very good, [...]

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['Super Powers,' by Mark Stivers. Click to view the full set of six.] Given a choice, I think the caption below my portrait — in ten words or less — would say something like writes brilliant stories one hour at a time*. (My Kryptonite: the Internet.) Yours? _______________ * Edit to add: Just to make [...]

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[Setting: a small automobile in a mid-sized city in northern Florida, USA. It is early morning. She is driving today; He occupies the passenger seat. The car pulls up to a curb. He opens his door and prepares to exit; in the midst of the usual love-yous, good-byes, and have-a-good-days, He suddenly remembers a specific [...]

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(With apologies to site visitors who might be unfamiliar with one or the other work…) [via the reliable, insanely good taste of literary agent Janet Reid]

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I’ve just posted my latest review for The Book Book; it covers non-fiction author Mary Roach’s Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife. This was Roach’s second book. The first, Stiff, was about what happens to the human body after death. You can see that she’s attracted to odd, even icky topics; and you may guess from [...]

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May 25, as of course you already know, is celebrated worldwide as Towel Day*. Whatever you do, do not forget your towel today. If you cannot be properly entoweled, you might consider alternatives… carrying somewhere on your person folded-up paper towels purloined from the restroom, say. The point is, do not go about unprepared. Because, [...]

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The scene: a suburban home in North Florida, USA. Family gathering for Kentucky Derby viewing: gambols and gambles. Much food and beverage being prepared and consumed. He has just returned to house after walking Pooch. Everyone but She is in the living room, talking, laughing, watching TV. He: [entering kitchen, where He knows She must [...]

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I’m going to start this post with some music which did not bore me at all. On Saturday nights, our local public-radio station broadcasts a program originating in Chicago, called Midnight Special, whose slogan, per the program’s Web site, is “folk music with a sense of humor.” And the other night I just happened to [...]

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[Image above from The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks, which observes: "I guess if you don't just go grab a seat you may never get one."] From whiskey river: The swarm of words and little stories are just to loosen you from where you are stuck. (Shitou Xiqian) …and: O, how incomprehensible everything was, and [...]

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