Chicago MMXII

the snow has begun up here btw

I was searching ILX for "red barn" posts and came across this charming exchange from 2005 (2005!!) Also lol/sad that I have been talking/obsessing about the same goddamn things for going on 7 years.

I don't like books where rich white people have emotional breakdowns because they have realized their lives are empty.

HAHA! Avoid the collected works of Richard Yates! I am totally with you on that one.

If you're looking for something not all that well-written but scary, try Harvest Home, by Thomas Tryon if you haven't already. I also admit to really enjoying a book about the salacious murder of Maria Marten in the early 1800s in rural England -- I read a cheesy book called The Red Barn Mystery by ?? and have another book I'm saving for Christmastime that contains court proceedings and whatnot. Thousands of people attended the hanging of William Corder and the coroner actually bound a book with his skin. Awesome. (and true!)

― The Milkmaid (of Human Kindness) (The Milkmaid), Friday, November 18, 2005 9:10 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I just admitted to liking cheesy true crime. It's true, I do like cheesy true crime, but preferably when it's distant from the present in space and time.

― The Milkmaid (of Human Kindness) (The Milkmaid), Friday, November 18, 2005 9:16 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

You've mentiontioned Richard Yates before. He's a sore spot, apparently. Did he once dump you or something?

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Friday, November 18, 2005 9:19 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Oh OH! Yes, I *heart* cheesey crime. I love modern true crime and especially love historical cheesey crime. How could I forget?

Thanks, Amanda! I'm adding those to my list.

― pullapartgirl (pullapartgirl), Friday, November 18, 2005 9:20 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark

that first line was quoted from a post above

mostly i really can't believe this

You've mentiontioned Richard Yates before. He's a sore spot, apparently. Did he once dump you or something?

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Friday, November 18, 2005 9:19 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I don't like books where rich white people have emotional breakdowns because they have realized their lives are empty.

I think I like this stuff out of some weird romantic aspiration: these people always have great old houses and books and liquor cabinets.

BUT ARE THEY HAPPY!?!?!?

Mitt Romney reminds me of one of those guys.

He thinks "I've got it all...why am I not happy?!" and then he sneaks some whiskey on the back stairs while his 5 handsome sons sit around and talk about their jobs.

xxp They're not, but I find that kind of disheveled anomie strangely alluring, too. Drinking whiskey before noon and going home with someone you met at a fancy cocktail party.

Mitt Romney reminds me of one of those guys.

Huh, well, I am not as interested in the unhappiness of Mormon MBAs.

See, they all kinda look the same to me.

Like this:

http://iconicphotos.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/1963-offical-photo.jpg?w=700

Do you watch Mad Men, or no?

No.

Do you watch /Mad Men/, or no?

I think you quoted me re: the rich white guys bit so I will answer:

Yes but not bc of the rich white guys.

i get really sick of angsty middle-aged white guys (rich or not) and sometimes they seem to be all over my damn reading list so i have to mix things up.

right now, reading tipping the velvet. (victorian lesbianism YAY)

pls tell me how I can avoid angsty middle-aged whiteguydom

YES.

xp

dan m you are not on that path to citizenship, i wouldn't worry about it

Alert: I have now been to the fancy State St. Walgreens three times and am available to answer questions about the experience for the curious.

I walked by it the other day and it looked crazy busy so I kept a-scootin'.

bathroom fixtures: gold plated y/n?

xp I just feel like I might have some angst coming my way eventually, plus I'm almost MID 30S and white btw

N on gold plated bathroom fixtures
Your angst will emerge in the form of curmudgeonliness most likely, which is way more of agl than roiling self pity masked with scotch and cigar smoke.

I have not been in the bathroom of the fancy Walgreens.

I did learn today that "Popchips" are disgusting. And I often miss Munchos so I'm not like a fancy discerning crunchy snack person.

I'm typing on the big computer, btw, Amanda, fyi lol.

I would throw all the Popchips in the world into the river for one bag of Munchos.

I don't even really like scotch or cigars honestly so that's cool.

Do you resent your wife because she wants you to live in a big house with her and care about your children and have sex with her sometimes when you really want to spend the mortgage payment on a fancy sportscar and have sex with a high school cheerleader?

The sidewalk clearing snowblower guys are barely keeping up.

This is going to be an interesting rush hour.

Wow... Numerous xposts w/out a warning.

Yeah its a mess out there. Glad I took the train.

Angsty rich white-people books are not always about male protags! See, e.g., Joan Didion's Play It As It Lays.

Or, IIRC, Paula Fox's Desperate Characters.

I don't think anyone claimed they were?

xp - Totally!

No, but Jenny's post seemed to reduce the genre to the plot of Americna Beauty.

i think i don't like most of those books but just usually because not much happens in them story-wise. it's just people moping and talking and being boring. i need me a story of some kind.

Revolutionary Road is full of stuff happening.

No, but Jenny's post seemed to reduce the genre to the plot of /Americna Beauty/.

Yes. I went for an exemplar instead of trying to be all inclusive. I am typing with my thumbs, you know.

it's just people moping and talking and being boring.
this is my point
even if stuff happens, it's boring stuff for the most part. i used to like paula fox but after a while even she bored me.

but it doesn't really have to do with the characters being white or rich or male or angsty, it has to do with them being boring. or rather, the stories (or lack thereof) being boring.

exactly!

In Revolutionary Road lots of non-boring stuff happens. Abortion, suicide, drunkenness are but a few of the exciting things you will find in Revolutionary Road.

I like gripping plots, but I also admire mimesis.

Courtney just reminded me a few days ago that I don't like John Irving b/c "too much stuff happens" in his books.

it just keeps snowing and i don't think they're plowing here until it stops. i'm just going to plan on spending two hours in the car going home.

ok i guess they are trying to plow & salt, but it looks grim out there.

got a bunch of digdown guys trying to come in from mpls & chi for a show tonight too. :/

as long as it clears up by weds. for my flight to atlanta i am ok with the snow

Its supposed to be 40 on Sunday, so you should be okay. Actually the snow is supposed to be done around midnight tonight.

Funny, but this seems to be living up exactly to the forecasts, in terms of intensity and timing.