Can Book Collecting Lead to Dementia?

Posted on September 9, 2008 by Exile on Pain Street

I bought a signed proof of Nick Hornby’s last book, Slam. I don’t think this book was given as much attention as his others because it’s a young adult novel, but I thought it was a fine read. I was amazed at how inexpensive the proof was. And signed, no less! Every once in a while, if you keep your eye out, you stumble across something that’s being sold way under market value. Then you pounce.

I finally got it in the mail and it was in perfect condition. Proofs are nothing more than perfect bound paperbacks that are prone to damage and when you collect books, condition is king. I happily trotted over to my bookcase, opened the glass doors and there on the Nick Hornby shelf was a beautiful signed proof of Slam. I forgot that I had already bought one.

I’ll bet your thinking that I made a clumsy mistake, but you’d be wrong about that. If one signed Nick Hornby proof in mint condition is good, then two are GREAT! Especially at this price!

The first step is admitting you have a problem and I’m just not there yet.

The Building Vanishes

Posted on September 8, 2008 by Exile on Pain Street

How cool is this?

The See-Through Skyscraper

Once in a while…when the light and the angles are just right, a skyscraper can come close to vanishing.

That happened last Thursday, when the 52 floors of 7 World Trade Center faded into the cloud-flecked blue of a late summer afternoon. Its masonry neighbors (140 West Street and 90 West Street) stood out in contrast.

That’s not Photoshop trickery, folks. It’s an unedited pic. I usually have nothing but distain for glass towers, but I have to admit that this is really nice.

Whores in the Museum

Posted on September 5, 2008 by Exile on Pain Street

People come from all over the world to visit the Museum of Modern Art. For some, it’s the only reason to visit New York. MoMA is just 10 short blocks from my office—a few minute jaunt up 5th Avenue. Benevolent Dictators, Inc. is a corporate sponsor and by showing my company ID, I avoid paying the $20 admission fee and I can jump the queue. I’m very lucky in that regard. If I don’t pop in for a visit every so often, I start to feel like a Big Loser who doesn’t take advantage of some nice things that are laid out on my table. Plus, I really like looking at paintings. Always have. So it doesn’t feel obligatory.

I saw the Ernst Kirchner exhibit last night. I knew very little about him going in. I loved it. Do you know that thrill you get when you discover something new? I got it last night. I wish it occurred more frequently. It seems that the older you get, the less it happens.

Kirchner was a German Expressionist who lived in Berlin around the turn of the century. The focus of the exhibit was a series of Berlin Street Scenes.

The exhibit’s centerpiece was seven amazing works painted in 1914 that feature elegantly dressed prostitutes working the busy Berlin streets. He had a sharp, knife edge style that worked perfectly for urban images. The exhibit was padded with some studies and sketches, which I always think is such a cheap shot. What artist wants his working sketches exhibited? It’d be no different than authors releasing working copies of their manuscripts. It’s ridiculous. Stop it.

* * *

I felt I should have a counterweight to all that high art so after MoMA, I ducked into a theater and saw Tropic Thunder. I paid $12 to get in and it was, at best, a $5 movie so if you see Ben Stiller, tell him he owes me $7 bucks.

Free Tips From the Buddah 6

Posted on September 5, 2008 by Exile on Pain Street

We who are like senseless children
Shrink from suffering, but love its causes.
We hurt ourselves; our pain is self-inflicted!
Why should others be the object of our anger?

Santideva, Bodhicaryavatara