Dude! It's Barzak Day!

Happy Barzak Day everybody!!

This world is full of really incredible people, but few warrant their own international day of celebration. I'm proud to count one of those few, Chris Barzak, supremely worthy of the honor of having a day in his, well, honor, as a good friend of mine.

Chris and I haven't shared a state since our brief summer in Michigan a million years ago (save a few months when I lived in Northern California and he in Southern California - but, ask any expert, those might as well be different states) and so I haven't had the pleasure to see Chris that much lately (which sucks!!). Like many a touring indie rock band, nobody has the time to come to Southern Florida. But, like many of us bloggers, I follow Chris's daily/weekly/whenever-he-feels-like-it occurrences and happenings and interestings at his wonderful blog, which I am very grateful for existing.

Today is a very special day. The release of One for Sorrow, Chris's excellent first novel is a major cause for celebration. I can not wait to read the official version, which I'm sure will take the world (of Good Taste) by storm. Chris has always been somewhat of a hero to me, from the day I met him almost ten years ago, already workshop and writing-seasoned, with superhero namedrop abilities and even greater writing chops. His stories (I've read most of them, I think) over the years has opened my eyes as to what can be done with stories and what should be done.

Even though this is Chris's special day, I feel like celebrating myself! Chris, I only wish you were nearby, so I can toast you with champagne or some good really imported beer. I think I'll do it anyway.

To the first Chris Barzak Day! Cheers!

John From Cincinnati... Over or What?

It's kind of ironic that a confounding series that made only a scant amount of sense is confusing again as to whether or not the series has been axed by HBO. I'm not surprised there's little love for the show from the press, John From Cincinnati is (was?) a complex and confusing conundrum, a beautiful mess.

But, like one writer from the Cincinnati Post, I kept returning to the watch and trying to understand it. If, in fact, last night's somewhat dramatic season finale was in fact its last episode, I will miss trying to decipher the dialouge and the relationships (and the plot!) of this show.

I will not, however, miss it as much as I miss the brilliant "Deadwood." I hope both shows see some new life in the future.

I am, as always, optimistic.

(Update: Some people love this show. And, really, if this guy can grok this much from the episode, you know there's some great stuff under the surface. He might be stretching a bit here and there, but really, it's all there to interrupt. Good job, man!)