Produce Stories

Hi all.

Check out this blog called "Produce Stories" (or click the title).

I met the author in the course of doing a post for Tattoosday. She has fascinating tattoos. Check them out here.

Produce Stories is subtitled "If fresh vegetables and fruits weren't so healthy, my escalating obsession with them might not be. This is a record of all the produce I buy from various greenmarkets, what I make with it (and how), and what everything tastes like."

Now that may not sound like it's everyone's cup of tea, but I find it very interesting and know there are some of you out there among the loyal BillyBlog followers that might also enjoy the tales. Plus, you might pick up a good recipe or two.

Anna, who writes "Produce Stories," is formerly from Central California (SLO) and a graduate of Reed College in Oregon. I think I related well to her similar liberal arts education and her classics-inspired tattoos.

Go check her out and maybe you'll find yet another hidden gem in the blogosphere!

Random Tuesday Junk

Go here and have fun pretending to be Jackson Pollock.

Here is an eBay auction run by a talented woman who wrote a hilarious product description for a box of Pokemon cards and has ridden her blog to waves of fame and envy-inducing traffic that leaves the rest of us in the blogosphere in awe.

Speaking of eBay, I'm selling some signed books here, trying to get rid of some yummy items to raise money for the Weird Al Yankovic Hollywood Star fund. Signed books from Charles Simic, Kurt Vonnegut, Jimmy Carter, Orrin Hatch, John Irving, and Charles Bukowski. Actually, just using BillyBlog to possibly promote more notice for the books.

Oh, and my sister sent me these:





with the following explanation:

I've been meaning to get this for you sooner, but, well, I'm lazy. This sign is tacked to a tree on my block where leftovers are often found at the base of the tree. There is also a chicken that lives on the opposite corner - perhaps the food is left for it, but its hard to tell. If you look closely, there is rice at the base of the tree today - evidently (I didn't see, but have it on good authority) the first day the sign was there a pot was sitting next to it, the following day, a second, and the next day, a third. I wish I had gotten to see that ;)

Thanks BillyBlogSister!

New Yorker updates

I have recently read through a few New Yorker stories...not very high on the George Saunders story, "Puppy," from the May 28 issue. Strange since I generally love his work. He's even a friend on MySpace. Nor did I dig "Wasps" by A.L. Kennedy in the July 30 issue. However, I did like this one, "Shauntrelle" by Antonya Nelson from the July 23 issue. Do check it out.


Currently reading the August 6 issue, which includes a feature called "Rip Van Golfer" on the U.S. Open by long-time columnist John McPhee. McPhee could write about toenails and make them interesting, so I always read his pieces when I see them. Safe to say one of my favorite non-fiction specialists. Alas, the story is not available on the magazine website, but the abstract is.

However, if you need to get a McPhee fix, check out this piece from February 2003, called "A Fleet of One," an in-depth look at truck drivers transporting dangerous materials on the highways. He really draws you into the subject matter and keeps you there.


Just discovered that Dana Goodyear has a "Postcard from Los Angeles" blog on the New Yorker website.