Quote:
Originally Posted by Maryann Corbett
I for one would especially like to hear about the Able Muse event, and I think others would too.
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Dear Maryann,
Alas, I took no notes, and I spent much of the hour shushing young James, who was having a heck of a time in the back of the room playing on the theatre seats and generally committing the kinds of mayhem only a six-year-old can devise. So this report is going to bear about as much relation to reality as a Hunter Thompson book bears to a motorcycle race!
Leslie went first, and did the introductions. She talked about the early days, I think she was one of the first features? She had some good tales of those times, but I'll have to let someone else fill in the details, as James was opening about six fortune cookies he'd somehow secreted during his brief visit upstairs. Each time, he wanted me to read the writerly fortunes from the cookies: "Write as if your life depended on it," "I see a book in your near future," etc.
Next was Julie, and she really stole the show. She was comfortable, chatty, lucid, and very witty. It's no exaggeration to say laughter filled the room as she recounted Alex's advice about how to make a good cassette recording, including a detailed description of how to stretch old pantyhose over a microphone to act as a pop filter! We reveled in her descriptions of seeing literature through the keyhole of a 28.8 modem. I know this because Kate had gotten James involved in an intriguing game of hangman, along with a subsequent full page of tic-tac-toe.
Then it was Alicia's turn, and she discussed finding the Able Muse site while she was in Greece, and how much it meant to her. She also talked at length about Eratosphere, most of which I caught, although James kept saying "I miss Jason" and "Can we go to the pool?"
Last came Kevin Durkin. He began by reminiscing about how he met Leslie one rainy evening in L.A., having previously felt isolated, and then told stories of the early Able Muse days. This didn't go on long, as most of his time was spent interviewing Alex. They started on some biographical details, place of origin, Electrical Engineering vs. poetry, silicon valley in the 90's, etc, and then got on to the founding of Able Muse, the early days, the hiatus, the reincarnation, and the new developments. Alex was charming, a little shy, a little self-deprecating, with an excellent turn of phrase and a wry sense of humor. I know this because by then James, having burned up quite a bit of energy, was sleeping, or trying to sleep, across the row of seats right in front of Jane Satterfield, Ned Balbo, and April Lindner, none of whom complained about his previous riotous behavior, for which they have my eternal gratitude!
So that's pretty much how it was, a pleasant hour spent with a few engaging speakers, with only minimal disturbances emanating from the back corner!
Thanks,
Bill
Sphere at West Chester
Hybrid Mode
