Lexicon. A two-word portmanteau, referring to the candy Almond Roca, and to how our dogs will root around in our cats’ litter boxes, looking for cat turds to eat.
Kitty Roca
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Author Archives: Hal
How to not make money in the movies
The title says it all: “How Zyzzyx Road only grossed $30.00.”
TL;DR —
Zyzzyx ran for seven days at Dallas’ Highland Park Village Theater, with a single screening each day at noon. When it closed, exactly six people had gone to see it, for a total gross of, yes, $30.
I was talking to a friend who works intricately in entertainment, and they say this wouldn’t be regarded as “released” today (unlike its 2006 run) as one now needs a minimum of 10 theaters. Possibly because of this film. So it’s unlikely ever to be… well, “surpassed” seems the wrong word. “Displaced”? — from this curious record.
Verbing weirds language
Lexicon, but usually misquoted as, “Verbing weirds nouns.” Close reading shows Watterson tosses in adjectives as well.
The N&N Practice Gymnasium
Pomona College, my alma mater, has finally gotten around to acknowledging the acumen and skill of Nancy Breitenstein, the coach of the women’s basketball team while I was a student there. They’ve named the N&N Practice Gymnasium after her and her assistant coach, Nellie Morrison.
Here’s a piece I wrote about Breitenstein and her record while I was there, especially compared to the men’s coach, Gregg Popovich.
Vermeer
As part of the big exhibition being put on by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, there’s this narration of the paintings, presented by Stephen Fry.
Word choice
Having watched a fair number of Premier League matches, I just want to say…
…boy, the presenters use the word “quality” a lot.
“It’s my manner, sir.”
Lexicon. Only mine. From the movie Lawrence of Arabia:
Lawrence: Good morning, sir.
General Murray: Salute! (Lawrence salutes, in an offhand gesture) If you’re insubordinate of me, Lawrence, I shall put you under arrest!
Lawrence: It’s my manner, sir.
General Murray: (flatly) Your what?
Lawrence: My manner, sir. It looks insubordinate, but it isn’t, really.
General Murray: You know, I can’t make out whether you’re bloody bad-mannered or just half-witted.
Lawrence: I have the same problem, sir.
The Man Who Planted Trees…
This video is 30 minutes long, but worth it. The text version is here. I first read it long ago, either in Co-Evolution Quarterly, or in one of the editions of the Whole Earth Catalog. I had an idea of establishing a fund at Midland to do something similar over all of campus, but like many of my ideas, nothing came of it.
One liner
All these applications, but I never get the job.
(Sure, it’s applications of an ointment upon me by nurses, but leave that aside.)
Rainbow Connection, a Benoit Blanc Joint
By way of the usually reliable Mr. Kottke comes this fun mash-up: