The Elephant of Surprise: Book Review
By Jeff Walsh
I have a friend and former teacher that I see whenever I go home to visit and, even without much warning, we'll end up sitting at a corner table at a casino bar, order some drinks, and settle in.
It's become pretty routine that we're going to catch up on things, have some deep conversation, and just enjoy each other's company for a few hours. And, no matter how long it's been since we last got together, the connections flood back and you realize the special bonds that people share.
When I got my review copy of Brent Hartinger's The Elephant of Surprise, I was a bit apprehensive. How long ago did I read the last book? How did it end? And, since this is the fourth book in the Geography Club series that began a decade ago, how did we get here?
I didn't need to worry. First of all, Hartinger does a quick summary at the beginning of the book. But as you start reading the names, and how the characters interact, it all starts coming back to you. Maybe not every plot point of all three books, but the bonds between the characters, the little quirky details, and the comfort of being on a journey with these friends again.
RIP Brandon Lacy Campos
Another new social media experience I had tonight is seeing a friend tagged in a lot of photos and such on my Facebook ticker, and when I finally clicking through to see what kind of trouble he was out getting himself into, I learned that all of the tags were, sadly, eulogies...
I knew William Brandon Lacy Campos from around when I first started Oasis in 1995, and he would submit columns every month in his early activist days in the mid-to-late 90s. We never became great friends then, but I always stayed aware of what he was up to.
When we were both in the Bay Area and later NYC, we made a lot of casual plans that fell through, as you do, finally seeing The Kinsey Sicks at the Highline a few months back. But with Facebook, we thrived. Every day, we traded torrents of bitchy over-the-top remarks. I'd say something culturally insensitive. He'd threaten to slap be back to slavery. I'd ask if I could pick what kind of plantation I wanted to own, and on and on.
The subtext was always playful, though, and I enjoyed being connected with him as often as we were through our conversations. I mean, why spend time making fun of people you don't care about?! So, our physical interactions were incredibly low, but after more than two decades of being aware of someone, there remains that connection.
Anthony Lee Medina: Interview
By Jeff Walsh
Anthony Lee Medina first caught my attention when he nearly fell on me during the Spring Awakening tour in San Francisco. I was seated onstage, and he took an impressive spill during 'Bitch of Living,' that only seemed to energize him more for the song.
I'm never quite sure what it is about seeing certain performers in a show, and you follow them after that show, but I've always kept up with Anthony (Facebook helps there).
Of course, since that time in 2008, I spent much of the time erroneously thinking Anthony was straight and not Oasis material, a notion that was quickly dispelled upon seeing his solo show, Anthony Lee Medina - About Me, after moving to NYC.
Now, Anthony is starting a new part of his career, as he raises the money to put out his first collection of songs, The Ladybug Articles, later this year. Most of the songs are inspired by his ongoing tumultuous relationship with a guy he is still in love with.
We met during the recent heatwave at Otarian, a vegetarian restaurant he turned me onto in the city, and we talked. A lot. Here's what we had to say:
Latest journal entries.
nothing big.
13 March, 2003 - 5:42am — kadienblues::swoons:: if it werent for the gay thing-id marry willow. she is so amazing on buffy. and next week on angel, the preview shows her bitch fighting it out with cordelia. OMG. cannot wait. and i sure as fuck need to figure out how to combine all the nicks. kadien with finn with nate with nico with nicholas-yes, the real me. oh well. it dodn't matter. yes, dodn't. i sound like one of the designing women on purpose. oh well. i dont care if anyone knows me like i am. it doesnt matter anymore. i dont sleep right cause i have a sleep disorder. i dont eat right cause i have intestinal diseases. i dont think right anymore because ive let all of these things drag me down. why i dont just get over my shit, i dont know. and why i let those goddamn people bother me into acting all stupid. i wish i could just act like me in public, instead of acting like how i think they want me to act. like a clown of course. i would i act respectable and or smart. id be asking too much of my subconscious. fuck it. i dont need friends outside of heather, jess, jen, chrix, and lauren. the last one sometimes though. i dont think theres a week one of she or i dont try to kill the other of she or i. and you know, itd just be so easy to just do all these not nice and evil spells and just hurt everyone and amass worse karma (as if its possible). cause i can. i know i can. ive done it before. they work. so why not just go all evil? itd be fine. and easy. soooooo easy. too damn bitter all the time. i never just smile for no reason anymore. i need to remember how to smile for no reason again. its a lost art, smiling is. now remembers simple joy. and talking to aldo is always such a fucking head trip. like, i hear he talks shit about me behind my back, yet hes so overly nice to me to my face. and its not even like hes two faced, cause he does pretty much say he doesnt like me, though he doesnt act it. its like mike, only opposite. lol. then again, i act that way towards people. its sorta karmatic. but thats not fair. i act that way out of inability to act any other way. its like i cant get close to that person. its blocked out of my head. i try but i simply cant deal, no matter the effort i put forth. at least heathre gets it. she just DOESNT ANSWER HER FUCKING PHONE! and why should she? she has a life other than her best friend, as demonstrated by going away to college. see, im allowed to be selfcentered and obnoxious in my blog, because my friends dont read it. at least not the ones id write about. and i could jdsalingerstreamofconsciousness this thing for hours on end. i just get so angry. and whats with that fucker never responding to IMs? what business of his is it to disappoint me or anyone else. and ooh-my phillip ridley book just walked in the door. my cousin had it. AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE ANGEL BITCH FIGHT NEXT WEEK. HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT. willow is sooooo amazing. i wanna marry her. a lot. and over and over and over. we could share spells, although i live in this real world, so i dont have spells to destroy the first evil, or beat up gods, or create snakes out of nowhere, or for that matter, restore the soul of the soulless. which is debating that last one. ahh well. the fucker still hasnt answered me. FUCK HIM THAT CRAP ASS FAGGOT PRICK. im done now. i love being schizophonic. yeah, phonic.-nate
Giver/Reciever
13 March, 2003 - 3:20am — amyReceiving pleasure
Giving pleasure
I seem to be more of a giver. Touching a girl so shes in extacy makes me feel good.
I dont get touched much. Being touched makes me feel bad.
Bad touch. Good touch.
At the same time i feel undesired when I do all the work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I want the roles to blend. And I want to have sex out of love. And I dont want to feel bad after I do it.
Just a poem
13 March, 2003 - 2:34am — Spirit1313My mind is filled
filled with thoughts of you
my heart is filled
filled with animosity towards you
my eyes are blurred
blurred with visions of the present and future
my love will last
last for those who need it
I will move on
move on as soon as I let you go
For I will
I will push you out of my mind and heart
it will take time
time that I hope will be up soon.
Written for the one and only Allie monster and the future that I hope to be bright and happy.
I mostly consider myself...
24 March, 2003 - 1:51am — greyboi
anticipation
12 March, 2003 - 11:33pm — dazed and confusedRight now, anticipation is both a blessing and a curse. I left a note this morning on my mom's purse, telling her that I needed to talk to her sometime today, like after dinner or after my little sister goes to bed. She hasn't mentioned the note the few times we've spoken on the phone today, I'm assuming she's going to wait until we can actually have our talk.
as i slowly fall apart
12 March, 2003 - 11:31pm — alana*sigh* i don't know. i don't know much anymore. it just hurts inside.
...............
12 March, 2003 - 11:10pm — Spirit1313::runs away to cry and be sad and lonely somewhere else:: sorry not feeling so happy right now. but i had to do something or i know i would have gone to find scissors....
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