Ask Me Anything August 2013

All right, let’s get our nose off this particular grindstone, shall we? Here’s the final question of the ones that were posed by various anonymous readers: Is the middle class terminal? Assuming it is how do we convince people to strive if opportunity is not there? If we are not striving aren’t we just, well, breathing? This is a question that I think about a lot. I honestly am not really sure, but I do wonder from time to time if the pace of technological improvement is going to render large parts of our economy obsolete. And then, what? ManufacturingDown the rabbit hole….

Wow, looks like I may end up dragging this thing out into October, which is a new record for personal futility. Oh well! Roger had a bunch, as always, so his constitute the bulk of the outstanding answers. So let’s get going: How do you feel about casting folks who aren’t the category they portray? I was thinking about Johnny Depp as Tonto, but there are tons of other examples. Should only a gay man play a gay man, e.g. Related question: how do you feel about casting a character that had been traditionally white differently? I’m thinking about makingDown the rabbit hole….

Good Lord, this really got away from me, didn’t it? What a strange month, September was. I figured to get ahead, but instead I fell behind! Oops. Anyway, we march on, with the remaining questions posed by a constant (and patient!) anonymous reader: Do you have “comfort books”, that you read when life is tough? I’ve actually had to think a bit about this, and it turns out…no, not really. There are quotes from books that I recall in times of stress, but even then, not too many. The words of Gandalf the Grey tend to be very meaningful toDown the rabbit hole….

A couple answers to questions from e-mail! (Anonymity requested.) Do you know car makes and models? Do you feel strongly about what vehicle you have (or would like to have), or are you more indifferent? I’m not terribly knowledgeable about cars, no. I do like the looks of Subaru Outbacks, and some of the various SUV-type vehicles out on the road these days, and that will likely be the direction I go if and when I’m in the market for a car again (the added size will be nice for transporting a string bass around). Other than that, I’d likeDown the rabbit hole….

Might as well nail a few more Answers, huh? Fair warning: one of these is to a pretty odd question that I received via e-mail from someone who apparently wants to remain anonymous (and not the one who usually e-mails me good questions like that, either). Andy asks (shortening a bit): Am I the only person that doesn’t trust anyone with a hyphenated name? Probably not, but I’m not one of them. I’ve never much seen the big deal of this practice, but I did once know a guy who was really offended by the occasional practice, on some kindDown the rabbit hole….

The answering of the questions continues. As Samuel L. Jackson said in Jurassic Park, “Hold onto your butts!” Local activist Christopher Byrd asks: Barring a cataclysmic event, would you be interested in being a judge at next year’s Buffalo’s Best Pierogi Contest? Wow, that sounds fun! I know next to nothing about pierogi, so I hope I don’t have to talk like some pompous-arsed foodie — “I find the flavor profile of this one particularly fine, the interplay between the duck spleen and the Jamaican garlic.” Let me know how this works! Reader Josh asks: What’s your opinion of theDown the rabbit hole….

Just one today! But first a little backstory. Someone arrived upon my blog today by way of a search string that…well, here’s what I tweeted about it: That awkward moment when someone finds your blog using a search string that could only be used by someone searching for pr0n…. I refused to divulge the exact and icky search string (but I did admit that it had nothing to do with Star Wars, power tools, cats, overalls, or pies-in-faces). This led a friend of mine, Scotty, to get clever: So, for my ask me anything question-if I ask what they searchedDown the rabbit hole….

UPDATE: Grammer fixed to make a sentence say what I meant! Continuing the answering cavalcade! (And you can still ask stuff!) Earl has a couple: Which Do you find more offensive to pledge; one nation under God” or “with liberty and justice for all”? That’s an interesting and challenging question. In truth, I don’t find either concept particularly offensive at all, although I am always struck by the way the Pledge was co-opted by conservative evangelicals in this country some years ago. I’m still astonished at the way George HW Bush managed to somehow hang the freaking Pledge of AllegianceDown the rabbit hole….

All right, people, let’s get this ball rolling! And remember, you can still ask stuff! A longtime reader who prefers anonymity gets us off: Would you like to be a writer full time, or is a mix of writing and some other job ideal for you? I desperately want to write full-time. Writing is the thing I’m best at, and if I have one major regret in life — under the general notion that I don’t really do ‘regrets’, as I think that most of my screw-ups have taught me something I needed to know — it’s that I spentDown the rabbit hole….