In light of recent threats of imminent attacks/electioneering by al Qaeda, some good friends and I are heading for the lower ground of the Outer Banks this Memorial Day weekend. Lust after our ocean-front cabana! Party whistles will be blown and shirts will be spun like helicopters in the finest North Carolinian tradition.
I'd say that you can expect a holiday lull in the G.p media empire, but seeing as how Zunta Tom and Matt Yglesias will be along for the ride—and the place is Internet-wired—I don't see what's to prevent us from setting up a network for the sole purpose of drunken seashore bloggage. The ladies will laugh at us, but as if that isn't already in the cards.
So I'm told I'm responsible for mixing some soundtracks for our terrorist-appeasing exodus. If you've got a must-have beach jam in mind, hit me up. Clearly I've got Petey Pablo under control, and I'm also thinking Prince Buster, Television, the Ramones, Reagan Youth (for the handful of Republicans coming along), Desmond Decker, Dire Straits, and of course Jimmy Buffet for some lazy-day mixes. The night set I think I have under control.
More importantly: Beach reads. I'm pretty terrible about this category. Nearly every vacation I take I tell myself that the idea is to take advantage of the free time to crack some tougher nuts (Gravity's Rainbow, St. Petersburg) and this invariably ends with my getting drunk and irritated with myself for bringing along homework. I could really use some breezy but stimulating suggestions that are neither pulp nor The Da Vinci Code.
Posted by Kriston at May 27, 2004 11:27 AMi hear the rule of four (i think it's called that) is something along the lines of the name of the rose (but maybe less erudite). actually, i think i'm going to buy it today if it's out, so if i finish it quickly you can have second crack at it. and i'm bringing along a lot of trash books, as well. i kept most of my books from an english class at uva that was all about best-selling novels, most of which, it turns out, are crap, and therefore great beach reads.
Posted by: catherine at May 27, 2004 12:51 PMI'm trying to dig up my copy of Snow Crash and some Douglas Adams. These books' niche in the nerd-fiction canon kind of blinds me to how they're regarded by the public at large; oh well. I must've read them half a dozen times each in middle school.
Posted by: tom at May 27, 2004 1:02 PMtommy, i've got snow crash. you gave it to me a while ago. of course, i never read it. :) i also have the set of the hitchhikers guide that you also gave to me, which i did read.
Posted by: catherine at May 27, 2004 1:11 PMIt's all just so F. Scott Fitzgeraldian.
I'll be throwing empty Bud Lite cans at turtles on the Comal or Guadalupe, I guess. Look for me in "COPS: Live From The Texas Hill Country"
Posted by: norbizness at May 27, 2004 1:53 PMI do make it sounds like we'll be living the Miller High Life, don't I? Truth be told, I like my vacations a little on the trashy side.
Posted by: Kriston at May 27, 2004 2:18 PMEnder's Game
Posted by: two words at May 27, 2004 2:57 PMShould be nice weather this weekend. I love it that ya'll are coming to the dirty south. Enjoy yourselves, otherwise the terrorists win...or whatever.
Grab a dog-eared copy of any Pat Conroy book, those are always good on the beach.
It's nice that you're blogging about books and mixing for the trip, but more importantly, who's doin' the cooking?
--s
Posted by: J.Scott Barnard at May 27, 2004 3:38 PMI nominate Grillmaster Tom. He makes some mean kabobs.
Posted by: susan at May 27, 2004 3:47 PMGood call, whoever you are. I listened to the audiobook version while driving back from my last trip to the beach. The voice actors all put in great performances -- definitely recommended if you've got a long drive in front of you.
Posted by: tom at May 27, 2004 3:49 PMwhoops -- that was re: ender's game, by the way
no voice actors involved in recent kabob production, to my knowledge
Posted by: tom at May 27, 2004 3:50 PMI'd like to note that I plan on whippin' up some world famous BREAKFAST TACOS this weekend. But past noon, eating is cheating.
Posted by: Kriston at May 27, 2004 3:57 PMAnd I'll also admit to never reading Ender's Game. I know. It's enough to have my Dungeon Master's guide, Blue Album, and lightsaber privileges revoked. Bring a copy, Zuntas?
Posted by: Kriston at May 27, 2004 3:59 PMI have an old copy you can have.
Posted by: Erik Kosa at May 27, 2004 7:24 PMI mean, like it'd be so easy to pick up and everything. I suggest you delay your trip until June 10. It's a really good book.
Posted by: Erik Kosa at May 27, 2004 7:25 PMI'm glad to see you have a healthy helping of first wave ska on your menu.
Of course, whenever I think of beach music,
"Wicked Game" comes to mind........huh? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about that video.
Now that's what I call a beach vacation.
Make it count.
"Corelli's Mandolin" is great and easy reading. I never bothered to see the movie because they cast Nick Cage in the lead, which was wrong from the get-go.
Speaking of beach music and the Blue Album, you did include "Surf Wax America," I take it?
Anyway, I agre: Make it count.
Posted by: matty at May 28, 2004 6:49 PM