Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Mickey Z. @ Bluestockings Tonight

We got top billing at NY Press:

http://nypress.com/17/30/books/Readings.cfm

Please spread the word…

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Posted on 07/28 at 11:02 AM
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Sunday, July 25, 2004

Seattle's Dragon

This past July 20 marked 31 years since the untimely death of kung fu superstar and crossover pioneer, Bruce Lee...a man who could discourage an opponent with a simple look. One thinks of the scene in “Enter the Dragon” when Lee arrives at a martial arts tournament wearing his own fighting outfit. An official brusquely asks why...making the crucial mistake of putting his hand on Lee’s shoulder. Looking at the hand and then the official’s face with an expression mixing disgust and aggression, Lee sends the man away without a word. No action was necessary...the mere threat sufficed.

With apologies to Chow Yun Fat and Lucy Liu, the Asian celebrity best carrying the Little Dragon’s torch is not strutting his or her stuff on the big screen. Seattle Mariners’ out fielder Ichiro Suzuki does his best “Enter the Dragon” every time an opposing batter smacks what appears to be a double to right field. Gliding to the ball with cat-like grace, Ichiro plays it off the wall, spins, and cocks his mighty right arm...never changing his facial expression. Even the league’s fastest players are happy with a long single. No action is necessary...the mere threat will suffice.



The Bruce/Ichiro comparison carries over to their koan-like styles of speech.

Asked to explain his unorthodox style in the batter’s box, Ichiro replied: “It works for me.”
Bruce Lee said: “Absence of stereotyped technique as the substance means to be total and free.”

Ichiro: “People say I’m an explorer, a pioneer, whatever. That’s other people’s opinion. That’s not why I came over here. I came over here to play baseball.”
Bruce on Jeet Kune Do, the “style” he created: “The art of Jeet Kune Do is simply to simplify.”

Ichiro on his adjustment upon arriving from Japan: “Baseball is just baseball.”
Bruce: “Jeet Kune Do is just a name. Please don’t fuss over it.”

During a slump, Ichiro mused: “Failure is the mother of success.”
Bruce went further: “We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. Yet it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents as well.”

However, until Ichiro uses his talents to give the underachieving Mariners an opportunity to win the Series, he’ll always come in a distant second to Bruce.

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Posted on 07/25 at 10:39 AM
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Saturday, July 24, 2004

Pretenders in the Middle of the Road


Got “Best of The Pretenders” CD for a buck at a yard sale. While listening to “Middle of the Road,” these lyrics jumped out:
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD YOU SEE THE DARNDEST THINGS
LIKE FAT GUYS DRIVING ‘ROUND IN JEEPS THROUGH THE CITY
WEARING BIG DIAMOND RINGS AND SILK SUITS
PAST CORRUGATED TIN SHACKS FULL UP WITH KIDS
OH MAN I DON’T MEAN A HAMPSTEAD NURSERY
WHEN YOU OWN A BIG CHUNK OF THE BLOODY THIRD WORLD
THE BABIES JUST COME WITH THE SCENERY

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Posted on 07/24 at 11:40 AM
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