Lending my ears

[Craig G. Bleakley]

Yes, that was me a week ago sorta complaining about the lack of
pynchon-centric discussion who started the whatcha reading query.  How
fickle.  But I'm glad to see so many respondents, and so many
reading\listening suggestions.

Several composition/rhetoric folks out there--like me!  I might as well
spill the beans, since DFW seems a semi-motif here.  I'm a doctoral student
in rhet/comp (or do you say comp/rhet?)at Illinois State Unversity.  Can't
say as I know the man, but i've tickled some of his creatures--and know some
of the creatures he's tickled.  Can't think of much to say to (or about) him
really, since I've read about three words he's written and am not unhappy
about that situation.

Tangenting here.  I wanted to jump on the whatcha listening to bandwagon,
because I've found myself obsessed with four CD's this season: "The Future"
by Leonard Cohen (as i may have mentioned, "Give me Christ or give me
Hiroshima" seems one of the more pithy summaries of GR I've encountered);
"The Road to Ensenada" by Lyle Lovett (he's not just for texas anymore!);
"Bee Thousand" by Guided by Voices, a band that writes killer pop tunes and
then refuses to play them straight; and last, but not least, the new Wilco,
a band that writes great pop tunes and does play it straight--essential
listening for folk/country/pop aficionadoes who wax nostalgiac about former
relationships.

Back to reading; Who was it that mentioned they were attempting "The Man
WIthout Qualities"?  Is it that new, pricey translation (a better bargain in
the boxed hardcover set)?  How's it going?  How's that Ira Shor going too,
whilst I'm at it.  Blather blather.  Craig B.