Hola NewsPhlasherinos y NewsPhlasherinas, I am happy to welcome the year 2006 to my life, and am glad you all will be a part of it. This is a pretty big NewsPhlash, but I think you'll want to take it all in. So turn your computer screens away from your boss, act busy and check out some major announcements and thangs I need to say.
First of all, can I just say that despite a major sadness, 2005 offered some awesome gifts to me? In case you forgot, here are some highlights:
Of course, as you all know, the major crappiness of 2005 was the loss of my mother pretty suddenly to colon cancer. I made the return cross-country trip alone in November with a minivan full of her belongings. Grief on this level is a very new experience for me, and I appreciate the cards, flowers, emails and government-subsidized wiretapping you all have shared. Really, thank you.
So what's up in 2006? Well, I'm glad you asked, loyal subject.
BTW, you might want to check your work email right about now. Open a spreadsheet, put some paper in the printer. You know, look productive and stuff.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
I hate MySpace. It's the ugliest website I've seen since Geocities (thankfully) went out of business, yet for some reason, it's the hot place to be if you're an Earthling between ages 14 and 45. Since I fit that description, I'm very unhappy to announce that I have a MySpace page. If you're one of those MySpace junkies, go ahead and make me your friend, but I swear, if you email me through MySpace, I will purposefully wait a month before getting back to you. You think I bought baratunde.com and had such a beautiful site designed just to correspond with you on some ghetto-ass online shopping mall? Think again. Ooooh, you say, MySpace allows me to post photos. Big deal. I have photos at baratunde.com. Ooooh, you say, MySpace allows me to blog. I got one of those too. Oooh, MySpace allows you to have annoying music files play automatically when people go to your profile thus embarassing them at work. Well guess what, I could do that on baratunde.com too if I wanted, but I respect you all too much. So yes, I have a MySpace page, but don't expect me to like it, and don't complain two years from now when the system is broken, or you lose all your messages. Anybody remember Friendster? Anyway, check out the damn page
When I resurrected my blog, goodCRIMETHINK, on July 26, 2004 I wanted to have a place to throw out my ideas. I slapped up the site during the Democratic National Convention and never looked back... until now. I have completely overhauled the design of the site, which should make it an enjoyable place to spend more of your time. Here are some of the new features
Slick new design with cool colors and layout Easier to subscribe. Have my blog show up easily on your MyYahoo, MyAOL or Google pages Learn about the projects I'm up to including a new non-fiction book about global black youth Find out what I'm reading, watching on TV and browsing online Check out my latest photos sent straight from my cameraphone
You can get to know a bit more about me and my crazy ideas, so bookmark that bad boy: goodcrimethink.com
I recently wrote a blog piece called "ArmaGoogle" on my belief that Google is the Anti-Christ, but until that is proven beyond a reasonable doubt, I'm going to milk them for all they're worth! Google recently announced a service called "Google Book Search" which allows you to search millions of books online. Lots of big time publishers are upset over copyright and whatnot, but I'm not one of them. I welcome my Google overlords with open arms, and am pleased to announce that my book, "Better Than Crying" is in the system. Go ahead, test it out . How many times does the word "dick" appear in my book?
Tired of the outdated video clips on baratunde.com? Well I've changed the way videos play on the website, and I've added a new one. Go to the site's A/V page and see my audition for Laughing Liberally at a club in New York in November. Also, if you're a user of the online video service YouTube, search for my name there , add me to your favorites and leave some comments on my videos
Last year, I began performing at a New York show called "Laughing Liberally ," the mission of which is "to promote democracy one laugh at a time." The group is a spinoff of Drinking Liberally, and we did monthly shows at The Tank, an awesome midtown theatre. Well, the show was picked up by an actual theatrical production company. The artistic director is a super awesome political comic named Barry Crimmins. Anyway, I'll be a part of the gigantic debut show at New York's Town Hall theatre on Feb 4, and expect you all there. It's a 1,500-seat joint, so pack it!
My current book, "Better Than Crying" was printed two years ago and is horribly out of date. For example, there's a lot of stuff on Iraq which doesn't make sense because we won that war years ago and have moved on. Meanwhile, I can't tell you how many folks have pestered me with, "So, when's your next book coming out?" I finally have an answer: in about a month.
Over the past year, I have written over 70 blog entries and hundreds of your favorite Momentary Jokes, affectionately referred to among us friends as "MoJos." I am now proud to announce the MoJo Quarterly!!! The first issue will be a best of 2005 year in review and will include the best MoJos of 2005 plus some of your favorite, that's right, your favorite blog entries. Then I'll do a First Quarter 2006, Second Quarter, etc. For each book, I'm going to need your input. So right now, I need you to take my online survey , helping me figure out what goes in this book. When you do that, you'll get a FREE copy of my current book in electronic format!
First of all, can I just say that despite a major sadness, 2005 offered some awesome gifts to me? In case you forgot, here are some highlights:
- performing in London (and losing my passport there)
- clubbin in Barcelona
- putting together my triple-media coverage of BookExpo
- performing weekly with Peter Dutton at Jimmy Tingle's Theatre
- joining the Sweet Mother Tour book project
- being featured in the Boston Globe
- joining the wonderful crew of Laughing Liberally
- auditioning for NBC, ABC, CBS casting and the HBO Comedy Festival in Aspen
- starting my podcast
- launching a new website
- seeing one of my best friends get married
- selling out club Passim with singer/songwriter Mieka Pauley
- making Maxine Waters laugh as I hosted Harvard's Celebration of Black Women
- getting involved as a co-host of Drinking Liberally
- fulfilling a life-long dream of my mother to drive across the country together
Of course, as you all know, the major crappiness of 2005 was the loss of my mother pretty suddenly to colon cancer. I made the return cross-country trip alone in November with a minivan full of her belongings. Grief on this level is a very new experience for me, and I appreciate the cards, flowers, emails and government-subsidized wiretapping you all have shared. Really, thank you.
So what's up in 2006? Well, I'm glad you asked, loyal subject.
- obviously, more shows, including Chicago this summer and more Laughing Liberally
- waaay more podcasts
- a new blog design
- finally i join myspace
- more videos online
- a new way to read "Better Than Crying"
- A NEW SERIES OF BOOKS (that's right. SERIES). check it all below.
BTW, you might want to check your work email right about now. Open a spreadsheet, put some paper in the printer. You know, look productive and stuff.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
I hate MySpace. It's the ugliest website I've seen since Geocities (thankfully) went out of business, yet for some reason, it's the hot place to be if you're an Earthling between ages 14 and 45. Since I fit that description, I'm very unhappy to announce that I have a MySpace page. If you're one of those MySpace junkies, go ahead and make me your friend, but I swear, if you email me through MySpace, I will purposefully wait a month before getting back to you. You think I bought baratunde.com and had such a beautiful site designed just to correspond with you on some ghetto-ass online shopping mall? Think again. Ooooh, you say, MySpace allows me to post photos. Big deal. I have photos at baratunde.com. Ooooh, you say, MySpace allows me to blog. I got one of those too. Oooh, MySpace allows you to have annoying music files play automatically when people go to your profile thus embarassing them at work. Well guess what, I could do that on baratunde.com too if I wanted, but I respect you all too much. So yes, I have a MySpace page, but don't expect me to like it, and don't complain two years from now when the system is broken, or you lose all your messages. Anybody remember Friendster? Anyway, check out the damn page When I resurrected my blog, goodCRIMETHINK, on July 26, 2004 I wanted to have a place to throw out my ideas. I slapped up the site during the Democratic National Convention and never looked back... until now. I have completely overhauled the design of the site, which should make it an enjoyable place to spend more of your time. Here are some of the new featuresYou can get to know a bit more about me and my crazy ideas, so bookmark that bad boy: goodcrimethink.com
I recently wrote a blog piece called "ArmaGoogle" on my belief that Google is the Anti-Christ, but until that is proven beyond a reasonable doubt, I'm going to milk them for all they're worth! Google recently announced a service called "Google Book Search" which allows you to search millions of books online. Lots of big time publishers are upset over copyright and whatnot, but I'm not one of them. I welcome my Google overlords with open arms, and am pleased to announce that my book, "Better Than Crying" is in the system. Go ahead, test it out . How many times does the word "dick" appear in my book? Tired of the outdated video clips on baratunde.com? Well I've changed the way videos play on the website, and I've added a new one. Go to the site's A/V page and see my audition for Laughing Liberally at a club in New York in November. Also, if you're a user of the online video service YouTube, search for my name there , add me to your favorites and leave some comments on my videos Last year, I began performing at a New York show called "Laughing Liberally ," the mission of which is "to promote democracy one laugh at a time." The group is a spinoff of Drinking Liberally, and we did monthly shows at The Tank, an awesome midtown theatre. Well, the show was picked up by an actual theatrical production company. The artistic director is a super awesome political comic named Barry Crimmins. Anyway, I'll be a part of the gigantic debut show at New York's Town Hall theatre on Feb 4, and expect you all there. It's a 1,500-seat joint, so pack it!
New Comedy Book SERIES in the Works
My current book, "Better Than Crying" was printed two years ago and is horribly out of date. For example, there's a lot of stuff on Iraq which doesn't make sense because we won that war years ago and have moved on. Meanwhile, I can't tell you how many folks have pestered me with, "So, when's your next book coming out?" I finally have an answer: in about a month.Over the past year, I have written over 70 blog entries and hundreds of your favorite Momentary Jokes, affectionately referred to among us friends as "MoJos." I am now proud to announce the MoJo Quarterly!!! The first issue will be a best of 2005 year in review and will include the best MoJos of 2005 plus some of your favorite, that's right, your favorite blog entries. Then I'll do a First Quarter 2006, Second Quarter, etc. For each book, I'm going to need your input. So right now, I need you to take my online survey , helping me figure out what goes in this book. When you do that, you'll get a FREE copy of my current book in electronic format!