While my filmmaking brethren are location scouting up in the snowy land of Pickering, Ontario, I’m holding down the fort back here in the States and keeping warm in the nascent days of the new year.
The Round-Up Endorsements this month are leaner than they have been before, but never worry: come February, we’ll have more laid out for you.
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck – Short, sweet and sour stories from a master of style and form. Most people recall Steinbeck as a copy of The Grapes of Wrath, resigned to a high school senior’s reading list, but he’s at his best and grittiest when he’s spitting out short stories.
The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis – Speaking of short stories, if you haven’t read Lydia Davis then you’re truly missing out on a modern pioneer of the form. She packs more into a single paragraph than anyone else out there.
Alka-Seltzer – Pop, pop, fizz, fizz, oh! what a relief it is! And, indeed, it is. Get the original kind, the two tablets that drop into a glass of water. Even though it seems just to be an ironic throwback (akin to, “Hey! Moxie soda isn’t just delicious, it’s nutritious too!” [actual advertising slogan]), we at the Company have found that Alka-Selter actually works wonders for both colds and hangovers.
Carrying Tea Packets in Your Coat – Why not chase the tablets with some hot tea? Everyone has more tea packets lying around their place than they would ever like to admit. Make use of them, especially in these chilly winter months, by carrying a few around in your coat pocket. Gas stations, cafes, and even Starbucks rarely charge for hot water, so keep your money and stay warm. Also, green tea helps your immune system. Hypochondriac or no, a little boost in flu season never hurt anyone.
