Welcome to the Don Quixote Deathmarch, Week 1. This is our fourth ‘march, and I’m so excited, well, I honestly just can’t hide it. So I won’t even try.
We’ve got a potentially huge crew along for the ride, including some first-timers from around the country. We may even have a few high schoolers amongst us. To all of youse newcomers, let me encourage you to dive right into the comment-stream. (Just hit the “Whaddya think?” link on the lower-right of each entry — any questions on that, drop me a line at vortex@mediajunkie.com.)
Other words of wisdom? Well, don’t sweat it too much if you fall behind. Everyone does at one point or another. And of course, if you’ve read the book before, be kind to the rest of the crew by focusing comments on what we’ve read to-date. Sure, you say. That’s all fine and good. But what about…
…prizes?
Excellent question! On the very first Deathmarch, we tantalized weary wanderers with visions of “I Survived the Gravity’s Rainbow Deathmarch” mugs. And at this very moment, said mugs are winding their way through the countryside, en route to the lucky winners. OK, so it took me a year. But these are fabulous mugs.
This go-around, we’re offering genuine 2.25″ “I Survived the Don Quixote Deathmarch” magnets for folks who make it through and comment every week. No need to write essays to qualify — any old shout out will do.
UPDATE: Amazingly, two patrons of the arts have appeared and offered to help underwrite prizes. So we’re upgrading those magnets to genuine DQDM mugs [capped at, let’s say, 30 winners] for folks who finish the book during the DM and post on every entry, every week!
Thanks a lot for coming along. Have fun out there. Stay frosty. And I’ll see ya at the next bend in the road.
Next Wednesday: Let’s meet up at the end of Chapter VI, just before “the second sally.”
Blog
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The Don Quixote Deathmarch, Week 1
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Photo Day
It’s been a while since the last track on ye olde Virtual LP. Much as Monkey Vortex Radio Theater is starting to crackle back to life, and a new Deathmarch is nearly upon us, I’m starting to find a little time here and there to mess around with music once agin’.
So here’s a micro-tune, written and recorded today for the littlest Vortices. It was Photo Day at school. A magical day, I think we can all agree. And one well worth celebrating.
Thanks for listening, -CV
time: 29 seconds; specs: 470K
Press Play to play. -
x-post: and the honey and the warm and the vortex of it all
Brand new Monkey Vortex Radio Theater mayhem, now available for your free and easy downloading funtime. This week: Warm Honey.
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Deathmarch 4: Cervantes Strikes Back!
Hi all,
As previously intimated, the Don Quixote Deathmarch does in fact loometh. In fact, it so loometh that we even have a start date: Wednesday, March 22 (meaning we aim to open the cover that day).
Looks like we may well have a good-sized group, including several first-timers. Should be fun (and grueling, but also fun). If you’re interested and looking to pick up a copy, most of us will be reading the new translation by Edith Grossman, and that’s what page references will refer back to.
For them what are new to the DM world, here’s basically how it works:
Every Wednesday I’ll post something right here on your computer screen laying out how far we’ll be marching that week (usually around 50 or 60 pages). Over the next 7 days, folks drop by and leave comments ranging from “owie” and “this hurts” to slightly more erudite analysis. And that’s pretty much the whole idear. Week by week and nibble by nibble, we make our way through. And by the end, this weary band of wanders will have another of The Great Books flashing sparks deep within our brains.
Anyways, we’d love to have you along. In fact, consider yourself personally exhorted. And of course, feel free to bring a friend. The more, the marchier….
See you on the trail,
-Cecil -
See mammal
I used to be an otter.
Now I’m mostly.
Mostly just.
Odder. -
The Skeptical Colonel
Today was another important
lost opportunity
Another day when I didn’t seek an audience
with the skeptical colonel —
confront him with my passion.
“Colonel, soon these oceans will run dry!”
“Soon the humps of humpback whales will be revealed
and all sorts of unknown sea creatures
will flop about squinting in shallow pools!”
“Colonel, for once in your damn life…”
He arches a brow. My hair’s gone insane.
“…can you not be so
dangblasted
skeptical?” -
The Five Kinds of Jews
1. Reform
2. Conservative
3. Orthodox
4. Hasidim
5. Canadians -
“You want a piece of me, chair?”
said my five-year old tonight, dressed in full Batman togs, before delivering 360 degrees of pain to the sides, the back, the seat of our oversized wooden rocking chair.
“Hunh? Chairie?” he cooed. “You want a piece of me, Chairie?” And somehow that familiar name only made the beating more savage. -
x-post: and the robot and the Reggie and the monkey of it all
You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll take your Baby Robots out of their hermetically sealed, lead-lined vaults and give them a hug. This week on Monkey Vortex Radio Theater: “I, Baby Robot,” written by, er, um, me. And starring the likes of Jeff Green, Heather Gottschalk, Christian Crumlish, EB, Hans van Boetzelaerlaan, and M. Smith. Now playing right here.
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Emoticon Rescue
It’s the smiley that really breaks my heart
the little happy face you
tack on
right after you break goodbye, say the news, share that thing.
You’re happy. And I’m glad for it.
But where is your nose?
Now who will save
your missing nose?