Jessica Zafra's Blog, page 356

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying."

A scene from Annie Hall. Did you know that that is Diane Keaton's real name? The unplanned theme of the last few days has been birthdays. Here's someone who just celebrated his 75th: Woody Allen. I have been a fan since I saw his early movie Take the Money and Run on TV at age [...]

Tom Waits Week, day 3: Like a cabaret in hell

Other singers have attempted to cover this song. Obviously they have no sense of self-preservation.

Happy Birthday Gaz!

Birthday boy Gareth Holgate contemplating the nature of reality. Gaz practising his Italian (It's in the hands). Gaz remembers your birthday. Gaz likes shocking pink. Gaz is practically gay! (Straight as an arrow but you can dream.) Gaz is our people! Happy Birthday Gareth Holgate! We had a hard time getting photos of Gaz because [...]

The Yucch-meter returns this weekend.

Two skull rings. The Yucch-meter's deliberations on LitWit Challenge 3.12: Conversations in restaurants will appear this weekend, followed by the announcement of the winner.

Tom Waits Week: This'll get you in that holiday spirit.

Photography by Anton Corbijn. 'The Dark Clown on a Chicken Farm' Today's Tom Waits songs is a request from our columnist Jon Morales. It's a Christmas song, perfect for when you're sitting in heavy traffic wondering where that peace and goodwill to all men is off to.

Ask Jon #3: Our columnist explains why men NEVER ask for directions or go to the doctor. And why they take runners.

Where exactly do you ask for directions? South Africa, 2009 by Jaime. samutsari: The author of Men Are From Mars . . . was right. Men don't want to ask for directions, even if they're driving around in circles and you're late for your meeting. Are you like that too? Is this something inherent in [...]

It's Tom Waits Week!

Our favorite singer-songwriter celebrates his birthday on December 7. We hereby declare it Tom Waits Week on this site, and every day we are going to post videos of our essential Tom Waits songs. Here's one we love, from his early years: it pretty much sums up our relationship histories. Unfortunately they never made a [...]

This week's Jock With A Book is brought to you by the Department of Shameless Self-Promotion.

Wednesday. Time for your respite from the cares of the world, the pressures of work, the holiday frenzy that is now in full swing. And for the weekly Jock With A Book. We find today's photos perfectly innocuous, demure even, but tastes vary and we wouldn't want you to lose your job or get expelled [...]

Shut down the trolls

"They have a cave troll!" Psychological research has proven again and again that anonymity increases unethical behavior. Road rage bubbles up in the relative anonymity of one's car. And in the online world, which can offer total anonymity, the effect is even more pronounced. People — even ordinary, good people — often change their behavior [...]

Conversations in restaurants: You have 11 hours until deadline.

Conversations in restaurants: the Pulp Fiction hommage. - Garcon, I would like a Milo McFlurry please. - What did you just call me? - Garcon, it means "boy". . .I'm sorry, I had not realized. . .your hair is very short. - Are you calling me a transvestite? - Of course not, my view was [...]