No. 8 - Sinookas
HE’S GOT SECTIONS NOW!
Hello and welcome to another awe-inspiring edition of freewheeling wonderment! I am making some changes to the column in order to make it a more fulfilling experience for each and every one of the three people who read it. We’ll have the usual topics, but there’s a new exciting segment that will debut below (depends on how fast you read) and there will also be many more exciting new segments coming in the next few weeks. That being said, let’s move straight into….
THIS WEEK’S TOPIC…
Unlike most people, I did not read anything by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in High School. People usually read Slaughterhouse Five in the 11th grade area, but my English teacher in 11th grade had us read A Separate Peace, which did not inspire my 11th grade mind, so I skipped it. Later that month the same teacher supposedly accused me of plagiarism. My mother resolutely stands by this, but I don’t remember it. I’m still here.
It was unfortunate that I was not introduced to the work of Mr. Vonnegut sooner than I was, for the second I began reading a friend’s battered old copy of Galapagos two and a half years ago, I was utterly entranced. I absolutely love and adore the work of Mr. Vonnegut.
I met him very briefly after a friend’s production of his only play (which he happened to be attending) and shook his hand, thanking him for his work and its influence on my recent life. I then kicked over a footlight by accident and was so embarrassed I ran from the theatre. Unfortunately it was the Access Theatre down on Canal, and I was five flights of stairs up from the ground. I think I fell on the fourth flight, tumbled down the third, and hobbled briskly down the last two.
From Kurt Vonnegut’s masterpiece, Cat’s Cradle:
“Dr. Hoenikker himself was no doubt a member
of my karass, though he was dead before my
sinookas, the tendrils of my life, began to tangle
with those of his children.” -Page 6
What do those two strange words mean? As explained by the book’s narrator, the words come from the religious teachings of Bokonon and mean the following:
Karass: Teams that do God’s Will without ever discovering what they are doing.
Sinookas: The tendrils of life that bring people into one’s karass.
What in the hell does this have to do with anything, you are most justifiably asking. Simple-- I want to extend my Sinookas. To you!
I am going sending the tendrils of my life out to you. By reading this column and then responding to it, you will allow my Sinookas to bring you into our little Karass….where I won’t pretend we’re doing God’s Will, but I am quite certain we haven’t yet discovered what we are doing. I haven’t, anyway.
This is all leading to a general re-structuring of this column that will hopefully be something you all enjoy. So therefore, without further ado, I bring you the very first…….
POOR BRIAN’S MAILBAG
Welcome to the mailbag, everyone! Grab a Sinooka, hold on tight, and feel free to email in responses, questions, topic proposals, and anything else. Since this exciting new section has just begun, I don’t have all that much mail to choose from. We’ll power through though, won’t we?
This week’s e-mail comes from Mr. Paul Silliman in Southport, North Carolina. He writes:
“Dear Brian- Please send me your W-2’s so I can
get them to Jim Warrick. I don’t want to be waiting
around forever for this like last year, please send
them to us as soon as you can.
Love, Dad.”
Thanks for writing in, Paul. Yes, W-2’s are a frightfully interesting topic. I usually have problems rounding them up myself, and I understand your frustration. Best of luck to you!
As always, you can respond to any of the topics brought up in this column by emailing the following address:
You have a good chance of having your emails appear in the column, especially if they are negative.
ARTS PICK OF THE WEEK: The Squid and the Whale
In this underappreciated film from last season, Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney portray two characters locked in one of the most mutually hurtful relationships I have ever seen depicted. Kevin Kline’s young son Owen almost steals the picture however with the eerie quality he constantly projects, and the writing is constantly heartbreaking and disturbing.
It’s currently available on DVD, including commentary and some decent extras. After seeing it once I don’t know if I really need to own it, however, so it could be more worthy of being rented.
In other DVD news, the first film in the Narnia series will be released on DVD this Tuesday in two editions, but word is that there will be an extended edition coming sometime around the holidays. Unless you’re a rabid Narnia zealot, wait for that set. Are there any Narnia zealots? If anybody reading is a Narnia zealot, please email in.
It’s not official yet, but a King Kong Extended Edition is almost official, and it would most likely be a four disk set coming out in late November. For those of you fools that thought the film was too long, go with the regular version that was just released….the extended edition is rumored to add 48 minutes. This rumor comes from Richard Taylor himself, so it’s probably reliable.
THAT’S ALL THERE IS….THERE ISN’T ANYMORE
Once again, feel absolutely free to grab a Sinooka and send in some mail at the following:
In the weeks to come, I’ll be detailing some very peculiar changes that are going on with my physically. I’m talking real changes people…..super changes. Know what I mean? These are the kind of changes that only happen to….super heroes.
I shall say no more right now, we’re being watched.
Until next week, keep moving!
Brian
Poor Brian’s Almanac