• gshellen
      • Grant Shellen
      • Username: gshellen
      • In response to: "Who are you?" I'm Plinky's proud community manager. I play in a band, write stuff, and take pictures, too.
  • gshellen's latest answers
    • The Vinyl Frontier

      • My first experiences listening to music may have been on cassettes (I really can't remember), but the earliest memories I have of listening…

      • answered by gshellen on 09/08/2009
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    • 'Infinite Jest' is no walk in the park

      • I'm still not even halfway through this behemoth (it's about 1,000 pages), but I started reading it as part of the Infinite Summer effort that's currently underway. One of my coworkers got excited about reading it, several of us ordered copies...and so far I'm the only one reading it.

        It's good, just sometimes belabored. There are 10-page-long descriptions of scenes in which NOTHING HAPPENS, intricate explanations of technology, politics and tennis, and occasional punctuation-less first-person accounts from drug addicts.

        In addition, David Foster Wallace likes using footnotes. Normally not that much of a problem, but these are at the end of the book instead of the bottom of the page, requiring much back-and-forth flipping (I use two bookmarks).

        That said, I am enjoying it. I'm following Jason Kottke's advice to just read, enjoy, and not sweat all the big words. As he said, after enough time, things become clear and you get the overall gist.

        Let's just hope I finish before next summer.

      • answered by gshellen on 08/07/2009
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    • Oakland to Nashville: The Superdrag pilgrimage

      • It was July of 2007. One day, I'd been listening to one of my all-time favorite bands, Superdrag, thinking, "I wonder if they'll ever reunite. I sure hope so." Not a week later, I got an email from the band's mailing list saying, "The rumors you may have seen online are absolutely true. The original Superdrag line-up are reuniting to play 6 limited tour dates in October and November!"

        Of course, none of the tour dates were near me, but the band was going to play in their hometown of Knoxville, Tenn. and in nearby Nashville. Jokingly, I sent Heather an email saying, "Wanna fly to Nashville for our anniversary? You can nap during the set." (See her answer for the explanation of that one.) After going back and forth and me finding $445 round-trip airfare for both of us, we decided to book it. So we flew 2,000 miles to see one of my favorite bands reunite.

        And then I drove 40 miles to see them when they came to San Francisco 9 months later.

      • answered by gshellen on 06/29/2009
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    • I will, among other things, make use of my 'King of the Grill' apron this summer

      • eat some hot dogs
        I've only had one so far, at an A's v. Giants game at AT&T park, and it was unsatisfying. I rushed to purchase the first hot dog I saw, because it was at a stand with good beer and garlic fries and we were already late for the game. Now, I need a better dog with some grilled onions, brown mustard, etc.


        swim
        I think swimming is the only sport-ish thing I really enjoy (no sweating!), and I rarely do it. My brother has access to a pool, and I plan to exploit him for this.


        go to camp
        As a child, I was never given the opportunity that, if Hollywood is to be believed, was a rite of passage for so many kids: spending a week at summer camp. Next month, some friends and I are going on a vacation at a summer camp that promises to provide all the things I missed out on, except maybe the crush and first kiss, what with being married and 27 and all.


        master the grill
        I got a classic Coleman grill last year, and used it twice with questionable results. Now armed with a great BBQ book and a few lessons learned from my results, I will make sweet, sweet barbecue.


      • answered by gshellen on 06/29/2009
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    • Born just too late to see Steve Martin as a jerk

      • Made just a couple of years before I joined the world of the living, this film has influenced my sense of humor in a way that I could never (and would never want to) shake. It's ridiculous.

        From the opening line about Steve Martin's character being born a poor black child to the many misadventures he gets himself into, this movie will crack you up. But maybe not your wife.

      • answered by gshellen on 06/19/2009
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