Friday, March 21, 2008
Candorville Coming to the Chronicle
While Doonesbury takes a break, the San Francisco Chronicle will run Darren Bell's Candorville. I'm a fan, so this is great news to me. I hope it becomes a regular.
Labels: comics
NBTF Angel Adventure - May 3, 2008
I will participate in the National Brain Tumor Foundation Angel Adventure on May 3, and invite everyone to join me, either in person or in spirit. And, of course, financially. You can go to My Fundraising Page and sponsor me (or better, join Team Jane). You can also use this handy little widget to participate. Either way, thank you.
Labels: brain tumor, Jane
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Ray Orrock Dies
I was sad to read that Ray Orrock, columnist for the Daily Review, has died. I read him daily when I was growing up and until he retired a few years ago.
I liked so much about him. His unadorned wit. His power of observation. His devotion to friends and family. His love of sports cars. The fact that he was a cartoonist. And the fact that writing was a second career for him -- he had originally worked in the public sector, if I recall correctly.
One of Mr. Orrock's taglines was "I'd buy him a drink." (As in, "If I met the guy who invented flavored lipstick, I'd buy him a drink.") About a week after my 21st birthday, I had the good fortune (with the help of some friends) to meet Ray Orrock for a drink at a bar on Winton Avenue in Hayward. It was a great visit.
I really wanted to buy him a drink, but Mr. Orrock insisted on paying. What a gentleman.
Mr. Orrock said in one of his columns long ago that he wanted a palindrome on his grave marker. Here's what he came up with: "Risk Corroded a Jaded Orrock, Sir." Brilliant. I hope he gets his wish.
I liked so much about him. His unadorned wit. His power of observation. His devotion to friends and family. His love of sports cars. The fact that he was a cartoonist. And the fact that writing was a second career for him -- he had originally worked in the public sector, if I recall correctly.
One of Mr. Orrock's taglines was "I'd buy him a drink." (As in, "If I met the guy who invented flavored lipstick, I'd buy him a drink.") About a week after my 21st birthday, I had the good fortune (with the help of some friends) to meet Ray Orrock for a drink at a bar on Winton Avenue in Hayward. It was a great visit.
I really wanted to buy him a drink, but Mr. Orrock insisted on paying. What a gentleman.
Mr. Orrock said in one of his columns long ago that he wanted a palindrome on his grave marker. Here's what he came up with: "Risk Corroded a Jaded Orrock, Sir." Brilliant. I hope he gets his wish.
Jill Sobule and Fan Financing
I saw an AP story about Jill Sobule, who's collecting money to record her next record. A snippet from the article:
I've seen Jill just once, at Judith Owen and Harry Shearer's Holiday Sing-Along in 2006. She was fabulous.
You can contribute at JillsNextRecord.com. I'm in; I just have to decide how much.
Contributors can choose a level of pledges ranging from the $10 "unpolished rock," which earns them a free digital download of her disc when it's made, to the $10,000 "weapons-grade plutonium level," where she promises "you get to come and sing on my CD. Don't worry if you can't sing - we can fix that on our end."
For the $500 "gold level," Sobule will mention your name in a song, maybe even rhyme with it. The $750 "gold doubloons level" is "exactly like the gold level, but you give me more money."
I've seen Jill just once, at Judith Owen and Harry Shearer's Holiday Sing-Along in 2006. She was fabulous.
You can contribute at JillsNextRecord.com. I'm in; I just have to decide how much.
