And a couple of quickies:
Hi, Neil - Denis Kitchen mentioned to me yesterday that you had suggested that we add a spot on the willeisner.com site where friends, fans, etc. could leave a comment or share a memory. Just wanted to let you know that we had done that. It can be found at: http://willeisner.com/condolences/ . (It's also linked to from the front door and news page of the site.) So far there's been about 90 comments from all over the world - as one would expect given Will's popularity in so many countries. It's been very helpful to see so many people sharing memories about how he touched their lives. Hope that you're doing well. Sincerely, Jamie Riehle
(I did another interview last night about Will with the LA Times.)
...
People have written and asked. Someone's already come to their rescue....
Neil-- Well, I'm sure that you knew you were doomed to see something like it again as soon as you referred to a page that listed years when calendars could be reused, so here it is: http://www.thisiscool.com/SaveThatCalendar.htm has a nifty little Java applet that will let you enter a year and see a list of years with identical days of the week. However, it should be pointed out that this does not take into account the dates of roaming holidays like Easter, which can take forever to reoccur on the same date-- for example, a 1940 calandar can't be reused until 5280 if you want identical Easter dates... --Matthew
Thanks so much.
Hiya, Neil...I've been informed by Tom Hall of the Sarasota Film Festival that you and Dave (and MirrorMask) will be coming down to see us when you've finished at Sundance. I'm really looking forward to meeting you and I hope that you find Sarasota sufficiently pleasurable to warrant a return trip sometime.There are a lot of people here very excited about both you and the film (which, being a projectionist, I'll hopefully be able to watch several times). Any plans to update "Where's Neil" with your festival appearances both here and at Sundance?Thanks for your time, Shawn McBee
Yes, if there are things I'm doing, other than being at screenings. I'm waiting for Hensons to let me know.
And finally...
Dear Neil,
Have you noticed the furore yet about the BBC's showing of Jerry Springer the Opera on BBC2 at 10pm on tomorrow (Saturday 8th)?
BBC has apparently received 15,000 complaints already.
http://talk.workunlimited.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1384087,00.html
Writer Stewart Lee says:
'Apparently it includes 3,168 F-words. Who has had the time to count this? Have you any idea how long it would take to sing 3,168 F-words? There obviously aren't 3,168 F-words in it, there couldn't be that many in two hours even if that was the only word which was sung. (Maybe it would be good if the show was just that - it would have a kind of Morton Feldman/John Cage quality)
'I also read that there are 297 uses of the word "cunt". There are in fact only seven - three as a noun, and four as an adjective.
'Neither Mary, God, not Jesus are represented as "self-centred sexual deviants" - unless being 'a bit gay', which Jesus says he is, counts a sexual deviance, which we hardly feel it does. Both God and Mary are represented with the utmost respect, as is their holy due.'
from http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/Jan05/springer030102.php
Myself, I'm very greatful to the religious protestors because I hadn't known about the broadcast till they made a fuss about it, and I will certainly be watching it. (Principally because you have mentioned the show enthusiastically several times in the blog - aargh, have just realised that this will be yet another example of me doing something as a result of being guided by the word of Neil. Ah well.)
Happy New Year,
Maria Ng
Sounds like the complaining people will do wonderful things for the viewing figures.