One of my favorite Christmas stories--perhaps my # 1 favorite--is writer Mark Evanier's account of a December afternoon many years ago, when Mark was having lunch at Farmers Market in LA and noticed that singer Mel Tormé was also enjoying a nosh at Farmers Market at the same time. Mark's story of the events that followed is heartwarming, life-affirming, and bittersweet as all things in this mortal world must be. I re-read the story every year at this time, and it never fails to...get me, the way one should be affected by a touching story told well. If you've never read it, I recommend you read it now. If you have read it, I recommend you read it again:
I don't think I mention often enough how much influence Mark Evanier has had upon my own writing. His blog News From ME is the model for whatever the hell it is I do on my own blog, and that "whatever the hell it is I do" line is itself stolen from Mark's description of his role in writing Groo The Wanderer comic books. That model goes back to the 1980s, specifically to the text pieces Mark crafted for the comic book series he was writing at the time--Blackhawk, DNAgents, and especially Crossfire--and to his Comics Buyer's Guide column POV, which evolved into News From ME. Mark's personal style has had both conscious and unconscious impact on my first-person narratives, and his commitment to regular and frequent blogging conveys the message that blogging is a commitment; if you can't commit to blogging on some kind of consistent schedule, maybe blogging isn't for you. He has a larger audience than I do--most bloggers have a larger audience than I do--but News From ME is the reason I decided my blog had to be a daily thing. Other than cutting back for several months while dealing with the emotional aftermath of last year's stupid-head election results, I've hit that goal. Even with that slow-down, today's entry is Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do)'s 3,727th public post since kicking off on January 18th, 2016.
If you're not a fan of (ahem) whatever the hell it is I do, it's not Mark's fault. But if you've dug Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) at any point over the last almost-decade, Mark Evanier deserves credit for the inspiration.
I do not know Mark Evanier personally. I interviewed him for a history of bubblegum music I wrote for Goldmine magazine in 1997, we've exchanged a few emails (I've written, he's responded), but for the most part, the dynamic is that he writes stuff, and I'm a big fan of the stuff he writes. And one of the points of Mark's Mel Tormé story is that we should express our appreciation for things we deem important, for people who create things that delight us.
I appreciate what Mark Evanier creates. Check out News From ME, and most especially check out Mark Evanier's story about Mel Tormé. Your own appreciation awaits. And though it's been said many times many ways, Merry Christmas to you.
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I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.
This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. You can read about our history here
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