Fred: You think wedding vows are going to change everything? God, your naivete is astounding! Didn't you see "The Graduate"?
Ted: You can remember "The Graduate"?
Fred: Yeah, I can remember a few things. Apparently you don't. The end? Katharine Ross has just married this really cool guy - tall, blond, incredibly popular, the make-out king of his fraternity in Berkeley - when this obnoxious Dustin Hoffman character shows up at the back of the church, acting like a total asshole. "Elaine! Elaine!" Does Katharine Ross tell Dustin Hoffman, "Get lost, creep. I'm a married woman"? No. She runs off with him - on a bus. That is the reality.
--Barcelona (1994)
Daily Affirmations with Chris Reeder is now exactly one year old today, and this will celebrate that birthday, and the fact that there’ve been exactly 100 posts (this is #101, which is sort of like celebrating your 40th birthday on your 41st-it makes no sense but at some point people quit counting). Rather than doing some sitcom-like review of the blog’s greatest hits, the DA staff thought it would be interesting to interview the writer, editor, and publisher, no its not Richard Marx, its Chris Reeder. We managed to catch up with him for an interview while he was between Three’s Company episodes on the TV.com channel.
Daily Affirmations: First off, congratulations on the 100th post and the year of fun on the blog. What has blogging meant to you?
Chris Reeder: Thanks alter ego. Well, its been a great chance to help the kids out there, and everyone else, by providing a positive, community-oriented message in these days where we’re deluged with negative and destructive images. It gives me a real sense of fulfillment knowing that I can help so many people by sharing my experiences and the lessons they’ve taught me. Uh, by the way, you need to stop making direct eye contact. And I don’t expect my drink’s going to refill itself now, is it?
DA: What gave you the inspiration to start the blog?
CR: It started as a means of describing my trip to Seattle, without having to tell the same stories 20 different times. “Read my blog, peace out” had a lot more appeal to it than telling the same 15 minute story over and over and over. I had previously written descriptions of my trips to New Zealand and Western Canada that people seemed to like (actually, by "people" I mean Danny Bivens, so that may not have been the most reliable indicator). Anyway, those had been fun to write, so I thought, why not enter the modern age and blog, just like the kids?
DA: Where does the name “Daily Affirmations with Chris Reeder” come from?
CR: Sacrilege! Have you not seen Stuart Smalley? That’s back when more than 10 people were interested in listening to Al Franken.
DA: What have been some your more successful posts?
CR: They’ve all been successful. What do you mean? Actually, my favorite was the Daily Affirmation Skills Inventory for Men. The one for Mom’s birthday was the best one though.
DA: What were some posts that you think didn’t work as well as you hoped?
CR: The one about Mike Gundy didn’t work too well. It was supposed to be part one of a two-parter. The first part talked about how failure is good, and the second part was going to talk about how parents are making it impossible for their kids to go through the humbling childhood experiences and failures that build character and provide wisdom. Without the second part, the first part just seemed like some tweaked-out philosophy professor guest hosting the Art Bell show. I also should have expanded the one where I talked about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Madonna being in it. I may do that in the future.
DA: What kind of feedback have you received about the blog?
CR: Mom liked it. I get these messages from time to time that people are reading, but no one submits comments anymore. I guess its kind of like People magazine or the Enquirer-lots of people read but no one will publicly admit to it.
DA: Where do you get the ideas for posts?
CR: My innate brilliance just churns out exciting and provocative subjects every day. That, and I’ll just read or hear things. I listen to far too much sports talk radio and skim far too many news sites looking at headlines.
DA: How do you go about writing?
CR: I have this thing called a pen (for those of you under 30, that’s this narrow device with this indelible liquid called “ink” which leaves a permanent stain on paper when you press down on it). I use said “pen” to outline my thoughts, usually on a scrap piece of paper or envelope that may or may not have chicken crumbs or grease stains on it. Then I type it in word, then cut and paste into the blog, then try to add as many internet links as I can before I get totally bored or start falling asleep. When on a trip, I actually keep a little spiral notebook in which I take notes on things I'm seeing. Doing the blog has really affected how I enjoy travel. Before, I just sort of took in the entirety of the experience. Now, I notice little details that add color. I'm not really a good enough writer to convey the quality of a band at a performance, for example, but I can write two paragraphs on the old guy 10 feet from the stage wearing a tye-dye shirt and a diaper and dancing with a hula hoop. I’m sure teenage girls have observed me writing my notes and said to one another, “look at that old man writing notes, that’s just soooo precious! My grandfather used to do that!”
DA: Has anyone ever gotten mad or upset about something you’ve written?
CR: Yes. Thus prompting a disclaimer post that I wrote several months ago. Once again, just in case there’s any doubt, I don’t write about any of you and I don’t write with any of you in mind. Get over yourselves-if I was interested enough to write about you, I’d probably have made a point of actually talking to you.
DA: We notice you make a lot of references to 1960s and 70s television shows and movies. What is it about those shows that you find compelling?
CR: To me, those shows reflect the good old days. You know, where the man wears a suit all day, comes home to perfectly behaved kids and an immaculate house that never seems to need maintenance (or if it does, you just call the neighborhood handyman who does it with a smile), and a beautiful wife ready to fulfill his every wish without a single thought of putting herself before her kids or her man. And who wears pearls while she vacuums the den. Too bad life was in black and white back then.
DA: So who’s more powerful, Jeannie or Samantha?
CR: I think the more important question is who’s hotter, and no question, its Jeannie. She always wears see through pants and a belly outfit, doesn’t have creepy uncle Paul Lynde showing up all the time, goes home at night to her own bottle, rolls with Phil Spector , and calls you “Master.” Now that’s what I call working the inside part of the plate.
DA: You seem to know an awful lot about musicals, as well as the movie Top Gun. What’s up with that?
CR: What have you heard? I mean, its not true. I mean, what are you getting at?
DA: You spend a lot of time talking about obscure music on the blog. What are you hoping to accomplish with that?
CR: I guess there I’m talking to myself, but I really like classic rock (or as Michael Beaudo puts it, “classical rock”). I’ve always thought music adds a certain color to life; its an art form you don’t have to go to a museum or gallery to appreciate, and it conveys emotions that mere words are often inadequate to capture. Good food, good music, dancing, compelling sports events, stimulating conversation…these all give color and texture to an otherwise blank canvas world. Plus, sometimes its just fun to rock out.
DA: Beatles or the Stones?
CR: I am the walrus.
DA: Let’s talk a bit about the links. What are you hoping to accomplish with the selected links?
CR: Just things that interest me, and I’m hoping will interest you.
DA: Who has influenced your writing style?
CR: No one. I just kind of write what I hear one of the dozens of voices in my head says. Then I try to change passive to active voice and minimize prepositions.
DA: Some people say you don’t like or approve of marriage, and some of your posts, and even the quote that has opened this post, seem anti-marriage. Is that true?
CR: This represents the one real mistake I’ve made in this blog, making people think that. Well, that and droning on about the brilliance of the 57th chanky-chank band for the day at Jazz Festival. For the record, not only do I not disapprove of marriage, I greatly value it. That’s why I’ve been so cautious to marry the “right” person. When I see married people doing and saying some of the things I’ve discussed, it makes me wonder aloud “what’s up?” I should have made it more clear that I was wondering how do people make it work, not why do people go to the trouble in the first place. Then again, if you can’t take a joke, beat it.
DA: Do you read other blogs, and what do you think of them?
CR: Just those of some friends. They’re pretty good. I’ve seen others. They’re sort of like people whining about stupid crap. “Why won’t X call me?” “When will I get a job?” “Why am I the dullest freaking person in the entire world?”
DA: What are some upcoming posts?
CR: I need to do a request posting on why Obama is the most dangerous man in America. Then I want to preview the Argentina trip, then postings from Argentina. On a more long-term front, I want to try to do more frequent posts, but of shorter length.
DA: What’s next for Chris Reeder?
CR: I’ll be heading over to the Australian and Hawaiian internationals, and then me and Mick are going to wing on over to London and jam with the Stones.
DA: Is there anything else you want to add?
CR: As long as we’re in a Fast Times at Ridgemont High mode, how about Damone’s five rules for men dating:
1. Never let on how much you like a girl. “Oh, Debbie [Harry], hi.”
2. You always call the shots. "Kiss me. You won't regret it."
3. Act like wherever you are, that's the place to be. "Isn't this great?"
4. When ordering food, you find out what she wants, then order for the both of you. It's a classy move. "Now, the lady will have the linguini and white clam sauce, and a Coke with no ice."
5. “Now this is the most important, Rat. When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV.”
Ted: You can remember "The Graduate"?
Fred: Yeah, I can remember a few things. Apparently you don't. The end? Katharine Ross has just married this really cool guy - tall, blond, incredibly popular, the make-out king of his fraternity in Berkeley - when this obnoxious Dustin Hoffman character shows up at the back of the church, acting like a total asshole. "Elaine! Elaine!" Does Katharine Ross tell Dustin Hoffman, "Get lost, creep. I'm a married woman"? No. She runs off with him - on a bus. That is the reality.
--Barcelona (1994)
Daily Affirmations with Chris Reeder is now exactly one year old today, and this will celebrate that birthday, and the fact that there’ve been exactly 100 posts (this is #101, which is sort of like celebrating your 40th birthday on your 41st-it makes no sense but at some point people quit counting). Rather than doing some sitcom-like review of the blog’s greatest hits, the DA staff thought it would be interesting to interview the writer, editor, and publisher, no its not Richard Marx, its Chris Reeder. We managed to catch up with him for an interview while he was between Three’s Company episodes on the TV.com channel.
Daily Affirmations: First off, congratulations on the 100th post and the year of fun on the blog. What has blogging meant to you?
Chris Reeder: Thanks alter ego. Well, its been a great chance to help the kids out there, and everyone else, by providing a positive, community-oriented message in these days where we’re deluged with negative and destructive images. It gives me a real sense of fulfillment knowing that I can help so many people by sharing my experiences and the lessons they’ve taught me. Uh, by the way, you need to stop making direct eye contact. And I don’t expect my drink’s going to refill itself now, is it?
DA: What gave you the inspiration to start the blog?
CR: It started as a means of describing my trip to Seattle, without having to tell the same stories 20 different times. “Read my blog, peace out” had a lot more appeal to it than telling the same 15 minute story over and over and over. I had previously written descriptions of my trips to New Zealand and Western Canada that people seemed to like (actually, by "people" I mean Danny Bivens, so that may not have been the most reliable indicator). Anyway, those had been fun to write, so I thought, why not enter the modern age and blog, just like the kids?
DA: Where does the name “Daily Affirmations with Chris Reeder” come from?
CR: Sacrilege! Have you not seen Stuart Smalley? That’s back when more than 10 people were interested in listening to Al Franken.
DA: What have been some your more successful posts?
CR: They’ve all been successful. What do you mean? Actually, my favorite was the Daily Affirmation Skills Inventory for Men. The one for Mom’s birthday was the best one though.
DA: What were some posts that you think didn’t work as well as you hoped?
CR: The one about Mike Gundy didn’t work too well. It was supposed to be part one of a two-parter. The first part talked about how failure is good, and the second part was going to talk about how parents are making it impossible for their kids to go through the humbling childhood experiences and failures that build character and provide wisdom. Without the second part, the first part just seemed like some tweaked-out philosophy professor guest hosting the Art Bell show. I also should have expanded the one where I talked about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Madonna being in it. I may do that in the future.
DA: What kind of feedback have you received about the blog?
CR: Mom liked it. I get these messages from time to time that people are reading, but no one submits comments anymore. I guess its kind of like People magazine or the Enquirer-lots of people read but no one will publicly admit to it.
DA: Where do you get the ideas for posts?
CR: My innate brilliance just churns out exciting and provocative subjects every day. That, and I’ll just read or hear things. I listen to far too much sports talk radio and skim far too many news sites looking at headlines.
DA: How do you go about writing?
CR: I have this thing called a pen (for those of you under 30, that’s this narrow device with this indelible liquid called “ink” which leaves a permanent stain on paper when you press down on it). I use said “pen” to outline my thoughts, usually on a scrap piece of paper or envelope that may or may not have chicken crumbs or grease stains on it. Then I type it in word, then cut and paste into the blog, then try to add as many internet links as I can before I get totally bored or start falling asleep. When on a trip, I actually keep a little spiral notebook in which I take notes on things I'm seeing. Doing the blog has really affected how I enjoy travel. Before, I just sort of took in the entirety of the experience. Now, I notice little details that add color. I'm not really a good enough writer to convey the quality of a band at a performance, for example, but I can write two paragraphs on the old guy 10 feet from the stage wearing a tye-dye shirt and a diaper and dancing with a hula hoop. I’m sure teenage girls have observed me writing my notes and said to one another, “look at that old man writing notes, that’s just soooo precious! My grandfather used to do that!”
DA: Has anyone ever gotten mad or upset about something you’ve written?
CR: Yes. Thus prompting a disclaimer post that I wrote several months ago. Once again, just in case there’s any doubt, I don’t write about any of you and I don’t write with any of you in mind. Get over yourselves-if I was interested enough to write about you, I’d probably have made a point of actually talking to you.
DA: We notice you make a lot of references to 1960s and 70s television shows and movies. What is it about those shows that you find compelling?
CR: To me, those shows reflect the good old days. You know, where the man wears a suit all day, comes home to perfectly behaved kids and an immaculate house that never seems to need maintenance (or if it does, you just call the neighborhood handyman who does it with a smile), and a beautiful wife ready to fulfill his every wish without a single thought of putting herself before her kids or her man. And who wears pearls while she vacuums the den. Too bad life was in black and white back then.
DA: So who’s more powerful, Jeannie or Samantha?
CR: I think the more important question is who’s hotter, and no question, its Jeannie. She always wears see through pants and a belly outfit, doesn’t have creepy uncle Paul Lynde showing up all the time, goes home at night to her own bottle, rolls with Phil Spector , and calls you “Master.” Now that’s what I call working the inside part of the plate.
DA: You seem to know an awful lot about musicals, as well as the movie Top Gun. What’s up with that?
CR: What have you heard? I mean, its not true. I mean, what are you getting at?
DA: You spend a lot of time talking about obscure music on the blog. What are you hoping to accomplish with that?
CR: I guess there I’m talking to myself, but I really like classic rock (or as Michael Beaudo puts it, “classical rock”). I’ve always thought music adds a certain color to life; its an art form you don’t have to go to a museum or gallery to appreciate, and it conveys emotions that mere words are often inadequate to capture. Good food, good music, dancing, compelling sports events, stimulating conversation…these all give color and texture to an otherwise blank canvas world. Plus, sometimes its just fun to rock out.
DA: Beatles or the Stones?
CR: I am the walrus.
DA: Let’s talk a bit about the links. What are you hoping to accomplish with the selected links?
CR: Just things that interest me, and I’m hoping will interest you.
DA: Who has influenced your writing style?
CR: No one. I just kind of write what I hear one of the dozens of voices in my head says. Then I try to change passive to active voice and minimize prepositions.
DA: Some people say you don’t like or approve of marriage, and some of your posts, and even the quote that has opened this post, seem anti-marriage. Is that true?
CR: This represents the one real mistake I’ve made in this blog, making people think that. Well, that and droning on about the brilliance of the 57th chanky-chank band for the day at Jazz Festival. For the record, not only do I not disapprove of marriage, I greatly value it. That’s why I’ve been so cautious to marry the “right” person. When I see married people doing and saying some of the things I’ve discussed, it makes me wonder aloud “what’s up?” I should have made it more clear that I was wondering how do people make it work, not why do people go to the trouble in the first place. Then again, if you can’t take a joke, beat it.
DA: Do you read other blogs, and what do you think of them?
CR: Just those of some friends. They’re pretty good. I’ve seen others. They’re sort of like people whining about stupid crap. “Why won’t X call me?” “When will I get a job?” “Why am I the dullest freaking person in the entire world?”
DA: What are some upcoming posts?
CR: I need to do a request posting on why Obama is the most dangerous man in America. Then I want to preview the Argentina trip, then postings from Argentina. On a more long-term front, I want to try to do more frequent posts, but of shorter length.
DA: What’s next for Chris Reeder?
CR: I’ll be heading over to the Australian and Hawaiian internationals, and then me and Mick are going to wing on over to London and jam with the Stones.
DA: Is there anything else you want to add?
CR: As long as we’re in a Fast Times at Ridgemont High mode, how about Damone’s five rules for men dating:
1. Never let on how much you like a girl. “Oh, Debbie [Harry], hi.”
2. You always call the shots. "Kiss me. You won't regret it."
3. Act like wherever you are, that's the place to be. "Isn't this great?"
4. When ordering food, you find out what she wants, then order for the both of you. It's a classy move. "Now, the lady will have the linguini and white clam sauce, and a Coke with no ice."
5. “Now this is the most important, Rat. When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV.”
Amen, brother.
For those that never actually had that album in the pre-CD era to know what is on “side one,” that consists of Black Dog, Rock and Roll, Battle of Evermore, and Stairway to Heaven.
Oh, and for future reference, now that I’ve turned 44, most days I feel like this guy.
3 comments:
Chris! The reason no one posts a comment is you outwrite everyone. EVERYONE! You are simply one of the best writers I know. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Daily Affirmations. I am sorry I don't make it here more often - I just plain forget to read blogs. Gotta get in the habit, I guess. I love you, Kimberly. PS - totally agree with you about marriage.
Dear DA:
Just wanted to give you a shout-out on your one-year anniversary (and you say you’re a commitment-phobe!).
I can’t tell you how this blog has changed my life and my employer’s for that matter, seeing as I spend more time reading it than actually working (and let’s face it, I was a little light on the “working” to begin with).
Your insights are clever, interesting, slightly wacked-out, but always hilarious, which if you think about it, pretty much describes you.
RE: your views on marriage: I think you should find a cute girl and settle down. Stat.
Dear DA:
Just wanted to give you a shout-out on your one-year anniversary (and you say you’re a commitment-phobe!).
I can’t tell you how this blog has changed my life and my employer’s for that matter, seeing as I spend more time reading it than actually working (and let’s face it, I was a little light on the “working” to begin with).
Your insights are clever, interesting, slightly wacked-out, but always hilarious, which if you think about it, pretty much describes you.
RE: your views on marriage: I think you should find a cute girl and settle down. Stat.
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