[via S/FJ]
9. It deserves mention that several details refer to sex
There is a female figure. Her umbilicus is a cherub, the umbilicus is the navel, which is a nose. The two lips are the chamber of the womb. The writings on the picture denote the evil spirit of conduct. The key to love is: hope. Only the insistence of love can motivate one to love. Some of the sexual representations are almost obscene. I shall come later to ask whether the symbols are valid. Note the cephalopods.--Rick Moody, Rules for Flagellants, Black Clock, vol. 1.
The corner of Forsyth and Rivington is a good place for octopi. The cinetrix knows this because she is at risk of meeting herself coming and going. Which is to say, I Travel Packed myself down to New York and back all in one day yesterday. To those I didn't get to see, count yourselves fortunate to miss out on my germs. [And for those doing the math, yes, that is eight hours in a bus for six hours on the ground. It was worth it.]
My left-brain co-conspirator was in from the left coast for the Black Clock launch party at the Bowery Poetry Club [hi, Bob!] yesterday afternoon. The bar was open, the readers were good, the journal looks handsome, and the people I spoke with were uniformly nice.
Did the cinetrix mention the bar was open? I blame my enthusiastic embrace of that unexpected largesse, as well as the aforementioned bus ride/cold med combo, for the exchange I had with the v. nice Rick Moody, which pivoted on me [charmingly, I hope] admitting I'd never read any of his books [although I've doubtless read various New Yorker pieces through the years, and the Ice Storm gave me powerful macrame flashbacks]. I also confided that he didn't look at all like I thought he would. [In fact, I'd earlier clocked some other familiar-looking guy as Moody. Wonder who he was?] I told him he looked like an indie rock boy, which seemed to please him. He does. One of those earnest, straight-edge types from back in the day.
So, anyway. Rick Moody, nice talking. I should get back to the whole film thing now. Enjoy the cephalopod.
Yrs.,
cinetrix
UPDATE: TEV's correspondent is pretty hilarious about the West Coast launch party, especially the whole Michael Ventura as Eli Cash bit. Vamanos, amigos.
