Yeah, you're right—they were a vaudeville act in the 30s
I like to show off my smarty-pants friends now and then, and this occasion brings a half-dozen ways to do it: my estimable colleague, Joel D Canfield, is hosting a book-release party on the eleventh of November in Philadelphia. Joel (who besides making wicked pancakes) dabbles in necromancy and other dark arts, so he has scheduled his publishing party on 11-11-11, a day when normally steadfast digits and the earth itself both tilt on their axes. In order to cause numerologists to scramble to their interpretive books all the quicker, Joel has folded two other units into the numeral batter: 6/6.
Those dancing digits herald a titanic feat: he’s published six books in the last six months! And he rarely sweats! Though, as you might imagine from that kind of output, he does expound.
Four of the works are from the apocalyptic potato cellar of his own imagination, one is an immortal act of co-authorship with the stirring soul of Renaissance Man/poetic social theorist/quasi-historian/tooth-tugger Richard Wilson and one is co-authored with Change Catalyst Shanna Mann. Behold the list:
Through the Fog—An Irish Mystery
The Time is Now 11:59—Heretical Thinking for Tomorrow’s Business (with a foreword by Rick Wilson)
Getting Your Book Out of the “Someday” Box
Hits or Niches: Why Marketing is Boring, Obnoxious, & Annoying, & What You Can Do About It (with Rick Wilson)
Permission Granted: Create Something Remarkable. Start Now.
Why We Lead—Conversations on the Scarcity of Confidence and the Nature of Leadership (with Shanna Mann)
The works are available both in print form and from the aether, from the usual electronic suspects. The publishing party will be held at Cafe Nola, a New–Orleans style venue where the Bananas Foster is said to reign supreme. Along with flaming confectionary dishes, Joel will be attempting to eat full print versions of all the books. It’s unclear if famed hot-dog competitive eating champion Joey Chestnut will be vying for this literary-comestibles crown.
There’s a Facebook page trumpeting the occasion and Joel’s Someday Box page has links to buy these and his other books as well. On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia that day, but I won’t be able to make it. Save me a banana, boys. (On second thought, just save me the cognac.)
Researchers in the fields of psychology, sociology, genealogy, eschatology (not to be confused with scatology) and ecobioaccessorology report that people going through cataclysmic situations are more likely to look to a man in suspenders (or braces, as the English call ’em) for leadership.
OK. I just made most of that up. But I do think more men should wear suspenders. And hats.
And I think it’s a bit of brilliant marketing to usher in the apocalypse, and throw a publishing party, on 11-11-11 in the City of Brotherly Love.
Hope it’s a great party, Joel.
Annie, I have immediately added “ecobioaccessorology” to my lexicon. (I did add some spats; not that it needed dressing up.)
Joel as MC of the apocalypse: at least the music will be good. I would wear suspenders too, but I’m afraid the overall impression would be a Hee-Haw revival.
Imagine everyone’s surprise when I drop another 20 pounds and never wear suspenders again . . .
Yeah, but Joel, you’re one of those guys who actually make suspenders look good. (I really do mean that, but you can still buy me a drink next time we connect.)
I’ll bear that in mind . . . and I’ll set aside a few bucks for that high end bourbon you had in mind.