Chuck Palahniuk’s New Book!!!!

Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey

• Official website (but don’t bother, it’s fluff): http://www.randomhouse.com/doubleday/palahniuk/rant/
• Amazon.com
• Rant tour dates: http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/author/tour.php
• New York Times Review: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/books/07masl.html

Summary from http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/books/rant/:

Rant takes the form of a (fictional) oral history of Buster “Rant” Casey, in which an assortment of friends, enemies, admirers, detractors, and relations have their say on this evil character, who may or may not be the most efficient serial killer of our time.

Buster Casey was every small kid born in a small town, searching for real thrills in a world of video games and action/adventure movies. The high school rebel who always wins (and a childhood murderer?), Rant Casey escapes from his hometown of Middleton for the big city and becomes the leader of an urban demolition derby called Party Crashing, where on designated nights, the participants recognize each other by dressing their cars with tin-can tails, “Just Married” toothpaste graffiti, and other refuse, then look for designated markings in order to stalk and crash into each other. It’s in this violent, late-night hunting game that Casey meets three friends. And after his spectacular death, these friends gather the testimony needed to build an oral history of his short life. Their collected anecdotes explore the charges that his saliva infected hundreds and caused a silent, urban plague of rabies….

Expect hilarity and horror, and blazing insight into the desperate and surreal contemporary human condition as only Chuck Palahniuk can deliver it. He’s the postmillennial Jonathan Swift, the visionary to watch to learn what’s —uh-oh—coming next.

Excerpt from NY Times Review by Janet Maislin:

So “Rant” is a mash-up of earlier, better Palahniuk sucker punches, with elements of his “Fight Club” especially conspicuous this time. This book, like that one, has a violent, ritualistic secret society and a shocking identity switcheroo at its finale. It also has the gallows humor and gleeful adolescent malevolence that can make Mr. Palahniuk so bleakly entertaining. But its ingredients feel arbitrarily slapped together, despite Mr. Palahniuk’s ability to cast his malevolent fantasies in a visionary light. And this book’s structure as oral history is a tactical misstep. It trades Mr. Palahniuk’s scorchingly distinctive voice for a collection of flat and phony ones.

Disposing of Pets in Durham, NC

Sorry folks, but this post is a bit morbid. OK, really morbid, but I think it’s important to share. I live in Durham, NC. Here are the most important rules for burying pets in North Carolina (from the North Carolina general statutes):

• bury 300 feet from any flowing stream or body of water.
• bury at least three feet beneath the surface of the ground within 24 hours after death.

This information is available on the North Carolina General Assembly website.

With almost any problem, my first coping mechanism is gathering data. It gives me a sense of control. False control, in this case, but at least I’ll be prepared when Star’s life is indeed over. And focusing on the facts is an effective buffer against otherwise painful emotions. That’s my story for now, and it’s working. I’ll get to the painful emotions later.

Grey’s Anatomy Spin-Off

Last week I watched the two-hour Grey’s Anatomy. If you’re a Grey’s Anatomy fan, you know about the spin-off series for Addison, McDreamy’s ex-wife and McSteamy’s ex-lover. We saw a sneak-peak and, frankly, I find Addison’s new life much more interesting than the stale storylines that have dominated this season of Grey’s Anatomy. Most unbelievable of all–Izzie and George. Come on! I can barely watch them KISS. Opposites attract, but Izzie needs to get over this dead-fiance-rebound fling and move on. And Christina with Burke? Not quite as unlikely. They’re both ambitious, reserved, and pompous, but that’s the problem. BORING. Cut Christina free. She’s comfortable sailing through life alone. Pair Izzie with Mark Sloane. They’re both sexy and playful, plus they already suppress the flirting. Burke, despite your majestic cheekbones and flawless skin, that robotic personality is tiresome. You’re out, Blair Underwood á la Sex and the City is in. As for Grey and McDreamy, they’re only happy in bed. Get a mutual hobby! Do something other than lie around in bed.

Day one of chemo

Star had her first chemo treatment a few days ago. Elspar and Vincristine. And she’s on the requisite Prednisone. No side effects so far. In fact, she’s been her ole perky self, as perky as a basset hound can be. It’s as if life rewound a few months.

I know I’m being hopeful. I just can’t accept or want to deal with the fact that she might die in the next year. As I told a coworker this week, I’m better at distancing my feelings from the situation than some pet owners I know are. Had lots of practice over the years.

Anyway, Star’s getting plenty of attention these days–more walks and playtime, delicious canned food (versus the old Iams chunks) , sleeping in the bed. We’re making her last year extra special.