The Wes Anderson Situation : The Second Line

After my post made directly after standing in line for the quickest five hours of my life, I did not in fact fall asleep.

Actually, I went to Midas and had my car repaired. I'm not saying what exactly I had done because it was embarrassing. I will say that it cost me $5.11.

A little later, I was lounging in the Gargoyle office. Mostly sleeping and pretending to read The Argonautika. Zack, the man for whom I was standing in line for that morning, dropped in and quickly grabbed the coveted wrist band with only moments before the interview with Wes Anderson was scheduled to start at Borders. He returned, glowing, half an hour later.

He said his life was better.

It's hard to describe what happened next. There was a lot of going back and forth, yelling, and negotiating. I'm going to try to get this across to you, gentle reader, as succinctly as I can.

Cathy Fisher, my friend whom I spent the morning in line with, called me from the new line forming outside of the Michigan Theatre. She, like me, had obtained a pass to see The Darjeeling Limited. She had also taken one of the Gargoyle's coveted bombs and had Jason Schwarzman as well as Wes Anderson sign it. Their names will live on in history, along with both members of They Might Be Giants. But I digress.

Fearing that the bomb might get damaged (or worse confiscated) in the theatre I quickly ferried it back to the safety of the Office. However, upon my return I found that they had begun to bring people into the theatre from not one but two lines! Within seconds, the flow stopped with between 50 and 100 angry people still outside, hopelessly waving colored vouchers. I was among them, though perhaps far less vocal than the rest.

Tempers were high, to say the least. Curses were thrown. Managers and underlings were berated equally by the crowd. Someone would come out from the theatre, inform us that it was hopeless and that we were wasting our time. Shouts would rise from the back of the mob about promises, about how much time they had spent in line, about the questionable parentage of the manager. No fewer than three people on behalf of the theatre came out, and left noticeably deflated by the angry throng.

I felt bad for both sides, really. Borders had bungled the whole thing by passing out numbered, signed, but apparently worthless vouchers to the first fifty people in line. The Michigan Theatre had not anticipated the popularity of the film, and had obviously given away far too many vouchers, and also had no system in place for sorting the people waiting to get in.

There was visible disagreement within the theatre. A man in a camel-hair suit, who towered over the underlings that came out to speak to the crowd was seen shouting, or at least talking sternly, within the lobby. Eventually, a man in a pinstripe suit emerged and ordered all "purple vouchers" against the wall - a certain number of us would be let in. With some jostling, and quick reflexes, I made it inside.

FRIDAY: The People I Met, and the Movie Itself!

SUNDAY: Wilco At the Fox

This weekend, the Student Publications building is being rededicated as The Stanford Lipsey Publication Building. Guess who dropped 3.3 million on the project! There will also be the odd-year Gargoyle Alumni reunion. Pictures and stories to follow.

Announcement!

On December 25th, 2006 I received a Wii for Christmas. Along with this whopper of a gift, I also received a copy of "Zelda: Twilight Princess."

On October 21st, 2007 I beat Twilight Princess.

I think I might be the last Wii owner in America to do this, but this is the situation.

Two Things

1. I still need to talk about Wes Anderson. There's not much to say, really, but it was such a big deal that I need to wind it up.

2. I cannot say enough good things about tonight's Wilco show. It was fun, it was dead on. The band went all the way back to A.M. and hit every album in between (save for, oddly, either Mermaid album).

So there's a lot coming. I have some more reading to do, and a paper to work on, but I be sure to fill all of you in.

Thank you, Gentle Readers.

It Seemed Better in the Dark

I woke up at 4am today. I want that up front, since that might explain everything that happens from here on in.

A few days ago, my friends and I noticed a sign in the window of the local Border's. It announced the coming of acclaimed director Wes Anderson, who would be speaking and presenting a screening of his new film The Darjeeling Limited. My friends, Cathy and Zack planned to get into line very early this morning in order to get passes both to the film as well as the lecture/Q&A thing.

Zack, however, felt that the appeal of the director would be limited and decided to go home and try to get tickets a few hours before the presentation. Last night, Cathy convinced him of his folly.

This is where I come in.

I like Wes Anderson, and I think that his films are great. However, I saw no purpose in my going to see him speak. I had decided that my involvement would be limited to scoping out the venue the night before to see if a line was already forming. When Zack decided to come later, however, I offered to serve as a ringer -- to stand in line for him so that he could see Wes Anderson speak and I could see the movie.

The decision was made. I met Cathy outside Border's Books and Music around 4:10am, Monday.

3pm Monday : Zack should arrive in Ann Arbor
6pm Monday : Wes Anderson speaking event
7:15 pm Monday : Film screening

I don't know exactly how all this will go down. Judging how the line was this morning, I can't imagine that it will too awful.

Details as they develop.

PS.
I neglected to mention what I got from Writing as Business Symposium (apparently, it was a symposium).
Basically I learned that:

1. Copy Writing sounds like a good job
2. Advertising agencies hire english majors
3. "You are not reading enough."
4. "You are not writing enough."
5. You can get a job in the field without a graduate degree -- this was key. My current thinking is that I do not want to go to Grad School until I am sure what I want to do with the degree.

There was also an interesting, but less practical discussion, on the role of critics and reviewing. More on that, some other time.

Open The Mysterious Bag!

Thats right, kiddies. I got a hair cut, and this time its pretty serious.



But all in all, I am very happy with it.



It was time for a change, anyway.

My friend and former roommate Hyatt has told me several times, "Max, the day you cut your hair is the day we have to grow up."

Immediately, I thought of "Tall Buildings."
Don't worry, H-Man and everyone else, I am certainly not any different. Just much, much more attractive.

I do think I kind of look like Matt, though.

Hair

A Question!

What is in this mysterious black bag!?

Find out at 5pm, October 4th!