Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Bolano's Liver


Mr. Ashdale,

I am reading this morning about the life of a writer you have referred to several times recently - the Chilean novelist Roberto Bolaño.

Apparently Bolano died of an unspecified liver ailment in 2003, at the age of 50.

Could the death of Bolano somehow be connected to your focus on the organ of drink?

People say that Bolano's drink of choice was heroin and that he died of it but...

"numerous Latin American and European critics and bloggers have taken the side of his widow, accusing American critics and publishers of deliberately distorting the writer’s past to fit him into the familiar mold of the tortured artist."

What do you think? Was he tortured? And did he have drink? I haven't read him yet. Though now that I recall the size of the book - I am not sure that I am up to another dismembering.

BTW - I am now intrigued by Bolano after reading the NYT piece and finding out he was a literary game player "who played with reality, who cultivated ambiguities and false identities".

One of my favourite writers in this regard is Nabokov - who by the way wrote a beautiful little autobiography called Speak Memory. I'm afraid now that I may have to tackle Bolano at some point, including his as yet unwritten biography. Damn. More f*ucking torturous reading. Why can't a book just be injected into one's head? It would be a lot easier that way and maybe offer a different type of pleasure - perhaps like taking heroin.

> Info Source

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

All You Need is Aspirin



I love coincidences.

Just after reading Mr. Ashdale's liver post, my son asked me to check the weather on the local newspaper site and the article at the top of the page announced a new breakthrough drug for...the liver.

The drug?

Aspirin:

"Aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties appear to be especially potent on the liver and may well help protect the blood-cleansing organ from the damaging effects of everything from drug overdoses to binge drinking."

Check it out.

Think I'll stop at the drug store after work today.

Monday, January 26, 2009

The hooking technique

I had my check-up last week. The doctor asked, "How many drinks a night?" When a doctor asks that question what does he multiply the answer by, I wondered.

Then followed by a liver exam. Specifically, the hooking technique:

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Kinship with great writers who are famous for their drinking

Pinot -

Like you I have found that the comments in the NYT drink blog are almost as interesting as the posts themselves.

Here's a comment (#29) that interests me:

"I have a feeling all good teachers have something to help them unwind, and it seems that for many it happens to be drinking. As an English teacher, I feel kinship with all those great writers who are famous for their drinking."

> Info Source

Teaching and Drinking

I'd like to thank Pinot for reminding me of the superb NYT drink blog.

Yes - Pinot - a very interesting piece on teachers struggling to find a comfortable way to enjoy a drink - like the rest of the world.

I liked this idea:

"Unlike most other professions, this one drains you completely, refilling you with its own insular, infinite concerns. The intensity may ebb and flow, but it never disappears."

> Info Source

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Meeting

Meeting #1
I am Drink Club
The Dora Keough
Wed Jan 21, 2009
730-930pm

Purpose: drinking and talking

Greetings Boys.

Thought I'd give this a try.

Early drinks, just a few, during a short time frame (thereby demonstrating our self-discipline) - whenever the mood strikes us. Any of the contributers can call a meeting, any time, perferably at the last minute - and no one is required to show. Totally optional, low pressure situation which in most cases will amount to me announcing when and where I'll be drinking and wondering if you might join in.

One of the benefits of these meetings could be improved content for the site.

Thoughts?

Anyways I'll be at the Dora at 730 tonight.

Love,

JV

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Do Backyard Rinks have Drink?

Well, they might. Something about the process of creating and maintaining them does, anyway. Lately I've been spending untold hours in a frozen netherworld at the back of my back yard, preoccupied with boards, tarps, slope, snow, pipes, hoses, leaks, and, of course, weather. All this to provide my progeny with a 20' x 20' sheet of the slippery stuff to play our game on. More ice in my yard than in my drink, lately. But as I stood out there tonight in the -10 night air, my fingers frozen around the hose, swirls of snow gusting off the neighbours' garage roof and hissing gently into the 1/4" of water freezing before my eyes on my ice pad, I felt a special kind of winter peace enveloping everything out there, including me. Tomorrow the rink will echo with the slap-boom of the puck off the stick then off the boards, the grind & crunch of blades digging up the ice, and the clang of the red metal goalposts stopping some object's flight--but tonight it was all slow, quiet preparation. And a few snow-cooled Creemore to lubricate the process.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Vibrating kitty

Not sure why I placed my daughter's battery-operated massage Kitty (a Santa gift) beside this delicious bottle of Argentinian chardonnay, but at $13.50, this bottle is also able to deliver cheap thrills.

A strong buy next time you pop by a vintages LCBO.

Pinot
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Petalos 2006 Bierzo Spain

I am drinking it in Torontocanada in 2009 at 545pm.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Standard bar bathroom hand dryer

Dora Keough. Torontocanada. Circa 2009.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Boys weekend drink

Lots of guys, all full of drink this weekend. Seven friends from my distant past, a black ice skating rink, 5 km of skiing on nearby trails, and now tenderloin gets warm by the fire before roasting. Lots of red wine to come, with some laughs and a few ProLine tickets. Laughing and drinking. Too little of that in life, at least the laughing part. Here's to old friends, and to new. Great to laugh and drink with both.
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

America

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

NY Bar Stays Open Due to Next Depression

A heart-warming story from our go-to news source, The NYT: A bar which would have closed during the old economy gets to stay open during the next economy:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/nyregion/06emerald.html?_r=1&hp

This is also further proof that when times get tough, people make room for drink in their lives.

And what is drink? What is our belief?

That drink is not an escape; not an avoidance.

But that drink is inspiration; inspiration that is already within.

And it's nice to have age-old places to go to tap into that.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Father's Little Helper

I am sworn to Mrs. Ashdale that while on duty (M-F, 9-5) there will be no alcohol. Duty? I'm minding the tot. This pledge seems right.

Tot and I were known to visit in local establishments during the holidays to enjoy, say, a pulled pork sandwich, a pint and a bottle of formula. And hey, it's only a stroller walk home.

Parenting at home, around 3 in the aft, those holiday leftovers in the fridge can sure look tempting. Hello there, icewine.

While we're talking about authors, ask your local library for the heartbreaking Journals of John Cheever. Nice guy. Bad drunk.

Friday, January 2, 2009

My sons face looks small

Blonde womans son corks a riesling

Sons guitar lesson

Warsteiner dark and a book. Maverick's pub. A few doors down. Chauffering is not a bad gig with a beer and a book to pass the time.