The Front Of The End

Max Eddy, Published Author

2012-07-12T04:44:10Z

In case you haven't spoken with my lately, I've managed to trick someone into printing my fiction. For me, simply getting my work in print was an enormous milestone. I haven't had any of my work printed since my time at the Gargoyle, and doing so now has given me an enormous boost of confidence.

Though I am extremely happy (and grateful!) to have my work accepted, there are some potential consequences that I considered while writing it, but that did not seem pressing until now.

But first things first: You can read my story Jumper here, and e-zine issues will soon be available.

If you're a personal friend or family member familiar with my time living in Washing D.C.: Remember that this is entirely a work of fiction.

]]> Read it? Ok.

In the story, I drew heavily from my experience of living alone in D.C.. The period in question came after a breakup and after leaving a stable, well paying job. I was alone, I was watching a lot of Netflix, I was pretty miserable. I was not, however, suicidal.

To be quite honest, my inclusion of these personal details in the initial drafts of the story were, I realize now, a crutch. I needed something to get started; something to ground me in the character so I get on with the business of writing. I took my life around me, distorted, magnifed, and grosteque-ified it all and went from there.

My first few drafts of the story were much, much longer. In fact, some of the earliest versions that I put out for submission included several scenes which I eventually cut. For instance:

My movie-watching train was off the tracks by the blackout, but the next was picking up steam. It started slowly. To avoid Netflix I started reading a lot. Things I never thought I’d read. Maybe because of the hours spent pondering potential bridges to jump off into watery oblivion that I’ve been focused on desserts. That’s not a typo, and I’m not sure how the two are connected, but they certainly share some kind of correlation. I had over 180 cookbooks where not four weeks before there had only been faded print-outs from recipe websites. I don’t do any cooking with these books, I just read them. For hours I planned lavish desserts served plate after delectable plate in a feast of outrageous caloric indulgence. Four course cakes. Puddlings that would require the aid of SkyHook helicopters. A military-strength Baked Alaska. I’d get really worked up about it and stand naked (I was naked most of the time) in my kitchen and imagine the scene. I’ve emerged from my kitchen, heaving an immense kugel in the shape of stuck pig to my shoulder. The rest of my apartment has been replaced by some kind of concert hall filled with French nobility. Brilliant mustaches and medals gleaming on vibrant Napoleonic uniforms abound. Women, wigs high and breasts heaving like luscious sour dough rolls (glazed with orange cream and haddock sauce, 5th course) abound.
“But monsieur!” I say to one laughing commandant with a particularly ingenious mustache. “How can you be full when the Birthday Cake Turducken has yet to be served?!” They all laugh and I’m staring at the front door of my apartment, about to go outside and buy all the necessary ingredients and make all the Frenchy friends I need to make my dream night a reality but I stop. I remember that all my clothes have been dirty for some time, and that’s hot outside, and that I’ve never cooked before in my life.

Cutting this section out was extremely difficult. In fact, cutting anything from the draft was difficult.

In hindsight, this had nothing to do with my artistic vision and everything to do with my lack of confidence. I could not bring myself to trust my story, and was afraid to tinker with what felt like a delicately constructed machine. What's more, how could I afford to take things out when what I omit may be the one thing that actually catches an editor's eye?

In the end, I did cut the above section, and others. But I didn't cut out the seed of the story: the pieces of my life in D.C.. This was a mistake.

First off, it was a mistake because people probably think I am crazy.

Secondly, it was a mistake because those parts are the weakest portions of the story. A writer writing about writing is one of those cliches that I am really tired of, and the fact that I had written that cliche into my own work didn't register with me until after it had been accepted. What's more, the dejected 20-something voice leaves a lot to be desired.

In the end I am happy with what I wrote, and am extremely grateful for the Forge for putting it in print. More than anything, I hope I'll have the confidence to cut deeper while working on future peices, and let the story -- rather than my insecurities -- do the talking.

All that said, I hope you enjoy my piece. It was great fun to work on.

Also, the Bunnyman Bridge is a real thing. I did, however, model the actual bunnyman more on the Goatman story.

The Jar Project

2012-05-10T21:23:58Z

This was a little thing I put together as part of the Art House Co-Op's Jar project. For those unfamiliar, the Co-op comes up with art projects that everyday folks can sign up for over the internet. In the case of the Jar Project, participants received a small mason jar from the Co-op which they were instructed to "fill with stories" and mail back.

]]> I knew from the get-go that I wanted to make a weird diorama. I've always been fascinated by model building, particularly overly elaborate HO-scale train sets, so I decided to try my hand at it. Unfortunately, I put the project on the back burner for too long and ended up having to put the entire project together in just a few hours.

All those last-minute late nights in college finally paid off.

The end result is a little more half-assed and a little less creepy than what I had wanted to put together, but I was limited in the materials I could procure and the time I could invest. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the outcome and will definitely be doing more of these in the future. In fact, I've already signed up to do the Co-op's Mystery Project.

Story Card #2

2011-12-09T05:33:30Z

Hopefully with the completion of Story Card 2, I can actually call this a project of some kind. This particular story has been banging around in my head for months. I think this is probably the third time I've written it out, and each time has been different. I'm still not quite happy with it, but story cards really lend themselves to the "fable" format.

Story Card 2 was sent to Estelle, whose literary knowledge far surpasses my own. Read the rest below.

]]> IN THE BEGINNING, God looked down on his lonely garden and realized that it was incomplete. It had nothing to keep it, and nothing to love it. And so he created two creatures called Man and Woman. He placed them in the Garden, to keep it, love it, and love their creator.

Man and Woman were happy in the Garden, and happy together. They spent hours lounging underneath the high trees, and exploring the grassy plains. In those days, before the snake, they could lay on the rocks by the sea, holding hands and marveling at the perfection of creation: the air filled with the scent of hot, fragrant trees; the distant cries of unseen birds; and the perfect, untouchable sun that looked down on each perfect day.

But though the Garden was verdant and alive, they were lonely. There was no one like them in the Garden. They were isolated amidst creation. And so, they made themselves a companion. They poured their love into a creature that would be like them, and love them.

They called it Dog, and it was good.

From that day on, Man and Woman were inseparable from Dog. Dog walked with them, talking and laughing. At night, Dog told them stories about the air above the clouds, and the rocks beneath the sea. Together, the three loved and kept each other as they had the Garden.

Looking down, God was displeased. Dog was not his creation -- Dog defied the balance of perfection in the Garden. After all, Man and Woman were meant to keep the Garden, not expand it. It could not be allowed. God reached for a thunderbolt and hurled it down, striking dog in the head.

When the smoke cleared, God saw Man and Woman in tears, mourning the loss of their friend. He saw their sadness and the broken pieces of Dog at their feet. Out of pity, God allowed life to re-enter Dog. Shuddering awake, Dog looked up at the faces of Man and Woman, who were overjoyed at his rebirth.

But things were never quite the same. Mangled by the thunderbolt, Dog had to walk on all fours at the feet of Man and Woman. Smoke had burned Dog's lungs, and he found that he could not speak. Eventually, he would forget talking altogether. But God allowed the love that Man and Woman had given Dog to remain.

They were often seen together walking through the forest; the creations of God and the creation of Man and Woman who, in their loneliness, made a creature that could only love them.

An Open Letter to Janice Daniels, the Mayor of Troy Michigan

2011-12-04T06:36:34Z

As a blogger, I spend a good deal of time roaming around the internet, looking for things to write about. Today, I was quite surprised to find an article about the town in Michigan where I went to highschool, where my brother and sister have been raised, and where my parents still live.

Apparently, Janice Daniels the mayor of Troy Michigan wrote on her Facebook wall on June 25 (before her mayoral run) that:

"I think I am going to throw away my I Love New York carrying bag now that queers can get married there."

My response follows in the form of an open letter. Even having written it, I am still unsure if it really captures exactly what I feel. I am offended and ashamed by what she has said, but I cannot say I am surprised. What's more, I believe that I lack the rhetorical flaire to pull off a really good letter.

But I had to do something. Click here to read the whole letter.

Story Card #1

2011-11-04T04:01:22Z

Story Cards is something I've been thinking about for a while. The idea is that I would sit down and write a short, unplanned piece of fiction on the back of a postcard and mail it out. After enough time had elapsed for the card to reach its destination, I'd post them online.

Like most of my ideas, I wound up deciding to go ahead with it late at night and with no planning. I suppose I mean that as something of an excuse, but I am cautiously pleased with how this came out. The words below are not an exact copy of those on the card, but the changes are minimal

This first card was sent to my dear friend Kris, who has already been the recipient of my fiction-by-mail in the past.

]]>

Story Cards is a new project where I write brief, spontaneous works of fiction on post cards and send them out.

Though the time didn't really matter 40 feet below street level, it was just before six when the lead digger broke into the chamber. Theirs was the third shift, and they would work until midnight. However, this day would be quite different as the pickaxe struck and the wall crumbled releasing the surprising smell of fresh air.

The lead digger called for light and a candle was brought. There was no fear of natural gas here, the subway surveyors had told them the way was clear. A deft and dirty hand skillfully lit a match and light danced off the clear eyes and dirty faces. The hand reached forward and found a nose, eyes, and a face in the darkness. A stone face, sloped in dejected mourning. The statue is old, not ancient, and its face resembled that of the Mediterranean workmen that stare back at it, meters underground.

The lead digger met the statue's eyes, and followed their gaze upward seeing street lights and stars at the end of a long shaft.

The municipal records show that some 64 years previously, when this neighborhood was a small but prosperous community on the edge of a burgeoning city, a small bill was passed to honor the Greek heritage of the people. A strange proposal was selected -- that of constricting an elaborate statue of Daedalus, the genius and labyrinth builder. Once completed, it would be placed at the bottom of a specially constructed 40 foot shaft.

Later, a grill was placed over the top by the department of sanitation and promptly forgotten. After its rediscovery, the subway planners decided that, rather than move the statue, they would work around it -- placing it at the center of a nest of stairways and tunnels.

---

Ann Arbor Gets Pile of Cash for New Train Station

2011-10-04T00:57:56Z

And who said that Michigan could never do public transit. Ok, it's been slow going but at least things are happening! The latest news is the passing of Senate Bill 237, which releases $2.8 million in federal dollars for an all new train station on Fuller Road. It makes me wish I could be a student at UM again, but at a time when I could take advantage of the proposed improvements.

Speaking from experience, the current Ann Arbor rail station leaves quite a bit to be desired. It's old, cramped, and the only source of sustenance/entertainment are vending machines. It also handles a paltry handful of departures a day and is pretty far from everything. This could all soon change, especially since the money in question is part of a larger $400 million package to bring a 100-mph highspeed rail line from Chicago to Detoit, with a stop in Ann Arbor.

Since the report on the bill's passage mentions Fuller Road as the location, I have to assume that this is part of the proposed Fuller Road transit center (which I learned about just now). That's another major improvement for transportation in Ann Arbor: organizing it into one easily accessible facility.

While not living in Michigan means that I hardly have a stake in this, it does me good to see Ann Arbor becoming active with public transit. But having used Ann Arbor bus and rail extensively, I can tell you that it is certainly in need of an update. Here's hoping it all comes together!

Wait, You're Still Not Reading Casanova?

2011-05-16T01:01:23Z

Really? Because the second story arc is coming out in trade paperback in July and is completely awesome. In fact, now that color reprints of both the first and second series are out, and the third series starting in September, you really don't have an excuse to NOT be reading it.

Austin City Limits: Black Keys and Sonic Youth

2011-05-14T21:15:47Z

Watch the full episode. See more Austin City Limits.

It's as if the universe gave me a special gift today: two of my favorite bands, back to back on the venerable PBS music program Austin City Limits.

Ganges 1 and 2

2011-05-10T02:25:11Z

I picked up Ganges #1 a month or so ago on a whim. Mostly, I liked the way it was printed and coming from Coconino press I felt some obligation to at least investigate the title. But having no expectations about this comic isn't really all that important, because it's a real gem.

The first issue of Ganges tells a hand full of loosely connected stories centered on the titular Glenn Ganges. Glenn's just a guy that hangs around the house, making trips to the local library, thinking too much, or being kind of a jerk to his girlfriend while arguing about the Beatles. There's a deep mundane-ness that made me check multiple times to be certain that Glenn Ganges didn't author these books himself (it's Kevin Huizenga, actually).

These characters feel shockingly real. They talk, worry, and wonder. They're faceted and present many faces at once -- both good and bad. And as impressive as that is, Huizenga's real trick is how he takes these living breathing characters and tells little stories with them that seem desperately important. In the first issue, Glenn rushes to get to the library and suddenly finds himself lost in questions about time and existence (all told with some of the most brilliant application of Scott McCloud's treaties on the power of panels in Understanding Comics). In another, Glenn simply can't get to sleep and spends a while puttering around the house. This is poetry made out of the everyday, but it's always natural and never contrived.

The second issue felt like a departure from the looser first issue. Issue 2 tells the story of Glenn's time working with a ficticious web company and the late night video game sessions that tied the employees together. Instead of many stories, it follows one narrative throughout the book and explains Glenn's backstory somewhat.

This book went up and down for me. At first, I was blown away by the beautiful and bizarre opening pages which depicts an absurd and artful video game. But the shift into a discussion of a first person shooter that Glenn was fond of years ago didn't resonate with me at first. Huizenga tries hard to make wonder at the nature of these games, how they can be so beautfiul and so depressing in their perfect eternal stasis. And while that's well and good, it's clear that he tells the stories of people much better. When we get into the story of this company, and the people inside it, I'm right there and loving every minute.

Another odd change to issue 2 is that Glenn's girlfriend (fiance?), the only other real character in the first issue, hardly appears and is always drawn from behind. Even on the back of issue two, where on issue we'd seen her face looming comically over houses, is just a teasing head of hair. She's always away -- either withdrawn, or perhaps ignored by Glenn who is very much centered on himself in these stories. This one puzzling artistic choice helps reinforce this sense of vague dread that settles over the entire issue.

I have worked hard to try and stop overusing superlatives, and so I hesitate when I say it, but Ganges is probably one of the smartest works in comics right now. It's down to earth without being trite or tedious, and its introspective without being boring or contrived. Not only that, it's superbly drawn and a real tour-de-force of what can be done with the comics medium.

It's more-or-less an all ages story, though there might be some course language and I think anyone under the age of 18 or 19 wouldn't be as interested in the stories of adults walking to the library. If you happen to see issue one, be sure and snatch it up and take a peek.

It's the 50th Anniversary of the First American in Space, Let's Think About That

2011-05-05T22:53:08Z

Fifty years ago, NASA found the best use for a ballistic missile and put Alan Shepard into space. He was the first American to go up in a rocket, and would become the first man to play golf on the moon.

I'm a bit of a space nut, and I get to write about it at work -- which is great. In doing so I ran across this puzzling essay by Neal Stephenson. In it, he describes the creation and reliance of rockets as examples of "path dependence" and "lock-in." That's all well and good (I guess), but this is the bit that always stuck with me.

It is illuminating here, though utterly conjectural, to imagine a dialog, set in the offices of a large telecommunications firm during the 1960s, between a business development executive and an engineer.

Biz Dev Guy: We could make a preposterous amount of money from communications satellites.

Engineer: It will be expensive to build those, but even so, nothing compared to the cost of building the machines needed to launch them into orbit.

Biz Dev Guy: Funny you should mention that. It so happens that our government has already put $4 trillion into building the rockets and supporting technology we need. There's only one catch.

Engineer: OK, I'll bite. What is the catch?

Biz Dev Guy: Your communications satellite has to be the size, shape, and weight of a hydrogen bomb.

This last line was particular haunting. At first I was struck by the hideous, evil spectre hanging over the entire space program: that it was built from the most terrifying weapons ever conceived. I think Stephenson intends this unsettling sensation. I have, however, come to a new conclusion.

Instead of spending all our time and money in a completely paranoid spiral plotting the hideous demise of the enemies and shrewdly calculating the scale of human loss sustainable in the even of a nuclear holocaust, two nations put people into space. Instead of a shooting war, we had the space race, which is one of the few times in human history when our aspirations matched our willingness. Not since the pyramids have people been so motivated to achieve a great a goal that wasn't essential to their immediate safety and survival.

This has two sides, I suppose. It's depressing that it took the threat of nuclear war and national xenophobia to realize space exploration. But I prefer to look at the space race, and Shepard's first flight as a forgiving experience. In the wake of most horrific of wars, we turned fighter pilots into explorers and weapons into the vehicles that took us beyond the Earth.

Image credit NASA.

Beardpocalypse

2011-05-03T23:24:25Z

I'm what I think can be called a "lapsed Conan fan." I haven't really been keeping up with his new show since moving to TBS, despite following the entire fallout of The Tonight Show with bated breath and traveling to Colorado to see his live show. That's not because I don't like him, or his humor; he's great, some of the best talent around. I'm just not great at keeping up on TV.

Anyway, I simply had to take a look at the so-called Beardpocalypse event that went down last night. The background is that Will Ferrell has been threatening to shave Conan's beard for weeks. The beard in question began about the time the Tonight Show ended, and has been somewhat symbolic of this new chapter in Conan's career.

That said, it has started to make him look like Wolf Blitzer. Time for it to go

While this clip has some great comedy by Conan and Ferrell, what I really like about it is how it's almost like a critique on the whole late-night talk show formula. They even suggest that this is the case when Ferrell shirks the traditional handshake, and goes straight for the chair. Ferrell, as the guest, then runs the show with Conan in the passenger seat.

The two play off each other brilliantly, with Ferrell paying lip service to the guest's role. "Sure, let's plug my movie," he says. "Would you like to hear a funny story about my children?" This last one is especially biting, since Conan's next guest does exactly that.

Finally, instead of a "dressing down" by the host, Ferrell corners Conan and forcibly shaves him. This kind of self-deprecating humor is what sets Conan apart from his contemporaries, and it's a style that he's had since his earliest days on The Late Show. He's not perfect and untouchable behind his desk. He doesn't call the shots, and he freely acknowledges that his gags sometimes fall short (see: opening monologue, which he always manages to somehow make work, simply by being silly about it). It's a humble approach to comedy that is very funny, while being utterly charming.

A last point before you enjoy this lovely clip: it has taken me my entire life to start enjoying will Ferrell. He's a funny guy.

Gula IV and Why Aren't You Reading Casanova?

2011-05-01T03:58:25Z

I just put down Casanova: Gula IV and I am forced to wonder aloud (yet again) why all of you aren't reading this series. If you like comics, and have ever wondered why you bother reading the medium in the first place when everything seems dull and disposable: read Casanova.

I don't know what it is about this series, but it just brings the best out of write Matt Fraction. He's authoring this year's major event for Marvel, "Fear Itself," and is a big enough name there that I think I have to stop calling him a rising star. I've read, and even wrote once about, some of his work with Marvel properties. It's good; it's quite good.

But he comes alive with Casanova. Part of me just wants to say that it's being freed from the restrictions of a franchise, and that might be so. The maddening complexity of Casanova had to start from a blank slate, free to tangle in its own web. But it feels like a cop-out to just chalk it up to artistic freedom.

Were I to hazard a guess, I'd wager that Casanova has some kind of personal connection to Fraction. He might have even said so. I've done a bad job of reading the pages he writes in the back of each issue, so maybe there are key pieces of the story behind the story that I am missing. But Casanova feels like a personal, opus work.

I should point out that his is the one of the very few series I've read that can drop the f-bomb and not come off sounding sophomoric. Fraction just works his magic like that.

This is also the series that introduced me to the masterful work of Fabio Moon and Gabriel Bà. I hope I did the little accent mark correctly there; please forgive me if I didn't. Anyway, the two Brazilian artists -- twin brothers -- trade off between story arcs, and lends a flair all its own. They have a look I really like, able to be loose and sketchy while always graceful and precise.

They've done other work you might have seen -- BPRD 1946 and 1947, their Day Tripper series, among others. If you won't read Casanova, then do try and track down some of their work. There's some amazing comic book work coming out of South America, and these guys are proof of that.

The strongest endorsement of their work on Casanova is that I simply could not image the series being done by anyone else. I've heard that might change in the third story arc of the series, and we'll see how that goes. But their work in the first two arcs perfectly embodied these characters.

I will admit, this series does have a fair amount of sex and violence, and cusses galore. If you can't stomach that, then pass and I would never hold it against you. But if that's not a problem, and you want to see some truly inventive work being done in comics go out right now, and order Casanova: Luxuria. Devour it, read Gula, and then wait with bated breath for the third series.

This Week In Max Eddy January 28 - February 4

2011-02-05T23:38:30Z

My efforts, writing and otherwise, have been spread far and wide over these heaving internets for some time. Since this blog is meant to be the repository of my activities, then it only makes sense that I take time to put together some of the more notable works in one place for you, gentle reader.

I tweet, I'm interning at the Geekosystem blog, I blog about living in New York at Dispatches from Fort Eddy, and I sprinkle other little things like so much fairydust. These roundups will be a look at what I think is the best for a given week.

For some this is going to be redundant. To you, I must apologize. But I think it's a pretty small subset that sees everything I put out there. And I'll try to organize everything in such a way that anyone, even the most die-hard of Max Eddy fans, can enjoy it.

I'd Like To Draw Your Attention To These Two Things

The How and Why of the Egyptian Protests - Geekosystem - 1/26

As the news was first coming out on the protests in Egypt, I was having a hard time of keeping track of it all. Moreover, though everyone knew that Egyptians were protesting and using social media to help their cause, it wasn't clear to me what they were protesting about. Maybe this article was self-serving, but it answered the questions I had, and the ones I assumed others would have as well.

10 Foods You Can Allegedly Make in a Coffee Maker - Geekosystem - 2/3

My editor and I talked about writing something that we thought would be fun and maybe get some people's attention. I'd been thinking the weekend before about how I used to make ramen in my coffee maker when I lived in the dorms, so that just sprung to mind and then this happened. It was fun to put together, especially tracking down a recipe for making beer in a coffeemaker, but I didn't think it would be as popular as it's been. Just today my friend Cathy informed me that my favorite diner in the world, the Fleetwood, put it on their Facebook page. What greater honor could there be?

These Have Been Around

The Ten Fattest Men To Travel Through Time - Twitter

Experimental dancing pants. - Twitter

Winter Storm As Seen From Space - Geekosystem - 2/1

I was really hoping "Tornadsnow" would take off amongst the other hyperbole to describe winters as of late. You know, Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse, Thundersnow, etc. Too much to hope for, certainly.

Apple Eases Liquid Damage Restrictions - Geekosystem - 2/1

In which I subtly reveal the truth of how I broke my last laptop. Actually, I didn't totally destroy it; I actually opened the damn thing up and repaired it myself.

Fog Will Not Save You From Vikings - Geekosystem - 2/1

I have a job where I get to write about Vikings, the history of Vikings, and the science of Vikings. I am happy. So, so happy.

Queens is covered in ice, covered in a candy coating of death. - Twitter

Haters Gonna Hate: Groundhog Day is Awesome - Geekosystem - 2/2

My rambling but earnest defense of Groundhog Day. Part of a point-counterpoint.

The End of Vegetarian Month - Dispatches from Fort Eddy - 2/2

In which I discuss life after eating vegetarian for a month.

Sticking your head in the microwave == modern day Prometheus. - Twitter

"I have been to the mountain! And when I arrived, I stuck my head in the microwave that was up there." - Twitter

Survey: 83% of Prostitutes use Facebook Pages to Attract Customers - Geekosystem - 2/4

If you think about it, it's not too surprising. Sex workers have used public streets and newspapers to advertise their profession. Like any business, they're going to be where their customers are and just about everyone is on Facebook. I guess it threw me for a loop that something like Facebook is connected to real-world problems. At first it struck me like a mismatching of concepts. But this is the brave new world, guess!

And Two Things I'd Like to Share

The Atlantic Wire

One part of my new job that I wasn't quite prepared for is having my work being part of the media ecosystem. This article from the Atlantic Wire blog quotes a post I wrote for Geekosystem. I love the Atlantic, and was completely bowled over when I saw that they'd included something I'd written in their blog post. It's not really an accomplishment -- I just had the information where they could find it. I am, nonetheless, still kind of freaking out (mostly gleefully).

He's Using Hypnosis!

THE YO-YO?!?

Winter Sprucing

2010-12-13T22:12:07Z

It's been quite a while since I launched this site. Since Wmeddy Dot Com has come into existence it has seen three major revisions. Recently, my good friend Cathy Fisher came along and did some tweaking that really helped the site look and read much better. Today's additions to the site are minor, but I am pointing them out because I'm hoping it will get me a job.

Transparency and communication: the keys to a strong relationship.

First and foremost, the About section has been redone. It now features my lovely visage at the top of the page, and all and all new mini-biography of yours truly. This version of the bio is slightly less confusing, but still retains a comparison between myself and John Phillips Sousa. I'm sure you're all happy with that.

Secondly, I reorganized the Portfolio section so that it doesn't look as empty as it did before. I also removed the distinction between "online" and "in print" material, since A) it didn't make logical sense to link to a digital version of an in-print article and still call it "in print," and B) nearly all of my work in print is either inaccessible or not for public distribution as a matter of contract.

Potential employers take note: I have written much, much more than is available there. Please email me (wmeddy at gmail dot com) if you'd like to see some examples of articles, press releases, etc.

Additionally, the Portfolio section now sports a very handsome heading for the comics I've drawn and published online. They're not spectacular, but I am proud of them. I think you'll like 'em.

Lastly, in there interest of trying to get a job, I've added an Hire section in the navigation menu at the top of the screen. There you can find my resume, some more information on the work I do, and a funny picture of me working. It's a long shot, but I figured it couldn't hurt to be more obvious with my intentions.

Transparency and communication: the keys to a strong relationship.

And so, gentle reader, I hope you will explore and enjoy these fine new additions to wmeddy dot com. Remember, I do all of this for you; wmeddy dot com is here to provide for all of your Max Eddy related needs.

Accidental Time Travelers

2010-12-01T17:22:33Z

I subscribe to a lot of photo blogs, but Shorpy is one of the best. Not only because his or her depth of knowledge and depth of archives is profound, but because he or she always posts a high-res version of each of the images. Go ahead and click on the picture of the Amsterdam Theatre above to see what I mean.

Now, I'm not a big photography buff, but I care about the high-res images because it gives me the chance to look for time travelers. I don't mean that in the H.G. Wells, DeLorean driving kind of way, but in a more literal sense. People that, often without their own knowledge, are saved forever in photographs and film.

Take the picture of the New Amsterdam theater. If you look in the window of the store on the left, you'll see a man in a dapper coat and hat standing in the window display, looking out at the street. There's no way to find out who he is, but he had a life, and walked the street in the photograph. Maybe he had a family, maybe he would become a veteran of the Great War, maybe he would die in the hours following this photograph.

Whenever Shorpy makes a post, I look it over, looking for hangers-on that wormed their way out of another century and in to ours. This particular image has a few extras, in addition to our mysterious man in the window (who, I am willing to admit, might be a display dummy). If you look on the sidewalk in front of the theatre, you can see several blurry dark stains. At first, I thought they were just smudges on the sidewalk, but when I looked again I realized they were always in pairs. And sometimes had feet. These are time travelers that didn't quite make it, people that were moving too quickly to be caught by the camera.

Ps.

I am 100% certain that I have heard the term "accidental time travelers" before, and that it may have even be referencing the very same thing I wrote about here. Can anyone remember where it's from? I have a sneaking suspicion it's This American Life.