The Exquisite Corpse of Dr. Nostrum

We have proof that we had a Halloween party and fundraiser!

A Tour of 826NYC

As promised eons ago, and now delivered: a virtual tour of the 826NYC center in Brooklyn's Park Slope.


The storefront is particularly unique. As I was trying to snap pictures, a bunch of walkers peered into the shop windows to try and figure out what the (closed) center was.

Inside it's fun. The signage is amazing, as I've come to expect from most 826/McSweeney's endeavors.


There are different stations for different aspects of the superhero lifestyle.





And McSweeney's and 826 publications are prominently displayed, as always, as you enter the actual writing center from the store.



This center was a little neater than the one in San Francisco, but they still go for overstuffed sofas. Yummy.


The whitescreen for the field trips and group writing sessions.



Puppets!

Each volunteer has a little cubby with their face on a can of something. Love, canned and for sale.

If you ever do get to NYC, I would really suggest going to the store and visiting. There's also a satellite location at the Williamsburg libary, but I couldn't make it there before closing time.

Dr. Nostrum's Wishlist

Here is a list of items we want to raise money for at our Exquisite Corpse Halloween party on Saturday, October 27th at 645 S. Lincoln Street, 7:30 pm. If you have any of these for donation, please bring them. If you don't have these, and would like to help us purchase them, bring cash! We hope to see you there.

writing supplies:
lined paper, printing paper... all paper
pencils & pens
sharpies & markers
post-its of all sizes and shapes, esp. big ones

electronic needs:
software for mac's - filemaker pro, adobe indesign, etc.
digital camera
video recorder
laser printer
projector
computer tablet (wireless, or not)

costume & props:
aviator goggles
copper wire
gears of all kinds
cape (black mens woolen, 19th century-type)
leather material
hunter's cap with ear flaps

chapbook materials:
binding machine
portable printer
USB portable memory drives

A list of needs, the first of many

We are knee-deep in the midst of programming preparations. We have a general lesson plan that plunges into the mystery and madness of Doctor Nostrum and His Amazing Confounding Machine. Let’s just say that his machine likes to produce literary tidbits, and only chaos could produce works of art so thoroughly fun.

In order to do this right, though, we are trying to build this little machine so that we can start taking the program into the schools. We have an aesthetic vision, a steampunk dream, and that needs a lot of random stuff. So we are begging those who know and love us to keep your eyes peeled for the following:

industrial scrap of all sorts, specifically metal
metal fittings of all kinds (we like copper or brass, but we aren’t picky)
hardboard
gears of all shapes and sizes
belts – rubber or leather, vacuum or industrial
small pipes – 1-2” diameter
sheet metal
wheels (metallic if possible, but we aren’t picky)
dials, meters, tachometers, etc.
toggle switches, whether they work or not

and, most importantly,

a steam whistle
a hand crank or a steering wheel

If you have or see any of these things, please bring them to us! If you spend money, save your receipt and we will pay you back after our first fund-raiser.

Speaking of that, save the date for November 10, 11, or 12 – we are going to have some literary fun that weekend. More info to come, soon.

Education and Programming Meeting, 8/22

A meeting! A fun meeting for anyone interested in the educational / programming side of things.

Tomorrow
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The Logan School, hosted by John Shoe
1005 Yosemite
Denver, CO 80230
6 pm

We are going to talk about lesson planning for workshops and events, then actually brainstorm some workshops and programming that could happen in the next few months. WE NEED EDUCATORS AND PEOPLE INTERESTED IN PROGRAMMING!

Come one, come all.

826 Valencia

I made a pilgrimage to the 826 National Conference in San Francisco this past June. Here is some of the photo documentation.

You enter and are struck by all the random stuff inside the only pirate supply store in San Francisco. That big vat of stuff is lard ….


And this is the fish viewing area. They used to have a pufferfish but I think that he might have died. It’s still a nice little spot.


You buy things from this man. Not only is he the counter guy and salesman, but he is also the person who only allows kids and tutors back into the tutoring section. There is a pirates skull and crossbones flag behind him on a cord.

They sell these wicked funny signs. I love them.

Artful displays ....

Shelves where student publications as well as McSweeney's publications await readers.

Even the ceiling is cool. I hear that the pirate theme was inspired by the ceiling of the store.

And now we enter the tutoring center. See the cord and flag on the left?

My favorite part of the whole center is this wall. Each of those framed pieces of paper is the actual, edited page from a then-unpublished manuscript by famous authors – Dave Eggers, Michael Chabon, Amy Tan, etc. Intimidating, right? The editors have scribbled all over every page, made notes, questioned, suggested. It’s so encouraging to see these masters being picked apart. If they can do it, withstand this criticism and revision, then, Lord knows, we all can.

The tutoring center.

This little stand is the control seat where all the technical aspects of the main room are controlled for field trips and workshops. They have a sweet little set-up, fairly simple, where a volunteer types the story as kids suggest it and then the story is projected onto the wall.

See the projection?



A volunteer leads the brainstorming.

Once a group creates and types their story, the field trip gets exciting. The lead volunteer hollers up that ladder to the intimidating editor, Mr. Blue. Mr. Blue is incredibly harsh, telling the participants that what they’ve written is trash, it will never sell, they have to do better. He’s usually hilarious while doing it, but poignant for anyone who is a little too connected to his or her internal editor ….


Sometimes a very bold visitor ventures forth to meet Mr. Blue.

The reading nook. I love the sheets around it.

Tutor and tutee.


The back room, where the employees work and where the kids work on computers. I believe that a lot of publishing happens back here, as well.

If you ever go to San Francisco, this is well worth a visit -- especially on a weekday around 3 pm.