Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cleveland OH
October 4th, 2006 | Uncategorized
The august Harvey Pekar introduced me at my reading last night. That felt a little wrong, sort of like the Grateful Dead opening for Phish. But it was very lovely. Harvey’s wife Joyce Brabner came too. There wasn’t a huge crowd, but the bookstore had an amazing technical setup, with a nice big screen so everyone could see. That’s often such a problem. I’m getting a little travel-worn, I’m afraid, and spaced out about taking any photos. But fortunately Christine Hahn of the Cleveland Gay People’s Chronicle came to the rescue and supplied me with this shot of Harvey and me. Check out Christine’s blog and sketch diary. She’s apparently as fascinated with drawing Crocs as I am.
21 Responses to “Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cleveland OH”
[…] After scarfing down some tacos with about 50 soccer brats at the Chipotle across the street, last night we went to see Alison Bechdel read at the Joseph-Beth in Legacy Village. (Here’s Alison’s own blog of the event.) They had the reading hidden upstairs in this special conference room that had a fantastic projector. Then Harvey Pekar got up and gave an introduction that emphasized her skills as a writer: […]
My brother-in-law, niece and I tried to visit the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in September. I made phone calls and checked their web site……….drove 3 hours from Columbus and they told us they were closing early! ARGH! Alison, I bet you will be glad to get home and rest with your family.
“Travel worn”? “Spaced out”? Can’t imagine why…
Okay, educate me: What is the deal with Crocs? Are Birkenstocks out now? Are Crocs somehow more comfortable or ethical? Is this a reaction to “Crunchy Cons”? I have Alley Oop feet, so I wear mainly Birkenstocks; but I would like to expand my footwear options. Are Crocs as wide?
It’s not so much that Crocs are “in or out”, they are just really comfortable. More so then those Birks.
I’ve had this question about Crocs too. What about the fact that they’re rubber? My gut reaction is that that wouldn’t be comfortable, especially when it’s warm. And then there are the holes all over. What are they about?
Well, I get the holes: They’re there for ventilation to compensate for being made of rubber. I’m just curious about the sudden buzz. They look like Birkenstock knockoffs, but there must be something special about them if they are supplanting Birks in popularity. I was wondering if they were as wide or more ethically manufactured (i.e. union made). Christine says they are more comfortable, so I suppose that’s it.
As Crocs is a Boulder-based company, they are practically required footware around here. I live in a cohousing neighborhood, where a lot of us are shoes-off households. I love being able to kick them on and off easily as I enter and leave neighbors’ homes. The kids in town swap the back straps, creating unique color combinations. Lots of people wear them with thick socks in the cooler months.
Croc were originally intended as a boating shoe because of its “slip-resistant” sole. I think gardeners were the next to pick them up, as they can be easily rinsed off. I like them for walking beaches, gardening, and slipping on to hunt for my cat at night.
One of my young writing students said, “But they’re so butt-ugly!” I had to laugh. They aren’t the most styling apparel, but I think they’re cool in their own blocky way. And all those colors to chose from. I have Sage Green.
“As Crocs is a Boulder-based company, they are practically required footware around here.”
Are they made right there in Boulder or out-sourced over seas? I try to be sweat shop-free and avoid things made by 12-year old kids. I know Birkenstocks are good because German workers get paid well and have scads of excellent benefits, like month long vacations. I’m shamelessly using the lesbian community as an ethical Geiger counter, here.
“They aren’t the most styling apparel, but I think they’re cool in their own blocky way.”
I have an industrial aesthetic, so I don’t think they look ugly at all. In fact, I think they look quite attractive. Remember, I already wear Birkenstocks.
“I try to be sweat shop-free and avoid things made by 12-year old kids.”
By way of a tangent, I buy most of my clothes at:
http://www.nosweatapparel.com/
and
http://www.justiceclothing.com
No Sweat Apparel carries old school-looking sneakers, but they are too narrow for me. The Code Pink high tops are cool. If I recall correctly, Stuart was a member of the Code Pink Men’s Auxiliary?
I work in a bakery, and I got a pair that don’t have holes in them (forest green, I think). They are comfortable, durable, washable, and the soles are slip resistant (though not perfect). Going from the forming room where flour is literally thrown all around to the three bay sink in the bake room (where the spray from the faucet gets all over the floor around it), the crocs are quite versitile. I thought they were butt-ugly, too, but the ones with out holes (more practical for my job anyway) are slightly less ugly. I think it would take a lot for me to wear them outside of work, but really, they are super comfortable, and for work shoes, pretty cheap.
Oh yeah, so totally spectacular (and have been introduced by, and to have a picture with Harvey Pekar, and I really appreciate the links to Christine’s blog and Austin Kleon’s blog.
rohmi,
if you want the ultimate in comfortable sandals, i highly recommend masai barefoot technology. i don’t know their provenance in terms of how they are manufactured, but they are the only sandals i can wear without limping at the end of the day.
Sorry to break in with an off-topic post, but I just have to tell this story. Remember when Toni and Clarice visited the incredibly clueless teacher at the elementary school? Well, I used to think that was just humorous exaggeration on Alison’s part. But check out what showed up on the “Single Mothers by Choice” listserv that I belong to:
Several weeks after Max started preschool, he came home upset because when he told one of the teachers that he didn’t have a dad, she told him “everyone has a dad”. As near as I could tell, he was not upset that he didn’t have a dad – he was upset that she didn’t believe him.
When I spoke to the teacher, she asked me how that could be. So I told her that I used a sperm donor. She looked puzzled and said, “but he looks just like you”.
To get back to the scintillating shoes topic….let me personally assure you that Christine has NEVER worn a pair of Birkenstocks. Her disdain for them is so overwhelming that she can barely stand to look at them. So she can hardly attest to their comfortableness in comparison with the Crocs.
I have to say that it does appear to me that Keens are fast making headway in the arena of dyke footwear though…..
LOLOL
Jeez louise!
I worked very hard at masking my disdain.
I backspaced at least a dozen times.
Do I get ANY points for that?
as a fashionista turned croc-lover, i have to weigh in here. i was veeeeery skeptical about them, and only bought a pair on my last trip to vermont because i need some sort of clogs to wear around the house that could also double as rain shoes when i got back to seattle. i put them on and was sold immediately on their comfort. they are not rubber, they’re some kind of crazy resin that molds to your feet over time. yes, they are super-ugly, but i got black ones and i have started wearing them to work, hoping no one notices. and it makes me feel naughty, like i don’t deserve to be so comfortable and unfashionable while at work. so far, no one’s said a thing… 🙂
p.s. i did not know that my sideways smiley emoticon would be turned into that hideous graphic. i’m so sorry. i won’t do it again.
No Toledo, OH? Check out People Called Women (bookstore); I’m sure they’d love to have you.
Uhmmm… am I the only one to find that this is another utterly, irresistibly cute picture of Alison?
Looking forward to seeing you in the flesh in Paris later this month, Miz Bechdel. I’ll be right there, blushing behind my copy of Fun Home. 🙂
[…] the street, last night we went to see Alison Bechdel read at the Joseph-Beth in Legacy Village. (Here’s Alison’s own blog of the event.) They had the reading hidden upstairs in this special conference room that had a fantastic […]