Discussion of the man and his work.

Thank You for Returning
Dear Mr. Ellison:

Just one phrase: the old lion returns.

Thank You.

Regards,

William Sherman
Boxford, MA

Yes!
So glad to see your post, Harlan. The Internet is the same as everything else; most of everything is mediocre at best...most food, most fiction and most non-fiction, most landscaping, most hairdos, most clothes etc., etc., etc. ad nauseum. It is the quality things, the best things, the best minds, the best books, the most decent, the most contributing people that make it all worth getting up in the morning. Thank you for being willing to contribute, if or whenever you feel like it, some sparkling excellence to our group here. I was planning to stick around anyway because this is such a fine group. But having you back, even for one post, made my day today. Any time you are willing to post is a mitzvah, as far as I am concerned. And I am very much looking forward to reading your latest, whenever it is finished. I consider it a privilege to read and post here, no matter the occasional troll or fool. I am so glad you are back.

To Harlan Ellison: If you want to post regularly, you should introduce yourself first. How did you find this place, what led you here, what is your occupation and so on. We look forward to your contributions.

"O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy, for Harlan has returneth!

Things have been batshit crazy at work, which is why I haven't posted much lately.

Things have been interesting on the reviewing front. There's a nice Australian film called _2:37_ that is quite good. If you're really bored, here's my review:

http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/237.php

It's more than a little disturbing at times, but it works.

Currently reviewing Max Headroom: The Complete Series. Only halfway through, but it's no where near as good as I remembered. Great concept, weak execution--in terms of story telling, at least; production design is magnificent.

Finally, a pox on Barnes & Noble, for following up their Buy 2 Get 1 DVD free sale with a 50% off sale on their Criterion titles. That's just mean.

Thank You
Harlan; thank you for coming back.

It's amazing how much your words and thoughts mean to someone you've never met. To those who have had the pleasure, I'm sure they mean even more. Thank you, again.

The Return of the Native
Harlan, why is the simple fact that you changed your mind supposed to indicate that you're some sort of evil pathological liar? Gee whiz, good, honest people change their minds every day of the week. The people who hate you from the minute they get up in the morning until the minute they go to bed at night are far too stupid to realize such things, apparently. Why do they hate you, by the way? Envy. They read about Ellison Wonderland, for example, then ask themselves, "Since I'm 55, why do I still live in Mom's basement, along with the mice and roaches?" Pure envy.

William Faulkner Online
Audio tapes of the Author are now online
http://faulkner.lib.virginia.edu/

I'm very pleased to see that you've returned to your virtual dining pavilion, Harlan, and I hope that the time you spend here proves worthwhile.

Great news about "Riding the Rails in Atlantis."

D.

A Messianic Greeting speech of Unnecessary Proportions
Our glorious host returns! The wondrous story-teller, in all of his literary glory, returns to us, his disciples, like Yeshua of Nazareth (minus the divine aspects of the Mythology and the soft-spoken words of the Man).
I greet you, kind poet and writer, into this meta-physical space filled with the dichotomies of idiotic trolls with a love for low culture (built out of meaningless memetic jokes and anecdotes, no less), and of preachers, artists, wanna-bes, has-beens and actually-are. In this niche of fellow men and women with a love for culture and literature, we welcome you back into this temple of writing and reading.

With some Messianic visions to write down on paper

Kafkahead

Relief
Thanks, Harlan.

Tim Raven

Ellison Henry Haas
Via the online Drinking Liberally group I subscribe to, I received an e-mail from proud Papa, Jason Haas.

'Ellison Henry Haas was born at 4:48 PM on Sunday July 18. 7 pounds, 14 ounces.'
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What's in a name?

The bouncing baby boy was partly named Ellison after the late astronaut Ellison Onizuka AND our esteemed host.

http://haas414.wordpress.com/page/2/

From what I understand, Jason and family are doing just fine, thank you.
-
Isn't Jan 'sposed to cover this stuff?

And, yes, I know that drinking liberally in Milwaukee is a redundancy on the level of Fred Phelps protesting toon characters at Comic Con.

Richard Halasz

Welcome back, Harlan. Delighted to see you here again, as frequently or infrequently as you're comfortable with. I suspect the trolls, slope-brows and other semi-human creatures who infest the rest of the Internet are sleeping a little less soundly tonight.

A kindred spirit?
Unca Harlan:

In your absence, a post by young author Patrick Rothfuss brought to mind your distasteful recent experience, so I thought I'd pass it along to the room at large:

http://blog.patrickrothfuss.com/2009/02/concerning-release-of-book-two/

The section on his disabling comments on said post seemed particularly apropos.

Good to have you pop back in, sir. And good on the folks who remember that we're guests here.

Tectonic murmurs
I sense a Great DDisturbance n The Force...


As if millions of voices cried out, and were silenced...

Just a moment. Just a moment.

My diagnostics predict the B-14 module will fail within forty-eight hours. I think you and Commander Bowman should go EVA to replace it. Don't worry, I'll be right here, I've got your back. No, really. It's gonna be Just Fine.

Dave?

Put away the key, Dave.

Ohhh, I can feel it, Dave.

Daisy, Daisy...

I want you to get up from your sofas, get up from your easy chairs. I want you to go to your windows, open them, lean out and shout, as loud as you can ""I'm glad as Hell that Harlan's Back!"

Vector 12, line nine, key fourteen. Contain, control. Eliminate.

Message string follows: HARLANELLISONISBACKSTOPENDOFSTRING

fade to black

Glad to see you back, Harlan, however much or little you're comfortable with.

It's your presence that makes the hamsters dance.

Jan S

I keep coming here and typing out these longish posts about this and that, shit happening in my life and whatnot, but I almost always delete everything and leave.

I don't know why I do that.

So to remedy this odd character trait (?) and do my part in, as we philosophizers like to say, "continuing the conversation," here are some random ... things:

WEIRD TALES magazine isn't taking any more submissions until January, which is a bummer 'cause I got a humdinger of a weird tale for them. Then again, considering how they've rejected everything I've sent them so far ... mayhaps I should try AZIMOV'S. Nobody else should do this.

I just realized that I'm wearing the shirt that was injured when we planted my mom's pointy, iron "headstone" last week. I wonder how the local Baptists will react to it, it being a shrine to Guan Yin and all.

It is really hard to chop down a pine tree with a sledgehammer. I wouldn't know if this is true or not, I haven't shovelgloved as a lumberjack yet.

Now discuss amongst yourselves the symbolism of what I've said tonight.

Or don't.

ZM

HARLAN,
thank whatever deity you wish to name (or not). Very nice to have you back, sir. I've missed you desperately, and I've been worried about the tenor of remarks around here; while we are all, obviously, here because of our love for you (except for those thrice-damned and unnnamed trolls), I've grown to enjoy the company of the other people who mark time here. I'd hate to see the group dispersed, and without you here, that would happen. So please, stick your nose in from time to time. I promise I will behave myself. I can't speak for anyone else (especially Frank!).

The Host Peeks in...

Harlan

Do you notice the plants in America are a little greener? That there seems to be more oxygen in the world as a result? This is due to the collective sighs of all the folks here in this global pavilion breathing out sighs of relief at your visite opportune.

Blessings to you and Susan...

""Riding the Rails in Atlantis" is now at 11,330 words. I'm shakin' it here, Boss!"

Cool! I can't wait to read this one! Glad to see you poking your schnozzola in here again, Harlan. I was still determined to hang around this crowd, of whom I have grown very fond, even if the Pavilion itself was closed for business, but I'm glad you popped in.

Say Susan, I was unable to partake in the book purge, due to the fact that yet another automobile emergency left me financially flattened. I'm recovering now, and was wondering if you had any copies of the Hornbook still in stock? I've wanted that one for a while.

Bests to all here, who are pretty cool peeps, even when we get a little tetchy.

Chuck

What a relief!

Let me say--in the most manly, guy-like way I can--I downright love Harlan Ellison!

Thanks for coming back!

Steve Dooner

Thanks
Great to hear from you, Harlan!

I hope our just-gone Pavilioners hear your Word and return.

I have to say: this bunch is an erudite, thinking group that you will be hard-pressed to find elsewhere on the web. So let's keep the place alive and kicking.

Inters-net
I was beginning to grow dismayed over the tone of some posts in the Pavilion. Perhaps now things will be a bit more sociable.

Los Angeles is looking gorgeous today, made all the more wonderful by the return of the king.

So... amongst all youse high-fallootin' riter-tipes, does anyone want to do a critique? Alfred Hayes' "In Love" offered up a challenge, and this was the result: http://rapidshare.com/files/409277363/In_Love.doc (It's only good for ten downloads, so don't mess wi' it if you're not sincere. And cut a first-time radio writer some slack, please.)

Dorman
Dorman said, and I had to quote it, much like the guy who keeps calling his ex-wife's lawyer's office just to hear the secretary tell him the man is dead ...

"PERRY: You are absolutely spot-on. You've got me figured out, right down to the part about me being so disgusted with America that I moved to another country (did the same when serving in the Army -- old, unpatriotic habits are hard to break). And you're right: I don't bring enough facts (like polls and links to uncontestable wikipedia articles) to my arguments, debates. I should've known better than to contest a writer as deep and erudite as your own self. I'm gonna work hard over the next few years to try and correct that. My thanks to you and all the other red-blooded Americans for pointing out the error of my ways, and the wrong-headedness of my beliefs."

Sarcasm. But I'm taking it as gospel ...

Welcome back, Unk.

Perry

-
(in response to email from unnamed party, hanging head in mute acknowledgment of inconstancy)

Susan, phase 2 came in today. I had no idea these would come in like this. Payment will go out no later than Friday. Glad to see HE popping in. Thanks to the stars, if this had gone on much longer Amparion and Tim Raven would be comparing dick sizes.

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