I mentioned yesterday I decided to download The Great Gatsby (free on Project Gutenberg) to prepare for the Blind Bear’s August 27 Gatsby party. By 10:30 I was done with my morning chores – this blog, breakfast, checking my writing stats, playing Wordle and Globle’s daily games. I had no plans until 1 PM, so I decided to start on the book.
I finished 75% of it by the time my friends texted “we’re at Bardog, join us” at 1. It was such an easy read. The last time I read it, it was assigned by a teacher to me when I was 15. At that age, I had no concept of what adult relationships were like. Also, I hadn’t read about ’20s gangsters like Arnold Rothstein, Al Capone, and Salvatore Maranzano who profited off Prohibition, so I didn’t have the basis to understand Jay Gatsby’s “business.”
Also, it was nice to read one of the “classics,” knowing
- I wouldn’t be called on to discuss it in a classroom
- I wouldn’t have to write a paper on it
- I wouldn’t have to take a test on it
If there’s a book you were forced to read in high school but nevertheless kinda enjoyed it, try re-reading it through a set of adult eyes. Most books published before 1926 have had their copyright expire, so you can read them for free on Project Gutenberg.
Lots of eyeballs are on TVs on Christmas Day, and there is always a full slate of NBA games on TV. The Memphis Grizzlies had never been on any of those slates, though. They could have changed that using one of two strategies.
A) Convince about 15 million people to move to the Memphis region, making this a large TV market so they’d be considered for Christmas games even if their teams played like crap (see: 2021-22 New York Knicks and L.A. Lakers)
B) Play such compelling and exciting basketball that they become must-see TV, even as a small-market team
The Grizzlies chose option B) and it’s paying off. It’s not official yet, but rumors have the Grizzlies playing the Golden State Warriors on Christmas. Ja Morant and crew, y’all tie a pretty red bow around that can of ass-whoopin’ and attach a tag that says, “To Draymond. Love, Memphis.”
From the DM: The Caption by Hyatt’s Talk Shop lounge hopes to appeal to locals as much as guests. The lobby bar is a full coffee and cocktail bar and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can build your own toast and build your own cocktails (well, the bartender still has to mix it up, but you choose your booze, flavor, and mixer).
Deep Roots play brunch at Loflin Yard today from noon to 3.
It’s an evening with Vince Gill featuring The Voice’s Wendy Moten tonight at the Orpheum at 7:30. Tickets are $49.75-$125.
That’s it for today’s news. Back tomorrow.