Wednesday, March 5, 2008

From Soup to Nuts

For the first time in I-don't-know-how-long, I'm putting up the can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, which is an ancient Internet tradition, first invented by Leonardo da Vinci in the year 1502, I believe. It's the universal symbol for "too busy to post on the weblog or answer most e-mail."

In Lennie's case, he was busy painting the Mona Lisa and inventing Spaghetti-Os, the neat round spaghetti you can eat with a spoon. In my case, I have scripts that are due. I will be back with you as soon as the fiery hordes of deadlines are no longer singeing the hairs on my neck with their flaming exhales. Might be a few days. Might be sooner. Aloha!

• Posted at 9:34 PM · LINK

Briefly Noted...

Quite a few people (more than fifty) have written to tell me that Gary Gygax, the inventor (or maybe the co-inventor) of the game, "Dungeons & Dragons," died the other day. Many are writing on the presumption that since I haven't noted his passing here, I must not have noticed...or that I have and am deliberately ignoring it. One fellow on an Internet message board has vaulted to an especially erroneous assumption. Noting that I developed the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon series that was on CBS in the eighties, the fellow presumes that I am snubbing Mr. Gygax, "speaking volumes" with my silence in not honoring a man, he is sure, I must have worked with and for. He wrote, "What kind of grudge could Evanier be nursing that he has ignored the death of a close associate?"

Here's a pretty simple reply: I never met Gary Gygax, never worked with or for him, know absolutely nothing about him and — and here's the part you may not believe but it's true — never even played "Dungeons & Dragons." I was sorry to see the passing of a man who was responsible for something that brought so much joy to so many...but that's about all I can think of to say here. I'm sure there are others on the 'net who have something of substance to offer, and I'm sorry I don't. I'm especially sorry (in a different way) that anyone would assume any disrespect being implied to anyone's passing.

• Posted at 8:52 PM · LINK