July 22, 2008

happy birthday tom robbins!

anyone who truly knows me knows that my favorite author (idol, guru, revolutionary, thinker, spiritual leader, man) is tom robbins. i've read all 9 books (most of them more than once), they were the only books i brought with me when i moved to san francisco because i knew that they were the only books i would ever need. tom robbins was born on july 22nd 1936, here's a few ways to celebrate a great man & possibly the best author ever:
  • read (or reread) one of his mind-altering books. i recommend still life with woodpecker, which was my first tom robbins book & also my absolute favorite. other favorites: skinny legs & all, jitterbug perfume, even cowgirls get the blues & another roadside attraction.
  • for those you have read all of his books try reading tom robbins: a critical companion. (i'm starting it today!)
  • stop by the aftr life & get to know tom, his books & his fans better.
  • make tom's favorite food & eat it. ingredients: salt & pepper, wonder bread, 2 ripe tomatoes & best foods mayo. or eat one of the foods that are prominently featured in his books: beets, mushrooms, asparagus or blackberries.
  • for those that are close to washington - take a road trip to la conner & seattle & explore tom's stomping grounds & hope that you might just see him.
  • for those that are close to north carolina - take a road trip to blowing rock where tom was born.
  • write on a typewriter, preferably a remington sl3 ;) .
  • join daffy yum & read a page of one of tom's books everyday.
  • do not watch gus van sant's even cowgirls get the blues, the movie is an embarrassment when compared to the book. when i finished watching the movie i was just horrified, don't waste your time.
  • go hunting for mushrooms (make sure you know how to safely do that) &/or eat some magic mushrooms.
  • read a book that tom likes: understanding media by marshal mcluhan, the archaic revival by terrence mckenna, the tao of physics by fritjof capra, the book: on the taboo against knowing who you are by alan watts, creative mythology by joseph campbell (while i haven't read this book, i do highly reccommend campbell), the banquet years by roger shattuck, the woman's encyclopedia of myths & secrets by barbara g. walker, news of the universe by robert bly, the varieties of religious experience by william james. (list from aftr life bookstore)
  • "it is never too late to have a happy childhood." start now!
  • play aftr life's tom robbin rad libs.
  • choose yum rather than yuck as your mantra.
  • be an outlaw!
does anyone have any other suggestions on how to celebrate tom's birthday? let me know!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I read Jitterbug Perfume a few months ago and thought it was pretty amazing---I swear, there was a quotable line on practically every other page!