Here’s something you don’t see every day. Jessica Stilwell did her Georgetown Thesis on Television Without Pity. 118 pages of TWoP discussion. Wow. I have been quoted in a thesis. [Thanks, Heather, for the link]

Jennifer writes:

Given that I’ve been meaning to write for eons, I fear that this will be longer than it should. First: Thanks so much for alerting me to the fact that Bitch was looking for subscribers. I had been buying off the newsstand for ages, with the belief that the greater good was ensuring that other women had the opportunity to browse Bitch, and possibly buy it. But learning of their financial reality made me quickly decide that it was time to subscribe.

Second: I meant to write immediately after I had worked my way through my bookshelves and made a donation to the Oakland Public Library. Given my delay in letting you know, I’m guessing there are other lurkers out there who donated but failed to write you to tell you about it. And don’t worry, they didn’t get just the dregs of my bookself; while they did get several old science fiction paperbacks that I was unlikely to read again, they also received Running With Scissors, which I had just purchased new and finished reading, along with other recent purchases.

At the time that I donated, I didn’t have a URL to pimp. I do now: www.Women4Dean.com . I know that it can be hard to be interested in the political process and in fact, that is precisely why I am supporting Dean: he is bringing more citizens into the process than I have ever seen. I hope your readers will take a few minutes to check out the site, and possibly join us in the forums.

I read my email while listening to Howard Stern in the mornings, and their clip of Dean screaming out other states he’s going to take while Stern plays AC/DC in the background had me on the floor in giggles.

I’m answering my email, something I used to be able to do much more quickly (mostly because I didn’t answer all my email, but now I do because it’s the right thing to do and one day I won’t have so much email, so it’s good to answer email now. Remember that, fledgling journal-people!). Anyway, I notice that I never answered an email from JULY, back when I was answering questions about the 80’s. I had told this woman that I was going to have to think about my answer, and then never answered. She had written:

Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 10:00 PM
Subject: 80’s Question…

First of all let me tell you that i am older than you. I just turned 30. BUT, i was never a movie, or TV watcher growing up. My husband, my family and friends all tease me. It’s like a running joke. They’ll be talking about a certain movie, “did you see the part when, remember when the guy… what did you think about…” and then look at me and say things like ” we know YOU didn’t see it right?” Or “Don’t ask Donna, she hasn’t seen it!” (Doesn’t matter what movie it is, chances are i havn’t seen it.) Have i heard of Flashdance? Breakfast Club? 16 Candles? Pretty in Pink? Fast Times at Ridgemont High? Porky’s? Yes, Yes and Yes.

Here’s MY question. Which movies are worth me watching? Which movies aren’t a waste of time? Which movies are YOUR favorites?

Please help. I think I’d like to re-live the 80’s a bit. And i’d definitely like to become a little movie savvy. Starting with the 80’s, and your help.

Donna P

P.S. Bought your book, and read it while on vacation, on the beach, in about 5 hours. A great beach book! Thanks!

I responded:

Sent: Monday, July 28, 2003 8:52 PM
Subject: Re: 80’s Question…

Hi, Donna. Thanks for buying my book. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

Your question is officially a can of worms. If I even attempt to answer it on my site I’ll get email for weeks with people telling me I forgot a crucial element of eighties film. So I’m going to ask you to narrow it down. Are you looking for comedies? Romance? Teen? Cult? Fancy directors? B-Movies? Movies nobody saw but me?

It’ll help and cut down on the massive amounts of email I’ll get when I inevitably forget something Ally Sheedy was in.

She answered:

Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: 80’s Question…

Well, i’m going to have to say Comedy. Your opinion on the top 5 or 10 comedies of the 80’s? And just tell all those emailers to bug off. :P I need a little help here. Point me in the right direction! Thanks, Donna

And then today I realized I never wrote her back. Under quick pressure, filled with guilt, I quickly wrote down the ten comedies of the 80’s that came to my head in order that I thought of them. These are apparently my ten favorite comedies of the 80’s if there was money on the table and I had thirty seconds to answer the question.

Donna! I never answered your email! I’m terrible. Okay, Comedies of the 80’s.

National Lampoon’s Vacation
Goonies
Clue
The Princess Bride
Sixteen Candles
Better Off Dead
Parenthood (was that 90’s?)
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Big Trouble in Little China
Some Kind of Wonderful

Ta Da!

Am I too late? Have you already seen them all? Do these help?

The moral of the story is: answer your email.

Our librarians have written again.

Hi Pamie,

So, you’ve been our fairy godmother in the past, and we need your help again. Oakland Public Library was successful at getting a tax measure on the March ballot (this year, in less than 7 weeks) asking Oakland voters to pay an additional $75 per year in taxes to support the libraries. This tax would mean a healthy book budget! No library closures! Sustained literacy and homework programs and story times and all those good things your readers responded to. Would you be willing to post a plea for donations to the campaign? We need to raise $60,000 in the next 6 plus weeks to pay for mailers, signs, phone banks, etc. We are starting from scratch. We need
Howard Dean!

Our mailing address for donations is:
Oakland Neighborhood Library Coaltion
1829 Gaspar Drive
Oakland, 94611

It is important that the donor provide:

Name
Address
Phone Number
Employer
Job Title

You do make me laugh. Thanks for everything,

Leslie Rodd

Just in case you feel like sending your Latte money to the library this week, and then you can walk around feeling all good about yourself again. Or maybe it would satisfy part of your new year’s resolutions. Or maybe you still have a soft spot in your heart for the libraries of Oakland.