Blogcritic of the Month: May 2006
Published May 01, 2006
BC: If you had to pick one sense to do without, which of your five senses would it be?
Mark: Common sense doesn't count? Probably smell. It might make politics less disgusting.
BC: What do you wish they'd do a series about on TV?
Mark: The life of a writer. I mean, I've got one whole shelf that's groaning under the weight of books about writers. Why not a TV show?
BC: If you could, would you swap sexes for a week?
Mark: Sure. Why not? A person would be crazy to pass that up. The ultimate adventure.
BC: What do you think you'd learn if you could swap to the opposite sex?
Mark: It might be nice to know, once and for all, if size really matters.
BC: What sports team will you love until the day you die?
Mark: The Boston Red Sox. I've already died several times for them.
BC: What's one sign that you're a total nerd?
Mark: Favorite TV show on vacation: Booknotes on C-SPAN2.
BC: What's the first book you recall reading?
Mark: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
BC: What magazines do you subscribe to?
- Poets & Writers
- The Writer
- The New Yorker
- UTNE Reader
- Stereophile
- Tricycle
BC: Who is your favorite writer?
Mark: For music, that would have to be the late Lester Bangs. Outside of that genre, I'd go with Jack Kerouac and Anne Lamott. Also, Natalie Goldberg for writing and life inspiration.
BC: Who is your least favorite writer?
Mark: Joyce Carol Oates. For whatever reason, I can't make it through more than a couple of paragraphs.
BC: Do you have a favorite Blogcritic?
Mark: A few.
Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti, who pretty much fearlessly gets right to the brutal and delicate heart of whatever topic she's writing about.
The Duke. A young man with a frightening amount of talent. Makes me laugh out loud, though usually I can't safely answer the question "What's so funny?"
Dawn Olsen. I became a Blogcritic because of Dawn. I was an avid reader of her blog "Up Yours & Other Helpful Hints". I do owe a debt to her because I'm not sure I would have gone down this writing path without stumbling onto that funny and snarky site.
BC: What do you think is the best part of Blogcritics?
Mark: The wide range of writers drawn together to form a community. I've made some good friends here.
BC: What song is stuck in your head right now?
Mark: "O Mary, Don't You Weep". Springsteen's Seeger Sessions has, for the moment, completely taken over.
BC: What do you have set as the home page in your browser?
Mark: Blogcritics.org.
BC: Who was your idol as you were growing up?
Mark: Catfish Hunter. No, wait...Elton John. No, John Belushi? My Uncle Stanley the Polka DJ? My dad? Steve Martin?
- Blogcritic of the Month: May 2006
- Published: May 01, 2006
- Type: Interview
- Section: Sci/Tech
- Filed Under: Sci/Tech: Blogging, Interviews, Culture: Media, Culture: Arts, Culture: Administrative
- Part of a feature: Blogcritic of the Month
- Writer: Lisa McKay
- Lisa McKay's BC Writer page
- Lisa McKay's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
Splendiferous - thanks Lisa and congrats Mark! We're certainly glad you read Dawn four years ago - thanks for being such a core of the site all this time Mark - we wouldn't be what we are without you!!
I'm with Joanie. That's the last nice thing I say about Saleski. My revenge shall be terrible.
Great job, Lisa!
I now realize that everyone else appreciates music on a much deeper level than me. Maybe that's for the best.
I think the greatest tribute would be for the word "Saleski" to become a verb here at Blogcritics. Any nominations on what it should mean? And please use examples.
Joanie - I'm with ya.
Known this dude for a while, and all I got so far was some damn coffee.
Seriously -
This is beyond cool Mark, you cranky bastage you.
Outstandingness -- great to see the Great Saleski behind the curtain, and a photo no less !
Congrats, Mark. Now when are you going to get the collected "FML" published as a book?
Great job again, Lisa. I'm already looking forward to next month.
For those BCers who feel slighted at being left off Mark's favorites, I suggest you get him in trouble with TheWife by pointing out that on the desert island he wants a picture of TheWife and not TheWife.
For those BCers who feel slighted at being left off Mark's favorites, I suggest you get him in trouble with TheWife by pointing out that on the desert island he wants a picture of TheWife and not TheWife
I am SO dialing that number right now - "Hello Linda...?"
: )~
hey, at least i didn't say "a picture of katherine heigl"
Well, must be that head cold, you're off your game.
Nothing that wasn't overdue, and Lisa did a fantastic job. Keep up the good work Sir Saleski!
Saleski: Even if I don't know 75% of the musical references you make in your posts, the 25% that I do know are always tactfully written and enjoyable. The BOTM nod is well deserved. Cheers.
I am a Mark Saleski lover from WAY back in the day - glad the world has caught up to my excellent taste!
Cheers to Mark!
- BC: What do you think you'd learn if you could swap to the opposite sex?
Mark: It might be nice to know, once and for all, if size really matters.
I can answer that for you, size does matter.
But only in the brain, everywhere else it's subjective.
Seriously, Lisa, great job, great subject, great read!!!
I'd like to thank everyone for their comments on this piece. These are a huge amount of fun for me to do, and as nice as it is to take credit for it, most of the actual work gets done by the honoree, so it's an easy gig :-)
A great side benefit of doing this (for me personally) is to get to know each writer a bit better as we go through the process of putting it together. Thanks to everyone for reading and enjoying!
Conrats Mark.
I still want IN on that Seeger Sessions pow-wow you and Lisa and DJ Radiohead have planned though.
Pretty please?
Glen
oops..
That was "Congrats Mark", not "conrats"...LOL
Damned butter fingers.
Mark Saleski is a giant among giants, and his Friday Morning Listen should be on everybody's weekly schedule.
Thanks, Mark, for being awesome!
I'll add my congrats here. FML rules the school! We need a book then a movie starring George Wendt as Saleski and John Ratzenburger as DJradiohead.
Sounds like a good movie! Friday Morning Listen: You Won't Know Any of These Obscure Artists' Names - But After Hearing Them, You Just Might Want To!
Kinda long title though.
ah, who cares?! as long as they have car chases and stuff exploding and all...
If you'll let me do just one Charlies Angel pose - I'll do it for union scale.
Well, the short hair precludes the cute 'flipping', but I got those hand gestures down pretty good.
I was going to say "congrats" like I usually do because I'm never quite sure about the spelling of the whole "congratulations" word and besides its a little too polysyllabic but luckily Jackie here had the whole things down pat with all the polysyllalababbles intact and so I must say:
Congrats, Mark!
Car chases, explosions...and don't forget the gratuitous nudity. You've got to have gratuitous nudity. I mean this is about Saleski's life and all.
Congratulations, Mark. A testament to both you and Lisa, I enjoyed the interview as much as I do your articles and the FML.
Sir Salski, if anyone deserves this spotlight, it's you. bask in that glory! you earned it, and continue to earn it, one glorious syllable at a time. and for that honour you laid 'pon my shoulders, a million thank yous. a million. or a million love songs if you'd prefer. it IS a very fetching beard...
Congrats,Mark.
Mark,
Men who are not going bald should not wear their hair short. Please let yours grow in again, it will enhance your metalicity.
brick, i used to have my hair drawn back in a ponytail...it went about 3/4 down my back. just got sick of it. sorry.
good ta hear from ya man. just where the hell have you been?!
Congrats, Mark, you deserve this - I return to BC time and again for your contributions!
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/47075)
Damn that Mark! I thought I'd paid him to say I was his favorite Blogcritic. (Note to self: stop payment on check to Saleski.)
Lisa, did you bother to find out if the man has a single brother who might be interested in work as a cabana boy?