Jason English
You’re on a Desert Island With One Author…
by Jason English - March 5, 2010 - 11:43 AM
bloghead_fridayhappyhour1.gif

Every Friday, I post a series of unrelated questions meant to spark conversation in the comments. Answer one, answer all, respond to someone else’s reply, whatever you want. Very casual. On to this week’s topics of discussion…

1. You’re on a desert island. You can pick one author to be stranded with—not the author’s books, the man or woman him- or herself. Which author would you choose as your companion?

nick-tortelli2. I just saw the episode of Cheers where Nick Tortelli pesters the regulars to invest in his Vegas orangutan act. What’s the strangest money-making opportunity a friend or acquaintance has pushed on you? Did the friendship survive?

3. About six years ago, when I was working in advertising, one of my agency’s clients was a major skincare company. We were charged with redesigning their website, and our contact said he wanted “to create the WebMD equivalent for skin.” It was lofty but smart and way more exciting than churning out banner ads. I pictured myself interviewing scientists and looking at lots of weird pictures of scary skin conditions (then developing a hand-washing compulsion and shutting myself in).

Those visions were soon dashed. What kind of access would we get to the company’s researchers? “None.” Where would I be getting the information required to create the world’s preeminent source on skin? “Google it.” When do you need this? “Three weeks.” The project was doomed from the start. After some back-and-forth (about three weeks’ worth, actually), we ended up just transcribing the skin tips from the lotion bottles and calling it a day.

What’s the most ill-conceived project you’ve ever been assigned?

4. Let’s play a pick-up game of Show & Tell. Share one YouTube clip you think will make (some segment of) us smile. Mine is narrowly aimed at anyone who grew up following the glory days of the WWF. I can’t remember exactly how I stumbled upon this, but it sucked me in for the full 8:44:

Captain Lou has to loose 40lbs within the next 10 days or he’s out of wrestling!! Thankfully Hulk, Andre and JYD have ideas to help Captain get into better shape.

I just learned that Brad Garrett provided the voice of Hulk. Seems like a good way to end the column.

Have a great weekend!

[See all the previous Friday Happy Hour transcripts.]

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Comments (73)

  1. i would love to be stranded on a desert island with carson mccullers.

    posted by Nathan on 3-5-2010 at 11:53 am

  2. 1 – Easy – Stephen King. If he didn’t want to talk books, we could always talk about the Red Sox.

    3 – When Glee came out, an administrator decided the middle school needed a show choir. We didn’t get any money for music, costumes or a choreographer, and there was zero time in the schedule or after school to rehearse, but every few weeks he would ask how the show choir was coming along. It simply didn’t happen since there were no resources other than already-overworked teachers to help get it done.

    4 – I loved the video in Morning Cup of Links this week about the person who validated parking.

    posted by crovenpaver on 3-5-2010 at 11:55 am

  3. 1. I would have a blast being stranded on an island with Louise Rennison. She wrote the \Confessions of Georgia Nicolson\ series. And if her personality matches her writing style, I would be laughing the entire time.

    posted by Chelsea G. on 3-5-2010 at 12:03 pm

  4. 1 – Author -(current) Lincoln Douglas/Preston Child. I know they are two people, but since they write as a team they should only count as one. I have read every single book they put out so far, and I have finished all of them in all nighters, unable to put them down. (dead) Laura Ingallas Wilder. I always wanted to be her growing up – her life was amazing. Although I guess if I was smart I would pick someone who wrote a survival on a desert island book. :)

    2. My brother is currently trying to get me to post pictures on Ebay. They are made in Africa out of butterfly wings – real, used-to-be-alive butterflies. I keep trying to tell him that might not go over so well in the states.

    posted by Angela on 3-5-2010 at 12:04 pm

  5. Those are supposed to be quote marks-”Confessions of Georgia Nicolson”

    posted by Chelsea G. on 3-5-2010 at 12:05 pm

  6. 1. Jack Kerouac :]
    2. Becoming Limo Drivers?
    3. Cleaning out a warehouse full of asbestos.

    @Nathan I actually had a chance to visit her childhood home in Columbus, GA.

    posted by Cameron on 3-5-2010 at 12:09 pm

  7. For #1, if living OR dead, would the dead become living? And as long as we can reanimate the dead, can we rejuvenate the almost dead?

    posted by anomdebus on 3-5-2010 at 12:11 pm

  8. 1. If I was stuck on a desert island I would want to get stuck with Tamora Pierce. Once I got past the “No I burn easily” stage I’d probably enter the “Oh my god I’m trapped on a deserted island with my favorite author” stage. After calming down from that I’d be pretty happy, other than the severe sunburns I’d most likely have at that point.

    posted by Anne on 3-5-2010 at 12:13 pm

  9. Elmore Leonard or just some hot author I don’t know of.

    posted by Bill on 3-5-2010 at 12:14 pm

  10. 1. If I can pick a dead author, definitely Douglas Adams. Smart, funny, and an atheist to boot. We might never get off the island, but we’d have fun! If I’m restricted to people who are alive, I’d have to go with Neal Stephenson. Fascinating stuff.

    On the other hand, has Angelina Jolie written a book…?

    posted by Jon. on 3-5-2010 at 12:27 pm

  11. I’d choose Gavin Atkin. Who is that you ask? Well, the author of “Ultrasimple Boat Building”. Practical no?

    posted by Kevin on 3-5-2010 at 12:29 pm

  12. 1. Neil Strauss. If the book Emergency is accurate, he knows how to make a fire with some sticks, build shelter and forage for food. That’s bound to come in handy.

    posted by gabe on 3-5-2010 at 12:29 pm

  13. My two favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut and Stephen King, but I doubt either would be very useful on a deserted island, that’s why I would say Ernest Hemmingway. We could talk about boxing and fishing and he could lead hunting expeditions and help build a boat to escape.

    A friend tried to get me mixed up in a pyramid scheme once. We’re still friends but I keep an eye out for sure.

    Most ill conceived project? Driving a dog cat and a small child from Phoeniz Arizona to Baltimore, Maryland in a toyota camry.

    Drunk History is a great youtube clip for laughs

    http://www.youtube.com/user/DrunkHistory#p/u/5/YjZR1Rjj_p0

    posted by Jon on 3-5-2010 at 12:29 pm

  14. Harlan Ellison, just because I know he would be able to come up with a crazy scheme to get us off that island

    posted by Mark on 3-5-2010 at 12:37 pm

  15. 1. I’d be pretty interested in being stranded on a deserted island with either Chuck Palaniuk, or Douglas Addams. Not because they’re my favorite authors (one happens to be deceased…) but because I could not see myself going insane with either one of them around.

    3. A friend of mine was going through massage and chinese medicine school when I got a phone call one afternoon. He had an exam the next day and needed a body for doing the acupuncture part of the exam. No, I’m not making this up. I agreed, and met him at the school for the exam at 8:30 in the morning. He didn’t happen to mention I was going to be naked, under a towel, in front of 15 other people who were also students. He did pretty well, accept for hitting a nerve in the back of my leg that made it hurt for the whole day. Getting up off of the table in front of all of those people was a bit uncomfortable for me, too…

    posted by Kate on 3-5-2010 at 12:40 pm

  16. RE #1 – NOT Dennis Lehane, after reading Shutter Island! ;-)

    posted by Anon Emous on 3-5-2010 at 12:43 pm

  17. 1. Jeanette Walls- I could listen to stories of her life all day long.

    2. I have a friend who wants us to invest in something every other week. Its gone from a Subway to a bar to a pyramid scheme involving adult toys and everywhere in between. Sadly, now he is a financial investor for a major company. I still won’t give him my money.

    3. When I worked for an auto loan company they started a committee for morale and assigned us the task of creating games and giving out prizes, the problem was that they gave us a budget of $20. Barely enough to get supplies for the games.

    posted by SloanandCash on 3-5-2010 at 12:47 pm

  18. 1. Amy Sedaris. That girl would somehow make a way for us to live on that island. She would be cutting things up, making some fancy food, and starting up the arts and crafts table. I’m in.

    4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F30PYWYdkZ4
    After working at Walt Disney World for a year, and seeing good ol’ Woody and Buzz all the time, this was a good laugh.

    posted by Katie on 3-5-2010 at 12:51 pm

  19. 1. Michael Palin. He could talk endlessly about his travels and Monty Python. Good times.

    4. If this doesn’t make you at least smile… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9TVYCffHEE

    posted by Bean on 3-5-2010 at 1:00 pm

  20. 1. Hunter S. Thompson. I’m sure he would have enough stories to keep me entertained, well, forever!

    posted by squ1nt on 3-5-2010 at 1:04 pm

  21. 1. Easy. Les Stroud. Does the Survivorman show on TV and wrote a book called Survive. He’s a pretty cool guy, knows how to survive anywhere, and can play the harmonica whenever we want some music.

    4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fErbxtKMOWM
    This never fails to make me laugh. Cat pranks are the best. So long as no cats were harmed in the making, of course.

    posted by Moth on 3-5-2010 at 1:09 pm

  22. If I were on a desert island I would definitely Terry Pratchett (assuming, of course, that his Alzheimer’s doesn’t progress too far.) I couldn’t imagine a more fascinating companion.

    posted by elagie on 3-5-2010 at 1:24 pm

  23. 1. While I am a huge admirer of the works of J.D. Salinger and David Sedaris, I have reason to believe that neither would make a very good desert-island companion (Salinger because he was famously reclusive and Sedaris because of his apparent borderline-OCD tendencies). I think I’ll have to go with Elizabeth Berg, whose normalcy radiates from every pore, both in her writing and in person. We could while away the hours trying out new recipes with coconuts or making a quilt out of palm fronds…

    2. I don’t know how strange it is, but I’ve had to quit more than one friendship because of the intense pressure to buy Mary Kay products.

    3. I once worked at a mortgage company whose promotional department dreamed up this ridiculous advertising campaign that involved 1)Wal-Mart, 2)NASCAR, and 3)a wheel for people to spin and win a prize. In no way was it even remotely related to obtaining a mortgage, and though it was clearly doomed from the start, that didn’t prevent them from making me stand outside various Wal-Marts for about 12 Saturday mornings in a row, wearing a NASCAR tank top and shouting, carnival-barker style, for folks to come spin the wheel o’ prizes and learn about homeownership.

    4. You’ve probably seen it already, but here’s an adorable French bulldog puppy who can’t roll over because he’s a big squishy.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIKaIriiK8w

    posted by FizzyGurrl on 3-5-2010 at 1:25 pm

  24. 1. Well, I’d say Stephen King, as long as he didn’t talk about his scary books. So if that didn’t work, then I would have to go with Madeleine L’Engle.
    2. When I was a child, I was convinced that selling girl scout cookies would make money. Well, it does, but not for me.
    3. I once had to explain logarithms to several chemistry students. Yep…chemistry students often hate math. Seems counter-intuitive.
    4.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc1V_YI5i80

    posted by Lindsey on 3-5-2010 at 1:30 pm

  25. Hunter Thompson without a doubt. The rest of those guys don’t even come close. I don’t even feel like I need to explain myself. It should just be a given.

    posted by Eric on 3-5-2010 at 1:31 pm

  26. 1) Either Bukowski, Robert Novak or Ann Coulter. While both Coulter and Bukowski would be fun Novak had a much deeper life story and the anecdotes he would tell would be wonderful and plentiful, possibly enough to cover the time till rescue.

    posted by Hurricane on 3-5-2010 at 1:36 pm

  27. 1- Although Les Stroud would be awesome, I’d have to go with Mary Roach. She’s hilarious and I’m sure she could teach me a thing or two.

    2- My old boss started in on this videophone thing and wanted me to get in on it. Something about free long distance…I dunno. She seemed pretty eager about it, but I declined. I really hope she wasn’t scammed.

    3- I was asked to stage manage a show for the Fringe Festival, and I knew it was a total flop the minute I signed up. The script was terrible, the director was weak, the acting was weaker and the story was pretty bad. I tried my hardest for a few weeks, but then dropped out. I felt terrible, but in the end it was a great decision.

    4- Spring has sprung on Toronto and all I want to do is dance!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdvITn5cAVc

    posted by Jenny on 3-5-2010 at 1:36 pm

  28. Neil Gaiman all the way for the first one. Not even a contest.

    posted by Nicole on 3-5-2010 at 1:39 pm

  29. 1) John Hodgman absolutely.

    4) Running Shrimp. I dare you not to laugh at this one.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMO8Pyi3UpY

    posted by Ben E. on 3-5-2010 at 1:44 pm

  30. 1) I read a lot of psychology books (I have a degree in psychology) and they are really intresting to me- so any of those authors would work

    2) I was usually the one who came up with the schemes- sadly none of them have ever worked

    3) I was once handed a 30 page protocol for a project and told to get all the supplies we needed. After reading the very detailed (aka boring) protocol my boss e-mailled someone to get the right supplies. They refused to give us the right supplies (they were the ones who gave us the protocol!) and I was told to learn the protocol until I heard otherwise- i’m still waiting for that to offically be done

    4) I still love the video of Ellen in the hawaii chair!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHiqVygN-w0

    posted by Suz on 3-5-2010 at 1:56 pm

  31. 1. Kurt Vonnegut or Douglas Adams. Both would have a funny and insightful outlook. And I could talk Indiana talk with Vonnegut…and talk about the Beatles and Monty Python with Adams :) Neither is alive, and neither would be particularly practical, but I’d enjoy myself. (Side note: I find my picks particularly interesting because while I am not an atheist, both of these guys were…wonder what that says about me?)

    posted by Fruppi on 3-5-2010 at 2:02 pm

  32. (Hope this doesn’t repost!)

    1. Jennie and Ron Dugan, authors of “The Right to God”

    2. Something to do with phones or phone cards. The whole thing seemed sketchy so I don’t really remember the details.

    3. Too many, but none specific come to mind.

    posted by Hyacinth on 3-5-2010 at 2:12 pm

  33. 1. Easy it would be Elizabeth Gilbert without a doubt.

    2. I am so weary of any type of money making scheme that I avoid all of them.I remember being a kid and my parents telling me about someone asking them to take part in a pyramid scheme and already thinking at that young age that it was not a smart thing to do.

    3. Right now I can’t think of one.

    4. I have three favorites and I have to share all three because they all make me laugh like crazy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhrAB8WMsx0
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB1KJbAh1XU
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZkdcYlOn5M

    posted by Emma on 3-5-2010 at 2:17 pm

  34. 1 – Living: Neil Gaiman Deceased: Hunter Thompson

    2 – I had an aunt who was doing the Amway pyramid thing for a while. Avoiding her in the days before caller ID was difficult.

    4 – I love this spot, both for entertainment value and production value.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnSIp76CvUI

    posted by bre on 3-5-2010 at 2:24 pm

  35. 4 – I have to share this one, too, for pure “LOL” value. My daughter brought this one to me.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA

    posted by bre on 3-5-2010 at 2:27 pm

  36. 1. I’m not sure if the author has to be alive, but I’d love to be stuck on a desert island with Mark Twain.

    4. I probably know better YouTube clips, but “monkey race” came to mind. Who doesn’t enjoy monkeys racing around on bicycles? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FnkUijqqdg

    posted by Patrick on 3-5-2010 at 2:29 pm

  37. 1 – Haven Kimmel; she’s a great story teller

    posted by Barbara on 3-5-2010 at 2:37 pm

  38. 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkB4OzvILvY

    posted by Andrew! on 3-5-2010 at 2:41 pm

  39. 1. Without a doubt, it’d be Harry Crews I’d be stuck on an island with.

    2. Not particularly strange, but I was duped into attending an Amway meeting with a friend who belonged. Cryptically, he always referred to it as ‘the business’ so, presumably, I’d nto immediately be put off.

    4. Some flossers (those with a penchant for ACC sports, that is) might find this funny. I know I do:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_UzUBpqCYI

    This has to be one of my favorites: Ricardo Patrese (former F1 driver) and his wife on a test lap:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIhGJyLR6TI

    posted by Jerry on 3-5-2010 at 2:42 pm

  40. 1. Alive: Stephen King — Deceased: Robert Jordan, author of the #1 fantasy series “The Wheel of Time”

    2. When I was in college, my friend hired me on her sales team to sign up long distance customers. Problem was, she just picked names out of the phone book and had us fill out sales slips. She is no longer my friend.

    3. At my last job, an electricity supplier wanted to increase its ability to collect on Early Termination Fees, so they wanted to create an automated tool. The original analyst offered several simple suggestions like a tier of fees based on customer usage, but the business wanted to recoup as much of their cost as possible so they countered with a 9-step calculation. After three months of gathering requirements, the analyst handed it off to me for technical review. I had so many questions about how we were going to do this that we had to start all over. Another 4 months later, I was ready to hand it off to the programmer. He was like, “I can’t work with this” and we went back again. 3 months later… I left the company, the project was put on hold. The developer and I have kept in touch over the last 6 months and this project has now gone back to the original suggestion of using tiered fees :)

    4. I don’t have the URL, but if there are any WoW fans out there, look up the clip of Leeroy Jenkins getting his entire raid wiped because he went AFK to get some chicken and didn’t hear the instructions from the Raid Leader.

    posted by sweet_baby_t on 3-5-2010 at 2:45 pm

  41. 1: Without a doubt, Jon Krakauer. Dude has climbed Everest (almost) so I bet he’d be pretty resourceful and interesting.

    posted by Julia on 3-5-2010 at 2:53 pm

  42. 1) I’d like to be stranded with whomever wrote the book “How to get off of a deserted island”!

    posted by Frank on 3-5-2010 at 3:05 pm

  43. Chelsea Handler for uhh obvious reasons

    posted by hockey zombie on 3-5-2010 at 3:14 pm

  44. I second Haven Kimmel. She is the funniest person alive.

    posted by Amy on 3-5-2010 at 3:18 pm

  45. 1. Amy Sedaris, because she is one funny lady and could cook up whatever you brought back to camp. Her inherent cuteness would be a plus also.

    3. Having to make Macs work on our Windows centric network at work, with no Mac training and all of our custom security software and interfaces Windows only. I got a whopping 1 week notice to have it up and running. They wound up with only a web browser on them and just sat there most of the time, because they powers that be did not want to fork over the $50k for the new software system that would work with the Mac system and the existing Windows systems. So we had Macs worth about 3 grand each that just sat there.

    4.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=rXU-ZdmzNmo

    posted by Varzil on 3-5-2010 at 3:29 pm

  46. As author I would have to pick A.H. Almaas. He writes to try to put words to the human essence – indescribable – but maybe on that desert island he could teach it directly..:0)
    I’ve never been involved in crazy schemes for money.
    My youtube knowledge is extremely limited – I would have to ask my daughter for funny stuff!

    posted by Spiro on 3-5-2010 at 3:30 pm

  47. 1. AJ Jacobs–having read the encyclopedia is bound to come in handy in a harsh, unfamiliar place, and living stranded on an island is probably somewhat similar to \living biblically.\ AND I can’t imagine running out of stuff to talk about.

    posted by Julia on 3-5-2010 at 3:42 pm

  48. 1. Maureen Johnson. She is absolutely hilarious and would be able to make tasty things out of the vegetation of the island.

    posted by Lindsay F on 3-5-2010 at 3:52 pm

  49. 1. Mark Twain, without a doubt.

    posted by grouchonacouch on 3-5-2010 at 4:01 pm

  50. 1. Either Bukowski or Christopher Moore. I’m leaning towards Christopher Moore, though…Bukowski was a bit on the creepy side of interesting.

    And Christopher Moore is hysterically funny and awesome even when he is not writing!

    Also…recaptcha = you inkwell

    Seriously.

    posted by Jen on 3-5-2010 at 4:06 pm

  51. 1. Dan Brown– A human that full of hot air ought to be able to carry the both of us right off that island… now hopefully there’s something on that island to cork him. :)

    posted by Rabullione on 3-5-2010 at 4:07 pm

  52. 1)Laurie Notaro, who is laugh-out-loud funny.

    2)One of my brother’s friends was trying to get investors for some exercize/weight loss franchise that has all this equipment that you lie on and it moves YOU. My uncle lost his shirt in the deal.

    posted by Donna on 3-5-2010 at 4:43 pm

  53. Kurt Vonnegut

    Because when I started to inevitably insane, I would not seem that crazy by comparison.

    posted by n2y2 on 3-5-2010 at 4:51 pm

  54. 1 – Author Sarah Vowell, she’s really funny (it’d be AWESOME!)

    posted by just_me on 3-5-2010 at 5:56 pm

  55. 4.

    Jason English, I am at least one flosser who grew up during that era and loved wrestling. I still watch it, but it’s not the same as back then. Your video did make me smile. The theme song for that cartoon is one of the best ever, very inspirational.

    I have 2 videos I’d like to share:

    The first is also aimed at wrestling fans. If you know who the Undertaker and Ric Flair are, you have to watch this if you haven’t already seen it. It’s from Ric Flair’s “retirement” ceremony from a couple of years ago. The Undertaker segment did not air on TV, but was included on a DVD. It’s just an awesome moment, and should make all knowledgeable wrestling fans smile.

    “Ric Flair speech with Undertaker”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ih7oCqpK5g

    The second video is a great music video from the 90′s. The song and video never fail to make me smile. I hope the fellow flossers like it too.

    “Peaches” by the Presidents of the United States of America
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvcohzJvviQ

    posted by Kedar on 3-5-2010 at 6:30 pm

  56. Lillian Hellman. She really, really lived and didn’t mind writing or talking about it.

    posted by M. Forrest on 3-5-2010 at 6:56 pm

  57. Robert Anson Heinlein: sci fi author, engineer, retired military, predictor/inventor of tremendous amounts of gadgetry and social upheaval, amazingly overall knowledgeable and capable guy.

    If there were any author who could somehow invent a way to get off a desert island using only salt water and sand, it would be RAH.

    posted by G on 3-5-2010 at 7:42 pm

  58. jean m auel!!!

    posted by Alecto on 3-5-2010 at 7:58 pm

  59. I log another vote for Neil Gaiman; super smart and interesting wins out every time!

    posted by frodopal on 3-5-2010 at 8:35 pm

  60. I can’t speak to the rest of the questions, as I’ve never been involved in any absurd money-making schemes, but as far as the deserted island goes, I’d want to be stranded with Neil Gaiman. Sense of humor goes a long way.

    this is the one and only youtube video that always makes me smile:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdUeVAkzEas

    posted by sammylee on 3-5-2010 at 10:19 pm

  61. 1. (If he were still alive) Jerzy Kosinski or Julie Klausner. Granted, the latter only has one book, but the lady is hi-larious.

    4. Singing Japanese pizza toppings! Keep an eye out for the Hitler onion! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6tSyDHXViM

    posted by furiousk on 3-5-2010 at 10:48 pm

  62. 1. Neil Gaiman
    2. Go abroad and be English teachers
    3. Something similar. Writing content for a site whose materials they won’t release because it’s “confidential.”
    4. For the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtyAsiZWktY

    posted by Luna on 3-5-2010 at 10:51 pm

  63. terry pratchett or neil gaiman, hm… i’m leaning to terry pratchett but not sure

    posted by Jane on 3-6-2010 at 1:44 am

  64. This is my sister making up words to a George Michael song. You may enjoy it, who knows?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpgpWkwWTJg

    posted by Starla on 3-6-2010 at 10:02 am

  65. 1. Sidney Sheldon – coz he’s interesting and he would probably know how to survive, seeing as how he was a research guru.

    2. Selling diet drinks. Ugh. Do not use, will not endorse. We weren’t close to begin with, so that was the final straw.

    3. Too many to name. I work at a public university.

    posted by Anna on 3-6-2010 at 11:07 am

  66. 1. Alive author: Stephen Fry as my island cohabitant.
    Deceased authors would be a tie between Douglas Addams & PG Wodehouse.

    2. A friend invited me to a :Women’s Dinner Party” investment – pyramid scheme – even the info presented an upside down triangle as I remember. A woman “buys” in at $5K at the “appetizer” level, then you con others into buying in & advance to salad, etc.. at the end you have $50K to invest & start your business! It purported to be about women helping other women be successful. Uh, yeah, no thanks.
    3. I think all projects are DOOMED.

    4. Back to stephen fry:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUVBXb4XIqE

    posted by just me on 3-6-2010 at 12:18 pm

  67. 1. John Green, for sure.

    posted by Elizabeth on 3-6-2010 at 2:26 pm

  68. CS Lewis

    posted by cdk on 3-6-2010 at 9:10 pm

  69. #2: Brett Easton Ellis used to write solely under the influence of crystal meth. Now that would make for an interesting advenure…

    posted by Joscel on 3-6-2010 at 10:45 pm

  70. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbxq0IDqD04

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxieMOdo6IU

    Yes…there’s more…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru6p5NLXxvY

    posted by Jason on 3-6-2010 at 11:22 pm

  71. Author: Its a toss-up between Neil Gaiman and Christopher Moore. I think both would be entertaining to listen to for days on end. The David Sedaris idea flashed through my head… but he’d be lazy and make me do all the work looking for food.

    Favorite Youtube clip: Japanese people teaching how to talk sexy English. It makes me laugh every time I see it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mv-lep67uI

    posted by Matrinka on 3-7-2010 at 2:16 pm

  72. 1) Doy Del Mundo ;) Filipino author and playwright. He was my prof in college and if we get stranded, we can be mentor and mentee again! Just give us a ton of pens and papers. He’ll make masterpieces, and I’ll… try.

    posted by Sam on 3-8-2010 at 6:52 am

  73. 1) Sir William Golding

    Thats pretty much it.

    posted by Zach S on 8-6-2010 at 8:41 am

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