Elmore Leonard’s 10 rules of writing, via The Trad
“On the whole, these films are not good. They’re guilty. But there are things in them that make you like them, that make them worthwhile.” - Martin Scorsese
“These are unguilty pleasures, films that I love, even though something spoils them.”
Courtesy the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas-Austin’s Wallace archive.
Ablative absolute
Ablaut
Abulia
Acephalous
ACTH
Adit
Adumbrate
Agrapha
Ailanthus
Aleatory
Alfresco
Algolagnia
Alpestrine
Ament
Anecdotage
Androsterone
Anemone fish
Anneal
Antiphon
Antipode
Apathetic
Apercu
aphagia
Aphotic
Apocarpous
Appoggiatura
Aquavit
Arc-boutant
Archimedean screw
Archine
Arcuate
Argon
Armamentarium
Arrière-ban
Arris
Ascites
Asco-
Aspheric
Astrolabe
Athabasca/Athabaska
Atony
Auscultate
Autolysis
Azygous
BAL
Banderole/banderol
Banquette
Bathyscaph
Benthos
Bespoke
Bialy
Bibulous
Bisque
Bonded warehouse
Bregma
Cachexia
Cachinnate
Cairngorm
Caisson
Calenture
Caliposis
Caparison
Carbinol
Carpophagous
Cartouche/cartouch
Cassis
Catachresis
castellated
Catarrhine
Catastasis
Cecum
Cete
Chalcedony
chatelain
Chatoyant
Chthonic
Citronella
Clastic
Clavate
Climbing irons
Clinometer
Clinquant
Cobnut
Coir
Collective bargaining
Conchoidal
Condonation
Confluence
Contredanse
Corporation
corvée
corvine
coryphaeus
couvad
coxcomb
crasis
cunctation
curettage
deadeye
debouch
decalcomania
decrepitate
deforce
delectation
delft
deliration
delitescence
demotic
demulcent
deracinate
descant
desiderate
desinence
desuetude
diadem
dicast
digitate
dihedral
diopter
dioptometer
dioptric
dioptrics
diriment
dissimulate
distichous
divaricate
domino
double-tongue
durbar
edema
ejecta
Elaine
elan
emulous
entrepôt
enucleate
eparchy
epopee
eruct
eructation
esker
espadrille
espalier
estovers
esurient
etiolate
euhemerism
exergue
facial index
fastigiate
fauces
fazenda
feculent
fibroin
fictile
fiduciary
fisc
flagitious
flense
flitch
fluvial
foamflower
folium
forensic
fornication
fossorial
fourfold
fraktur
fraxinella
fulgurant
gallimaufry
gallinaceous
garniture
gavage
gerent
girasol
glans penis
Glengarry
glycine
gnosis
gnostic
Gnosticism
graminivorous
gravid
guttate
hagiarchy
haik
Havelock
Heliogabalus
hematuria
heterodox
heterogeneous
heteroplasty
horripilation
hyperopia
hyperplasia
hypnagogic
hypocaust
hypocorism
iatric
illation
imbricate
imperforate
inanition
indene
indurate
inextirpable
internecine
intinction
intussuscept
invidious
kakemono
kala-azar
Kallikaks
karabiner
kohl
laciniate
lamia
landau
legatee
leptosome
litotes
logical positivism
longeron
lordosis
lucubrate
lugubrious
luxate
macaronic
mage
Mahabharata
maieutic
mammillate
mansuetude
mantic
mantua
manumit
marcescent
mare clausum
massif
mavourneen
mazurka
meatus
meninx
mercer
meretricious
meristem
mesomorph
metacenter
metagenesis
misericord
misogamy
misology
misoneism
mitzvah
moiré
moke
Molly Maguire
molybdenum
monel metal
monitory
monody
monoplegia
morganatic
motile
mucronate
multipara
mures
murra
nacelle
nappe
narghile
nekton
neroli
névé
nevus
nictitating membrane
niddering
nigrosine
obsequy
ocarina
officinal
omasum
ombudsman
ommatophore
onyx
opalescence
ophidian
ornithosis
orology
orpine
orrery
ort
orthochromatic
orthoepy
orthogonal
oscitancy
Osiris
osmic
osmium
osteophyte
oviform
ovine
paillette
parotitis
parturient
parvenu
peccant
pedalfer
pedicel
pelf
pellicle
penumbra
peplum
pepo
perdition
perfidy
pergola
periodontics
periotic
peripeteia
periphrasis
periphrastic
peripteral
permittivity
pertussis
petroglyph
petrolatum
phlox
photogravure
phylactery
piaffer
pilose
pinchbeck
pinnate
planation
pleach
pleasance
pleonasm
plethoric
plication
plimsoll
plissé
polder
pons asinorum
pons varolii
poplar
portcullis
prebend
preferment
premonition
preterition
pronate
pronephros
proptosis
prosopopeia
puerperal fever
quinate
quondam
raga
ramulose
realgar
rebarbative
rebec
rebus
recrudesce
recruit
rectus
recurvate
recusant
red lead
relaxin
relict
reliction
remarque
replevin
réseau/reseau
rete
revetment
rogation
ruth
salient
saliferous
saprophagous
sarcastic
sarcoptic mange
sassafras
sateen
saturnalia
saturnine
scabrous
scarious
scholium
seborrhea
sedilia
sepsis
serous
shako
shinplaster
sibilate
sibyl
siphonophore
skirl
slime mold
sociometry
socle
Sogdian
soke
solander
sordino
soubrette
spavin
splendent
spline
sprachgefühl
Stabat Mater
stative
stato–
steatopygia
steatorrhea
stipule
stochastic
stoup
strickle
stridulate
suborn
succussion
sudd
sudorific
suint
sumptuary
supernatant
surcingle
sylph
sylphid
symposiarch
syntax
sypher
tabanid
tabes
tabla
taiga
talapoin
talion
tanist
Tantalus
tartuffe
telium
tenesmus
tennis
tepefy
tercel
tertium quid
tetrastichous
thigmotaxis
thymus
timbale
tontine
tr.
trabeated
traduce
traducianism
trepan
trephine
trews
tropophyte
tympanites
Tyr
tyro
urticant
urticate
urushiol
uxorial
uxoricide
uxorious
valgus
vang
varletry
varve
veloce
venule
vernier caliper
versant
versicolor
vinculum
virilism
vitelline
vivandière
viva voce
viviparous
volant
volar
votary
witenagemot
Director Richard Linklater supplied the following notes to the filmmakers during pre-production for his masterpiece DAZED AND CONFUSED. They consciously take the shape of Bresson’s famed “Notes on the Cinematographer”:
No “Acting” but being
No “Design” but how it was
No “Costumes” but what they were wearing
From a 1969 American Association for the Advancement of Science UFO symposium:
luminous weather balloons, non-luminous weather balloons, meteors, comets, moon, artificial satellites, planets, military magnesium flares, military test craft, military aircraft, clouds, rocket firings, hot air balloons, satellite, satellite re-entry, sky-hook balloons (discontinued), hot air balloons, helicopters, planes, plane running lights, plane landing lights, planes’ reflections of the sun, contrails, hand gliders, flocks of migrating birds, individual birds, luminous birds, stars, advertising blimps, illuminated blimps, dirigibles, sewage disposal bubbles, soap bubbles, chain lightning, streak lightning, sheet lightning, ball lightning, plasma phenomena, kites, leaves, spider webs, paper and other debris, luminous electrical discharges, swarms of insects, swarms of moths, milkweed seeds, parachutes, fireworks, radio astronomy antennas, oil refineries, domed roofs, cigarettes tossed away, lighthouses, lakes and ponds, automobile headlights, auroral phenomena, noctilucent clouds, reflections of searchlights, St. Elmo’s fire, reflections from fog and mist including haloes, pilot’s halo and ghost of the Brocken, sundogs, moondogs, superior mirages, inferior mirages, hallucinations, chimeras, internal camera reflections, photographic development defects, reflections from bright sources, electric lights, street lights, flashlights, aurora borealis, smoker lighting a pipe, unsteady stars, stars changing places, falling leaf effect, autostasis, astigmatisms, autokinetic effects, dust devils, park lights, weathervanes, icebergs, fires, angels, transformers, water tanks, tumbleweeds, failure to wear glasses, reflection from glasses, retinal defects, vitreous humor, anomalous radar refraction, radar scattering, radar ghost images radar, insects on radar, birds on radar, multiple radar reflections, light aberrations, beacon lights, hoaxes
Printed in the liner notes for the essential first Nurse With Wound record Chance Meeting on a Dissecting Table of a Sewing Machine and an Umbrella and expanded on the subsequent To the Quiet Men from a Tiny Girl, this legendary list is a primer on both influences of the band and some of the greatest, rarest, strangest music ever recorded. With nearly 300 artists (some of them incredibly esoteric, and some maybe even made-up), this document is the perfect guide for starting a pretty amazing record collection.
Agitation Free
Pekka Airaksinen
Airway
Albrecht D
Alcatraz
Älgarnas Trädgård
Alternative TV
Alvaro
Ame Son
AMM
Amon Düül
Amon Düül II
Anal Magic and Reverend Dwight Frizzel
Annexus Quam
Aksak Maboul
Arbete Och Fritid
ARCANE V
Archaïa
Archimedes Badkar
Area
Art Bears
Art Zoyd
Arzachel
Robert Ashley
Ash Ra Tempel
Association PC
Il Balletto Di Bronzo
Banten
Franco Battiato
Han Bennink
Steve Beresford
Jacques Berrocal
philippe besombes
Biglietto Per L’Inferno
Birgé Gorgé Shiroc
Blue Sun
Raymond Boni
Don Bradshaw-Leather
Brainstorm
Brainticket
Brast Burn
Brave New World
Anton Bruhin
Brühwarm
Cabaret Voltaire
John Cage
Can
Capsicum Red
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Chamberpot
Checkpoint Charlie
Chillum
Henri Chopin
Chrome
Cohelmec Ensemble
Jean Cohen-Solal
Collegium Musicum
Roberto Colombo
Come
Companyia Elèctrica Dharma
Comus
Cornucopia
Crass
Creative Rock
Cromagnon
David Cunningham
Cupol
Dadazuzu
Wolfgang Dauner
Debris
Decayes
Dedalus
The Deep Freeze Mice
Der Plan
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft
Dharma Quintet
Dies Irae
Dome
The Doo-Dooettes
Philippe Doray
Roger Doyle
Jean Dubuffet
Dzyan
Eiliff
Emtidi
Eroc
Etron Fou Leloublan
Exmagma
Family Fodder
Patrizio Fariselli
Faust
Luc Ferrari
Fille Qui Mousse
Floh De Cologne
The Flying Lizards
Food Brain
Förklädd Gud
Walter Franco
Free Agents
Friendsound
Fred Frith
Gash
Ron Geesin
Gila
Jef Gilson
Glaxo Babies
Gomorrha
Gong
The Good Missionaries
John Greaves and Peter Blegvad
Grand Magic Circus
Fernando Grillo
Ragnar Grippe
Grobschnitt
Group 1850
Jean Guérin
Friedrich Gulda
Guru Guru
Hairy Chapter
Hampton Grease Band
Henry Cow
Pierre Henry
Heratius
Hero
Juan Hidalgo
Hugh Hopper
Horde Catalytique Pour La Fin
Horrific Child
Ibliss
L’Infonie
International Harvester
Iskra
Island
martin davorin jagodic
Jan Dukes de Grey
King Crimson
Basil Kirchin
Osamu Kitajima
Kluster
Frank Köllges
Kollektiv Rote Rube
Komintern
Kraftwerk
Krokodil
Steve Lacy
Lard Free
Le Forte Four
Lemon Kittens
Lily
Limbus 3
Limbus 4
Bernard Lubat
Alvin Lucier
Magical Power Mako
Magma
Colette Magny
Mahjun
Mahogany Brain
Malfatti - Wittwer
Mama Dada 1919
Michael Mantler
Albert Marcoeur
Mars
Maschine Nr. 9
Daniel Vallancien & David Maté
Costin Miereanu
Min Bul
Mnemonists
Modrý Efekt
Moolah
Anthony Moore
Mothers of Invention
Moving Gelatine Plates
Fritz Müller
Thierry Müller
musica electronica viva
Music Improvisation Company
Mythos
Napoli Centrale
Negativland
Neu!
NEW PHONIC ART
Nico
Night Sun
Nihilist Spasm Band
Nine Days Wonder
Nosferatu
Nu Creative Methods
Oktober
Yoko Ono
Operation Rhino
Opus Avantra
Orchid Spangiafora
Out of Focus
Ovary Lodge
Tony Oxley
Evan Parker/Barry Guy/Paul Lytton/Marilyn Crispell
Pataphonie
Jean-François Pauvros
Pere Ubu
Pierrot Lunaire
Plastic Ono Band
Plastic People of the Universe
Poison Girls
Pôle
The Pop Group
Michel Portal
Bomis Prendin
Public Image Ltd.
Red Krayola
Red Noise
Reform Art Unit
Steve Reich
Achim Reichel
The Residents
Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes
Boyd Rice
Terry Riley
Claudio Rocchi
Rocky’s Filj
Ron ‘Pate’s Debonairs
Dieter Roth / Gerhard Rühm / Oswald Wiener
Ray Russell
Terje Rypdal
Martin Saint Pierre
Samla Mammas Manna
Günter Schickert
Second Hand
Secret Oyster
Seesselberg
Semool
Alan Sondheim
Sonny Sharrock
Silberbart
Siloah
Smegma
Soft Machine
Sally Smmit
Snatch
Sperm
Sphinx Tush
Karlheinz Stockhausen
The Stooges
Demetrio Stratos
Supersister
Taj Mahal Travellers
Tamia
Tangerine Dream
Ghédalia Tazartès
Technical Space Composer’s Crew
Mama Béa Tekielski
Théatre Du Chêne Noir
Third Ear Band
Thirsty Moon
This Heat
Jacques Thollot
Thrice Mice
Throbbing Gristle
Paolo Tofani
Tokyo Kid Brothers
Tolerance
Tomorrow’s Gift
Ton Steine Scherben
Trans Museq
Uli Trepte
Twenty Sixty Six and Then
Univers Zéro
Christian Vander
The Velvet Underground
Vertø
Patrick Vian
L. Voag
Michel Waisvisz
Igor Wakhévitch
Lawrence Weiner
James Chance & The Contortions
Whitehouse
Wired
Trevor Wishart
Woorden
Robert Wyatt
Iannis Xenakis
Xhol
Xhol Caravan
Ya Ho Wha 13
La Monte Young
Frank Zappa
Zweistein
ZNR
The legendary chef Escoffier’s (1846-1935) rigid and oft-copied system for kitchen staff hierarchy, with origins in 14th century French and English tradition:
Courtesy Andre Domine’s Culinaria France, via Wikipedia.
All performers play from the same page of 53 melodic patterns played in sequence.
Any number of any kind of instruments can play. A group of about 35 is desired if possible but smaller or larger groups will work. If vocalist(s) join in they can use any vowel and consonant sounds they like. Patterns are to be played consecutively with each performer having the freedom to determine how many times he or she will repeat each pattern before moving on to the next. There is no fixed rule as to the number of repetitions a pattern may have, however, since performances normally average between 45 minutes and an hour and a half, it can be assumed that one would repeat each pattern from somewhere between 45 seconds and a minute and a half or longer.
It is very important that performers listen very carefully to one another and this means occasionally to drop out and listen. As an ensemble, it is very desirable to play very softly as well as very loudly and to try to diminuendo and crescendo together.
Each pattern can be played in unison or canonically in any alignment with itself or with its neighboring patterns. One of the joys of ”In C” is the interaction of the players in polyrhythmic combinations that spontaneously arise between patterns. Some quite fantastic shapes will arise and disintegrate as the group moves through the piece when it is properly played.
It is important not to hurry from pattern to pattern but to stay on a pattern long enough to interlock with other patterns being played. As the performance progresses, performers should stay within 2 or 3 patterns of each other. It is important not to race too far ahead or to lag too far behind.
The ensemble can be aided by the means of an eighth note pulse played on the high c’s of the piano or on a mallet instrument. It is also possible to use improvised percussion in strict rhythm (drum set, cymbals, bells, etc.), if it is carefully done and doesn’t overpower the ensemble. All performers must play strictly in rhythm and it is essential that everyone play each pattern carefully. It is advised to rehearse patterns in unison before attempting to play the piece, to determine that everyone is playing correctly.
As submitted to Sight and Sound:
1. CITY LIGHTS
2. CITY LIGHTS
3. THE GOLD RUSH
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
A few of my favorite quotes from Robert Bresson’s legendary collection of filmmaking axioms, a companion piece, of sorts, to Eno’s Oblique Strategies:
“Unbalance so as to re-balance.”
“One forgets too easily the difference between a man and his image, and that there is none between the sound of his voice on the screen and in real life.”
“Empty the pond to get the fish.”
“Your camera catches not only physical movements that are inapprehensible by pencil, brush or pen, but also certain states of soul recognizable by indices which it alone can reveal.”
“A locomotive’s whistle imprints in us a whole railroad station.”
“See beings and things in their separate parts. Render them independent in order to give them a new dependence.”
“Absolute silence and silence obtained by a pianissimo of noises.”
“Build your film on white, on silence and on stillness.”
“Obvious traveling or panning shots do not correspond to the movements of the eye. This is to separate the eye from the body. (One should not use the camera as if it were a broom.)”
“Hide the ideas, but so that people will find them. The most important will be the most hidden.”
A few of my favorite lines/axioms/rules from Eno and Schmidt’s deck of cards, printed with guiding artistic principles:
A line has two sides.
A very small object. Its center.
Abandon normal instruments.
Change nothing and continue with immaculate consistency.
Convert a melodic element into a rhythmic element.
Do nothing for as long as possible.
Do the words need changing?
Do we need holes?
Emphasize the flaws.
Fill every beat with something.
Go slowly all the way round the outside.
Look at the order in which you do things.
Look closely at the most embarrassing details and amplify them.
Make a blank valuable by putting it in an exquisite frame.
Only one element of each kind.
Question the heroic approach.
Short circuit. (If eating peas improves virility, shovel them into your pants.)
The tape is now the music.
Twist the spine.
Use ‘unqualified’ people.
You can only make one dot at a time.
One of the most useful sites on the web, Printable Checklist offers a user-friendly (and damn near foolproof) method for compiling to-do lists, grocery lists, etc. If, like me, you love the small feeling of accomplishment that accompanies crossing something off a list, this site is for you.
Thelonious Monk, writing advice to saxophonist Steve Lacy (1960)
From the National Hobo Museum, a collection of authentic hobo signs, which is even better than John Hodgman’s parody.
And from the Annual Convention Congress of the Hoboes of America held in 1894 in Chicago, the Hobo Code, full of good rules to live by:
1. Decide your own life, don’t let another person run or rule you.
2. When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times.
3. Don’t take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hoboes.
4. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but insure employment should you return to that town again.
5. When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts.
6. Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals treatment of other hoboes.
7. When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as bad, if not worse than you.
8. Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling.
9. If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.
10. Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible.
11. When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member.
12. Do not cause problems in a train yard. Another hobo will be coming along who will need passage thru that yard.
13. Do not allow other hoboes to molest children, expose to authorities all molesters, they are the worst garbage to infest any society.
14. Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home.
15. Help your fellow hoboes whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.
16. If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it, whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!
