kottke.org posts about Aaron Cohen
Hello there everybody. I’m working on some programming stuff to enable some future new features for the site this week, so I’m going to be around a little less than usual. My pal Aaron Cohen (previously) is going to be here to fill in some of the gaps, so be on the lookout for that. 👯♂️
In the meantime, what was one small thing you did this weekend that made you or someone else smile, laugh, relax, or feel satisfied? After a productive day yesterday, I treated myself to the first episode of the new season of Silo, read Craig Mod’s Things Become Other Things for 30 minutes, and listened to James by Percival Everett on audiobook for 20 minutes.
I am excited to be back editing Kottke.org this week for the first time in one thousand years, and I am also scared because what if I don’t remember how to write on the internet? Everything has changed from how it used to be and also has it really? As long as they still make skateboarding videos, we’ll be OK I’m sure.
As Jason mentioned, I own an ice cream shop called Gracie’s and an ice cream shop that is also a bar called Earnest Drinks, and you should come to them. A few years ago, I put out a kids’ book called Salty Avocado with Chris, I’m hoping to put out another kids’ book this year, and like Jason said, I’m almost done with a novel I hope you get to read sometime.
This week we’re gonna have some videos of people doing stuff and also other internet about food and animals, we’re gonna say mean things about Intuit, we’re gonna quote Eli Cash, and maybe we’ll do something about ice cream if y’all want to because it’s something about which I know a good amount. If you see any typos, no you didn’t. The last time I edited for a week, there were lots of websites still, and now it feels like there are hardly any, so if you see any good links, please send them over on Blue Sky.
Hey, Jason here. I’m off this week (Mar 25-29) to spend some time with family (and Edith is working on Drawing Media), so my friend and ice cream impresario Aaron Cohen will be taking over the site again (he previously guest edited a couple of times in the ’10s). He owns and operates Gracie’s Ice Cream & Earnest Drinks and I hear he’s working on a novel.
As an ice cream man, Aaron keeps things fun — he takes Hard Style photos with patrons (he’s the one in hat above), makes ice cream tribute flavors for Carly Rae Jepsen (Call Me PB and Carlymel Rae Jepsen), writes a linky newsletter for the shops, and has cool merch.
Welcome back, Aaron!
My pals Aaron Cohen and illustrator Chris Piascik, both of whom have contributed to kottke.org for years now, have produced a children’s book called The Salty Avocado, which you can pre-order on Kickstarter.
The Salty Avocado is a children’s book about a truly rotten fruit who finds redemption in the healing power of raspberry hugs. The book features Chris Piascik’s vibrant illustrations and style-defining lettering matched with Aaron Cohen’s playful and endearing story. This book is for kids who like big colors and catchy words, but it’s also for parents who end up reading the same story every single night.
Since it’s Giving Tuesday today, I’ll point out that one of their most popular rewards is the “One for you, one for them” option — you get a book for yourself and they donate a second copy to a school or library of your choice. To sweeten the deal for kottke.org readers, they’ve added an option called “Kottke’s One for you, one for them” that also includes a set of 3 buttons and a PDF copy of the book. It’s the second-to-last day to order, so make sure to check it out before it’s too late.
According to Rolling Stone, 1984 was the greatest year in pop music history. And they made a list of the top 100 singles from that year; here’s the top 5:
5. Thriller, Michael Jackson
4. Let’s Go Crazy, Prince
3. I Feel for You, Chaka Khan
2. Borderline, Madonna
1. When Doves Cry, Prince
1984 was also a fine year for movies and the most 1980s year of the 1980s. Both Bill Simmons and Aaron Cohen agree, 1984 was the best year.
Aaron Cohen, a frequent contributor to kottke.org famous for his late-night (and, I would assume, drunken) extreme sports posts, is putting on a pair of events in Boston in February. The first is Up Up Down Down, a mini-conference on side projects. Which is such a great idea for a conference.
The second event is Whiskey Rebellion, “a showcase of American brown spirits”. The tasting list includes more than 75 whiskies and bourbons. This one is sold out (unsurprisingly) but there appears to be a waiting list. My schedule for that weekend is up in the air, but I hope I can make it to one or both of these.
After reading Noah Davis’ piece in The Verge about Tetris, Aaron Cohen collected a bunch of other long articles about Tetris.
Also worth watching is this hour-long BBC documentary on Tetris.
Alexey Pazhitnov, a computer programmer from Moscow, created Tetris in 1985 but as the Soviet Union was Communist and all, the state owned the game and any rights to it. Who procured the rights from whom on the other side of the Iron Curtain became the basis of legal wranglings and lawsuits; the Atari/Nintendo battle over Tetris wasn’t settled until 1993.
And there’s always the kottke.org tag for Tetris.
Many thanks to Aaron Cohen for holding down the fort here at kottke.org for the past week. You should check out the Mad Men recap he did for last night’s episode, complete with an illustration from Chris Piascik (prints and t-shirts available).
You can also find Aaron at the helm of 2012 Boston Bacon and Beer Festival…tickets go on sale soon.
Hello, it’s Aaron Cohen from Unlikely Words. Jason is out and about this week studying [Redacted] and relaxing. While knowledge and relaxation washes over him, he asked me to pitch in a couple posts. Jason will still be posting now and then, though, so fear not if you’ve disagreed with me in the past. (Actually, due to the recent site design, you’ll only be able to tell which posts are mine if you really enjoy them or if they’re 11PM EST BMX video posts.)
We’re all in this together, so if you see anything wonderful, let me know.
Jason asked me to fill in this week as he bunkers in an undisclosed location pursuing interpretive dance training. He’ll chime in with some posts here and there, though, along with some videos of his training.
I’ve been here before, but if you don’t remember I write Unlikely Words. I’m hoping for a good week on the internet, and if you find any gems, buzz me on Twitter.
I’m off for another week — the summer sun is just too tempting, as is another project I’m working on — so I’ve asked Tim Carmody to fill the editor’s seat for me. Tim is one leg of the Snarkmarket tripod; he was a frequent commenter on the site and the two founding members, instead of saying jeez, guy, shuddup already with the comments, invited Tim to join them full-time. Tim is also an academic with a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory, which is a lot more book learnin’ than I’ve ever had. Things are probably going to be a lot more grammatically correct around here this week. Welcome, Tim.
And a big thanks to Aaron Cohen for helming the site last week (and through the weekend even, a rare occurrence around these parts). I don’t know where this ranks on Aaron’s list of life accomplishments, but my 11-yo self would be super impressed that Who’s the Boss’s Samantha Micelli retweeted not one but two Cohen-penned kottke.org posts from the past week (after explaining the definitions of “post” and “retweet” to tweener Kottke).
I am off this week and cajoled Aaron Cohen from Unlikely Words into filling in for me again on kottke.org. Aaron said that he was going to upload some interpretive dance video of what he thinks I’m doing on vacation but let’s hope he just shares what he finds interesting on the internet (that includes Gopher!) this week instead.
Welcome, Aaron.
Over at Unlikely Words, Aaron Cohen has a roundup of the many previews written about tonight’s Mad Men season 4 premiere.
That maps post snuck out this morning before I could properly thank Aaron Cohen for for his exemplary handling of kottke.org for the past week++. From what I hear, many of you enjoyed his time here and I’m hoping he’ll join us again soon. I’m looking forward to catching up on what he posted.
While I’m thinking about it, I’d like to acknowledge my pals at Buzzfeed for their continued behind-the-scenes support of kottke.org. I’ve been working out of their Chinatown office for several years; having a desk outside the house makes all the difference for this sole proprietor. They just moved into new offices in Soho (within walking distance of my house!); I haven’t been there yet and am looking forward to checking them out today.
Ok, enough Oscar speech crap. Back to work.
Thanks for the intro, Jason. I’m thrilled to steer the SS Kottke and excited to share my internet with you guys for a week. Things that might come up: television, movies, books, music, lists, food, the televisionmoviesbooksmusic industry (and its issues), etc. Mostly etc, actually.
I’d like to start the week on a better note, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the passing of Black Sabbath vocalist Ronnie James Dio and Chipwich creator Richard Lamotta.
I’m off for the next week or so, and Aaron Cohen is going to be filling in for me while I’m gone. Aaron is the proprietor of Unlikely Words and you may have seen his work in the form of his monster 2008 election round up post, Everything Don Draper Said in Season Three of Mad Men, and Everything Locke Said in Season Five of Lost (which was published on Esquire’s site). Welcome Aaron.
Stay Connected