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August 5, 2004
TT: We aim to please
A reader writes:A man who on the same day can quote Cardinal Newman and Paul Goodman (an unfairly neglected good poet) can be assured I will keep reading him daily.
Not only did I get a kick out of that e-mail, but it occurred to me as I read it that my correspondent had come up with a pretty good mission statement for "About Last Night." Between us, Our Girl in Chicago and I specialize (or try to) in unexpected juxtaposition. We love all the arts, and within each art form we love a large and varied assortment of artists and artworks. It's never seemed to either of us that such things are best appreciated in isolation. Hence the curve balls we throw as often as we can, some big and some, like this one, little. Nor do you have to know anything about Newman or Goodman to enjoy the fun. Nothing pleases me half as much as knowing that something I've written inspired somebody who read it to go read a book he's never read before by an author he's never heard of--or, better still, to go see his first ballet or visit his first art gallery or jazz club. Or whatever.
Maybe that's the best way of describing our specialty here at "About Last Night": whatever, and lots of it.
Posted August 5, 2004 10:12 AM
