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I say everyone here at the office is a lil’ obsessive. Lulu will stay up until 2 am on a school night rereading Nancy Drew mysteries, Chris will see some Old Navy commercial, then turn to me and say, “Put your shoes on. We’re going to buy Performance Fleece NOW!!!” and me, well, it seems each week I’ve got a new crush. On Tuesday I can’t stop talking about Vinnie and his tampon cases and then by Sunday I suddenly must know everything about Claire Grogan of 80’s band Altered Images. Whatever did we do before Google? Actually, I remember. When I was a kid I would go to the library each week and carry out mini research projects. I’d scroll through the microfiche to learn all I possibly could about Doug and Suzie Tompkins of Esprit or check out back issues of any magazine that mentioned the CK model Josie Borain. But I’d also have these weird fascinations with people in my every day life, like Alice the lunchlady who had the word “Elvis” inscribed in her gold tooth. Those subjects were more difficult to discover, but not really. I’d simply interview them for my zine “Hurricane.” We’d talk up a storm! Turns out working at a high school is the perfect set-up for Elvis fans. This way you’ve got summers off and never miss your yearly pilgrimage to Graceland to honor the King on August 16th, the day of his untimely passing... Point is, you can learn a lot from a crush. Best case scenario, your life will completely be changed. Try to remember that the next time you see some cute boy or girl on the bus and then let shyness get the best of you. I’m living proof! I met Chris and Lulu at a birthday party in 1996 and now can’t imagine what I would be doing without them. There would be no fredflare.com, that’s for sure. This year for my birthday those two gave me my very own column which you are reading right now! (Thanks, guys.) This is where you’ll learn about some of my all-time fave people as well as a few new discoveries. I’m actually pretty shy myself but here you’ll find me to be a real people person! I’ll give raves, I’ll gush and every coupla weeks I’ll tell you a secret crush... Email me anytime at keith@fredflare.com and tell me yours. I’d love to hear from you! Xoxox, Keith |
This year I decided to take matters into my own hands and purchase the Peanuts Holiday Collection DVD, a blockhead bonanza featuring It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, A Charlie Brown Christmas as well as a few other delights. Happily, Charlie and I have been hanging out a lot this season! Watching those amazing made-for-television specials is like traveling in a time machine. Wasn’t I just enjoying this while dancing in my pink jammies with the feet? Didn’t Mom just sew a red zig-zag sweatshirt for my brother Kevin for Halloween? It seems like yesterday. Now Kevin’s started a new job as a professor in a strange new town, Fargo, ND. We’re both in our thirties. How did this happen? Good grief! Charlie hasn’t changed, though, and he reminds me of my brother as much as ever: somewhat unlucky and a lil’ depressed a lot of the time. Gosh, that doesn’t sound like much of a compliment. All the same, you can totally relate and you keep rooting for the sweet boy who shows up with the tiny tree that just needs a little TLC. I read something recently about A Charlie Brown Christmas that I found fascinating. Apparently, in 1965 James Aubrey, an executive at CBS, originally vetoed the special because he feared good ol’ Charlie Brown was too much of a "loser" and wouldn't draw an audience. Of course the opposite happened and the show has been rebroadcast ever since. It’s true what they say: You’re a winner, Charlie Brown! Hey Kevin! What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Why don’t you come up to NYC and Charlie and Snoopy can fix us some popcorn and toast. I miss you! 11/13/03 |
