Talking PC

I drove over to the greater Dayton area to see John Hodgman reading from his books. Some of you may know him from his appearances on The Daily Show. Most of you will be familiar with him as the PC in the Apple computer commercials.

I don't think I've ever gone to a book reading until tonight, so I wasn't sure what to expect or how many people would be there. Although I was once a little familiar with the area where the event took place, it's totally different--read: developed--now. Like Easton Town Center, the shopping complex is constructed like a fake small town with large parking lots and parking garages. (Hodgman jokingly compared it to the village in The Prisoner.)

By my estimate there were about sixty to seventy people there to listen to the writer talk and read from his works. He proved to be a skilled presenter who is quick on his feet. There's a blurry line between John Hodgman and "John Hodgman", but whether he was in more of a character mode or as himself, he was consistently funny.

During the Q&A he talked about how anyone can be famous for an instant today, but the people who endure or succeed are those who make something. Clearly it takes no skill to attain a moment in the spotlight in today's media-saturated world, but to remain there requires an ability to make something. I don't know that it's an original thought, but it's something that bears repeating to my students, some of whom can be more interested in the allure of being in front of the cameras.

He numbered each book that he signed, with separate counts for paperbacks and hardbacks, which tickles my inner obsessive-compulsive. (I don't know if the counts are from this book tour alone or not, but I can tell you that there weren't 2734 people ahead of me.)

While I'm loath to place my photo on this site, I feel as though I need one from the event. Since my quickly snapped shots of him speaking are too fuzzy, I present one of me and a veritable talking PC here.