Alan Alda’s seven questions

Seven questions and a guest’s answers close out each episode of Alan Alda’s podcast Clear + Vivid. As with the questions in the New York Times feature “By the Book,” I’ve decided to answer them myself. How about you? (Again, why should only well-known people have all the fun?)

What do you wish you really understood?

Chemistry and physics. The idea that things are made of “elements” and composed of atoms, endlessly agitating, is at odds with my experience of everyday reality, in which water is made of, well, water, and a desk isn’t something you could drive a pencil through if the atoms were arranged in a certain formation.

How do you tell someone that they have their facts wrong?

“That isn’t really the case,” or “That’s not entirely true,” followed by an explanation supported by evidence. I had to do that kind of thing often when teaching, to counter mistaken notions about writing that students brought with them to college — for instance, the belief that it’s wrong to begin a sentence with and or but. How to counter that mistaken belief: explain why a teacher might have prohibited and and but, offer evidence from authorities on usage that the words are acceptable, and offer evidence of the words in use in the work of reputable writers.

What’s the strangest question anyone has ever asked you?

It might be this one, in a classroom, when students were doing some in-class writing: “Where should I write my name?” That gave me insight into the rigidity of some students’ classrooms before college. “Anywhere at the top of the page is fine,” I said.

How do you stop a compulsive talker?

“I need to get ready to teach.” Or, post-retirement, “I really need to get going.” Or “We should get going.”

How do you strike up a real, genuine conversation?

I have no particular way, which might mean that I’m bad at it, or that I’m good at it — in other words, that without a starting strategy, the conversation will be really genuine.

What gives you confidence?

Having written a good sentence.

What book changed your life?

Alvin’s Secret Code, by Clifford Hicks, the book that made me a reader and re-reader in childhood.

Here are Elaine’s answers to the seven questions.

[The questions appear to have changed over time. Here’s an earlier version. I prefer the ones I’ve answered.]

Speedy Delivery, the next generation

Alex Newell, son of David Newell, just made a cameo appearance in Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). In Mister Rogers’s Neighborhood, David Newell played Mr. McFeely, an employee (the lone employee?) of the Speedy Delivery Service. In Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Alex Newell, a real-life mail carrier, played — what else? — a mail carrier.

Thank you, Rachel, for sending this news.

[Orange Crate Art is a Neighborhood-friendly zone. Many years ago, I took my kids to meet David Newell/Mr. McFeely at our nearby PBS station. “So you teach at the university?” he asked me. I, an academic? Was it that obvious?]

Patrick McDonnell’s paintings

Patrick McDonnell, creator of the comic strip Mutts, has a show of his paintings. Nancy and Sluggo looking at a mushroom cloud? It looks to me as if McDonnell has been paying attention to Joe Brainard. And perhaps John Ashbery. Story here.

Dr. Biden’s handwriting

Dr. Jill Biden has excellent handwriting.

Criminal handwriting

“Slattery entered three banks in Eastbourne and Hastings in the space of two weeks, and used written notes to ask the cashiers to hand over money, officers said”: “Man’s handwriting was so bad Eastbourne bank staff didn’t know he was trying to rob them.”

[A bit first (?) done in Take the Money and Run.]

Heather Cox Richardson again

Today’s installment of Letters from an American. More helpful than hours of “analysis” on cable news.

Exclamations

It would be wonderful to live in the Peppa Pig world, even if only for one five-minute episode. There, virtually all developments can be met with “Ooh!” or “Wow!” or “Yes, please!” or “Hooray!”

About Afghanistan

Heather Cox Richardson’s August 15 installment of Letters from an American is well worth reading.

Mystery actor

[Click for a larger view.]

Warning: This one’s tricky. Leave your best guess in the comments. I’ll drop a hint if needed.

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Nearly two hours have gone by without a guess. Here’s a hint: she’s in disguise.

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The answer is now in the comments.

More mystery actors (Collect them all!)
? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ?

[Garner’s Modern English Usage notes that “support for actress seems to be eroding.” I use actor.]

Pat Hitchcock O’Connell (1928–2021)

Alfred and Alma’s daughter. Forever memorable in Strangers on a Train. The New York Times has an obituary.