About

This seems like a terrible idea.

9 Responses to “About”

  1. Tyler Smith Says:

    June 29, 2007 at 4:29 pm

    Umm..Rick, long time no see…we hung out in Vegas…which is what you said to me when we spoke on the phone last, as if I would not remember you.
    Anyway, having made seitan many times, I can tell you that it is made of “vital wheat gluten.”

    So, and I may be off base here, I think this comment is questionable: “It is my humble opinion that gluten is a better meat-substitute, generally speaking, than seitan, though seitan is delicious in fajitas if you buy the “chicken-style.””

    Perhaps what is commonly referred to as gluten is prepared differently than seitan…or perhpas you look foolish, I am not sure which is the case.

    Sorry if I gave you another reason to correct this paragraph…try making seitan sometime, it is super easy. Arrowhead Mills makes boxes of “vital wheat gluten” (don’t ask me how it is vital) that has a good seitan recipe on the back (you boil it!).

    Next time you are in DC, find me, and I can show you if you like.

    Your vegan drug policy reformer brother in feet,
    Tyler

    Reply
  2. ludditerobot Says:

    June 29, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    Hey Tyler –

    “Perhaps what is commonly referred to as gluten is prepared differently than seitan…or perhpas you look foolish, I am not sure which is the case.”

    Pretty sure it’s a little from column A, a little from column B.

    Reply
  3. CF Says:

    October 31, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    I just have one question: How do you write the way you do? You write with authority and ferocity, yet mix it up with what feels like genuine humility and self-deprecating humour. The combo is completely disarming. I have a huge crush on you. Teach me how to write.

    Reply
  4. ludditerobot Says:

    November 2, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    CF — That’s incredibly flattering. I’ll respond with something more fleshed-out when I get a chance, but I just wanted to say thanks.

    Reply
  5. ludditerobot Says:

    November 3, 2008 at 3:57 am

    Hello to any VegCookingBlog readers who might’ve found your way here. I moved that discussion over here. Feel free to comment, if you like. Thanks!

    Reply
  6. ludditerobot Says:

    November 3, 2008 at 4:43 am

    CF – So I’ve tried a few times and there’s just no getting around a simple fact: It’s incredibly vain and goofy to write something about how one writes. I have a new respect for those “writerly” writer-types who can coherently — and, more importantly, interestingly — do so without falling into total, hilarious, cringe-worthy cliche. I am clearly not one of these.

    So I’ll just write something vain and goofy off the cuff, instead.

    I guess, in general, I have a lot of respect for a certain style of self-aware writing — probably most associated with David Foster Wallace and Thomas Pynchon, so there’s a lot of that thrown in. Contrary your very nice words (and which I’m not about to argue against too strenuously), I’m not all that creative stylistically. Pretty run-of-the-mill internet nerd snark + a grab-bag of influences and mild obsessions. I guess one could do worse.

    I do have pretty strong convictions about some things, but the very fact that I have this online public diary, that my every thought is worthy of consideration by people I don’t even know, is more than a little ridiculous. I guess that awareness shows through (heh).

    On the other hand, why shouldn’t my point of view and lifted snark, assembled into something moderately different than something else, not be at least as worthy as anyone else’s? So, whatever. “It is what it is,” to use my least favorite phrase ever.

    As to teaching? I haven’t the slightest. Read good stuff? Don’t write “grizzly” when you mean “grisly,” and, if you do, make a mental note about this? Write every day in some fashion, take no days off, just keep cranking shit out?

    Prof. Ludditerobot’s class — always the most sparsely attended. I’m self-aware enough to find all of this ridiculous, but not self-aware enough to offer any decent guidance. Boo.

    In any case, thanks again for the super-nice comment. If I have some stroke of writerly genius, I won’t hesitate to let you know.

    Cheers …

    Reply
  7. Anonymous Says:

    November 18, 2008 at 11:43 pm

    How do I leave a comment? This is inscrutable. But anyway, for what it’s worth, I’d like to say that I’ve always been your biggest if not “best” fan and I say the following: a gift “let into the air” does so much more good than one left in a pretty box. You are a wonderful writer–almost as good as ….So there! LOVE!

    Reply
  8. Josh Says:

    November 26, 2008 at 2:12 am

    I think the term is Lederhosen, rather than Lederhausen. I will now await a retort that begins “People who live in leather houses …”

    – Josh
    Oakland, CA

    P.S. You should auto-tweet this blog with http://twitterfeed DOT com/ .

    Reply
  9. ludditerobot Says:

    December 5, 2008 at 7:53 am

    For God’s sake, man. That’s been up there for a long time.

    Auto-tweet, my ass.

    Reply

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