And now — well, tomorrow from 5:30pm – 8pm to be exact — the inspiration for this contest is upon us: the Wren’s Nest fundraiser hosted by the Ravinia Club.  All proceeds from the (cash) bar on the evening’s featured specialty drink benefit the Wren’s Nest.  Heard of it?

Now, before I get to the drink-christening, allow me to convince you to join us at the Ravinia Club:

• Everyone is welcome!  What a nice sentiment!
• Usually when you toast the Wren’s Nest, people have no idea what you’re talking about.  Tomorrow you’ll be in knowing company.
• I bet you love prizes.  You’ll find tomorrow’s raffle — fine wines, tickets to sporting events, massage gift certificates and more — so delightful.
• Wren’s Nest Rambler Akbar Imhotep will be spinning yarns throughout the evening.  If you haven’t seen Akbar yet, now is the time to hang your head in shame.
• Complimentary hors d’oeuvres mean you can stuff your face while pretending to be super classy.  At least that’s what I’ll be doing.

Are you sold yet?  I hope so.  You don’t even need to buy tickets; you can just show up and enjoy a…

Marga-Remus!

You may also enjoy 3 – 8 of them.

Yep, it’s a margarita, which our inside sources tell us the club makes deliciously.  It also has “Remus” in the name, which makes it themed and super clever.

So, we’ll see you there, right?  Here’s a map to the Ravinia Club.  Join us at 5:30 – 8 pm.

Any questions?  Leave ‘em in the comments.

The biggest tip-off was probably the fact that the “news” was reported in a calm, informative manner.  Let’s be serious — if Song of the South really were to be released, our blog post would most likely read something like this:

GACK!  Song of the South — released!  Excitement!  No, for real!  Big things poppin’!  It’s happening!  Who wants to get a beer or twelve?!  Guys!  The movie!  Money?  Maybe!  Oh man oh man oh man.  Gotta answer the phone!  Big news!

Perhaps we should write a post now, with clear heads, to keep on hand just in case. That way we won’t sound like a fleet of monkeys with typewriters hopped up on goofballs when it really does happen.  If it really does happen.  Fingers crossed.

Anyhow, happy April 2nd!

Even better, we get to name the drink ourselves. Oh, and we get to concoct the libation, too.  But come on, we get to name it!  Score!

Unfortunately, we are not entirely the most creative folks, Lain and I.  Thus, we have come up with the following:

• Brer-tini.  It’s a martini.

Let’s try to top that.

Because you’re so smart, we thought we would pose the challenge to y’all.  The person who comes up with the best name and drink will win a bag of things collected from around our office.  There is truly no telling what this mystery prize will contain.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

1. A drink with broad appeal.
2. A drink that contains alcohol.
3. A drink that people like to order in multiples of at least 3.
4. A name that can be said with a knowing wink.
5. Something that can be easily created and served.  No zests or sprigs here, thanks.

Perhaps it’s the color of tar.  Maybe it uses Brer Rabbit molasses!  Maybe it’s green beer because you think it deserves more than St. Patty’s Day.

The world is your oyster, but it might make sense to stick to the following topics: Brer Rabbit Stories, the Briar Patch (bonus points for a Star Trek reference), Uncle Remus, or Joel Chandler Harris (who didn’t mind a drink or two himself).

Ready?  Set.  Go!

Need proof?  Game on.

1. Rachael Maddux, author of “Dummies in the Attic,” our feature in the July ’08 Paste Magazine, is also an author of An Indie Rock Alphabet.  Easy.

2. The release party was at Little Shop of Stories in Decatur.  Wait, do I mean the store managed by Duck and Herring Co. editor and Wren’s Nest volunteer Terra McVoy?  The very place we held half of the meetings for the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company?  I do!  How convenient!

3. The entire administrative staff of the Wren’s Nest was there.  Sure, that’s only two people, but they’re the two people who write this blog.

4. The party was totally awesome.  The Wren’s Nest is totally awesome!  Maybe that should have been #1.

5.  The book was released by Paste Magazine, which we toured with the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company.  Ta da!

6. There was beer, complete and total rocking out, and every hip baby this side of the Ole Mississip’.   There were even toddlers sitting in a semi-circle while Judi Chicago jammed like no one has jammed (in front of a stroller while using a keytar) before.

(Thanks to Josh Jackson at Paste for letting me steal this photo.)

Why were the kids sitting like that?  Because that’s all they know how to do.  So maybe this one wasn’t a connection, per se, but did I mention beer and funny babies?!

In short, we asked Rachael if she could publish another book by next Sunday so that we could all do this again.  It was great.  Buy the book at Little Shop of Stories and check out more pictures over at Paste.

I’m still recovering.  But I did manage to post a few pictures of the party.  Check ‘em out here.

Did you take any pictures?  Seriously, I’d love to see ‘em since I was so busy running around all night. Just upload your pictures to the Wren’s Nest Facebook Page.

Big thanks to our volunteers (Laura, Nicole, Greg and Christina, Lauren and Catherine, my mom, my sister), our staff, and the folks who had a great time, which was everyone.  Thank you, everyone.

That’s less than 10 days away.  I’m a little worried.

Don’t get me wrong — the show will be phenomenal, the tacos will be delicious, and the margaritas will have tequila.  I’m mostly worried that folks might miss out on a great time.

We’ve got a lot to compete with — class reunions, out-of-town plans, laziness, stock market induced excuses, hatred of fun and margaritas — you name it.

And in typical Wren’s Nest fashion, we were late spreading the word.  The price we pay?  Restrained panic.

We’re looking to you, dear Wren’s Nest blog readers, to help us out.  And boy howdy, have I got some incentive–

Inspire nine folks to come to the concert with you, and drinks for your entire table are on me.

You heard me.

Honestly, I don’t think anyone will take me up on this offer.  I’m sure you’re either too busy or it’s too expensive or you don’t have time to rally your crew.  I will be shocked if you can pull this together.

So prove me wrong.

Free drinks for you and your buddies all night, but only if you (1) are at least 21; (2) mention this blog post; (3) assemble your crew of 9 or more; (4) pay for your tickets in full; and (5) tell me about it before 4 pm on September 22nd (lain@wrensnestonline.com).

Please, test my generosity.

And lucky for us, some of the people who like it started a new website called Regator, which basically collects awesomeness from the whole wide internet and then says, “Hey!  Read this why dontcha!”*

(Photo courtesy of ohsnapkid.com.  More photos from the event here!)

That’s Lain and me with Regator’s mascot, Reg (note: Lain and I both minored in posing).  Regator hosted a launch party at Paste Magazine offices in Decatur and invited bloggers who they like.  That’s my understanding, anyhow.

In truth, all I know is they sent the invite to Lain for the both of us, but then only my nametag was printed.  Success!

The night was full of awkward introductions (example: “I read your blog all the time and just think you’re the coolest… err, I mean, nice to meet you!) and open bar advantage-taking, so everything pretty much evened out.

Awkward adoration aside, it really was neat to meet the faces behind the words.  The Asian Cajuns were delightful as always, About Town‘s Elizabeth is a real live nice person, and the ladies from Dad’s Garage and Out of Hand theater were a treat.  Though you might know them from their “work” at “Google.”

Thanks to the Regator team for hosting this delightful soiree, and hi to everyone we met!  Sorry I don’t remember your names!  Free drinks!

* Lain adds, “Regator is like Google Reader meets Digg, and their baby is adorable, quick, and easy to use.  If you’re into that sort of thing.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Recently, in a series of mind-boggling coincidences, evidence has linked Joel Chandler Harris not only to the themes and jokes of The Office, but also to the professional development of its cast.

In short–Joel Chandler Harris MADE The Office.

Curious? Read on.

The other night I was hanging around Twain’s Billiards and Tap, obviously researching the friendship between Joel Chandler Harris and Mark Twain. (You may recall that Joel Chandler Harris also MADE Mark Twain.)

From across the bar an acquaintance recognized this executive director diligently taking notes. We had a brief discussion–

Her: “Say, do you know the television show ‘The Office’?”

Me: “I don’t really have time for this.”

Her: “Do you know Kevin from The Office?”

Me: “Look–I am very busy.”

Her: “Do you know that he grew up in Atlanta?”

Me: “Yes, yes, as did fellow cast member Ed Helms. I noted it in my blog several months ago, thankyouverymuch. Now if you don’t mind, I’m busy drin–researching.”

Her: “Wait! Did you know that in 6th grade Kevin from The Office performed in a school play based on the Uncle Remus stories?”

Me: “Lady! Pleas– No, no I did not.”

Her: “Did you know that an encore performance of that very play was performed on the stage at the Wren’s Nest?”

(Probably not the same performance.)

Me: “Get. Out.”

I thanked her for the information, and promptly returned to my research.

Now, if we can assume that…

(a) Joel Chandler Harris created both the character Uncle Remus and the now-museum home The Wren’s Nest,

(b) Kevin from The Office’s professional career got its start in a 6th grade play that was based on the Uncle Remus stories and performed at the Wren’s Nest,

(c) Ed Helms, who also grew up in Atlanta, has also quite probably visited the Wren’s Nest,

(d) This one time the writers from The Office used “Uncle Remus” as a punchline,

…then we can safely deduce that Joel Chandler Harris MADE the second best show currently on television. (The first best is definitely Rock of Love. I mean 30 Rock. One of those, anyway.)

What’s that?

You say Ricky Gervais made The Office? Please.

Stephen Merchant? Nope.

Mindy Kaling? Come on! Be serious.

It was Joel Chandler Harris people, Joel Chandler Harris. Clearly, royalties are in order.

In closing, thank you to Mark Twain who inspired (one might say made) Twain’s Billiards and Tap, which supplied the venue for this fortuitous meeting and inspiration for this blog post.

And thank you again to Joel Chandler Harris who inspired (ahem) Mark Twain.

“Day two of those little monsters! I need a beer with some sugar in it.”

In summary–a group of teenagers got together with about 150 beers, a few bottles of liquor and some recreational drugs. They broke into the home and had a party. That white stuff is the residue from a spent fire extinguisher.

This incident also happens to be titled “Lain Shakespeare’s Worst Nightmare.”

Particularly chilling in the Times article is the kid at the end who shows the opposite of remorse.

(That beer pong table totally isn’t regulation size.)

Near the end of the article, one professor makes the point that vandalism like this gives us pause for reflection and inspiration for further celebration. It sure does. Even working in the field, I often wonder–why do we preserve homes of authors? Is it a worthy endeavor? Who cares about the man’s house, isn’t it his works that are important?

The article’s author, Dan Barry, sort of answers those questions by artfully linking the poetry of Robert Frost to the actions and words of the people involved. They’re a reflection of the landscape themselves, and their words echo the poetry of Frost.

Incidentally, this morning I strolled up to the Wren’s Nest to find that someone or something has tried to take the our screens off the windows.

They were strewn about the porch.

Not that the screens were historically accurate in the first place, but we had planned to take them down when we were good and ready, thankyouverymuch.

Related, especially to the Frost business: An Arsonist’s Guide To Writers Homes in New England.