Good News / Bad News
Do What You Want is finally out and an old nemesis returns
Good news first. Do What You Want was published yesterday and so far the reviews and early feedback have been very good. We’re holding steady at #1 in several new release categories on Amazon (not that that means anything) and reviews, interviews, and excerpts are popping up on various sites, which I’ll catalog below.
Now the bad news. My vertigo has returned. It started late last week and manifest as mild dizziness that worsened with certain movements that I’ve learned to negotiate. I mentioned in a previous newsletter that my last bout was in February right before I went to San Miguel de Allende and the trip was fine. As with any change, one learns to adapt.
Since then I’ve been to see a physical therapist and confirmed that I have BPPV, which stands for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. This is the most easily treatable form of vertigo and is caused when the crystals in the inner ear are jostled out of place. (Srsly.) There’s an exercise I do called the Modified Epley Maneuver that helps get them back into position. This is all good news because it means the vertigo isn’t a symptom of something else like a tumor or an alien microchip. Unfortunately, the exercise can trigger symptoms such as intense dizziness or turn the inside of my skull into a tilt-a-whirl, which isn’t fun.
I can deal with the dizziness. I’m a writer not a circus aerialist, so it doesn’t really impact my lifestyle. But when the spins/dizziness get really bad one of the side effects is nausea, which sucks. That’s when I have to take a meclizine, which is what they prescribe for motion sickness. That knocks out all the symptoms but leaves me feeling extremely groggy, and that’s what happened yesterday.
So here’s how pub day went. I woke up feeling very dizzy, made a few posts about Do What You Want and went back to bed. I woke up dizzier than before and very nauseous so I took a meclizine and soldiered on. I took care of some more book business, did a little writing, and napped on the couch before hopping in the shower. I did the Virtual Book Launch at Powerhouse Arena with Bad Religion and afterwards Nuvia and I went out to pick up some take-out sushi. I watched about 20 minutes of a movie, and slept for the next 10 hours, which I highly recommend. After a grim beginning it turned into a lovely day, and I’m happy to report I feel better today. On the Earbrass scale, I’m at “pointless embarrassment.”
The first time I had vertigo was seven or eight years ago. I was up in Walla Walla, Washington to interview Captain Scott Campbell, Jr. for the book we did together Giving the Finger. (Still one of my favorite book titles.) I interviewed Junior at his house all evening and he dropped me off at the Holiday Inn. I woke in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, stepped into my slippers (because a gentleman always travels with his slippers) and WHAM! I was on the floor, wondering who hit me, when the room started violently spinning. I thought I was going to die. I called Junior and after dry heaving in the bathroom he practically carried me to his truck and took me to the emergency room. Vertigo is an extreme symptom of motion sickness so he had some experience with it. He had all the empathy of a grizzled sea captain, meaning very little, and as soon as we left the hospital we went back to work. The Ativan they gave me in the ER helped.
Thankfully, haven’t had a bout of vertigo as bad as the first. It’s a nuisance that I suspect I’ll be dealing with for the rest of my life. When I was young the frequency with which older people fell and broke their hips used to baffle me. Now I understand but my resolve to keep these brittle bones upright is strong. I shall prevail!
Do What You Want Round-Up
Interviews: I make a very brief appearance in this short interview that Entertainment Weekly conducted with Greg Graffin.
Here’s a longer (and highly caffeinated) interview I did with New Noise Magazine, which touches on how the book came about.
Excerpts: L.A. Magazine published an excerpt from the early days of Bad Religion with photos from some of the band’s first gigs. Keith Morris, Steve Soto, and Darby Crash are mentioned or make an appearance.
Stereogum ran this excerpt that begins with the events that led to the writing and recording of Suffer, the album that changed the course of punk rock.
Reviews: I’ve got no bad feelings about this generous review posted on Bad Feelings by Gabriel Sigler.
Virtual Event at Book Soup
Tonight I’m moderating a discussion with Greg, Brett, Jay and Brian “at” Book Soup. The event is free but you have to register. I hope to “see” you there!
If you or someone you love wants to read Do What You Want in German, it’s now available as an ebook in German.
Last but not least, thank you for all the support you’ve given me during the researching, writing, and publication of this book. I’ve tried to respond to every shout out, comment, and message you’ve sent me. I really appreciate them and your enthusiasm has made the publication of Do What You Want an immensely enjoyable experience. From the bottom of my cold and crusty heart, thank you.