Dear Barack and Michelle,
I’m going to be at the Books-a-Million at DuPont Circle on Thursday December 3rd from 5pm to 7pm. Why don’t you come on and by and say “Hi!” Great. See you there.
xo
Annie
2 
2 
Dear Urban Outfitters:
Why are you selling these postcards of obsolete objects but have neglected to stock your stores with a book about such objects? A book called OBSOLETE? It’s the cool thing to do. Barnes & Noble is doing it. Borders is doing it. But not YOU! Get with it, UO. Books are cool. Actually, they’re so uncool that they’ve circling back to cool. Like cinch-waist pants. I’ve been thinking about reading one myself.
Books are the future. Invest in it! Invest in my future! Mama needs a new pair of pre-rumpled corduroys. Or does your company plan to make its fortune from selling ironic lampshades forever?
Sincerely,
Jean Nana Ssorgman
PS: Ithaca is Gorges!
UrbanOutfitters.com > Analog Postcard Set
1 Twitter book-giveaway
Apparently, OBSOLETE’s publisher, Abrams, was having a book-giveaway via Twitter yesterday. I didn’t catch on to this until today. D’oh! Ah well. Wait, I already have one!
I have a feeling, however, that they may keep the lines open for another day or so. So, if you like free stuff, go onto Twitter and write “@ABRAMSbooks is giving away Obsolete for #free today! RT this for a chance to win http://ow.ly/xiuQ #abrams60”
Mmkay?
If you REALLY like free junk, email me a photo of OBSOLETE with something that’s obsolete, and I’ll send you a limited edition obsolete hotel key chain.
Another installment of Object So Obsolete That You Probably Don’t Even Know What It Was For.
Saw this this weekend in Philadelphia. Anyone know?
2 
This just in from Martin Petersen. “Mixtapes—I hope they never die,” he writes. Martin sent this allllll the way from Bremen, Germany. Last night at a Russian restaurant I met a Lithuanian waiter named German. He said it was a German name. I asked what it meant.
Him: It means “German.”
Me: But I don’t think that’s how you say “German” in German.
Him: They say “Herman.”
Huh? Zackly.
Send in a photo of your copy of the book with something that’s obsolete and we’ll send you a free obsolete hotel key chain! Woohee!
4 
This 1977 patent, which was accompanied by this chart, is discussed in OBSOLETE. Pourquoi? Porque I talk about how combovers are becoming obsolete. Honestly, I think this entry is one of the farthest reaches in the books; it’s one of a couple subjects that I think probably have more to do with style than with changes or behaviors that have been brought about because of technology, or because of what we think is progress. VCRs, for example, probably won’t ever make a real come back. I guess what I’m saying is that I think that combovers actually could cycle back into popularity, if only because it was never really a style to begin with. It was lack of style, even—and stylish people so often often aim for that casual I-never-think-about-my-looks look. Maybe when today’s hipsters start going bald, they’ll sport combovers, but in an ironic way.
[via ilovecharts via powlsy via cultrvultr]
15 Amos, obsolete.
It has recently been pointed out to me (nice use of passive voice, no?) that I have not written enough about a certain someone on this book’s site.
Who is these people who it who has been pointed outed this to me has been? I cannot categorize them. They are straight, gay, black, white, male, female, young and old. And that’s just the couple next door! Don’t even listen to me. Point: people keep asking me why I haven’t posted pictures of my dog.
Top three reasons:
1-I don’t want to scare people away from this site. In other words: I want people not to realize how dog-nutty I am. I don’t want anyone to think that I’m the kind of woman who loses it like a drunk toddler every time she sees something with four-legs on the street. Because I’m not. Shut up.
2-Ostensibly, this blog is about the book OBSOLETE and the general topic of obsolescence. Right? Right. Well, simply put, my dog isn’t obsolete. He also isn’t much for books and doesn’t ever have rhapsodizing thoughts about the ocean waves lapping against the beach and washing away the footprints of our lives. He’s more interested in Kant.
3-I hadn’t seen him in six weeks.
I’ve been traveling a lot, and so my 16-pound Yorkie/Poodle, Amos, has spent more than a month with my family and friends at my stepdad’s distillery where I’ve been living part-time for a few months. Amos is a rock-and-roll star in these parts. Recently I was told that people sometimes call after touring the distillery just to say that Amos was their favorite part of the tour. I know, right? So, anyway, while I was away, I kept getting reports about how great he was doing, how happy he was, etc. All good…except I felt a l bit bruised in the ego area. Wasn’t he normally so great and fun and loved and happy because I am so great and fun and loved and happy? Because I’m not. Shut up.
Does this mean that my dog and I are judged as one in this world? I hope so. He is just a really great dog. So, that was part of it. I guess. I don’t mean to psychoanalyze myself, but I think the other part was that I just wanted to imagine he was pouting in a corner writing me sonnets. An hirsute Prince Charming. Needless to say, when we finally had our reunion a few days ago, he didn’t kiss my feet. He was like six out of 10 on the excited barometer. And that really wasn’t good enough for me.
He’s grown a little warmer towards me in the last few hours. This might because a few hours ago I set up a whole photo shoot for him. Bonding time! Just like JonBenét and Patsy Ramsey!
Why a photo shoot? To put him on this site. And why would it make sense to put a picture of him on your site? Well, someone pointed out to me that I have a series of photos on this blog of cute animals posing with obsolete objects. This is true. Well, now, said person said: Your book is OBSOLETE, and he’s cute… This is true: also, books are arguably becoming obsolete, and OBSOLETE is indeed a book. Soooo… I present:
CUTE ANIMALS WITH OBSOLETE OBJECTS: Vol. IV, Is. 1
It wasn’t until after I shot this that I saw that the page he was turned to was “Body Hair.”
Maybe Amos is obsolete after all.
Last week, I asked you all to guess what this obsolete object is for. Many people said a ratchet screwdriver. Even my dad—and he knows everything! No prizes for any of you. You all fail.
YES it is a ratchet screwdriver, but close readers will note that I was asking if you could guess the object’s specific usage. Most ratchet screwdrivers can go in both directions; this one can be pushed down in only one direction and has no switch to make it go in the other direction. In other words, when you close something inside of it, you’re probably never planning to open it again. At least, not with this screwdriver. Another hint: it’s used on an object that you probably do not own. Yet.
Any last guesses? No book goes to the winner this time. But I’ll send you an IAmObsolete button if you ask me nicely.
1 1 
I’m back in the US now but thought I’d post this photo I took last week in Belgium. This was a glass-encased display of obsolete objects in the train station in Brugge. I think it was some kind of ad for a youth hostel. I didn’t really get it then. I don’t really get it now. Nevertheless, I love it.
OBSOLETE is currently on top-ten best-seller list on Amazon! In the Art section. Of the Encyclopedia section. Of the Reference section. But still.
If anyone wants to buy me a celebratory drink, I’m taking invitations. But I’d settle for a nice “customer review.”
I will be talking at The First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art on November 7th in Philadelphia, PA. At the event, my face will probably not be as weirdly elongated as it seems to be in this photo. But you’ll have to come see for yourself.
