Monthly Archives: October 2010

Noodle Day

What is Noodle Day (or International Noodle Day, if you prefer)?
Noodle Day (or International Noodle Day) is October 6, 2010 Every Year. It is a day to eat a noodle-based meal and think of Raymond Federman.

Who was/is Raymond Federman?
Raymond Federman was/is an experimental author, scholar, professor, father, husband, holocaust survivor, French/American, jazz lover, friend. He passed away on October 6, 2009 at the age of 81.

Why Noodle Day (or International Noodle Day)? Why isn’t it on his birthday?
Federman was accused/celebrated for spreading his love of words like a virus. The Federman Virus, as you’ll see it called. A virus continues to spread, it lives on, beyond where it may have originated, across the world and years. So it is with Federman. We celebrate this day because we know he is not dead, but lives on.

Hell, we can celebrate on his birthday too. He’d love that.

Sounds good. How do I celebrate this Noodle Day (or, etc.)?
You, solo or with others, eat any meal at any point of the day, with any sort of noodle in it. Think about Federman. That’s it.

Why noodles?
Noodles are a predominant theme in Federman’s Double or Nothing. He’s sort of linked to them. Plus they are cheap, easy to prepare, and can be enjoyed by most everyone. Also, Virus Day sounds a lot less fun.

How can I help?
Link to this post. Use #NDFRF, #NoodleDay or some variation on Twitter/App.net on October 6th. Or Facebook. Spread the word/virus/noodle.

Why are you doing this?
Because Federman was a wonderful teacher and person. No-one should forget him.

Is this authorized by his family or estate in any way?
Not as of yet, but hopefully they won’t mind. (Update: They do not mind)

When is this Noodle Day (or IND, IYP)?
Like I said, October 6, 2010 Every Year. Didn’t you see that before?

Sorry—I was thinking about noodles?
Fair enough. Enjoy!

— Raymond Federman was the sort of person who would hate a conventional opening sentence, and would probably hate a conventional eulogy as well. As an author, his work was called experimental fiction, surfiction, metafiction, and more. Federman was fond of calling it Playgerism. His sense of play inspired Noodle Day. That rhymed, but it was an accident. Honest.

Questions? Ask @paulkruczynski on twitter/app.net or email me via my website http://kruczynski.com/

Spotted at Walgreens: Ah, the hallowed halls of WHI (Wizard Herb Institute). I had some friends who studied there.

I think they now stock the shelves at Walgreens.