This morning I got on the elevator at work and this slight, short, interesting looking man (with great shoes on I might add) gets on with me.  I smiled, he smiled and I knew I recognized him, so I said, “You look like a movie star.”  He just smiled and I said, “Are you?” “Yes,” he replied as I asked, “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?”  It was Tim Blake Nelson (I had to ask him his name) and I then proceed to tell him how much we (even my kids) loved that movie.  He said thanks and told me that his kids liked it too, right as I got off the elevator on the 8th floor.

I know that was completely uncool – as a good friend of mine pointed out to me when I first moved to New York from Wisconsin, nobody looks at anybody in elevators – let alone talk to them – but I was so happy I did it! I love NYC!

Watch Tim and the Soggy Bottom Boys here!

And, “If you are scratching your head and asking ‘Who the hell is Tim Blake Nelson?’, the long answer is you already know his work and the short answer is: He’s the guy in O Brother Where Art Thou? who isn’t George

Clooney or John Turturro.

So, what does this story have to do with anything?  Not much, just a great NY story and a reminder that this city is filled with interesting and creative people and amazing opportunities.  But, there is a connection to the book publishing world:  the movie is based on a great book by Bernard Evslin called The Adventures ofUlyssesI might just have to pick up a copy now.