Strange Loops: Lizard Syndrome, Organs Donation, A Klingon Christmas and Zubaz

Hello friends!

First of all, thank you for signing up for this newsletter! I know time is precious, and I will try not to waste it. In the future, these will be shorter. But after four years, there's a small backlog, (I pared it down). For now, let me just say I hope this finds you all well and lizard-free, unlike these folks:

Gilhari (Lizard) Syndrome (India), a new culture-bound syndrome: Patients complaining of a Gilhari (a kind of Lizard) crawling under their skin on their back “with intense anxiety and apprehension of death.”

Symptoms include “swelling…at the back underneath the skin accompanied by apprehension and palpitation with shouting, crying and running...with the fear of death.” “Half of the patients (50%) also complained of swelling arising from neck itself whereas 60% reported abnormal rolling movement of body and 40% reported fits of unconsciousness. The cultural belief was that if the swelling which they believed and described as Gilhari is not crushed then they may die due to breathing difficulty caused by this swelling.”

This is one of many odd syndromes I’ve come across in researching my book, Geography of Madness, which has been a long and intensive process. Finally I am closing in on a first draft, and am confident that it will be good, possibly even make a splash. It will also show how not only is "Lizard syndrome" culturally-bound, but how all syndromes are. (I’m looking at you, PMS!) Last year I also traveled to southern China and Singapore for more research into shrinking genitalia, and a couple (unrelated) pieces that came out of that trip from Hong Kong and Hainan Island:

Photographic Memory (The Rotarian, November 2014)
Hainan: China’s new kingdom of bicycles (Financial Times, July 2014)

The book is grinding along, and I should have a first draft in the next month or two. Publication date looks like early 2016. Stay tuned for more on that.

New Stories & Essays
As noted, in the future, these updates will be shorter. But here's some of my pent up list of stories--recent ones. If you only have time for one, read “Branding Guyana.”

The Donors: Are Living Organ Donors Saints or Lunatics? (Men's Health, December 2014)
Branding Guyana: The Rise and Fall of Travel Writing (Nowhere Magazine, September 2014)
Raising a Wild Child (Minnesota Monthly, August 2014)
The Life and Death of Malls (Thirty Two Magazine, Winter/Spring 2014)
Life is short, take risks (Jewish Journal, December 2014/The Rotarian, Jan. 2012)
What Price Experience? To live a rich life, invest in memories. (The Rotarian, Feb. 2014)
On Not Being Scrooge (The Rotarian, December 2014)

Events!
I have a few upcoming events in Duluth and St. Peter, Minnesota. So if you have time and inclin

ation, here they are:
Duluth, MN
“At 7 p.m. on Tues., Dec. 16, Minneapolis writer Frank Bures will speak about his forthcoming book, Geography of Madness: The Search for Magic, Medicine and the Roots of Culture. The program will take place in the conference room of the Marshall Professional Building, 1301 Rice Lake Rd., in Duluth, Minn.”
St. Peter, MN
Again, on Sunday, January 11, I’ll be speaking at the Arts Center of Saint Peter’s annual meeting about Geography of Madness: The Search for Magic, Medicine and the Roots of Culture.

Gifts!
It’s Christmas time, and that means shopping. Here are a few suggestions!
Zubaz
At the Minnesota Book Festival this fall, I witnessed a man unironically wearing Zubaz. God bles

s the Midwest: The mants are back! As one reviewer said, “It's like wearing a guitar solo around your loins.” Surely someone you know needs these.
Sky Maul 2
Not for the faint of heart, Sky Maul 1 remains the single funniest book in my possession. Sky Maul 2 just came out. (Some sample pages here). Kasper Hauser, it should be noted, is not fun for the whole family. If you don’t enjoy their humor (see: Male Camel Toe, Phone call to the 14th Century, Break Time with Terry Gross) don’t buy Sky Maul 2:
The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification
Across America, shopping carts have been breaking their bonds, roaming the urban jungle. Discover different species with this handy guide. (Hat tip to Andy Sturdevant)
A Klingon Christmas Carol
Stage play, with English subtitles. Tickets here.

Popular stories
Over the past few years, I've been lucky to have had a few stories take on a life of their own. Some of you saw them via social media (ad nauseum, I know.) Others didn’t. For what it’s worth, here are a few that people responded to, or that received some sort of award:
Runner, Interrupted: Kenyan athlete Marco Cheseto lost his legs, but found himself (Runner’s World)
Gandhi, a Girl and the Good Enough Life (The Rotarian)
The Sky Is Burning: Greg and Julie Welch thought they were taking their regular, annual trip through the BWCA. Then the fire came. (Outside Online)

The Secret Lives of Stories: Rewriting Our Personal Narratives (Poets & Writers)
The Crossing: Searching for Humankind’s Origins in Djibouti (Nowhere Magazine)
The Fall of the Creative Class (Thirty Two Magazine, See the links to back and forth with Richard Florida at the end.)
The Reunion: After teaching there nearly 15 years, ago, a man learns new lessons about change. (Washington Post Magazine)

Strange Loops
The world is still a big place, with lots going on in odd corners. Here's some news you didn't know you needed:
Bigfoot Spotted in Afghanistan
Siberian Passengers 'push frozen plane'
Police helicopter finds huge swastika in bottom of pool in Brazil
Singapore App 'discourages smartphone use'
Presentiment: We Unconsciously React to Events Up to 10 Seconds Before They Happen
Canadian Police hand out 'positive tickets'

Interviews & Media
More Frank Bures than you ever wanted:
Nowhere Magazine: Interview on traveling, writing & travel writing
Men’s Health Live: Would you donate an organ to a complete stranger? We discuss the growing phenomenon of living organ donors with MH Writer Frank Bures.
Men’s Health Live: How will your life change if you donate an organ? MH Writer Frank Bures talks about all the rewards of being an organ donor; including greater satisfaction and happiness in life!
UW-Eau Claire Spectator: Writer’s talk hits close to home: International travel writer speaks about living in the Midwest

Video:
Lastly, I loved, loved, loved this short film called “Wanderers” (3:50) set to Carl Sagan’s words. Every restless soul can relate (see also, The Crossing):

Future stories:
Kayaking the Mississippi, the science of hope, the Lost Girls of Sudan, a dictionary of forgotten words, and more…