Last Day on Earth?

last week i heard that today is supposed to be the last day of human existence on planet earth. huh. i could make out a will or call old friends… but i think i’ll make some popcorn and watch scenes from night of the comet.

Jiffy Squid


i rented mystery train 20 years ago because it looked weird, i checked it out from the library sunday ’cause i was in the mood for it again. tom waits is the night shift DJ i wish i could have been.

Jonathan Coulton

a few days ago i heard an NPR story about jonathan coulton. he’s a full time musician, not signed to a recording label, sells his songs online, and last year he grossed half a million dollars. i went to his blog and came to the conclusion that this guy is awesome. this is a song he wrote about tom cruise. his work is just the kind of motivation i need to crank out new material. thanks jonathan.

Couch Out, Futon In

after many years of use, our couch had become übersoft. it was not comfortable. it was the first piece of furniture we had made payments on. i got the idea to buy a wood frame futon at temple slug because they’ve been in westport selling futons since 1970. they must be doing something right. it’s ironic, because the couch had originally replaced a steel frame futon when we first moved into our home. this time i figured a wooden frame would keep its comfort level longer than a steel frame, so we put our money where our backs and backsides are. josh frierdich helped me take the old couch to a thrift store, and load up the futon.

One of These Toes

this is what happens when you borrow money from shady characters and don’t pay it back… ok that was just something to get your attention. i actually just jammed my toe in the kitchen a couple of days ago. the next day it looked like this. it looks worse than it feels. i have never seen a toe this purple before.

Back in the USDA

i drove to a gladstone office building to teach CPR this afternoon. i was just looking for the address. the actual business was a secondary interest. usually my highest priority for an onsite class is arriving early enough to see where i’m teaching and get set up… it’s kind of like a MASH doctor assessing an injured soldiers’ wounds without looking at his face. knowing the actual organization’s name is an afterthought. today’s class was at a USDA office off 72nd and holmes. the last time i was in that neighborhood i ended up in a martial arts dojo teaching CPR to computer techs. you never know where the chopper’s gonna land.

When My Skin Changed to Fur


i rediscovered this song yesterday when i was going through all the recording artists on the sub pop label. if i ever play it in public i’ll dedicate it to jim huber and/or drew ryan.

Mother Jugs and Speed

even though i slept through it, i have never forgotten the name of this movie or who is in it. my folks took us to the drive in theater at every opportunity to see the newest disney movie (pinocchio, song of the south, etc.). the disney movie was always followed by a second feature that WASN’T a disney movie. for the life of me, i don’t remember any of them except mother jugs and speed. and even now, all i can vaguely recall was that there were reckless ambulance drivers in it. i knew the movie was over when i woke up to the sound of gravel under our tires as we joined the caravan of cars leaving the drive in.

Afternoons & Coffee Spoons


thanks to ross polete, i found another coffee song! since most of my shifts at homer’s are from 11-6, this one cuts close to the bone.

Fake Cinco de Mayo

cinco de mayo (the fifth of may) is NOT celebrated for:
when the mexicans found the germans who bombed pearl harbor and made them eat stale tamales, a day when all latino high school students dress up in festival clothes and ditch class, mass consumption of spicy food following the season of lent, the first time someone waded across the rio grande, when matadors switched from penguin fighting to bull fighting.