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Life is funny. Things can go one way and then detour to go another way. A coin gets tossed and a choice is made. Hands make fists and someone says “eeny meeny meiny mo.” Hunter S. Thompson found Doomed Love at the Taco Stand, and I found free beer at the sausage stand! I wasn’t even looking for it! It happened last Saturday when I drove to Werner’s to grab some lunch. Tom was grilling sausages, and said “there’s a self serve keg behind the food truck.” They were celebrating an anniversary, but I can’t remember what it was. I was too busy enjoying my good fortune!

I shook hands with one of my favorite actors last Friday night. 30 years ago John Cusack played Lloyd Dobler in the movie, Say Anything. He was the guy who didn’t want to buy anything, sell anything, or process anything for a career, he just wanted to date Diane Court (Ione Skye), and be a kickboxer. Cusack came to Kansas City for a 30th anniversary screening of Say Anything. During the Q & A session that followed the movie we found out that he actually learned how to kickbox for his role, and he’s still kickboxing today.It was fun to watch the movie with other fans who cheered, laughed, and clapped at all the right parts. When it was time for the audience to ask questions, I got behind one of the microphones and asked how his character might evolve in a sequel… has Lloyd Dobler changed or stayed the same since 1989? I felt super conspicuous. I had taken off my blazer & I was dressed like Lloyd in one of the scenes from the movie:Cusack didn’t seem to notice the similarity, and he really didn’t have an answer to my question except for saying “I don’t know… I don’t do sequels. They would probably get somebody else to play that part.”

Two and a half hours to showtime… then Q & A… then Jenny & I will use our VIP tickets to have our pictures taken with JOHN CUSACK!!!!

The temps are barely above freezing, the moon is smiling sideways, and there aren’t any trick or treaters outside. I knew it might be like this when we went to the store last night for candy. Half of the houses on this street don’t even have the porch light on. Oh well. At least we have a jack-o-lantern in front of our door, and treats to bribe the would be trickers. Heck. Maybe all of the kids are in the pumpkin patch tonight with Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin.

Light a pumpkin, play something on the Farfisa organ, and let a Charlie Brown style Halloween happen tomorrow night! I forgot how cool orange and purple look under a black light. I’ve also forgotten the name of the artist that had this exhibit on display at John Brown University– but I think he (or she) has spent a few nights waiting for the Great Pumpkin.

A brisk morning will beat a swampy one every time. It can lure you out of a deep slumber and beckon you into the woods… which is what happened almost every morning that we were on vacation. This was the view that was just a few steps from our cabin at Lake Wedington. There were no sounds except the breeze and the birds.

The kids came for the free candy and stayed for the beeps Saturday night at Overland Park Lutheran’s Trunk or Treat Fall Fest! We lined up the decorative gourds and miniature pumpkins for BEEP GOES THE WEASEL, and played a narrow array of songs: Ghostbusters, Smoke On The Water, the Star Wars theme, and some Charlie Brown music… and when we weren’t doing that we just made a racket. When the kids left I put on the Retro Cocktail Hour’s Halloween show, which featured ghostly moans, banshee screams, and a song about a teenage brain surgeon.

The days are cooler, the leaves are changing, and the air is crisp again. Now we can play the Star Wars theme on pumpkins, autumn squash, and warty gourds! It’s time to gather those natural resources for the unnatural display of music, vegetables, and mayhem that is BEEP GOES THE WEASEL. October 26th (that’s tomorrow!) Overland Park Lutheran will host a trunk or treat event from 4-6pm. When the kids aren’t grabbing candy out of someone’s trunk, they will be jamming to retro Halloween hits, and playing Smoke On The Water on a cornucopia of autumnal gourds!

Snap! Crackle! Pop! Those were the sounds coming from our stone rental cabin last week. With overnight lows in the 40′s it was perfect weather for a fire. The cabin was built in the 1930′s so Jenny & I tried to imagine what it would have been like to sit by the fire and listen to FDR on the radio. While we were in Arkansas the leaves fell, the fires burned, we dodged a tornado, and the vacation was a success.

I don’t smoke camels but I can draw them! That doesn’t mean that I “draw” camels as in I “beckon” camels. I’m not sure if there is a name for someone who does that. Jim Mathis recently wrote a book (see below) and asked me to draw a few cartoons for him. Since they are in a book they are illustrations.I’m not sure where I got the idea to put cuff links on a camel. Wait… I remember now: Snagglepuss from the Yogi Bear show.  The rest of the ensemble (the cigarette holder, martini, and sunglasses) is pure Hunter S. Thompson.