Happy Valentine's Day (Baby)

Hello, young lovers.

In case you missed it, I made history this evening when I live-tweeted my romantic dinner for two with Claire. You can relive the magic below.

At restaurant; in finery. http://twitpic.com/1h4dc
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elecray7k Appetizers: BLT mac'n cheese gnocchi, duck spring rolls. http://twitpic.com/1h4ek
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Salmon with spaetzel and artichoke purée; beef tenderloin on mashed potatoes over steamed spinach w/fried onions http://twitpic.com/1h4wn
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Champagne sorbet, and champagne with rosepetal sorbet. http://twitpic.com/1h5ec
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Our escpades did generate some response. This from pal-Kris:

krishva @elecray7k Oh heavens that sounds delicious.

And this from pal-Justin:

ExploderFace @elecray7k Amazing live-tweeting of a romantic dinner out on the town! It's almost like I'm there with you guys!

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The restaurant in question is called Evening Star, and it is easily the best place in town. Possibly one of the best places in the NCR. The food is certainly gourmet quality, but comes at reasonable prices and healthy helpings. You certainly don't feel ripped off when you eat here.

Here's the menu for tonight's meal.

"BLT" Mac & Cheese
Spinach Gnocchi, Tomato Concasse, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Triple Truffle Cream

Duck Spring Rolls
House Cured & Braised Duck, Caramel Garlic Basil Sauce

Pan Seared Salmon Filet
Crispy Spaetzle, Artichoke Puree, Fennel Choke Salad

Grilled Beef Tenderloin
Roasted Garlic and Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Spinach, Rosemary and Parmesan Onion Crisps, Bordelaise Sauce

Evening Star is very close to where we live in Del Ray, and is actually where Keith and I went to dinner before we even knew I was going to move here. Fate, I tell you!

The beef tenderloin is truly fantastic, and probably the best steak to ever cross these lips (the giant piece of meat once prepared for me by Jan Wagner excluded). Usually, the salmon is served on a ever-changing market setup, but tonight's was excellent -- if static.

Oddly enough, a place this classy only has one beer on tap: Pabst Blue Ribbon. I wonder if Frank, from Blue Velvet, is one of the investors?

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Evening Star has a deal with the wine shop next door, which provides a truly prodigious selection of wine. I stick to the beers, though.
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Claire got me this for V-Day. It's awesome!

From MarsEdit Images

There was a first edition of this book in my house growing up, but it has been long out of print until recently. Fabulous!
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I'm not really big on this holiday, but I do wanna say that my family and friends are so dear to me. Love to you all, and happy Valentine's Day.

A Look Back

It was June 5, 2004.
A dinner, or perhaps a brunch, was held in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In the home of Jim and Sherri Lyons, their family gathered. In attendance were Jim and Sherri's two daughters, Jamie Lyons-Eddy and Julie Gillikin, and their families.

I was there.

Politics was the discussion of choice after a delicious dinner (or brunch) had been cleared away. George W. Bush was the incumbent in the election; Kerry had already been picked out as the Democratic candidate; and Barack Obama had already burst onto the scene with his stirring speech at the party convention.

Two predictions were made that night, which I think are worth considering at this juncture.

Jim Lyons said, "Kerry will go down in flames."

Jamie Lyons-Eddy said, "Obama will be President in 2012."

Was Jim right? Did Obama defy destiny? Please, discuss!

Move Along

I had a great long weekend. You see, last week I put in 80hrs by Thursday so I took Friday off. I felt totally recharged, which was excellent since I went north to Michigan to see my brother and sister perform in their middle school play.

Y'all missed out, that's all I can say. These kids put on a hell of a show; I left very impressed. Made me wish I had the nerve to do such things.

Grandma and Uncle Mike also made surprise appearances, and we all learned the true meaning of Facebook!

Thankfully, I also had enough time to just hang around and I enjoy myself. And interview dad. I'm hoping I can cut it together to be something worthwhile, but there's some technical difficulties. Best laid plans and all that.

If you're keeping score at home, this week has been pretty rotten for me. I've had some foul ups at home that kept me from getting the work done that I wanted to. Nothing earth shattering, but when work doesn't go as you plan it's just frustrating. Thankfully, I think the Weapon System Handbook will be off my plate pretty soon. It's been interesting, but I'd like to get some closure.

Anyway, not too much going. Nothing interesting, at least. Here's some stuff that's far more entertaining.

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I cannot embed the video, but The Mysterious Stranger is absolutely fantastic. You must watch it -- this is not optional.

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Behold, the History of the Internet! You've always wondered, haven't you?


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I remember seeing part of an episode of Twin Peaks when I was child, and being terrified by it. But after hearing so much about it, how offbeat, weird, and influential it was, I simply had to see it. In my Sophomore year of college, Justin and I watched most (if not all) of the series, and were completely blown away.

I remember saying, "Why can't TV be like this all the time!?"

Anyway, it's all available for free now. So you have no excuse but to watch it. That and The Prisoner. You gotta watch 'em both!

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Best name you'll read today? Probably Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenberdorft Sr. He's a leap year baby!

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I you like terrifying snow globes, then have I got something for you!



Someone should buy me one of these for my office. Or maybe buy me all of them.

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Oh, hey. I forgot, but last night I got caught up on all my emails yesterday. That seems stupid but for me it's a big deal.

Ok, move along now.

Habits

I don't think I have an addictive personality, but I do make habits quickly.

For instance, I remember the first time I bit off one of my nails and held it in my mouth. It didn't taste like anything particularly interesting, but I do so love to chew on things.

Thus: a decade+ long habit was born. One which lead to many other mouth-based self-destructive habits: cuticle biting, compulsive zit popping (not with mouth), biting-off-the-skin-inside-your-mouth, etc.

I've finally managed to quit all of those. Now I'm working on knuckle popping (down to only popping thumbs and index fingers: progress!).
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It wasn't long ago that I realized I could also form good habits with as much ease as I had created bad ones.

New Years eve 2007: I was alone in my apartment, listening to the Beatles and feeling sorry for myself. Around me, the raucous calls of Frat boys rang through the night. After my ludicrous pronouncements at midnight I decided that I wanted to eat better, and I would do it by only drinking one pop per month.

And I am proud to say I have stuck to this pledge (with rare exception) for over a year now. It might be the first time I have a made a personal choice and stuck with it. As a result, the few pops that I do drink are nice treats that I can let myself indulge in.

Just a few months ago, I added flossing to my list of "good habits." I've been trying to floss regularly for years, mostly at the behest of my dentist. Their warnings about gingivitis were constant:

2001: You might get gingivitis unless you start flossing!
2002: You're going to get gingivitis.
2003: You've got bleedin' gums, kid. But your teeth are great!

Anyway, I've stuck with that one, too. And my teeth are even more fantastic, now that my gums are healthy and firm.
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This past week, I've been fed up feeling like a rat in the proverbial wheel. So, I am making more habits.
First, 30min of banjo everyday. I had really let the ball drop on practicing, but just after a few days I'm already feeling like I have improved. Who knows how my garbled version of "Wild Horses" will sound by next month?

Second: 1 hour of reading per night. I've fallen behind on the New Yorkers around here, so I may as well put them to good use. It's also given me a chance to make some headway in my Collected Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, which I've been meaning to do for years. Who knows? Maybe this is the year that I finish Gravity's Rainbow?

The next step: make writing a habit. And blogging. And cleaning. And laundry.

Well, it's a start.
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Even I thought that was boring. Here's a cool video to make up for it.

Cornstarch is AWESOME.

The Blog Horse Won't Move

I planned to blog today. Set aside time and everything.
But I just don't have anything to say. I am very blank this evening.

Maybe something will come to me!

He's the Question Mark Suit guy

Barb writes:

OK. I'll bite. Who's Matthew Lesko?

Who indeed?

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Famed more for his dress and ridiculous advertisements, DC native Matthew Lesko has made his mark on American culture by staring into a camera and repeatedly shouting "FREE MONEY!"



Any avid watcher of late-night basic cable, or mid-day Sci-Fi channel has seen his shtick. The suit, the shoes, the screaming; all to push his book, or website, or whatever he's got these days.
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There's more than a few people online angrily "outing" Lesko as a fraud, which I think is in poor taste. Of course the man is a fraud! He makes his living jumping around on TV in a question-mark suit with multi-colored socks screaming that you can get free money from the government, for goodness sake. Out him if you must but I really don't feel like he deserves the vitriolic fervor that is laid upon him. He's just a guy trying to make living like everyone else -- he just does it with books of fake information and a Riddler motif.
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So that's Matthew Lesko. If I ever see him around DC (and I am told he wears the question-mark suit all the time) I will be sure to get an autograph.

Blog Horse

Fell off the blog horse this week. Work got very hectic, and the weather took a famous turn around these parts. Between the ice, the editing, and everything else I just couldn't keep up.

My reflections on the inauguration are forthcoming. I started working on it last week and realized it could be even better than I anticipated. Look forward to it!

In the meantime, here are some things I think you should know about.
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George Herriman has finally been immortalized and digitized. Take a look at this fascinating digital shrine to him and his seminal creation: Krazy Kat.

For those unaware, Krazy Kat is a delightfully surreal comic strip from the 30's/40's based around a simple premise: Ignatz the mouse throws bricks at Krazy Kat, which Krazy takes as signs of affection, and Offica Pup tries to intervene on Krazy's behalf to win her heart.

With this simple, Sisyphusian triangle at its core Herriman was able to experiment wildly with the setting and the dialogue eventually creating a bizarre desert world with it's own inflected language for the residents. Like Pogo, Lil' Abner, and the writings of Mark Twain, the language and setting become almost as important (if not more so) than the stories themselves.


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From out of nowhere comes SPACE GIRL! In the proud tradition of newspaper adventure comics (see: Flash Gordon, Prince Valiant) Travis Charest (who I know I have seen the art of, but can't remember where) gives us a beautiful side project that is sure to please. Though it has older, prouder roots, I cannot help being reminded of the occasional Calvin and Hobbes feature SPACE MAN SPIFF! In fact, I am almost certain that Waterson did a panel identical to Space Girl! #3.

It's a hoot.


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Noted friend and artist Kris Jacque has a moving reflection on the end of VHS casettes. The only thing I can add is:

Remember duplicating bootleg anime tapes to exchange with friends? Remember taping every episode of the Simpsons between 1991 and 1998? I do.
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Gorgeous photos of the most destructive devices made by humanity. Beautiful and terrifying. A must-see.


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And to cleanse your pallet: a car covered in singing fish. It even has a conductor.

The Inauguration Pt. 1

Part one? Is he making promises he can't keep again?

I hope not! I'm just incredibly tired from my adventures today, and I want to put up something worth reading -- not just something off the cuff.

To tide you over, here are some vital links.

More than one person told us that more than anything, the sight they wanted to see at the inauguration was George Bush flying away via helicopter. I can't say it didn't make me happy to see him get outta town, but I was non-plused by some of the booing in the crowd during the swearing in.

Out in the field, we had only hearsay and rumors to work off of. For instance, I learned via text message and rumor that two people had been killed when they fell onto the tracks of the metro around the China Town stop. I was relieved to learn that while one woman did fall on to the tracks, she was not struck and did not die. A pretty harrowing tale.

As of right now, just under one million people used the Metro today. That's amazing; especially because Metro has said that the system can only move one million when running at full capacity for an entire day. Personally, I think we're going to pass that figure before the day is out.

Possibly the most amazing thing that happened today: Obama receives the nuclear launch codes.

How crowded was it on The Mall today? CNN has an interactive satellite photo, but you can take it from this eyewitness that it doesn't look right. I think this picture was taken well before the crowds started to come in.

The big question is: Was Matthew Lesko at the inauguration? From the "Manifest Destiny" blog.

MOST EXCITINGLY: I'm pretty sure I saw Matthew Lesko walking down my street as I returned home. I mean, okay, it could have been someone else. But whoever it was, he was wearing a leather jacket emblazoned with question marks, pants with question marks on the back pocket, a question mark hat, and ludicrous shoes (which seem likely to have also involved punctuation symbols of one sort or another).

Inauguration and Packages (non-stimilus)

For those unawares, I'm going to the inauguration on Tuesday. Claire's dad is coming in and staying with us for a few days, so we figured we'd give it a shot and try to get down to The Mall.

It will be cold, it will be crowded. But I'm probably never going to have another chance to see a presidential inaugural, let alone one I care about.

Pictures to follow. Tweeting will likely be limited on the day of, due to the huge bandwidth draw of so many people.
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The USPS lost some serious business today, since they closed at 1pm on Saturday. Who does anything before one on Satuday? Nobody, that's who. I'll bet you $50 that the post office didn't even bother opening today, since no one would show up anyway. Jerks.

As a result, the UPS store down the street got a lot of business out of me today.

IF YOU LIVE IN THE FOLLOWING CITIES, YOU'RE RECEIVING A PACKAGE FROM ME

LONGMONT
CORVALIS
ANN ARBOR

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Have you ever wondered what Archaeologists think of tv and movies vaguely related to archaeology? WELL, NOW YOU CAN FIND OUT! (Hint: They tend not to like them.)

If I ever need this, I can just show the movie Troy to Claire again. Hilarity ensues.
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The Greek Orthodox Church has a wiki. That's kinda cool, actually.

Patrick McGoohan

Wired has an excellent obituary on the late great actor/writer/director Patrick McGoohan, who was apparently born an American and adopted the UK.

While many probably know him from Ice Station Zebra, I believe McGoohan made his mark with the incredible 1967 television series The Prisoner. In this 17-episode series, a nameless former spy (called #6 by his captors) is kidnapped and taken to a mysterious place called The Village where he is to spend the rest of his life. Isolated from the world and controlled by omnipotent yet unseen forces, the Village is a place of terrifying mindless existence which #6 struggles against.

He also fights against a large, white weather balloon named Rover. This show is amazing.

As I've blogged before, it's also being remade with Ian McKellan as the nefarious #2. A nifty by-product of this remake effort is that all 17 episodes are available for viewing online.

You should watch them now.
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I first saw The Prisoner at my uncle Gary's apartment in Detroit. Mom was very excited by it, and I'd like to say that I was instantly enraptured by the series but it lacked spaceships so I played on the computer instead.

Up until pretty recently, the presence of spaceships was my benchmark for quality.

However, I have grown to love the series as a touchstone for how powerful television can be. It is remarkable that 31 years after it's original run, these few episodes are still celebrated. I can think of few things that have accomplished so much.

So watch it.
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It also has the most amazing intro.

Barb and Gary on NPR

Barb and Gary Ratner, my dear aunt and uncle, appeared in a recent story on NPR about the wide-spread effects of the economic collapse.

Listen to it here.

Maybe I am just being protective of my family, but I am a little miffed about the rather unsympathetic tone of the comments. Personally, I don't think it matters how much money you have; anytime the situation is such that you need to eat the money you've set aside, rich or poor, it's unfortunate.
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Regardless of what the Internet thinks, my aunt and uncle (and their dog) are smart, loving people in a tough spot. Both of them have had a tremendous influence on my life -- instilling a love of Douglas Adams, river freighters, the Prisoner, Pogo, and the Detroit Tigers among other things. They're good folks, and I sincerely hope they have a change of fortunes.
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Need a painting? Call my aunt!
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Also, Patrick McGoohan, creator and star of The Prisoner, died the other day. Ricardo Montalbán, too.

Bowling for Mason Proper

Some of the Gargkids (read: the new staff) took out 3/5 of popular band Mason Proper bowling in order to produce an article and a very neat video.

For those unaware, Matt Thompson (the tall one in circular glasses) is a Garg Alum himself. And I don't know if it's clear from this artistically edited movie, but the entire band is a bunch of really nice guys. They even let me and Keith hangout backstange with them when we saw their show in November -- gave us free beer with them and everything!

Mason Proper at the Black Cat

Oh, and buy their album. Buy it for real, or download from iTunes.
And subscribe to the Gargoyle.

This Post To Be Chiseled Into Solid Rock For A Nominal Fee

This is an interactive display based around a 1000 year old rune stone currently on display in Denmark. Without words, the stone tells the story inscribed on the stone, and then has some cool interactive stuff to boot.
There are not words for how cool this is. WATCH IT. READ ABOUT IT.


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Get the DMZ trade paperbacks for only $43. It's a good deal, but this series got pretty dull for me by trade #2. It's been called the "best comic of the Bush era," but I hope that's not true. DMZ strikes me as far to self-concious -- so much so, it is occasionally preachy. I think of Pogo, another incredibly pointed comic that took on world politics, and it's truly remarkable how effortless it felt and how forced Wood's work is. But if you like his stuff, you could do worse.
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This lineup for the Inaugural Concert sounds pretty good, but I am pretty disappointed that Wilco isn't on it. Especially after they did all those concerts for Obama, and shilled for the new Prez on Colbert (1 and 2).
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The Weather Under (the mason-dixon line)

You can see the music I am listening to, and see what I have been listening to. It's not very surprising if you've met me.
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I got Spore for Christmas (Thanks, Grandma!), and I adore it. However, Claire has really taken to the game and has used my account to create all sorts of bizarre wonders. Take a gander. The Moa Kuus are mine, everything else is hers.
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Winter in Virginia is an odd experience. Around late October and through November, it was genuinely cold -- and getting colder! I fully expected to get a little bit of snow come December.

Instead, it just got very, very wet. It sometimes rains for days on end. The temperature also fluctuates greatly. Before Christmas (and I mean, a few days before Christmas) it was 70ºF outside.

In reality: Virginia Winter == Michigan Late Fall/Late Spring.

We've only had one or two frosts here, and they weren't very severe at all. Everything still smells wet and alive. I think the flowers have only died back out of habit or a feeling of obligation.

I'm told that it will get worse come Inauguration time, but honestly I can't imagine it could be bad at all.

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It's 39º out right now. It's 28º back in Troy, Mi. In Reykjavik Iceland, it's 34º. Has the whole world gone mad?

Oww

This morning I awoke rather happily (despite having a dog on my face). I went to bed before midnight and woke around 9am, so the term "well-rested" applied. However, my dreams of a energetic and productive day were quickly dashed as I attempted to move my head.

After several minutes of painful probing, I confirmed that my neck was not just stiff. During the night, I somehow managed to pull a muscle in my neck. I can turn my head all the way to the right, but not much past 45º to the left. Touching my chin to my chest isn't a problem, but looking up is a bit of a trick.

As you can imagine, getting Tenzing "OH BOY THE WORLD IS EXCITING" Dog to the park was a bit of a trick.

Unfortunately, I've had to scrap my plans to go downtown today. Claire and I had planned to see an exhibit on the art of Pompeii, but that'll have to wait until later. Prayerfully I will quickly be healed. The last time this happened it was because of excessive hole-digging and wheel barrowing. It took three weeks to be right again.
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Yesterday, I realized that my work computer has two monitor ports. On a whim, I plugged in the old monitor that's been hanging around my office for over a month. To my surprise the computer was able to handle two monitors! Within a lunch break, I had everything set up and was dual-monitoring my way to victory.

For those who've never experienced the joy of two monitors, the second screen acts as an extension of your desktop. Usually, I'd put my media player, or mail client on the second monitor while focusing on the main screen. It's especially hand when you're doing research: you can leave your source on the second screen and type on the main screen.

Anyway, it makes me happy to have this set up. Totally made my Friday.
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Django is playing in the apartment right now.

Everything in Pictures

It's the little things: in this time between Holidays there are very few people commuting to work. Thus, I am driving and making my normal 3 hour round-trip in about 1.75hrs.
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I've been ogling infographics lately. Academically, I am interested in them because they compress complex information into simple and often beautiful packages. I revel in the appealing mixture of science and art to create these almost poetic creations. It also appeals to my belief that through careful choice and construction, the most complex things can be transferred with the most simplicity (see: haiku).

They're also pretty.
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The New York times has some truly fantastic infographics:
Movie box office performance
Spread of nuclear weapons
Consumer spending
A year in Iraq
Human disease

Especially notable is how frightening information can be displayed so beautifully.
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Furthermore: The New York Times data illustration lab. Using a the NYTimes library of Datasets, you can construct not only neat looking but interactive flash representations.

Sadly, the tools are limited to the (scant) data sets provided by the Times. Also, the amount of customization for each representation is greatly limited. It's still fun, though. Worth at least a few short moments of your time.
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This isn't really an infographic, but it is still very neat. The New York times breaks down the new NASA launch architecture one element at a time. Brought to you in tastefully mute-tone flash.
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Unrelated: Now you too can join me in the land of iPhone bliss!
Keep in mind that these are 3g phones, not like my little 2g that slides quietly passed the nastier AT&T restrictions. Still, a good deal.
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All Cleaned Up

Shaved, showered, and ready to face tomorrow. After defeating airports, plane delays, and many other sundry antagonists I have arrived home and prepared myself for work tomorrow.

I had a great time over my little vacation. It was a joy to see everyone again, and my only regret is that I couldn't spend as much time as I would have liked in any one place.

Christmas behind, New Years ahead.

Trapped In The Airpot (Updated)

I am trapped in the Indianapolis airport. Normally, I wouldn't mind since delays are just part of flying these days. This particular airport even has free wireless, which is very nice -- luxurious, even. However, I don't have a seat assignment yet. This makes me incredibly nervous.

Worst case scenario is that I sleep in the airport and miss a day of work. I'd rather not, but what can you do?
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Yesterday, I saw The Spirit. As all the reviews will tell you, it is not a "good movie." At least not in the same sense that Casablanca is a "good movie." However, it is a very fun movie to watch. It is, simply put, the comedy event of the century. Not because it is so bad (although that might be part of it), but because you will never see a movie that goes as over-the-top as this one does. It makes Buckaroo Banzai look like A Room With A View. Tank Girl becomes a predictable, but enjoyable, romantic comedy when compared with The Spirit.

A lot of what makes the movie great is how surprising it is, so I don't want to go to into detail. But I will say that if you want a movie that is straightforward in intent, DO NOT see this movie. If you, like me, enjoy the absurd and don't mind laughing while wondering "ARE THEY SERIOUS?!" then this movie is for you.

I pulled a line from an article on The Spirit taken from a comic book blog. Personally, I don't think it's worth comparing the two. Miller's movie captures the (no pun intended) spirit of Eisner's creation with its use of comic book style violence and emotions (read: ridiculous, over-the-top). All the characters stand, move, and speak like they came right off the page. This is problematic for two reasons. First, because all this hokeyness is a little jarring when compared to Miller's trademark style of film. Second, because if you don't realize that it's supposed to be silly, then it won't be any fun at all.

Anyway, this line sums up the major problem with the movie: Miller never seems to decide how cartoony the movie is supposed to be.

If it was clear from the get-go that this was going to be like Dick Tracy, then I think the critics would have been a little kinder.
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UPDATE: I have a seat, but the plane is still delayed. Progress!

Good Morning

It's time for the official song of the auto bailout.



Don't forget!
New phone number!

SAME AREA CODE AS BEFORE

SAME FIRST THREE DIGITS

THEN

9157

ATTN: iPhone

Original title was going to be iPHONE or IPHONE, but the problem with apple's lowercase-i-based nomenclature is that it is impossible to put in all caps.

The point is, friends, that I have an iPhone.

Because I changed carriers, I had to get a new number. Thankfully it's easy to remember.

SAME AREA CODE AS BEFORE

SAME FIRST THREE DIGITS

THEN

9517

I look forward to your calls!

End of the Marathon

On the thirteenth of December, I began a magical journey.

It was that day that I began my non-stop all-out work-every-day effort on the Weapon's System Handbook. Well, part of that is a lie. Admittedly, my primary motivator when I hauled myself out of bed everyday was to earn enough extra hours in one pay period to take a big swatch of time off around Christmas. Because I travel home (from VA to MI) for the Holidays, I had to decide early on how many days I would take off. Meaning that I had to come up with twenty-four additional hours this week, or pay exorbitant cancelation fees from the airlines.

My original plan had me working nine hours a day for eight days. The obvious problem here is that I wouldn't get home until very late every day. The less obvious but more pressing problem was that I tend to either run out of work or run out of energy before nine hours. In the end, I came up about two days short and had to burn through my comp. leave time.

Yesterday, the big decision was whether or not to go into work and make up the -.15hr I now have. I decided against it.
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That's not very interesting, but do you know what is interesting?
CHRISTMAS.

As mentioned earlier, my plans are to trek up to Michigan followed by the annual Indiana Pilgrimage. However, Christmas has found a home at 1801 DeWitt. About two weeks ago, Claire and I bought a very small Christmas Tree while coming back from the Cathedral. It's about 3.5-4ft tall, and is one of the famous Frasier Fir trees.

Most people may not remember this, but in the mid- to late-90's a survey was released which placed the then-unkown Frasier Fir as KING OF CHRISTMAS TREES. And I can see why. The needles are fat, blunt, and resiliant. Its perfection of shape and structure is such that it sometimes looks more like a fake tree. As far as needle-retention goes it is peerless. I clipped several branches and used them to fashion a festive spray for the front door. These branches have had no water for over two weeks and despite being very dry are still supple and have all their needles.

I was also able to score some LED Christmas lights for the first time ever -- they are awesome, and also ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY. Or they at least lead you to believe that they are, and that's all that is really important anyway.

But it's what's under the tree that counts, and this year that has included some excellent woolen winter gear and delightful Christmas ornaments from Claire (in addition to a delicious meal) but also gifts for the faithful hound Tenzing.

From Tenzing

Click to see the exciting battle between Tenzing and a tasty bone wrapped in paper towel. I figure that everyone deserves to unwrap something.

From Virginia Apartment: Awesome

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

It's Still the Seventh

I break the story of the century.
Happy Birthday, Dad.

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Sorry, ABC. But I am not interested in seeing a Fables TV show at all. I am tired of having my heart broken.

(And you had better ALL be reading Fables. C'mon, people!)

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The development of the touch-tone phone keypad. Neat!

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Awesome archaeological dig in the Sahara. The Big Picture is the best photoblog.

It's Six AM

Do you know where your children are?

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Yes, actually. I do want this guy's job.

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A few weeks ago I caught up with Garg-alum and all around cool guy Matt Thompson at a performance of his band Mason Proper. Keith (Garg-alum and all around cool guy) snapped a few commemorative frames.

Incidentally, Mason Proper has a new album out and it is great. Highly recommend it.

(Fun fact: the last two pictures are BACK STAGE with Mason Proper! Lead Guitarist Brian explains to me that they were told to pick one beer, and the club provided 40-some bottles of it. They choose Red Stripe.)

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Further plug: buy the new Mason Proper album via InSound or iTunes.

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Floating cranes are cool. Floating cranes picking up submarines is even cooler. Scroll about halfway down.

The Sellout Trifecta Is The Leading Cause of Minivans in America

As you may have gathered from reading my Twitters, I have been going to the gym. Not only that, I enjoy going to the gym. How did this happen? I like to say it's the sellout trifecta:

1. Girlfriend (with dog)
2. REAL job (with health insurance)
3. Gym Membership (just added!)

I might as well buy a minivan, and start worrying about whether or not the neighbor's fence line is on my property.
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But the truth is I've always enjoyed strenuous physical activity. I worked outside digging holes for various organizations for many summers partly because it just feels good to be active.

But in the end this is all Claire's fault; she's the one that started me going. I think I might be addicted.
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Is it time for a link-dump? Oh yes!
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As you read yesterday, the International Space Station turned 10 on Nov. 20, 2008. And today, the most recent addition to the ISS, new machine that converts urine into water, is fully operational. I know that gets me excited about the thrill and romance of space travel!

Joking aside, it's a vital technology for any long-term missions, such as moon settlements or travels to mars.

So, the next time you're supping at the ISS, just remember to forgo the water and stick with the wine. You'd also do well to avoid the meatloaf; you really don't wanna know where that comes from. (Rimshot)
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Today on his blog, my pal Keith linked to this video about the dangers of the Military Industrial Complex. Funnily enough, both he and I are part of it.
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An absolutely dead-on presentation about the issues facing the music industry. The presenter rightly points out that worrying about CD sales is idiotic; when consumers and artists are no longer satisfied with the way music is sold, the industry needs to respond to the demand.

Many thanks to long-time pal and former roommate Justin for the heads up on that one. Justin, I had a dream about you last night. In all the dreams I have about you, we end up being pursued by the police.

Happy Decade, Space Station!

I was disappointed when I didn't hear anything about the International Space Station's 10-year anniversary this past thursday. Thankfully, everyone's favorite photoblog The Big Picture came through in a big way. Take a look.

WikiCommons also has some great ISS images, so check that out if you have the time.
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And for all you playing at home, this beats the record set by the Russian space station Mir, which was deorbited just a few days before its tenth anniversary.

Bachelor Chow

The perfect meal for any occasion!*

"Delicious" Recipe

Pour Vegetable Chip Crumbs over lukewarm microwaved Tostito's Queso dip.
Eat with the slightly less destroyed chip remnants from another bag.
Remember that you have a beer left in the fridge.
Remember that beer has calories; and therefore qualifies as food.
Realize that the beer is, by comparison, the gourmet part of the meal

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My super power is, without a doubt, the ability to not feel hunger. For some, when their bellies begin to empty they feel an immediate drive to rectify the situation.

If it weren't for the regularity of meals, I would blast right through the day without even stopping for a scone. This was particularly true in college. I have memories of my Freshman year, spent under a loft bed in West Quad. During finals/midterm time, I would often go a whole day without eating, simply because I was distracted by a paper I was working on.

Sophomore year continued this habit. At one point, I recall eating nothing but bread, water, and Nutella for about a week. The problem was that although I could cook, and had the facilities to do so, I frequently found myself struck with an intense lethargia. More than once, Kris would drive herself across town and drag me downstairs to NYPD and force me to eat something.

"Oh no, I'm not hungry at all." I'd say. "But, my! Is that ziti pasta mixed with chicken and sauce, wrapped in an 8" long baked roll? My goodness! OM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM."

The regularity of work and living with Claire -- who does feel hunger -- has changed all that. But every now and again I fall into my old habits. I know this has happened when I look up at the clock and realize I've spent hours watching Sean Connery clips on YouTube, instead of making dinner.
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*Read: when Claire has driven back to Illinois for the Holidays with the dog, in a rental car, and this is all you can muster.

Time to Blog

You know you've neglected your blog when you receive emails from family members asking not "how are you? when are you coming home?" but, "when is your blog going to update?"

It's true; I've been unfair and unkind to you, my gentle readers. But I assure you that my silence has not been out of dislike for you, or out of a hatred for the medium of Blog. No, my reticence has one source: work.

On the job, much like at school, I didn't really feel like there was anything worth writing about. However, I have had a change of perspective that I hope will be made plain in the coming days.
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Careful readers will recall that I am currently employed at SAIC Integrated Communications. Recently, I had the pleasure of decorating my office. I'd share pictures, but the security policy forbids me from taking any. So, if you'll just have to trust me when I tell you that I have a large, golden shrine to the Zarathustra in my office.

Beyond that, I've put up a fantastic print of Bob Dylan by iconic 60's artist Peter Max.

It really ties the room together.

Also up is a color cartoon by Ben Katchor, whom I did not see when I didn't go to SPX a few weeks back. It tells the story of a man who, like me, has a small non-descript office. Unlike me, he has a mysterious pipe running through his office -- the undisclosed function of this eventually frustrates him to rash action.

Another thing I can't show you is the lovely picture of feet taken by Cathy Fisher, current Gargoyle editor. It's a lovely black and white photograph showing several feet perched around the rim of a plaster bucket containing many legos. It was taken in the Gargoyle office, and was actually, I think, not staged. I liked to believe that it represents teamwork. I might write "TEAMWORK" below it in striking, bold letters.

Lastly, I put up a small painting done by my long-time pal Kris Jacque. It was a Christmas gift from a while back. Being very colorful, I think it goes well with the Peter Max print.

Puppies make an office a better place.

That's all for now. Soon, I hope to have some family photos, pictures of Claire, and a wall-sized rasterbation of Iceland up on my wall.
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Many of you have asked what Integrated Communications does. I sincerely doubt I have done an adequate job of explaining it. So, take some time and watch this video. It was written, directed, shot, edited and produced by IC on behalf of the US Marine Corps. It's a training film for the Casualty Assistance Call Officers. I have to say, it's very impressive.

FILM.

Awesome Autumn

APPLES
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Two weeks ago, Claire, her friend Kayla, and I, all went apple picking somewhere in Virginia. We had a blast, but we also had 28lbs of apples. One pie, several hours, and a bunch of jars later we know have oodles of Apple Butter and Apple Sauce. It's delicious.

From Awesome Autumn

It would be in your best interest to be nice to me. You might get some!

While picking apples, I tasted a sample of locally produced apple wine. Folks, let me tell you, this stuff is fantastic. It's from the Chateau O'Brien, and I highly recommend it.

PUMPKINS
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This year we had three pumpkins, but only two were carved. The third has been relegated to the role of General Halloween Decoration, since it decided to go rotten a day after purchase and not be a "team player."

Regardless, the other two turned out fantastic.

From Awesome Autumn

Auntie Ba has also been rather creative with the gords this year. Take a look. (1, 2)

APPLE
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When I was lookin' for a steady job, I promised myself that as soon as I got one -- regardless what kind of job -- I would do a few things. The first was to start playing the video game Okami. I haven't done this yet. The second is best said in pictures:

From Awesome Autumn

Folks, that's a brand new MacBook Pro you're lookin' at right thar. Atomsk has been a faithful retainer these past five years, but has started to fray around the edges. He'll be kept in reserve for the moment, supporting this beautiful unamed machine until it's time for him to be recycled.

ANN ARBOR
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Last week I traveled all the way back to Ann Arbor to attend the 99th Gargoyle Reunion. I had a great time. So great, in fact, that I managed to not take any pictures.

I spent most of my long weekend in the company of my best bud Kris, and the current GargStaff. They're a great bunch, and have already done great things -- as demonstrated in their website.

Dad and Julia also paid me a quick visit while I was in the area. It was so great to see them again.

I take it back, I do have one picture.

From MarsEdit Images

It's much more frightening in person.
Happy Halloween.

The First Pay-Day Of The Rest Of Your Life

As you all know, I started my new job as a technical writer/editor at SAIC two weeks ago. Since then, there has been radio silence.

Until today. Today is pay-day. The end of my first two-week cycle.

I am so relieved.
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I haven't done a whole lot at my job, but what I have done I am proud of. The first two days were nothing but orientation(ing) and online web training. The experience was not what I would call "enjoyable," but for a steady paycheck I will gratefully do whatever is asked of me.

Wednesday I attended the AUSA conference, a trade show for US Army contractors. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was just mind boggling to walk around a room filled with tanks, and people trying to sell you tanks.

For the next several days I caught up on info related to the job. Basically, I read the US Army Weapon System Handbook. It's a pretty good read, except for the vital information about the Secondary Redundant Paper Clip Logistics Network (SRPCLN). That made for some pretty dry reading.

Since then I've had a few projects to work on. Right now I have one internal article and a journal article on my plate. It feels good to have something to sink you teeth into.
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I'm pretty sure this doesn't make for good reading -- it is work after all.
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The only things I don't like about my job aren't really related to the job itself. Actually, the only thing I don't like about it is having to drive an hour there and an hour back everyday.
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SAIC Integrated Communications, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The Eve

Ever wonder what I'll do if this SAIC job falls through? Flickr has the answer.


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New job starts tomorrow! All the paperwork is (allegedly) complete. I am unbelievably nervous! Oh, lord!

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Dan Aykroyd is making the coolest vodka. That is, if it exists.

The Blessed Puppy

October 4th is the feast day of St. Francis, the founder of the Franciscan Order. He's been a favorite of mine, if only for taking off all of his clothes just to make a point.

However, St. Francis is known for much more than being an idealistic streaker. He's famous for his empathy towards animals, especially one episode in which he preached to a flock of birds. I've always heard the story as an example of Francis' characteristic kindness toward all the creatures of the Earth. But, in The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco, it is suggested that preaching to birds was also a satire. An expression of his frustration with his message not being received by those he preached to: no one was listening, so he may as well preach to birds.

According to Wikipedia, he said thus:

My sister birds, you owe much to God, and you must always and in everyplace give praise to Him; for He has given you freedom to wing through the sky and He has clothed you…you neither sow nor reap, and God feeds you and gives you rivers and fountains for your thirst, and mountains and valleys for shelter, and tall trees for your nests. And although you neither know how to spin or weave, God dresses you and your children, for the Creator loves you greatly and He blesses you abundantly. Therefore… always seek to praise God.

To celebrate his Feast Day, many churches hold a special service for animals -- specifically, pets. However, it is occasionally expanded. The first Earth Day celebrations at the Cathedral to St. John The Divine involved a procession of many of the animals from the New York Zoo -- including elephants, I am told.

The highlight of the service is the blessing of the animals. It was for this, that we sojourned down to the beautiful Washington National Cathedral to get Tenzing, the puppy, blessed.

Blessing of the Animals

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I am still completely excited for my new job!
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Tomorrow, I hope to attend the Small Press Expo. Ben Katchor, author of Julius Knipil: Real Estate Photographer, Bryan Lee O'Mally, author of Scott Pilgrim, and Tom Tomoorrow are to be in attendance. Awesome!

I Got A Job!

Folks, the impossible has happened. I actually got the offer some time ago, but I haven't wanted to talk about it because it seems too good to be true. Much like when I was accepted to the University of Michigan. I spent the first year of college positive that I would get a call from some Dean somewhere informing me that my selection was due to a clerical error.

However, the job situation has progressed to the point where I don't think it can really fall through right now. Unless I get fired, or something.
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Starting on Monday, I will be a Technical Writer/Editor at SAIC. I'm stoked.
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In order to prepare me for my new employment, Claire took me to the Men's Warehouse. Pictures of my new chic moneysink will be made available, if the interest is there.
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I don't know if I am getting this across well enough, but I AM EXCITED!

An Update On The Brink Of Stunning News

I had a great, great time in Philly with E.J.. We hung around, I hurt myself bowling, and I took the liberty of introducing her to the art of Robert Crumb -- via an exhibit of his work at UPenn.

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I wonder what's happening to those Pogo books that I donated to the UM library. Here's a collection of covers.

Swear that you'll vote this year, and get a free MP3 of Wilco and Fleet Foxes (whom, I gathered from his Twitters, John Hodgman enjoys) covering Bob Dylan (who should be on Twitter, but as yet is not). Do it here!

Very nice short by Bryan Lee O'mally, author of Scott Pilgrim.
Watch your step, she keeps goats.

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Big news in the next few days. Keep on the edge of your seat. If you do not have a seat, find one and sit in it until I make an announcement.

New Functionality, and How To Read This Blog Better

I have been operating under a false assumption: because I use an RSS Feed Reader for all my blog reading, I assumed everyone else does, too. Therefore, I was relatively unfazed by letting weeks slide between posts. You see, if you're all on Feed Readers, then I really don't need to worry about losing readers to my own inactivity.

I then realized that some of you might not know what an RSS Feed or Feed Reader is, what follows is a primer on those subjects. New stuff after the block-quote text, so skip down a ways if you like.

An RSS Feed Reader allows me to view all of these frequently updated websites from one place. It's like a newspaper, with all the latest from the sites you read. Sometimes, this is a client program -- like Mail, Outlook, or Thunder Bird -- that lives on your desktop. In this case, you fire up the application, and can view all the updates on the websites that you subscribe to. Many of you may be using a browser with built-in RSS support. FireFox and Safari can allow you to subscribe to and read feeds without leaving the comfort of your own browser.

I prefer to use Google's Reader, which is a web-based Feed Reader. I do this mostly because I don't want excess applications on my computer, and also because I can access my feeds from everywhere.

Of course, all of this only works if the websites you visit have an RSS Feed. Many sites will advertise their RSS Capability with this handy little icon:


Most blogs have an RSS feed built right in, as well as many news sites. Don't fret about whether or not the site has a Feed, just try subscribing and if it doesn't work -- oh well! Hope they get their act together and take advantage of this great system.

Subscribing can be different from reader to reader. Some of the older ones require that you enter in the URL (http://www.examplesite.com), but most of the time you can just click the aforementioned icon, and your default reader will launch and subscribe automatically. Google Reader has a link that you can put in your browser's toolbar which will do the same thing.

So, if you have an RSS reader, just punch this site into it.
If you want to use Google Reader (which I highly recommend), or your own reader, use the handy MaxFeed pull-down box just below the TwitterBox.

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There are two more additions to the side bar. First was the "Follower" box. If you have a Google account (doesn't everyone), you can become a follower and advertise your slavish devotion to the world! It also automatically adds this blog's RSS feed to Google Reader.

The other is the new link to "Max's Shared Items" in the link list. One of the great things about Google Reader, is the ability for me to share things I find interesting with other people in the form of a handy (RSS-readable) website. Click it, see what I am reading and then add it to your own feed.

Here's that link again.

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Yes, the internet a completely self-centered enterprise. But because I am sharing my stuff is an invitation for you to do the same. And I hope you will (and I sincerely mean that to almost all of you).

Cover the Earth

When I was a child, I spotted the Sherwin Williams logo through the window of a home furnishings store. I saw it all the time, whenever I was driven up Woodward -- up by the Shrine of the Little Flower.

Immediately, I was convinced that it was the logo for an organization devoted to evil, world domination, and global genocide. Not unlike James Bond's SPECTRE or Maxwell Smart's KAOS.

I believed this because, to me, the logo appeared to depict the earth being drowned in blood. Later, I revised my opinion. I decided that the logo showed Sherman Williams covering the world in some kind of poisonous chemical.

Despite the wisdom that comes with age, I still find the idea of a world awash in Sherwin Williams brand red paint with the statement "COVER THE EARTH" no less insidious.

Blow Up Your Tee Vee

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I intend to build me a home, and eat a lot of peaches. If I still have time after all that, I'll learn to find Jesus on my own.

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At least one Interview this week, and plans to be in Philly for the weekend.

Oktapodi and Tiny Turtle

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And that's really all there is to say.

In Which This Becomes A Photoblog, and I Wax Narcissistic About My Crappy Haircut

Everyone that knows me will tell you that beneath this cool, calm, plaid, rugged exterior is a very vain little man.
I like to look good, but more than that: I like to look good while appearing to not care, and seem to have no control over my appearance.
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With tomorrow's interview, and another on Monday, I decided that I really needed a haircut. It was getting pretty mullety back there, so I printed out a picture of my first big haircut (the same used as my Blogger Profile) and went over to Mak's Place.

I will never go there again.

Initially, I chose it because of my good experiences with the Aveda School. While very clean, professional, and well run, I have come away exceedingly unimpressed. The woman who did my hair didn't listen to what I said (conversation or otherwise), and as I result I have "4-Years At A Marketing Firm Hair."
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Part of the problem is that she really didn't say what she was going to do, or ask what I thought of the progress. Our conversation about the hair consisted of her looking at the picture, and saying "So you want it short, but not too short?"

"Exactly," I said. "I like to keep it shaggy."

That is not what happened on my head.

I guess I am spoiled from the Aveda school, where they constantly ask you about the progress and always show you how it's coming along. I've surely been spoiled by the Aveda School prices, because I was not expecting this haircut to run me $45. Adding insult to injury, the haircut lady was "shocked that I have such thick hair" and cut it so short that I actually need some hair-product crap to keep it from turning into "Light Bulb Hair" or "Straddling A Van De Graaff Generator Hair."
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From Hair

From Hair

From Hair

From Hair

Why Isn't There A Song Called, "Tropical Depression?"

That storm was lame. I have sat through much more intense and frightening storms in Michigan. Sure, none of them lasted for over six hours, but still...!

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We gave Tenzing a bath yesterday. He was not upset, but clearly was only tolerating the situation. New pictures now on Picasa.

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Big news of the day is that I have an interview for an internship with the NFPRHA on Thursday. I am very excited. I want this job.

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Preposterous Song Lyrics #1: Ride My Llama, by Neil Young.

I met a man from mars
He picked up all my gui-tars
And played me a traveling song

This is ridiculous on many levels, but most importantly the song flagrantly ignores several facts about Neil Young's guitars. In 1979, when the song was released on the album "Rust Never Sleeps," Neil Young owned well over 10,000 guitars. Furthermore, it is well known that most of Neil Young's guitars are so massive that only Neil Young himself is strong enough to string and play them.

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Someone should make a band called "Inverted Smokestacks."

Here Comes The Story of the Hurricane

Hanna hit us around 7am. I don't care if it's a Tropical Storm, I am going to call it a Hurricane. Sounds more impressive.

As referenced in my twitters, I had to take Tenzing out to pee this morning in the rain. Unfortunately, the little blighter stayed true to form and needed to sniff around for about ten minutes before he could poop. Have you ever stood out in the rain, commanding your dog to poop in an authoritative voice?

The Weather Channel says we're in for 6" of rain -- possibly more. Cool.

Today's Playlist

1. Hurricane -- Dylan

2. Rock You Like A Hurricane -- Scorpions (Note: appropriate, since we are going to be rocked like a hurricane, and not actually by a hurricane.)

3. Hurricane Eye -- Paul Simon

4. Any Credence song, since they are all about rain

5. Down in the Flood -- Dylan/The Band

6. The Hurricane Song -- The Kids from C.A.P.E.R.

I Am Totally Going to Get Hit By a Hurricane

In case you haven't been watching along at home, the entire East Coast is about to get drizzled on by Tropical Storm Hanna.

I've never been in a hurricane, or a tropical storm for that matter, so it's pretty exciting! Everything I have read indicates that I don't have anything to worry about. I am not going to stock up on food, but I did check to make sure I had matches and working flashlights.

Keep an eye on the storm -- I know I will.

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One thing you may not know is that Washington DC, and the surrounding cities, are protected from major inclement systems with a series of massive earthworks and ground support system. This system is called, "Delaware."

According to all public documents, Delaware is a state like any other. It is in reality, a gigantic buffer zone to protect vital government institutions and free museums from storms, and giant lobster invasions.

The main line of defense is thousands of box fans designed to blow away major storms. Behind that is a barren No-Man's land of land mines, concertina wire, and pots of boiling water (to frighten the lobsters). Recently installed trip lines are intended to cause hurricanes to trip and fall on their faces, as they are notoriously clumsy.

The final defense Delaware has to offer is a catapult which launches citizens of Delaware towards impending threats. While this may seem on its surface as a horrible, callous thing to do it is easily justified. In reality, Delaware's citizens are not citizens at all but specially designed clones labeled with a hexidecimal number. These clones are used as cannon fodder in the event of Lobsters, and human shields in the event of Hurricane.

Once, a Delaware clone got loose and escaped his fate on the catapult. He now goes by Floyd, and he owns a KFC franchise in Madison, Wisconsin.

Behind the mass of bristling pungee-stick lined pits that is the lonesome expanse of Delaware is the massive labyrinth built on the holdings of Maryland. More than a few hurricanes have lost their way in its seemingly endless passages. Their mournful cries can still be heard inside its echoing halls.

Don't believe me?


View Larger Map

Google Chrome

Google is making a free, open-source web browser forged of vampire and werewolf resistant silver, imbued with the blood of St. John and pieces of the True Cross and debugged by Jesus himself.

Not really, but they get pretty lofty when they talk about it. Enough to get me excited (it does not take much to get me excited).

The important thing about their announcement is that they have decided to do it via Comic Book. And not just any comic book, but one made by Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics, Making Comics, Zot!)! I love McCloud!

Take a gander.

Everyday Can't Be Sunday...

The trouble with holidays is that when you are unemployed, they are a hinderance and not celebratory. Sure, I could use it as an excuse to not get any work done, but I already did that last Tuesday, and it was a day without distinction.

When you are waiting to hear back from perspective employers, publishers that might want to buy your story, or people you've contacted to interview, weekends and holidays are terrible days. This weekend/holiday was particularly annoying because the Metro has ceased servicing our station for some major track revision. Sure, you can hop a shuttle bus to DC National (I was told by a particularly tired and vitriolic DC native whom I met in the JFK airport that I should never refer to it as "Reagan") but that it is unbelievably annoying.

I should channel my restlessness into writing, or working for the Obama Campaign. Or just swallow my pride (and dreams) and take another gardening job.

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It's actually been a very nice weekend. Tenzing finished his medication, and he seems to be completely recovered. Today, he went to the dogpark for the first time in ten days. It did him a world of good -- he was also going stir crazy.

Claire has finished her orientation, and will begin classes in earnest on Tuesday evening. We agree that being a student is the best vocation.

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I realized that I didn't really talk at all about PEI. Nor have I delivered any pictures. I will rectify this shortly.

One Down...

For Better Or For Worse is ending.

Now for Marmaduke, Garfield, Cathy...

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Maybe it's the fact that the Funny Pages of the Newspapers have an all-ages audience that they are so dreadfully bland, but the Sunday Comics have been a desolate place for a while now.

Pearls Before Swine and Non-Sequiter are the only two genuinely funny strips I can think of off the top of my head. Doonesburry doesn't count, because the Detroit Free Press moved it to the Op-Ed section.

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It's been cool for three days and rainy for two. Is fall almost here? I'd like that a lot.

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Am I trying to make a new record for the most posts in a month? I don't know, am I?

James Jean Leaves Fables

James Jean, the truly fantastic artist behind the covers of Fables is moving on to personal projects.

Words cannot describe how upset I am. Even the weakest Fables issues were ramped up by the fantastic covers.

Sniffles.

Garg In The News!

Claire came back today. She's tired, and I think I might be slightly ill in the belly.

But who cares about my abdominal terror! The Gargoyle is famous again!

Read about it! Read about it!

Cathy Fisher is the current EIC. I handed it off to her. It's a shame that there isn't much interest to do a story on the Garg. There's so much great history in there, as well as wonderful people.

Despite having so much trouble trying to get a job, I don't regret a minute of the time I spent at Student Pub workin' on the Garg. Except for the hours I wasted listening to the Pixies and staring at the wall.

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Been trying to install MySQL on my computer so I can work on WordPress locally. It's not going well.

Top O' The Morning

For the first time since I got cable, I am not furious at MSNBC. It tuns out that when there is something actually going on, and real issues to talk about, these guys aren't so bad!

Maybe I'll warm up to CNN or FOX? Probably not.

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Skeletons of cartoon characters. This is so cool.

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Bob Thompson from the Washington Post discovers comics! Holy crap!

What bothers me the most about the article, and the responses from those interviewed, is that everyone is acting like comics just appeared out of nowhere. Ostensibly, this is because Thompson is interested in the elusive "Graphic Novel," but there is a whole history of comics that begins before graphic novel.

Everyone is acting like it's a shock that comics are popular, not remembering that Superman made a mint back in the 30's, and that comics didn't hit hard times until the 70's.

Lastly, I think it's silly to draw distinctions between graphic novels and collections of single issues. Most collections end up being organized by story arcs, so there is no reason to consider them as something less than a "graphic novel." Crime and Punishmen, and oodles of Dickens were written as serial magazine pieces -- we still call them novels!

All in all it's a pretty good article, and I am glad to see so much attention given to a great medium. My favorite bit is Scott McCloud answering why comics are so popular these days:

"Comics. Got. Better."

I think he might be right; I think the last decade has seen some truly amazing stuff.

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Have you heard of Okami? I am told it is a great game. I bought it for the Wii sometime ago, but I haven't played it yet. Why? Because I promised myself I wouldn't until I had a job.

Anyway, CAPCOM used art from IGN.com for the cover and just now got around to issuing replacements. They look pretty awesome.

Earthbound, Penguins, Elitism

A penguin has been granted Norweigan Knighthood.

How the mighty land of vikings has fallen.

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My friend Kris has an interesting post about why having an "Average Joe" in the White House is a catastrophically bad idea.

This is the same reason why I do not listen to any show that has a call-in segment that values the opinions of the average listener/viewer.

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Real-live rocket scientists say that, as of right now, we will never reach the stars.

I beg to differ. With the current job market, I am willing to bet that there are thousands of college students hanging around, not doing much, that would love to be blasted into space as part of a multi-generational flight to the stars.

With all the English Majors that would (undoubtedly) be on board, expect a glut of star-gazing based books of poetry, and multi-volume epics with titles like, "Spending 40 Years Sharing A Room With A Man Named Carl Who Snores," or "Doesn't This Thing Have 'Reverse?'"

Of course, I assume they'd go crazy and end up eating each other. Maybe we should send cults into space? I think most of them are expecting it anyway. They're already trained to invest their lives in sketchy plans.

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Tenzing has Kennel Cough. It is potentially dangerous, but the vet is not concerned. I'm medicating him with antibiotics, and he seems to be doing fine. The sneezing is actually kind of cute.

The only downside is that he can't play with other dogs, or go to the dog park. He is not impressed.

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Dig George Abbot White's photos. He's an alum of the now defunct Generation lit-mag, but hangs around with the GargALUMS a lot.
Try to find me!

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Applied for many, many jobs today. Many in journalism, many in publishing.

Free-lance articles shaping up nicely. Here's hopin'!

Claire is in Iceland

Having finished her stint in PEI, Claire has gone off to Iceland with her family.

She sent me this picture of the Law Rock at the Allthing. I am exceedingly jealous, and would love to go back.

Oh Yes, The Interviews

The first week in August I had two interviews -- that's right, real-live in-person interviews -- for jobs in the DC area.

The first was with SAIC, specifically with an independent group within the company, part of which is currently doing the communications for PEO Soldier, the group which does procurement for the Army.

The second was for a grant writing position with PlanetAid, a group which deals in clothes donations.

The SAIC interview went pretty well, although I got the impression that I might not have the level of experience they were looking for.

The PlanetAid interview did not go well. It took me two hours to get to the interview, because of traffic and bad directions. I was slightly late, but I got the impression from the conversation that it wouldn't have mattered if I came in on time. It was made clear to me that they were not interested in an untested grant writer, although they did suggest that I could be brought on as a "misc. copy writer." However, that discussion was also pretty fruitless because of the 4-hour round trip commute. To be honest, I am not interested in that much driving, and I don't think they are either.

I am still sort of in touch with some people at SAIC, and there might be more developments on that front.

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I am more disappointed then I sound, but I know I have to keep trying.

I am still sending out many, many applications (several unsolicited resumes as well) but have decided to venture a few steps down The Dark Path.

The previously alluded "Dark Path" is where I start writing articles and shopping them around to magazines and newspapers. It is the beginning of Freelance Writing. While I like to imagine that such a career involves being either a grizzled, lovable rogue or a noble knight clad in shining armor, I suspect that the reality might be...something else.

To be clear: I am still looking for a full-time job. However, with so many (understandable) concerns about my experience and work history, I figure it would be prudent to pad the resume and try to make some money.

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If you've been following my Twitterings, you'll notice that I did some traveling this past weekend.

I flew out to Prince Edward Island, the location of Claire's family reunion. This involved her mother's family, who gather at different locations every year. PEI, as it is called, is especially beloved since it was where Claire's grandmother was raised during the depression (as I am told).

Take a look at it here. PEI photos to follow, but this is already much too long.

Not Virginia

Amazing story of the Peg-Leg biologist.
You must read this. If you read nothing else on this blog, read this.

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John Dobbertin, GargALUM extraordinaire, gets a mention in the Wisconsin State Journal. He's set up a massive exhibit on humor magazines, of which the Gargoyle is a big part. Check it out.

Virginia

First things first, my current address is:

1801 DeWitt Ave, Unit E
Alexandria, VA
22301

Also, many thanks for the lovely cards, e-greetings (via facebook or otherwise), and packages that have accompanied my birthday. It's been great!

Traveling

Early on the morning of August 1, Dad and I set off on a great adventure. We began with Dad commenting on the fact that I hadn't showered that morning. My logic was, as always, impeccable: there's no point in me showering if I am going to be sweaty and nasty by the time I show up!

Our route was pretty straightforward, and was quite pretty. I-70 through Ohio was a beautiful prairie dawn. Further east, the seemingly unending hours on the Pennsylvania Turnpike offered some truly fantastic views -- immense gorges, infinite acres of green trees, hundreds of miles between rest stops, etc.

Unfortunately there are no pictures of any of this. However, this is probably a good thing since my truck was handling so poorly under the additional tonnage of all my worldly possessions that it would have been well-nigh impossible to use a camera and stay on the road. All loaded down, Bucephalus did look like the Beverly Hillbillymobile, which made me happy. It was a real trick to stay about 65mph when going up hills, though.

We relied partially on our wits and natural sense of direction to get us there. I stuck my nose out the window, using my superhuman senses to track my way towards Virginia. Dad, ever the woodsman, would stop occasionally and inspect the trees and undergrowth in order to find out exact location, and the direction we should go from there. The Garmin GPS unit was also very important.

We had no problems in our journey until we neared D.C. proper, where we were hindered by poor road design and bad traffic. Finally, we appeared in Alexandria, in our finery. The total trip time was about 11 hours.

Moving

The moving and unpacking process was relatively painless. By the time we had arrived, Claire's stuff had been unpacked and put away. In short order, my things were brought up and the apartment was filled with new boxes.

Over the next day-or-so, the boxes disappeared. Claire's family (and friend) were invaluable in helping us get things set up for habitation. Though Dad could not stay the whole weekend, he did me the huge favor of setting up my brand-spankin' new shelves. They look fantastic.

By Saturday evening, 95% of the boxes were gone and the apartment has reached what may be considered it's final form.

Virginia Apartment: Awesome

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By request, here are more pictures of Tenzing, the Puppy.

Tenzing

"We are monkeys with money and guns."

I have moved in to Virginia! Post regarding this coming soon! What follows is a post about other things!

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Tom Waits proves that, once again, he is one of America's greatest natural resources.

Here's an interview he performed on himself -- naturally, without a license.

And here's his press conference video.

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Have you seen "Garfield Minus Garfield?" It's a simple idea. By removing Garfield from the comic strip, it becomes clear that Jon is insane -- trapped in some kind of personal, existential hell.



The Beat informs me that there is a forthcoming book of Garfield Minus Garfield. However, it will include the original comic strips. This does not impress me.

What does impress me is that Jim Davis, noted sell-out and Garfield artist fully supports and endorses the Garfield-Minus-Garfield concept. While this moves him up several notches in my book, I suppose I should not be impressed. He's already repackaged the Garfield concept in as many forms imaginable for fun and profit; the next logical step would be to sell you the same product but without the product.