Bye Summer

And summer has ended. Minimal damage done; a couple of teeth, the addition of 10-12 grey beard hairs, some vomit soaked clothes and 2 good pair of shoes. No worries. And now for another school year. All is right in the emerald city though, tattoo appointment in scheduled, grad school is soon and I have the new shoes ready for wear. Failure is not an option.

Take that!

Apartment was robbed but I was able to replace and upgrade all the items stolen. Take that you thieving bastard!

Shit

Some asshole broke into my apartment and stole my laptop and personal shit. Not a good day in Fremont.

A new old author.

I stumbled across a new author the other day and felt the need to share my joy. First of all, the author is not new, as he has written 35 plus novels and has been published for 36 years. Graham Masterson is the real deal, however, and anyone interested in the "horror" genre should give him a try. He is the wonderful bastard child of Clive Barker and Jonathan Carroll. If you throw in a dash of James Herbert then your completed recipe is a damn fine author. As a bonus the man has a sense of humor. How can that be you say! Hell if I know, but he is able to make it work and it doesn't come off as trite. Go to your local used bookstore people, he will never be in a main stream store, get yourself a couple of copies and turn down the lights. He will entertain and scare the shit out of you at the same time. No small feat.

Summer?

We took the group to the Seattle Center Fountain today and needless to say the water at the fountain is not warm. As I romped through the fountain with the children I noticed many a set of blue lips. Summer may be here by the calender, but the temperature is still on the chilly side. We had fun though and tomorrow promises even more fun at the beach. I may refrain from going in the water though, man was it cold!

First day of Summer Camp

Who likes the zoo? I do, I do! Actually, I hate the zoo but that is where is will be spending the next two days. Then, 2 days downtown with the small people. Good way to start off the summer but I think someone poisoned me. Have felt bad the past 4 hours. Is some child showing their discontent? Did I eat a bad egg? Tomorrow will be interesting if nothing else.

I do not AGREE!

The Flyers traded both Jeff Carter and Mike Richards today so hell must have frozen over. The big B is now the goalie for the next nine years but you traded away the heart of your team to do it. I hope Homer knows what he is doing.

I agree it was time for Carter to go, but you dont trade you TEAM CAPTAIN.

Bye Ritchie......you WILL be missed.

....welcome to summer bitches!

And the start of summer here in the Emerald City was a balmy 57 degrees and hard drizzle. No need to worry folks, we all got naked anyway. They say pacific northwesterners get loopy from the lack of sunlight during the winter months, but this place doesn't need an excuse to take off all their clothes. I have to admit....some people should have kept them on.

And now for the Kindergartners. Twenty-Two of the small people are graduating to the first grade; god help us all. Hugs have been prevalent this week and I fully expect tomorrow will turn into a miniature form of sumo for me. It's been a long school year, as always, but the prospect of a summer off is not an option this year. Instead, it's swimming, camping and museum wandering. No need to worry, I have been lifting weights and stretching in preparation. Wish me well, or at least periodically send me to a decent masseuse. Happy summer bitches!

Take the children........not the books!

I have been reading a lot lately. I mean A LOT. I am not complaining, just stating a fact, but here is my problem. With age comes wisdom, supposedly, and now that I am screaming ("a screaming comes across the sky...": First line in Thomas Pynchon's-V.) through pages and pages, something interesting and unusual has happened. I have started to read with a keen and critical eye. Truman Capote once posed that finishing a book is like taking a child out back and shooting it, and while that may or may not appeal to your morbid sense of humor, it does mine, their is validity in that statement. I have finished 3 books in a row, I spare you the privilege of knowing which ones, and damn-it......all three ended and my proverbial child was taken out back.

So it goes......

Well, now comes the difficult part. Picking the next child to be sacrificed. I always have a hard time picking the next book. I guess Capote was right........

..........the dogs bark and the caravan marches on............

My life is riddled with difficult decisions......can't you tell?

Smile.......Please!

I asked a child to pick out a book for me to read to the kindergarten group today and maybe next time I will pick the book. Not that I can get mad, as there is nothing to be mad at, but of all books to pick she picks........a picture book. The most difficult part was suppressing uncontrollable laughter. So I made up a story to go with the pictures and read it in funny voices. Funny voices being defined as a Virginia accent, English accent and New England accent. At least I got to practice dialects although the story was primarily inspired by David Lynch and China Mieville.

Next time I pick the book.

Stormtroopers

Spent my afternoon dancing with a chicken suited stormtrooper. Dont ask. But I got a free comic book.


Wish I got a free taco instead.

Thoughts about the beard.

As I was admiring myself in the mirror this morning I noticed something. The beard is showing signs of snow. This can only mean one of two things. Either I am getting older or.................I am a wizard. As I am showing no signs of aging the latter must be correct. Now, this presents a whole new set of problems. One, I have no magic wand or staff so I have to wander into the woods this weekend and chop down some magic trees. Then comes shaping the wood, which I have no talent for, and dipping the damn thing in fairy dust. As luck would have it I just ran out last week. Two, I have no pointy hats to wear around town and have to hire a wizened defunct cobbler or some shit to make me a hat. The life of a wizard is hard and busy. If I am out of touch for a while it's due to wizard training. Wish me luck.

Quote of the day part two........

Me: "Child, you have your shirt on backward and inside out."
Child: "Thats why my buttons were weird this morning."

Once again, how are these creatures not all doing stand-up. Maybe their is hope for humankind after all.

Quote of the day

Nobody can run faster than a person with a jetpack!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 year olds are hilarious. Plus, how can you argue with that logic. The fact that this was screamed by a 5 year old at another 5 year old made it all that more entertaining.

What does the universe taste like?

As it turns out scientists have an answer to this question. Yes, I know but Luke is not dabbling in the lawn clippings again. There is merit here folks. If the Max Planck institute says it is so then we have to trust the scientists. I personally think this post is for the artists though. Do scientists even eat raspberries?


http://www.foodiefixation.com/archives/2297

My own Turkish Prison

Apartment troubles are over my friends. I have found new digs and have moved in. Needless to say from the title of this post, but the apartment is on the small side. 180 square feet of mine though. I told the apartment manager its the perfect writers apartment; small, dark with high ceilings so if the walls start closing in you have the hang yourself option. He was not amused but I thought it was funny. Now comes the furniture. I have to think like a hobbit and get extra creative this time as space is a premium. The most important feature is a bed, which I have not slept in in over 2 months now. The massage therapist is going to love me. Or maybe vice-versa.
So the next round of the next adventure begins. This time all things are going to be textbook so no worries needed. Right? All I know is the next apartment is going to be palatial. 500 sq. feet EASY.

OH! Sign of the day.  "The IRS" if placed as one words spells...............THEIRS. Think about that a while. Or don't. Don't is better.

Charles Bowden

I just got done listening to Charles Bowdens' "Murder City" lecture about the killings in Ciudad Juarez and holy shit! Bowden, who has a great resonate voice out of a 40's western, has reported in Juarez for 20+ years and has some interesting things to say about the city. The big story about Juarez over the past decade has been the murder of 2000+ women but Bowden says that is just scratching the surface. Those 2000 murders are only 8% of the total murders and most of the victims are men. That is not to take away from the tragedy of the womens murders but to point out that their is a much much darker side to the inner workings of Juarez than the american people have been told. Listen to this man. Riveting and highly informative. I certainly plan on purchasing several of his books on the subject.

Dangers of Video Games

Met a homeless guy today that completely took me by surprise. Now because he was homeless, I know a bunch of homeless guys, but why he was homeless. He is a video game addict. Video games, World of Warcraft specifically, completely rules this mans life. Seriously? This is what addiction has become in the 21st century? Lets see if I can correctly understand this. You wake up at noon or noon-thirty, go into an internet cafe or coffee shop, and play video games until midnight. Then you stay at other games houses and play till the sun rises.

This man is 38 years old so how the hell do I feel sorry for this guy. Personally, I wanted to slap the shit out of him and say "Get a real fucking addiction asshole, try meth or heroin, but get real. Thats not as addiction and your not a 13 year old boy." As a general rule I really sympathize with the homeless dudes. Most of them are just down on their luck and need a break, but this guy. Fuck em. If I see him tomorrow I'm gonna kick him in the nuts.  DUMBASS.

The Saturday Afternoon Post

In the ever plodding process of my catharsis I have decided to check in, as it were, on the Padgett blog this saturday late afternoon. The good news is that it is not as much of a burden as a daily compulsion. You, dear reader, are unfortunate enough to read this shit. The morning began with a shot, literally as someone decided to crack one off at the ass crack of dawn, so I crawled my ass off the couch and decided 7 am was late enough to sleep in and the day should begin. The bad news is the bars dont open until noon so I had to kill 4-5 hours until my daily ablution. No worries, as I was able to while away the hours with a booktv marathon, four chapters of a good novel and a carafe of coffee.

The bars of Mercer street have a multitude of quasi-psychotic personalities. And thank god for that. The number of story ideas I have collected over the past weeks should keep me busy until rapture. Somewhere around my 4th pint, and desperately trying to ignore the dog that keeps humping my leg, I came to a conclusion. It may be in my best interest to eat. Bread, cheese, chicken and rice and water. Brunch of champions! Then back to a late afternoon nightcap before the Mariners game. I honestly dont think you could diagram a better saturday, well maybe minus the dog hump.

The evening should provide interest as well as mariners fans, like their beloved city, tend to be wildly optimistic. And I love wild optimism bordering on denial. Who's to say though. Maybe they can win more than 62 games this year. The good news is that hockey playoffs start soon, the weather is getting warmer and my beer is getting cold. Good evening dear people. Until we meet again.

People of Pioneer Square. Part 3

And now Tex. Tex is another one of the wonderful characters that inhabit Pioneer Square. Tex, as his nickname indicates-no idea his given name, is from.....guess.....guess. CORRECT. TEX-ASS. But no worries about Tex as he personifies everything that is good about the state of Texas; sweet tea, deliberate southern drawl, bad cigarettes and MANORS. Yep, you heard correct you jaded bastards. MANORS. Yes sir and Yes Maam. I know most of you fuckers have problems with that because it makes you feel old or disrespected but Up Yours. Deal with it!
Tex stands a slim and bow-legged 5-8 and checks in at about 160. Slight in frame is not a problem for Tex as he has a great, deep, commanding southern gentleman voice. He reminds me of what is good about the south. He also has a great attitude. Even though he has been unemployed for a year, he's a welder, he still wakes up everyday, orders his sweet tea at Starbucks and then hammers the web sites for jobs. Shit...no wonder I like these guys. I am half a step away from joining them.
Tex has only two ambitions in life. Getting a job and getting back to Texas. He, like an amazing amount of people that I run into, hates Seattle. No gray area there, clouds notwithstanding, either you like this place or not. It's easy to root for Tex because he is so genuine. What you see is what you get and honestly, this day and age, thats a great character trait. You get my vote Tex and best of luck to you.

Bear with me.

I am trying to sync all of my Goodreads reviews on my blog for continuity sake so have patience. Once finished I promise AWSOME-NESS.!

"Indian Killer" Sherman Alexie

Interesting book. Alexie has simple prose; short, terse sentences that flow well from paragraph to paragraph. He also explores a very interesting topic and one close to my heart. How Indians perceive and are perceived by outsiders. Every character in the story fit into a quasi-stereo type. The activist female indian working for Indian rights and helping the homeless. The white guy shock jock redneck who calls for all indians to be beaten or killed, blah blah blah. The book was a bit angry in theme (Alexie has a wonderful sense of humor when speaking) but it does not come off like a sermon and/or a raving. "Indian Killer" is more of a statement. I love the fact that Alexie weaves magical realism and Indian folklore, as the two are natural complements, but I don't believe this is his best effort. That does not mean that I will not read any more Alexie. Quite the contrary I plan on reading much more of Alexie's novel's, stories and plays.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/68530952

Free time...............

Now that I have my excess share of free time this bloody blog is going to take a beating. And whats on todays menu you ask? Good question. The multiple personalities of punctuation. For example:

The exclamation point! Way too much caffeine for this dude. I mean really, bring it down a notch man. I cant understand you through all the screaming. What?......What?......I still can understand you, you have to calm down. Take a breath. Count to three or some shit. What?.......What?......I still got nothing. Call me when you come down.

The question mark? Really, you damn existential nightmare. What are you three. Why is the sky blue?, how many toes does a pig have?, Do they serve ice cream in heaven? What do I look like, a fucking encyclopedia? Keep your questions to yourself. No one wants to hear your shit.

The colon: Yeah, yeah, make a list of this dude. How many lists can you make: 1. This one 2. Several others. 3. As many as it takes to get my point across. I get it, you have issues. Again, keep them to yourself.

The Semi-colon; Pretentious bastard. Yeah your smart we get it, but can you use it properly in a sentence. Didnt think so. Stick to your commas and periods asshole.

And, the comma,......I love you comma, your my best interrupted friend. What would I do without you.

Wednesday night with a beer........

Wondering around lower Queen Anne this evening I was able to find out some interesting information. First, dont type and drink. Thats free kids, you cant find this kind of information in a fucking book. Second, dear god their are a lot of lonely ass people out there. It's sad really, people cant find someone that they can share a moment with; ouch.... and best of luck to you. Third, unattractive people drink to excess. Present company excluded their are some ugly ass people out there. Without boring you with the details I had a highly entertaining and eventful evening. Needless to say, on a general scale, not impressed. WOW. Have people become so jaded?

The short answer is: I think most people are looking for something that is just beyond their grasp and for whatever reason they are being held back from their accomplishment. For this reason, and primarily this reason, I have decided to drink alone in the future. No expectations. No worries. Leave me in peace dear public, I have nothing to offer and my humor goes by the wayside. Nice effort, but its not going to happen. This may be the most well read city in the nation but you cant put a price on emotional intelligence; or lack there of....

Goodnight all........

Bones of the Moon by Jonathan Carroll

The best drugs must be in Austria, either because Carroll lives there or moved there. Everything the man writes reads like something that would give his namesake shivers and a smile. Maybe its all in a last name, eh. Alternate dream realities, talking animals and a healthy, if somewhat optimistically hallucinogenic, take on the afterlife. Written in first person female protagonist style. Better him than me; I am lost with the female voice, both in the spoken and written form. Maybe a female friend of mine can tell me if he got it right. I would like to think so because I enjoyed the novel so, but fucked if I could tell you authenticity. Wait for the ending though, you always see it coming with Carroll but are still surprised when you turn the last page.

Downtown observations

Saw something last week absolutely fascinating. Now this is going to come off bizarre, but anyone who knows me can offer a better explanation than myself. Pulling up to a bus stop on 2nd and Seneca I noticed a man dressed all in yellow communicating with another gentleman via ASL. The difference was the yellow clad man was holding the other man's hands. This is when it dawned on me that he was deaf/blind.

Now, as humans on this planet we all have our problems but damn man. Here is a man that cannot see OR hear, yet is smiling while navigating the bus system in downtown Seattle. You, yes you reader, can NEVER have a bad day.

I was so transfixed by this heart warming action that I forgot to move over and give the man my seat. Needless to say i got some dirty looks. Hey people, it wasnt disrespect, I was just engrossed and fascinated. Sorry. My bad. Yellow man sat down and promptly pulled out his BRAILE readers digest. Immediately flipped to his save page and began reading. Damn I wish I could have had a conversation with that man. Talk about stories.

Long live Lovecraft!

Scare the shit out of em Cthulu!

Stuck on Pause

Waiting......

Waiting...............

Waiting...........................

Dear Prudence,   Hello Patience.

Dear God Why!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMplQPv9zktknKb54FZyokMxCpd_LxlHSJHwSAmTubkLmVsne_gd1-1gZYrCMDbmqiK7B7tasQ6WlruFdUBgF0_1HG5JQJCpvbY5t5rr9a4tI0a7N_EX9B5GBW8FAkkhgCE2KgSJ994k/s640/libera_shave_02.jpg

Old habits die hard

Cant sleep. Too worried. And yet once again the past is here to haunt me. If anyone does have a memory eraser then I would like to volunteer for a beta test. Some things may be best left forgotten. The ghosts of the past haunt the prospect of the future. Sounds cryptic huh. You should be on this end.

Of Mice and Men

Well depression is the first word that comes to mind......

Outstanding play. Great set, good acting and a well written script are the hat trick that make good plays (I'll leave the under-appriciated  costumes for later). Lets start with the set. Although elaborate in size, a simple effective set. Essentially, a dusty plain in the central valley of California. This spartan approach fits well as it doesnt distract from the overally dialogue laden script. The acting; very solid. The actor that plays George does a good job with a difficult part; he has to play a hard ass that is sensetive and this actor does that effectively. My favorate, as I am constantly bised, is the character of Candy. The actor was previously in Conor McPherson's "the Seafarer" which is one of the best plays I have ever attended. I mean come on, how can you not feel empathy for Candy. Lenny, well Lenny is Lenny and lets leave it at that.

 Manning did a great job of direction. I mean I dont know if the adaptation was written by him, if so then he is fucking amazing and it makes sense that The Rep is back to doing well, but that notwithstanding, the direction was simple and left the actors to carry out the Steinbeck quality dialogue that was the strength of the novel.

Now on a personal note. Dont go see a somber play in a somber mood. Ball call. Doesnt help with the overall theater experience. Then again, how can you walk away from this play feeling good about yourself. He had to fucking shoot Lenny for his own good for christ's sake. How the hell do you smile after that. Go straight to the bar, do not pass go, do not collect your 200 dollars. Whiskey, straight up, leave the bottle.

And last, but not least costumers. As always, under-appreciated, but not forgotten. Well done ladies and gentlemen. As always, well done. For those of you in the distressing game, I couldnt have distressed better if I gave those clothes to teen-aged boys for a year and told them to never stay clean. Dirty it UP!

People of Pioneer Square. Part 2

And now for Warren. Warren may be my favorite person I encounter everyday. He reminds me of a big, lost child in a cruel, cruel world. An innocent that is stuck, perpetually, swimming with sharks. Warren is about 5-10 and an easy 240 puppy dog pounds. With his big, sandblast proof grin he is one of the first individuals that crosses the threshold every morning.

Tall pike, no room. No worries Warren, coming right up.

And so it goes. All afternoon.

It is usually on my lunch break that I get to talk to Warren and the gang. They start me off with a "whats new" session of the latest gossip in Pioneer Square. Then, of course being Seattle, the weather. Not IF, but how much its going to rain and WILL oh WILL there be sun today. Warren, who is the least vocal of the crew, lets others talk as a rule and just adds addendums here and there. But that smile man. Its infectious. Someone that wears their heart on their sleeve. I have had students like Warren and met many people over the years like this man, who at best is 30. They are infectious, the kind of people that you couldnt dream of hurting, only wish them success and cant imagine how they have gotten themselves in the situation they are in; much less how the hell they could still smile all the time. What the FUCK do you have to smile about man!
I know full well what the answer is but it still baffles me after 36 years.

"I'm still here, things are ok today and they will be better tomorrow"

How they hell can that not brighten your day. Talk about eternal optimism from a person that has nothing left to loose. How can you have problems? You dont.

An uneasy day off

First real day off in a while and boy I had great plans: Coffee, reading, a good brunch an afternoon adult beverage. Sounds great right. RIGHT! Well it should have been. Woke up an started at the first on my list, ended up on Cap Hill at an ENORMOUS book store, found 4 books for 4 bucks and then had a killer lunch. Well you ask, whats the problem. Well I would answer, not a fucking clue. Maybe I have gotten so used to waking up at the ass crack of dawn and working like an indentured servant til 12-1 that I forgot how to have a day off. Fucking bummer man. The good news is I have tomorrow to practice again. Perhaps a routine is needed. You know some sort of semblance where I can get my rhythm. Yep, thats it. Tomorrow will be better.

The People of Pioneer Square. Part 1

Hello everybody. I would like you to meet John. John is one of the many homeless, which is a misnomer and I will get to that, that occupy the space that is Pioneer Square. John is an affable, outgoing man in his early 50's, with wild grey hair that puts one in mind of a 1930's scientist. If you can find a day John is not smiling then let me know. I have not seen one yet. In a nutshell here is his story: semi-retired carpenter, out of work, too old to hire, too young to retire. He gets some disability, but is a healthy strong 6-2 195. No work these days so John lives on the streets of Seattle. By day he lounges in the many Starbucks that occupy Pioneer Square, giving advice and helping some of the younger guys that have recently become "homeless." By night he is scouring the many shelters looking for a bed.

*The term homeless is fucking meaningless, these people dont need homes, they need houses or apartments. A home is a construct: man, wife, child=home. These people need affordable places to live and should be labeled as so. How about "Street People," at least that is fucking honest.

Every time I come away from talking to John, which is on a daily basis the past month, I feel better as a person. How can it be then, that the ignored, the Street People if you will, can bring joy to other people when they have so little to give. It's the human condition and something I lost sight of and took for granted; all theory and no practicality. After 13 years away from university I finally get to use my degree for which it was intended. I get to interact with people; study them and make/ form my own opinions. No university bias, no news spin and no hyperbole. I can only hope I get to meet more people like John; men with integrity and decency for fellow humans. It's just a shame I have to find those qualities in the Street People of Seattle. Maybe we could all learn a lesson. Next time you see a "homeless" person on the street, say hi to them. You may learn something about yourself. Or you may just make someone smile, at least for a little while, something for which we all should strive.

If only......

I may enjoy this one more than the Kindle. Damn April Fools.....


http://www.librarything.com/blogs/librarything/2011/04/introducing-the-librarything-e-an-ereader-from-librarything/

Crossroads

Well folks, found the job. Evidentally, the skill set I possess is only good with the homeless and children. Any hidden meanings there? I wonder. As it turns out I am kind of perfect to work with the troubled youth at the Boys and Girls Club. A mildly ironic point as, in retrospect, I guess I was a troubled youth. Never thought about it before now but there you are. The only difference in the past three and a half decades are the youth part of that statement. Now I am just troubled. Lets hope I get the job and at least those ghosts will leave me alone.

Walking around this city over the past month has shown me one major theme that, previously, I didnt realize. There are ghosts everywhere. I dont mean ghosts boo, but the haunting of the past theme based ghosts. It would be nice if they went away. I do dread them so. Once again, another lesson to pass on to the children? This is going to be a well adjusted group of throw-away kids. Wonder what fate will serve me next?

Questions never to ask.

Oh yeah! Well fuck you too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU

Homeless but for the kindness of friends

Whenever I hear that the world is shit and we are all doomed my Spider Sense starts to tingle. Contrary to stereotypes Seattle is not that pessimistic of a town and most people here seem to take a bright view of events, no irony intentended about the weather. It is with great heart that I have to thank B and J for everything they have done. Not only have they let me raid their living room, help feed me and generally have a concern for my well being, but they have bolstered my confidence and have shown great patience in my daily frustrations of start-over number (who knows).

Thank you friends. When you are needed you are certainly there and the mark of a true friend is to help not only when things are good but when things are difficult. You may have restored my faith in humanity and for that I am eternally grateful. I only hope I can somehow repay the tremendous favor.

Too old?

Pulled a muscle in my ass and my groin this morning. Damn wind! Second Ave speedway at 6:00 A.M.

A kind gesture in an angry world.

While serving a man today, triple mocha no whip, I noticed that he was reading Anthony Kiedis' biography "Scar Tissue" and being a fan of the Chili Peppers I had to ask.
"So how is it"
"Not bad, Kiedas is an interesting guy. He really loves his women"
"Women as in plural right"
"Oh yeah, lots of plural. Plus about every 75 pages he is battling another addiction."
"Interesting. I may have to check that out"


The dude leaves, I didnt even get his name, and I go back to coffee central. An hour later here he comes and as I plan on his refill he gently smiles and says "Hey man, just finished the book, its all yours. Enjoy."

Its funny how the simple kindness of someone can brighten your day. Needless to say, I am starting the book this evening. Will let everyone know how it turns out.

Self important Dick!

GET off your cell phone on the bus you self important dick! I dont need to hear about your latest hemorrhoid operation. It's 6:00 A.M., can I please enjoy my coffee without rogue narration.
Thank You.
Signed,
Asshole in a hat sitting behind you.

Jonathan Carroll is the man Part 2

 A whole fucking volkswagon full of reasons why this man is truly brilliant. I am currently reading "Bones of the Moon."

"One of the saddest realities is that we never know when our lives are at their peak. Only after it is over and we have some kind of perspective do we realize how good we had it a day, a month, five years ago. "
— Jonathan Carroll

"One of the most terrible losses man endures in his lifetime is not even noticed by most people, much less mourned. Which is astonishing, because what we lose is in many ways one of the essential qualities that sets us apart from other creatures. I'm talking about the loss of the sense of wonder that is such an integral part of our world when we are children. However, as we grow older, that sense of wonder shrinks from cosmic to microscopic by the time we are adults. Kids say "Wow!" all the time. Opening their mouths fully, their eyes light up with genuine awe and glee. The word emanates not so much from a voice box as from an astonished soul that has once again been shown that the world is full of amazing unexpected things.
When was the last time you let fly a loud, truly heartfelt "WOW?"
Not recently I bet. Because generally speaking wonder belongs to kids, with the rare exception of falling madly in love with another person, which invariably leads to a rebirth of wonder. As adults, we are not supposed to say or feel Wow, or wonder, or even true surprise because those things make us sound goofy, ingenuous, and childlike. How can you run the world if you are in constant awe of it?...
The human heart has a long memory though and remembers what it was like to live through days where it was constantly surprised and delighted by the world around it."
— Jonathan Carroll

later on nameless man

As per my previous post I decided to drink my lunch/dinner this evening. First round was a toast salute to the patrons of "The Streamline" in honor of a man I never knew and met at the very end. Goodbye old soul.

...and now for something completely different.....

Well folks, I have had some strange mornings in my 35 odd years but today was a first. Came across a dead homeless dude at Seattle Center at 4:03 in the AM. Odd thing is, I was not completely surprised and dude seemed at peace. Maybe it was his time. The Seattle Center Security dude that pulled up took a quick statement, that didnt include my name, and bid me farewell. Well not exactly farewell, more like later man. 45 minutes later I am making my first Latte of the morning. Does this put things into perspective or am I just an odd man that finds odd shit. Maybe I was a defunct prospector in my previous life. Who knows?

So what does bother me is that there is a good chance that no one but myself and an over caffeinated security guard will know that this man, maybe in his early 50's, punched his ticket this March 28th. I will certainly check the paper and maybe even watch a bit of the evening news but my experience tells me that a dead homeless man is not news worthy. We have to give Charlie Sheen his air time right!

So it goes.

Whose thoughts are these? Mine?

Early evening musings about the Emerald City. You tell me if anything beats a good beer, a good book and Medeski Martin and Wood while viewing the Seattle cityscape. If you can beat that your a better man than me Gunga Din.
I challenge you mortals to top it.
Better bring your A game. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Microsoft sucks!

Ok people time to face facts. Microsoft sucks. Windows operating system= terrible. MS Office=terrible. Windows mobile for phones=fucking sucks. Now I dont speak these words in vain. I genuinely wish microsoft didnt blow goats, however the reality is clear. STOP buying these products!

How many times did you reboot YOUR phone today! 3 and counting. Cant wait for number 4.

The question becomes; is it time for everyone to switch to MAC.
If so, does that ensure the downfall of everyones beloved Apple.

OR, do I feel a genuine luddite moment coming on. Punctuation need not apply.

Benioff is the man

For those of you who have not read David Benioff get the hell up off the couch, go to the nearest bookstore (or library if you are one of THOSE) and pick up a copy of "City of Thieves." This is one of the few books that I have read that at the end I yelled "Hell YEAH!" For those that do not know me you may wonder who is posting this crap. For those of you who do; no explanation needed. City of Thieves is the BEST example of a coming of age story. None of that Catcher in the Rye bullshit where Holden "Douchbag" Caufield wails about how he rebels against society. This is a story about the trials and tribulations of war and to the extreme lengths people must go just to eat.

Somewhere in all the shit and sadness the characters find happiness, and for me, that's what counts. None of this whining about prep school shit, lets see where your next meal is coming from. If at the end of it all you can wake up, smile and start your day then Rock On!

Back to Benioff. The prose is terse, the language is sparse and the plot moves forward; ever forward. No digressions, no asides, no lost in the beauty or horror that is St. Petersburg during wartime. A story of loss and a story of friendship. Pick it up and read it. Say thank you because you are welcome. Don't expect a happy ending; it is war time. Plus, how many happy endings are their in life? If all were happy how the hell would we recognize the unhappy.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1971304

At least I am not alone!

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/03/23/confessions-of-a-book-hoarder/

Practice post.

This blog is going to be observations, book reviews and general bitchings. Hold the fort it should be fun.