Show Me Your Tritium

...I'm a fissionman baby!

Today's "unusal event" @ Byron's nuclear facility unnerved me when I first heard the news - once I realized that I couldn't possibly understand what went wrong from an engineering point of view or what the health and environmental related effects of the release of vented tritium mean for myself, my family and the community in general...I felt better.

Maybe the long term effects will be positive. The world could always use more Hulks, right? Actually, Byron may already be the capital of monosyllabic, mutants irregardless of irradiation (irregardless intended)

In a related matter, Alex got a 100.5% on his most recent science test. Maybe he can solve the engineering dilemma that led to yesterday's shutdown of Reactor Two.

And, in turn, I can teach him the concept of percentages.

Ignorant Ignorance

I don't trust people with more letters in their formal first name than in their last name. Is that racial ignorance or just ignorant ignorance?

I hope it is the latter.

Worked myself into a semi-frenzy on Friday night. That is a bad, not to say completely unnecessary thing for me to do. Calmed down and went to the DeKalb/Sycamore basketball game with my little crew. Sat with our friends the Smiths and had a swell time talking sports, politics and the impending demise of the US Postal system.

DeKalb won the game.


Saturday January 28

Crossed off a major accomplishment on my bucket list. Today, I bought a bucket.

Tomorrow, I buy a mop.

The day after, the world!

Did some writing on TINaM and then worked on a new arrangement for X is in Motion. It could work but I don't want to distract myself from other things by taking this too far. This may be part of what happens to someone who keeps creating even after they lose their guts to share the material or work with other people.

Dammit this is a pathetic and bad feeling.

Oh well, what can I do? I'll either overcome it or I won't.

Spurs get beat by the Jazz, but Alex played his best and fought for every rebound. Found out some dear friends of ours are definitely moving away. Alex and Kim were sad but this is a great opportunity for my good pal. We'll definitely visit them next year.

Worked around then house, then had a 2nd family movie night. Kim made steaks from Imboden's. Delicious and fun evening.


Sunday January 29

SOX Fest! Took the boy downtown and we got to see Stoney, R. Ventura, Bill Melton, Big Frank, Ron Kittle, Coop...and Alex got to meet and get an autograph from his favorite player of all time, Joe Crede. The pic Joe signed was cool. All the photos (of the $5 variety on sale at the Expo) were of Joe at the dish. Alex asked one of the vendors, "Do you have any of Joe playing 3rd?"

The guy found one where Joe was diving for a hot smash down the line. Fantastic!

Came home and watched the Bulls lose to the Heat. I love D Rose and Thibbs, but if they don't get one more scoring option I've got a feeling today's game is a preview of this, and a few more, Eastern Conference Finals to come.

Hope I am wrong.

Moonbase Asshole

I think I'm booked with Larry for Saturday February 11 (sometime during the early portion of the day) for a two hour session...three hours max. Nothing fancy on tap. I'd like to begin work on Every Day By the Lake with other musicians (hopefully Chris and Joe if they like the demo and it fits their schedule)...This is the perfect, and probably the easiest way to begin this last phase of This is NOT a Demo recordings before it becomes Get a Horse.

And again, like most things I've been working on these days, that should mean nothing to no one.

Not even me at this point

Took some long dispenser calls today, but I didn't mind. JR helped me get some crap off my desk and out the damned door. Definitely a good thing.

I was supposed to do a ton of writing after work but shit got in the way, or smoke got in my eyes, or something is stuck up my ass. I forget.

Hoops practice with Alex. He worked hard on some of his post moves. Came home and had dinner with the boy. Then settled in to watch a documentary on the history of science and the origins of the earth. It's pretty damned old.

Everybody's been pounding Newt and his moonbase. Why? What did the nonexistent moonbase ever do to them?

On the Subject of Images

Alex and I drove to a baseball card/collectibles shop in Geneva after work/school today. We got a Joe Crede card for the boy to take to SOX Fest on Sunday. Checked the most recently updated schedule and before the Crede signing, Steve Stone will be doing a signing with new SOX manager R Ventura.

I don't normally get excited about famous people and am almost never interested in meeting them (since I met Stan Lee, nothing could top that) but Stone, the former hurler turned broadcaster threw the first pitch at the first game I ever attended (July 24, 1978 a four-hit complete game against the Milwaukee Brewers). Stone is one of the few athletes I've always wanted to meet, mostly because that day was such a thrill and images of it remain alive in my mind to this day.

On the subject of images, our little family watched the first half of Werner Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Herzog still strikes me as creepy and captivating all at once. I love watching his pictures, but every time I start one I can't wait for it to end - that bastard always finds way to inspire me while still continue giving me the willies.

This film is different from the others I have seen by him, or by anyone really. It transcends his work and tells a story about art or considers art in a way that is alien (not in the sense that aliens came down and did the fucking cave paintings, this ain't Ancient Aliens or some dumb shit like that) and wonderful to me. The film and more importantly the artwork in the cave itself offer a human story beyond anything I've ever imagined.

Instantly Transported

Did not watch much of the speech last night. Caught a few minutes with the boy after Spurs' practice. That just sounds wrong.

Super damned busy-ass day at work. I just wanted to turn off my brain at the end of the day. Tons of errands after work and today I remembered to pay for a semester's worth of trumpet lessons @ the Community School of the Arts.

Kim made her delicious pasta gravy. Did I mention that I am a fucking lucky bastard? I had every intention of taking a second helping, parking my ass in front of the kitchen machine and calling up a rebroadcast of the State of the Union. Before I started I decided to check out a link to new files added to the Leo Strauss Center's audio library.

The Center finally uploaded part of a lecture series on Xenophon that I listened to with Professor Frisch all those years ago. I was instantly transported back to his office, sitting in front of that crappy cassette player and hearing those words that opened up the Hiero to me and taught me how to read like a man who was not trapped in a local, particular and particularly sad period of time for reading and letters in general.

Three Bad Reasons

Today was the first day my new responsibilities at work were actually fun. Further evidence that I am a total fucking nerd. Did not pay for Alex's trumpet lesson after work. Bad dad.

Aldi run. Did our shopping for the week. We are stocked up with some healthy and fun food at fantastic prices. Thanks and much love to my mom for teaching me the value of a dollar (or in this case, $65 dollars for a shitload of groceries)

Came home and the lovely Kimberly Jo served up breakfast for dinner.

Work continues on organizing demos for the next round of recording. I feel confident enough in the material that I will not be devastated if one or more of my old collaborators can't contribute. I can just try to find someone else and then start over with the next set of tracks. No lack of confidence, no hard feelings, just a willingness to work.

Damn I am such a nerd, I have to say it twice.

Did some additional editing on TINAD and then rewarded myself by finishing the Crowhurst doc, Deep Water.

I considered dropping in some fake journal entries to TINAD and including stuff about Donald Crowhurst's strange voyage (which also includes faked and real log entries) but I am not going to start doing that shit. It's too cute, not necessary and a bad idea.

...although those are three reasons why I do something.

The Revolution Will Be Xeroxed

Wed January 18 Everliving, Everloving

Updated lab lists at work and was busy all day. Exciting. There are some things I've got to watch more closely but for the most part we are in good shape.

Came home and helped Alex with his MLK paper while we listened to Dylan and Joan Baez's version of "I Shall Be Released" and Elvis' "If I Can Dream" and other songs of that ilk.

Call me a hippie...see if I give an everliving, everloving fuck.

Dinner and drinks with our friends John and Janine. Played Big Buck Hunter with the boy. Is it wrong that I want to convince his mom to wear camouflage short shorts?


Thursday January 19 Improvement is Good

Dropped off the water bill, took care of the citicard and handled a few other errands. Alex took two practice spelling tests tonigh, one before hoops practice and the other one after it. The first practice test was a 72% and the one before bedtime - 92%.

Improvement is good, right?

Alex's reward for improving steadily throughout the week was a quick round of cutthroat euchre (or is it Dirty Clubs?) at the end of the day.


Friday January 20 The Best View of Texas Politics

If there's one thing I've learned about Texas politics in studying it from afar - it's not how you run the race, it's how you draw the maps.

I'm not going to say much more about the redistricting fight in the Lone Star State, other than it is on my radar and I don't quite understand all the details. It's easy to pound Texas or accuse it of hinky shit. Why should I pile on?

Family Movie Night - Star Trek TNG Season Six begins. We learn the final fate of Data's head and then watch another episode.

Snowed like fuck! Great night to just chill with the family.


Saturday January 21

Alex and the Spurs get beat by 20. I was in a foul mood for part of the day, not because of the game, not because of anything. I have no excuse for being pissy, ever.

Fixed the door to Alex's room, did a shitload of shoveling, worked on the bills and then the little family made it to Mass late Saturday afternoon.

The boy was invited to a Lord of the Rings sleepover at Swaffords'. Hopefully he doesn't find himself face-to-face with Smeagol in the middle of the night. That's a scary fucking night.

Kim and I went to Eduardo's. I was good, only one glass of whiskey this weekend. Kim and I had fun just hanging out, although she was a little pissed at how new management rearranged our favorite "date restaurant."

Came home and watched part of "Deep Water" and a documentary about the guy who Xeroxed and gave the infamous Pentagon Papers to the Times in the 60's.


Sunday January 22

Editing, worked about the house, then Alex and I had our feast, watched the AFC and NFC Title Games and played some Madden.

Kim went to tea with her girlfriends and then did some schoolwork. Just a relaxing day. Nice.

The Pen is More Obvious Than the Phone

Found tab for the Seeds' masterpieceofcrap Pushin' Too Hard. I should've found a way to lose said tab shortly thereafter. Alex watched me work out the part on the Tele and he asked, "When did you get that guitar?"

2006.

Man for a guy in zero bands I've got way too many backup guitars.

I've noticed that if you're in a public place but you're trying to work (or just avoid the people) you can be face-down in your smart phone and nobody will interrupt you. People, out of courtesy, note to themselves that you are engaged in something that requires your full concentration (possibly a TWEET) and they leave you in peace. However, should you have the unmitigated (or possibly mitigated) nerve (or is it gall...or Gaul) to be writing in a little notebook (like the one I use to pen these things as journal entries before they end up on the blog) everybody's got a fucking comment.

"Whatcha doin?"

"Watcha writin?"

"Taking notes?"

"How can anyone read that shit?"

Clearly these fools do not understand how much concentration it requires to flesh out observations of this magnitude.

They are dumbasses, and I've got that in writing.

High Noon

Ok, that didn't happen but I arrived at work at 7am and got enough stuff done so I left at noon. Came home and did a lot of bill stuff...

Not Bill's stuff

Grocery shopping, then boxing and Madden with the boy

Exploratory Weekend

NOT THAT YOU SICK BASTARDS!

Friday January 13

I'm thinking of forming a superPAC: "Americans for Full Disclosure."

Anonymous donations will be accepted up to and exceeding an unspecified limit.

God Bless America



Saturday January 14

Hoops at the Park District. My parents came out to see Alex and his Spurs play a tight one against Keegan and his Bulls. Saw Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol with the family and it was a lot of fun. Came home and showed Alex Buster Keaton's Go West!

Also on Saturday, Alex took a picture of a Hawk that was eating a bird's face...in our driveway.



Sunday January 15 A Slight Recovery

Going real slow. The festivities were festive to say the least I hope someone had fun. Well, shareholders of Jameson whiskey ought to be happy. They better send me a damned card next year.

Recovered, ate a ton of chocolate with the boy - thanks and much love to Kimberly Jo for getting me some chocolate cake from Hillside. Watched tons of football this weekend (the second weekend of the NFL playoffs is always my favorite weekend on the football calender even tho I'm not a big football guy anymore). I love just lazing and watching the games with Alex.

Then we mimicked the match-ups on Madden.

Sorry about that.

Thursday

Question: Why does morning smell so fucking bad in America?
Answer: McDonald's breakfast food.

Snow reminds me how truly uncoordinated and stupid I am. Shoveling also provides an opportunity for exercise. I'm humbled and feeling fit at the same time. Good gravy I am totally fucking Flanders.

Hostess Goes Belly Up

Hostess, the makers of Twinkies, Ho Hos and other dick shaped, cream-filled delights is filing for bankruptcy. I can't help but feel a bit responsible because when I was on the way to two and a half spins, Twinkie the Kid led my charge up fat mountain. Those damned things had quite a hold on me and made my face puffy (but less ugly since the puff covered up some of the ug).

Since I gave up that hell in plastic and/or weird foil wrapping I'm sure Hostess had great difficulty in finding a market quite as stupid as me. Bringing it back to me (like the selfish prick I am) I'm not sure I'm any happier off the junk food. I just know that I have more energy to be pissed off at things.

The Last of Last Week's Paperwork

Peaceful day. Football playoffs in the background while I did shit around the house. Km and Alex went to OakBrook to see a movie with Grandma and Grandpa. I edited TINAM and it felt so good to work for a few hours.

Nearing the end of this damned thing that was once my life but is now a few jokes and many weird paragraphs, all going nowhere quickly.


Monday January 9

Worked 7 to 10am, finished off the last of last week's paperwork. Went home, worked on bills and wrote. Played some guitar but not enough to be considered destructive and/or pointless.

Saw KJ on her lunch and seeing her beautiful face in the middle of the day, made my day.

The boy got an A on his spelling test and came home in a great mood. The family had a good night together. I watched two minutes of what seemed to me to be an un-watchable BSC football game. Then I watched the Bulls stomp the Pistons. That was only sort of un-watchable. At least I could see D Rose kicking ass.

Unfortunately his opponents also seemed to be only interested in standing around and watching the Bulls' star.

CREW You

New accusations of lobbying violations flung at Newt from something called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

Really.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Come on, that's like three people and one of them is currently under investigation by the other two.

Family Movie Night on the road - met KJ and Alex right after work @ Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows.

Fun.


Saturday January 7

Bills before hoops, then watched Alex's Spurs give their all against the mighty Park District Pacers. 4:30 Mass, then a fun night of dinner and drinks with the Smiths.

Too much PBR and delicious brownies from our wonderful hosts. I'm worried that if I keep living like this my gut is going to develop a case of "front-butt."

We Were Nine Dead Asses Away

Mitt Romney won the Iowa caucuses by 8 votes. That just proves Iowa is far more civilized than Illinois could ever hope to be. Nothing in the Land of Lincoln Fucked Over by Blago could be settled by 8 votes without a fistfight or at the very least some campaign bigwig screaming at a pale and sweaty underling, "Couldn't you have possibly gone out and dug up nine more dead asses for me?!?!?!"

Shopping, hoops practice for the boy, rotisserie chicken dinner (the food was meh but the company, divine) editing continues on TINAM.

My Gut and My Ass

No holiday updates. Suffice it to say there were festivities. The current size of my gut and my ass are the evidence.

This year will be a failure if I do not put something together and play between two and four food drive shows. I've got a plan. Let's get to it. Ok, it's just me. Who am I blogging to? Hopefully no one that knows what good writing looks like.