A bath, a beer, and a guy talking about opera at the Met.

Yes We Can Fist Bump

Barack Obama and wife Michelle did the fist bump Tuesday night. The Washington Post called it "the fist bump heard 'round the world." Time magazine posted a story entitled, A Brief History of the Fist Bump. An excerpt:

Some claim the act of knuckle-bumping began in the 1970s with NBA players like Baltimore Bullets guard Fred Carter. Others claim the fist bump emerged off the court, citing the Wonder Twins, minor characters in the 1970s Hanna-Barbera superhero cartoon The Superfriends, who famously touched knuckles and cried "Wonder Twin powers, activate!' before morphing into animals or ice sculptures. One might also credit germaphobics for the fist bump's invention. Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel has reportedly adopted the gesture as a friendly way to avoid his contestants' germs.

Missing my old Village.

It's nights like this that I really miss living within walking distance of Hillsboro Village. I'm home alone (my family is vacationing in Florida), I've got a rare night off from work, and I'm bored. I'd rather not drive anywhere and keep my gas tank at its present level. It's the perfect evening for a walk down to Bosco's, Fido, or Provence. Heck, it's not even too late to stop in at Brown's for a cheap beer and burger.

Hermitage is prettier than some give it credit for. The dam is awesome. The boats on the water are always beautiful to see. And the Greenway makes for the perfect escape when I need to de-stress a bit. But I'm in the mood for a short walk to a well-populated hint of a nightlife. In fact, it's The Villager bar that I'd most like to belly up to tonight. I remember many a night after work, I'd drive home, walk to The Villager, and not worry at all about getting home safely after enjoying a few beers with the rest of the barflies.

Here in Hermitage, I don't know where to hang out for that. I guess Shooters is the closest to me, but I'm not going there. Too much karaoke and too many memories of my cheating ex. [Expletive] that.

I've finished my pizza and am still contemplating a quick drive to the Food Lion for a six-pack of Sam Adams. Have a nice night and thanks for stopping by.

Staying out of the red.

I have a very important errand to run (beer run). Lucky for me, I'm going nowhere near the red lines.


(Incidentally, I'm listening to "Not Great Men" by Gang of Four on KCRW which happens to utilize the sounds of cars honking over the pulsating beat. Perfect.)

[Edit to add: Apparently, I'm even too lazy for a beer run. Pizza and apple juice it is then.]

Overheard at the Workplace: Politics

Last night, one hotel guest says to another:

"He speaks well, but I don't think America's ready for a black president."

Seriously. I cringed when I'd hear that talk even a few months ago, but I was able to understand that some folks still thought that way. But now? After he beat Clinton for the Democratic nomination nod? It doesn't even make sense that someone could say that out loud and expect to be taken seriously.

Also heard, this time by a young coworker:

"I'm not voting. The first time I ever voted, it was for Al Gore and the (expletive) thing was rigged. (Expletive) it. I'm not voting."

I understand him completely. I'm voting, but I think what my coworker said sums up way too many people's attitudes perfectly. I don't blame him one bit.

Before the Purge

In which an obscure 70s song is used in a corporate commercial...

You know that Focus song I was talking about the other day? The one in the McDonald's commercial? My friend Jag found it and shared it on Twitter this morning. The song is "Hocus Pocus" and you're watching LineRider.


Also, for your extreme viewing pleasure, below is the live in concert clip that my friend Corey found on YouTube. As crazy as that song is to listen to, watching frontman Thijs Van Leer perform it raises the bar on wild. Enjoy.

Throwing my Tweets in your Reader, Yo.

beziat @idreamahwy I'd like to buy a boat and sail forever in the Sea of Ambiguity. 2 minutes ago from web in reply to idreamahwy

I thought I was being somewhat original and clever with the whole "Sea of Ambiguity" thing. Googled the phrase and came up with 1,850 results. Happens all the time.

beziat Just read this: "Marcelo Alvarez claims his son is his inspiration to sing," It's like they don't believe him. "Claims." about 1 hour ago from web

I'm no opera snob. But I do love the hell out of it. Anyway, I'm gonna start using "claims" more when talking about what other people say. I think it makes people sound a bit suspect.

beziat First prize for Maddest At The World goes to...tonight's clerk at Mapco, corner of McGavock and Elm Hill. Can a customer get a smile? about 1 hour ago from web

Seriously. It was like a challenge to get anything out of her at all. I've vowed a couple of times to not go back to that convenience store due to sullen customer service. I keep going back. Damn the convenience of its location.

The day Fred Schneider's "Monster" died.

Newscoma pointed me toward a great clip wherein Fred Schneider of the B-52s read aloud from Scott McClellan's book on The Daily Show. It's pretty hilarious and I'm thinking that whenever I find myself reading a book that needs some extra added oomph, I'll read it as if it were lyrics in a B-52s song as well.

I'm also reminded of something that we can call a public confession if you like. Way back when, when I worked at the record store, there was a coworker we'll call Paul. He was an interesting fellow. Quirky and articulate, a bit of a dreamer, he was an all-around nice guy. Paul was a big fan of the B-52s. The rest of us could really take or leave that band, but we indulged his obsession as he'd go on and on (and on and on) about the band's history.

We indulged for only so long though. When Paul obtained a promo copy of Fred Schneider's solo release, Fred Schneider & the Shake Society, he played that tape in-store daily. Maybe he played it two or three times daily. I can't remember. After about a week or so of this repeated heavy-rotation, we, Paul's fellow employees, "lost" the tape. Or maybe it "broke." I can't recall. It was a good enough tape, but one can only listen to a man sing about a "monster in my pants," so many times. Poor Paul.

I said it in Twitter and I'll say it again here.

"Shaved head here. Feeling every breeze, draft, and answer that's blowin' in the wind."

The Princess, the Dad, and the one we call Juicebox Head.

When We Both Had Hair

It's three years later. He's in the Army. Both of our heads are now shaved. Have a nice day.
(photo from May 2005)

Even better than watching Men In Trees...

Leesa takes pictures of her surroundings that always leave me in awe.

Death Penalty Opinion

She Pants...Loudly