I was going to mention earlier that I hadn't -aside from a few snippets of npr radio- heard or read any news for almost 3 weeks. Other than the Lohan thing that is. And I just read about this proposed massive arms giveaway in the Middle East and I'm fucking beside myself. Livid. Why have I learned about bullshit farmer subsidies that Pelosi negotiates, and Paris Hilton getting her inheritance taken away from her but not this? There is something fundamentally wrong with this. I'm going to go vomit and gouge my eyes out with dinner forks.
Good fucking luck.

Tomato tasting.

Salutations!

I am alive and well. I am living in California. I still feel like I'm borrowing someone else's life and might wake up asleep on the Blue Route any minute. I've got some new music and lots of "you know what's different about California from Pennsylvania?" observations comin' at ya! No, I'm not going to subject you to that. But I'll be able to update starting over the weekend, I hope.

a few hours after we moved here, I saw a sign saying that there was a free Mountain Goats in-store at the record shop a block away from my house. So it turns out he's from here and put on a great little show. It was probably the best welcome we could've asked for after a mild breakdown when we thought we were moving into a strip mall. Anyway, as a result I've been listening to lots of him. Anywho, more to come later.

P.S. The drive was fantastic. Pictures to come once I get internet access at home.

In May of 1739, Benjamin Franklin was taking a break from his duties as the writer, editor and publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanack (in addition to author, political theorist, politician, printer, scientist, inventor, civic activist, environmentalist, and diplomat) and thought he could benefit from a “frothy beverage and titillating company”. He soon found himself at a local pub, where he made notes:

‘Tis only natural that my portly trail leads to a neighborhood saloon whilst I am grant’d reprieve from press and quill. Yonder watering hole is ripe with cronies, and grants me the inebriation that grants, along with divine providence, the inspiration I so dearly need. Forsooth, it seems to invigorate my sense of duty, and provides me with sound nourishment. What can be more natural and easy than this? I might instance the like in many other particulars; but this may be sufficient to prevent our being taken for Conjurers. O the wonderful Knowledge to be found in the Stars! Even the smallest Things are written there, if you had but Skill to read. Thus, I shall stay here, and enjoy more ale before returning to thine own chores at hand with what only the Belgian kins referred to as “a buzz on”. Thus, let these beverages be known as liberty beers, and may they resound throughout this great land”.

So there you have it. Benjamin Franklin invented lunch beers. So stop questioning my patriotism already.

Howdy Gangsters!

more boxes, more phone calls, more remembering address changes I really need to make. Moving is a pain in the ass, and I don't care if you're moving to Shangri-goddamned-La, it's still gonna suck until you're on the road at the very least.
I'm getting close to that point every minute and hopefully by late monday night the packing and cleaning hell will be replaced with a traveling and hotel hell, followed by an unpacking (and maybe more cleaning) hell. It's a charmed life.
I'm pretty set on everything: book tapes, music, bottled water, shaved head for wind resistance... It's gonna be a fun drive. I think this'll be my last non-mobile post in a while, so try to bear with me, but I'll post what I can from the cell phone and have real photos.
I'm still terrified of not being able to find a good pizza place. I've been pounding fatty deli sandwiches and pizza all week and hoping the taste stays with me. It's so crazy to me to think of a place that doesn't have good pizza nearby, but then I thought every town had bagels until I was 19, so who knows.
Wish me luck, and I'm sure I'll be sending pics over here frequently out of sheer boredom, so bare with me.

I know it's not the right spelling.
Here's some songs that make me think of America. Also, when I return this bl0g will be renamed "Americatown". You've been warned.


"In the Ghetto" - Elvis Presley


"A Lucky Loser" - James Carr

oh, and go buy some shitty energy drink for your country.

Russian Space Dogs

okay, so when I say I've been packing all holiday off, I mean that I moved some shit into boxes and relaxed the rest of the afternoon. Torrential downpour outside, and we got to check out Ratatouille, which was great. It was funny, hearing Patton Oswalt in an animated-creature tone. Almost enough to make you lose an association with his usual hate-filled existence.

oh, and browsing the web tonight I stumbled across some "Family Ties" fan fiction and sitting around laughing at how pathetic that was, then got halfway through a script without even noticing it.

Thank you, Elmore James, for making America such a keen place.
"Coming Home" - Elmore James

Now I'm watching Gimme shelter and going to bed. good night moon.
Go check out Saber's website. and read about Russian Space Dogs.

shorn and further prepared for the move ahead. This picture looks much grosser than I'd like it to.