Oh hey, how's it going? It recently came to my attention that at least one dude is still checking for updates here, and since he doesn't even have Facebook, I thought I'd better post something. Things here are good, and a little different. The baby's hobby used to be lying on the shag rug like a potato, whereas now it's crawling around and trying to stuff pieces of said rug into her mouth. Also, she thinks I'm hilarious, which ... well, let's just say it's about time I got some appreciation.
Anyway, here's a bunch of random things from the last six months, in no particular order. I'm going to shamelessly steal from myself in several places, so if anything feels familiar, just try to pretend you don't have Facebook either.
1) It's an amazing thing to say, but the lamest thing in the new GQ actually isn't Lou Reed and Metallica looking all Weekend at Bernie's in the "Rock and Roll Wax Figures" photo spread. It's the package about how -- brace yourself, lest your mind be blown -- Brooklyn is cool now! Swear to God -- I read it in GQ so I believe it must be true. Although, their map of Brooklyn didn't actually include my neighborhood. But I think that's ok, since it just means that in another eight years they'll do a story called "The Five Artisanal Shoe Stores You Must Visit on Newkirk Avenue."
It's actually hard to say this any better than the one guy from Gawker did. (Should I say a Hail Mary or something for liking a post on Gawker?) I guess I'd just add, if a large percentage of places in your story about why a city is cool are places that I regularly go to and enjoy, then you have not found cool enough places. I say this not to toot any horns, but my first EVER story in a major media outlet (not including the Daily Progress) was in large part about how Brooklyn was "over" for cool people. And I've got a grey beard and strong opinions about the pros and cons of various jogging strollers, so you know that was a while ago.
2) Lou Reed and Metallica, though -- oh my God, terrible. Way to invalidate the entirety of your previous output, dudes. An adolescent me spent a day in Giants Stadium watching Metallica and Guns and Roses on their tour together in 1992. (Did I say adolescent? I meant to say I was like four years old in 1992. That's the ticket.) Even at the time, I could have grudgingly predicted that GnR would someday make a record like Chinese Democracy. But if you'd told me Metallica would make this, I wouldn't have believed you. Or, I might have. It was one of the first times I ever drank beer, so I was impressionable. But anyway, seriously, listen to how much this sucks. Doesn't it make you wonder, a tiny bit in the back of your head, if the whole Velvet Underground thing was just a lucky accident?
3) If I seem like I'm having a ton of fun, it's because I just had a glass of Black Maple Hill bourbon, which is delicious. Interestingly, though, nobody seems to know where it comes from. The whiskey business is weird.
4) Ever read David Pogue's tech columns in the Times? Seems like a sincere fellow, but it's like, they're just phones, man. Relax.
5) Chinese Democracy, by the way, is actually not terrible. Not the best thing Tommy Stinson ever played on by a long shot, but not terrible. Now I've agreed with Gawker and Chuck Klosterman in the same post, so I must retire from writing and light myself on fire.
6) Here are some links that are sure to get me hits from Google:
Tony LaRussa sucks.
Joe Buck and Tim McCarver suck.
Guy on a Buffalo rules.
Guided By Voices rules.
I mean, obviously.
High on Fire ... enough said.
John Sterling sucks, but now I feel bad about saying that.
There's a Wocket in My Pocket rules.
And, related, the fact that there's a defunct Bay-area doom metal band called Noothgrush ... it also rules.
7) And what have I been working on, you ask? Oh, this and that. The most interesting stuff, I can't seem to find a home for, unfortunately. It may end up here, and then all eight of you reading this can send me a check in the mail when you finish it. (That's how freelancing works, right?) But, in recent months, I thought this was pretty good. This too. Things are generally ok, though. I haven't had to explain a medial post, at least professionally, in a while, and somehow I'm still able to purchase multicolored heirloom carrots for the baby. So I must be doing something right.
I think that's all I've got right now, actually. I know there were at least a half-dozen other ideas for posts that I had over the last couple of months, but I can't find the piece of paper I scribbled them on. Maybe I'll find it and write them soon, or maybe I'll start a new list. I'm fairly certain this is not the way blogging is supposed to work, so maybe I'll find a way to cut out some of the middle men and just write stuff as I think of it.
In closing, please enjoy this moment with Beavis and Butthead, who taught me everything I know.
!!! enough said
ReplyDeletewelcome back!
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