Coming Soon

I saw an advance copy of Alice Shaw's book and it is really good. It should be out soon.
Alice also has a show in San Francisco at SFAC Gallery. It is only up until April 8th, so hurry.

I just did something dumb

You see, I used to have Limewire (file sharing software). But downloading music for free is bad. But now Limewire charges money so I decided to sign up. It is only $27.00 for a lifetime membership. I signed up. It did not work. They charges me $55 (or something close). I tried to cancel on line but they do not have a cancel option. I called. 30 minutes later I talked to a guy who begged me not to cancel. In a pleading tone he kept saying, “let me help you,” and "why are you canceling?" Before I mentioned the overcharge he said he would refund $24.00 – “you’ll only pay $27.00!” (get it? he knew one of my complaints before I made it) He finally agreed to refund all but $9.95. I asked him what the $9.95 was for. Handling. What did they handle? Don’t say my balls. Don’t! It’s rude. My sisters read this.

Are you ready for the dumb part? It was not Limewire. I was tricked and went on some other file-sharing website. They call themselves "Limewireunlimited.com." See the confussion?

Book

I just heard from Luke in the Chicago offices of New Catalogue that our book, Big Ten Co-eds, Preppy Girls and the Lost Cheerleaders is effectively sold out. Which is to say that there are some out there somewhere but not many. So if you snoozed you loosed - maybe. But that should not stop you from trying to buy it. Not you. You are not that easily deterred. You have never taken “Sold Out” for an answer (unless it was referring to a punk rock band) before so why now?

There are some special editions still available.

Pacific Crest Trail

My friend Chuckie V (but you can call him Chuck) is hiking the PCT for the second time. It sounds lonely in the best sense. I am going to join him for a few days here and there over the summer. Read his trail journal. It's pretty entertaining.

For every bargain there is an equal and opposite rebargain

Today I bought a $4.00 pair of pants and a $4.00 dollar cookie.

This is an email I received today

gloat appropriately, coed. disprove the salad bar, seminar an sphinx that nerdy unwise, freak out web-footed quitter and listen! desegregate
whopper gobble. well-done: paramedic winter, nightingale a
PC, postage and shoe the left-handed in rest home sexual impassive

I Love This Picture

The cover of today's NY Times.

Rat-Squirrel Not Extinct After All

Chicago, 2004

GITMO

I thought I would borrow a page from Joey Cheek who used his Olympic success to promote a charity and thereby make a political statement. This blog goes out to at least 20 people all over the world so I have a real chance to do some good:
I am disappointed in the United States of America. Almost two years ago I met a fellow who told me that he set up the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay. He told me not to believe it when I hear that the guards hit the detainees and then he said, “but when they do hit them it is because…” (I can’t remember why, but I thought it was funny that in the same sentence he told me they don’t hit them and they do hit them). And tonight I listened to stories about prisoners who were detained for telling jokes and about $5000-$10,000 bounties given to people who turned in al Qaeda and Taliban members. So there was an incentive plan. As I was listening I was starting to feel that outrage that, according to the bumper sticker, we are all supposed to be feeling.

Brokeback Biker

You see or hear so many people making Brokeback Mountain jokes I figured, “Why not me?”
It’s interesting that so many people on the far right and so many people on the far left did not like that movie. It’s nice that a movie could bring people together like that.

I wish I could quit you, and you, and also you, but not you

I did a Google search for “I wish I could quit you,” and came up with, “I wish I could quit you Google,” about GoogleFasting. GoogleFasting is when you stop using Google for a while. It’s not easy. I also found a blog that had a tip jar. If you like what you read you can send her a minimum $2.00 tip. I did like what I read but in this information age everything is supposed to be free.

Fly Fishing New Mexico

Luke fishing for catch-and-release Rainbows and Browns. The catch-and-release fish taste the best.

Another Quote (or two) of the Week

Rosy Finches

All three varieties of Rosy finches. I am a photographer and a birder. So is my friend Ernesto. You decide who has the skills.

Train Hopping

Luke and I on are way to Albuquerque.

Photo: Mark Rounds