Subterranean Scooterbird Blues
The day before yesterday was the true arrival of autumn here in the finest state in the Union. As you know, I keep temperature in Celsius on my yaptop, in my LJ, and increasingly as a general thing in my life and with my family (the kids have just gotten used to their dad doing something weird again). Late on that night, the temperature briefly dipped to 9. Single digits, for the first time since spring. Currently it's 8. I do not like this development, and I'm thinking that I must hit the lottery and move to Hawai'i, or perhaps, should I get enough money, move Hawai'i here.
A few things have been going on in my life. I had my first two business meetings for The Exchange, and they went very well; I think one of them may turn into an arrangement sooner rather than later. $cashm0neydough = gooooood; not to mention there is a certain necessity to having it. Interestingly, the second of the two meetings was in Frederick, which I rarely get out to, and was held at Brewers' Alley in the historic district downtown. I ended up having several of their IPAs from cask, which were very, very good and quite mellow for an IPA, but not really cold enough, and, as my partner was late, ended up admiring their menu, not to mention their selection of booze. Wow, Holy Magoo, good stuff. I don't know if anyone else does this, but it got me thinking of how close it would be to my ideal restaurant. I guess it's a variation on the "what if I won the lottery" thing - I often picture myself sitting back in my own restaurant, admiring the décor, checking the menu to make sure it's to my specs, and imagining what it would be like. Brewers' Alley is very close to that. Its location, in an old brick building adjacent to the old city hall, is ideal; its menu is very much what I would want, including the scotch and the wine; and it brews its own bheers, and does so very well. I get the feeling my place would be somewhat more downscale, with dart lanes, soccer and rugby matches on TV, and maybe the piano in the corner. (And the room downstairs for the special private after-hours parties...but that's a subject for another post.)
The wedding of heptadecagram and red_lynx was very lovely...inventive and theatrical and inclusive.* It did really feel like the participants, which includes about half those reading this, and the happy couple, who are all those things and more. The very best of wishes and long life together to the bride and the groom.
Thus far, all I've seen of the World Cup is the draw between the U.S. and an overmatched but surprisingly game North Korean side. I understand that the ladies have gotten it in gear following that, however. In other non-male sports news, Kid-1 lost her travel team game 2-0 at Arundel High today - featuring the kid who legswept Kid-1 toward the end of the match getting a deserved yellow card waved at her - and fightscrime has very bad news from Chicago concerning a roller derby bout there. Go there and donate.
In DC today, after Kid-1's match, I met the candidate whom I was friendly with over the Green Party meeting in Reading. The short of it is it looks like I may actually be managing his campaign...and Cynthia McKinney has dropped out of the race. If Nader stays out, which some believe he will, my guy, Jesse Johnson, could be the next Green candidate for President. Holy magoo again. I really need to have my head examined when I do things like this.
Interesting fact of the weekend: efbq doesn't want me playing "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights", which is on my new compilation driving music CD**, in the car with the kids. Discuss, or don't.
* Note that our kidthings, who whined like they both had a bearing going out over the dress code, particularly Kid-2, survived being in dresses for an extended period of time.
** I think I mentioned doing this a long while ago, but I finally got around to burninating it. Here's the playlist for the first one; a second one with the heavier stuff on it ("Jesus Built My Hotrod", etc.) is on the way. This one has a certain feel to it as well, as you'll see (or hear, if you should listen to it):
And for those of you who just wanted the abridged version of this post, Bob Dylan, c. 1968, has thoughtfully provided it to you on cue cards, with appropriate musical accompaniment.
A few things have been going on in my life. I had my first two business meetings for The Exchange, and they went very well; I think one of them may turn into an arrangement sooner rather than later. $cashm0neydough = gooooood; not to mention there is a certain necessity to having it. Interestingly, the second of the two meetings was in Frederick, which I rarely get out to, and was held at Brewers' Alley in the historic district downtown. I ended up having several of their IPAs from cask, which were very, very good and quite mellow for an IPA, but not really cold enough, and, as my partner was late, ended up admiring their menu, not to mention their selection of booze. Wow, Holy Magoo, good stuff. I don't know if anyone else does this, but it got me thinking of how close it would be to my ideal restaurant. I guess it's a variation on the "what if I won the lottery" thing - I often picture myself sitting back in my own restaurant, admiring the décor, checking the menu to make sure it's to my specs, and imagining what it would be like. Brewers' Alley is very close to that. Its location, in an old brick building adjacent to the old city hall, is ideal; its menu is very much what I would want, including the scotch and the wine; and it brews its own bheers, and does so very well. I get the feeling my place would be somewhat more downscale, with dart lanes, soccer and rugby matches on TV, and maybe the piano in the corner. (And the room downstairs for the special private after-hours parties...but that's a subject for another post.)
The wedding of heptadecagram and red_lynx was very lovely...inventive and theatrical and inclusive.* It did really feel like the participants, which includes about half those reading this, and the happy couple, who are all those things and more. The very best of wishes and long life together to the bride and the groom.
Thus far, all I've seen of the World Cup is the draw between the U.S. and an overmatched but surprisingly game North Korean side. I understand that the ladies have gotten it in gear following that, however. In other non-male sports news, Kid-1 lost her travel team game 2-0 at Arundel High today - featuring the kid who legswept Kid-1 toward the end of the match getting a deserved yellow card waved at her - and fightscrime has very bad news from Chicago concerning a roller derby bout there. Go there and donate.
In DC today, after Kid-1's match, I met the candidate whom I was friendly with over the Green Party meeting in Reading. The short of it is it looks like I may actually be managing his campaign...and Cynthia McKinney has dropped out of the race. If Nader stays out, which some believe he will, my guy, Jesse Johnson, could be the next Green candidate for President. Holy magoo again. I really need to have my head examined when I do things like this.
Interesting fact of the weekend: efbq doesn't want me playing "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights", which is on my new compilation driving music CD**, in the car with the kids. Discuss, or don't.
* Note that our kidthings, who whined like they both had a bearing going out over the dress code, particularly Kid-2, survived being in dresses for an extended period of time.
** I think I mentioned doing this a long while ago, but I finally got around to burninating it. Here's the playlist for the first one; a second one with the heavier stuff on it ("Jesus Built My Hotrod", etc.) is on the way. This one has a certain feel to it as well, as you'll see (or hear, if you should listen to it):
- "Gear Jammer", George Thorogood and the Destroyers
- "Mercury Blues", David Lindley and El Rayo-X
- "Mustang Sally", Wilson Pickett
- "Tennessee Plates", John Hiatt
- "Long White Cadillac", The Blasters
- "No Particular Place to Go", Chuck Berry
- "Drivers' Seat", Sniff 'n' the Tears
- "Radar Love", Golden Earring
- "Crosstown Traffic", Jimi Hendrix Experience
- "Ridin' in My Car", NRBQ
- "Drive, She Said", Stan Ridgway
- "Thunder Road", Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
- "Road Runner", Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
- "Road Runner", Bo Diddley
- "Hot Rod Lincoln", Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen
- "Built for Speed", Stray Cats
- "Maybellene", Chuck Berry
- "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights", Meat Loaf
- "Feets Don't Fail Me Now" (live, from Waiting for Columbus), Little Feat
And for those of you who just wanted the abridged version of this post, Bob Dylan, c. 1968, has thoughtfully provided it to you on cue cards, with appropriate musical accompaniment.