Happy Halloween-ie.

I'm a ballerina. Get it?

As of late...

Phew. I think the new site is somewhat licked. Cam is doing some massaging here and there, but for the most part, everything is functional and fluid.

I'm in the process of compiling stuff for a monster DDC supersite. Let's just say that this little redesign is the teaser for the big one to come.

My productivity has been at a fever pitch these last couple weeks. CINCO work has been intense, and that has me shifting other things into high gear....

Items benefitting from this heat:

01. Sean's photo book.
02. House cleaning.
03. Automobile legalizing.
04. My weblog redesign.
05. A trip to Austin with a bunch of dudes.
06. Gocco cards.
07. Guitar playing.
08. Reading.
09. DVD watching.
10. Editorial designs for SNOWBOARDER magazine.
11. Scott Sullivan's CD packaging.
12. Learning to type.

Basically, I'm keeping myself extremely busy with a ton of good things. Work is so intense, and any free time outside of the daily grind is spent intimately with the big list.

Not too much time for couch loafin'... but I'll get to a sweet spot where I can settle into that beast for some serious bouts of "not doing a fucking thing but watching tube."

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Kurt Frederiksen will be out here this weekend. Very excited to see the kid. He's gonna be out here for the opening of his painting show at the Bink Gallery on Burnside. He's coming out from Milwaukee with his gal Vanessa. Good people. We'll do some sight seeing, chowing, hanging, etc.

New Look: Production Notes

As you can see, we are updating our "look" a bit.

This new development, code-wise (running MoveableType), is fully attributed to Cameron Barrett of Manhattan. Many thanks to him for his coding muscle.

It's gonna take a little bit to get everything polished and running smoothly.

Full updates are on deck, ready for publishing. Stay tuned.

A good day.

Having a good day. Nice and cool outside. Got the oil changed, got the emission clearance for the DMV and checked out Floyd's hardwood floors.

I'm in the process of getting Big S street legal. Plates, registration, emissions, insurance, etc. I'm getting it all transferred up to Oregon. It's quite a process, sending me on a wild goose chase all over metropolitan Portland.

I just want to get things straight with the rig.

Birthdaze.

Turned the big 29 today.

Sharing my birthday with such luminaries as Emerill Lagasse (43), Tito Jackson (49), Lee Iacocca (76) and Friedrich Nietzsche (b. 1844). These folks are celebrating too.

No big plans to speak of. A cake is in the works at CINCO. We get to select a cake for our day. Good stuff. I'm gonna put a hurt on some b-day cake.

So here's to 29 more...

More Apologies

Sorry about the infrequency of updates. This time around, this lack of interaction has been out of my hands. Our connection at work has been in the red, which has us all “digitally crippled.” I have bills piling up and unanswered emails and a mountain of spam trying to sell me viagra and plane tickets. I’m in awe at how much I rely on the web, and these digital relationships involving my bank account and car payments and shit. Kind of scary.

Things have been good though. The weather is heavenly. Cool temps, brisk mornings. The weather guy on TV keeps sayin’ stuff along the lines of, “That rain is right around the corner.” and, “We’re enjoying a unusually high number of sunny days in October.” Whatever the weather, as long as things are cool, I’m cool.

I’m lovin’ the apartment. That couch… oh man, real good. I have logged a couple relaxing hours here and there. The place is a bit lonely though. Part of me likes the quiet, another part of me freaks out. Too solitary at times.

Gocco cards are in production. I’m trying to catch up for a January ship date, to all the good people out there.

A new website is in the works. Many thanks to Nakamoto and Goo for guidance.

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Saw the Wilco “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” docudrama. Seeing those guys working songs through, arguing, figuring this-n-that out. Pretty interesting. I envy their position. Imagine being able to make music, and do shows and travel, and what not, for a living! Pretty amazing. The confrontational stuff was sort of creepy. Seeing the band in moments of strife is just plain unsettling. Interesting, but unsettling. Overall, it was interesting, but then again, I’m a fan. As far as a storyline is concerned, it was all over the place and a bit disorienting. For all their “unfettered access,” it seems like it all went down in a couple days, or in a couple calculated sessions.

Seeing them in the backstage area of First Ave in Minneapolis got me homesick. I’ve only been back there one time, for a Built To Spill show. A neighbor grew up in Boise, and knew Doug, as he used to roadie for them in the early days. I got to meet the guys. I remember the little room being incredibly dirty. The furniture was pretty torn up.

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Oklahoma City’s finest: The Flaming Lips are coming to Portland. They are opening for Beck. I plan on going.

Had a good, rainy day today.

Woke up early, cleaned up and met friends from work for some estate sales. Man, did I find some treasures! Found yet another Aladdin brand "stars-n-stripes" lunchbox, this time with the thermos! 12 bucks! Mint condition. Didn't even barter. I was doing "one last pass" when I noticed it tucked away on a shelf. Did I need it? Not even a question. Will I used it? You betcha. Now I have a backup. I marched upstairs and purchased it from a rather large-thumbed, but pleasant older lady. Thank you. I marched out that door, triumphantly displaying my catch-of-the-day. Tough crowd!

We all pulled in a good haul. The players: Myself, Diamond Dave Nakamoto, Ben and his gal Jullie. Good folks.

We wrapped the morning up with a hearty meal at Stickers restaurant. I had some sort of curry/coconut, chicken and rice ensemble. It went down the feedtube without altercation.

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Then I came home and got some loafin' going. I rearranged the living room, into a seriously feng-shui'ed battleground. Couch, tube and firmly planted Draplin. All in harmony. Taking into consideration serious issues as: “As little arm movement as possible to manhandle the remote.” Bring it on. I rented some DVD's (Hang 'em High, Fistful of Dollars, etc) and spent the next couple hours enjoying the images of Clint getting’ mean and ugly..

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I like my little place. It is finally starting to feel like home. I'm gonna spend a good grip of time here in Portland, and havin' a good domicile is crucial.

We kicked this town’s ass.

Dad left for Michigan this morning. It was hard seeing him off. I’m not down with goodbyes of any sort. This summer has been about “saying goodbye.” To my gal, to my dad, to states, etc. I’m getting tired of being far away. Having dad around made my “Midwest Woes” fall to the wayside.

We had one hell of a weekend.

We took a trip to Astoria and hit every garage sale between the city and the coast. We ate out at little dives and enjoyed “cold ones” as the night wore thin. We wheeled-n-dealed with “would I lie to you” furniture salesman. We took no guff from any flea market vendors, waiters or gas station attendants. We laughed. We yelled. We took the local design joints by storm and left no one un-offended. (Is that a word? Who knows, who cares, that’s how tough this weekend was.) We watched movies. We talked about old times. We laughed at his bad jokes. We had breakfasts at little coffee shops. We hunted “silverfish” in the pad. We stayed up late. We slept hard. We woke up early. We stocked up for the winter, outfitting the pad with the necessary provisions. We dodged raindrops. We blessed friends houses. We ate their dinners and wooed their better halves.

Thanks to my dad for coming out. It was the best having him out here. I already miss him.

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Oh man, did I buy a couch! Black leather from stern to bow. Somethin’ else. All contemporary and stuff. Real comfy. Real mean. Real black. My ass is gonna kick this couch's ass, or something like that. Friends will be in awe. People won't leave. Once you sit down, you ponder ever getting up again. Real comfy. I’m gonna burn some serious hours on it.