The Big Green House

Phoenix-like, I rise: crispy and covered in ashes

Uh, hi.

It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Almost exactly a year, I see. Well, it goes like that sometimes.

I have the funny idea (peculiar, not ha-ha) that I should start writing here again. I’m not sure why; reading back over some of the stuff I’ve put up here in the past was an exercise in wincing, to say the very least. I’ve found that I absolutely can’t stand the voice I tend to use, to the point of wanting to punch that guy in the head, repeatedly.

On the other hand, it would probably be good to shake off some of the mental dust. Brain gets sloppy if you don’t use it, or so I’ve read. I don’t know how often I’ll have the time to do so, but I may as well take it out of the barn and ride it around a bit.

Look for some redecorating/redesign soon, and possibly even some content. In the meantime, please enjoy some Red Fang.

Many rivers to cross

Speaking of labor (and I was – check the previous post), yesterday we went down to Georgetown to check out the Fantagraphics bookstore. As it turns out, they share a space with Georgetown Records – mostly vintage vinyl, and some really nice stuff at that. We didn’t buy anything there, since we don’t currently have a functioning turntable. This may change.

Science Girl said that the guy at the counter (I’m assuming he was the owner) reminder her of me. I know what she was getting at – we’re both of a similar age, we both were wearing flannel shirts over t-shirts and jeans, both wearing black-framed glasses, both graying at approximately the same rate. (I’ve got a bit more hair than he does, but I’ve also got a bit more gut.) The place was not exactly buzzing with customers while we were there, so he was spinning some tunes and chatting with the guy at the Fantagraphics counter – who, as it turns out, was Larry Reid.

It’s no fun to be working on a Sunday (no more than it is to be working on a holiday), and there are a whole bunch of drawbacks to being self-employed. That said, I want that guy’s job. Badly. Get up in the morning, throw on some comfortable clothes, hang out and listen to Jimmy Cliff. What’s not to like about that?

The revolution will not be televised

Greetings, comrades! Happy Labor Day! Let us take this opportunity to rise up and smash our oppressors while they slumber. We, the workers, will seize the means of production from the plutocrats and lead the world into a glorious new day. What say you, comrades?

What’s that? Oh, you’re all spending the day at the lake. Fantastic. Have a cold one for me.

Yeah, I’m at work. I don’t think I’ve mentioned this yet, but I’ve switched over to day shift. Now I get to sleep like a normal human AND have dinner with Science Girl. Woo hoo! So far it’s working out very well, although it’s a little weird going to bed before midnight. Like, a couple of hours before midnight. Still, it’s a good thing all around.

Jukebox Jury

Well, I had intended on regaling y'all with new fave band, Radio Massacre International. That's gonna have to wait, though, 'cause I gotta go do some jury duty for the next couple of days. Hopefully no more than that, but I guess we'll see. My last experience on a jury truly sucked, and not in a good way. I'll save that story for another day, since I'm trying to go into this as open-minded as I can. Cross your fingers for me.

Egg extenders

Not much to say at the moment. I've been busy re-adjusting from the lackadaisical ahhh of vacation to the soul-crushing relentless slog of everyday life. Yes, I could have it much worse - refugee camps, toxic labor conditions, etc., etc. While I'm truly grateful for the goodnesses that I have, I can't help but feel that I'm slowly being ground into a fine powder sometimes.

Anyway, here are some pictures.

Goodnight, Sir

It is my sad duty to report that we had to have Martin put down this weekend. He'd just gotten to the point where he couldn't get around anymore, and was obviously Not Well At All.

I've been trying to write up a proper eulogy for him. It's been difficult. It wasn't a surprise that his time had come, but it's still proving difficult to process.

Anyway, if you're so inclined, please raise a glass to a good cat gone. Play some jazz when you do so; he liked jazz. Sonny Rollins, Miles... no free jazz, though. He disapproved of that.

This is Radio Nowhere - is there anybody alive out there?

I think I said something about updating more often a while back, didn’t I? See, the thing is, I think about writing every day. When it comes down to it, though, there’s really nothing I want to write about. Music is dire – a point which I’ve pretty well beaten into the ground by now. I don’t do politics well. I can’t remember the last novel I read. My personal life is of no interest to anyone other than Science Girl or myself, and we already know what’s going on. We have been doing a lot of hiking lately; I suppose I could write about that, but the few people who bother to check in here with any sort of regularity don’t live anywhere near Washington, for the most part, so I don’t know how much use that would be.

All of which is to say that I am at loose ends with regards to The Big Green House. I don’t necessarily want to hang it up. Certainly not to the point of taking it off-line, anyway. I suspect that at some point I’ll want to pick it back up again – maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, or maybe a long, long time from now. I just don’t have any plans, of any sort, at the moment. I would like to be writing, but I’m not gonna just jabber on for the sake of it.

We're desperate - get used to it

Y'know, the older I get, the more sense punk rock makes.

Possibly more later.

I hate summer

Hey there.

I’m completely uninspired. I am bored stupid with myself, and consequently am utterly out of sorts. Also not sleeping worth a damn.

So. No updates. As soon as I have something to say, I’ll say it.

We regret any confusion this error may have caused

A correction: when I stated that the Bush House was “set up more on the lines of a mid-century motel more than anything else”, I was thinking the addition had been made sometime in the early 40’s or so. Science Girl disagreed. Vehemently so. And, being Science Girl, she did some research. She came up with this photo, which clearly shows that the addition had been made by 1910 -11, at least. I stand corrected.

Also, it appears that the building has been standing empty since 2002, when it was shut down for “repairs and remodeling”. My best guess is that it acquired some damage in the Nisqually earthquake. I don’t know the extent, but apparently it was enough to keep the place closed until now. Not a good sign, really. I hope someone with some deep pockets buys it and starts the renovation soon; the longer the building sits, the worse it’s going to get.

And now we’re up to date. I’m back at work, feeling the screws tightening again. It’s almost like we never left town. Blechh.