1.24.2005

To say: "I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all''--
If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: "That is not what I meant at all.
That is not it, at all.'' (*)

Ok, not really. But I am feeling much better, thanks. I slept more in the past four days than I did for most of 2004. I'm walking around like John Wayne with cramps (only slower) and from what I've read, the bits they took out should grow back eventually. Who could ask for anything more? Well, ok...it would have been nice to not have gone through it at all. BUT then where would I have gotten the time to watch How To Stuff A Wild Bikini (Buster Keaton couldn't have actually thought his lines were funny...poor legend.)? And everyone has been great. Brett put up with me for days on end as I slept, only waking long enough to order him around. AND thank you so much to Lisa Baloian for the flowers and Indra for an amazing feathered head piece! I can't wait until I feel up to wearing it! AND thanks Joe for Sock Monkey, who makes me feel very suspicious of toys. And thanks Aviva for the homeopathic mushroom cures.

Killing your dad just aint kosher: If you have 19 minutes to spare, I highly recommend listening to Shalom Auslander reads his story, "The Blessing Bee" on This American Life. It's about his third-grade schul experiences with wishing his father dead, memorizing Hebrew blessings, and touching himself. I've been a huge fan of Auslander's ever since seeing his "Man's Search for Schulz" comic in an Esquire after Charles Schultz's death...so wrong and yet so right. I can tell he and I have a lot in common. His first book of short stories is coming out soon.

Tahoe: Brett and I built a SNOW TIKI!! Before and after.

Memories: Jeffrey Walls took some wild photos at the last SpeakEasily. Here's one from when a great number of us got on the stage. I'll post more later when I get around to getting some more web space!

Kool!: One of Max's many bands Lord Loves A Working Man is finally on line! Congrats and welcome to the 90's! But seriously folks, you gotta check them out one of these days. Besides being a reference to the BEST MOVIE EVER, they are wonderful...AND they've played Fresno. Brave men, them.

Yatta yatta yatta: Thanks Mike. I'm not sure if this is work safe...I mean, the fig leaf is in place and all, but do you really want your co-workers to think you like this sort of thing?