Untitled

Hmm...

Kimono

My daughter turns seven later this week, and shichi-go-san (lit. 7-5-3) is coming up next month, so it's time to go for the customary expensive-as-hell photos of her in a kimono. (Don't worry, this isn't one of them!) As usual, we were only permitted a couple of minutes away from the set to take some personal photos. I've been playing around with layers lately, so I thought I'd try this as a way to show the kimono with a less intrusive background. I still need a lot more practice.

The shots we'll have printed are really very nice. A lot better looking than this:

Kaki (Persimmon)

Freshly picked this afternoon...

Have you ever noticed...

... that when anyone in the band fucks up onstage they always look back at the drummer? It's worse, even, than the ball player who looks disgustedly at his glove, or the tennis player who gives her racket a dirty look, because we drummers are people, dammit!

So our guitar player makes up a little promo thing for the band and sends it to me:


This is the entirety of the message he included:

Hey,
You're not really in it, Rick. Sorry. But I like it.
c

Further proof, Ladies and Gentlemen, as if any were needed, that guitar players lack the ability to count to fucking four, yet still think everything's "cool" because they "like it"!

And in case you're reading this, Colin, have you and the boys given any thought to my suggestion of switching to an all Backstreet Boys format?

This Evening

Rocks

A Quiet Place

Vending Machines, No. 80

The Right Stuff

I like heavy music. I Like heavy psychedelic shit. I like Monster Magnet. I'd go to a bar that played this kinda stuff (crappy vid, very good tune):


Yeah.

A Peace of Cake for Dessert

I've been trying to come up with something clever and/or witty to say about Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize, but all I can manage is a somewhat maniacal cackle.

I'll keep working on it.

I don't know why, exactly, but this seems strangely appropriate:


Well, it's pretty fucking funny, anyway...

I Can't Help It, Stuff Just Comes Out of My Mouth

The circumstances surrounding the incident are irrelevant, but today during one of my classes a student asked me how to spell the word "divorce." As an English teacher and would-be cultural emissary, and as an idiot who could never resist a "straight" line, I did what comes naturally to me. Older readers have probably already guessed what I did. As for the rest of you, do I have to spell it out?


During the ensuing awkward silence I was consoled by the fact that this particular group of students will never lose a spelling bee on the word "divorce." That's the kind of effect I have on students...

A Bigger Shrine

A Small Shrine

The Moon Last Night

Cave (3)

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I'd taken a trip with my family to Yamaguchi Prefecture. The pic below shows the entrance to Akiyoshido, the largest cave system in Japan. (The pics in the previous two posts were taken inside the cave.) The area above-ground is also the largest karst formation in Japan, covering 130 sq. km. and containing over 300 caves. This particular cave has about 1.5 km of tunnels that can be walked through.


Unfortunately it was next to impossible to get any pictures inside the cave (at least with my crappy camera). The ones in the previous posts were taken with the dreaded "night" setting and converted to black and white to get rid of some of the noise and "false" color.

In places the cave really is huge. They could have used it for the Bat Cave. There was a steady stream of visitors, however, so it was hard to get any sense of being in a dark, cavernous space. It would be interesting to be the only person in the cave (and to have really good camera gear).

Cave (2)

Cave (1)

Unlikely for Reasons too Obvious to Bother Mentioning

Screen grab:


So, I'm sitting in traffic and wondering which route will get me to my destination the fastest. I know! I'll "Bing & Decide"!

Game On!

I'm kinda tired of blogging right now. Usually when I say that I start back up again the next day (or sooner), but I've noticed that it isn't as fun when I try not to swear too much and/or give a shit whether I'm taken seriously. (What, you haven't noticed how hard I've been trying? Jeesh...)

And hockey season has started.


Go Bruins!

Vending Machines, No. 79