Intergalactic House of Paisley

To the lovely and multitalented artnouveauho! Perhaps we might meet at last during the London Worldcon next year.

After a annoyingly irritating day at work, I raced home, where Dragonet and Rohanna awaited with my birthday presents. Ro got me a four pack of boxer shorts[1], which included a pair that could be billed as Steampunk shorts, given the gears and such printed on them; the new Neil Young album, Le Noise, which I am very much looking forward to listening to; and, from the clearance rack, a lovely orange and yellow Hawai'ian shirt featuring palm trees and (pun alert!) bottles of "Wrecked Stout." Dragonet got me a bottle of Glenfiddich 15 y.o. single malt Scotch. Nom nom.

We then traveled to NPulsifer and Gisele's abode, where a lovely Stephen King/Shari Lewis mashup dinner[2] went into the oven whilst we went to the new local bar Swagger, where he treated Ro and I to shots of Bushmill's 21 year old single malt. At one point, our waitress came by, and I mentioned that it was my birthday. She returned shortly with shots of Jameson's for us all. Then the the owner came by to chat, and after determining that I was the natality victim, asked if I had ever had Bushmill's 1608, their 400th anniversary release. I replied that I had, once, and he asked if I would like a shot. Somehow, I managed to remain calm while responding, "Yes, thank you very much, I'd love one." He brought back a very generous pour of that wondrous elixir, which I shared with my friends. An entertaining discussion of the differences between the three whiskys followed. And then a waitress brought a slice of cheesecake by for "whoever's got a birthday." It was quite good, too.

Ro and I talked to the owner for a bit, and we both agree that this is the kind of neighborhood bar we have been looking for for a very long time. I told the owner I would be pimping the shit out of the place here, and so I am. If you are in KC, and looking for a fun bar with lots of beers on tap (53) and many more in bottles, plus good foo, Swagger is the place to check out. We will be back, probably on a Wednesday, which features the crab leg special (not a euphemism). And for the professional eater, there is the Dead Texan: Two Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches with a 1/3 lb. burger, 1 egg, 3 slices of bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapenos, and peppercorn mayo in between. Be still, my clogging arteries. While I won't be touching that with a 10-foot stent, I do think I know where I will be celebrating my birthday for the forseeable future.

We headed back to NPulsifer's, where the lamb was perfectly done. We were joined by our friends Liz and Joe (NPulsifer's son [by Star and I] Eric had met us at Swagger), and settled down to watch Game Six of the ALCS. As the Rangers slowly built their lead, we had a great time picking on Joe, who had doubled down on his masochistic sports fetish by wearing a Yankees t-shirt over a Cowboys shirt. As Slappy Rodriguez[3] stood at the plate looking at strike three like it was some kind of endangered species he should avoid swinging on penalty of death, all but one of us cheered. Even better, I never saw ex-President Smirky anywhere, acting like he had anything to do with the team now that it was successful.

All in all, one of the best birthday celebrations I have had. Thanks to everyone for their kind wishes. And best of luck to the San Francisco Giants, because Mike Sweeney getting into the World Series is almost as big a sign of the apocalype as the time he stole home off Andy Pettitte. No, really, I was there! It happened! I saw it! The baseline opened up, and a plague of burnt ends came forth! But the Fucking Yankees still won that night (in thirteen innings).



[1] When one goes to pull up a pair of underwear, and can see through the space next to the central seam, said shorts are defunct. Similarly (for males at least) when one takes the appropriate position before the "R. Mutt" sculpture on the wall of the restroom and reaches through one's open pants fly to deploy the equipment for micturation, only to discover multiple openings available for said deployment that were not part of the original design, said shorts are also geschvinkto.

[2] What, you never heard of "The Lamb Shank Redemption"?

[3] almost certainly the first player to appear in a baseball playoff series while being paid by both teams involved.

Here's a special present: Stephen Colbert on Passover.

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November
With Thermite & Magnesium so hot
Throw back a Molson*
So Erik V. Olson
Will never be forgot.

Happy birthday, fella. Hope the coming year brings you much happiness.


*The only beer I could think of at this hour that rhymed.

Happy Birthday, starstraf.

Enjoy your last one in Kansas. By this time next year, you will have sure completely your new task of hooking up introducing hooking up half of the DC area.

See you Saturday.

To joyflgrrl! May your natality be loaded with fun, and the coming year be full of goodness.

Friday again, and of course a metric(1) shitload of work awaits me, because the guy whose "day off" is today couldn't be bothered to get his shit together and get things done so they could be finished off yesterday. but music will make me feel better about it, as well as the whole Sir Sidney Ponson as fourth starter thing, right?



1) It's A Sweet Ghost Party, team9 vs. Stereogum

2) Natalies for Glasses II (Yesterday I Found a Needlessly Long List of All the Obvious Pros and Masochistic Cons of Never Seeing You Girls Again I Made In One of My Old Notebooks, Realised How Stupid Making That List Was, and Gained Confidence to Slow Down., Shorthand Phonetics

3) Urami-Bushi, Meiko Kaji

4) Dick Around, Sparks

5) Jimmy Leans Back, King Britt

6) Seismic waves travelling through, Mandelbrot Set

7) I Am The Walrus, Oingo Boingo (Farewell: Live From The Universal Amphitheatre, Halloween 1995)

8) Id Engager (Mad Decent Remix), Of Montreal

9) Disorder In The House, Warren Zevon

10) Car On A Hill, Joni Mitchell


And some bonus tunes as we anxiously await opening day:


11) Steadier Footing, Death Cab For Cutie

12) Tango #3, Determination For Rosa Parks, The Lounge Lizards

13) Book Of Liars, Walter Becker


In honor of Richard Thompson's 60th birthday today, one of his performances from the "1000 Years of Popular Music" show:






The weekend calls, and some fun stuff might happen. Tomorrow, for those in the KC metro area, the Nelson-Atkins Museum is opening up their current exhibit, From the Land of the Taj Mahal: Paintings for India's Mughal Emperors in the Chester Beatty Library for a free viewing, along with Indian music and dance performances, and, from 2.45-3.45p, food and drink samples. Inasmuch as my company made the large signs for this exhibit, I have an extra interest in checking this out.

Sunday the Royals are having an open house at the newly-renovated Kauffman Stadium (weather and/or work stoppages notwithstanding), which I'd also like to check out, since I have no idea when I'll actually get to see a game there. Of course, Rohanna is really jonesing for a game, since she didn't make it out there at all last year, due to that whole cancer thing. I did mention she is offically cancer-free, right?

Monday NPulsifer and I will be heading to a sports bar to be determined for Opening Day festivities (the Royals are in Chicago [predited high 35˚, 30% chance of precipitation; perfect baseball weather]). When we know where we're going, I'll post it in various venues so others who feel like skipping work can join us in cheering the home team on to victory, or something that smells like it.

(1) Science, Bitchez!

First off, Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. I hope everyone has a wonderful day with the person or persons they love. For those who are who are not able to be with a special someone, know that you are loved, and missed. Someday . . . .

Secondly, I would like to point out that one year ago today, rohanna had her annual physical, including her mammogram. It was that procedure that resulted in the tiny little tumor being discovered, and all the ensuing entertainment (for extremely miscellaneous values thereof). So ladies, I don't care how uncomfortable it is, get a mammogram every year. Early detection makes a big difference.

Today, she is healthy (first mammogram came back clean!), happy, possessed of a full (if short, and unruly) head of hair, and a birthday girl.

Happy Birthday, rohanna! And many more to come!

. . . that gunpowder treason Erik V. Olson should ever be forgot.

Happy birthday, my friend. Enjoy it muchly.

and best wishes to elaine_brennan! May the coming year bring you the peace and happiness you so richly deserve.