acidbasement

It's been snowing for the last three days with high winds. There's over a foot of it on the ground, and the kids's school has been closed for the last two days. Going down to -30'C this weekend. We're leaving for Florida/metalcruise in 51 days.

Thanks guys. He was an original, and I feel like everyone left the funeral reflecting on their own lives and trying to think of how to be truer to themselves.

I went to the funeral of an old friend today. He had something sudden and catastrophic happen to his heart last week. We weren't really close or anything, but it's a small town and we've been in the same circle of friends for 25 years or so, so it's still a shock. He was 42, single, no kids, he was a passionate artist and all-around excellent dude. He went in to business, built an amazing greenhouse featuring weird edible cultivars and novel hybrids as well as the standard (garden variety?) bedding plants. It was always a treat to visit him. He never had regular hours - he was just open if he was there, and closed if he wasn't. We called him JK, and we're going to miss him a lot.

I'm not a Cuba expert, and Fidel was obviously not a saint, but I've been to Cuba twice, and both times was struck by how most people seemed to adore him. The trade embargo by the USA has been far worse for most Cubans than even a dictator who viciously clung to power over so many decades. I guess it could be a lesson, something about needing an enemy (real or perceived) to remain popular.

It's a bit like cocaine in the sense that you don't make much money if you eat the good cuts yourself. We go through hamburger like nobody's business though.

Shitty photo, but this was a pretty delicious homegrown T-bone, extra rare.

I also wish for that Donkey to leave.

Happy birthday, Mikey!

Happy birthday Chris!

Srsly this woman has mad skills. Also, she's 21 years old.

Happy birthday Marc!

Thanks everyone. Today has been kinda shitty, but I really appreciate the warm thoughts!

Happy birthday, Carl!

Have a great birthday, Peter!

Happy birthday John!

Next on my task list is to get the public restroom registered as a pokespot. Or maybe the medical clinic.

I'm just glad the guy who did it didn't accidentally spell it "Pokespots".

I can't believe they put me in charge of the town.

Yesterday I used a lucky egg and incense, hung out at some lures, and evolved about 15 Pokemon that I had been saving up. Went from level 15 to 17 in half an hour.

My town is sad.

Brent, I think my kids and your kids will have a lot more to talk about next time I come through Chattanooga than they did last time. Alaric has always been gregarious, but it's just hilarious to watch him talk to people about PG. Anyone on the street with a smartphone is prey now. I'm at level 15, and totally loving this game.

Drove out to Calgary on Friday to see Ne Obliviscaris, Black Crown Initiate, and Starkill. The local opener was called Divinity, and they were great. Starkill were really fun, melodic death metal. Black Crown Initiate: very good, talented, not entirely my cup of tea. Technical death metal I guess is their sub-genre. Ne Obliviscaris - wow, just wow, they were amazing. A six-piece extreme (whatever that means) metal band with jazz influences, epic, moody instrumental breaks, two lead vocalists, and a violin of course. One of the best drummers I've ever seen. I talked to some of them after the show, and they were seriously nice dudes. They're from Australia, and this is their first headline tour of North America. Dusty, you really need to check them out when they play Baltimore on Aug. 2. I have no concert footage, but here's their most recent album. @Dusty Chalk

One of my favourite bands just got announced for the 70K cruise. I haz a happy.

Nasty. I perforated my eardrum 5 years ago. I'm not sure if I ever got back to full hearing, but it's close enough that it doesn't bug me unless I really pay attention to it. Hope it heals quickly.