Four-Frigging-Oh!

One of my (slothful bastard of a) professors waited till yesterday morning--two days into the next term, that is--to post his grades, goddammit; thus I didn't know till then that I'd copped for a 4.0 gpa last quarter! My first of those at university--and at the postcocious age of thirtysix. Perhaps by now I should have some more meaningful accomplishments to crow over, but this'll do for a while. Cheers, O most supportive world.

Killing

Yes, we live eight blocks in a straight line from the big Capitol Hill massacre everyone's talking about.
And it's a beautiful day.

Pike Place Friday

Taking Xia to Pike Place Market is invariably a magical experience. Today after stressy shrieky shopping for wee shoes we went down to decompress. Beautiful things included:

--The most planted daffodils I've seen in one place, along the rim of the Market's roof.

--A blondhaired hippy about to mount his motorscooter, beside him an adorable yappy dachshund wearing a little hat with military insignia. I examined this and asked of his master, "Corporal?" "No, sargeant," he said. "Every year I give him a promotion. He'll make captain in five years."

--Eating noodles at the Sanitary Market, and watching two old, disreputable-looking cowboys peddling second-hand stuff to the blaring tune of "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." To see various oddballs, street people, tourists, dry drunks and junkies greeting and making happy commerce while high-harmony yodeling accompanies . . . this is the genuine America!

--My small Xia riding on a handy rocking cow, then later pinching the big brass pig's nose at the Market's entrance.

--Coming home to discover that El Gran Puerco Blanco is back in business! Bloody exactly glad helloagains abouttimes and you're welcome, alright?

Bon Anniversaire, Ma Coeur Chinnici

Good fond first birthday to the remarkable Corazon (here pictured a mere couple months after her mortal debut). Reno is richer immeasurably for her merry presence there. If you live there and ain't yet bought a house from her, why, you're no citizen at all! Hop to it!

Tom Tomorrow at Elliot Bay Bookstore

According to his site, Tom Tomorrow of beloved comic & blog This Modern World will be speaking and signing and liberalizing and so forth at Elliot Bay Books in Pioneer Square, Seattle, Friday, March 31 at 6 pm. Elliot Bay's readings are always free, crowded, and good kicks, but I hardly ever remember to attend. (Neither do you; I never see you there anymore, whoever you are.) Let's hope I've reminded the both of us this time.

Siskel and Ebert overthrow the Protestants

I reel, slackjawed and amazed, at this Siskel and Ebert feed from I dunno quite when in the lovely old '80s. Stay till the end! "I already shot my wad on the Protestants." Oh, Gene!
(via Bedazzled!)

glum for ducks, gaga for zuniga

They drained the fountain at the University of Washington for "renovation," and now at least one pair of mated mallards has taken to wandering the campus. Last night I saw them outside the undergraduate library, paired in a tiny puddle left over from days-ago's rain. I was so filled with sorrow at the pitiful sight of these poor creatures, so dependant, so disinherited, that I could barely keep from weeping on the #43 Metro bus home. Finals week looms, Mike and family have returned to the motherland, and I am fragile as duck eggs, I guess.

Until I have anything worth digesting posted here (observe the Chinaman's chancy cows freezing over), do please examine with my hearty blessings the worthy work of Cheeto Zuniga, a brave new alias for a brand-new age of the same old bullshit. Here's hoping you make a mighty habit of this, mang, as your posts thus far are brilliant, the return of a bold voice long missed up Northward wayhereabouts. Dig.