I got a new Macbook Pro in July. What does that mean? It means, of course, that a brand new super awesome version of it has been released three months later! Mind you, I’m in no position to complain given what I paid for mine.

Speaking of super awesome, maybe your desktop should be.

If you happen to be a billionaire, you might want to get your ass to Germany. There’s a fair going on that you might not want to miss.

A lot of people have contacted me lately about the Daniel Johnston documentary The Devil And Daniel Johnston given that I have posted photographs of Johnston paraphernalia in my house and that I covered one of his songs on my last record. I purchased the DVD the week that it was released, so have owned it for some time now, but thought I would mention for those of you that haven’t checked out the special features that there is a special segment in which Daniel meets Laurie Allen, his life long love and muse, for the first time in 26 years. It’s very moving and certainly worth watching. Obviously, given his struggles with mental illness, I feel a special connection with Daniel’s work. He is, in many ways, an idol of mine. And while many people, and understandably so, don’t ‘get’ his music, I urge everyone to watch the film and then delve into his material. I think you’ll find you have a greater appreciation for it having been exposed to his story.

I was going to go and see W. tonight but am too under the weather. That said, the film’s star, Josh Brolin, is hosting SNL tonight and there are rumors that Sarah Palin will also be there. Anyway, here’s a few SNL clips to hold you over…

Updated:

Palin opens SNL (Baldwin is awesome)…

October 18, 2008 21 Comments

I’m back at home, for a night at least. There’s a lot going on out there in the jungle, plenty of nonsense that I could spend my time writing about. But I’m not going to, I’m too tired and too jaded at the moment.

That said; it’s good to see the boys. I was also surprised this morning by an early birthday gift from Keira, which ranks up there with my all time ‘best gift ever’ – the Pittsburgh Pirates hat and new glove that my folks got me when I was kid. They hid it in the dryer and its location was announced on the JP Patches show. That’s pretty hard to top, but it looks like Keira’s matched it. She got me a signed Daniel Johnston print, as seen below…

I used that glove for the better part of a decade. I went to bed that night after oiling it and strapping a ball in the pocket with rubber bands. It was so good, in fact, that to this day I have trouble using other mitts. As far as the hat goes, back then the Pirates were on fire so it was understandable that most kids who played ball worshipped them. Being a life-long fan of the game, and not having a hometown team to support, I have never really placed my allegiance anywhere in particular. My father’s a diehard Dodgers fan, so in the past I have supported them. I also went through a phase in the 90’s when I supported the Padres, just to irk him (hehe). My father’s a Dodgers fan because when he came to North America they were still in Brooklyn and even though they weren’t the most successful team (they won the show once in their history in Brooklyn in 1955), were a team that radiated a similar style of old world fan enthusiasm as football, something my Dad connected with. That would also be why he became a diehard Montreal Canadiens fan.

Of course, after moving to LA, the Dodgers would go on to win The World Series in 1959, 1963, and 1965, so obviously the innovations introduced and groundwork laid by Branch Rickey eventually paid off. It’s just a shame it didn’t in time for the folks that ritualistically packed Ebbets Field to enjoy it.

June 25, 2008 40 Comments