The mind, it wanders.

I've got no thru-line today, my friends. And, as I think about it, perhaps I never did.

So, there are random thoughts:

I'm about eight working days away from a vacation from my life. I'm looking forward to getting out and seeing some old friends south of here, and so far, I've arranged a few get together's from here to Hannibal and back again. My plan is simple: no plan. I go on Tuesday, I come back some time after that...but no later than that following Wednesday. And hope I can get away from this rut I've been in.

I am so tired of analyzing threats. I long to wake up in a world where I was either safe, or blissfully unaware of how "not safe" I was.

I got a haircut yesterday. On the plus side, it's a good haircut. On the minus side, a new haircut always shows a bit more scalp than I ever expected to see in a mirror. Nothing says, "you're not who you think you are" more than bald spots on the top of your head.

I have these days when I throw the Ipod into "random". And it's amazing, when you have roughly ten full days worth of music on your little device, how much you don't remember having on your little device. A song came on today during my gym time (I think during leg presses) that I hadn't really heard in a long time.

Greetings from Sodom,
How we wish you were here...
The weather's getting warmer
Now that the trees are all cleared.
No time for a conscience,
And we recognize no crime;
Yeah, we got dogs and Valvoline
It's a pretty damned good time...

Last Plane Out by Toy Matinee. They only did one album. It's very good. My thanks to Eric S. for turning me on to it, back in '91.

I've never ridden in the Limo.
I've never attended a World Series game.
I've been in every state in the lower 48.
I want to attend Alaska, but have no real desire to attend Hawaii.
I could never get the hang of Jacks.
I was always too nice to win at Monopoly.
Speaking of Monopoly; I saw the new version of the game uses credit cards instead of cash. Hey, what's that on the horizon? My goodness, it's the end of the world as we know it!

By the way, how many of you want to shout "LEONARD BERNSTEIN!" every time you hear "The End of the World as We Know It?"

I like a good slice of Beef Wellington. But I'm more fond of the meatloaf plate at that little diner up the 101 near San Luis Obispo.

Besides, you'd feel stupid ordering a chocolate malt with Beef Wellington. Hell, I'd DO it, but I'd feel self conscious.

I just received a lovely care package from my friends at Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab. It was for my birthday, but they're very busy getting ready to open their second location...it contained a T-Shirt celebrating the Fifth Anniversary of the Lab Show (my brainchild....!) and eight half gallons of the best ice cream I've ever had. Vanilla, Black Raspberry Cheesecake, Motor Oil, Doc's Java, and Cuyucos Crunch, a flavor so rare, they don't even serve it in the parlor.....I am going to eat it all. Slowly. And every bite will make me wish I had an infinite supply.

Okay, time to wrap up.

Thank you for taking the time.

Don't forget to tip your waiter. Or waitress.