thank you casey and esther

I had a pretty good 4th weekend.

Hung out with Fernie at the pool at Benderson. Janine came too, she really loves that baby and I think Fern really likes her too. Shy people only like to talk to each other; it's weird… The baby pool was perfect Fern could get in and out by her self and I got some chillax time in the sun. To boot the prices and quality of the concessions at the pool were amazing ($5 for snacks for all, and the chips had flaxseed in em). The hot dog was made out of something I wouldn't be ashamed to say I fed my kid too.

PUBLIC NOTE TO SELF: Always buy the Jewish version of "bad for you" food, it's just better. There's real meat in the hotdogs, real sugar in the Pepsi.... I don't know why they don't do this for other kinds of people, but I'll fake being jewish at bbq's if it'll rid me of some diet guilt.

Got an armband at the carnival for Fern so she could ride everything non stop…and she stopped pretty early. There was a lil baby boy in our entourage and Fern would pet his face like a puppy every once and a while, it was tender. In the middle of everything Fern and I were stranded with all the stuff and she had go to the potty so I had to teach her how to pee "on the side of the road" style between some carnival vehicles. Which must not be easy if you're the girl peeing, and down right scary for a guy trying to teach a girl how to do it for the first time, but we go it done.

Before we got to the carnival in Riverside, Fern and I bought flags and stuff to see the fireworks. We found out that there's no tax on flags, and we kept screaming that at the top of our lungs it while we waved ours. I made sure she really knew what the holiday was for (this time, ask me about Memorial day some time) and i think she really got into it. Man I love that baby and now she loves being an American, I like it that that's what this holiday can be for someone...

And since it was the 4th we stayed up until "are you serious" o'clock until Fern got all "why so serious" on me, but she passed out in the short car ride home so everything was alright.

Went to the beach on Monday with some homies and it was almost a catastrophe but I have sweet assed friends. I did this thing where I get all anxious about something happening without other people there and messaged a ton of humans, then everyone called back at the same time and I didn't want to uninvited anyone. : \ Still I thought the two groups that did want to go might mix well, and i was wrongish. everyone was cool, but clearly some friends didn't have as good a time because the others were there. I gotta be more patient. I'm coming to find this to be a montra that would help me a lot in life.

On the completely up side, being that bereft of clothes for that long was fuuuuuun. Ok, I look a lot better now. I have to say it feels good to be naked in public finally, and being around people who are just as comfortable was key. My friend Josh wore a skin tight american flag man-kini and is blessed by the gods of Wang so I got to see a lot of fun reactions from strange girls. I've decided that flirting is what guys who can't hang their penis' out have to do to convince women sex might be fun. Jokes take a lot to get a girl to giggle the way they do when they spy a fat lazy hamster in his hammock. Just saying.

Later I went to a bbq and grilled what was left of the beach clams and drank really good beer. So even though I missed a few things I was invited to I still had some serious fun.

I guess the thing that stuck with me the most over this weekend is that if you don't take the time to celebrate what is good in things that you have or are all get to have or be is the worst of what's wrong with everything. I felt really American this weekend and I felt good about it coming from a guy like me it's a big step I guess. I think that if everyone would allow them selves to feel good about anything every once in a while, it'd make life a lot brighter...

Ok peeps. Hope you had a fun 4th. We'll chat again soon.

Had a late snack with a friend at Cafe Aroma the other night. (I know, the link is for a website for the owner's other business, but it's all I gotz)

The staff is friendly and attractive. My attempt at flirting with the new girl failed miserably, but it was a chummy flirt and i was with a lady friend who's drink I paid for, so she probably just thought I was a huge douche bag. Back to the food. We both had chamomile and shared a slice of Carrot Cake. We were both watching our weight, but if you avoid the frosting you can have carrot cake with very very little guilt, its mostly just carrots.

They're right next to the only new book bookstore in buffalo, aaand they serve wine and beer (Ommagang beers, some of my favorites ever). It's kinda tiny and sorta cramped but if you're into that it's gold, and the internet is free, and you gotta get a ticket. I like it that way so you don't get creepy esquatters who don't even buy drinks.

They were out of lemon, which I feel is a key part of good cup of chamomile, and the bag of chamomile that I had was short leaf and pre packed in a round tea pouch so it wasn't very full in flavor. Compared to the SPoT teas that are full leaf and just as cheap it lost a few points. To boot they only had limes, which for some reason had no juice left in em. I think they weren't ripe.

The cake was just moist enough and it wasn't too old. By the time we sat down to eat it the frosting was starting to mankify and there was little to no moisture in it. I've seen this happen to carrot cakes time and time again, and it's just a part of the price you pay trying to eat coffee shop cakes that have to sit in cold cases. It was still tasty though, and pretty. The barista decorated the slice with caramel and whipping cream from a pro air can.

Insert pic I didn't take

The cake wasn' t too sweet which I think should be pointed out as a merit since even though the SPoT carrot cake is quite a bit better, it gave this cake it's own class. I normally eat coffee shop cakes with a warm or cold sweet drinks and that much sweetness just gets lost on you. So I like less sweet cake while I'm coffee shop snacking.

You can't beat the location of Aroma, right off of Bidwell and Elmwood. The kids were out doing their things in hackie sac circles, young lovers were lounging on the parkway into the twilight, and there were even some tight rope walkers too. Never a dull moment. The cutest thing I spotted while people watching though was an older man, full grey, mulling about until his date showed up. She was just as old and head a head like a q-tip, all white and fully and moth bitten. They were so sweet.

I wish I had a pic of the cake and tea and q-tip to post, but I don't. I'll do better next time. Later peeps.

A new episode of a life well wasted came out and I'm soooo excited to listen to it.

It is literraly the best pod cast I have ever heard. It's so well crafted in as many ways as I could imagine. Ok, ithere's caveat, it's about video games.

Ok, but it isn't really. It' about people, but people who's live are effected by video games which if you're alive in (the United State of) America is you too. Someone you know games.

The guy who puts it out is a musician who's band is average to sub par. I think if he ditched the other dudes he'd do a lot better. He does all the sound design in the show and you'll see what i mean if you listen to even one episode.

it's not just a story, or periodical information, or visual art (there's a limited edition poster released with each episode), or sound design, or a sociological study of the effect of a billion dollar industry in this country on it's citizens….or any of that. It's all of it.

Check out an episode, or just go browse the artwork, or look at the slick web design of the site. Well worth wasting some of your life on.

Episode Six: Big Ideas


This is just a music video of some music in the podcast. It's also the beginning of the episode..., but it's got video and such. Kay. I'm done.