Birthday

This Sunday I hit the big 39. It's my last full year as a thirtysomething, and with luck it will be the year I become a father. I'm hoping fatherhood will take some of the sting out of hitting 40, but I kinda doubt it. The upside is that due to a concerted effort on my part, I'm in better shape physically than I was in my 20's.

It's a cliche to whine about getting older, so let's move on. In the 80's and early 90's, I was a solid devotee of what was then referred to as "independent" music: Replacements, R.E.M., Husker Du, etc. In fact, the Huskers played Houston on the night of my senior prom, but I didn't go. I had already rented a date and a tux, so it was too late for me to back out of the big dance. However a classmate of mine named Karen Adkins went to the show and I've been jealous ever since. The Huskers were touring behind Candy Apple Grey, an album that I still listen to regularly, and by all accounts the show was fucking awesome. Considering that they broke up less than a year later, let's just say that I didn't make the smart choice that night.

I finally saw Bob Mould this year at SXSW, and I'm no longer jealous of Karen Adkins.

I should note that Bob Mould alone with an acoustic guitar was still louder than some of the full-band punk shows I've been to. Jumping Jesus, that cat can play.

American I-dull

Good Christ I'm bored with this season. They need to add some "game of death"-style hurdles to get me interested again. The show has gotten seriously stale. I respect the talents of a couple of them, but as with previous seasons I could never see buying one of their albums. Or downloading one, whatever.

Laura Schavrda

Our friend passed away on Feb 24, 2007. She fought the leukemia like a champ for 11 months, but at the end her body finally just gave out after having endured a bone marrow transplant (aided by stem cells; thanks for nothing, George W.) and numerous rounds of chemotherapy.

Thomas Hobbes wrote that life is "nasty, brutish and short". Maybe so, but L managed to accomplish a lot with her short life. She married a good guy, created a beautiful child, and left many many people happier to have known her.

I expect nothing less than a full and blessed life for her husband E and baby LJ. The way I see it, God owes her one.

Domo arigato, Mrs. Roboto.