Cutlass

When Olds were sweet

I'm sorta miffed that GM decided Oldsmobile was the brand to lose. I thought their last model years to be plenty more exciting than say Buick or even Pontiac (though the Solstice is a single bright spot in the new lineup.)

Tangent aside, I passed by this machine and had to stop and examine the beautiful weight of it's proportions, and the evening light was nice (albeit still hot as heck here.)

Dog watching

If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky.

The past few days I've been watching some friends’ critters—two dogs and some fish. More so, the dogs have been watching me. Looking at me. Wondering how far they can push my buttons or confuse me.

One is a Labrador pig, and doesn't have that trigger in his brain to stop eating or lapping up water. So he falls under portion control surveillance.

The other, pictured above, has these dark "please don't beat me" eyes—er, um, "puppy dog eyes." She's got a grass-is-greener disorder, and must be on the other side of the door every half hour or so. She sits there pleading as if she needs to pee, only to step across the threshold and immediately flop down to rest.

I've long thought I was a dog person, but I remind myself, there's a reason why I list "other people's pets" as an interest in online profiles.

Waste King

With Odor Control

I did get a haircut last week, and it's already grown out a bit as you can clearly see in my reflection of this garbage disposal.

How to kill a fly without a flyswatter

In three easy steps

1.) Position your hands a few inches above the fly as if you were about to clap.
2.) Clap.
3.) Wash hands.

Me and You and Everyone We Know

))<>(( back and forth ... forever.

Impromptu trip to the movie theater last night to catch Me and You and Everyone We Know (Sorry mom, I couldn't wait.)

Two word review: Nice. Quirky.

It was just so damn innocent and delicate. Perhaps innocent isn't the best word as there's a hint of perversion that surfaces in every super-well-played character. I look forward to more stuff from this Miranda July. Her imagination is fascinating.

Camp Detox

with S'mores

Even though it was super-dooper gross hot this weekend, I went camping.

A fairly level site under cover of trees afforded some break from the sun's rays, but the humidity was ever present.

Every drink just went right through the skin, soaking clothes. Hanging things up didn't even get them dry.

Heat bonus: I think I've lost weight along with many toxins and the s’mores were perfectly gooey.

Mushroom

You can see my lens fogging up it was so hot

I won't say camping was all hotness, because there was a pool. However the water was warm and a thin layer of sunscreen created an oily skin. Cool showers were the best remedy.

Movie news tangent: A 3-D, CGI-animated Smurfs feature film will bow in theaters in 2008.

Spider babies

Babies everywhere!

In the wee hours of Saturday, a spider egg hatches on the other side of the window (thank goodness.)

I hear they're making a live-action version of Charlotte’s Web with Dakota Flemming and André 3000.

Fo real yo.

Syndrome

Bedhead

I woke up this morning to find my hair defying gravity. This is information I should probably keep to myself.

It's sort've disgustingly hot here in the Ohio valley, and a whopper of a thunderstorm ripped through last night. I've not yet braved the air today but my guess is that there will be a bit of a mugginess out there.

I think a trip to the barber is in order. A tangent thought made me wish there was WiFi at Tiny Tina's, so that if there was a line I could get s'more work done. Alas, she has all the latest car rags, offline isn't so bad.

So long

Nursing drinks at One Mo Cup

It's been so long since I've hung out with the Chad, Jim and Kevin. Man how time flies and man how I've missed seeing these fellas—friends from long before the ol' bloggin world.

They seem to have left a few of their bad habits behind and replaced them with new, healthier ones. Among them, gardening (identifying plants as we walked around town), and eating better (though I made sure they stopped that immediately.)

It was hard not to marvel at Jim and Chad's hair, now so long. What Kevin had trimmed off they brought to me in a ziploc bag. (Long story, involved a bet that he wouldn't trim his beard until I'd come visit.)

When they're around, it's important to have pen and paper handy—lots of whacky ideas need recorded. We broke out of our usual anthropophobic selves and caught a movie, rented more, played with gadgets, traded music, and laughed. A lot.

They've an uncanny ability to scour my place and instantly find the things I wished I'd hidden. This led to a discussion for some great ideas on making guests feel really embarrassed if they open a medicine cabinet.

One extra bonus of having them over is they wake up stupid early and tidy the place from the previous night. Yesterday though, as they finished the dishes, knocking lightly on my bedroom door, it was time for them to continue on their trip and time to say so long.

Master Blaster

East Walnut Hills

Today I printed out stuff for work and was called Super-Chris by a two year old.

That was pretty much the highlight.

The photo was just something I caught along the way.

Hey, there's a picture

At the intersection of Blue Rock and Hamilton

The three bears are here.

We're walking down the street today to visit the video rental place, which we went to before coffee shop and after the record store. They point out this stuffed animal.

Oh, and I ran into a lawnchair lady.

Summer is in full effect

Even the sunflowers are starting to feel the heat

Pete Yorn

In the lounge

Epitome of down to earth fella. Put on a real nice set yesterday.

He's workin on another album and is touring to test some of the new material.

More Photos

Guacamole

Mash avocado

Mohawk optional.

Grounded

With toothpicks for legs

Today I made a janky ethernet cable to replace the one that didn't work last week.

Still didn't work until I got some expert opinion.

Made yet another and presto, there's now Internet in places it wasn't before.

Oh, and it's been raining a ton here, so I'm wearing big boots.

Margaret Garner

at the Cincinnati Opera

I went to the dress rehearsal of Margaret Garner last night at Music Hall. They do a full run through for family, friends and the press. The ticket read "No Cameras" and I complied, capturing this billboard on the way home in lieu of something on stage.

And what a something it was...

A while back I declared my disdain for opera. I don't get the cadence of it, pining instead for more distinct melodies. It always seems so... tragic. This makes me fidget.

But this one made the hairs on the back of my arms stand up ever so slightly from time to time, and I actually teared up a few moments.

Long story short, some spoilers: A woman is tried for killing her children so they won't have to grow up in slavery. The courts have to decide if she should be charged with destruction of property or murder. The latter would provide legal discourse that slaves were indeed human.

I was a bit shocked when the judges sang that the law and the Bible was on their side (in support of the "destruction of property" charge.) I was expecting some controversy—just not that angle.

Overall it was thought provoking and well played out (in English mind you.) I think I have a better understanding of how tragedy plays into this art form and I'm proud that Cincinnati is part of the commission that had this piece created.

Storm approaches

The sunny weekend is over

Skipped

12 +

It's been a slow week for photos. I'm still taking them daily, but when it comes to putting them online and jotting down some sense of the day, I've been floundering. In lieu of catching up, here's some stuff I can take out of the queue. Continue reading/view 13 unused photos.

Against the Ropes

I acceidentally caught this tragic movie (on cable) back in March. Meg Ryan slurs her way through plastic surgery and falls in and out of her accent. Disturbing. Three thumbs down. (movie info)

Confessions of an American Girl

Same day (must've been cold, gray or both) I sat through this flick and it kept my attention about a girl who lived in a trailer and got pregnant. On a family trip to the slammer to hang with their pops, her brother makes out with an inmate. That might've been the highlight. (movie info)

The pink ladies

Outside the Men's Chorus show back in April, I caught these happy ladies before a meal at Carol's.

I thought these tic tacs looked neat in May

Dildos

I didn't have the heart to post this one. I was at the adult store with a friend. Really.

Truck

Driving around with my brother, I pulled over to snap this. "Why?" he asked.

I didn't have a good reason.

Chicago airport

Leaving the city after a fine weekend.

Buckwood

Someone came up to the site while I was putting drygoods up on tree branches. He said I must know a thing or two about camping. They weren't airtight bags. I was probably attracting woodland creatures.

I thought these flowers were nice lookin

I missed a fella's birthday. He's a painter, often of meats.

This photo is a reminder I need to get him a belated something.

No flash please

A week ago having a drink, a rowdy friend Heather borrowed my camera.

I've got about 7 groups of photos I've yet to crop and post from the radio station

My favorite photo from the Northside July 4th Parade

For some reason I went with the Lawnchair Ladies.

Wrecked

There's part of the car

Adjacent to the radio station was this result of a high speed chase between police and the thief of what was once a late model VW Jetta.

You can see the engine lying on the road there, with the bumper off in the distance to give you some idea about the impact.

Luckily no one was hurt other than the driver, who was rushed to the hospital.

I've not heard any follow-up reports as to his health.

The Cloud Room

Live in the Lounge

I'm tuckered. Real quick though, The Cloud Room stopped by woxy this afternoon. Nice fellas who put on an excellent set.

More photos...

Northside parade

The Ladies Auxiliary Lawnchair Brigade

So this year's Independence Day Parade in Northside seemed a bit light on the wacky side and a bit heavy on the politicians, but overall—thoroughly enjoyable.

We didn't wave as much or clap as hard for the Republicans. Though I admit there's a certain tiresome antic about wrapping folks into these two political camps. With Sandra Day O'Connor stepping down, I think the label I'm drawn to most is "moderate."

The real fun wasn't on the street though, but over at my mom's place.

She and my brother, with a little help from family and friends, have turned a non-descript house along the parade route into a slice of paradise. Thriving garden out back and lots of interesting bits lining the walls and surfaces inside. Holidays mean themes and that means the place was fit for a magazine spread on Americana.

Quite a spread of vittles catered to every taste and I've got a plate in the fridge for a midnight snack.

Kuliga Park through suburbia

Rozzi's fireworks in Green Township

Delved deeper into the westside last night for a potluck that ended in some excellent fireworks. I didn't know too many folks at first, but there was cornhole, and camera buffs—so we got along swimmingly.

Refreshing

Sprinkler

A fine way to wash away the grime of construction (though that Great Stuff insulating foam seems to like to stick to the skin.)

It's frickin hot still, and although it'd be nice to talk about something other than the weather—it's pretty much all one can think about when stepping outside. Thank goodness a whopper of a thunderstorm has just dropped on the Ohio Valley. Hopefully that will take things down a notch.

Until then, I've lost suspenders as a fashion trademark in lieu of wrist sweatbands.