Good morning. Hello. How are you? #1055
Cool robot cart, Biden's new lead pipe thing, fire alarm at the school, lots of housekeeping items, She Macgowan and the Paradise and his hand, unpacking childhood horror movie trauma
Good morning! Hello, etc. etc. Just back from dropping Jane off at school. There were two fire trucks out front when we got there, kids jumping out of cars on the main road and cutting across the grass to get in, chaos. But eventually we got through it. No call from the school for a good 30 minutes. Annoying. As I dropped off Jane, I got the same PTA mom as I did yesterday. I switched the music so I was not playing Grimes, because she’s really tied up in all of this Elon Antisemitism thing, isn’t she? I mean, she’s trying to extricate, gotta check your sexism, but boy she sure spent some energy and capital defending the guy when it was already clear he was deeply problematic. Insert whole long think piece here on the topic. Not my bag, just didn’t want to expose myself to the whole thing, so I hit next and we had Fleet Foxes’ “I Should See Memphis,” which is much better.
Day off! Walmart up next, then the greenhouse for a bit to take some measurements, then to the hardware store and paint store to get supplies, then back to the greenhouse to do some more work. Oh and somewhere in there I am going to take the recycling to the collection center my god this day is going to be so awesome.
Housekeeping:
Holiday card reminder, etc. Fill this out if you haven’t gotten a card from us before. If you’ve gotten one before, you’ll get a form letting you update your address. Check your spam. We’re not removing anyone. EVER AGAIN. You’re in for life now, buddy.
Google reviews for the pool company request again: if you are willing to do me a favor and doo a pool review, let me know. You don’t need to write a novel or anything, just do the stars and say “great” or something. And I’m not posting the link because, you know, Google.
Toothbrush cap holder: a lot of people have recommended ring holders and they are exactly the right shape, but I think they’re too big. I have ordered this one as an experiment. Keith also makes a really good point that I should just hold the cap in the other hand and I meant to try it this morning but I fear the habit is too ingrained. I will keep trying. So this is now on hold, pending further research.
BUT, reader Anne has extensive experience in making things like this, so I am going to, I think, proceed with the egg cracker. Probably a small limited run. More to come.
I apologize for calling yesterday’s GMHHAY the best ever, it wasn’t, but it was still really good, wasn’t it?
I was off on one generation about everyone: Kissinger and Rosalyn and Charlie are greatest generation. Shane Macgown is a boomer. Please do the appropriate find-and-replace on yesterday’s issue and accept my apologies.
I am sad about Shane Macgowan but I suppose that dude lived enough life. Does anyone remember exactly what happened in the front bar at the Popes show at the Paradise? I remember drinking a drink near him, which was very exciting, but I also remember he, like, cut his hand or something? That was while I was in the back room. I’m hoping someone with a better memory (like maybe Dr Who) can remind me of exactly what went down.
I paid $40 for a 12” single yesterday. It was one I’ve wanted for, like, 20 years. I bought the CD single in 1991, which I still have, and immediately realized that I should have bought the 12” but I did not have enough money. I went to one of those online calculators about inflation and $40 in 2023 is about $19 in 1991 and I think the 12” was about $12 back then, so I mean, that is not the worst? Behold as I rationalize my record addiction.
Speaking of which, I am on record 5 of the Twilight Singers box set this morning and man this thing is so awesome and sounds so good it was a totally rational and realistic purchase yes it was.
Furiosa trailer came out last night and it showed a young Furiosa, a shiny, new and chrome War Rig and, I believe, Gas Town, so I am very, very excited. Will it be as good as Fury Road? Who knows, but, I mean, how much were you expecting Fury Road to be that good before you went in? When has George Miller ever let you down and don’t say Babe Pig in the City. Underrated gem, that.
Yesterday Joe Biden announced a giant program to replace every lead pipe in the American drinking water system in the next ten years. To be clear, there are three ways presidents “announce” things. They do what Obama did after Newtown, where the cajole, plead and beg congress to pass a law. They do what RFK is doing now and Trump did all the time, they just say such a thing should exist and if they were president, they would do it, but nothing gets done. And sometimes, when the circumstances are right, they can use the power of the presidency to actually do it, under existing laws, without asking congress to help, and it will actually get done. That’s what’s happening with this one. It is huge. How long ago was Flint? How many presidents have we had since then? Why did none of them do it? It’s the kind of real-world, on-the-ground actions we wish presidents would take but they almost never do, yet here is doing it.
Also the last four national polls had him beating Trump.
But, then, we have fucking No Labels those idjits.
Anyway, my robust Google Alert collection includes one on Marc Edwards, the water scientist who helped the citizens of Flint fight the state and the associated other parties. You would be shocked at how busy this dude is. So many fucking poisoned water systems in America. Flint was not a fluke, there are two or three Flints happening at any given moment in the US, the news just got tired of reporting on them. Well, that’s not entirely true, but no one reads about it anymore. There’s one (maybe) going on in the US Virgin Islands right now.
Anyway, good on ya Uncle Joe.
Now do the fifth district. Jesus.
Here look at this insane bit of kit. My friend Aubrey introduced me to this guy, a vet, who is older like yours truly and very into yard work but a bit more motivated to do something about the hauling problem and has invented a robotic yard cart and it is so utterly badass. It follows you around you don’t even have to pretend to push it. It is expensive, yes, but in line with lesser-capable mechanical wheelbarrows on Amazon. At least, the pre-sale is. I am very excited about it. Electric outdoor power equipment, no gas, it really is the true technological frontier, man. Sam Altman is barking up the wrong tree.
Two days ago I casually mentioned in a group slack that I saw The Omen at age 5 or 6 and The Exorcist around the same time, and took them as reality and I just kind of said it without thinking too much about it but now it is staying with me and hoo booy, in hindsight, that really did a number on me and it has been looming over my whole life like a shadow and holy shit that is a pretty huge revelation I have never really thought about.
Damn.
Halloween, too. I have an image of Jason/whoever (I have never watched it or any of the sequels ever again) standing in a hallway (in a school?) just standing there. Burned into my mind. He’s not doing anything, just standing there. And the image fills me, to this day, with absolute terror.
Shit man don’t let your kids watch inappropriate things at a young age I always say I am fine from it but I am not.
Also I think it was… The Wanderers? Something like that. Gang movie. Gang members tie a cinder block to a dude’s genitals and throw it over a bridge. yeah. I was waaaaay too young when I watched that.
And Outland the Sean Connery sci-fi flick. Waaaay too young. Rewatched that one. Solid film. I think I might be over that one.
Damn. Maybe it’s time to face this.
Naaaaaah.
Jane bedtime was swell, she spent all Bed Party doing splits and flips and stuff, dance party was only two songs. Lots of snuggles, A+ kindness, no notes.
Oh! And this morning she started screaming at me cuz I turned my chair around wrong and I just soothingly said “don’t scream, breathe, say what you want me to do and I’ll do it” and it was a herculean effort, but she got control of herself in under 30 seconds and asked nicely and I swear to god I have never been more proud of her in my life.
Yes okay it’s just another justa mix two days in a row but we cannot argue with the Spotify Release Radar gods, and they did a pretty good job today. And nothing else was ready. Making a playlist every day is hard. Lots of guitar on here, lots of ladies. The new Edward Ka-Spel is neither of those but it’s great, so is the new Mary Chain, SO EXCITING.
OK byeeeee have a lovely weekend.