Thursday, July 24, 2008

Only For Now


So the other night we went to see Avenue Q. An adult send-up of Sesame Street and the Electric Company, what could be better? Though it makes me call into question why I waste my time scribbling here when as Trekkie Monster says "The Internet is for porn!"

Monday, July 21, 2008

Get to know Unknown Hinson

Saw Unknown Hinson (a.k.a. the voice of Early Cuyler on Squidbillies) the other night. After the plus-sized burlesque opening act, he did a two hour show. With show stoppers like "Fish Camp Woman." Possibly the best rocka-gotha-billy I've ever seen live.

See for yourself:



And his views on the state of the Internet:

Friday, July 18, 2008

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The Condemned


Home from the Emerald Isle and convalescing from the jet lag. On the plane, I finished David Jack Bell's thrilling novel The Condemned. It's a tight page-turner playing with the tropes of a zombie tale while brilliantly and subtly commenting on the war, the treatment of veterans, Katrina, and more. Take the dark ride yourself.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Blarney, All Blarney


That's right I was a total tourist and kissed the blarney stone. Blarney castle was built by Cormac MacCarthy, not to be confused with Cormac McCarthy (pictured). Supposedly, the kisser gets the gift of eloquence...or cooties. Also, an embarrassing photo opportunity.


Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Ring of Dingle

No jokes--it's just too easy. So I'm going to bore you again with my travels. Though I can barely drive in the U.S., I decided to rent a car and drive in Ireland. But I had GPS. Going to Dingle, I read about the great views of Conor's Pass but how "treacherous" it can be in bad weather. I bravely decided to avoid it, thinking the GPS would take me by way of the main highway. Where did it take me, you certainly would feel inclined to ask if just out of courtesy. Here, that's where:



I survived. The next day I went around the ring of Dingle. My first big site was the Celtic and Prehistory Museum where I meet this odd musician who has collected and now opened to the public a strange collection of things, including the giant skull of a Woolly Mammoth--complete with tusks as big as me. And then I was off to the Great Blasket Island. And it was great. The place is empty:



The few remaining inhabitants left the island years ago. The ferryman said that they went to American and never came back. No cafes, no convenience stores, no bathrooms (ouch). Only the abandoned houses even newer ones with stuff just left or litter piled in. As this eerie, i.e. poorly shot, photo will attest:



I hiked the island for three hours and was alone most of the time. Which is disconcerting when you find piles of bones around the place:



But the view was worth it:

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Here's a Limerick for You

So I'm in Limerick. Which, of course, must remind you of that time that I wrote that post about a dirty limerick for no reason whatsoever. I thought so. You may not know that the city of Limerick is known to the Irish as "Stab City." It's not what you think. It's because lots and lots of people here have been stabbed. Unless that's what you thought, in which case you should try to not be so cynical.

Here, however, is a lovely picture of Limerick, which is not so lovely because I took it:



Here is a picture from Limerick's darker underbelly: