Our state fair is a great state fair, it's the best state fair in our state!

This past Friday, ATM and I went down to the Arkansas State Fair.  In short, I have Fair Fever now.  In case you didn't know,  parking & admission is free M-F, 11-1, so, you know, LUNCH BREAK.  I think my co-workers and I are going to try for Thursday.  It's so much better in the day!  No lines and, as my co-worker pointed out, you don't have to deal with knucklehead youths.  

I love how busy October is.  Unfortunately, we've not been able to camp at all.  I do get a bit wonk when I don't get to hang out of doors properly.  Perhaps we can rent a cabin or go to the lake house soon?  At this moment, getting out of doors is more out of necessity than want.

So, I'm on a Halloween party planning committee.  We decided to have a decent blow-out this year.  We've got some pret-ty ambitious ideas, guys & ghouls, so I hope you (yes, you) can make it.  It's pretty much open invitation as long as we know you to some degree & you aren't an asshole.  Assholes will be pistol-whipped & used as decoration OR outright chucked from the premises.  Do bring your own brouha.  Please come costumed.  Be ready to cut loose on the Damned Dancefloor. Oct. 27.  209 Victory St.

This week/end will be fun, if not busy.  I've taken off Friday afternoon to go to the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival to see the Renaud Brothers speak about film making and journalism in the world's most dangerous places.  I couldn't tell you why it took Tim Hetherington's getting killed in Libya for it to really sink in the risks these documentarians take to expose what's going on in every corner of the world, especially ones that are extremely dangerous.  He held back on starting a family because of the uncertainty and danger!  It should be an intriguing panel.

Directly after that, I'll be rushing back to NLR to attend a fish fry.  It's not very cool and it's not very hip, but we enjoy sitting down with strangers and having a meal.  I've got two extra tickets if anyone wants to join us.  Proceeds benefit the church's kitchen.  On Saturday, I'm attending a yoga workshop that I have no business attending.  I'm chuckling at myself right now. Why on earth did I sign up for this?  At the time, it wasn't ambition, but a willingness to try something new.  Now, I've got my ever reliable self-doubt weighing me down.  I actually don't have the experience for it.  I'm guess I'm expecting the worst and hoping for the best. I've been assured that I haven't made a mistake, but we will see.  And, finally, if all goes to plan, we will have new insulation installed in the attic.  Exciting, I know.

Hm, what else?

Recently, I've been R A G I N G  because of people who remark on politics so casually and flippantly.  There's usually no regard for others or any thought of what they are actually saying.  With broad, sweeping remarks, they dismiss a lot of people -- people who aren't just like them.  Just because you can't see, feel, or understand the pains, hurt, and needs of others doesn't mean it's not real.  I firmly believe we really need to fortify the separation of church and state.  They've become too entwined and it's no good.  

Politics and religion are things you don't talk about with just anybody, but things have gotten so toxic and downright disgusting that even if you don't actively engage in conversation, it can be delivered right to you in a steaming pile.  I've seen people's property destroyed because they have Candidate A's bumper sticker on their car.  What the hell is that?  That's no way to behave.  It makes me want to take a break from politics, which is really unfortunate because I have a natural, if fatal, attraction to politics and I spend a lot of time keeping up with current events.  I do get a little unhinged when someone who doesn't have but a passing interest, if you can call it that, tries to engage with me.  Well, you can't argue with crazy or with someone who is factually deficient.  I don't even try.  Who has time for that?  Anything short of blatant racism, sexism, or homophobia will slide.  If you're just going to tell me our President is a Muslin, then we're done.  If you're going to call me names, I'm movingon.org.  You get the idea.  I believe in Freedom of Speech and people participating in the process, but I'm really gutted that it's being hijacked and held hostage by people who don't even know what the word (democracy/socialism/capitalism/consumerism/fascism, etc) means.  

One very long exhale.  Pops two aspirin.  I don't even know anymore.  

Felix the Cat Lands On His Feet

excellent...you are so...excellent

This song makes me cheerful.  It's so sweet, and, as house music goes, perfect.

It's You

Well, the rain ruined another weekend of plans.  Arkansas' finest season is turning out to be a wet one.  I did get some good yoga practice in, though.  And I had a really good lunch at Starving Artist Cafe. 

sin sobras

Mum gave us some red snapper that she caught in the Gulf (of Mexico).  To be honest, my experience with cooking fish is limited to fish tacos and fush + chups.  My favorite way to enjoy fish while in Perdido Key is grilled and blackened.  With fingers crossed, I decided to try something new and make a Cajun rub and pan fry the snapper in duck fat.  The end result looked very pro and was absolutely delicious.  I love it when I nail a dish on the first go.

Simply coat the fish in the rub:

Pan fry in smoking hot duck fat.  Do not overcook it!  It is ready when it flakes with a fork:

Bon:

I recently got a new app on my phone that allows me to take panoramic photographs.  It's so neat!  Here is one of my office (with idiot roommate; also, please note jar of mustard by computer monitor) and one of the courtroom.  Swivel chairs make it easier:

Earlier in the week, ATM & I met our friend Henry for lunch.  We had a lot of time to kill, so we went to Mount Holly Cemetery.  It's truly a nice place to go for lunch time disappearing.  Also, with the changing seasons, it's hard to say what's causing that shiver up your spine:

Saturday Elegante

A real decent Saturday yesterday. ATM, Brittany, and I went to Hot Springs for lunch and some resale/retail therapy.  

Lunch @ Taco Mama's:

After our meal, we went to Mexico Elegante, because I just can't get enough, but mainly because I wanted to get a new home for my Schlumbergera:

From there, we went to the Central Station Flea Market where I scored these:

Before leaving town, we drove up the West Mountain scenic drive and I took some panoramas that turned my people into ghosts:

Later that night, after quiet times and no supper, we went to a surprise birthday party for Micah.  I gave him some roman candles as a gift:

209 Victory:

This Sunday will be spent doing housekeeping.  That's ok for this gray, cool, rainy day.

long hair music

New album release 9 October 2012

my church

Last Sunday was sublime.  Brittany called to see if I wanted to sit in the sun with her at the park.  Yes, obviously, to-do lists be damned.  After procuring some iced tea, we went to the Clinton Library/Junction Bridge area.  The weather was gorgeous.

Little Rock is so cute from here:

Facing east down the Arkansas River:

After plenty of fresh air & sun, we decided to pop in on a friend's yard sale (On a Sunday?!), but they had already disassembled the whole thing.  As we were leaving that neighborhood, I noticed that David Family Kitchen on Broadway was open and nearly wrecked the car with excitement.  It's one of those places where you never know when they will reopen after being shut down for not paying taxes.  We immediately pulled over and got ourselves some chicken dinners to go.  It was really fun to bring ATM home this surprise:

That evening, we attended the Reel Civil Rights Film Fest segment with  Olympic gold medalist Tommie Smith.  The turnout was dismal, which is disappointing, but, on the bright side, it was extremely intimate.  I really hope to see more people I know at these kinds of things though.

Look, Tommie Smith will never have to explain to me why he did what he did on the Olympics medal stand in 1968.  I get it.  However, he (and John Carlos) ended up striking fear in the hearts of everyone who was not ready for change.  Up until about 10-15 years ago, they hardly received any respect.  In fact, the men and their family's lives were threatened and they were practically unemployable for many years.  It essentially ruined their lives.  These men who repped the US in the'68  Olympics and actually won medals (gold and silver; and broke many records), were beyond shunned.  It's all pretty disgusting in my view.  Listening to Tommie retell the story is inspiring, but it's also very painful and even though I know some things, it turns out I don't know shit.  Despite the horrible backlash for this one incredibly meaningful silent gesture, he would do again, not because he wants to, but because he has to.  I really wish I had half his courage:

Tommie Smith and Juan Carlos also stepped up on the podium shoeless with black socks and wore beads to protest black poverty & lynchings.  Obviously, it was a thought out gesture and not spur-of-the moment.

Tommie w Craig Renaud:

I wonder what church will be like tomorrow.

Chicago, Pt. III

We've got it down.  Traveling via automobile to Chicago and back is a cinch. 

There's no decent food or coffee on this particular route.  We've remedied this by packing lots of food, instant coffee, and the electric kettle.

The first thing we did when we rolled up into Chicago was go to Hot Doug's .  It's obviously good!

We got two Chicago-style dogs, the Elvis, cheese fries, and duck fat fries:

I said to ATM that though not many people have heard of Django Django or listen to them at all, they are surely sick of me talking about them.  Well, my condition has worsened after seeing them live.  I was curious how they'd pull it off live, but they did -- I was surprised that my favorite song they would perform would be Skies Over Cairo as opposed to album-favorites Hail Bop and WOR.   And they are adorable to boot.  I mean, they use a comically large tamborine, coconuts, and a vibraslap as percussion.  UK art-school cuteness coolness.

Schubas Tavern:

The Djangos:

Comically large tambo:

The only shot with all four:

They had a lot of stuff and they used every last bit of it:

Great great show. Didn't take them long to warm up the crowd for dancing.  I appreciate that you can tell that between the four, they listen to everything including house, techno, and other electronic music.  And hip hop.  And Monty Python. And Rawhide.  And Carl Sagan.  You know.  ALL . I adore them.  They make me want to play a little music myself.  

The next morning, Chicago was cold and windy, which made it really easy to want to leave.  We did stop by 206 S Jefferson, the birthplace of Chicago house music.

I could spend a lot of time taking snapshots of old signs & buildings in Chicago.

Homeward: