Dancin' In the Streets

No one knew at the time how influential this 6 second clip would be to the world of Swaydom. It's a lifestyle that's sweeping the nation.

Lies.

This is one of my favorite crosswords I've ever done. Bill Clinton's was also fun, but this one was pretty innovative for a crossword. A bunch of the clues are factually inaccurate, hinted at by the unusual grid, and the number which are wrong is the answer to another clue. Also, I like it because it's a Thursday puzzle that I managed to finish completely.

Karma Konversions?

I just took a trip to the DMV. Not unexpectedly I saw one of the most amazing perm mullets of my life. Short and curly up top, with a wavy mane of party down to the small of the back. It may well be the most extreme business:party ratio I've ever seen in a mullet. I was excited, and went for the camera phone. Before I snapped the picture he turned around though; this was actually a handimullet! Instead of forearms and hands he had 1 hook and 1 stub. I hesitated. Is it OK to take a picture of a mulleteer if they don't have hands? It's not like I was trying to take a picture of his hook, I wanted his mullet. Also, after interacting with him for 10 seconds I decided he may have a slight touch of the mulletard in him as well. That sealed the deal and I left without a picture. But what if he wasn't retarded? Is there a karmatic conversion rate for handicaps vis-à-vis mullets? How would a highly functional aspergermullet rate against a pegleg-mullet? What if it was Oscar Pistorious? These are serious question to which I do not have answers.

5,678 mi = 9,137.8 km

In defiance of AAA's predictions I will not be forgoing the (semi-)cross-country/ies road trip this summer. This may seem ill-advised as gallons of gasoline approach the price for 20 ounces of Starbucks coffee, particularly since I don't even own a car, but we'll be traveling in a Civic hybrid. So actually we're driving for the environment.

The proposed itinerary is below. I get in at Madison, from which we head west to Keystone, SD, home of Mt. Rushmore for their 4th of July Extravaganza Bonanza. A quick stop at the geographical center of the United States, then it's out across big sky country to visit Dick Cheney as we make our way to the beautiful Pacific NW. On the way back we hit Calgary for the Calgary Stampede, maybe Edmonton for The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival, and finally we stop through Regina, just because it rhymes with vagina.

Google says it's 5,678 miles all tolled, but really, what's another 900 kilometers between friends (about 600 miles)? Will this be the summer of 10,000 km?


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Who's Salty Now?

Back in the idyllic days we spent living in the little pink house at 161 Crittenden Blvd. in Rochester, NY, we always had a bowl of kosher salt sitting by the stove ready for seasoning at a moment's notice. One of the best things about that house was how often we cooked and ate together. And the salt bowl always reminds me of our post-practice egg sandwiches, our adventures in broiling, and roasting whole chickens. Sometimes it makes me think about the bean pot too, but less often. Also it reminds me of The Barnebey kitchen, where there aren't cabinets, and everything is out in the open. When I came to Madison in August of 2004 and moved in with Schwenn, Blatts, and Batman, I bought a box of kosher salt and started my own salt bowl. I used this little red bowl, part of a larger 6 piece dinnerware set, on permanent loan from the U of R dining center that I may or may not have stolen from Joanna (my set is green, not red). And it made me have happy thoughts whenever I went to salt things. Today, after 3.9 years of consistent use, I finished off the last of that 1st box of salt. And now my salt bowl is empty.

Things I Made: Pie, Fire