kansas city soil

http://hondenspelenvoorhonden....

2011-05-23T05:11:00.001-07:00

http://hondenspelenvoorhonden.com/images/aarto.phphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZTtvYLvCRI

2011-05-15T12:56:00.001-07:00

http://buqarum.bravepages.com/

2011-05-14T11:32:00.001-07:00

http://kokejafu.builtfree.org/ http://www.ebay.com/ http://www.amazon.com/

No neenin

2010-04-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

Allie and I call the Internet the neenernet and we call surfing neening. I've just imposed a rule of not neenin' before noon each day. Not even checking email is allowed. I just decided enough is enough. Every freaking day I get on just to check for messages and I wind up getting sucked in, looking around for something interesting, not finding anything, and, worst of all, not writing. So no

affs

2010-04-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

I've recently started doing daily affirmations. Yes, those kinds of affirmations. Except I don't do them in front of a mirror. No, I'm not ashamed to admit it. Not really. Here's the thing: They work! Seriously, I've noticed a marked improvement in the areas of my life that I've targeted with affirmations. One of those areas is writing. I've been doing an affirmation everyday about my novel.

Begin again

2010-04-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

Time to dust off this blog again. It's probably the best way to keep my relatives apprised of what's going on with me. So here goes... I had an essay accepted by Pleiades today. That's a big goal -- published by a lit journal -- accomplished a little more quickly than I thought it would be. The weird thing is I re-read the essay and I thought it was awful. I got all down on myself for being a

new year's resloutions

2009-12-31T10:03:00.000-08:00

Last year, I listed the these resolutions on this blog:Sell a book.Run injury free. Do The Weekend Novelist.Make this blog worthy of a top ten list.I only succeeded in one - run injury free.Not that I didn't try to make resolution #1 come true. I tried mighty hard. I wrote two proposals and even switched agents. No luck.As for resolution #3. That book's kind of lame.I did, however, start a

lovin life

2009-11-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

I'm amazed at how much fun I'm having writing fiction.Longtime readers of this blog (grandma) will recall that I often whine about the difficulties of writing. I've likened it to digging ditches. I've written at least a half dozen posts about how I have to trick myself into writing everyday.But since I've started this book, I can't wait to get back to it each morning. And when I'm at it, I stay

out of the bag

2009-11-06T10:58:00.001-08:00

freedom

2009-11-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I downloaded Freedom and I've been using it every day since. It disables your internet connection for however long you specify. Great writing tool. Today I set it for three hours.One of the toughest tasks of a writer is keeping your butt in the chair -- or at least keeping your eyes on whatever it is you're writing. Whenever I'm writing and I hit a spot where I'm not quite sure

art of fiction

2009-11-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, I grabbed John Gardner's The Art of Fiction off of Allie's shelf and started reading. It turned out to be just the thing I needed to get me started writing fiction.I've wanted to write fiction for years. But whenever I try to start, my mind locks up. I become overwhelmed by the immensity of the task ahead of me. Fiction offers so much freedom that it's stifling.Nonfiction, on

frankenblog

2009-11-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

I've going to bring this blog back to life one more time.Partly because someone posted a comment last week asking my to write more here. Partly because my grandma isn't on Facebook. But mostly because I have an idea of what to write about: writing.For the next several months (or weeks or days or years, however long I can keep it up), I'm going to post about my experiences as I write a novel,

our halloween

2009-11-01T14:27:00.001-08:00

time for fiction

2009-10-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month I sent a proposal to my agent for a book about my experience in the mayor's office. It's the third proposal I've written about the subject over the last year. When I heard back a couple week's later, the message was pretty much the same: "Great story. Great writing. Not quite enough there to warrant a book."This time around the angle was to use the Funkhouser story as a device

ethics schmethics

2009-09-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

I have a new column at kcdowntowner.com . At issue this week is a $750 political donation made with city funds -- which is against the law. A low-level employee lost her job. But the city's top dog, City Manager Wayne Cauthen, in whose name the donation was made, has faced zero scrutiny. What gives?

salon

2009-09-01T17:25:00.001-07:00

The Salon story finally came out.

the 80s: reckoning

2009-08-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

As I've said here a couple of times, the summer between my freshman and sophomore year wasn't the best of my life. By summer's end I felt so down on myself that I couldn't bear to look at my own shadow, much less mirrors. No kidding. After that night staring at my whole, miserable life reflected in a plate-glass window I didn't want to have to be reminded of myself ever again.So I was a pretty

new gig

2009-08-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

I've got a new gig as a column writer for start-up info site. Check out my first story.

flipping out

2009-08-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Allie and I bought a new toy today.And so:

just do it

2009-08-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

This is encouraging.

scamp's last days

2009-08-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

At some point during the last couple days of Scamp’s life I said to Allie that I was surprised by the experience. I expected it to be unbearable and monolithically awful. And I’d even before this all started to go down, been thinking about the inevitability of our animals’ deaths, and absolutely dreading it. I’d even taken to saying that the only downside of pet ownership is that they don’t live

kind words

2009-08-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

We've been getting lots of support from family and friends. One friend sent me a note that i really appreciated:I remember when we lived in Denver, I went over to your house one day to hang out. At one point during our conversation you stopped in mid sentence, bent over to pick Scamp up off the couch and held her up over your head with one hand. Scamp was looking at you and was very calm. You

Scamp

2009-08-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

Scamp was a little too young when I got her. For our first couple of days together, I fed her baby animal food from a bottle. She gnawed the rubbery tip to shreds. At night I slept with my hand draped over her body like a blanket. She wasn’t much bigger than a guinea pig. Because of the early weaning, and the bottle, I think, Scamp lived her whole life thinking I

interesting stats

2009-08-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

I did a couple of queries on the Kansas City Star's article database at the library's site to see how many hits I would get on Mark Funkhouser and Alvin Brooks between November 1, 2006 and March 28, 2007, when the race for mayor was dominating local news. Out of curiosity, I also threw in Albert Riederer, the third-place finisher in the primary.Here's what I got:Funkhouser - 424Brooks -

the 80s: rellik

2009-08-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

The summer after my freshman year wasn't the best of my life. I spent it in Elkhart, Indiana, living mostly with my grandparents on my dad's side of the family. I guess I hadn't yet fully accepted Denver as my new home, and I wanted to take one last run at being a big fish in the little Indiana pond.That's the only time in my life that I've been in a band. And we were only a real, full band for

monkey and cat making out

2009-08-05T08:13:00.001-07:00

a moment of zen

2009-08-05T08:04:00.001-07:00

flirting?

2009-07-31T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today Allie went to Home Depot to buy some polyurethane for a floor project. We're going to decorate a bathroom floor stenciled patterns of paint.She wanted to make sure she was getting the right kind, so she tracked down one of the people in the orange aprons. The one she found had a big beard and looked like the kind of guy who rides a Harley. She told him what she had in mind."What are you

the 80s: diy, mf!

2009-07-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

I was a one-man media empire at age 15.I was the owner, publisher, editor, staff writer, graphic designer, typesetter, printer, folder and stapler for the esteemed publication, Nasal -- where you could read interviews with all the top punk acts who'd made their way to Colorado (that had gigs on nights I could break free from home). Can't remember who all I interviewed, but I know I scored

the 80s: hardcore

2009-07-28T16:36:00.000-07:00

The first all-out punk show I ever saw was the Circle Jerks at the Rainbow. I went with my buddy Dave. There were something like five bands on the bill, but the only two other ones I remember were Peace Core and the Frantix.The place was maybe half full, with most of the audience crowded down toward the front, in the space between the seats and the stage.Dave and I stayed out of there. Every

the 80s: dave and another green world

2009-07-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

I first met my buddy Dave on the bus to a cross country meet in Ft. Morgan.The coach chartered one of those big comfy buses and we all had rows of seats to ourselves. Dave happened to be sitting in seats across the aisle from me.Like me, he had his Walkman out and tapes laying on the seat next to me.He asked me what music I was into. I rattled off a bunch of new wave acts and a couple of punk

the 80s: waldorf goes punk

2009-07-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

I moved to Colorado the summer before my freshman year in high school. I was double nervous. New, big town. New, big school.For the first day of school I got dressed up real nice in my coolest Polo gear. Despite my affinity for edgy music (edgy for Northern Indiana, that is), I dressed totally preppy. I even had big, round, tortoise shell, horned rim glasses.So I get on the bus that first day,

big music weekend

2009-07-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

Caught two shows at the Uptown this weekend. Sonic Youth on Saturday night and Neko Case on Sunday. I've never seen a real concert there (I can't count the three songs of a Schwag show I saw there a few months back). Great venue. Real easy to get good spots. On Saturday, my cousin Jake and I showed up about 45 minutes before the doors open and we snagged spots right against the stage. Last night

intermission

2009-07-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the break in the 80s action. I've been working on a story for Salon.com. And now I'm coming down with a cold. I want to get feeling better for a family visits and a couple of concerts this weekend.

the 80s: first concert

2009-07-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

Right before I went into eighth grade, my mom got a job in Colorado. For the first time in my life I was popular in my school. I didn't want to leave. So I wound up spending that year with my grandparents while my mom got settled out west.During spring break, I flew out to Denver for my first visit. I'll never forget my welcome to Colorado. It was cloudy as I landed. It was raining as we loaded

the 80s: the in crowd

2009-07-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

Junior high was the only time I was in the in crowd. My best friends were the stars of the basketball team. They were all good looking and able to get girlfriends. But I was funny, so I guess they liked having me around.Most of us in this little clique tried hard to be musical snobs. For us it was new wave or nothing. Everything else, which back then was pretty much everything in northern Indiana

the 80s: hair standing on end

2009-07-07T15:06:00.000-07:00

I had this friend named Eric Landis. He was a little older than me. I think he was a freshman in high school when I was just starting junior high. I got to know him because his mom was friends with my mom and we were both latch-key kids. He lived in an apartment a couple of blocks away.I'm not sure who got it first, me or him, but we had this book about new wave. I don't know if it's still in

the 80s: uncle pete

2009-07-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

My Uncle Pete got me Remain in Light for Christmas in 1980 or 1981. He also gave me a Clash T-shirt, one he'd designed himself in a screen printing class. He was my rock and roll uncle. Throughout the 70s he had a great big beard. He used to sit on the floor in the living room of my grandma's house playing guitar.I have to say, I didn't quite get Remain in Light at the time. I only listened to

the 80s: sara and the new wave

2009-07-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

At the dawn of the 1980s I lived in a condo subdivision on the outskirts of Elkhart, Indiana. There was a girl down the street from me named Sara. She had long blond 1970s girl hair that glowed in the sunlight. I was in love with her.She was completely out of my league, of course. But there was no one else to hang out with in that neighborhood, so she sometimes hung out with me.She made a point

the 80s: background - Son of Schmilsson

2009-06-30T13:52:00.001-07:00

The first album I ever owned was Son of Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson. It completely twisted my mind.My mom and step dad bought it for me. They gave it to me along with one of those little plastic record players that's about the size of a donut box. Mine was red.Must've been when I was four or five because the album came out in 1972. I have no idea why they got it for me, or why they thought it

madness

2009-06-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up with a seething resentment against Pete Campbell. I told Allie about it she said something like, "Wow, it is a good show. I don't think I've ever known you to be mad at a fictional character."A good friend of ours who has impeccable taste in all things fictitious practically demanded that we check out season one of Mad Men from the library. We're three quarters of the way

the 80s: background

2009-06-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

My step dad Dan was a record collector. He was a fancy, uptight 70s guy. He took a long time making his hair just right every day and he often wore white pants. He mostly bought cheesy jazz. He also bought plastic cover protectors and anti-static inside dust jackets for every record, which he would file alphabetically when he got home.Dan took forever to figure out what he wanted to buy. So I'd

40 to 80

2009-06-25T11:24:00.001-07:00

My friend Chuck says that 40 is half time. It's when you look back over where you've been and get ready for the rest of the game. (It's also an age I never pictured Chuck to be, and he probably didn't of me either.)He's right. I've been doing a lot of looking back lately. Or more accurately, listening back. I've been digging up all the old tunes I used to listen to.Of course, that's got me

writeous

2009-06-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

Today I got an email from my grandma: "If writing is so hard why not go lay brick"(And I thought grandpa was the editor.)I wrote back: "Because I'm a writer not a bricklayer."Truth is I love writing. Especially on days like today when after four days of agonizing I have three decent paragraphs and a pretty good idea of where to go with however many graphs I have yet to write.As Joyce Carol Oats

vice

2009-06-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

I once saw Joyce Carol Oates speak at the University of Colorado. She said being a writer is like having a vice permanently clamped on your head. The only way to loosen the vice is to finish writing something.I have one of those vices. Mine is radioactive. It weakens my brain. So I have a harder time loosening the vice.Today I reworked yesterday's paragraph and then I wrote three more for a total

grinding graph

2009-06-23T11:58:00.001-07:00

I spent two hours today writing a single paragraph. One usable paragraph. I actually wrote more than one, but they were awful.I hate writing.The toughest part is starting. No, actually, the toughest part is after you decide to start, when you get all settled in your chair, with the right documents open and the right music playing, and you're brain completely freezes up. That sucks.I've gone

garden midsummer

2009-06-23T11:37:00.001-07:00

Here's an update on the growing things around me.

mystery

2009-06-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

For the past month or so, we have noticed a lot of dead birds in our neighborhood. They are just laying around near the sidewalk or on the side of the road.And the ones that are alive seem weak. When you approach them, they remain on the grass far longer than usual. Then, at the last moment, they take off, but only a few feet away. It's as if they're barely alive.We've mentioned it to friends in

morning

2009-06-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to a live recording of Müm with me feet up on my desk and my keyboard on my lap. I've finished the last of my coffee. Now it's time to write. Of course, I don't want to.Outside of my window I can see the top part of a tree and the sunlight on a neighbor's roof.All I really have to do is polish what I've already written. And pick away at an outline.I'd like to see Müm live in concert

living room concert

2009-06-18T06:22:00.001-07:00

mass murderer

2009-06-17T12:30:00.001-07:00

We have ants.They come up through the spots where the kitchen counter doesn't quite meet the wall. We intend to exterminate them as soon as we find the least toxic way to do so. Meantime, the best way to keep them under control is to kill them.When the kitchen is spotless, which is often lately, there are few or no ants to be seen. But if Allie or I leave a dish out for a few hours, and that dish

rarity

2009-06-17T06:08:00.001-07:00

I was 67 cents short on my bill at Aldi's yesterday. The nice lady at the cash register told me not to worry about it. I thanked her profusely.When I got in my car I noticed spare change in the center console. I counted up 67 cents and went back in to pay her back, locking my car door as I left.She was very happy when I gave her the money. We had both done one another good deeds. I felt good.As I

woods

2009-06-17T06:04:00.000-07:00

I'm liking this here band.

going long

2009-06-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

Today: A boring post about running.I'm halfway to my goal of running for a year without injury. And I'm running more miles per week than I used to. A couple weeks ago, I ran 26 miles, including an 11.4-mile long run. This week I hope to run 29.Reasons why I'm not hurt:Slowly building up the mileage.Sticking to the run/walk method.Running slowly.Running mostly on grass and trails.I'm feeling so

good new music

2009-06-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to lots of music lately. Here are some of my recent favorites:Dirty Projectors: Bitte OrcaSonic Youth: The EternalJim O'Rourke: Banana Hall, Osaka, Japan, July 8, 1999

write on

2009-06-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

I have written five book proposals since 2004. Now I'm about to embark on a sixth. I have a hunch this will be the one.Book proposals are by far and away the most difficult things I have to write. I've gone through extreme pain on each of the previous five. I'm bound to go through more on this one.I'd like to think I'm getting better at it. My last agent told me as much. My writing has really

running of the squirrels

2009-06-14T18:10:00.000-07:00

So we traveled to Marinville, Missouri, for the annual Running of the Squirrels. It was a lovely race, and they had the best race T-shirts I've ever seen:And we actually got to see one of the little white creatures. It was too far away and squirrely to photograph.People are very friendly in that part of the country. And they have lot of neat antiques.All in all, a lovely weekend.

2009-06-12T06:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Allie and I are going to participate in the annual Running of the Squirrels.Not these squirrels:These squirrels: More here and here.As you can see, this is serious business.

leaf eaters

2009-06-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

There's a part in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle where Barbara Kingsolver says something like spring is the time when we stuff our faces with leaves. Sounds about right.I laid down a law a couple of weeks ago. I said to Allie we need to eat two large salads everyday. And when I say large I mean gigantic. I've been eating mine out of a mixing bowl.We've been obeying the law for the most part. But

b-day

2009-06-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

We treat each other pretty good on birthday's around here.I woke up this morning and got exactly what I wanted -- a last little boost toward a 160g iPod.Tonight I'm having steak from a well-treated cow and key lime pie.A month from now it'll be my turn to make someone else's day.And for your listening pleasure, one of the best Grateful Dead concerts ever, on this day 36 years ago at RFK Stadium

libre

2009-06-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

I like to speak a little Spanish when I go to the corner store -- the carneceria.Tonight I went there to get a pound of liver. But I wound up asking for a book of liver.Oh well. At least I didn't ask for it for free.

sonic

2009-06-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

As part of my ongoing reclamation of days gone by, I've picked up my old Sonic Youth habit.Sonic Youth was easily my favorite band through college and for the first couple of years after. I saw them in concert five times, the last being in 1999 in Santa Fe.They have a new album and they're on tour. I'm going to see them in July. Right here in Kansas City. No traveling.It's kind of funny, I guess.

news

2009-05-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

It's hard to not comment on this.

mutiny, i promise you

2009-05-21T19:58:00.001-07:00

see through

2009-05-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

The Obama Administration is doing a great job making information available to people. They're doing such a great job, in fact, it's hard to keep up with it. Honestly, I've given up trying.I subscribe to the RSS feed of three White House blogs, all of which update several times a day. The press feed updates a couple dozen times a day, often with complete transcripts of press conferences.Today they

listen up

2009-05-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

be1 kansas city report

2009-04-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

I had the Be1KC event last night. It was cold and raining, so not many people showed up. In fact, none of the official-type people I invited made it.But there were a couple of people who wanted to help kids, so I'm going to help them get in touch with folks who can help them do that.The main result is that I'm going to step up my involvement. The president of our neighborhood association showed

beard: week 7

2009-04-23T16:46:00.001-07:00

I was going to let it go until August.But it was starting to feel like moss.And I'm a roooollling stoooonne!

friends and family in the media

2009-04-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

There was a cool article in the Elkhart Truth about my uncle Evan and a forest he planted.And one of Ebony Rose's speeches is included in an online project about race hosted by Stanford.That's all for now.

who woulda thunk it?

2009-04-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

Via my friend and fellow descendent of martyrs, Joel, comes this shocking news.This gives me good cause for growing my beard.

nuni and nooni schoener

2009-04-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

Mice sometimes seek refuge in our home. Allie and I have named every mouse we've ever seen in our house Nuni Schoener or Nooni Schoener, after one of our favorite couples from Saturday Night Live.Usually, the Schoeners are not a big deal. They show up a few times during winter months and then the disappear. But this year there seems to be a lot of Nunis so we had to take action.We don't want to

be1 kansas city

2009-04-16T08:29:00.001-07:00

There's an article in my neighborhood newspaper about an event I'm hosting on April 27.It's part of the Be1 campaign that school board member has spearheaded. The goal is to encourage folks to get become mentors for kids at Kansas City schools.The event will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Northeast Branch of the Kansas City Library.It'll be pretty mellow. I'll talk a little about my experience helping

beard: week 6

2009-04-15T14:01:00.001-07:00

bring out your dead

2009-04-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

There's a good article in today's Times about my current hobby.

beard: week 5

2009-04-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

beard: week 4

2009-04-01T13:34:00.001-07:00

rock chalk

2009-03-31T06:08:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I'm writing a post called "rock chalk!" And I really can't believe I'm about to write these words:"I'm proud to be a Jayhawk!"When I was an undergrad at Colorado, I despised Kansas.I was a basketball fan. Cu never had very good teams. KU always did. And not only would the Jayhawks crush the Buffs every year, but they'd bring with them throngs of loud fans all dressed in red and

ship of fools

2009-03-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

"Ship of Fools" has been one of my favorite songs lately. Allie's too. Today she asked me about the lyrics today, so I looked them up.They're quite beautiful. And they really hit home for me.Went to see the captainstrangest I could findLayed my proposition downLayed it on the line;I won't slave for beggar's paylikewise gold and jewelsbut I would slave to learn the wayto sink your ship of

first bite

2009-03-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

We had our first harvest of asparagus. Just seven stalks. Allie cooked it in a skillet with some garlic and salt.She said it's the best asparagus she's ever had.I have to agree.It is the best she's ever had.

life begins in my basement

2009-03-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Every year when I plant seeds I do so thinking there is no way in hell they're going to grow. It just doesn't make any sense. Seeds are just these little things, and dirt is dirt, water's water. Doesn't add up in my head to peppers and tomatoes.But, every year, I'm proven wrong. This thing to the left is a little sprout of pepper proof.

beard: week 3

2009-03-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

photos from the puppy mill

2009-03-23T14:46:00.001-07:00

There are more on my Facebook.

neighborhood puppy mill

2009-03-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, a man built a crude enclosure out of boards and chicken wire in the front yard of a rental house down the street. Then he put four dogs in the enclosure. One was female. She had great big teets full of milk dangling down from her belly.The house is on a busy corner and the dogs were nervous about all the commotion. They kept barking and barking. Our dogs, in turn, were made nervous

staying power

2009-03-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

Shoulda put these in the ground three years ago. Oh well, better late than never. We're going to be eating good next week.

international trade?

2009-03-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

Yael's blog says my former boss supported "keeping the International Trade Office open" in his budget recommendation. I was very surprised to read this, because when I was still there we were not big fans of the program.From our perspective, the expense was hard to justify in hard times. Hell, it was hard to justify in good times.We wondered, Just what does the program do?Kendrick Blackwood, the

hobbies

2009-03-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

When does a hobby become an obsessive compulsive disorder?I believe there is a clear line between the two, and that I have found it.Earlier this year, I rediscovered the Grateful Dead. To my sober ears, they sound better than ever. And I was thrilled to discover that there are thousands of high-quality live recordings free for the taking on the Internet. All you need is a little patience, some

beard: week 2

2009-03-16T11:11:00.001-07:00

funkytown

2009-03-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are eagerly awaiting my tell-all book about city hall, quit holding your breath. I talked with Agent Lydia on Thursday, and she said my latest proposal was heading in the wrong direction. She said that right now all the publishers are looking for BIG BOOKS. And the Funkhouser story is too small.More significantly, she could tell my heart wasn't in it. Though it was well

beard: week 1

2009-03-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

do i have to report it to unemployment?

2009-03-06T20:05:00.000-08:00

I got a call today from Arbitron. I told them I don't listen to the radio. But they still want me to participate in their sweep of the KC market.So I decided to do it. After all, there's compensation involved. The lady on the phone told me I'd get a small cash stipend."It's not a lot," she said. "But it's enough to go out and have a cup of coffee or a donut."Not and. Or.

howard hughes

2009-03-05T06:40:00.001-08:00

I've grown a beard. I'd been trimming it, but I decided this week to let it grow for a while, just to see what it's like.This morning I stood in the kitchen negotiating with Allie a time limit for my experiment. We hadn't had coffee yet and I looked like shit. I was in my Crocs slippers and a pair of sweats with paint stains on them. My hair was going every which way.Allie burst out laughing. She

neko's new one

2009-03-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

I think I'm partial to live music. I'm not as crazy about Neko Case's new album, Middle Cyclone, as I am about her live recordings.That's not a knock on the new release. It's good. It just doesn't fill me with waves of ecstasy the way the concert discs do.I picked it up yesterday at an independent shop in downtown Lawrence, after I got out of class. I felt all college kid, buying a record on the

holy blog

2009-02-11T11:49:00.000-08:00

Got a note from a friend today saying she'd mistyped the url to this blog and wound up here. What's up with that?Gives me an excuse to post. Sorry I've been remiss. Been working on my proposal, and I finally finished what seems a decent draft. Also going to school and trying to figure out how to earn money.I understand the President was in my hometown the other day. Too bad my grandpa isn't still

a mammoth proposal

2009-01-28T13:08:00.000-08:00

There is no worse writing assignment than a book proposal. They're not only tough to write, what with having to cram 300 pages worth of story and concept into a breezy 20-page essay, but they carry huge consequences. As in, if I nail this thing, I don't really have to worry about money for three years.The only way into it, for me, is to trick myself into it. Lately that means setting aside 20 or

reading missouri

2009-01-22T08:44:00.001-08:00

I was surprised and happy to learn last night that my book was selected as one of the recommended books for the Kansas City Public Library's adult winter reading program, Reading Missouri.Looks like a neat program. Read five books off the list and you get a prize package and invitation to a part in March.

praise for the day

2009-01-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

This morning Allie said she hadn't heard any pundits say that it was the blackest presidential inauguration in history."They had a token white guy," she said, "instead of a token black guy."It's true, though.Aretha Franklin with her spectacular, COGIC-style hat.Elizabeth Alexander's tight "Praise for the Day" that plainly said, "Say it plain, that many have died for this day."And Rev. Joseph

memories

2009-01-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

I don't know what's harder to believe -- that I was once 19, or that I'm not still.

19

2009-01-18T05:54:00.000-08:00

The weirdest thing about finding all these Grateful Dead shows online is how I can feel the same obsession I felt when I was 19. A touch of it. Like when I scroll through the list of shows in 1988, the venues and the towns seem like exotic places, and the notion that the dead would be playing there makes them seem more exotic still. When I look through the set lists, though, it seems so silly.

first show

2009-01-17T16:50:00.000-08:00

I'm years and years behind the times on this one. This week I discovered The Internet Archive, where you can listen to a CD quality recording of just about every concert the Grateful Dead ever gave. So of course I go right to the ones I attended, all of which are right there for the listening.If you click play on the doohicky above you can listen to the first show I attended, at the Henry J