Hey! I'm leaving tomorrow. See you in a month.

Two announcements.

1) The Brothers and Sisters album got a 4 star review in the June issue of Mojo Magazine. This is big news because, as you may or may not know, the British music mag Mojo is pretty much the holy grail to music nerds everywhere.

2) I got some rad new Addidas shoes on sale today. They were on the clearance rack for $29.99 (down from $59.99) but as a bonus, they rang up at $24.99. They're dark green with red stripes. Kinda ugly in a pretty awesome way.

Hey! I started a music news blog. It's called Sound Byte Music News. You should link to it if you feel so inclined.

Check it out. Straight, No Chaser is up on youtube (in ten parts).















just watch the rest...
part 8
part9
part 10

So Jennifer tagged me with one of those online meme things. I don't generally participate in these things, but, let's face it, the only reason to have a personal blog is to talk about yourself and this one is to reveal seven juicy secrets about yourself. Since my mother reads this mine won't be too juicy but here goes...

1) I once was so hungover on tour that I puked out the window of a moving van. As we pulled into a crowded gas station, I continued hurling my guts all over the place much to the annoyance of the lady next to us who was filling up her Audi. I had my sunglasses on the whole time.

2) I really, really love the Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv show. Or really all things Joss Whedon for that matter.

3) I can't sleep in a bed with someone else (platonic or not) without sleeping pills.

4) I secretly think it's pretty funny that I never payed back all that credit card debt that I ran up in college.

5) It's not uncommon for me to go 4 or 5 days without showering.

6) I don't trust banks. At all.

7) If I'm really honest with myself, my favorite band is probably Belle & Sebastian.

I'm not passing along this tag to anyone. I don't think I have enough interweb friends to warrant it (plus I'd feel a bit silly).

Good news! I'll have a job when I get back from California. This relieves me to no end. If I wouldn't have a job, I'd still go but I'd be worried to death the whole time. I've been saving for a couple of months for that eventuality. I'll continue to save as much as I can because there's a pretty high likelyhood that I'll have to leave my job again to tour.

In other news, I missed the republican debate last night but watched a few snippets and read all about it online. I have to say, I'm really glad Ron Paul is in the debates. Without him, there's not anyone in the debates that really hold differing views on the most important issue, the war in Iraq (or, even more important to me, the limit and scope of the government). Not getting too much into the actual politics, without him there can't be any debate in the "debates". Otherwise the only real disagreement you get ranges from "abortion is bad but it should be legal" (Giuliani) to "abortion is bad and should be illegal" (everybody else). I'm of the opinion that the real winner last night's debate was Fred Thompson who won by not being there. If he enters the race (which he will) he'll easily win the nomination.

We're leaving for Los Angeles in three weeks or so. As much as I thought this was a dumb idea at first, I'm getting excited. For one thing, I may not have to quit my job for the season to go. It's not for sure yet, but I think I might be able to just take unpaid leave for the month. This is one of the perks of having worked here a long time. There are only a limited number of folks here who know all the work and have experience with everything. So maybe I'm working the system just a bit - I'm giving them the option of telling me to take a hike so I don't really feel bad. The way I look at it, it never hurts to ask.

Also, we may get to stay in someone's guest house out in Venice while we're there. Nice and close to the beach. Like my job thing, it's not for sure yet but I have my fingers crossed.

I had kinda forgotten that I put up google ads on the side until I got a check yesterday. Nice surprise. I understand that some people are into the whole "ad-free blogging" thing but, really, I'm quite happy to get paid a small amount for something that takes no time and effort on my part. So if you're feeling generous, click on those ads on your way out of this here blog. If not, eh, I'll live.

*I feel that maybe I should clarify my reason for posting this. I'm a recently converted Astros fan. Now I know how pretty much every other baseball fan feels.*

from slate

On Sunday, Roger Clemens announced his decision to play for the New York Yankees. He leaves behind a number of miffed Houston Astros fans, many of whom feel Clemens has deserted the home team. Seth Stevenson knows their pain. In this article from 2004, he describes his deep, burning, unbridled hatred for the greatest pitcher in baseball.

To: Roger Clemens
From: A Red Sox fan
Re: All-Star Game

Dear Roger Clemens,

Let me offer my hearty congratulations on starting the All-Star Game. Wow, that is really terrific. I'd like to note, however, that I hate you.

Also: You are fat. They say you've got this hard-core training regimen, with calisthenics and whatnot. I'm not seeing it. You're wicked fat.

Oh, perhaps that was uncalled for. You know what else was uncalled for? Sucking, every time it mattered. You ruined my childhood, fatty. Because the trauma you put me through as a young, impressionable Red Sox fan has stunted my emotional growth, I revert to a juvenile mind-set whenever I see you. Like repeatedly calling you fat.

It started, Mr. Clemens, when you left the Sox in 1996. You were in a steady decline and seemed on the cusp of retirement. Then you signed with the Blue Jays and put up two Cy Young campaigns in a row, completely owning the league. Putz.

And here you go again. After a few good-not-great years with the Yankees, you actually did retire. ... And then suddenly unretired and re-emerged as a much better pitcher. Wow! A dominating half-season, out of nowhere, after everyone counted you out. Like we haven't seen that one before, "Rocket." Anyway, you're still fat.

But here's the real problem with your behavior: Fans like to think that players are giving it their all. All the time. I like to think that, anyway. But then I'm just a simple, good-hearted man, a man who wants to believe in heroes. How can I believe in heroes, Mr. Clemens, when the world is home to people like you? It's clear that you just try hard when you feel like it. And even then, only when there's nothing on the line. Well, that sucks, dude. You shouldn't be like that.

I'd like to add that it's not just me. Nobody likes you. It's just a matter of degree—of how much we hate you. Personally, I measure my hate in terms of how severely I want you to be injured. Like, I guess I wouldn't want to see you crippled for life, so you couldn't walk anymore. But I really wouldn't mind if you pulled your groin and missed five starts. That's the over-under on my hate.

By the way (and this has nothing to do with you, except that it involves another player I despise), did you hear Frank Deford's poetic ode to Derek Jeter? "Our guy is never at the top of the stats/ He just makes the plays and takes his at-bats … For all the hotshots there is no one neater/ than the guy who wears the deuce—the ace—Derek Jeter." My God! I mean, my God!!

Hey, don't think I'm done with you, Clemens. What about this: Not only do you have no fans, you have no team. You don't travel with the Astros unless you have to, and then you go all by yourself. What's with that? If you could, I'm certain you'd hire yourself out, start by start, to the highest bidder. You whore. Maybe we should just play the All-Star Game at your house, in your backyard, so you can spend even more time with your wife and kids. Would that be more convenient, chump?

Speaking of your kids, their names all start with K. Because K is the symbol for strikeout. That's lame, dude. If I named my kids after something I'm really good at, they'd all be named "Calling-Roger-Clemens-Fat Stevenson." And that's just too unwieldy.

In conclusion, I really, really hate you.

Sincerely, Seth

The post office was out of stamps. Wtf? So is the machine here at work. Will this be known as the Great Stamp Run of '07? Meanwhile, I can't mail my rent check.

Vernor Vinge talks about "The Singularity" at Reason Online.

In case any of you were wondering why there haven't been any pictures on here in forevers, it's because my camera broke while we were on tour. I managed to get it working for a bit and then it died again. I'm planning on getting another one soon. Maybe a used one off of amazon or ebay. Since I don't really care about the features (as I'll likely never figure them out), my main concern is that the camera is small. Like comfortably in the front pocket of jeans small. My old powershot kinda fit as long as you didn't sit or walk too fast or try to get it back out of said pocket.

Earlier I watched an awesome episode of Nova called Newton's Dark Secrets all about how he was secretly an alchemist and how he didn't believe in the trinity and he had to hide it. I already knew everything here thanks to having read the Baroque Cycle but it was still rather interesting.

It's raining a lot right now. I guess I'll never get to go to the grocery store.