Things to read elsewhere

As I type, my entirely family is huddled in the master bedroom. The dog is on a leash, the wife and I are sitting in bed, and the boy is running around on the hardwoods like a squirrel on meth. The Worker Men (which is what I may call my next band) are putting in new floors downstairs. My fridge currently hums in front of my TV. The washing machine and dryer sit in the middle of the living room. This is not the best environment for creative writing. So, for the day, here is some stuff you might enjoy that other people created.

How the Rainmakers Got Signed–If you lived in Missouri any time in the late 80s, you knew The Rainmakers. Chances are you loved them. My cousin and I did. He tipped me to this story today about how the band ended up getting signed by a label that wasn’t signing people.

A tribute to a father–A friend of mine just got back from Iraq. On the day he was scheduled to leave, his father died.

Welcome Home is a story of sick irony from another friend who is just starting another tour in Iraq. Blast is the reason I wish he was home yesterday. A snippet: “I didn’t feel the building shake, but it did. Members of my crew did wake up and go to the roof looking for a smoke cloud. They didn’t see anything because the explosion took place about 20 miles from here. It was enormous. Probably on the scale of the Oklahoma truck bomb.”

Best Easter Picture 2008–My friend CC took this photo just north of where I live. I don’t get into spirituality here (that usually waits until I’m waiting for a cab with my friend T at 2am outside a bar). That said, if God has a vacation home, it’s in Northern Greenville County, South Carolina.

Mise en place — One of my new favorite foodies probably never even knew we sat beside each other for half an hour in Vegas last December. If you’re not into cooking or poker, you may be a bit lost in his post. Regardless, it’s all about getting your head together. This is actually a post that hits me in a couple carnal spots. And no, Astin, not that one.