Today’s soundtrack: We all know what your name is
so you better lay your money down.

Today at 9:02pm: Carrying my dinner home in a plastic bag.


Listening to a new Radiohead CD is like taking antibiotics; you’re not sure how long it’ll take to make you feel okay.

“Hail to the Thief” finally came in the mail for me. It would have come a fuck of a lot sooner if my case worker at Amazon had their shit together; it’s like my order was processed by a monkey.


AMAZON HANDLER: Yambo! That ‘Rain’ customer is complaining about the delay again! For fuck’s sake stop playing with your feces and put the goddamn CD on the truck!

YAMBO THE AMAZON ORDER FULFILLMENT MONKEY: Yeeeeek! Yeeeeeeeeeeeekk!

AMAZON HANDLER: (dodging feces) Bad Yambo, bad!


Where was I. Oh yeah, so I listened to the CD without much interest; it’s like smoking cigarettes, no one really likes it the first time around. It’ll sink in eventually.

Speaking of cigarettes, my smoke-free and joyless existence continues. I’m told depression is a side-effect of quitting. The surgeon general doesn’t make a big deal about that because feeling down in the dumps beats the fuck out of having emphysema. Right?

Right?

Right.

Floating my boat 7/15/03:

Led Zeppelin, “Living Loving Maid”
Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Free Bird”
Ronnie Dove, “Someday (You’ll Want Me To Want You)”
The Fixx, “One Thing Leads To Another”
Terence Trent D’Arby, “If You Let Me Stay”
Etta James, “If I Can’t Have You”
Fishbone, “Ma and Pa”
Cornelius, “Another Viewpoint”

We have a nice new sidewalk outside my building now. The Highway Dept.’s on a tear, they’re ripping up the whole neighborhood. New sidewalks everywhere. I can’t chew gum fast enough to replace the black spots they had on the old sidewalk.

It’s not for lack of trying, though. I keep a pack of Nicorette handy at all times but you gotta be careful with that shit. Several times I chewed it too rapidly, overeager for the fix, and got chest pains quickfast. The delivery method leaves a bit to be desired; it’s like drinking a glass of nicotine, too much too fast.

Due to a scheduling glitch, every Tuesday I’m now teaching two classes in a row at Hapkido. It’s tiring but I think today went okay.

There were some new white belts having the usual difficulties, which I did my best to ameliorate. It’s a good feeling when you help them get it right. There’s this one skinny white kid who looks like he just gets the shit kicked out of him at school--he’s got that frail, Harry-Potter-Book-One-look--so I wanna bring him up to speed quick.

Yesterday I was in class and some guy with long fingernails took a piece of my skin off during the grappling and I got to see my blood again. Why can’t people just cut their goddamn fingernails?

I have to admit I kind of dig the teaching. I act stern and focused and yell out the numbers in Korean and give the right answers when asked. I know what came before and I know what comes next.

There is some thinking required, but it’s all within strict parameters. There’s no personality, just plenty of sweat. Overall, class is hard on the body but easy on the brain, and that’s what I like.

Cut your fingernails.