Right on.

I like the picture's a lot I wasn'there for the party but the pic's look great

bye

"Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago"

small quote from Soul Coughing; seemed appropriate.

O.T., man. Nothing more need be said.

Mr. Hand . . . *chortles*

Hey, it stole my control chars. What the fk.

HTML chars . . . you know. Make 'em put 'em back.

I think Greymatter converts special characters used in its forms to unspecial ones. I think. Which rendered your chortle invisible to all but those mucking around in the source code. You can check and see if it does it at your place, too, if you want. Meantime, I'll change the offending containers to asterisks.

But it showed in preview when I used *&*l*t*; etc. No fair. A trick.

Mark,

Cool. No pun intended. I've always thought about the winter camping thing. I love camping. I can just visualize what it is like. Interesting to read your posting, focusing on all the little "problems" of the excursion. Where's the paintbrush painting the beauty of the winter wonderland? LOL. Must be using it to paint the silicone on the skylight . . . right? Been to the Pacific Northwest, lived in Seattle for awhile way back in the 70's. You will love it. Lots of beauty out there. Have fun and just want to say I love reading your stuff. I'm leaving to Bangkok in April and currently quibbling over airline fares. What fun.

Ciao,

Jim (Jeeem)

Bangkok - talk about yer unpunny coolness. I think I'd like to get there, or someplace like it, someday. Or maybe it would be easier to just go to Disneyland. I hear it's a small world there.

Meanwhile, this thing that we're doing here in the fifth wheel, I'm not sure I'd be so generous as to lend the words ''winter'' or ''camping'' to it... grin...

Good luck with the consternating pissy kid.

While the rest of the nation awaits delighted for your rolling arrival into their respective time zones and cities and homes, I'll just mumble into my little tape recorder. Here, in the great white north. Mumble and chortle. Of course, if your in town, come to my house. I am sorry we didn't get you'all out when you were here for the holidays. Wild and wooly, this past holidays, too much activity for the mortal mind to behold without squishing.

Thanks for the links. All of them, winkwinknudgenudge.

Just a note to your expansive Google-misdirected poklblack-commentation readership:

Now, what I am about to admit is a bit like making a guest appearance on one of those daytime talk shows, but I must. I log onto Yahoo chat about once a year, for about fifteen seconds. When I log in, my soubriquet is MisterJudge. Which means nothing. I say (type) nothing, merely journey through some rooms and exit the application. I begin in Books and Literature, in the Entertainment supersection.

I guess you must mean the Guideposts links, which I heated up in the quote here - but which weren't that way on your site. I'm guessing that's what you mean.

Poklblack. Right now Google's got nothin', but soon's they catalog this page and those teeming Googling hoards forever typing in their searches on ''poklblack'' start pouring in, we'll all be millionaires. Billionaires. (This reminds me very much of the Naked Blogger's January 13 entry. Except that makes sense and this doesn't.)

Far's the commentation readership, I think things have been a bit anomalous lately in that regard. But I've been enjoying it, and wouldn't mind it continuing though I don't really expect it to. It's been better than ''eat eath, you dink''... though that too was fun in its own right.

Your Yahoo Chat forays are sort of like my inner life.

Yur takin' stuff awful literal, Bro, in yur ol' age. An' yur guessin' right, too; I mean, 'mongst all th' links to my purs'nal stuff, I mean. Shure, yes.

(Adjectival definitions omitted)

WordWeb thesaurus/dictionary aside:

Noun: literal

1. A mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind

Beautifully put. I often feel I'd like to send some of the more rabid Christians to Northern Ireland, to see the Word of the Lord in action, as one wing of the Church throws bricks and stones at the school-children of another.

(No offence to your Christian readers, many of whom I'm sure are great people. But, equally, there are those every bit as fanatical as you- know- who.)

Fanatics of any persuasion, equally hypocrites and staunch center-of-the-aisles, can all go.

You know, once upon a time, my butt squished flat on same bleachers, the Peters Brothers, or one of the Peters Brothers, or a post-Peters Brothers wannabe, spoke to me and a record 250-student-strong-body. One prime example in the presentation, one album cover that stayed on the overhead longest, because it had shown up in a popular teen-movie that year, because it exhibited someone in facepaint down on all fours with in mouth a cow liver no doubt purchased at an upscale grocery. The band?-Impaler. This is my example of the most ironic thing that ever happened to me.

*laughing*... I wonder if he had any idea that very guy with the liver in his mouth had played with his band in that very gym (after I quit the band, and before that record - which was produced by Bob Mould, BTW).

Impaler has a long history with the Peters Brothers. Bill, sans liver, once debated them on that Steve-and-Sharon TV show in St Paul/Minneapolis when they were broadcasting live during the state fair.

Impaler is a good joke. So are the Peters Brothers. It's too bad when people take either of them seriously.

if you are in or near seattle, I insist you come visiting.

We'll be in or near Seattle, eventually, yes - and there's nothing I'd like to do more than play some bar trivia there, provided we can make it to the place without getting teargassed for no apparent reason. (Maybe it would be safer to limit my activities to genuflecting before

your fabulous book collection.)

In any case, sincere thanks for the invitation.

Let's see: Rodney, Alicia and Marty, Jeremy, maybe Hoberecht and a couple others who aren't coming to mind along the way, all comingled with gaudy roadside attractions as they happen, then Adrienne and Nathan, and Jessamyn. And of course Marge, if she's in town.

(These people know who they are, and nobody else is expected to. In case anyone was perplexed.)

Washington question: Would the Port Angeles area be a good place to live, generally? Bellingham?

Book question: Should I read Sleeping Where I Fall?

There's a wide spread of land in Northern WI I'd be right honored for you settlers to move onto, but that's probably not as far west as you Greeleyphiles want to get.

Who wrote Sleeping Where I Fall?

Hmm. We may have to enter into discussions.

There are certain features that the dearest one and I have arrived at by way of compromise which we'd like in and about the place where we finally choose to dwell. Things like wanting to live on a secluded and lush bug-free streamside acreage where the temperature hovers between 40 and 60 year-round, and which has a cosmopolitan downtown within walking distance. The walk should be downhill both ways.

However, there's an area of northern Minnesota which is the antithesis of all that (save the lush part), but which is gorgeous and has a high concentration of wonderful owner-built Oehler-syle underground houses (gah, more Hobbit stuff) that we might conceivably both seriously consider. So there's no telling.

The likelihood of us living on the land in the Black Hills is virtually nil. But that's OK. I'm alright with selling it to the right person when it's time to do that.

Now, about that book. I've been seeing a copy of Sleeping Where I Fall at a remaindered-book store near here, and I keep looking at it, but I haven't picked it up. It's a memoir/autobiography sort of thing by that pesky hippie radical Peter Coyote, who evidently is Jessamyn's uncle. (See her October sidebar and other evidence.)

I guess the most famous person in my family is either my uncle, who used to be part owner of a Chevrolet dealership in the small town of Park Rapids, Minnesota... or maybe my sister, who was a big cheese English mark darts thrower. Or maybe it's even me. (A few weeks ago I was shuddering as I read something I wrote that was reprinted in a recent book. I tell ya, it's dangerous to say things: Words come back and bite me in the ass... but I just can't seem to shut up.)

What's the compromise part?

But you did forget the view and the vegetarian chinese restaurant within two blocks (hmm... seems like I once lived somewhere that had those things...) and that it should be on a south-facing slope. Actually east-facing could be made to work if it has everything else we want - don't want to be TOO picky :)

Oh yeah, there should also be two or three gorgeous waterfalls on the property. That would be very easy to find in Minnesota, from what you tell me.

Of course we should mention the price. I never did figure out how much we could afford to spend on the land alone, but I did make up a formula for calculating an amount we could comfortably spend on our entire home (assuming self-sufficient utilities and reasonable property taxes). A couple years ago it produced budgets that sounded quite easy to stay within, but now it's way into negative numbers. So if anyone knows of land that meets all the requirements listed above and is owned by someone willing to pay us to take it, please let us know.

And we'd prefer that the toxic waste dump not cover the entire property.

Wow. I had no idea Jessamyn was a relative of Peter Coyote (or that Peter Coyote was related to Jessamyn), but I recommend reading the book, even if I now sound like a fawning sycophant.

Peter Coyote is a verrry interesting guy - full-on activist sort, early member of the Diggers (if memory serves), great narrator, fine actor. *I'D* like to read that book...

Further, there's 160 acres of land in Northern Wisconsin, about 30 miles south of Lake Superior. I think Ashland (the nearest 'city') just got a McDonalds in the last couple of years, so I don't hold a lot of hope for vergetarian chinese (or any veggie) food in restaraunts there. The farm is located near Copper Falls State Park, where there is a (sort-of) waterfall, when run-off is good. It is decidedly UN-bugfree, and prone to wild shifts in temperature. The exposure is primarily Western, I guess, but there's lots of sky to look at all over.

Famous relatives? I'm related (by marriage) to Gen. Ambrose Burnside, losingest Union General in the War of Northern Aggression and popularizer of the facial hair now known as 'sideburns'. Cool, huh?

Sleeping Where I Fall is a good book though my three line review of it in my booklist put me on the outs with my uncle for upwards of a year. My Mom [peter's sister] won't read it because it talks about too much family stuff that she's happier forgetting [nothing awful, in my opinion]

Port Angeles is super lovely, the one thing you have to be ready to accept: it is grey and rainy from October through April. Now, don't get me wrong, I like this sort of weather and in fact leave the snowy hills of Vermont to get more of it, but it's not for everyone. Bellingham is a little more accessible to the larger WA area [and Vancouver] and I've spent more time there [last week, in fact] and also give it the thumbs up.

They have a kinetic sculpture race out there which is one of the funnest community events I have ever been to.... wait, that's Port Townshend. Damnit. Anyhow it will be close by.

You do all know that my dad was Tom West in Soul of a New Machine, right?

Yep, I knew that, thanks (in no small part) to knowing Greg - and I know your mom appears in the index of one of Jan Harold-Brunvand's (sp?) urban legends books. It's practically like I've known you all my life (G).

The Wisconsin land is probably much closer to Vermont in temperature (and temperament). I spent a few weekends chinking the cabin this summer in weather so muggy that I never peed, despite drinking gallons of water and quarts of beer, and, unlike Milwaukee, I think they've already had a couple of feet of snow this winter (hell, I think they got it in OCTOBER...).

I think the best part about that area is the fact that I stopped in at Annie's Oasis for a twelve-pack one weekend when a bunch of pals were painting the barn and Annie took one look at me and correctly identified me as the son of Karon - although she hadn't seen me in a decade or more. It's that kind of place.

that for me. sconnie all the way, man. unless, of course, one has something to hide; then, no. i guess we all have hard decisions ahead of us.

Cheez, them Wests is one more famous than the next. I bet it made for an interesting life... or maybe not; like with, say, someone like Arlo Guthrie who grew up with Woody and all those Woody types coming around - living was living, family was family, friends were friends. It was normal, no big deal.

Famous or anonymous, thanks for the WA info and suggestions. It helps.

Jeremy, assuming the two or three copies they had haven't been snapped up, I'll go to that bookstore tomorrow and get you that book (and one for me, urged on by the dearest one, who also seems interested in seeing the farm and finding out in more detail what you might have had in mind).

Another question to Jessamyn, if she hasn't thought the better of swimming in this bottomless sea of queries... and if she has, won't know that I'm talking to her as though she weren't reading this: Do you know of a free and secure place around there to park a travel trailer, which we may or may not be staying in for indeterminate lengths of time? This is just for reference at the moment, but may become useful later.

Kurt, you're a proud midwesterner. "Me, Wisconsin's the place. Small towns! Cheap beer! Good God, man, what more could you want?" (Postcard, from Jive Job For Chump Change; lyrics by Jeremy, music by Skeleton Ed... soul by King Velour.)

"free and secure place around there..."

you mean to live in, or to park it and live someplace else? there are a number of cheap/free places to camp out, I think. my first choise is always AAA camp books [you DO have AAA, right?] which are pretty good at giving you the low down on costs.

I'm outta this thread, feel free toemail me of you've got more questions, or just to tell me you're coming through.

We used to have Triple-A until a year-and-a-half ago. I grew up with AAA stickers on the bumpers of my folk's various cars, so when I started roadtripping on my own I signed on up. Over the years I've used their maps, and had need of their emergency roadside services on occasion. No problems, ever. I'd never heard anyone I know complain about them, and I still haven't. Until we got this travel trailer and paid AAA extra for additional services for RVs and trailers. Then people had the opportunity to heard us complain.

To keep this short, when a situation came up where we desperately needed those extended services, Triple-A's representatives bungled everything big time - from refusing to believe that their company even offered extended services, to repeatedly dispatching a service truck with the information that we were towing a boat rather than a trailer. Meanwhile we were dead in the water on the narrow shoulder of a busy six-lane freeway for six hours in sweltering heat, traffic blasting entirely too close for comfort.

Needless to say, we dropped AAA like a flaming bag of dog poop. We have Good Sam Emergency Roadside Service now, which does everything Triple-A does but is specifically geared toward RVers. We've been well satisfied with them.

For what it's worth, I've never read Tolkien either. Tried, but failed.

I have read T.C Boyle, though...

P.S. Rec'd your 'Thank You'. When did you gain the ability to be bearded - or at least goateed?

It's mold. I stopped washing, aiming for the feral-kid-from-Road-Warrior look; but instead I just got moldy.

You washed?

Hi. You think not reading Tolkien is special? You're now reading a man who's never seen The Wizard Of Oz. Beat that!

PS Not everybody thinks LOTR is the bee's knees. Take a look at Guardian Unlimited, and search for Mark Lawson. You won't be disappointed.

Ah, the naked blogger stops by.

Here in the USA there's a law - unconstitutional, I might add - that requires all gay men to watch the entire Judy Garland filmography at least once a month. Persecution!, plain and simple.

Back when I lived in Minnesota, I'd make it a point to attend the gala burning-of-Judy-Garland-in-effigy after the Minneapolis pride parade every year in protest of this unjust legislation. Last year over 260,000 people showed up in solidarity for it.

But I digress, making shit up.

I've seen The Wizard Of Oz... and being straight (but not narrow), I didn't even have to. So there goes that defense.

What have I got that can beat it? Try this: For about thirty-five years I lived where the average high temperature in December-January-February was less than 25 degrees F (-4 C)... and I never learned to like hot drinks: coffee, tea, hot chocolate, anything. How's that?

Note to other readers: The Guardian article recommended by Peter (the Magnificat) is called Never ever mess with a hobbit, and it is indeed worth the read. See follow-ups, too.

Hey - thanks for all the above. I totally forgot about the Garland/gay thing. In fact, I often totally forget that I'm gay. Past a certain age it all gets a bit theoretical.

Glad you enjoyed the Mark Lawson piece. I should have put in the link myself, but was too busy touching up my roots, while watching Bette Davis and singing along to Cher.

I like your site loads. Got the referral from jimsjournal.

*laughing*... Don't know that I wrote anything worthy of thanks - particularly in light of your much wittier reply - but you're certainly welcome. And all compliments are repaid threefold.

Note to other readers: Here's jimsjournal. Jeem and me, we's Poky eaters. But I think he's more thoughtful than me.

Hey! You make it sound like we think it's impossible to live a fulfilled Tolkien-free life! Your "self-imposed gap in my common-culture experience" applied only to reading (normally your favorite activity) and to the beginning of the story. You went to see some animated Lord of The Rings (which I never saw) long before we knew you, and were planning to see the new LOTR movie and to listen to the tapes. So we suggested that you read The Hobbit first. That's all.

Anyway, since you seem to have married a hobbit...

my ring

"equal parts titters"?? I've heard you tell that story a few times before, but this is the first mention that ANYONE giggled. You always made it sound like every single person in the theater grabbed a torch and a pitchfork and came after you.

Them Tolkies came after me in a great blind rage, destroying much of the mall before catching and killing me at the Orange Julius... but in another reality they hailed me as JRR incarnate and carried me on their shoulders to a wonderful feast at a downtown bistro. Go figger.

Whar's the one of that feller?

Marcus Aurelius? Santa Meat? Swamp Peterson?

(Didja notice the fuzzy and so-little-as-to-be-illegible 2i button?)

It's the blue comic room!