Okay, so I’m ignoring the evacuation warnings, and staying here in New Orleans. Why? Several reasons, the first probably being that I’m stupid at times, and still have my naive youthful belief in my own invulnerability. Also, I haven’t heard any good reasons to leave.

I’ve been bored and cooped up in my house. Not that I’m locked in, but every place that I could go is closed down in anticipation of Ivan. So I’ve been reading, practicing, and the last few hours, experimenting with drinks. I found a great one; “Silk Stockings.”

1.5 ounces tequila (I use "Tres Generaciones" - very smooth)
1.5 ounces creme de cacao
1 ounce light cream
1 dash grenadine

shake real well with ice, serve in prechilled cocktail glass with a dash of cinammon on top. Most, most excellent.

My friend Mark and his wife are coming up at the beginning of October. I am looking forward to that, should be a blast. Also, I think I’m getting closer to persuading Lynnette and Janelle to come here some weekend.

I recently got the whole “All I want is your friendship” speech. Why do we say that, when what we really mean is “I’m not going to really talk to you much any more, and when I do, it will probably be brief, awkward, and trivial. But I hope you think fondly of me!”? I have often complained that virtually no relationships are based on true honesty. But virtually no brush-offs are, either.

Maybe I’m callused. But brush-offs don’t really bother me. God knows I’ve had enough of them, and I will in the future. But I hate it when they give mixed signals for long periods of time, because they’re “trying to let you down gently.” I’m cynical enough that as soon as I get mixed signals, I assume the worst (and it’s been true every time so far). But dishonesty just pisses me off, no matter what the motive is. I understand Billy Joel’s song “Honesty” more and more, the older I get.

I do kinda wonder, though. I thought last year that I could not get any more cynical than I already was. And now I am. Is there a limit to cynicism? If so, call me a Brave New Explorer, Going Where No One Has Gone Before.

Am I the only one that noticed that the Enterprise almost NEVER went where no man had gone before?

I unpacked some tapes of my first few months at “Howl at the Moon.” I sucked back then. I mean really, really sucked. I’m not great now, but damn... I threw the tapes away, of course.

I got tired of my haircut, so I grew my goatee again, and gave myself a buzzcut. I may post a few pictures of it.

I don’t know what to do with all this spare time. I’ve practiced 8 hours today. It’s the middle of the week, so all my normal friends are at work, and most of my non-normal friends are busy evacuating. Hmm... I think more alcohol is in order.

Remember, in Idaho, it’s against the law to fish for trout while sitting on the back of a giraffe.

Jester