Spring Cleaning

Yeah, I know, my blog of late has been relatively stagnant, but here's a collection of half-finished or not-quite-even-begun posts on a variety of subjects...

Springsteen in the the Spring

I went to my first-ever Bruce Springsteen concert on March 29. I've mostly enjoyed his music over the years, though I've never quite fully embraced it. However, his legendary live show lived up to the hype, and made a permanent fan outta me.

Unlike the Stones, who merely pepper their greatest-hits concerts from the last two decades with a few so-so new songs, Springsteen's set was dominated by his latest material, demonstrating his confidence and conviction in his present work. Best songs: "Trapped," "No Surrender," "Waitin' on a Sunny Day." Here's the set list.

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Hot Bigfoot Chainsaw Sculpture Action

Eliza and I went to a chainsaw sculpture carving contest in Federal Way on Sunday March 30, because what else would we do. By the time we arrived, the three contestants had pretty much finished their Bigfoots and the votes were being tallied. Eliza's favorite was the winner (seen in this article's accompanying photo), while I preferred the one on the right in my own photo above. As for the sculpture on the left... I know that protruding appendage is supposed to be his right hand, but from this angle it looks obscene. Read more here.

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Happy 80th, J.P.!

Seattle's superstar TV clown/Bubblegum Card of the Week subject Julius Pierpont Patches hit the big eight-zero on Thursday April 3. Here's a photo Eliza took of us at the Seattle Aquarium a few years back.

Read more here.



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Chipmunk Punk

For no pressing reason (um, the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie came out on DVD this month?), here's 1980 TV ad for a novelty LP from my collection, Chipmunk Punk. On the album's cover, standing in front of a brick wall with "Chipmunk Punk" graffiti'd behind them, Simon's guitar leans on a trash can, Theodore sports a skinny black tie, and Alvin sports Chuck Taylors and a safety pin, albeit in his oversize "A" sweater. Within the grooves are covers of such "punk" acts as the Cars, the Knack, Linda Ronstadt, Tom Petty, Queen and -- ecch! -- Billy Joel!?! However, I gotta respect these rodents for their not-atrocious cover of Blondie's "Call Me."

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Also in recent months: the Mariners season began (Mojo Risin'!?); the Sonics season ended (with perhaps the final game in Seattle in the franchise's 41-year history); the Stones-Scorsese movie opened (eight stars!); Sunset Bowl closed; Rhino released kickass deluxe editions of the first four Replacements discs...

Finally, and most awesomely, Eliza and I announced our engagement on our fourth anniversary, and celebrated with a phenomenal dinner at Tilth.

We Hardly Knew Ye: Earl Anthony

Had he not accidentally fallen down some stairs and died seven years ago, Earl Anthony would've hit the big seven-oh yesterday.

He was born in my hometown of Kent in 1938, and won the first of his one-time record 41 PBA tournaments in Seattle in 1970. However, he lived most of his life in Tacoma, where I attended his 2001 memorial service.

I keep meaning to write a proper biographical page for my site. In the meantime, here are some facts and photos.

Gunga Galunga

So I jump ship in Hong Kong and I make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... Striking. So I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one -- big hitter, the Lama -- long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says?

"Gunga galunga. Gunga gunga galunga."

So we finish eighteen and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama! Hey! How about a little something, you know, for the effort? You know."

And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

The Dalai Lama is in Seattle through Tuesday. Big hitter, the Lama.

Bubblegum Card of the Week: イチロー

Bubblegum Card of the Week: Kenji Johjima

Look at this card -- it's fucking gorgeous!

So much so, it hypnotized me into buying the whole dang 2007 Topps Heritage 384-card set, whose design is based on the Topps '58 series. $25.50 on eBay.

The other 383 cards are pretty hot too.