Just enabled the iPhone to update directly to my blog; simutaneously realized my "drunk lock" does not prevent sending texts while intoxicated. This may have been a grave mistake.

Shows you need to see:

Tonight: Quasi / Eat Skull / Golden Bears @ Doug Fir. Door @ 8, Show @ 9. $13

Jan 16th: Fountains of Wayne (acoustic set) @ Wonder Ballroom. Doors @ 8, Show @ 9. $20

Jan. 17th: Blind Pilot, Aladdin Theater. Doors @ 7, Show @ 8. $12

Jan. 18th: Woven Hand with Silver Summit @ Doug Fir. Doors @ 8, Show @ 9. $12

I'll be at all of them except F.O.W. Come out!

FOOD YOU NEED TO EAT: Bertie Lou's

Lately I've been in a breakfast rut of Cafe Utopia, Genie's and Fat Alberts, but no more; today I was made hip to the ways of Bertie Lou's in Sellwood at 17th and Tacoma. Um, yeah. I think I'm pretty much going to live here. First of all it's small - we're talking max capacity of MAYBE 24 including the diner bar. All of the cooks are attractive, late-twenties-early-thirties skater boys, which never hurt anyone, and the servers actually ASK before re-filling your coffee (for those of you who require as much coffee maintenance as I do, you can appreciate this.

Oh yeah, and the food basically made me do this. I ordered the Oaks Bottom Omelet, an amazing combo of tomatoes, garlic, green onions, bacon and hollandaise sauce. In other news, I have decided that all future suitors must be able to prepare an exquisite hollandaise sauce. That is all.

Day One.

When I was a kid, I felt guilty for only praying to God when I needed something - help with school, with friends or bullies, with boys or teachers, anything. Every time I bowed my head my cheeks would flush, ashamed to be asking for more of what I didn't deserve in the first place. Eventually I just stopped praying (in the conventional sense) and made an inner resolution to give thanks more often, so that when I DID have to ask for something I had a history of being grateful against which to juxtaposition my request.

Today is the first day of 2009; the year of my high school ten-year reunion, my 28th year of existence, hopefully the great "getting-together-of-my-shit." But last night when the final stroke of 2008 passed, I made no resolutions for the impending 365 day run. Resolutions are just little self-prayers, requests we beseech upon ourselves to lose weight, stop smoking, be a better friend, etc. And I made no requests because I desire no extreme changes in my existence or the lifestyle I maintain to create it. 2008 was a year of relief in and of itself - the struggle to come back up for air, recreate my world closer to the ideal of what I wanted it to be, to hold still and gather my thoughts. And it was good.

I am grateful for my existence and everything and everyone in it; asking for anything more would just be greedy. If this life continues to become more beautiful and complex on its own exponentially increasing scale, it will be because that's what was supposed to happen, not because of a silent self-prayer in a haze of champagne.

On with the show :)

Good Things

1) Good beer

2) The return of Good SNL

3) Good band to see on New Years if you happen to be in Portland

4) Good band to see on New Years if you happen to be in NYC (sigh)

5) Good new direction

6) Good bourbon. Really, really fucking good bourbon.

7) Good wine

Goodnight.

On discovering two slightly amazing things simultaneously:

1) Though I attempt, in general, to abstain from the giving and receiving of frivolous gifts this time of year, were anyone to inquire as to what I may desire this holiday seasons, I can now say I have the answer.

2) Just so we are clear, this is not me. Thanks.

Thank you, Seattle Weekly...

... for finally publicly recognizing our union.