Revolvers and Old Applejack

Call on God, but row away from the rocks.
-Hunter S. Thompson

First, the death of a playwright; now the death of a self proclaimed gonzo journalist. Admittedly, it’s been a disheartening week for us literary types as it now seems Hunter S. Thompson has artistically immortalized himself by way of suicide. One of the few remaining pioneers of (non-fiction) literature, finding himself in the rocks, discovered his ultimate drug of choice: a revolver.

And then came the...


Last night, on the phone, my mother said these words to me: “Bill has been diagnosed with the mumps.” Really. How does a six year old get the mumps? Did he get it from confederate soldiers as he was working the fields with his cotton gin? I mean really. The mumps. My parents would go for help but an axel broke last week on the wagon and old Applejack has a bum hoof.


*Here is Bill (in middle) before falling victim to the mumps. This antebelllum photograph was taken just before the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. Young Bill was such an obstinate supporter of Popular Sovereignty.

Moving on...

Good birthday all around. Watched a lot of movies, got a lot of cards/phone calls, good food; overall a success. The gift category was an interesting, let's say, hodgepodge assortment. One of my more, err, interesting birthday presents...