Stone Cold Crazy

12 days until Generation Dead is out...a number of online retailers are offering generous preorder prices, so you should reserve yours today before it is sold out!

Hey, I didn't get this far by dreaming small.

Angsting again today, but I defeated the coffee monster (and instead wrestled with his lesser but still formidable cousin, Diet Pepsi monster). The Bess Eaton coffee and donut chain, which sold out a few years ago, used to have a product called The Tank, which was like a 3 gallon cup of coffee. I was actually well into my twenties before I became a regular coffee drinker, and it was Tank that was my downfall. One day Kim brought home an hazelnut iced Tank, light and sweet, and I've been hooked ever since. I'd go to the local Bess Eaton, have a Tank, and write. Yes, I am one of those coffee shop writing geeks who likes writing in public places--I thank the staff of "PGs" in GD for the "office space"--"PGs" stands for something else, and it isn't really an office. But the booths are the right height and if I sit in the corner I can plug into the wall socket. When I'd need a short break from writing (which wasn't often, thanks to the awesome power of Tank) I would draw cartoons of Tank, who basically looked like a Tank cup with a straw and big round eyes with dark circles under them. Then I'd draw wavy lines around Tank, as though he were extra strung out and jittery, like he'd been getting high on his own supply (of caffeine and refined sugar). Tank would always say things like "OBEY TANK!" or "YOU ARE NOTHING! TANK IS ALL!" in these cartoons, and when I tried to cut back Tank would seem to get even more belligerent and belittling with his comments.

Yes, 12 days until GD is out...

Another album, while we wait

DEFINITELY MAYBE, by Oasis 1994



I discovered this when managing a music store when it foirst came out and have been hooked ever since. I listened to this CD (and the singles, more on them in a bit) more than anything else during my mother's illness, and on the day she died I tried to erase my brain by playing "Live Forever" at a cataclysmic volume. Sometimes music can help you endure the unendurable. "Live Forever" and "Columbie" are my two favorites on the album.

I was so into this CD that I got all of the CD singles that came out off of it (and every one they've released since), and am still of the belief that their "non-album tracks" are among their best works. Their live cover of "I am the Walrus" is pretty fine, and two others "Whatever" and "Listen Up" would make my personal top hundred songs of all time.

Here's the cover of Whatever. I include it because A). I love it and B). I could picture a zombie cheerleader reclining on some bleachers on this cover, like a certain book available for preorder from fine online retailers:



Oops. Now it is 12:08 so there's only 11 days left until GD rises from the grave. Preorder, before it is too late!