- I dressed in black and performed gut-based improv with #BLOODCUP
- I drove across the country with my brother
- (California to Arizona to New Mexico to Texas to Arkansas to Tennessee to Kentucky to Ohio)
- We saw Mad Max in Arkansas
- We stopped at a lot of comic book stores and bought $1 comics
- He had to get a comic book box to keep all of his new comics in
- I stuffed mine in a backpack.
- We stopped at Graceland and wrote on the wall
- I went to Origins with the Diplomancers
- I played a pro-wrestling RPG
- I played a Jane Austen-style romance RPG
- I won the rake's hand by making him a frank business proposition, even though my younger sister was truly in love with him
- But he was a rake! It was partly for her protection
- I went to Chicago for a few days
- I talked to Annie in places where I used to go with Annie
- I rode my bike for Ohio miles
- Lots of people asked me why I was riding my bike
- I went running, a lot
- Lots of people yelled at me/flipped me off/swerved their cars toward me
- Chainé came to visit
- We went to green parts of Ohio, we went to Kentucky
- We went to Gatlinburg
- We went to Nashville
- We went dancing so hard in Nashville she lost a plug
- We made prints at Hatch
- We drove north again
- We rode roller coasters
- We built a partnership on affection, mutual respect, and murder
- We watched Twin Peaks from start to finish
- I got back to work
- I spied on Ohioans doing improv
- I read books about travelers
- I made plans to travel
- I had Facebook fights
- Oh, I almost forgot something!
- That is legitimately true, but it was probably the biggest thing that happened this summer
- I can't say I was kicked out of any place
- But I was basically kicked out of a home + refuge
- Made to feel ashamed and unworthy and sinful
- It's -- look, I'm not trying to start a fight here -- but it was bullshit
- I think it will fundamentally shape my Ohio relationships from now on
- I think if you build walls and create distance between yourself and others, you are doing it wrong
- Life, I mean
- and loving people
- and loving your family
- I don't mean to create distance
- But I'm not really ready to be the one to bridge the gap, you know?
- For some reason I thought this was something David Milch said, but it looks like it's something Paul F. Davis said? I don't know who that is:
- "Go where you are celebrated, not merely tolerated."
- I will say it again: "Go where you are celebrated, not merely tolerated."
- I read interviews with Stephen Colbert that were really moving.
- I watched the first episode of his new show, and it was not moving.
- He said, "I love the thing that I most wish hadn't happened"
- I finished/filled up my Hobbit journal
- I started a new journal, untouched by the west coast or the east
- I cleaned out my parents' basement
- I traded away my Nintendo games
- I wrote about some comics, but it was frustrating
- I came to terms with probably not writing that Friday Night Lights/relationship piece
- I might write it anyway, because holy smokes it will haunt me otherwise
- I bet it's how Axl felt about Chinese Democracy
- Just get it out there, you know?
- I listened to the new-new Prince record, which is half good
- I listened to the new Carly Rae Jepsen record, which is all good
- I listened to a lot of Whiskeytown again! Crap they were a good band
- I guess they were more of a duo
- Being in improv groups has taught me about band dynamics
- Sometimes it's about talented people getting together, but mostly it's about personalities
- I bet being in the Rolling Stones is depressing
- Okay, maybe not the Rolling Stones but probably like Van Halen
- When it's a business arrangement, but it used to be a band
- Like you used to be friends with those guys, you know?
- And now there are friends, or ex-friends, not in the band anymore
- And Michael Anthony lives somewhere these days, and he probably opens the paper once a year and sees that Van Halen is coming to town and he's got to be like, "Huh!"
- Or maybe he is touring with Chickenfoot or something. I hope so.
- Do not stay where you are merely tolerated
That is some straight-up good advice.
