Chicks and Giggles March 13

Here are a few shots of me at Chicks and Giggles last night, one during my set where I look like the two-headed monster that I am, and one wearing Carolyn Castiglia's wig from her Avon Lady character who hosted the show. C&G has now moved downstairs to the big room at MO's, and it featured 7 comics (4 of which were musical comedy acts) on stage and several rough n' tough (but amiable) ladies* in the audience.

*a bus-load of fun-lovin' lebanese. Or were they lesbians?

Interesting Architectural Details I Noticed on My Way Home

These twin buildings are covered with heads. Park @ 34th Street, South West Corner 3/07

Gargoyles Facing Each Other, Park @ 34th Street, North East Corner, 3/07

Lightbulbs and Ambassadors to El Salvador

My old friend Tom* was once an undercover Health Inspector for the City of New York, and his beat was the underground bath house scene in the early nineties. My best girlfriend Shari and I used to go over to his and Matt's** apartment in Hell's Kitchen on Easter every year. We'd tease their cat, and drunk on ham and champagne, smoke some bowls, and demand Tom to tell us some stories from on the job in that world. He is a tall, quite thin and preppy person, and to picture him wearing cut off denim shorts and no shirt as his undercover uniform for entrance to these underground places, well, it's a hilarious image to begin with. He said the places were really dirty and dark and shady, with club music bumpin' and long corridors flanked by rooms with doors that shut but didn't lock (not permitted). I guess the laws on the books at that time were such that anything but human to human penetration was legal. Vague? During one routine inspection at a particular bath house one early morning, Tom opened a door to find someone consenting to a lightbulb, big end first, up his bunger. The End.

Epilogue:

Tom and Matt got married, moved to the suburbs of New Jersey, got a dog, and now they're dead to me. Not really, but you know what I mean. Ok, really. It was one thing when my straight friends got married and abandoned me for the suburbs, because at least I still had my gay friends. But now that the gays can marry, well, Gay Rights Whatevs: I went from Fag Hag to Hag with the snap of the fingers. It's bullshit, man. Total bullshit.

Unprofessional Anne-alysis:

I think if people feel they need to hide their sexuality from the world because it's not accepted or worse, it's against the law, then the pre-disposition exists to develop dangerous or deviant sexual behavior like sticking lightbulbs up bungers fat-end first. I truly believe that people should be able to do whatever they'd like to themselves as long as they're not hurting me, but that's a surefire way to shatter your asshole. And you're only playing Bunger Daredevil because of some serious self hatred that society or your momma taught you. Talk to this guy. Drunk, bound, and wearing a ball-gag in his mouth? Fun times, but a surefire way to shatter your career.

*Not his real name. His real name is Bert

**Not his real name. His real name is Ernie

Manhattan's Old Lower East Side in Color!

Late 1940s, early 1950's

Lower East Side in NYC, photographer unknown.

Click on photo to enlarge. It's neat.

Spork or Fork?

Either way: Ouch

Adorable Lighthouse Clock

Made from only the finest vomit which has been dried and hand-painted. Lovely! And it's on sale now for only $4.99. Hurry! Supplies are limited!

From Baghdad to Rehab?

We've got innocent troops being killed and maimed left and right over there and Pace is concerned that if a gay soldier gets a glimpse of his ding dong in the showers he's going to want to take a bite of it? Doubtful, General. Doubtful. So, let me get this straight: War is moral. Dude-on-dude love is immoral. As is broad-on-broad love. Unless, of course, they're hot, and you've got the bootleg DVD of Cagney & Stacy to prove it, right General? Then it's ok? I'm so confused. I should be taking notes.

What a fag.

I'm sorry, I apologize for that.

See you in rehab.

Get Your Coats, Suits and Dresses at Berkley

Oh, nevermind. They're probably closed. Berkley was on 5th Avenue, in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The sign remains. I'm not sure what's housed in the building these days.

Photo borrowed from one of my favorite websites, forgotten-ny.com

Mrs. Adler's Fish Bits are a Bitter Pill

Houseplant Picture Studio, K. Benbenek

Eeeew! There's sugar in Mrs. Adler's Fish fish bits!

And fish!

Eeew!

Who's hungry for fish?

In bits?

Click here for more Mrs. Adler's Fish Bits!


Doodle's hungry for fish bits, alright. Hell, she'd be happy with fish shits.

Bringing Up Masshole

When I was a kid, there was a song we used to sing called Gum, Gum, Gum. Basically an Early American example of your starter Your Mother Joke. Or a Yawhh Muthahh Joke, if you will. Imagine it with the proper Boston accent for maximum effect; it's really quite beautiful.

Gum, gum, gum!

Stick it up yah bum, bum, bum

Give it to yah mum, mum, mum

She'll say, Yum, yum, yum!

~fin

Doodle Doing Her Best Liz Taylor

Doodle. March 8, 2007

A Weekend in Vermont

View from Jay Peak Chair Lift, VT, 3/07

Miss Doodle's furry little face was sadly missing from this weekend in Vermont, and heaven knows I didn't tell her where I was going, or she'd be pissed. Unbeknownst to Doodle, a great time was had by all, and our days included the following activities (#1 and #3 being the only ones even slightly resembling the activity of mouse/mole/or vole decapitation):

1. Almost missing my plane at LaGuardia and almost punching a very unhelpful US Airways desk clerk in the face, taking a propeller plane to Burlington, and sharing a beer with my friend on that 11 a.m. flight to calm the nerves and kick the weekend off with class.
2. Having Whip and A-Ron pick us up at the airport and then having lunch at Friendly's, shopping at Price Chopper (or "Food Chopper," as Whip calls it), playing with electronic keyboard synthesizers at Best Buy, and wandering the aisles of The Christmas Tree Shop (to purchase toy musical instruments and St. Patrick's Day hats and other crap we "needed.")
3. Skiing at Jay Peak--or "Rude" Peak as I nicknamed it--because it was a toss up in the Lack of Manners Department between the French Canadian Skiers and the Young American Snowboarding Males.
4. Sitting by the fire and playing "Fun Fun," a game of charades, made all the more fun fun when complimented with a few bottles of wine and birthday cake
5. A walk along the frozen lake to see the last remaining ice fishing shack of the season in the center of it and falling waist deep into the enormous piles of snow with every step
6. A flight back which included an ignorant man with creative, noisy sinus problems who literally almost grossed us off of the plane, thankfully we were sedated and belted

Enjoy these scenes from a weekend in Vermont:

Das Boathaus and DeeAnne Buried in Snow, Caspian Lake, VT, 3/07

Deal or No Deal? Test Drive Available at Sight of First Crocus, VT, 3/07

Caspian Lake Ice Fishing Shack and Ice Fisherman, VT, 3/07
Ice Fishing Shacks in Dry Dock, VT, 3/07
Backyard, VT, 3/07

Jay Peak, VT, 3/07

Jay Peak Ascent, VT, 3/07
Jay Peak Descent, VT, 3/07
Backyard, VT, 3/07
Near Stowe, VT, 3/07
USAir Tin Can in the Sky With Propellers, Somewhere between NY & VT, 3/07

~

Pictures of Donuts

Does a picture of donuts suffice when one has a hankerin' for real donuts?

Let's see:

No.

Abraham Lincoln: Wicked Smart Uber Genius

Add inventor to his long list of accomplishments if you haven't already. You want to buoy a vessel over a shoal? Here you go. Oh, Abe. We hardly knew ye.

Atkins Today: You Comin'?

~

I sit next to this delightful woman at my new job, and she cracks me up all day long. I'll call her Stella. On my first day here, I noticed a lot of grapefruits and limes and lemons on her desk. I asked her what the deal was. She leaned in to me, close to the partition that separates our cubes, opened her eyes widely, looked on either side of her to see if anyone could hear her and whispered, "Well, citrus is a natural fat burner. And between you and me, I'm a bit chunky."

Last week, Stella immediately greeted me with not a "Hello" or a "Good morning" but a "Hey. Atkins Diet on Monday. (points to me) You comin'?"

"I'll be there," I sighed. I have been inhaling junk food for months with abandon. This weekend I noticed to my chagrin that even my ski pants were too small, and I feared suffocation from it's the too-tight waistband layered over the other too-tight waistband of my thermals. I did not die, but there was significant bruising.

After Stella got me on board, she pointed to the other individuals in the office whom she felt could pinch an inch with the same question. "Atkins on Monday. (point) You comin'?" Needless to say, I repeated the phrase "Atkins on Monday. You comin'?" at everyone at every chance all weekend in Vermont. This morning Doodle got the "Atkins/You Comin'?" (Doodle's always on Atkins) and when I saw Stella this morning, I said to her, "Atkins today; you comin'?" Stella replied, "Please. I came." Hilarious.

So, two weeks, kids. We're struggling a little bit already. At this time, I'm choking down a Caesar Salad with chicken and no croutons, the first in 21 I'm about to ingest during our quest. Wish us luck. We will officially be bringing sexy back. In about two weeks, of course. So, hurry up and wait.

Birthday Lies, Birthday Truths

Doodle, 3/8/2007

I had a great time last night at Comix. Terrific show, review to follow at the end of the weekend. The birthday was special. I only told one lie last night. When asked how old I had turned, I said, "27." I said it convincingly, but not convincingly enough for me to believe it. Or do I? Then to compensate for that lie, I told the truth. When someone commented on my delightful fragrance, I said, "It's Shania."

Matt: "What?"

Anne: "Shania. It's Shania. By Shania Twain."

Real women buy drugstore perfume.

I'm off to Vermont, people for some R&R and Sun & Ski. Please enjoy this picture of Doodle, as she enjoys the new ribbon off of one of my birthday presents. If she doesn't look like Liz Taylor, then I'm a liar who doesn't compensate with the truth.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

The Pisces Song

Compliments of Jen @ good old Casual Slack. This video is great for a few reasons, but I was struck by the backup dancer, her hair, and her outfit. Apparently she's bitten both my style and my moves.

March is a Doodle-y Month, Alright

There are still many more Doodle-filled months left in '07, folks, so get your calendar today!

Stop It, Tom Brady!

What's with all this nonsense? You're crushing me!

I Did Not Need to See This

John Travolta as Edna Turnblad and Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray

Man. This could be worse than seeing Harry Potter naked. Hard to say; it's a toss up. Literally a toss up. A lunch toss up. Blicky blicky bleeechhhh.

Today is International Women's Day

Let's hear it for the girls, shall we? Yay, women!

Of course, since it's still a man's world, nobody knows about or gives a flying flip about International Women's Day, so I'm putting it out there. Awareness. Dig it. Click on what it's about. Then give me two gifts. One for the birthday and one for being a broad. Thanks. Bye.

Today is My Birthday

I'm going to have a mediocre time.

Nah, it's gonna be great!

Unless I suddenly die today, then it'll be bittersweet. But ironic!

Pisces People Unite!

The Fishes
Febuary 20 - March 20

Traditional Pisces Traits:

Imaginative and sensitive
Compassionate and kind
Selfless and unworldly
Intuitive and sympathetic

On the dark side....

Escapist and idealistic
Secretive and vague
Weak-willed and easily led

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

Get involved in money games today and you'll probably come out on top. Collect old debts and take the time to sort through personal papers. Don't trust anyone to take care of your affairs.

5 stars!

OTHER CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY:

James Van Der Beek, 30; Freddie Prinze Jr., 31; Camryn Manheim, 46; Lynn Redgrave, 64

Happy Birthday:

Be careful not to let your heart rule your head this year. Keep things in perspective. Personal changes will be to your benefit but, whatever you decide to do, keep your expenses to a minimum. Don't let the cost of getting ahead be a detriment long-term. Your numbers are 17, 28, 32, 41, 46, 48. You are persuasive, challenging and learn quickly. You are outgoing, possessive and like to be in control. You are quick to take action and do not fear consequences.

Tonight I'm going to Comix to see Drink at Work's Barely Famous, a showcase full of peeps. Warning: Comix food is bad, but the comics will be good. Stick to beverages and ha-has.

Have I Told You Lately How Much I Love Dolly Parton?

If I haven't, let me say it again: I love Dolly Parton. My Dad had all of her records, the cover with her red halter top and painted on jeans was fascinating! Those cans! I read a dog-eared paperback of Dolly's autobiography that I found in the laundry room a few years ago and fell even more in love with her. A genuine broad in fake hair, Dolly is remarkable.

Whip and I had a National Lampoon's Vacation a few years ago when we drove across country from Cali to Boston and planned our route to hit Dollywood. When we arrived, it was closed for the season. We ended up riding around the parking lot, peering into shuttered buildings at the entrance, taking a few pictures, and I think my sister took a piss with a few Burger King napkins behind a dumpster. Or was it me? Anyway, please enjoy: Jolene, by Dolly Parton. A true story? You decide. It's amazing.

There Are Other Annes Who Go By Ann

Anne Altman and Ann Carr, Out Front of Mo's Last Friday Night, 3/07

Weird, I know, but it's true. I personally think "Ann" is just, well, unfinished without the "e" but they're dear people, Anns, so...what can I say, really?

There's Nothing Like a Mother's Love

A Good Mother Knows:

That it's crap (because she's more of a Beethoven, Sarah Vaughn, Hoagy Carmichael, Philip Glass, Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson kind of broad), but she buys the TimeLife 70's Music Explosion Box Set for me on my birthday anyway. She can't help the year in which I was born, so if that's the crap music that's gonna take me back to those idyllic days of youth, then so be it; Mom's going to oblige. Why? She knows life sucks. She knows the desire to claw yourself back into the womb after you find that first gray hair. That's a classy broad, that mother of mine. I love you, Mom!

Looking for Whorehouse in NYC's SoHo?

Well, I've got a few recommendations for you. All you have to do is go back in time 128 years.

Entries from Free Lovyer's Directory of the Seraglios in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and All the Principal Cities in the Union, 1879-99

Miss Clara Gordon
No. 119 Mercer Street
"We cannot too highly recommend this house, the lady herself is a perfect Venus: beautiful, entertaining, and supremely seductive. Her aidesdecamp are really charming and irresistible, and altogether honest and honorable. Miss G. is a great belle, and her mansion is patronized by Southern merchants and planters principally. She is highly accomplished, skillful, and prudent, and sees her visitors are well entertained. Good wines of the most elaborate brands, constantly on hand, and in all, a finer resort cannot be found in the City."

Mrs. Bailey
No. 76 Greene Street, below Spring
"This quiet and comfortable resort is situated very central, and within a few moments' walk of Broadway and the principal hotels... Gents must come well recommended or they won't get in. . . The hostess is an agreeable lady, indued with a tasteful mind. . . Her young ladies behave with much prudence and propriety..."

Winter a Hundred Years Ago

Somewhere near Moorestown, New Jersey

December in Vermont

Barn

Dad

Doodle

Gina's Here, We're Getting Back Together...

Are the Geico Cavemen ready for prime time?

Bring it! I can't wait.

Explain to Me Again Why Just Anyone Can Breed?

This guy gets an F in Parenting. And Marriage. And Courage. But he gets an A in A-hole. I hope he can enjoy that grade in a bubbling hot Hell.

NYC Subway Sports: Extreme Nose Picking

NYC Subway, N train to Astoria ~ 3/4/07

Booger Wiper on the downtown 5 train gave Booger Eater from the uptown E train a run for his money today, folks. Believe it. Sure, Booger Eater was rough, but the E train is wider and usually empty whenever I have to take it. With Booger Wiper, though, well, I had the pleasure of a rush-hour front row seat to the match which was played vigorously between his finger and his boogers. I had no escape.

Here's the play-by-play of the match in my mind as I watched the Booger Wiper, a 20 year old, 6 ft & 160 lb hipster with iPod. I think this guy may come home with the Olympic Gold:

Wow, that guy is really digging in his nose. Could he really be picking it like that? In public? My God. I need to know. I need to know if he is picking it. Is he picking it? I don't want to know necessarily, but I want to know that my hunch is correct, you know? It's about being right, really...isn't it?

pause

Ok, I'm looking again. My goodness, yes, he really is picking his nose. Eeew! No shame! Gross! What's he gonna do with it now? Oh, he's rolling it gently betwixt his fingers? Oh, good God, now what? Now what? Eat it? Stick it on the pole? Wipe it on his pants! Eeeew he wiped it on his pants! His khaki corduroy hipster pants, just on the bottom inside of the left thigh, right close to the seat! Why that place? I can't believe that kid just wiped a booger on his pants!

pause

What's he doing now, I wonder? Need to look. Oh no... He's picking again!?! MY GOD! Now, what if he gets off before I do? He's gonna touch this bar! And what if the booger falls off of his pant leg and sticks to my hem?! Ahhh! Now I have to watch him simply for my own safety! Oh good grief, I can't. I can't look at him. Oh, gross. This is...this is so gross. Why did I look? I mean, honestly, why did I look?! I know myself. I know better. Ok, I'm not looking. I'm looking away...I am now looking away...But what if a booger is falling? OH GOD! Fulton Street? THIS IS MY STOP! THANK YOU, JESUS!

Disappointing Spelling Reality: Cummberbund is a Fake Word

The correct term for the belt-like accessory on a tuxedo is: cummerbund.

No extra "b." You may as well add a "cu" to the beginning and say "cucummberbund" 'cause it's that ridiculous of a misspell.

Sorry to bust your cummberbubble. Sorry: cummerbubble.

Singer Building--->One Liberty Plaza

I now work at One Liberty Plaza, (formerly the site of the Singer Building) which to those folks who don't know Manhattan very well means that if I gaze out of the window of this high rise, I am looking down at a huge hole which was formerly the World Trade Center.

The demise of the Singer Building (1908-1968) was not due to terrorism. No human lives were lost in the demolition of this Beaux Arts gem, but it was tragic nonetheless. What did in the Singer Building was--per usual-- simple dollars and cents. In this case, dollars and cents = square footage, and the Singer's decorative tower with 65 square feet per floor was no match for One Liberty Plaza's 37,000 per floor. There was talk that perhaps the lobby with it's artisan-carved marble and bronze features would be saved:

The lobby had the quality of "celestial radiance" seen in world's-fair and exposition architecture of the period, as the author Mardges Bacon described it in her 1986 monograph "Ernest Flagg" (Architectural History Foundation, MIT Press). A forest of marble columns rose high to a series of multiple small domes of delicate plasterwork, and Flagg trimmed the columns with bronze beading. A series of large bronze medallions placed at the top of the columns were alternately rendered in the monogram of the Singer company and, quite inventively, as a huge needle, thread and bobbin.

But it was not to be. It's hard to imagine now that as the Singer Building's Tower was coming down, the towers of the World Trade Center were going up.

Downtown Manhattan: close your eyes for a second and you'll miss something. For more on this building and other images of lost New York City architecture, visit www.nyc-architecture.com.

Killer Facts About Chuck Norris

I learned about a great new site this morning called Chuck Norris Facts. For some reason the site is unavailable today, but you can view it through it's cached pages. Here's a sampling of the content. Enjoy. Enjoy it as much as you can not being Chuck Norris and all.


-When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

-Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.

-There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.

-Outer space exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet with Chuck Norris.

-Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

-Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

-Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.

-Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.

-There is no chin behind Chuck Norris’ beard. There is only another fist.

-When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn’t lifting himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.

-Chuck Norris is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.

-Chuck Norris’ hand is the only hand that can beat a Royal Flush.

-There is no such thing as global warming. Chuck Norris was cold, so he turned the sun up.

-Chuck Norris can lead a horse to water AND make it drink.

-Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.

-Chuck Norris gave Mona Lisa that smile.

-Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.

-Chuck Norris does not get frostbite. Chuck Norris bites frost

-Remember the Soviet Union? They decided to quit after watching a DeltaForce marathon on Satellite TV.

-Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.

A Beautiful Blog: Lost City

Okay, so my dear blog has taken a beating of late due to a pesky little thing called full-time employment getting in the way. However, while you wait for new and exciting posts from me, check out Lost City: a blogspot for old New York City vestiges that are spotted, photographed, posted, before they're almost always torn down and erased from history.

I like old stuff. Old signs, old neon, old buildings, old cars, old photographs, old crap. I was inspired to do some research this morning on the old Jade Mountain Chinese Restaurant on Second Avenue because when I passed by the place this weekend, I sadly noticed a For Sale/ Lease sign covering it's fantastic neon sign. For years, the small unassuming building with the decorative Chinese Temple-style portico was a beacon of pink and red--and a speck of green, I believe--lights which touted CHOW on one side of the sign and MEIN on the other. Jade Mountain has been around since the 1930's, I never visited the inside of because someone told me over ten years ago that it was the worst Chinese food they'd ever had. Now I'll never know if that is true, as apparently the owner died in September, and the family has sold the place.

Sigh.

But please peruse Lost City's blog. Unlike Lost New York, the most depressing book on the planet (which consists entirely of photographs stuff which doesn't exist anymore...boo) with Lost City, there's still time to see some of the unique places posted there before their spaces are sold to ubiquitous chain stores and banks.

Your Secret Love of This Song Makes You Question Your Sexuality...

Whatever it may be. Please enjoy Christopher Cross and "Sailing." Live.

Well, Now That You Mention It

Vanity 6 ~ "Nasty Girl"

An Astoria Rooftop

Astoria, Queens, 3/4/07

Help Wanted

Are you an unemployed gay financial planner who is in Manhattan, has inheritance, tax, and foreign country experience, and speaks Spanish? Well then click here 'cause I've got a job for you.

FYI: I'm Not Registered Anywhere For My Birthday

Simply because I don't want to limit your choice of stores. Tiffany, The Apple Store, Bergdorf's, Home Depot--the world's your oyster when it comes to gifts for me, people, so knock yourselves out and have fun! Happy shopping*!



*Seriously, you buy me a piece of crap present and I"ll be pissed.

Got Pig?

How about goat? Lamb?

Astoria, Queens ~ 3/4/07

Got Wig?

Astoria, Queens ~3/3/07

Doodle Has No Opinion of Nora

But I do! I think she's great!

Addiction is a Disease

And it's the only thing that has stopped me from ever trying cocaine. I know myself. Let's put it it this way:If someone gave me some coke on a Friday (and anyone who I've ever known who has had it always says, "My friend gave this to me, might as well do it, right?), I'd snort through it by Saturday morning, and by Sunday I'd be blowing dudes in a Penn Station bathroom for more. Not something I should experiement with, I don't think.

Grand Central Station

41st and Park Avenue, NYC, 3/1/07

Off the Top of My Head, School Reports I Remember Doing

1. Tchaikovsky (It was covered in a translucent blue report cover I bought at the 5 and Dime was quite proud of)
2. The Great Pyramid (It was The big Sixth Grade Oral Presentation complete with illustrations. Like an idiot, I woke up late that day and threw on a a pale yellow hand-me-down hoodie which read "Slippery When Wet")
3. Evonne Goolagong ( This was a book report, --we had a weekly reading contest called "Individualized Reading" and I was disappointed to find that the title was simply about a broad tennis player with a weird name and not about a new computer game like Blip or whatnot. I made a lame diorama with Evonne playing tennis. A serious layup.)
4. Whales (Included clay whale I sculpted and painted blue)
5. Amelia Earheart (Included jointed wooden puppet on a stick I made--with assistance--of her likeness with removable clothing and painted face)

Don't Confuse Building #19 With Product 19

Because they are two totally different things. Building #19 is the store. Product 19 is the cereal. And Product 19 is the cereal which is an intergral part of the wise old theory:

"Dont' let anyone talk you into smoking grass when you're hammered."

The mathematical formula which accompanies this theory I believe is:

Drunk + High + Product 19 + Ham Sandwich = Projectile Vomiting + Repeat x 4 - Your Roommate's Groceries

But if anyone is familiar with Building #19, please comment or email me. It's an old Masshole memory, one of several that I miss. And everytime I smell cat piss, which is rarely if ever, I'm reminded of it. Good old Building #19. And what about Building #19 and 7/8? Or was it 3/4? Or a half?

It's Time For Tom Sawyer and You Know It

I credit my dear friend Sharon for introducing me to (among many other things) the magic that is RUSH. Way, way, back in the day, when we were in Junior High. That she has an older brother didn't hurt; we benefitted from early introductions to sweet music. At the time, only the extreme burners or Dungeons & Dragons nerds in our class were into RUSH. And even though it's great rock, RUSH gets a strange rap. They're Canadian. Perhaps that's why.

But they're not as strange as YES. (I love that they disallow imbedding) My ex-boyfriend went to see YES a few years ago; his company had a box at Madison Square Garden and got comp tickets to everything. When I asked him about the show, he said, "It was weird." I asked why. "Because there were a lot of YES fans there. YES fans are weird." And they are weird. Weirder than RUSH fans.

But are they as weird as Gong fans? Anyone out there familiar with the band Gong? If you do, you're weird. (Pip Pyle of Gong's Funeral)

Now, please dig Tom Sawyer. By RUSH.