a trail of rage and melody

Everyone survived the long 4th of July weekend. We bought some fireworks that are still sitting on the porch because our streetmates busted out some (barely) "legal" fireworks and put on quite a show. L and I spent the early darkness sitting in lawn chairs in the street while watching, considering legal action, and applauding the show.

I decided to go autobiogs at the bookstore last weekend. It started with Hitch-22 (the memoirs of Christopher Hitchens), and moved onto See a Little Light by Bob Mould. Mould is one of the true geniuses/chameleons of the music business. He survived the blast furnace of his first band, Husker Du; went more harmonic with Sugar, and now does some great solo work along with DJing 'rave' nights (of a sort) across the U.S. At 50, he's produced a massive catalog of high quality work. He's a first vote hall of fame guy.

We believe the boys to still be alive in the midst of their second week of adventure camp up in Vermont. We'll know for sure when they show up on a plane Saturday evening.

The rest of the summer's horizon is pretty clear: vacations are done, heat and humidity are fully in place.

I'm settling in at the new job and enjoying a change of pace. My commute is now the other way - into D.C. - but the Metro and buses are doing me just fine.

I wanted to post this yesterday, but never go to it. David Brooks apparently woke-up with a pea in his mattress. Or, the Republicans. Nice call out on his part. I'm on the messenger.

"Over the past few years, [the GOP} has been infected by a faction that is more of a psychological protest than a practical, governing alternative."

"The members of this movement do not accept the legitimacy of scholars and intellectual authorities."

"The members of this movement have no sense of moral decency."

Thanks, David.