Long day...

At Hidden Villa, I led a tour in the pouring rain. The treefrog who lives in the bathtub pond was singing up a storm, but every time I bent down to try and find him the runoff from the roof of the barn drenched me. Moments later it didn't matter, because I found a different treefrog. I also noticed something duck under the water really quickly as we approached the rectangular pond. The surface is obscured by duckweed, but I'd bet anything that what I almost saw was the turtle. Apparently he took exception to being placed in the small pond on saturday, and has relocated himself. Later still, I caught a big fat California newt. The kids and parents loved it. My socks were wet for the rest of the day.

At the museum, I finally managed to get the big taiko drum out of the basement. Then, along with the usual assortment of other instruments, we made music. I discovered that I could play the taiko drum and my nose flute simultaneously, and I made up a cheerful song. Some people were entertained. One little boy, less than two years old, kept running up and grinning at me like I was the best thing since chocolate milk. Most of the adults seemed to have fun too. You'd think people would be annoyed by the combination of nose flute and taiko drum. Maybe some were. Who knows? If they don't let me know, I will not stop!!!
Then there was a boring meeting. The dinner consisted of lots of choices for the carnivores and only one choice for the vegetarians. The choice contained heaps of mushrooms. I really don't care for mushrooms much. I'm a vegetarian, not a fungetarian, dammit! Ooops. I'm complaining about free food. How ungrateful of me.

At the paper route, a co-worker smeared my jacket with one of those free perfume samples that come in magazines. I smelled "pretty" for the rest of the night. Of course, lest you think I work with psychos, this action on the part of my co-worker wasn't entirely unprovoked. Earlier, I had gotten him to fall for the "defective rubber band" trick. I cut a bunch of notches in a rubber band, so that it would snap when stretched, and then tossed it to my co-worker. Then I shot him with a good rubber band. When he tried to retaliate, using the rubber band I'd thrown to him a moment before, it snapped in his hands. Ha ha. Bored paper boys. Run.

cds I listened to while wishing I didn't smell so funny: Raksha Mancham "Ghazels" and "sBas Yul", Tribes of Neurot and Walking Time Bombs "Static Migration", Molasses "A Slow Messe", and Rasputina "Thanks for the Ether"

Last night it poured for several hours. Tonight it didn't really rain - a few drops hit my windshield, but that's all. I notice in the paper that a couple of our reservoirs are above capacity, but most are below. So go ahead, rain. I like rain better than hot weather anyway. That said, the one time I don't like it to rain is when I'm out delivering papers.

Willow went for a "well baby" checkup today, and now weighs in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces. She still has a cold, but other than that, is "well". The Dickens, while all of this was happening, snatched far more than her share of lollipops from the container near the appointment desk. The majority of these ended up on the floor. By the time we left, her face was multicolored and her hair was sticking to it.

I've got to get up early to go lead tours at Hidden Villa, so that's it for tonight. Maybe the turtle is still in the same pond.

cds I listened to while counting raindrops: Set Fire to Flames "Telegraphs in Negative/Mouths Trapped in Static", Therion "Vovin", Tarentel "The Order of Things", Trance Mission "A Day Out of Time", and Sixteen Horsepower "Folklore"

Friday...

One of the teachers at Lexy's school wanted me to show her how to handle her classroom's new Tarantula, and while I was showing her, I noticed that she had some Walking Sticks in another cage. One thing led to another, and now we have six Walking Sticks living at our house. They grow quite big too.
Later, I helped G. lug a huge, splintery shelving unit up to his third floor apartment, and then helped him fill it with the contents of his floor. Then we picked splinters out of our hands. It's a good thing neither of us lost our grip on the way up because that damn thing could have killed us.

Saturday...

We took the horde to Hidden Villa's Earth Day celebration. The kids danced around the maypole, and The Dickens danced in every puddle on the farm, splashing happily through the mud. Somebody found a turtle in the creek, and I (after showing it around a bit) ended up letting it go in one of the ponds, but not before it had peed on me several times. Garth, with his hat of lichen and his cool seaweed horn, explained how one can safely eat Stinging Nettles. We went home and I steamed up some and ate them. They taste kind of fuzzy.
Later, I gave the Dickens a rollercoaster ride in the wicker basket that lives by the fireplace. She had a blast. When it was over she had a tantrum. Being a soft touch, I gave her another ride. When it was over she had a tantrum.

Sunday...

We now have a green dryer, and a whole load of spotty green clothes. They look like they have the pox. One green crayon unnoticed in a pocket can sure wreak a lot of havoc.
Jen got me a new shirt, which is orange. The Iguana thought it was a big carrot and tried to eat it.
Willow has her first cold, given to her by The Dickens. Poor snuffly little girl.

cds I listened to while wondering who was the first to figure out that Stinging Nettles were edible: Raksha Mancham "Phyidar" and "Chos Khor", Therion "A' Arab Zaraq Lucid Dreaming" and Tarentel "From Bone to Satellite"

I missed the excitement. The Dickens, feeling the creative urge, decided to paint with her own waste. I was at the store with the boys. By the time we got back home, The Dickens was already in the bath. Not to be outdone, Willow created some small works of art using only regurgitated milk. Jen became a walking art gallery. So did the soapdish, of all things.

And now, without further ado, here's some record reviews courtesy of Nathan:

Nurse With Wound "Sugar Fish Drink": It sounds like peeing and eating glass.

Mirror "Die Spiegelmanufaktur": Pots and pans!

Mirror "I Paint for Love of Color": It sounds like some junk being thrown down a cliff.

Nurse With Wound/Stereolab "Simple Headphone Mind": Buzzing guitars and other stuff.

cds I listened to while being relieved that I don't have to write reviews for them: Tarantel - two self titled eps, Present "No.6", Psychic TV "Cold Dark Matter", Rachel's "The Sea and the Bells" and "Selenography", and Throwing Muses "s/t"

The sky is overcast and it's supposed to rain later today. Crickets are chirping in our room, unaware that they soon will be scorpion food. The Dickens noticed my rough, dry hands today and spent a good deal of time examining them and saying, "oweee". Of course, she also found an actual cut and obsessively picked at it until it did hurt. It's wonderful seeing her take such interest in the little, simple things that we older folk take for granted. I took her to the grocery store to get milk and coffee and she spent a lot of time examining the fountain out front and stomping up and down on a nearby grate. She also altered the landscaping a bit by decapitating some flowers. Then we spent some time exploring the fascinating world of wooden pallets. The Dickens insisted upon sitting on each one.

Speaking of hands and sitting - when Willow is unhappy in her car seat I can just reach her from the driver's seat. She seems to take comfort in clutching a finger. She can barely get her little hands around mine, but has quite a grip.

cds I listened to while trying to remember to take nothing for granted: Mariza "Fado Curvo", Present "Live!", Tin Hat Trio "Helium", Therion "Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas" and "Lepaca Kliffoth", Amebix "Make Some Fucking Noise!", and Tiny "s/t" and "demo"

A long day...

At Hidden Villa two boys fell in the pond, but didn't seem to mind much.
At the museum, I ran into an old friend, with his wife and two young daughters, who used to work at the Youth Science Institute. Does everybody I know have some connection to this organization? We exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Again. Maybe this time we'll actually contact each other. Maybe.
At home we ran around mopping up after the horde. Willow fussed.
At the paper route, the papers were late so we threw papers at each other. As may be guessed, our aim is pretty good. Later, the guy who likes his paper in the bushes came out and told me that he has a positive outlook. Then he shook my hand twice. I think he's lonely. Then, Talkative Security Guard #2 told me a funny story about an old woman in a Lincoln town car who was driving on the wrong side of the road and quite lost - at three in the morning. Last night Talkative Security Guard #1 told me that the reason all of the driveways were fenced off was because they were expecting protesters. I don't know if they ever showed.

cds I listened to while rushing to get home but being thwarted by loquacious night owls: Tenebre "XIII", Kari "Calling You/Exile", Tenhi "Hallavedet", "Kauan", and "airut:ciwi", Bathory "Nordland II", Popol Vuh "Cobra Verde", Present "Certitudes", and Therion "Beyond Sanctorum"

The great pagan fertility god known as the Easter Bunny visited our house over the weekend, littering it with many kinds of eggs, some small and chocolate (or "gaklit", as The Dickens would say...) and some larger and dyed. The kids, not knowing anything about the long and troubled history of this holiday, simply bickered over their loot. The Easter dinner was lovely, and ended as all dinners should, with not one but three desserts. I was so stuffed that I didn't eat again for around eleven hours.

Willow noticed the faerie mobile above the changing table. It stopped her from fussing for a moment or two as she applied herself to the task of making sense of the little floating figures above her head.

cds I listened to while digesting: Pain Teens "Born In Blood/Case Histories" and "Beast of Dreams", Tel Basta "Lickerish", Sweet Savage "Killing Time", dd Synthesis "Swinging Macedonia", and Pharaoh Overlord "#1"

Spring break combined with rainy weather made for a busy week at the museum. People from all over the country, and even further afield, passed through. One boy showed up just so he could hear me play the tin whistle. I always wondered if practicing it while working was entertaining or irritating people. Now I know that at least one person was being entertained. Maybe I should bring my shenai, or better yet, buy some bagpipes. I bet those would go over really well.
Another visitor told another museum worker that she thought I was an excellent storyteller. I like getting this kind of feedback (doesn't everyone?). The trick is to tell stories that you enjoy telling. Improvising helps too. Being silly helps even more.

We bought crustless bread for the boys, and lo and behold, they left little rinds of bread on their plates. Maybe eating all the way to the edge of a sandwich is taboo.

The Dickens made me wear sunglasses today, and then proceeded to lecture me at length about something or other. I couldn't understand what she was trying to get across to me, but her facial expressions were priceless. She can scowl so well.

When we have a carpool, we literally have a carpool. Still no word on how much it's all going to cost.

cds I listened to while eating crustless bread all the way to the edge: Downriver "Rememory", Tiny "Harbinger", Oxbow "The Balls in the Great Meat Grinder Collection", Tel Basta "Laid up in Lavender", Pain Teens "s/t", and Sweet Savage "s/t" (bootleg with two 7"s and some live stuff that sounds like it was recorded using a tape recorder placed under a mattress at the bottom of a well)

The weather has been "unsettled" over the last few days. A couple of evenings ago we were treated to a beautiful pinkish light that washed across our yard, while above the clouds threatened darkly. The temperature has done an about face and is marching back down the thermometer. It has rained a bit, but mostly it just looks like it's going to. Yesterday was tax day and Willow's due date. We had both taken care of well in advance this year. That didn't mean we rested though. There are always kids and pets who need something. The new Rat snake seems to like crapping in his water dish. The not-quite-so-new Rat snake just shed his skin again. The Dickens rubbed an egg yolk into the carpet. Jen said it came up fine after she allowed it to dry. I went to Hidden Villa, the museum, and the paper route. Jen stayed home with the kids. Guess which one of us is more tired.

cds I listened to while yawning: Chu Ishikawa "Bullet Ballet" soundtrack, and "Ductile", David Maranha "Musica #2" and "Piano Suspenso", Stille Volk "Exu-vi", and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum at the Starry Plough, 3/11/00

The job interview went well. The Youth Science Institute offices are home to the same sorts of critters that live at our house - snakes, spiders, scorpions, etc. There is also a wealth of other animal/science related materials. The woman who interviewed me already knew the two people I was going to use as references. That sure makes things easier. Now I just have to wait for the official word. They're going to send out letters through the mail to all potential new and returning teachers, and figure out who will end up going to which park. If I get the job (and I really don't see why I wouldn't) I won't start until the first week of june, so I have some time yet to keep my late hours.
After the interview, Jen and I let the kids play at the park. I pushed The Dickens on the swings for a long time. I just love seeing her so happy. It's much better than seeing her throw things off the counter or drop appliances into the bathtub. Maybe we should get a swing set for the backyard...

cds I listened to while realizing that if I quit one route I won't have as much time to listen to cds: Solstice "Halcyon", David Maranha "Circunscrita", Carla Kihlstedt "2 Foot Yard", Sonic Violence "Transfixion", Andre Maranha ") gargula (gargalo)", and Stille Volk "Hantaoma"

now: Pantaleimon "Change My World"

We all scattered our separate ways this weekend. Jen went to get a haircut (which looks beautiful). Willow went with her, but since she barely has any hair, didn't get a haircut herself. The boys and The Dickens went north with their dad. I went to San Francisco with M. to see Angels of Light perform, first at Amoeba, then at the Bottom of the Hill.
There is a frog who lives in the barbed wire enclosed garden next to the Bottom of the Hill. He didn't seemed bothered by the soundcheck, and sang happily into the night. M. and I arrived much too early, as usual, and ended up at the coffee shop up the hill. Twice. The second time in the company of Dawn. Then we descended to the Bottom of the Hill and witnessed a rather boring opening band, followed by Devendra Banhart, who is an odd man. It's as if Jesus were to stumble while descending for the second coming and bounce on his head the rest of the way down, colliding on the way with the soul of the dearly departed Tiny Tim. The end result is hypnotic, humorous, and haunting, usually all at once. Banhart has never left his childhood, it seems. His lyrics have a strange, self-contained logic full of innocence and playfulness. They sound utterly strange coming from an adult. It is like what a three year old would sing if blessed with an adult vocabulary. I mean that in a good way.
Michael Gira, who once fronted Swans and now fronts Angels of Light, comes across like a man who never had a childhood. I've always respected him for the way he strips himself to the core for his audience. They managed to be wrenching and powerful using mainly acoustic guitar, bass, and some sort of lap steel guitar. No drums. None needed. The songs built to throbbing crescendos and died away again into the silence. There were even a couple of Swans songs in the set, including the wonderfully uplifting "Failure". An evening well spent, I say.

When I got home I discovered a cd that I'd ordered had arrived in the mail. It was in a box that was too large and heavy to contain just a cd. I opened it and discovered that in addition to the cd there was a pamphlet of poetry and some maple syrup! Now that's what I call value for your money. Upon reading the note contained within, I discovered that the extras were meant to compensate for the inadequately bottled dandelion wine I'd been sent last year. Still, it's nice to get unexpected things in the mail. Syrup is much better than wine anyway. So is poetry.

We bought a new phone today to replace the one that The Dickens gave a bath.

cds I listened to while working for less: Solitude Aeturnus "Adagio", Osso Exotico "Musica #1" and "Church Organ Works", Solstice "New Dark Age", Roy Harper "Once", and Varttina "iki"

Just for chuckles (for me, at least) here's some recent Google searches that led to my page:

irr app oac
Nurse with wound salt marie celeste (2)
Savina Yannatou sings manos hadjidakis (2)
choral drama of singapadu village
tanzanian tailless whipscorpion
sui vesan mp3 (2+)
arco transparency
ulver lycantropen
tarantula hawk
saw thoat indestroy
what did the moon look like for the month of march

My day was neatly bookended by a pair of interactive moments with toads.

At the museum, towards the start of my shift, I placed our resident toad on the little table in the Early Childhood Center. There were two little boys, each about three years of age, in the room. The first boy ran up, touched the toad, and jumped back in surprise. He had thought it was a toy. The second boy remained in his mother's lap across the room and could not be coaxed to come near the table. He even seemed a little worried. After a few minutes, his mother cleared up the mystery of his seemingly abnormal fear of toads by explaining that they were visiting from Australia - a country that, for those of you who don't know, is overrun with Cane toads. Cane toads, for those of you who care, are quite toxic, especially if you happen to be a child or a family pet. This poor little boy, being Australian, had been repeatedly instructed to keep away from toads in much the same way that a citizen of the U.S. would be instructed to leave the snakes with rattly tails alone. There was just no way he was going to come touch the toad. The toad, to his credit, didn't seem to care.

While out delivering papers, towards the end of my route, I glanced out my window and saw a poor little toad, standing on tiptoe, trying in vain to reach the top of the curb so he could hoist himself into the wet darkness of the ivy. I stopped my car, got out, and helped him to the top of the curb. He crawled gratefully into the ivy.

cds I listened to while assisting amphibians: Skepticism "Ethere" and "Aes", Chrystal Belle Scrodd "Beastings" (I met her once, and she picked me up. Literally.), Ordo Equitum Solis "Signs" and "Metamorphosis Personam Impono", and Orplid "s/t"

While waiting for newspapers to arrive, we cleaned out the loft above the makeshift office at the drop site. I've never seen so much dust. We managed to toss down a bunch of old boxes that somebody evidently used to move kitchen items in at one point. Then came the table legs. Then some large tables. Then a trash can lid and a box or two of what looked like computer parts. Then something that looked like it had once been a heater of some sort. Now all that is left are all of the rubber bands we've shot up there over the last couple of years. Oh yes, and more dust.
Since the new space is smaller, things are being given away. I figured that since we don't have enough crap in our garage already, I'd take a few things home. The dry-erase bulletin board may come in handy if I can actually get it clean. The official Dow Jones computer keyboard may end up replacing the one I'm typing on right now at some point in the not too distant future (the "j" key only responds to repeated jabs of the finger...). The cell phone, which I was assured really works, will probably get given to the kids to play with. What else...? I can't remember if I grabbed anything else.

Nate hung out with me before work again tonight. He says he likes "hanging out" and asked to listen to the same record we listened to last night. I think he just needs some individual attention without one of his siblings upstaging him. Of course, that can be said for all of the kids. When I hang out with Nate (and The Dickens, who joined us for a while), then Jen can read Return of the King to Lexy without constant interruptions from the less sophisticated members of our family.

Willow is beautiful. So is Jen. Goodnight.

cds I listened to while driving around with trunk full of junk: Frankie Sparo "Welcome Crummy Mystics", Ordo Equitum Solis "Paraskenia" and "Hecate", Wakeford - Stapleton "Revenge of the Selfish Shellfish", Skepticism "Stormcrowfleet", and Nurse With Wound "Large Ladies With Cake in the Oven"

I led a tour group of pre-schoolers around the farm at Hidden Villa yesterday. They got to see two new lambs - newer than the new lambs from last week. I balanced a chicken on my head for awhile, and then carefully lowered it to the ground. One of these days this will backfire and something will come firing out of the back of the chicken and into my hair. I hope it isn't soon. While inspecting the cows, one of the kids was comparing cow sounds to the sounds made by his dad while asleep. Then one little girl spoke up, "I don't have a daddy. Only a mommy."
How does one reply to this? This little girl has been cheated out of one half of the parental equation. It doesn't really matter why. It's always sad to hear the very young make statements like this - they're so honest and understated about these kinds of things. That one sentence contained so much. Maybe it's the simplicity of it that strikes me.
I looked down at her and said, "and I'm sure she loves you very much, doesn't she?" What else could I say? Then the kids discovered the great equalizer - cow poop. The moment of seriousness passed like an illusion.
But I remembered it.

Later, Nate and I went out to look at the moon. It's still a crescent. Inside, we listened to the record I got in the mail today. Nate said he liked it. I know I did.

cds I listened to and liked: Ordo Equitum Solis "Solstitii Temporis Sensus", "Animi Aegritudo", and "O.E.S." mini cd, Coil "Live Four", Scorpions "Lonesome Crow", Sepultura "Roots Bloody Roots", and Skepticism "Lead and Aether"

I have a job interview next monday, although the position I'm after doesn't pay much. I've decided to work, at least for the summer, for the Youth Science Institute. In order to make enough money, I'm going to have to at least partially hang onto my other jobs as well. We'll see how it goes. I wish I could just find one full-time job that interests me AND pays the bills. Health benefits would be nice too. As it is, it will be a mad scramble to make it all work. I feel more alive already. That said, I think I'll go to sleep now because I have to get up early to go to Hidden Villa.

cds I listened to while scrambling: Ordo Equilibrio "The Triumph of Light..." and "Conquest, Love & Self Perseverance", Greg Weeks "Slightly West", A Tribute to The Scorpions (or most of it, anyway - I'll admit to skipping a few songs...), and Nurse With Wound "Live at Bar Maldoror"

Wonder of wonders, the children's playroom is clean. It only took us most of sunday afternoon to dig down to the floor and sift through the rubble. What fun. I've also finally updated my resume, and hopefully I'll get to put it to use before too long.

We got another new snake, due to the fact that K. and M. are snake magnets, and are given more snakes than they know what to do with. The snake is a Yellow Rat snake (although it was given to them as a "Desert Rat snake") and is about the same size as the Yellow Rat snake I used to own - four feet, give or take a few inches.

The nights have been kind of cold and tonight there were some beautiful, delicate clouds rippling across the sky. There have also been an increased number of ducks. You can't spit without hitting a duck, but since they're waterproof, it doesn't matter much. Like spit off a duck's back.

cds I listened to while expectorating in the general direction of waterfowl: Saturnus "Paradise Belongs to You", Orchis "A Thousand Winters" and "Mandragora", Scorn "Vae Solis" and "Ellipsis", and Circle "Alotus"

The thinnest of crescent moons graces the sky and rain is falling. Winter has decided to stay a bit longer.

At the start of the next pay period, I will be making 25% less money delivering papers. All of a sudden the job has become less appealing. I've been thinking about possible alternatives, and I may have it figured out. A little bit of this. A little bit of that. In a way, it's kind of exciting. My hand is being forced. This needs to happen sometimes because I tend to keep jobs forever otherwise. So many changes... and I'm not just talking about diapers either.

cds I listened to while planning my next move: Stina Nordenstam "Memories of a Color", Diana Obscura "s/t", Of The Wand And Moon "Nighttime Nightrhymes", Omala "Germ", Orchis "The Dancing Sun", and The 150 Murderous Passions "s/t" (NWW & Whitehouse)

I haven't been paying close attention to the news lately. When war breaks out... I mean, when some asshole starts a war, I find that I can't take any news reports at face value (not that I can otherwise on a regular basis either), and the news reports that aren't pure propaganda are often just too distressing. As usual, all of the people calling the shots are safe behind walls and bunkers and the people who had nothing to do with the "reasons" behind the war are getting mowed down. And don't give me that bullshit euphemism, "collateral damage" either. It's not damage, it's death. Innocent people are having their lives ripped apart. Many of the soldiers are just scared kids.

I've seen a car a couple of times with the words "fuck Iraq" and "defend our country" carefully printed out on little placards in the rear window. Since the words aren't smeared by drool or horribly misspelled, I'm guessing that the driver probably had help from his mom or dad. I wonder what he thinks we should defend our country against? Oh yeah, that soundbyte word - "terrorists". Bombing countries doesn't get rid or terrorists, it just helps create more of them. And the word, "fuck"... how classy. This guy's link is definitely missing. He probably has sweaty dreams about Rush Limbaugh. Ooops. BAD mental picture.

cds I listened to while being upset with the state of the world: Saint Vitus "Die Healing", Klaus Nomi "Eclipsed - the best of...", Non "God & Beast" and "In the Shadow of the Sword", Saturnus "Martyre", and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum at the Bottom of the Hill 3/17/00

now: Arco "Transparency"

The new baby sheep at Hidden Villa must be getting all of the attention, because the sheep who is missing half a horn has all of a sudden become uncharacteristically affectionate. She sidles up to visitors and thrusts her head out imploringly. Of course, the majority of the visitors pay no attention to her. Poor sheep.
It was cold today, and it rained off and on. The lizards all stayed indoors. Garth told me that he spotted a Horned toad over the weekend though. He sat really still and watched it eat ants.
Tonight, a cat who is missing half a tail came up to me and demanded that I pat him. How could I refuse? But what is it about animals with bits of themselves missing that draws them to me? Two in one day.

The Dickens is currently asleep in the middle of the hall.

cds I listened to while wondering where the other half of the tail went: Savina Yannatou "Sings Manos Hadjidakis", David Corter "Didgeridoo Mania", Negativland "U2", Nocturnal Emissions "Tharmuncrape an'goo" and "Stoneface", Saint Vitus "Born Too Late" (and with seventies hair, no less...), and Nurse With Wound "Salt Marie Celeste" (made me feel like I was in an ocean liner on the ocean floor),

So there I was, sitting on the playground and minding my own business, when a seven year old boy looked up at me and asked the question. "Why do you have seventies hair?" Oh the tragedy of it all. He had noticed my horribly out of date hair. Whatever shall I do? Should I rush out to the barber shop? Maybe I can trade up a decade or two. How about some nineties hair? What the hell does nineties hair look like anyway? What should hair for the new millenium look like?

At least I wasn't wearing seventies pants.

And I was waylaid by that damn talkative security guard tonight. I don't care if his wife is young enough to be his daughter. I really don't.

cds I listened to from under my retro hair: Urna "Hadood", Nurse With Wound "A Sucked Orange", Saint Vitus "V", and "Live" (they have a thing or two to say about the seventies...), and Nina Nastasia "Dogs"