"Better something else like Nashua, Montpelier..." - Ted Pauly

Fantastic -- just one word to describe the stellar wedding confab staged in celebration of the newly conjoined Housh-Thomases. After the disposition of Crazy Early at the airport, I was struck with the very depressing thought that tomorrow was a work day, like about 10,000 work days before it, and the wonderful and entertaining odyssey in and around the greater Ipswich area of the last few days had finally come to an end. So BOOO! to real life. Life in the parking lot of the Whittier, and here, here, and here, is way better. There was croquet, camaraderie, pomp, circumstance, and even The Bus Stop. Anyway, congrats to H-Dawg, T-Dawg and Murphy. Really good times. I should also note getting really, really tanked at the Whittier's tiny bar with uber barkeep Chris and her man Pete, with whom Lopez and I had a dynamite time. Although the contents of those conversations are lost in the mists of a million Budweisers.

Speaking of BOOOO! I have to say I understand why Nomar had to go, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

So what else? As the lyric above might suggest, I came into the possession of Ted's demos for the forthcoming Haywood album. The new Haywood stuff is purely a studio effort, mon ami Rob V reiterated when he was in the Republic of Cambridge with us last weekend. The demos are fairly rough, but the great songs and great lyrics are still there. And Ted can still turn a phrase that is so wistful it is like the slowest kick in the groin you've ever felt. It will probably be pretty far into 2005 before a record is released, but keep your eyes open. I'll, of course, post tracks once they roll my way.

While the V-ness was here we went to a bitching 30th bday party for I. Karim Abdul-Matin, one of the chillinest doods around. Great party, right in the neighborhood. Good times.

Besides the new Ted Pauly demos, I've still been spinning the Unicorns and the new Fiery Furnaces a lot. And a lot of Joe Jackson's "Look Sharp." Just cause it is great. Oh, and a great Floyd bootleg that Large-Hearted Boy pointed me to.

The Democratic National Convention was a breeze for us, as far as the commuting to the office and all that goes. And I watched the coverage with great interest for the first three evenings. I was especially entertained by speeches by Obama Barack, Al Sharpton, and of course, Bubba Clinton, who all spoke very well. No Jano Cabrera sightings, but what are you gonna do. The 6-hour workdays made everything else worth it. Except trying to figure out how to bill overtime, so I didn't bother working any.

We have the sad task of shipping off the Mathews-Watsons next weekend, but it will be nice to see a new place and to drive out Route 2, an attractive piece of road.

Well, for now, that is all.