Disgusting Phrase No One Should Ever Use.

It's what usually happens when it's slow at the office: I surf. Surf until my browser's cache is overflowing. Yesterday was just one of those days. Well, not really: I did things. Real, productive things. But I also found this, an archive of Mosaic Communications' entire website, as compiled by Jamie Zawinski, from a really old article on Evolt.

What, you ask, is my favorite part of these archives? Well, I would have to say it is this, a picture of everyone's favorite Thunderlizard being struck by an apple, looking totally Freaked Out by What's New. Or maybe he is just taken by surprise by getting hit in the neck with fruit. Ha.

In other news (it is cliche of me, I know, to say this, but it is such an excellent segue), I finally got Issue Six of McSweeney's in the mail the other day. You know, it's the one with the Compact Disc Accompaniment by They Might Be Giants. And it only took six weeks for delivery. Who knew fourth class mail still meant Fourth Class Mail. Still, I haven't had a chance to read much of it, outside of the ever-entertaining introduction/masthead thing.

What I have been reading is William H. Gass, and more specifically, Omensetter's Luck. About sixty-five pages in, and finding it challenging, but rewarding. What a strange, fractured reality this book creates. But I've found I need like total quiet when I'm reading it, otherwise it all just becomes a landslide of words. (Parenthetically, I have to remember to read this interview With William Gass, in which he talks about lots of important stuff, like the writer's role in society.)

And a new band: Uptown Sinclair. They are from Cleveland, have (I think) ex-members of Cobra Verde, have been recommended by John Kimbrough, and most importantly, totally rock. Infectiously so. You can download some MP3's right here.

And finally, do you know Jim Woodring? You should.

And finally, finally: the soundtrack for this post has been provided, ever so sadly, beautifully and hopefully, by Rainer Maria.