The Roof. The Roof. The Roof is on Fire.

Well, I didn't get much in the way of replacing the fill valve on the toilet done tonight. I wound up hanging out with some of my fantastic neighbors - and met a new one - when another neighbor seems to have gotten really intoxicated and set his own house on fire.

It's gonna be THAT kind of summer.

May I give you my card?

My Mini-calling cards from Moo came on Thursday. All in all I think the images turned out great. Unfortunately one did not print, so I did get five cards where they printed, instead of a picture, the note that the image wasn't available for whatever reason. I'm a little disappointed in that I would have preferred blank cards if that was the case, but I'm not going to get too upset. I'm tickled pink with the cards and am alrady planning my second order.

Books.

At the beginning of the year I resolved I would read some of the backlog of titles I'd collected over the last decade and dragged to and fro over the years. So far, I've been fairly good about that... okay, 50/50. I started the year with a library book; but, hey, grandfathered in, right? Then 3 out of my own collection, the last being "A People's History of the United States." This one I've interrupted twice. The first time was when a book that I'd been on the library's waiting list for a year for, "My Horizontal Life" came in. The second just last week, when I'd found out Max Allan Collins had written a novelization of one of my favorite characters from my teens, Ms. Tree.

So I'm wondering if it's bending the rules if I stop by the Friends of the Library sale going on in my local branch's basement today and walk about with a few books? I didn't spend much, but finally picked up:

- Robert Graves' "I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God" - two books I've
been meaning to read since high school when I'd first heard of them. I've always
had an interest in (Greek and) Roman History. After college I also finally watched the excellent "I, Claudius" mini-series from the 70's. A program that holds up so
well I'll probably reward myself with it again once I read the book.

-J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" - yes, I'm the last
person in America to not have read these books, although this one I did listen
to as a book on tape about 6 years ago. (Jim Dale does the most excellent
narration) I have been meaning to read this series, especially after I re-read
the Chronicles of Narnia a few years ago... if I'm going to start a series, I
want to be a completest.

-"The Collected Stories of Vladimir Nabokov" -I've only ever read "Pale
Fire" and "Lolita" (a book I read as being more about falling in love with a
newly-learned language as I was told it was his first novel written in English),
and I have "Ada" on the shelf. I plan to re-read "Lolita" too, but here's a
short story collection I can get behind.

-On a lark (I swear) I also picked up something called "Sex Tips for Gay
Guys," thinking it might be good for a lark. Less than an hour later, I'm
telling a friend about my purchases to find out he used to date someone who'd
written something titled "Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man." My friend
also felt this author wasn't very good in the sack.
This, of course, has turned out to be the same author. So now, my lark is
queasy-making, as I have the foreknowledge that "Those Who Can't, Teach"
(according to my friend) and if I venture to read between the lines, I may read
someone I know.

I don't think it's bending the rules. If a book is IN my collection I can read it this year. (No more library cheats, unless something TRULY spectacular comes along... or catches my fancy. Whatever.) I'll try to give more weight to older titles... though "I, Claudius" is already calling me with it's siren song.

I have about 160 pages left in the phenomenal - but, admittedly, slow going "People's History." I just got up to Attica and the social uprisings of prison riots in the 70s. The first part of the chapter covered the rise of feminism. This book has been an amazing education and a real refresher course on American history, even as it shows me angles I was only vaguely aware of.

I'd be reading faster but I of late have mostly been tackling books only on my lunch break. I went out Wednesday night for a burrito and finished "Deadly Beloved" (The Ms. Tree book). When I go to bed I've been curling up with graphic novel collections - light reading before bed. I haven't been putting them in my "What I'm Reading" column, but I did just get through all four volumes of "Diana Prince - Wonder Woman," which is a pretty fascinating collection of a two-year span during the 70's where the de-powered Wonder Woman, stuck her in white jumpsuits, and had a shallow, kinda racist characature called "I-Ching" teach her judo. A pretty fascinating curio with fab Mike Sekowsky art and painful fashions. I also worked through the first one and a half "Library Volumes" of Mike Mignola's "Hellboy." Fabulous art in a very large-scale format, and a MUST for anyone with an eye for striking design.

So, yeah, I cheat a little on my New Year's reading vow - undocumented graphic novels and a committment to the personal library that's been... loose... but that's where I stand.

Now, what to read next? "I, Claudius" is in the running with a book called "An Arrow's Flight," a gay comedy of manners set in greek history (a toga theme?) or tackling another big learnin; tome, namely "Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond. After the naughty Chelsea Handler and delicious Ms. Tree, I don't feel I need a trashy, splashy palate-cleanser post "People's History."

A Night Out

A second stop in to Take The Cake Cafe in one day. Caught a bit of
local legend Jake Speed's show. First time I'd ever seen him play, but
hopefully not the last.

One More Delicious Dish

Today's lunch was a fantastic Mushroom Melt sandwich. Greens, onions,
and rich, ripe tomatoes on firm mushrooms smothered in delicious
cheese. With a asiago-topped pile of vinagarette-tossed greens on the
side, this fresh baguette sandwich is the second meal I've had at the
new Take The Cake Cafe here in Northside.

I was going to take a picture of the Mango Custard Tart topped with
Pineapple in I believe a brown-sugared glaze--- but I kinda couldn't
stop myself from chowing down on it as soon as I got home.

I definitely recommend a visit. Tuesdays to Saturdays, make time to
stop in.

Irresponsible

Just a quick note to observe how... disturbed and disappointed I was today on Twitter.

When the plane landed in the Hudson River recently it was an amazing thing to follow in real time Twitter. It spread viraly and the news of survivors and the photos spread to us Tweeters before they made it on to the TV or news websites.

That's an excellent use of this tool for instant independent journalism.

Today, reading Natasha Richardson declared dead, brain dead, dead, brain dead, suffering brain swelling, possibly fine, possibly not in real time, with RETRACTIONS, was disgusting and, frankly, frightening. There's nothing more irresponsible than just declaring someone DEAD without properly verifying. The Internet is a potent, powerful, and permanent tool. Please have the good sense to not race just to be the first person with the story unless you have the correct information. A lead is one thing. Actually posting a notice someone died is far different.

I feel awful for any member of a circle of family and friends who'd have to read such a thing. Being a celebrity, her family's misfortune is playing out on the world stage... but on any stage there's no excuse for declaring something like that about another person - something so final - without definitive proof. At least both Perez Hilton and the New York Post retracted their statements quickly.

I wish her and her family the best. I also wish them privacy, discretion, and respect.

Let's all remember to mind our Ps and Qs and be careful out there, okay.

Who Parodies the Watchmen?

I follow @ThinkHero on Twitter, and they sent me a link to their new video - the "Post-Watchmen Parody Show." With fun, witty riffs on Watchmen, Heroes, Star Trek, and Nena - I have to say I enjoyed it. It's good, playful fun and it made my night - will definitely be checking them out again.

Go look!

ThinkHero MegaShow #2 - Post Watchmen Parody Show

Sitting and squirming and avoiding the topic...

My horoscope for March 11, 2009 :

If only you could take wing and fly to your freedom, JAY. Perhaps you should
allow yourself to envision the future your own way; you'd be much less agitated.
Of course, the planets are daring you to outdo yourself right now. It's time to
break free from the past. Take a long, hard look at all your values, and keep
only those you feel are essential.

This is what I didn't read until tonight. I wish I had seen it this morning. I spent a good chunk of my day sitting at my desk squirming and seething. I'm really frustrated with where I'm at lately.

This weekend, I'll be taking that "long, hard look at all your values" and keeping "only those you feel are essential."

Should be fun... I'll keep you posted.

Didn't see this one coming...

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"Cincinnati Pride;" or "Raping Ned Beatty"

The theme and logo for Cincinnati's pride festivities was released today... and I'm not sure what I think about it.

Yes, Cincinnati IS Porkopolis (not that anyone really cares that much) and it's a fun, witty, festive design. I think my reservations stem from the word"Squealin'"

We're generally not a land of farmers anymore, and over the last thirty plus years, the word "Squeal" has only invoked one thing in the American vernacular. Namely, "Squeal like a pig."

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with a logo that is going to lead the general observer, someone who's not invested in Pride, to immediately jump and link a community celebration to inbred hillbillies ass-raping Ned Beatty.

Because it's the first place MY mind went, and I AM invested in it. I'm not sure I want to embrace, defend and... own this logo. I know I'm coming in after the fact because I didn't volunteer or sit on any committees that lead up to the selection of this theme, but... dude, I can't believe someone didn't raise some reservations. I have to process "Squeal like a pig," "Sex pig" "Dirty Piggy" and "Pigs in Shit" to get to a mindset where I can say "This is a festive way for the community to celebrate Pride this summer." Good for The Serpent, not good for a universal theme.

I have to point it out: This emperor is wearing a new outfit...

Thoughts?

MOO is coming

Pop Dots, originally uploaded by JayKulpa.

I have a gallery up over at the Jayboy Mansion of the images I picked to put on my new Moo calling cards, which shipped from London today. I'm so excited! They'll possibly be here by the end of the week, beginning of next. I'll put up scans when they get here.

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall...

Still cellphone photos don't capture the opacity of a good and heavy
rain.

It's a little unseasonable- definitely a spring rain shown up about
two months early.

A taste of lunch?

The second half of giving email posting a spin: pictures. So let's see
if this picture of my delicious shrimp pad Thai from Lemongrass shows
up...

Testing out mobile posting

I've been looking for a way to "blog on the go," mostly as Twitter has
caught my eye and lead to my barely posting over the last few months.

I was looking for an iPhone app until it was pointed out to me there
was an email address for mobile posting.

So here goes... "Testing... Testing... One, two..."

Sent from my iPhone