Cover photograph source CC BY 2.0 xlibber

Stuff: Louis and I are making a device we’re going to Kickstart, more on that when it’s ready to go. I put in my Acronym FW1213 order – Euros seem like play money at this exchange rate. Waiting patiently for my Printrbot to ship. I have to buy a new car, probably a Skyline platform sedan, I’m tired of maintaining Germans.

Games: It’s all iOS all the time, all other platforms are doomed. Watch how Apple executes on the TV when it happens. I don’t have time for anything but casual – what I want real bad is an excellent caj RPG, doesn’t seem like there is one. Playing a lot of Triple Town, having trouble breaking 600k, it’s doing the Tetris brain rewire on me, I’m sliding around pennies and quarters on my desk. Tried Ziggurat, shouts to Tim Rogers.

Comics: Pansexual Prophet reboot by Brandon Graham is excellent after two issues, Rasl by Jeff Smith is the same after 13. I miss getting into the real nitty gritty small-press indies and I’m out of touch with foreign albums too. Leave comments if you know what’s up.

THX 1138, right? Anyway, can’t wait. I’m going to watch it with my Acronym cloak on. UPDATE saw it and it was great. Pitch-perfect. Director says he was influenced by Mego playsets, which RRRLY COMES THROUGH

I am in Virginia working on a defense contract, being driven back to my airport hotel in a friend’s luxury sports car. On the steps of a boarded-up church, a Mennonite girl in a white bonnet cries into her hands. She looks up as we pass, although not at us.

In a store in Beverly Hills, a man in a tailored suit puts on cotton gloves and lays out an assortment of pens for me. One of them has a fingerprint on its resin barrel. He apologizes the way I would if I hit someone with my car.

I shovel the first measure of earth onto our cat, who is lying in her grave.

I am backstage at a television studio, talking to an old man who appeared on one of my favorite sitcoms. I met the star of that show once, I say. He cordially changes the subject.

Wake up before my girlfriend for the first time and stare at her profile. Her breathing is inaudible. Alabaster, I think, pleased, and go back to sleep.

Wake up in agony. Run inside and start vomiting. Incredible pain in my lower left flank. Being born is a misfortune, I think. Later recant.

haaaaapy new year

Blood Ceremony – My Demon Brother: Great album.
Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats – Ritual Knife: Also a great album, came out on CD-R. Copies of the subsequent limited-to-150 vinyl have sold for >$500!
Red Fang – Into The Eye: Hopefully these guys show up on Portlandia season 2.
Mastodon – Stargasm: The tightest metal band of late?
Wolvhammer – Shadowhorn: Nasty.
Dark Castle – Seeing Through Time: I thought their first record was meh, but they’ve improved a LOT.
Tombs – Silent World: Lots of heat for Tombs. I hear echoes of Fugazi.
Hammers of Misfortune – The Grain: Beautiful song. Melodic metal from SF.
Nine Inch Nails – Theme For Tetsuo The Bullet Man: Okay, so NIN isn’t really metal. Still great though.
Blood Stain Child – Stargazer: Out of nowhere Japanese metal/techno fusion band internet peeps are going crazy for. Heavy J-Pop component. RIYL Spawn OST.
Wolves In The Throne Room – Permanent Changes In Consciousness: The album is as good as Pitchfork says.
Alcest – Percées De Lumière: Epic French band, new album due out in 2012.
Moonsorrow – Huuto: Possibly even more epic Finnish band, their new record is their best.