The Banzai Beard Bonanza II: Bonsai's Revenge
Day 128: The End.

(Per usual, photos will be posted as soon as they are received from my father.)

Objective ZED ALPHA
Daddy Dylweed asked me this evening if there had been any news on the Jeopardy! front, giving me the kick in the pants finally to bloggy blog what I've been meaning to post for a few weeks now: nothing to report. From time to time, I experience a surge of frustration and angrily shake my fist at the television, snarling through gritted teeth, "Where's my phone call, Trebek?" I auditioned in late May '09 and, if my audition was successful, I will remain in the contestant pool until December '10. If I do not hear from Jeopardy! by December, one of two things will have happened: a) I did not pass my audition. b) I passed, but was not randomly selected from the contestant pool to appear on the show. The worst part is that I will have no way of knowing which is the case. There will be naught to do but begin the process anew (Objective ZED BRAVO), taking the online test in order to earn an audition and another chance to play the waiting game. But note that ZED BRAVO is not a foregone conclusion; there is yet time for ZED ALPHA's potential to be realized.

Where's my phone call, Trebek?

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Cake, "The Distance" via iTunes (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: Now that I'm a fan of motorsport, I cannot help but picture the protagonist of "The Distance" driving a Triumph TR6 with its windscreen removed for racing. I know, that's rather missing the point of "The Distance."

"The arena is empty except for one man,
Still driving and striving as fast as he can.
The sun has gone down and the Moon has come up,
And long ago somebody left with the cup,
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns."