Project MERCATOR
After a rather homebound Advent & Christmastide, 2011 came roaring to life this weekend. Friday saw a double-header, first Art Walk with Vitamin H. & then The Loose Ties at Churchill's, the unofficial campus bar. I met up with Vitamin H. on campus & we began the unseasonable walk through the wintry streets of downtown Flinttown, stopping first at the Rowe Building (alas, not after Mike of Dirty Jobs renown) where by chance we met several of the Loose Ties: my buddy Ska Army (tenor sax), the delectable Farr Afield (alto sax, vox), & Phil (guitar, lead vox), the not yet code named front man. We also met Joel Rash, who needs no code name, the tireless promoter of the Vehicle City's cultural life & honcho of the soon-to-reopen Flint Local 432, the site of many of Blue Tree Whacking's greatest moments. The Buckham Gallery supplied both the sublime & the substandard, while the Greater Flint Arts Council was altogether too crowded for either of our liking, leading us to take refuge inside Saint Paul's Episcopal, where we were treated to some lovely organ music, even though the darkness outside made it impossible to appreciate the full beauty of the church's stained-glass windows. After that we had a light dinner & an incongruously serious conversation on a very private matter.

At Churchill's, having left Vitamin H. at her dorm room, there was scarcely room to skank. I'd never before seen so many people dance at a Loose Ties show; it was grand! A few songs in, I was tapped on the shoulder. I wheeled to let whomever it was by, but instead a girl with wavy blond tresses asked me when I was going to "show them how it's done." Apparently, I was recognized & remembered from a previous show. I had not my opportunity until about two-thirds of the way through, when several persons exited the dance floor. As I went about burning up the dance floor, a fellow with the blonde complimented me heartily; I explained to him the name of my dance—skanking—& exhorted him to "spread the gospel." Though I usual linger after a show to help the Loose Ties pack their equipment into their motorcars, on this occasion I made a swift exit. I'd left Lumi in a spot directly outside of Churchill's, so that during the show I'd been able to turn away from the "stage" & see her through the bar's large, drafty windows. As I brushed clear Lumi of the snow that had fallen during the several hours I'd been inside, Farr Afield caught me & teasingly chided me about my quick exit. She's beautiful, & I'd have paid real money for a quick, endearing rejoinder; instead, none coming to mind, I just smiled & shrugged my shoulders in admission of being caught red-handed.

Saturday found The Loose Ties playing at Jimmy Lum's Aloha Lounge, & once again I was recognized & remembered by fellow fans not previously of my acquaintance. Two chaps in particular were enamored with my moustache, & greatly amused by my sense of humor (the one based on observation that I use principally with strangers because I have no idea what else to say). To tell you the sad truth, these old bones aren't as young as they used to be & my legs were still worn down from the previous night's show; so, I didn't skank as much as I might have liked. This is intolerable: the chances of finding such a vibrant ska band in this day & age were too small to allow these priceless opportunities to skank the night away pass unexploited. I shall redouble my efforts concerning Operation ÖSTERREICH. It's nice being chummy with The Loose Ties, but I should still sincerely love to make some new friends to accompany me to the shows.

The Queue
Impressionable sod that I am, I really should be reading science fiction (S.F., not "sci-fi"), to further Project PALINDROME, but I find myself unable to resist them lure of Len Deighton's second Bernard Samson trilogy, "Hook, Line, & Sinker." As after Berlin Game, Mexico Set, & London Match, I'll take a non-Deighton interlude before tackling the third of the Samson trilogies, Faith, Hope, & Charity. Whenever I do drive back into science fiction, I'll start with a re-reading of H. Beam Piper's Space Viking, a novel I first read in middle school, when my fondest literary wish was to emulate my father's reading habits; I've grown out of that woebegone ambition, but still feel that I'd like to give the then-astounding Space Viking another read through older eyes. Of course, as ever, there is never enough time; aside from a veritable galaxy of S.F. there is yet more to read of both Deighton & Kipling.

Recently
Rudyard Kipling, Kim
Len Deighton, Winter: A Novel of a Berlin Family
C. S. Lewis, illustrated by Papas, The Screwtape Letters

Currently
Len Deighton, Spy Hook

Presently
Len Deighton, Spy Line
Len Deighton, Spy Sinker
Karen E. Olson, Driven to Ink

Coming Attractions
Given my lethargy over the past month-plus, there is a backlog of half-completed posts filed as "***iN THe WoRKS***" which includes bits & pieces for "Project MERCATOR" & some tangential bearings on Project PANDORA. Hardly satisfactory, I know, & I am cognizant of that fact that you all deserve better from me. I'm trying, gang, I'm trying.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Arcade Fire, "Rococo" via iTunes (Mrs. Skeeter, Esq.)