• Today’s post — (Incorrect link corrected) —“My response to a decorated veteran saying I’m un-American.”
I had a disheartening encounter with an illustrious and once-avid reader this week who declared me as anti-American over — take a wild guess. Yes, it all comes down to Donald Trump. Did you think we were at odds over the legacy of Alex Trebec?
• Incendiary observation I found too clever NOT to post …
Given our mutual eagerness to inflame those with whom we disagree, I predict sometime this summer we'll see news reports of a Blue Lives Matter march featuring a Police tribute band singing the band's '83 hit "Every Breath You Take."
• ’80’s Music Video I can’t quit watching…
Rolling Stones, “Worried About You,” 1981
My favorite Stones video happens to be for what I think is their most underrated song. As stark as it is lackadaisical, for long stretches it looks like Jagger has no clue what the lyrics are. (Click here).
• Daily “Crayons!” on Instagram!
• Today’s (sorta) theme: Naked
Colorful Living Tip of the Day …
• Enjoy at least part of a warm summer night outside in the nude and away from the prying eyes of prurient neighbors. Be sure to invite someone you love.
• Relateds …
Never fail to include in your cards to newlyweds heartfelt congratulations and this sage advice for a long and happy marriage: “Always argue naked!”
Experts say nude tourists are surprisingly affluent for people for whom description "deep pockets" does not apply.
Playboy’s rash decision to stop showing nude women is an about face from a magazine that’s never really been about face.
The male erection is the ultimate re-gift. Someone gives any man an erection and his instinct is to give it right back.
It’s your past. Make it as colorful as you wish. Tell church friends you put yourself through college working as a stripper.
I was 50 years old before it finally began to sink in that, gee, I was drunk wouldn't cut it as an excuse for showing up in church nude.
• Unrelated
I’m still mystified why more transgender people don't congregate in a Wisconsin town named Sheboygan.
We hear lots about Jesus as the Son of God. I wonder about Uncle Jesus. Wouldn't it have been cool to say Jesus was your Uncle?
People convicted of road rage offenses should be sentenced to master and when possible go from here to there via tap dance.
Because fickle publishing industry insists it is looking for timeless books, my next novel is going to be about a broken clock..
• Zeitgust Word of the Week (a word I made up with the goal of getting it into an actual dictionary) …
Decrapitate: An editorial elimination of all the bullshit from a specified piece of writing.
• Related blog post, “Happy National Nude Recreation Weekt’s time to sell hurricane naming rights” (July ’11) …
A game of 8 ball played between two naked men is still called 8 ball. That’s just one of the things I learned during the month it took me to exhaustively research my just-posted msnbc.com story heralding National Nude Recreation Week. It’s an evergreen kind of story I’m going to relentlessly pitch each and every year until I find a publication that’ll agree to headline it, “Hams Across America!” I found talking to nudists over the phone is a lot like talking to fundamentalist Christians in that both are reluctant to admit any of their members might enjoy sex.
• From Back A Ways …
“Go fly a kite! At Austin festival, many do (from ’11) …”
David Gomberg is traveling from Portland to Austin this weekend and he’s taking a kite. Kites have led this buoyant 57-year-old entrepreneur all around the globe. He swears it’s the only way to fly. “Yeah, it’s kind of like Eric Clapton,” Gomberg says. “He always takes a guitar. Me, I always take a kite. Anyone of any age can enjoy kites and the wind is always blowing somewhere.” Please don’t mistake this for an off-color putdown, but it’s going to really blow in Austin’s Zilker Park on March 6. At least that’s what as many as 20,000 kite enthusiasts are hoping.
• Concluding thought …
Take a dart vacation. Put up a map of the U.S. on the garage wall and decide where you’re going by which state the dart hits. Every state in the land has beautiful tourist attractions. Let a kid throw the dart.
• Author’s note …
Enjoying this twice-weekly newsletter? Have some suggestions about how to make it more compelling? I welcome your input at storyteller@chrisrodell.com