Quintuple whammy Sometimes the shit hits the fan. Other times, there’s a lot more shit and lot more fans. Last week, I saw five shits hit five fans. A quintuple whammy. Whammy #1 Around midnight, we left a friend’s birthday party in Culver City. Normally, the drive back to the Valley takes anywhere between thirty minutes and six decades. But at midnight, there’s barely enough time to listen to
By and large, I dislike whammies. In particular, double whammies. I suppose there are instances where they lead to something good, but at the moment I can’t think of any example. I am glad you survived all your whammies! How did a busted fire hydrant cause a minor power outage? I hope you have a whammy free week!
I have a big yard, and thus two riding lawnmowers. Yesterday they both failed within thirty minutes. First one transmission stopped tran-ing, second one throttle linkage unlinked. When I got the two beasts back to the garage I found my garden hose burst and spraying like a fountain. Triple whammy, and I try so hard to be a good boy. Speaking of...
“Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” is an excellent way to spend twelve minutes.
A powerful long song from Peter Himmelman, a Jewish singer-songwriter, about his taxi ride with a white supremacist driver: https://youtu.be/ocm-PnuhQhA
I will take F train five stops to get my favorite donuts from 7th Ave. Donut in Park Slope.
I will take the MetroNorth all the way to Poughkeepsie to see *Rebecca* or my *Little Sister.*
I will pay good money to avoid anything having to do with YOGA.
I am reading Anthony Trollope's CAN YOU FORGIVE her which is 848 pages and weighs 1.29 pounds and is exactly the same book as the other 126 novels he wrote and is SAVING MY LIFE right now because its just the right amount of fun and smart and dumb.
After the catalytic converter got stolen from my car, and I waited months for a replacement, I couldn’t get rid of that car fast enough! The car is too vulnerable to this crime.
2. The city I live in (Medicine Hat, AB) is a bit of a prairie island. Once you're out of town, there "ain't nothing for miles" to quote Julian Casablancas. I'll drive 45-50 minutes for a walk in the woods. Oh, and in the first city across the provincial border (Swift Current, SK) there's a killer restaurant called the Night Jar. On the rare occasion, my wife and I will drive a full 2.5 hours just to eat there.
3. I feel like there's a fart joke in there somewhere.
4. I'm reading Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" right now, partially in support of him, since he was stabbed a few months ago for writing it, and partially because it's a fucking fun read. Wouldn't call it scary, even with its devilish character.
5. I'd have to go with War on Drugs' "Thinking of a Place." Clocks in at 11:12. Not quite Frampton-length, but it's an awesome song.
I’m going off script from your questions. Apparently, you and I both freak out when we’re woken up. It’s to the point now where my wife Allison is terrified to wake me up. She’ll try to be oh so gentle, but I’ll jump up like she’s trying to murder me or something. I don’t understand why I do it either. I wonder if it’s somehow tied to whatever I’m dreaming about but I can never really remember my dreams.
Michael, my catalytic converter on my 2009 prius was stolen two nights ago. for the 3rd time in LA. I am beside myself w grief as I wait for insurance to tell me if they can replace it or if the car is totalled.
What the fuck man. I'm gonna get a diff car I have to.
I do believe in whammies, also Wham-Os. Sorry to hear about all your whams. I spent a good chunk of the summer of 2021 commuting from the Valley (170-134-2-210), it's a miracle my converter didn't get stolen. Weird stuff does happen out there, it's true. Nice post!
Love your stories. I just launched my Stack. How long did it take you to get 2k subscribers? Were your newsletters rocky at first and then you found your groove? Or were you hilarious from the get-go? BTW, I shared your stack with my sister; she just signed up. She lives in LA and has that extra California appreciation.
This shit never disappoints thanks man..... AND has added benefit of being shorter than Bolano's 2666 so easier to consume after the day's pilgrimming.
Gonna give you (and me) a break here and tackle only #5:
The Byrds Live version of "8 Miles High" is pretty damn good music to uhhhhh zone out to......but that said theres gotta be at least a few Dark Stars which fit the bill....and the indica....
WARNING Will Robinson !!!!!!!!!!! Deadheads dead ahead~~~~~~~~~>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By and large, I dislike whammies. In particular, double whammies. I suppose there are instances where they lead to something good, but at the moment I can’t think of any example. I am glad you survived all your whammies! How did a busted fire hydrant cause a minor power outage? I hope you have a whammy free week!
Ah, Southern California! Thanks, Michael, for reminding me why I’m not there anymore - although I do miss some things.
And I really enjoy both yours and Alex Dobrenko’s work!
5. How about “In A Gadda Da Vida” by Iron Butterfly? Not my favorite, but a song I love to reference.
I have a big yard, and thus two riding lawnmowers. Yesterday they both failed within thirty minutes. First one transmission stopped tran-ing, second one throttle linkage unlinked. When I got the two beasts back to the garage I found my garden hose burst and spraying like a fountain. Triple whammy, and I try so hard to be a good boy. Speaking of...
“Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” is an excellent way to spend twelve minutes.
A powerful long song from Peter Himmelman, a Jewish singer-songwriter, about his taxi ride with a white supremacist driver: https://youtu.be/ocm-PnuhQhA
I will take F train five stops to get my favorite donuts from 7th Ave. Donut in Park Slope.
I will take the MetroNorth all the way to Poughkeepsie to see *Rebecca* or my *Little Sister.*
I will pay good money to avoid anything having to do with YOGA.
I am reading Anthony Trollope's CAN YOU FORGIVE her which is 848 pages and weighs 1.29 pounds and is exactly the same book as the other 126 novels he wrote and is SAVING MY LIFE right now because its just the right amount of fun and smart and dumb.
I just finished reading Joan Didion's "The White Album," where California and its freeways and highway system are featured in many of the stories.
After the catalytic converter got stolen from my car, and I waited months for a replacement, I couldn’t get rid of that car fast enough! The car is too vulnerable to this crime.
1. Not really, no.
2. The city I live in (Medicine Hat, AB) is a bit of a prairie island. Once you're out of town, there "ain't nothing for miles" to quote Julian Casablancas. I'll drive 45-50 minutes for a walk in the woods. Oh, and in the first city across the provincial border (Swift Current, SK) there's a killer restaurant called the Night Jar. On the rare occasion, my wife and I will drive a full 2.5 hours just to eat there.
3. I feel like there's a fart joke in there somewhere.
4. I'm reading Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" right now, partially in support of him, since he was stabbed a few months ago for writing it, and partially because it's a fucking fun read. Wouldn't call it scary, even with its devilish character.
5. I'd have to go with War on Drugs' "Thinking of a Place." Clocks in at 11:12. Not quite Frampton-length, but it's an awesome song.
I’m going off script from your questions. Apparently, you and I both freak out when we’re woken up. It’s to the point now where my wife Allison is terrified to wake me up. She’ll try to be oh so gentle, but I’ll jump up like she’s trying to murder me or something. I don’t understand why I do it either. I wonder if it’s somehow tied to whatever I’m dreaming about but I can never really remember my dreams.
Michael, my catalytic converter on my 2009 prius was stolen two nights ago. for the 3rd time in LA. I am beside myself w grief as I wait for insurance to tell me if they can replace it or if the car is totalled.
What the fuck man. I'm gonna get a diff car I have to.
also: thanks for all the Both Are True love!!
I do believe in whammies, also Wham-Os. Sorry to hear about all your whams. I spent a good chunk of the summer of 2021 commuting from the Valley (170-134-2-210), it's a miracle my converter didn't get stolen. Weird stuff does happen out there, it's true. Nice post!
California city life. I drive to yoga, look for parking for a half hour, then give up and go home.
Sometimes I'm in the kitchen and my wife walks up behind me and I jump up 5 feet in the air, cartoon style, screaming. Good to know I'm not alone.
This feels like a particularly California story🤣 Here in NY, I will easily walk a mile to get to yoga, but it's definitely not worth a subway ride!
Love your stories. I just launched my Stack. How long did it take you to get 2k subscribers? Were your newsletters rocky at first and then you found your groove? Or were you hilarious from the get-go? BTW, I shared your stack with my sister; she just signed up. She lives in LA and has that extra California appreciation.
This shit never disappoints thanks man..... AND has added benefit of being shorter than Bolano's 2666 so easier to consume after the day's pilgrimming.
Gonna give you (and me) a break here and tackle only #5:
The Byrds Live version of "8 Miles High" is pretty damn good music to uhhhhh zone out to......but that said theres gotta be at least a few Dark Stars which fit the bill....and the indica....
WARNING Will Robinson !!!!!!!!!!! Deadheads dead ahead~~~~~~~~~>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
***************+++++*****++****
At least you didn’t run into the kind of whammy that leaves you with $0!
https://media.tenor.com/SWd6lW6qmGsAAAAM/whammy-press-your-luck.gif