9/11 at 25

25 years ago, Jamie and I were at Las Vegas's famed Luxor hotel - the pyramid with the huge beam of light at night  - when we got a call from my brother telling us to turn on the television.

I've shared this story before, I won't repeat it, but after watching the towers fall on TV, we were stranded in Vegas for a few days before we were able to get out.  

In the years since, people not yet born, or who were children at the time, have lived in a world where they see their elders taking a thing *very seriously*.  This, they find perplexing.  Tragedies happen every day.  Mass murder, earthquakes...  Why this?  Why are we fixated on a few thousand people dying and monuments to America's economic dominance collapsing?  

The Admiral has a Landmark Birthday

we're still punk rock

The Pater Familias had a birthday this last weekend.  Big, round number.  

The family got together, had some dinner, had some time together.  It was all very good.

What to get a guy like my dad?  It's always impossible to know.  He got a leatherette computer bag from me as he does do some volunteer work that requires a computer and I want to make sure he's lugging his laptop safely.

Anyway, Happy Birthday to The Old Man.  

Happy Birthday, Lady Miss Kier

Today marks the birthday of musician, fashion pioneer and all-around-good-idea, Lady Miss Kier.  You will remember her as the vocalist and go-go dancer fronting 90's house music crossover stars, Deee-Lite. 

I don't know how she's spending her birthday, but I know I could never keep up.

Happy Birthday, A'ja Wilson

Today is the 30th birthday of A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces.

At just 30, Wilson is one of the most accomplished players in sport, and I'm not even including the League of Melbotis Favored Player Award.

Wilson has so many accomplishments, it would be taxing to transpose them here.  So, I invite you to visit this Wikipedia page.  

Yeah, she's that good.  And that's on a team where *everyone* produces (ask me about Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young and NaLyssa Smith - who is also a birthday girl today, but only 26).  

If you only know the WNBA through the Angel Reese/ Caitlin Clark pinhole, like I did initially, I highly recommend actually watching the games.  There are some great players the press ignores, better teams than the Fever (although, can we discuss Kelsey Mitchell?), and most of what you see people saying on social media is nonsense.

A'ja Wilson is statistically the best player, and the Aces are one of the most fun teams to watch in no small part because Wilson plays a ton of minutes every game, has moved the bar for what "the best" looks like, and has an incredible attitude for someone in her position.  

I did get to see her play in the pre-season at a Dallas Wings-heavy game here in Austin.  I was glared at for cheering for A'ja and Chelsea by name, but you cannot ask me to hide my fan status under a bushel, no.

100 Days of Noom

So, today marks 100 days of Noom.

It's going pretty well.  I've lost nearly 50 pounds. Pretty crazy what happens when you eat less and exercise.

I plan to lose a minimum of 30 more pounds, so we'll see what happens.  The next batch could take a while.

What hasn't really happened this go-round is the thing where my body gets used to the routine and plateaus until I find some things to change.  That happened at different phases the last time I did all this.  Of course, last time I was also working very hard at building muscles, so there was a balancing act between losing weight and getting more muscle mass.  I'll get to the muscle mass part after I hit a more ideal weight.  In the meantime, I'm still walking in the morning with Emmylou, and I'm still doing time on the elliptical 3-4 days per week.  

Adding Kylie is Never a Bad Idea - Madonna Edition

at the World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam, August 1, 2026

The logistics of shuttling musicians around seems like a nightmare.

Adding Kylie is Never a Bad Idea - Nick Cave edition

 

 July 31, 2026 at Brighton