I've been listening to the 4th American Recordings album done by the late, great Johnny Cash. Jim D. had suggested the record to me, and once again, Jim's recommendations have panned out well.

In a way, the album has a weight to it simply becuase it is the final album from a highly prolific recording artist. That would have been enough, alone, to make this a good record. But what is so starkly obvious upon listening to the album, is that Cash had a pretty good idea this might be his final album. His voice isn't what it was on prior recordings, and frankly, he sounds like an old man on quite a few tunes. But for an album which covers everything from Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" to "Streets of Laredo", there's a certain cohesion created by the fading voice of the Man in Black.

And, if nothing else, the title track, "The Man Comes Around" puts on display the goods that Johnny Cash had right up until his final days.

And, okay... this is totally unrelated, but I think it's well worth checking out if you have a high-speed internet connection.

Found out by doing a sitemeter check that

1) a lot of people continue to want to see nude photos of a certain conservative pundit. No, I am not referring to George F. Will.
2) Shannon and Josh were looking for JAMIE, not Ryan. So forget anything nice I ever said about them.
3) Alzare is more popular than I originally knew.

I think I am going to NASA in October. No, I am not being used for low orbit reconnaisance (although i would not object). I think they're sending me there for an ed fair.

While I am excited to participate in all things NASA related, I think I am handing out brochures to NASA scientists about our online programs. I love NASA. I'm kind of excited. I hope me and Buzz Aldrin get drunk and go and kill a wild boar and then take an old moon buggy out for a spin.

Look, you have your dreams, I have mine.

Howdy to Josh and Shannon who are getting married in mid-October and STILL took the time out to track me down. And they found me via the League. Yes, the 10 Year Reunion for Klein Oak High School certainly has been stirring up some dust.

Shannon and Josh are two nifty kids and I don't know what to say except that you're both swell people and I wish you the best. Looking forward to seeing you at the wedding (I'll be the one sobbing loudly in the corner. Weddings always make me cry).

Why does Star Wars Episode II suck so bad? It's now showing on one of my movie channels, and I'll be honest, Leaguers... I gave it below "luke" warm reviews when i saw it in the theater (4 times, and thereby hangs a tale...). And on TV, it's even crappier. I hate Hayden Christian. I hate the stupid dialog and meandering story and I hateses the crappy CG.

I used to love Star Wars, and as I once noted in these pages, I even went insane and defended Episode I at length for about 6 months. But in all honesty, in some ways, it's better than Episode II. At least Episode I has a beginning, middle and end and was long enough ago that you kind of didn't notice how crappy some of the CG was... but why, oh, why, oh why... is the CG in Episode II so awful? It looks like that Andromeda show with Kevin Sorbo... and that show is freaking free to watch and syndicated....

Sorry. This was out of place and belaboring the obvious, but I had to get it off my chest.

I just used to really dig Star Wars, and now it's all crappy.

Someone remind me to finish Return of the King before the movie comes out so I can enjoy the movie, without feeling guilty.

Mel has ear problems. Apparently, for several years, he's had ear problems. We've taken him to the vet for his annual visit, and every time they give me SOMETHING to treat it, but it never works. THe new stuff is gross, but I think it's working. But dirty dog ears smell like bat barf, and I don't like dealing with them. Bleah.

WHOOO-HOOOO

Goin' to see David Bowie in Phoenix in February!

SWEET CHRISTMAS!!!! This is the best news I've heard in, like, a year... and it's in Japanese...

I feel a little bad that I haven't really updated in a while. Sorry, kids. Not much has been going on at League Central. Usually I feel I have a story to share, but right now, the well has run dry.

Melbotis returned home last night and is his same, potato shaped self. He was a happy, happy boy to see me, which provided me with the pointless positive vibe only dog owners ever really get. Everyone should be much nicer to their dogs. You never see people so happy to see you they squeal and roll around.

I have an exam in the course I am taking on Monday. I am totally terrified as I have not taken an exam since May of 1998. Oh, well. If I fail, I can always try a different degree, i guess.

Oh... High School Chum "Thrill Kill" Jill Wilmarth is coming to visit in December. She's all hitched up and a Hermann-Wilmarth now, but I doubt marriage has made her any less of a little ray of sunshine. I am tickled pink to host her while she attends some sort of National Reading Convention here in the Valley of the Sun. Jill asked me if I was the AV guy at my employer university, or the guy who turns on the TV for her when she can't get anything to work in her classroom. It made me wonder what my parents think I do for a living. For years, my borther thought I stopped and started VTRs all day. Which i kind of did, but IT WAS MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT!!!!